Best Super NEWS Watches
Hands-On: An In-Depth Look At Vacheron Constantin's New Historiques 222 In Steel
When Jorg Hysek designed the 222 for the brand's 222nd anniversary in 1977, it was probably the most radical departure from Vacheron's design language in the brand's history. But it also followed the prevailing winds of every other brand at the time: Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and even IWC had released integrated bracelet sports watches in steel, and some were charging more for them than they might for gold watches. But Vacheron was a far older brand. As the saying goes, "The larger the boat, the slower it is to turn." What happened in 1977 set the brand up for a methodical evolution, resulting in their hottest modern collection: the Overseas. But now Vacheron has rewound the clock onc...
When it comes to women's watches, Cartier, Rolex, and to some degree, Audemars Piguet, continue to dominate the conversation. But beneath the obvious, outward layer of "conventional" luxury watch consumption for women, there's a category I like to call non-derogatory jewelry-adjacent watches. These watches are design-led, often bedecked with gemstones, and always decorated with intention. These are the pieces that give me hope in an otherwise arid landscape. The most obvious ringleader in the category is the Bulgari Serpenti. No questions or room for comment. Sorry. I have spent countless hours (and articles) fawning over the Ser...
Happenings: Early American Pocket Watches Exhibit Opens At The Horological Society Of New York
The Horological Society of New York (HSNY), America's oldest watchmaking guild, founded in 1866, announces today "Early American Pocket Watches," a revolutionary exhibit showcasing a collection of pocket watches that helped shape the history of timekeeping in early America. The exhibit officially opens on January 9 and will be on display through December 2025. John Wright, New York (c. 1715) "Early American Pocket Watches" is made possible with the help of antiquarian horologist Richard Newman, who has spent decades preserving American horological history and now shares it for the world to see. The 42-piece curated collection ...
Let's go back to 2009 when MB&F started developing the first Legacy Machine. Their original idea was to use long, sculptural lugs ("horns") on the LM1 that looked nice. But they couldn't figure out whether the strap should sit closer to the case or the tip of the lug C either might be an unforgiving fit. The plan was shelved until 2021, for the 10th anniversary of the LM1, when a prototype was fitted in a steel case with black dials and two sets of lug holes so the fit could be adjusted. That watch was auctioned off by Phillips in 2021 for CHF 277,200, with a large portion of the proceeds going to the nonprofit Save the Rhino International. The LM1 ...
Watch It: The 'Slow Mo Guys' Go (Way) Inside An Omega Speedmaster
Here's a special treat for, well, all of us as the consistently excellent "Slow Mo Guys" Youtube channel just published a brand new video in which Gavin uses a selection of special optics (think microscope lenses) to offer a literal inside look at the inner workings of a mechanical watch. There's macro, and then there's Macro, and this is almost certainly the latter. Check it out as they offer a rare millimeter-by-millimeter view of the inside of an Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of The Moon Apollo 8 and the caliber 1869 within. For those unaware, The Slow Mo Guys, hosted by Gavin Free and Daniel Gruchy, is a popular YouTube channel...
Introducing: Autodromo Brings Back The Monoposto With Mobil 1
Autodromo has just brought back one of its earliest designs in the Monoposto C but this time, it's for a special reason. In November 2012, the original Monoposto was launched as Autodromo founder Bradley Price's sophomore effort at designing a watch, establishing it as the brand's first mechanical watch. Stemming from Price's fascination for cars, the Monoposto was an homage to gauges on single-seater Grand Prix cars from the 50s, with a painted red zone and all. It was produced in two colorways of 250 pieces each, all selling out fast, which meant that Autodromo was here to stay as a watch brand. In 2017, the Monoposto was redone as a chronograph, and then the line went dormant. ...
Happenings: The Horological Society Of New York To Hold Classes In Chicago and Washington, D.C.
The Horological Society of New York's award-winning classes are on the road again! HSNY is visiting Chicago on February 22 and 23, 2025, hosted by Oak & Oscar. HSNY then heads to Washington, D.C. on March 8 and 9, 2025, hosted by Tiny Jewel Box. At HSNY's Horological Education classes, students discover what actually makes a watch tick under the guidance of the HSNY's staff of professional watchmakers. Students work on a mechanical watch movement, studying the gear train, winding and setting mechanisms, and escapement. The weekend half-day classes cover everything taught during the individual evening classes held in New York.Enrollment is now open for the cla...
