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Best Super NEWS Watches
A Personal Note: Marking Time With A Humble Heuer (Caution! This Story Contains Quartz Content)
The Heuer Diver, ref. 980.006 Weve all got our formative years, that period when we came of age, learned to drive, learned to kiss, learned to drink. Its that period when you start to formulate who youll become, adopt your heroes C real or fictional C and find a style that fits. No matter how far away from that time, something about it stays with you. For me, for better or worse, my decade was the 1980s. I went to high school right in the middle of that maligned decade of bad fashion and trickle-down excess. To a watch enthusiast today, worthy timepieces from that period are few and far between too. While those who grew up in the '60s maybe got to see a Moonwatc...
This weekend's PGA Championship was a perfect storm for Omega. Their prodigal ambassador, world number one golfer Rory McIlroy, claimed the title of his sponsor's title tournament. It may not sound like much, but that's a very big win in the world of sports ambassadorship (which, as we've told you before, is a truly fascinating dynamic, behind the scenes).So what does that mean? It means that at the tournament where the winner would receive an Omega timepiece no matter what (even if that winner was, say, Rolex ambassador Phil Mickelson) Omega's own ambassador, who would already be wearing an Omega for any presentation ceremony, received another one. ...
My first vintage watch was a?Cartier Santos Dumont?C?a small, handsome, time-only yellow gold model from the 1960s that introduced me to the wide, wide world of vintage watch research.?I became fixated on this watch for a myriad of reasons, but most certainly because I knew Cartier as a watchmaker?and this particular watch?harkened back to both the early days of the maison?and the early commercial history of wristwatches in general. So when Cartier announced a completely new line of watches C Cl de Cartier C I was curious to see?how this legendary company intends to move forward?with a respect for its heritage?and an eye on innovation. Silhouettes of C...
Meet The Woman Who Keeps The MET's Clocks Wound
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York houses one of the most impressive collections of historical timepieces in the city, and in this weekend's Wall Street Journal, there is a charming profile of the 78-year-old woman who has been keeping them all on time for the past 40 years.Mrs. Clare Vincent has been working at the MET since 1962, when she was named as a curatorial assistant, which she describes "the lowest form of curatorial life." In 1972, she was promoted to associate curator, a position she has held since then despite many opportunities for promotion. She says she rejected the plans for promotions for fear of losing time for these mechanical objects that she loved. It's a great ...
Introducing The Zenith El Primero Stratos Flyback Rainbow, A 90s Cult Classic Revisited
When Zenith wants to, it can really do a re-edition right. Originally built in 1997, the El Primero "Rainbow" was made to specs set forth by the French Air Force. They had requested a chronograph capable of withstanding forces of up to nine to eleven G's, wide variations in pressure and temperature, and a dial that was extremely easy to read. The result was this: Now, Zenith is reviving the Rainbow with with some serious upgrades. The new Stratos Flyback Rainbow is, well, a flyback chronograph. But it has also been upsized to 45.5mm with a rotating aluminum bezel, with a crystal shaped like an astrodome. The colors of the min...
Interview: Former Morgan Motor Company Designer Turned Bespoke Watchmaker Matthew Humphries
Matthew Humphries may be new to the watch scene, but his projects will likely ring a few bells among automotive enthusiasts. His handiwork with bespoke auto manufacture Morgan has been turning heads since 2005, with designs like the Aeromax, the Plus 8, and the 3 Wheeler. His work has been internationally recognized, boasting multiple appearances on the BBCs Top Gear, all before reaching the age of 30. So what happened when that design acumen is directed towards watches? We spoke with Humphries to learn about his latest endeavor into the business of designing watches, and heres what you need to know. MHD (Matthew Humphries ...
Plastic probably isn't the first thing to come to mind when you think of a tourbillon. But here we have the Tourbillon 1000%, a functioning scale model of a tourbillon 3D printed at, you guessed it, 10 times the size of a typical tourbillon. New York watchmaker and horologist Nicholas Manousos did all the design and engineering work himself and even modified a commercially available 3D printer to be able to create the necessary components in his Harlem workshop. This is the first step of many into 3D printed mechanical timekeeping and here we take a closer look at the Tourbillon 1000%. Nicholas Manousos didn't start out with the ...
