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Best Super NEWS Watches
Introducing: The Baume & Mercier My Classima Collection, Starting At Just $990 (But There's A Catch)
Baume & Mercier recently announced a quite interesting perpetual calendar?(in a gold case, with a well-proportioned dial) as the latest in a series of watches in its Clifton collection that presents a high complication in a limited series. The opposite pole of the company, however, is its many more accessibly priced watches; though Baume & Mercier has had a pretty high-profile alliance with Shelby over the last few years, it is still wallet-friendly and gifting-oriented watches that form the core of what Baume & Mercier offers. In keeping with this general direction, Baume & Mercier's just launched a new family of watches in the Classima collection called My Classima, which...
Hands-On: The Baume & Mercier Clifton Chronograph Calendar
A few months ago, we asked you, the readers, what you would like to see more of on Instagram. We received several suggestions, but the one that we heard the most was that you wanted to read about more "affordable" watches. I put "affordable" in quotations, because it is nearly impossible to discuss affordability in the luxury watch market, and it is also hard to define the meaning of affordability (i.e. one person's trash is another person's treasure). ? The Baume and Mercier Clifton Chronograph Calendar. So for the past month we have been trying to bring you a more diverse range of watches of all complications with all sorts ...
This week we've found some true blue chip watches from Rolex and Patek C more precisely, a double red Sea-Dweller reference 1665 and a pink gold reference 591 chronograph. There's also a Japanese edition of the Omega Speedmaster with a coveted racing dial and a Vacheron Constantin Prestige de la France exhibiting a fairly unique case shape as well. This is your Bring A Loupe for October 21, 2016. Omega Speedmaster Reference 3570.40, With Racing Dial Vintage Speedmasters with racing dials have become extremely collectible, and, sadly, they are sometimes "recreated" with spare parts. In that light, the ...
Auctions: The First Results From Christie's Nautilus 40 Thematic Sale Roll In From Dubai
Christie's is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Patek Philippe Nautilus in its own way, setting up a thematic sale of 40 rare Nautilus to be auctioned in four different cities. It's a non-traditional way to do things, for sure, but it should prove very interesting. The first 10 watches were just sold at Christie's Dubai, and all sold at or above their respective estimates. The leading Nautilus was an early steel reference 3700/1 with a Khanjar symbol on its dial, for which bidding finished just short of the $200,000 mark, making it the second most expensive watch of the larger 146-lot auction. The "Khanjar" Nautilus opened the thematic sale, being...
Shinola Announces The Shinola Hotel, Coming To Detroit In 2018
The latest news from Shinola isn't a new watch. It isn't even a new product of any kind. It's a hotel. Seriously. Working with local developer Bedrock Detroit, Shinola plans to open the 130-room hotel in a former shopping and entertainment district as part of revitalization efforts. Details are still scarce, but here's what we know now about this new development.Right now the opening of the Shinola Hotel is slated for fall 2018 and the project includes many partners, some Detroit-based, others not. The building itself sits at 1400 Woodward Avenue and dates to 1915. It was originally the T.B. Rayle & Co. department store and later the Eastern Wig and Hair Company, but it has been empty fo...
The Ulysse Nardin Sonata is a watch with an alarm complication, but it's different from any other alarm wristwatch we've ever seen C and it looks the part. The styling for the Sonata has always been polarizing, but the new version is by far the most restrained version of this watch so far, and its less flashy appearance, its ease of use, and its technical sophistication make it one of the most interesting alarm watches out there. The Ulysse Nardin Classic Sonata is the most user-friendly version of UN's alarm watch yet. The Ulysse Nardin Sonata has had an interesting history C the watch originally debuted in 2003 and at the t...
As part of celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Fleurier manufacture, Chopard decided to surprise us with two new COSC-certified travel companions in the L.U.C line, the Time Traveler One and the GMT One. This collection is named in tribute to Louis-Ulysse Chopard, the company's founder, and reserved for pieces entirely designed and manufactured in-house. We had the opportunity to see them in the metal last week and have tons of live pictures and our first impressions of both models. Spoiler alert: We were mightily impressed.? The L.U.C Time Traveler One The L.U.C Time Traveler One is the company's first true worldtimer...
