Best Super NEWS Watches
Blancpain Puts The Power Reserve In The Rear, On The Rotor (Live Video)
The Power Reserve Is In the Rear, On the RotorWe're all familiar with the power-reserve display and the many forms in which it takes shape on the dial. Many watches display the reserve via small hand tracking round a gauge, some have even moved the display to the back of the movement, visible only when taken off the wrist. Blancpain has taken a markedly different approach to the power reserve in their L-Evolution Tourbillon model, a watch that sees the power-reserve indicator built into the oscillating weight.?Patented in 2007, Blancpain has been engineering this feat in present form for more than 2 years. Development overcame many obstacles and required a complete re-think of the gearing us...
Basel News: TAG Heuer Makes History Again with the MIKROTIMER Flying 1000 Concept Chronograph
A lot of watch fanatics were quite eager to see what TAG Heuer was going to introduce in their live webcast yesterday. One thing seemed likely: it was going to be a breakthrough somehow related to the chronograph complication. The brand has been breaking historic ground in the field of chronographs for almost a century.Only two months after introducing the gorgeous Heuer Carrera Mikrograph 1/100th Second watch, TAG Heuer has introduced a mechanical chronograph that beats a remarkable 10 times faster: the TAG Heuer Mikrotimer Flying 1000 Concept Chronograph. The watch beats an unbelievable 3,600,000 times in an hour! Compare that the Valjoux 72 movement found in the earliest Carreras, which b...
Live From Basel, The Patek Philippe Aquanaut Gains A Second Time Zone In Ref 5164
Enjoying the day's first meeting with Patek Philippe afforded not only time with the incredible 5270, but also a pleasant surprise courtesy of the sporty Aquanaut line. New for 2011 is the reference 5164, which sees the welcome addition of a dual time complication.?The familiar dial boasts a second hour hand, hollowed out, for easy tracking of a second time zone. What you will not find is a 24 hour chapter ring upon which to track that second time zone. Instead, Patek has fixed two apertures flanking both sides of the dial, one labeled home, the other, local. These indicate either a white or black swatch, indicating am/pm. This reference proves effective at a glance, and we appreciate the re...
The Heritage Chrono Was No FlukeRemember last year at about this very time when Tudor shocked the world by producing what was probably the coolest retro heritage piece to hit the shelves in years with the Heritage Chronograph?Unbeknownst to us, and very likely the rest of the watch-collecting world, the Heritage line from Tudor would be indeed a line, and not just a solitary throw-back piece with the chrono.? Just today we received the official word on a new heritage piece called the "Tudor Heritage Advisor".?The original Tudor Advisor was launched in 1957, and we have, of course, covered it before.? The newly launched Advisor also features a clearly ringing mechanical alarm just like the or...
Basel News: Bremont Goes "Entry Level" With The BC-SOLO
Bremont Goes Basic with the BC-SoloIts sometimes hard to believe that British brand Bremont has been around for less than a decade. The company has achieved amazing success in such a short time, through savvy marketing, some well-known ambassadors, and of course great watches. Bremont has pursued roads less traveled with their timepieces C an ejection seat-tested model, a Jaguar dashboard clock and most recently, even their own marine chronometer. We cant think of another young brand quite as ambitious as Bremont.Given the companys meteoric rise and breadth of offerings, its also hard to believe that theyre only now releasing their first entry level watch. But here on HODINKEE you get...
Patek Philippe Introduces The Reference 5270 Perpetual Calendar Chronograph (LIVE PHOTOS)
Patek's New Ref 5270 - Based On Their In-House Chronograph MovementPatek Philippe is known for many things, but if there was one combination of complications for which it is legendary, it is the Perpetual Calendar Chronograph.? Beginning with the 1518 (explained in full HD-video here), these watches have come to define Patek.Today, we saw the introduction of the Patek Philippe Reference 5270G, the first incarnation of the perpetual calendar chrono based on Patek's own, in-house manufactured chronograph movement.? This watch will, over time, phase out the famed Ref 5970, and marks an important landmark for the brand.The manually wound movement features a central chronograph hand and instantan...