Jack Heuer, owner and CEO of Heuer for many decades, was quietly one of the most influential men in wristwatches. His contributions to the field are downright astonishing, like his creation of the Carrera, for example.Heuer's autobiography was quietly launched earlier this year after he spent the better part of a decade compiling his thoughts and reviewing documents, most of which he had not seen in half a century. Jack had been asked about writing a book for years, and finally Jean-Christophe Babin, the President and CEO of TAG Heuer from 2000 to 2013, convinced him to write it as a final act as Honorary Chairman of TAG Heuer before retiring.Rather than make a big splash printing and sellin...
All Twelve Pieces From Jaeger-LeCoultre's Hybris Artistica Collection, Together In One Place
Last weekend, New York City was treated to the TimeCrafters exhibition, in which 15 brands and the Christie's Watch Deparment showed off their latest wares. Just inside the exhibition entrance, visitors were treated to something extraordinary from Jaeger-LeCoultre C all 12 pieces from the Hybris Artistica collection, together, in one place. Whether or not you are typically a fan of ornately decorated timepieces, these twelve creations are things to be admired. We just had to get photos of all twelve, as the collection may not be all together again for a very long time.?Here we'll walk you though the collection in order, highlighting what makes each Hybris Artistica piece unique. First up is ...
Introducing The Glashtte Original Senator Manual Winding Skeletonized Edition (Live Pics & Pricing)
The Senator Manual Winding Skeletonized Edition is priced at $37,100. The new Senator Manual Winding Skeletonized Edition from Glashtte Original adds an astounding amount of hand-engraving to an otherwise conservative design. While weve seen a bit of exhibitionism from the German watchmaker before, this new addition to the Senator family puts nearly every part of the updated Calibre 49-18 movement on show and embellishes almost every visible surface. This is one of those watches that proves horology to be as much art as engineering. The Senator begins with a highly-polished 42mm red gold case, whi...
In-Depth: Historic New England Maker Chelsea Clock Charts A Course For The Next 100 Years
For over 100 years, in a small triangular factory in Chelsea, Massachusetts, Chelsea Clock has been hand-making clocks for presidents, the Navy, countless celebrities, and anyone else looking to own a classic American timepiece. The factory is a landmark in a city thats seen some hard times and its served the company well, but to prepare for the companys next hundred years, says CEO JK Nicholas, Chelsea Clock will soon move from its present location to a more modern facility. Today we take you inside this landmark of American horology.?It sort of oozes soul, says Nicholas of the current factory. But you can also see, its sort of really impractical.And it is. ...
Introducing The IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar Digital Date 75th Anniversary Edition
Continuing the 75th anniversary of its Portuguese family, here we have the Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month from IWC. The name gives a pretty apt description of the watch itself, and if the Hand-Wound is a contemporary throwback, the Perpetual Calendar is a modern adaptation of recent design trends seen in the Portuguese family. The digital date and month display are nothing new to IWC, but this is their first appearance within the Portuguese line. Oh, and what is hardly mentioned in the press release, this is also a chronograph, meaning this is our favorite combination of complications there is. The Portuguese Perpetual...
While the Ranger was probably the biggest news from Tudor at this year's BaselWorld show, it was the announcement of a new Heritage Black Bay that answered the prayers of more than a few would-be buyers. This Black Bay is a new take on the 2011 release, with a toned down look featuring a midnight blue bezel and silver printing. This one is a killer, and in addition to a ton of hands-on photos we also have your very first chance to buy one in the United States. At first glance, the new blue Black Bays are just that, Black Bays with blue bezels. And at the core of it, that's absolutely accurate. But, it wasn't just the bezel th...
