Welcome back to In The Loupe, our monthly watch news series where we cover the latest and greatest—not to mention some frankly rather bizarre—watch releases and horological news. From new collabs to innovative calibres, here’s the place to stay wound up on all the watch news to know in October 2026.
October 2026 watch news
Herewith, all the watch news to know in October 2026.
Raymond Weil celebrates its 50th anniversary
At the end of last month, Raymond Weil celebrated half a century of attractive, value-driven timepieces by bringing its Legacy Tour to Sydney’s Lands by Capella. Founded in Geneva in 1976 by Raymond Weil, the maison is currently helmed by the third generation of the family and remains one of the last family-owned independent Swiss watchmakers. The Legacy Tour charts Raymond Weil’s journey through 25 iconic timepieces, from the experimental shaped watches of the 1970s and the colour-blocked Traviata of the ’80s to the opera-inspired Parsifal collection. Also on display were the maison’s contemporary collections, among them the Freelancer and Toccata Heritage.
“My grandfather created Raymond Weil with a belief in independence, creativity and accessible Swiss watchmaking,” shared Elie Bernheim, CEO of Raymond Weil, over an intimate lunch. “Those values remain at the heart of the Maison today, but we also have a responsibility to continue evolving, to create watches that speak to a new generation while remaining true to where we come from.”
Since 1999, Raymond Weil has been distributed in Australia and New Zealand through a partnership with fellow family-owned company AVSTEV. The first watch brand to join the AVSTEV stable of brands, the lunch also celebrated 27 years of partnership between the two families.
Panerai introduces a Luminor for a (slightly) smaller wrist
- Panerai has introduced its distinctive Luminor in a more compact 42mm case
- Available in three new references—PAM01710, PAM01711, and PAM01714—two in stainless steel with a matte black or matte green dial and one with a black steel DLC case with a matte blue dial, the newcomers retain the iconic oversized crown guard and angular case while offering a more approachable entry point into the Panerai collection
- Notably, the trio size down without compromising on durability, offering 500 metres of water resistance
- The new references are powered by the calibre P.980, an automatic movement based on a ValFleurier base calibre with a 72-hour power reserve
Price: $10,500AUD (PAM01710, PAM01711); $12,100AUD (PAM01714)
Model: Luminor (ref. PAM01710, PAM01711, PAM01714)
Case size: 42mm
Movement: P.980 (automatic)
Water resistance: 50ATM
Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, stop seconds
Power reserve: 72 hours
Words by Theo Rosen and Henry Blake
