The HODINKEE Jealousy List 2016

December 16, 2016

We here at HODINKEE are never ones to take a pass on a good idea when we see one. Which is why we're unabashedly stealing a year-end tradition from our friends over at Bloomberg Businessweek C the Jealousy List. The idea is pretty simple: Compile a list of the stories from other publications that you really wish you'd gotten to first and that you think everyone should read.?Businessweek's 2016 list is full of the diverse, incredible reporting you'd expect, on subjects like politics, business, and fancy butter (not kidding). We've decided to keep ours focused on the best horological stories we could find outside the usual orbit of industry media. Without further ado, here's the first annual HODINKEE Jealousy List.? What She's Wearing: Deniz Gamze Erguven And The Boy.Friend By David Belcher, The New York Times While this piece isn't groundbreaking, I always love reading about strong female figures and what watch they wear. I think that today, women are more engaged than ever with watches. I also find it interesting that film director Deniz Gamze Erguven chooses to wear the Chanel Boy.Friend watch. Now, this is not necessarily the most technologically advanced watch, but I totally get how its vintage and clean aesthetic is appealing to lots of women (myself included). Jealousy is an ugly trait, but I might be envious enough of this to start my own women in watches column. Watch out 2017!?C Cara Barrett, Associate EditorRead the story here. The Authorized Biography Of Patek Philippe By Nick Foulkes Okay, so this isn't a story so to speak, but rather an exhaustive and for the first time, completely authorized look at one of the world's greatest luxury brands C Patek Philippe. Authored by my friend and fellow GPHG juror Nick Foulkes, the family Stern gave an author next to unfiltered access to historical records and first hand-interviews. The minute this book was released it became the most important text on Patek Philippe ever released, and in a world of watch books filled with just pretty pictures and a whole lot of conjecture, seeing a beautifully produced and completely factual account of Patek Philippe is a welcomed change. This is a must read, simple as that. And do I wish I got the call for this one? Damn right I do.?C Ben Clymer, Founder and Editorial DirectorYou can order the book here. John Muir's Alarm Clock Desk By Stephen J. Taylor, Atlas Obscura Come on, this story's got everything C and I mean everything. This is a clock invented by John Muir, the famous naturalist, who it turns out was a dedicated inventor before an industrial accident nearly blinded him. It was attached to a collapsing bed and at the appointed time, it gently but firmly slid the sleeping Muir to the floor, while also lighting a lamp. Eccentric genius? Check. Obscure one-of-a-kind non-wristwatch timekeeper? Check. Window into the weird early life of someone famous for something totally different? Check. Nothing to do with Switzerland? Oh yes, yes ye gods of consumer journalism, check. Really, really jealous I didnt write this one.?C Jack Forster, Editor-in-ChiefRead the story here. Meet The Metal Thrasher Turned Virtuoso Watchmaker Great Big Story In one of the nicer watch-related videos youll find out there, Great Big Story takes us inside the dichotomous world of metal-rocker-turned-watchmaker Dan Spitz. Best known as the former lead guitarist of the heavy metal band Anthrax, Spitz C seeking silence, ironically enough C turned to watchmaking in 1995, and in so doing, followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather before him. This piece is really nicely shot and put together C and astute HODINKEE readers will recognize that Central Watch in Grand Central Terminal provides the backdrop for much of the shoot.?C Will Holloway, Senior Digital ProducerWatch the video here. The Politics Of Watches In Venezuela By Daniel Lansberg-Rodriguez, The Atlantic Watches are fun, interesting objects that are a hobby for most of us, but I love reading about timepieces in historical or political contexts. Within a socialist-leaning regime, its fascinating to see political and cultural leaders wearing high-end (and not necessarily the most understated) wristwatches from manufacturers we regularly cover on HODINKEE. The author highlights the stark contrast between Venezuelan officials timepieces and the fact that most of the population barely scrapes by, offering an important commentary on wealth disparity and Venezuelas social and economic instability. This kind of report on the significance of watches within our world today isnt something that you read about as often as new releases or aesthetic appeal, but I wish that it came up more.?C Ashley Kinder, HODINKEE Shop ManagerRead the story here. That Time The Statue Of Liberty Almost Got A Glowing Wrist Watch By Adrienne LaFrance, The Atlantic I love that, in 1926, the wristwatch was considered such new technology that people felt it would look too modern on such a classically-designed statue. From the article: "This concern is understandable: In todays terms, it might be like replacing the tablet in the statues left hand with a colossal iPad."?C Adam Kopec, Design DirectorRead the story here. Iconic Hand-Wound Tower Clock Keeps Time Turning In Rockhampton By Megan Hendry, ABC I tend towards the historical and the obscure, but it's always wonderful to see a bit of the past in our present. A manually-wound tower clock, wound every four days by the same family over multiple generations? Winding your watch is an intimate affair, and in this case that intimacy has also been combined with duty and cultural heritage, making it very special. Add a small town in Australia and the job title of "clock master" and it doesn't get much more quaint.?C Isabella Proia, HODINKEE Shop AssociateRead the story here. Elegant Bracelet Watches For Men Photographs by Anthony Cotsifas, Styled by Amy Henry, T Magazine It might seem insane that the story I'm most jealous of this year is a collection of four photographs of great watches printed on sheet cakes, but it's true. This is so charming, so deftly done, and so eye-catching that I can't help but be jealous. Luxury, and watchmaking in particular, often takes itself way too seriously, and it's work like this, that presents watches without preciousness, that gets new people thinking about watches differently.?C Stephen Pulvirent, Managing EditorSee the photographs here. Virtual Reality Takes Fans Inside The World Of Watches By Victoria Gomelsky, The New York Times We hear a lot about how the Swiss are antiquated, but this article takes a look at how some brands are utilizing technology to reach potential new buyers, especially those of a younger generation. Embracing virtual reality as a vehicle to educate buyers about watchmaking, brands like Roger Dubuis and TAG Heuer are using VR to literally take customers on "a roller coaster ride into the movement." I think this is a great example of how certain brands are re-imagining how they can communicate with potential customers through technology, while still honoring their brand's legacy.?C Sarah Reid,?Business Development AssociateRead the story here. The Real History Of America's Most Authentic Fake Brand By Stacy Perman, Inc. Magazine An interesting (and pretty fair, despite the title) look at one of the hottest "new luxury" brands in America. Even with the widely covered issues surrounding Shinola watches and "Made in America," I think this story does a good job breaking down what Shinola actually is while still creating interest/excitement in what Tom Kartsotis and his team are doing in Detroit. They are genius marketers, no doubt.?C Frank Roda, Director of Business DevelopmentRead the story here. Fleurier, A Swiss Watch Company Town By Kathleen Beckett with Photographs by Niels Ackermann, The New York Times The watch supplement of the New York Times is where I got my break in watch journalism (as an intern, first, and then as a writer) and it's also where I met my wife. So its more than just a great paper to me. I consider myself very lucky to have worked with many of the papers regulator contributors, and Im a big fan of Kathleen Beckett. Her story (and accompanying photo slideshow) of Fleurier is a fantastic example of what she does best. She noticed a word that is printed on so many dials its become banal to most. And then she questioned why it was even there. To find the answer, she traveled to Switzerland, and her story takes us on this special trip.?C Arthur Touchot, European EditorRead the story here. Still Ticking: The Improbable Survival Of The Luxury Watch Business By Simon Garfield, The Guardian A very genuine insight into the world of luxury watches by the author of the great book Timekeepers: How The World Became Obsessed With Time. It is a great introductory article and is full of British wit, right from the outset.?C Louis Westphalen, Associate EditorRead the story here.