The Roundup: “Engines and Elegance” Edition

Each week, EWC will be gathering horological industry news, cultural conversations and moments surrounding our favorite topic: timepieces. Happy Friday; here’s what’s on our watch.

Audemars Piguet Acquires A Majority Stake In Inhotec SA

Audemars Piguet just bought a majority stake in Inhotec SA, the Swiss micromechanics firm that’s been a go-to supplier for the brand for years. Known for its precision machining skills, Inhotec will keep running under its own name, with founder and CEO Alexandre Eme holding on to a large minority share and staying at the helm. AP says the move is all about locking in key know-how for the future of its watchmaking while giving Inhotec the backing to keep growing. And, they addd, it’s a way to help strengthen the Swiss watch industry as a whole

Breitling Keeps Pace with IRONMAN in 2025

Breitling is doubling down on its partnership with the IRONMAN triathlon series, rolling out two limited-edition Endurance Pro models to celebrate this year’s World Championships in Nice, France and Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, along with the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Marbella, Spain. The 44mm titanium “World Championship” version is capped at 500 pieces, sporting a blue strap and a dial marked with the event’s eagle-and-turtle logo. The “70.3 World Championship” edition is 300 pieces and available only to verified race finishers. It swaps titanium for Breitling’s ultra-light “Breitlight” case and adds a turquoise-and-orange color scheme inspired by Marbella’s coast. Both run on the brand’s COSC-certified calibre 82 quartz movement, making them as tough as the athletes they honor.

Coming in New

In perhaps the most unexpected collab of 2025, H. Moser & Cie. teamed up with NFT brand Azuki to create the Elements of Time collection, eight ultra-limited Pioneer models inspired by Azuki’s anime-style Elementals series. The lineup includes four Pioneer Tourbillons and four Pioneer Centre Seconds, each limited to just 24 pieces and themed around Fire, Earth, Water, and Lightning. Every watch features a custom guilloché dial that captures its element’s textures, waves, flames, tremors, or electric pulses, through intricate light and shadow work. Prices start at $25,000 for the Centre Seconds and $75,000 for the Tourbillon. And you thought NFTs were dead…

Omega made waves this week with the release of the new Aqua Terra 150M Turquoise on an integrated rubber strap. It’s not the first time we’ve seen this gradient turquoise dial on the Aqua Terra. Omega previously offered it on an integrated steel bracelet. This version adds a black ceramic bezel and the sleek look of the rubber running seamlessly into the case. Available in both 41mm and 38mm, it’s about as close to a perfect summer watch as you can get.

Tudor has added extra sparkle to its Royal lineup with a new 28mm model in blue, offered in both stainless steel and two-tone (steel and yellow gold). Both variations feature a sunray blue dial with Roman numeral indexes at 12, 3, 6 and 9, plus diamonds at all other markers. And the bezel gets a full diamond treatment for added flair. Inside is the T201 automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve. Paired with the Royal’s integrated five-link bracelet, the watch delivers Tudor’s sport-chic style with an extra touch of elegance, priced at $4,225 in steel and $5,900 in two-tone.

Roger Dubuis has dropped a showstopper for Monterey Car Week, the Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph. Limited to just 88 pieces, this 45mm skeletonized pink gold chronograph pairs Geneva Seal-certified haute horology with motorsport-inspired design. Inside is the RD780 movement with a vertical clutch, column wheel, and a pair of patented features: the 120° Rotating Minute Counter at 3 o’clock and the Second Braking System for smoother chronograph operation. A tilted balance wheel with diamond-coated silicon components adds both performance and visual drama, while the rotor on the back mimics a supercar wheel. Priced at $135,000 and delivered on a black rubber strap, it’s Roger Dubuis at its most expressive and technically bold

A. Lange & Söhne has added a pink gold case with slate gray dial option to the Zeitwerk Date lineup, joining the rest of the collection with its oversized jumping hours and minutes, peripheral date display, and patented constant-force escapement. The 44.2mm watch houses the hand-wound calibre L043.8 and comes on a brown crocodile strap. We’ll never turn down more variety from one of Lange’s most iconic collections.

Engines, Elegance, and Exceptional Watches

Monterey Car Week is in full swing, and so is the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, a celebration of racing history where legendary cars and drivers take to the track once more. Beyond the roar of engines and the smell of high-octane fuel, it’s also one of the year’s most exciting weekends for watch spotting. With collectors, racers, and enthusiasts from around the world converging on the Monterey, expect to see everything from vintage chronographs with real racing provenance to the latest and greatest luxury sport watches to hit the track. We’re sure the watches will be just as exciting as the cars they’re paired with.

The 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is here, bringing together the world’s most exquisite collector cars for one of the crown jewels of Monterey Car Week. Rolex has long marked the “Best in Show” win with something special. In 2023, it was a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41, and in 2024, a Rolex Perpetual 1908. The big question now: what will the winner take home this year? Could the recently unveiled Land-Dweller be making its first appearance as a trophy watch? We’ll know soon enough, but if history is any guide, it’ll be something worth racing for.