Recommended Reading: The Improbable Survival Of The Luxury Watch Business
Very little about the modern luxury watch market makes sense. And that's especially true for those who are not immersed in it all day every day like we are here at HODINKEE. To us, sure, the massive, over-the-top exhibitions at Baselworld seem completely normal and there's nothing shocking about a new "limited edition" of over 2,000 watches, each costing the same as a suburban home. We're used to it. Sometimes it's good though to get a fresh set of eyes and a critical, inquisitive investigation of the things we love. Luckily, journalist Simon Garfield (far from a newcomer to the watch world) has done just that, forgetting received wisdom and probing into why and how haute horlogerie is thriv...
Last week IWC unveiled it's latest creation, the Portugieser Hand-Wound Tourbillon Edition 'D.H. Craig USA.' ?This watch pays tribute to IWC's founder and his benefactor, combining a tradition flying tourbillon movement with a bold Portugieser case and dial. We thought it was worth a little fanfare, so we gathered almost 100 guests at IWC's flagship boutique on Madison Avenue to see the watch in the metal and to toast with the IWC team. Guests were welcomed by Edouard d'Arbaumont, president of IWC North America, and own editor-in-chief Jack Forster offered a bit of a history lesson as well. There was even an original D.H. Craig movement from the nineteenth century on display, thanks to the g...
Weekend Reading: That Time The Statue Of Liberty Almost Got Herself A Wristwatch
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most immediately recognizable symbols of the United States. A gift from France, Lady Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886 (almost 130 years ago to the day), and since then has been an enduring presence off the southern tip of Manhattan. She holds a torch over her head and clutches a tablet to her body, but did you know that in the 1920 she almost got a wristwatch? It's true. And The Atlantic has the full story. It's hard to imagine the Statue of Liberty any different from how it is today, but in 1926 a few enterprising watchmakers wanted to add a little ornamentation to her wrist. Of course, the massive glowing wrist...
Hands-On: The Objest Hach Automatic, An Affordable And Customizable Watch For Design Lovers
When Objest launched its debut line of quartz watches last December, I was immediately torn. I really liked the unique design of the Hach, but the lack of a mechanical movement did prevent me from paying super close attention (whether or not that was smart is another question entirely). Well, now I can right my wrong, as Objest is currently launching a collection of automatic Hach watches and I was able to get some quality hands-on time with a few prototypes. I'm very happy with the results.?Objest was founded by Jared Mankelow, a London-based designer who has over a decade of experience and has collaborated with the likes of Conran and Ideo. Objest isn't a watch brand per se, but rather a l...
Hands-On: The Martenero Edgemere, A Marine Chronometer-Inspired Watch Designed In New York
It's easy to forget in a sea of marketing campaigns and brand ambassadors that there are a lot of small companies out there making cool watches too. Martenero is one such company that has been creating small runs of enthusiast-designed watches for a few years now, right out of New York City. Its latest design, the Edgemere is inspired by marine chronometers, but with a modern look and bright colors. Here's a hands-on look at this high-value piece.We first told you about Martenero back in 2014 when it launched its very first watches. The idea was simple then: offer customizable watches inspired by the founders' favorite vintage models for a reasonable price, and do as much as possible in New ...
Happenings: HODINKEE Will Be Hosting Panel Discussions And A Meet-Up At Dubai Watch Week 2016
This year marks the second annual Dubai Watch Week, which is taking place from November 15-19 in, where else, Dubai. This is a really special event that brings together big modern brands, small independent watchmakers, auction houses, collectors, and journalists to explore the current state of horology, where it's been, and where it's going. We're excited to be partnering with Dubai Watch Week this year to host a few special programs and we hope you'll come out to join us.On November 17, managing editor Stephen Pulvirent will be hosting a pair of panel discussions. The first, Digital Curators, will take place at 10:00 AM and will look at how technology is used by brands, collectors, and jour...
