INSIGHT RADAR: News in Brief from the World of Watches and Jewelry
Art, fashion, research, and an award: Four recent stories highlight where watch and jewelry topics are making headlines this week.
A. Lange & Söhne is supporting an exhibition of Japanese woodblock prints in Dresden; Francéclat is creating a new platform for French jewelry during Paris Fashion Week; Hublot is supporting a scientific mission off the coast of Antikythera through its Xplorations program; and Pointtec is celebrating an award.
Four stories, four stages—from the museum to Fashion Week, underwater archaeology, and the German Brand Award.
Cover photo: Hublot Xploration Antikythera 2026
Hublot Xplorations: In the Footsteps of the Antikythera Mechanism
Through its Hublot Xplorations program, Hublot is supporting a scientific mission off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera. Together with Swiss content creator Anil Brancaleoni, the brand is documenting the work of an international team of archaeologists, divers, and experts.
The focus is on the site where the famous Antikythera Mechanism was discovered in an ancient shipwreck in 1901. The artifact dates from around 60 B.C. and is considered the oldest known astronomical calculator. It was used to calculate the movements of celestial bodies, eclipses, and other astronomical phenomena.
Hublot Xplorations has been involved in the research project since 2014 and supports the archaeological divers with technical expertise and underwater drones, among other things. These are intended to help pinpoint the location of additional artifacts at the site more precisely.
The latest documentary follows the mission over 18 days and offers a behind-the-scenes look at dives, technical briefings, and the work on the remote island. The feature is available on YouTube, both on Hublot’s channel and on Anil B.’s channel.
For more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndi6pCrKOB8&
Hublot’s connection to watchmaking goes back quite a ways: In 2012, the brand introduced the Hublot Antikythera, followed in 2013 by the Antikythera SunMoon. Both models drew inspiration from the astronomical aspect of the ancient mechanism.
Hublot Antikythera (2012) and Antikythera SunMoon Titan (2013)
A. Lange & Söhne Supports “Japan on Paper in Dresden”
A. Lange & Söhne is once again supporting an exhibition at the Dresden State Art Collections: From June 26 to September 20, 2026, the Kupferstich-Kabinett will host the exhibition “Japan on Paper in Dresden: Utamaro, Hokusai, Hiroshige, and Modern Printmaking” will be on view at the Kupferstich-Kabinett from June 26 to September 20, 2026.
Left: Kitagawa Utamaro I: Series: Young Women in Mist-Patterned Fabrics, Sheet: Bamboo-Leaf Girl, ca. 1795, color woodblock print, © Kupfer-stich-Kabinett, SKD, Inv. A 1897-562, Photo: Ryo Akama
Right: Toyohara Kunichika, “Summer” from the series: Jōruri in the Four Seasons, performed at the Ichimuraza Theater in Edo, 1862, color woodblock prints, © Kupferstich-Kabinett, SKD, Photos: Ryo Akama
The exhibition focuses on Japanese woodblock prints and their influence on international modernism. Visitors can discover works by Kitagawa Utamaro, Katsushika Hokusai, and Utagawa Hiroshige. The extensive collection of the Dresden Kupferstich-Kabinett includes more than 10,000 objects from Japan, including works rarely on display.
Highlights include, among others, Hokusai’s “Red Fuji” as well as impressive prints by Utamaro and Hiroshige. The exhibition brings to life the special connection between Japanese color aesthetics and the development of European art, building on the long-standing collaboration between A. Lange & Söhne and the Dresden State Art Collections.
Francéclat Launches “Le Rendez-Vous” During Paris Fashion Week
Francéclat is launching a new trade event for French jewelry and fine jewelry from October 2 to 5, 2026, at the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris. “Le Rendez-Vous” aims to create a collective platform for the creative French jewelry scene during Paris Fashion Week.
The event is aimed at trade visitors, the media, buyers, and international industry professionals. The focus is on 24 selected fine and fashion jewelry brands, including 5 Octobre, Lydia Courteille, Marie Mas, Vever, Gas Bijoux, Hugo Kreit, and Mara Paris.
Five curated areas are planned: a central presentation space for brands, an immersive jewelry exhibition, discussions on industry topics, a photography exhibition, and a curated bookstore area. In addition, an interactive map will highlight jewelry and fine jewelry events taking place during Fashion Week.
This will make Paris not only a stage for fashion, but also, to a greater extent, for jewelry. The format is particularly interesting for the industry because it aims to bring a previously fragmented landscape of showrooms, presentations, galleries, and events into a more visible framework.
More on this: https://rendez-vous.franceclat.fr/en/
German Brand Award Gold for bauhaus
The German Brand Award Gold was presented to the brand of the German watch manufacturer bauhaus in the “Excellent Brands – Luxury” category. The jury, consisting of experts in branding, communications, and business, particularly praised the brand’s exceptional authenticity:
“In the luxury watch segment, what matters is not references to origin, but rather their credible integration into the brand experience. bauhaus links the principles of the art school from which it takes its name not only to the design of the collection, but also to the brand’s manufacturing, context, and expression.”
Particular emphasis was placed on the consistent integration of design and brand identity. According to the jury, manufacturing the watches in the historic Bauhaus building in Ruhla anchors the brand’s claim “both culturally and materially” and lends it a “rare credibility.”