Introducing: Timex Japan Releases A Trio Of Metal "OG" Ironman 8-Laps
Recently announced under the banner of Timex Japan's continued focus on recreating versions of the old school, so-called "OG" 8-Lap Ironman, we now have three brand new options that use steel for the case, the bezel and the pushers C and one even comes on a bracelet. While this isn't the first time we've seen the 8-Lap given the full metal treatment, the execution remains a rare offering, and these latest JDM creations offer three very different takes on one of the most prolific watches of the past 40 years.? Before we get to the largely known specs of these new models, here is a bit of context. The original Timex Ironman has bee...
Introducing: Tag Heuer Carrera 'Glassbox' Chronograph In Purple (Live Pics C Oh, And A Tourbillon)
If you were waiting in anguish for a deep plum-colored dial on a Carrera Chronograph, well, Tag Heuer never meant to cause you any sorrow. They never meant to cause you any pain. Now, folks will get to see you laughing. Laughing, in the purple... Carrera Chronograph. Okay, that doesn't really work, but you know what, I hope you get the point. The artist formerly (and also still) known as the Carrera Chronograph now comes in a gradient purple-to-black burst sunray-finished dial. And it's a looker. If you know the "glassbox" Carreras, then you can breeze past most of this. The new watch is still 39mm by 13.86mm thick, with a 46mm l...
Bring a Loupe: A Pair Of Bubblebacks, A Vintage Calatrava, And A Gbelin Triple Date
Welcome back to Bring A Loupe, and happy New Year! After a two-week break of rest and relaxation for your dutiful columnist (and I hope for all of you as well), we're back with our first edition of 2025. As I write to you, I am down in Miami attending one of the largest vintage watch events in the United States, the Original Miami Beach Antique Show. Expect a full photo report of all the outstanding and outrageous watches and objects right here on Hodinkee next week. But for now, we'll stick to a "standard" format, rounding up the best for sale across the web. To recap the results from our last edition of 2024, the 1960s Heuer Carrera "Dato 45" saw some fervent b...
House Of Craft: Hunting For John Lennon's Patek Philippe With Writer Jay Fielden
In partnership with UBS, we hosted a get-together and series of talks in New York City called "House of Craft." The event featured a who's who of watch-world luminaries, including industry legend Jean-Claude Biver, actor Keegan Allen, author Alton Brown, AP CEO of the Americas Ginny Wright, actor Daniel Dae Kim, journalist Jay Fielden, independent watchmaker Simon Brette, actor and comedian Ronny Chieng, dealer and collector Alessandro Fanciulli, auction specialist Geoff Hess, and menswear designer Todd Snyder. This week, we're back with another fascinating chat from the UBS House of Craft as writer, editor, and journalist Jay Fi...
Dispatch: Behind The Closed Doors Of A Major Grey Market Show
The International Watch & Jewelry Guild, "IWJG," if you're in the know, is comprised of over 8,400 members from 77 countries around the world. Per iwjg.com, it is "the world's most active central exchange for acquiring, buying, selling and trading fine watches; vintage, collectible timepieces, estate jewelry, and important diamonds." Per me, IWJG shows are the central hub of the watch world's "grey market," where hoards of pre-owned Rolex sit in the same room as months-old Cubiti and Paul Newman Daytonas C all available for shrewdly negotiated purchase if you hold a reseller's certificate. The host of IWJG, the Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon. Imag...
Introducing: The Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription
For the second souscription release of the Daniel Roth relaunch, the brand is sticking to the double ellipse form while launching a new Extra Plat (extra thin) time-only model. While I haven't seen it in the metal yet C it'll be the first thing I try to see at LVMH Watch Week C it looks stunning in the images provided by Daniel Roth.? The watch takes the same case width and height of that tourbillon C 38.6mm x 35.5mm C and slims the yellow gold case to 7.7mm overall. The case body is made first; then, each lug is produced separately before being soldered to the case middle by hand. Inside is the new D...