TAG Heuer To Live Stream Launch of New Concept Piece: Watch It Live on HODINKEE
The Only Clue TAG Has Revelead For Its Looming Concept WatchOn Wednesday, March 23rd, TAG Heuer will be unveiling a new concept piece.? The event will take place in Basel, Switzerland but you can watch it live right here on HODINKEE.Little is known about this new watch, but we do know it will be something high (maybe even very high) frequency.? Check out the teaser to the right.? In addition to broadcasting the event on HODINKEE, it may also be seen on TAG's Facebook page.? It will run from 6:45 Basel time (1:45 EST) for about 30 minutes, and it will be concluded with JC Babin, TAG's CEO, answering questions live from Facebook.Tune back in in a few hours to watch TAG's latest and greatest be...
Haute Horlogerie from Ireland? Introducing the McGonigle Tuscar
The saying, a rising tide raises all ships is certainly proven out in the world of high end watchmaking. The blossoming of small talented watchmakers has extended far beyond Switzerlands borders, to places like Finland and now Ireland. Two brothers from the Emerald Isle, John and Stephen McGonigle, started up an eponymous watch company back in 2007. McGonigle Watches met the world at that years BaselWorld, when they were candidate members of the prestigious AHCI, the Acadmie Horlogre Des Crateurs Indpendants.How fitting that a week after St. Patricks Day and the week of BaselWorld, McGonigle introduces their new Tuscar watch. The Tuscar, named for a rocky outcrop off of Irelands co...
Event Recap: A Night of Haute Horology With Audemars Piguet
Last Thursday we threw a little shindig with the fine folks at Audemars Piguet.? We invited our friends and readers to view the brand's entire 2011 SIHH collection, including the incredible CS1 Concept Royal Oak, the Millenary Minute Repeater, the new self-winding tourbillon, and the Millenary 4101.?The 2.5 hour event played host to over 120 HODINKEE-readers, both young and old.? Guests had the opportunity to try on some incredible pieces, including some grande complications and very rare birds, such as the Ref 15305 "Open Worked" Royal Oak in stainless steel.? On top of that, Didier Genton, AP's Grande Complication Specialist was in the house to explain the finer workings of the brands most...
Introducing The Franck Muller Giga Tourbillon: The World's Largest Tourbillon
Franck Muller's New 20mm "Giga Tourbillon"According to Franck Muller, you are looking at the largest tourbillon ever incorporated into a wristwatch.? It's 20mm in diameter and takes up a solid 50% of this new watch.?The tourbillon cage is marked with the initials "FM", which stands for "Freaking Massive" and the hand-wound movement features a ten-day power reserve.The case is made from white gold, although you'd never know it - it is treated with black PVD.? Few details on this one are available, but it's definitely a piece to look out for.? Price will be....a lot.Disclaimer: "FM" actually stands for Franck Muller....For more information, click here....
A Sneak Peek At Today's HODINKEE-Curated Vintage Watch Sale on GILT Man
We're back on GILT today with another vintage watch sale, this time focusing heavily on rare Rolex models.? While the sale starts at 12 noon EST like always, we're here to give you a little preview of some of our favorite pieces.? Here we go:These are just a few examples of what will be up for sale in just a few hours and he have every price range covered.? On the lower end, we've got some great vintage Oyster Precisions and Air-Kings and on the much higher end we have TWO gold Subs (also rare to see) and a ref 6262 vintage Daytona.? This is one hell of a sale, if you don't mind us saying.To check out today's HODINKEE-curated sale on GILT MAN, click here....
Recommended Reading: Rollies on the Wrists of Russians?
In the world of watches, it is always fascinating to see what is on the wrists of the world's governmental and business leaders. It can be interesting to draw broader conclusions about a person based on what is they're wearing, whether that is Bill Clinton wearing a Timex Ironman watch during his campaign and early White House Years, Barack Obama wearing a watch given to him by the Secret Service from their gift shop, Elena Kagan wearing a Movado, Warren Buffett wearing a Rolex President or Nicolas Sarkozy wearing a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona.Business Insider has an interesting article discussing Rolex watches in Russia along with what watches the Russian political and business elite wear. The...
Collecting History: The Urwerk 103
Editor's Note: In this four part series, watch collector and MB&F NA President Stephen Hallock takes us through four of the watches that have not only defined the modern era of timepieces but also himself, as a lover of watches.? These articles are originally published on Stephen's own blog, TickTocking. Where?Richard Mille?helped to subtly usher in a new world of horology, URWERK really founded what I now call Contemporary Horology. ?From the advent of the quartz era until the late 1990's, watchmakers had been focused on the past - slightly changing the same watches over and over again. ?The 103 is a true landmark piece. ?It represents a watchmaker and desi...