Bring a Loupe: Three Uncommon Sport Chronographs From Heuer, Jaeger, and Universal Geneve
Today we are bringing you three vintage sport chronographs from Jaeger, Universal Geneve, and Heuer that you just don't see very frequently and that I especially like. These are all significantly less expensive than your average Paul Newman Rolex Daytona and offer three different takes on the chrono. Whether you're looking for a true racer's watch, something versatile, or a more complicated chronograph, there's something here for you. Heuer Carrera Reference 1158 CHN Gold automatic Heuer Carreras are among the most treasured vintage Heuers in existence. If you ask Jack Heuer what his favorite Heuer is...
A Week On The Wrist: The Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver
The Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver was formally introduced at Baselworld back in 2013, where it won over crowds of journalists with a vintage inspired design just too simple to pass up. As difficult as it is to stand out in the vintage dive watch market, Maruice Lacroix seems to have struck a chord with the Pontos S Diver. Now that the watch has had a chance to settle into the market, weve decided to see just how well its held up by giving it a week on our wrist. The Elusive Dive Watch Formula Maurice Lacroix is no stranger to the sports watch category, having a robust line of over sized chronographs within the Pontos line perfectly con...
Introducing The Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1948
Back in 2011, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Reverso, Jaeger-LeCoultre released the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Tribute To 1931, a watch that has quickly become a favorite of collectors and enthusiasts. Since then, we've seen a number of updates, including a rose gold and chocolate brown edition?unveiled late last year, but now Jaeger-LeCoultre is looking to another era in the Reverso's history. Here we have the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1948, with a bright white dial accented by blue hands that boldly flaunts its Swiss manufacture. The 1931 hasn't been abandoned, but today it is joined by the next chapter in the story. ...
The Value Proposition: The Archimede Pilot 39, With Untreated Bronze Case And Workhorse ETA Movement
The 39mm case size is ideal for a range of wrists. Drive north from New York City and in about two hours youll arrive at Dia:Beacon, one of the finest collections of contemporary art around, in a remarkable setting on the Hudson River. Hopefully, while there, youll have a surreal encounter with "Crouching Spider" C a massive sculpture by artist Louise Bourgeois. What exactly does this have to do with watches? Well, "Crouching Spider" uses bronze as a key material in its construction, the same metal used for the case of the Pilot 39 from German watchmaker Archimede. And it just so happens that the Pilot 39 has the right balance of conservative proportions, elegant...
On The Block: Masterpieces Of American Watch Making At Bonhams New York
With Switzerland and Germany dominating the modern marketplace for mechanical watches, it's easy to forget that the USA was once a hotbed for high-end watch and clock making. Bonhams will be reminding us all of America's watchmaking heritage on June 12th, with a special Masterpieces of American Watch Making sale in New York City. There will be more than 300 watches, all from a single private collection, that chronicle the history of watchmaking in America from the 18th century through to the 20th century. Just looking through the catalog is an important history lesson. Here we take a look at some highlights from the sale.?As you browse the catalog, you'll notice a mix of familiar names like ...
Few brands have modern ties to aviation as authentic as Bremont. The two founders are both pilots themselves, the company makes watches for military and stunt pilots around the world, and even the name is the result of an emergency landing executed by brothers Nick and Giles English during a flight over France. Now Bremont has paired up with American aviation giant Boeing to create a special collection of watches that take advantage of materials developed in Boeing's UK-based Advanced Manufacturing Research Center. Today we'll introduce you to the collaboration as well as give you a hands-on look at the Model 247, one of two watches to launch this new collection.? ...
A Look Inside Shinola's New Leather Strap Facility (And A Few Myths Debunked)
A device used to measure the thickness of leather. I was a bit skeptical when I landed in Detroit. This is where Shinola, purveyors of everything from bicycles to leather goods to watches, calls home. Enough has been said about Detroit, from its slow decline amid the waning American manufacturing landscape, to its current prospects for revitalization and urban renewal. But in a relatively short period of time, Shinola has been both lauded and maligned for its relationship with the city. Supporters praise the company for its local hiring practices and support of scalable business models, while detractors cite everything from a skewed perception of "American manufact...