Introducing: The Oris Divers Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary Edition (Live Pics)
In October, Oris introduced a new 'Divers Date' line as it approached the 60th anniversary of one of its core modern collections C the Divers Sixty-Five C and cleaned up the quirkiness of the design for the modern era. Meant as the modern spiritual successor to the Divers Sixty-Five series released a decade ago, I thought that the Divers Date introduction meant that we'd never see a true Divers Sixty-Five model again.? Turns out, I was wrong. The rumors of the death of the Divers Sixty-Five have been greatly exaggerated. Well, sort of. As the actual celebration of sixty years of Oris' first dive watch (released in, you guessed it...
Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite Review
Omega has dropped an "out of this world" update (sorry, I really couldn't resist the pun) to the Omega Speedmaster Moonphase, now with a meteorite dial and lunar meteorite cabochons for the moon phases, showing both the northern and southern hemisphere moons. But it's not just a visual overhaul. The watch comes in a new thinner stainless steel 43mm by 13.6mm case that houses the new in-house manually-wound Caliber 9914 movement with 60 hours of power reserve and has a 21/16mm taper bracelet with polished and brushed links and tool-free micro adjust. But it's hard not to fixate on the visual updates; there's a lot going on. The si...
Photo Report: The Vintage Watches And Rare Oddities Of The 2025 Original Miami Beach Antique Show
First covered on Hodinkee all the way back in 2013, the Original Miami Beach Antique Show has grown to be much more than your grandmother's favorite antique show. Firmly written on the annual calendar of watch enthusiast events, the early-to-mid January show draws attendees and exhibitors from all over the world. This is my third pilgrimage to the "Miami Show." My first trip was back in 2020, but, most recently, I visited OMBAS three years ago, in 2022; time flies. While it may not seem like a long stretch of time, the show has changed quite a bit in recent years. Far more dealers and watch collectors are attending and it just mi...
Introducing: The Zenith Chronomaster Sport Rainbow
Zenith has kicked off its 2025 LVMH Watch Week releases with the new Chronomaster Sport Rainbow. Made of solid 18k white gold and over 4 carats of sapphires, this new model adds a little extra flair to the existing Chronomaster Sport range of high-beat chronographs. The Chronomaster Sport line has firmly established itself as Zenith's most popular offering since its debut in 2021. Celebrated for housing the high-beat El Primero 3600 column-wheel chronograph movement, which offers 1/10th of a second resolution (read via the bezel). ?While previous iterations have mostly leaned into a more expected monochromatic lookblack or white...
Introducing: The Movado x Derrick Adams Artists Series
Movado's tie to the arts is deep and genuine. Gedalio Grinberg, founder of Movado Group, was a Cuban-born immigrant to New York City who built what is essentially the only "luxury" watch group in the United States. He was also an avid patron of the arts, serving as chairman emeritus of the American Ballet Theater, donating a Philip Johnson-designed 18-foot-tall clock tower to Lincoln Center, and countless other acts in service of the performing and fine arts. Gedalio Grinberg was a personal friend of Andy Warhol. This friendship, and Grinberg's clear love of art, is why Movado's Artists Series existsC the first Artists Series watch was released in 1988, a collaboration with Warhol. ...
Introducing: Hublot Downsizes The MECA-10
In 2016, Hublot revealed one of their most unique calibers in the MECA-10, a skeletonized manually-wound movement with a distinct architecture, a whopping ten-day power reserve, and a unique power reserve indicator on the dial. In the 2016 Hublot-era-fashion, the MECA-10 sat in their whopping 45mm case size, leaving this engineering only for the large wristed customer base among us. Now, almost a decade later, the brand has introduced a new, more refined version of the MECA-10, and this time, it fits into the 42mm Big Bang case with the HUB1205 manufacture caliber. This isn't just a case of changing a movement spacer to a smaller...
HODINKEE Celebrates 62 Years of NATO....Straps
Sean Connery sporting a NATO in Goldfinger (via watchesinmovies)On this day 62 years ago, a bunch of dudes signed a treaty in Brussels. ?It was a military alliance called the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) C and its kinda important. Its important for two reasons: it was the primary Western military alliance during the Cold War, and it formed the organization whose acronym would eventually become known to describe a nylon strap, a strap beloved by watch geeks the world overThe NATO is a strap that has been increasing in popularity recently. There are several reasons for this; its comfy, gives your watch some mil-style cred and perhaps most importantly, the cheap price of most NA...