HODINKEE Executive Editor Ben Clymer on What Time Is It? Radio Thursday At 10:30 EST
This morning, Thursday March 17th, our very own founder and executive editor, Ben Clymer, will be live on What Time Is It? Radio alongside noted horological journalist Elizabeth Doerr.? What will they be talking about? The changing field of watch journalism, the future of the industry, and of course, Basel World.? Tune in at 10:30 EST right here to listen to what Ben, Beth, and What Time Is It? host Jerome have to say....
Collecting History: The FP Journe Tourbillon Souverain
Editor's Note: In this four part series, watch collector and MB&F NA President Stephen Hallock takes us through four of the watches that have not only defined the modern era of timepieces but also himself, as a lover of watches.? These articles are originally published on Stephen's own blog, TickTocking. If there was one overdone trend in the last 10 years, it was the tourbillon. ?Modern production techniques made commonplace what was once the ultimate display of a watchmaker's skill. ?Combined with buyers' willingness to spend more money on watches,?as I discussed yesterday,?tourbillons provided the perfect opportunity for companies to sell extraordinarily expen...
Introducing The Christophe Claret 21 Blackjack: Three Working Casino Games In A Watch (Video)
Could this be the first of many "interactive" mechanical watches? Christophe Claret's BaselWorld 2011 release, the 21 BlackJack, is a fully functioning casino, offering the wearer the option of playing roulette, dice, or cards...seriously.At 4 o'clock, two 1.5mm but perfectly legible dice sit in a cage that when shaken, allow the wearer to use them for a came of craps, for example.Then, on the caseback, you will see that the rotor of this automatic watch is actually a full roulette wheel. There is no ball, but instead an arrow inlaid on an internal flange t indicate where the wheel has landed.? But, the focus of this watch i...
JLC Releases A Limited Edition Reverso 1931 With Strap Made By Casa Fagliano (Live Pictures)
The JLC 1931 Reverso US Limited Edition of 100There is no question that Jaeger-LeCoultre's Tribute to 1931 Reverso was one of the stars of SIHH 2011.? I've written about it at length both on HODINKEE, and even on TimeZone, and for the FT.? It's just that good, and if you don't believe me, track down someone else who has seen the watch in the metal and they will tell you the exact same thing, I promise you.Just today, over lunch in mid-town Manhattan, JLC announced a very special edition of the TT 1931 Reverso, one that takes an already charming and well-executed watch to a bespoke, artisinal level.?The US-only Limited Edition TT 1931 Reverso, pictured at right, features a strap hand made by ...
Collecting History: The Richard Mille RM002
Editor's Note: In this four part series, watch collector and MB&F NA President Stephen Hallock takes us through four of the watches that have not only defined the modern era of timepieces but also himself, as a lover of watches.? These articles are originally published on Stephen's own blog, TickTocking. The Richard Mille?RM002 is the watch that got me hooked on "exotic" watches. ?In the early 2000's, like most other people, I had no idea that $100,000+ watches existed. ?The idea was simply absurd. ?Why would anyone spend that much on a watch? ?How could it possibly be worth it?Sure I had seen some watches that I considered incredibly expensive. ?I recall seeing a Pa...
The Vintage Aquatimer That Inspired The Vintage Aquatimer: Wait, What?
One could argue that IWC Schaffhausen has a dive watch history with more innovations and desirable models than any other watch company. Yes, including Rolex. Consider the milestones: the ber-capable Ocean 2000, developed for the German Bundeswehr, with its use of titanium and its 2,000-meter water resistance (not to mention the top secret anti-magnetic mine clearance version). How about the GST Aquatimer with its Bauhaus simplicity and push-to-turn bezel? Or the pair of mechanical depth gauge Aquatimers, the Deep One and Deep Two, both as rare as unicorns and as beautiful. What's even more impressive is that IWC got a late start in dive watches, putting out its first Aquatimer in 1967 and t...
Behind The Scenes With A Bespoke Thomas Prescher Watch: As Close As You'll Ever Come
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have one of the world's finest independent watchmakers make YOU a bespoke timepiece? We have. Perhaps a little too obsessively, but please dont judge.Now I dont know about you, but for most people getting one of the world's horological elite to make something to your specifications is the stuff of distant, fiscally prohibitive, fantasy.Well, Thomas Prescher, the phenomenally talented man behind the triple axis tourbillion, has provided the world with the next best thing. He has published an extensive and illuminating annotated account of the production of a unique timepiece. A bi-retrograde watch from his Tempus Vivendi line modified to displ...