https://www.scmp.com/rss/511020/feed Neha S. Bajpai is an Auckland-based journalist with over 15 years of experience in luxury and lifestyle, specializing in watches. As the founding editor of the Indian edition of WatchTime in 2012, she led the brand’s digital debut. Her work in Revolution and A Collected Man delves into the evolution of watchmaking and the excitement of auctions. Neha has also served as the Media and Editorial Director for Hong Kong-based luxury watch marketplace Wristcheck. Beyond horology, she is passionate... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Neha S. Bajpai Neha S. Bajpai Historically, titanium has been prized in watchmaking for its strength, corrosion resistance and extraordinary lightness – ever since its debut with Citizen’s X-8 Chronometer in 1970, followed a decade later by IWC’s collaboration with Porsche Design. For decades, the material was considered utilitarian, favoured for dive watches, chronographs and other performance-driven designs thanks to its ability to endure extremes. Today, however, that perception is evolving as brands experiment with its... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3344846/how-matte-titanium-has-redefined-dress-watch-cartier-bulgari?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3344846/how-matte-titanium-has-redefined-dress-watch-cartier-bulgari?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Neha S. Bajpai Neha S. Bajpai Jump-hour watches might be a throwback, but in 2025 they’re having a full-on renaissance. Forget traditional ticking hands: these mechanical marvels tell the time with numbers that “jump” forwards every hour through a tiny window called a guichet. Quirky, precise and oddly satisfying, jump hours are the vintage-inspired, high-craft answer to the screen generation’s love for digital clarity. The idea dates back to 1656, when the Campani brothers built a clock for Pope Alexander VII that showed... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3315643/why-jump-hour-watches-are-making-comeback-iwc-pioneered-earliest-model-1885-now-jaeger-lecoultre-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3315643/why-jump-hour-watches-are-making-comeback-iwc-pioneered-earliest-model-1885-now-jaeger-lecoultre-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 02:00:10 +0000 Neha S. Bajpai Neha S. Bajpai From Rolex’s quietly confident 120th anniversary to Vacheron Constantin’s grand 270-year celebration, 2025 is awash with horological milestones. But with so many brands touting birthdays, reissues and limited edition drops, one can’t help but ask: do these anniversaries still carry weight, or have they become just another marketing ploy? If the flurry of activity at Watches and Wonders 2025 is anything to go by, the answer is both. A convergence of anniversaries has put brand storytelling in the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3313198/are-watch-brands-going-too-far-their-anniversary-editions-chanel-j12-and-rolex-land-dweller-models?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3313198/are-watch-brands-going-too-far-their-anniversary-editions-chanel-j12-and-rolex-land-dweller-models?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jun 2025 02:00:16 +0000 Classics will always hold their charm, but it’s exciting to see how, in recent years, watch enthusiasts have been embracing mid-century-inspired designs. Unusual case shapes, intricate metalwork bracelets and asymmetrical movements are making a bold comeback, and captivating the watch world with their striking aesthetics. A host of new brands, alongside industry legends, are pushing the traditional boundaries, thrilling collectors with a design language that is audacious and charming. Whether... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3290972/why-asymmetrical-watches-are-here-stay-beyond-cartier-crash-newcomers-anoma-and-berneron-are-paving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3290972/why-asymmetrical-watches-are-here-stay-beyond-cartier-crash-newcomers-anoma-and-berneron-are-paving?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2024 22:00:13 +0000 Suie Jung Wong and Horatio Thompson were both raised on farms in New Zealand. Suie, a young woman from a Chinese family, fell for Horatio, a dashing Maori soldier who coached her in basketball. Despite her family’s disapproval and threats to send her back to China when she became pregnant, Suie followed her heart and in 1957 married into Horatio’s warm and welcoming Maori whanau (extended family). “They met in high school in Wairarapa and fell madly in love,” says Maia Te Hira, the Thompsons’... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3276880/new-zealanders-maori-chinese-descent-navigating-their-dual-heritage-and-embracing-their-roots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3276880/new-zealanders-maori-chinese-descent-navigating-their-dual-heritage-and-embracing-their-roots?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Sep 2024 21:15:07 +0000