The upcoming auction season has some pretty spectacular things on offer C none more so than the stainless steel 1518 at Phillips. The auction house has a bunch of other super high-end, super fancy stuff on offer too, like a Tiffany-signed Rolex 6263, a Cartier-signed Patek 1463, and some other steel Pateks and mega Rolex. It's a good catalog. However, when I look at the Phillips sale, the two pieces that stand out to me might not strike your fancy immediately C but trust me, they're absolutely spectacular watches, both bordering on the almost unique category, with a ton of aesthetic charm. Oh, and they both happen to be Omegas. Omega Speedmaster Professional Alas...
Well, make no mistake dear readers, you didn't exactly love the two 40th Anniversary Nautilus watches when we shared the press release pictures with you, and boy did you ever let us know it. "Vulgar and grotesque" opined one reader C and compared to some other comments, that one was a model of diplomatic circumspection. We've now had a chance to see them in the metal and while we're still not sure they're going to win watch geek hearts and minds, we will say they're quite a bit more under-the-radar than they appear in the press kit pics. Yes, the 40th anniversary dial stamp (which has bee...
A Week On The Wrist: The A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia Thin 37mm
I haven't wanted a watch this badly in a long time. Sure, there are grails and dream watches out there that might get my blood pumping harder, but no watch that is both so appealing and so close to possible reach as the A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia Thin 37mm. Beyond my personal affinity, this new entry-level watch from Lange has a lot going for it, from design to finishing to market positioning. Buckle up, we're going deep on this one. A Little Bit Of History The Saxonia was one of the original four Lange watches, as part of the 1994 launch collection. The best place to start? The beginning C duh. You'...
One of the most popular, as well as the most useful, of all A. Lange & Sohne watches is the Lange 1 Time Zone, which was first introduced in 2005, and is probably one of the most luxurious dual timezone watches in the world (if not the most). One of the most interesting features of the Lange 1 Time Zone is that the view through the case-back is an opportunity to see something that you actually no longer see in the Lange 1 itself, since the introduction of the new model Lange 1 in 2015: a movement with a close resemblance to the idiosyncratic architecture of the original Lange 1 caliber L901.1, with its two island-like cut-outs in the three-quarter plate and screw balance wheel. In this ...
The Eve's Watch Awards, The First Ever Dedicated Ladies' Watch Awards, Took Place Last Weekend
While you were catching up on your weekend reading, the first ever dedicated ladies' watch awards took place in London. The Eve's Watch Awards are dedicated to the "celebration" of women's watches and new innovations released each year within that category. As you are well aware I am sure, there are plenty of women's watches to choose from (mostly quartz and diamond-encrusted) so the watches are judged mostly on design and aesthetics, which is incredibly important in my opinion. With the nominees we saw a lot of familiar faces and the winners came as no surprise to me. Here are a few noteworthy highlights. Watch Of The Year: The Chanel Boy.Friend ...
Introducing: The Eterna Granges 1856 Collection
There's a lot to be said for a well-executed basic watch. With its latest, Eterna is offering up just that. The Granges 1856 is a straightforward time-and-date watch with a few classic dial options and a few little details that you might not notice at first glance to keep things interesting. This is just the sort of watch that would make a great daily go-to for a lot of people. Let's take a closer look.? The Granges 1956 adds a big date complication to an otherwise basic time-only watch. The Granges 1856 is a single watch that comes with a handful of dial options plus various straps and a bracelet to pick from, so while the wa...
Kari Voutilainen Is Now Making Smartphones (And It Makes Me Want To Cry)
Well, I can't believe I'm writing this. Kari Voutilainen is making smartphones. Or at least making parts of them and slapping his name on the final handset. Essentially what you get for a few thousand dollars is an ostentatious leather-wrapped phone from Chinese maker 8848 with a strange "dial" made by Kari stuck to the back. It's about the furthest thing I can imagine from an actual Voutilainen watch and it kind of makes me want to cry.I first discovered the story on Horologium?and after digging have turned up a reasonably complete picture of what's going on here. On October 18 at an event in Beijing, Voutilainen joined 8848's founder Du Yingying to announce the collaboration. The duo are m...