Best Super NEWS Watches
Interview: Georges Kern Of Roger Dubuis
Just like 2011 was a strong year for Zenith, this past 12 months marked a return of sorts for Roger Dubuis. The manufacture refocused its efforts on producing handsome, highly finished watches such as La Monegasque Collection, which we showed you here. Also, 2011 marked the return of the brand's founding father, Roger Dubuis himself, to the brand that bears his name. ? But what does Georges Kern, the man behind the rebirth of Dubuis have to say about all this? Well, Blake sat down with him in Monaco to chat about why he think Dubuis is a special brand, and just much more money goes into the finish of an RD movement than in...
Uncle Kanye is starting a fashion line, but it won't be called DW By Kanye. We don't know what it'll be called, but we do know that no matter what Mr. West will name his line, or whatever he happens to be wearing, odds are, he'll have something nice on his wrist. In the Otis video, Kanye was wearing a yellow gold Rolex, and in this pic above, we've spotten him wearing something even nicer. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar with skeletonized dial and movement in yellow gold is one very serious timepiece - serious to the tune of $136,500. This is probably the nicest watch we've seen on Chicago's favorite son, and this watch in this execution is a favorite among serious collect...
Introducing The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT
We just caught wind of a brand-new watch from Omega.? Called the Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT, this is actually a pre-Basel announcement.? It is the very first co-axial Omega to be fitted with a GMT hand (a complication we truly adore).Housed in a 43mm case in your choice of 18 Ct red gold or stainless steel or, in a bicolor version in 18 Ct red gold and stainless steel, the Aqua Terra GMT uses the teaked dial pattern that we've come to expect in this collection, and all applied markers are 18ct white gold.? Even the GMT hand is white gold, with a bright red fill.? The watch is available with either a bracelet in the same metal as the watch case or with a black, brown or blue leather strap.This ...
Interview: Jean-Frdric Dufour, CEO Of Zenith Watches
2011 was a really good year for Zenith. ?2011 proved to the watch-buying world that 2010 was no fluke, and that high-end complications with simple solutions, just like the incredible Striking Tenth chronograph, an in-house chronograph capable of recording time up to a 1/10th of a second with a retail price of under $12,000, would be part of the Zenith lineup moving forward. ?This year's Captain Winsor was also a favorite among those looking for true complications at a practical price point - it is, after all, a true manufacture chronograph with annual calendar, with a retail price of under $10,000 - made possible by a thoughtful partnership with Ludwig Oechslin and the MIH.?The man behind th...
Jaeger-LeCoultre only made 1,714 Polaris watches, and that's inclusive of both American and European versions, those from 1965 and 1968. According to many, they are the most collectible of all vintage JLC's, along with the original Deep Sea Alarms from 1959. Above is a second generation Polaris built exclusively for the American market. What makes the US Polaris interesting is that it was not made tribute to in 2008, when JLC announced the tasteful re-editions. The Polaris is interesting because it was enormous for its time (42mm plus those three huge crowns), it featured an inner-rotating bezel, a mechanical alarm, a date, and a compressor case with a caseback built with 16 holes in it t...
Interview: Announcing HODINKEE Interview Week, Coming On Monday
Starting this coming Monday, we will be presenting five days of in-depth interviews with some of the industry's more formidable leaders.? There will be some bonus material in there for you too, of course.? Stay tuned for our kick-off interview on Monday with Zenith global CEO Jean-Frederic Dufour, the man who has made the makers of the El Primero one of the most talked about brands in the world.Until then, enjoy your weekend!...
Found: The Very First Televised Advertisement, Ever. For Bulova Wristwatches.
On July 1, 1941 the Brooklyn Dodgers played the Philadelphia Phillies. This game was televised, but before it began, something was shown that had never been seen before - a televised advertisment for a consumer product.? And for what was the world's first televised advertisement?? A watch, of course.The ad that begat all other ads was for Bulova wristwatches, one of the great American timepiece companies.The ad is pretty simple by today's standards, but that's ok - it only cost Bulova $9. Priceless.?(Thanks for the tip Charlie)...
Breaking News: Jean-Claude Biver Steps Down as CEO Of Hublot
We'd heard the rumors but couldn't believe it was true. Jean-Claude Biver, the man who has single-handedly made Hublot the powerhouse that it is, has stepped down as CEO. Replacing him will be his right-hand man and long-time managing director Ricardo Guadalupe, while Biver will remain on the board of directors, in fact he'll be Chairman of the board. ?Mr. Guadalupe took over as CEO on Jan 1, 2012 and it remains to be seen how the loss of Biver at the reigns will effect a brand so closely tied to him. This is what Mr. Biver said via Twitter just six hours ago:...
Gear Patrol's Awesome "Timekeeping Icons" Series
Our good friends over at Gear Patrol are in the midst of publishing just an awesome series on "Timekeeping Icons". Penned by GP contributor Jason Heaton (who shares a name, wife, and life with HODINKEE contributor Jason Heaton), the series takes a detailed look at some components that are, though utilitarian in nature, rather romantic in cult horology lore.The first piece is on the Super Compressor Dive Watch, and the second installment is on the Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement. We can't wait to see what comes next. Check em out!...
Inside The Manufacture: How Are The Dials Of The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Made?
SIHH is just 10 days away, and the story of this year's show will likely be the 40th anniversary of Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak. ?While the famed ultra-thin movement (the thinnest in the world with a full rotor), the amazing Genta design, the incredible finishing on the stainless steel case, the fact that the watch essentially created the luxury sport watch category are all great things, the one thing most often overlooked is the unique design to the Royal Oak's dial.Since the very first Royal Oak was sold to the Shah of Iran, and those 1000 A-Series pieces left Le Brassus, they featured dials with a tapisserie pattern on them, a weaving pattern that forms the square and lozenge motif that c...
Time For Good: The AC 01 Limited Edition Alarm Clock Benefits Japanese Tsunami Victims
While we tend to focus mainly on wristwatches at HODINKEE, the fact of the matter is, we love well-designed timepieces of all kinds. Ben has a great Max Bill wall clock, Blake likes his pocketwatches and Ive got an old Braun alarm clock ticking on my nightstand. We especially like when timepieces and good causes come together. So the Punkt AC 01 Limited Edition alarm clock is a timepiece we can get behind.Designed by British designer, Jasper Morrison of the Switzerland-based Punkt Group, the AC 01 is a refreshing alternative to the mobile-phone-as-alarm-clock. It is a bewitchingly simple clock that fully realizes the form follows function aesthetic. Design is spare, controls are simple, e...
VIDEO: Understanding The A. Lange & Sohne Datograph
Yesterday we showed you the first chronograph Patek Philippe introduced in almost forty years, 1998's Reference 5070.? This was a big deal for chronograph collectors, but one year later, the 5070 would meet stiff competition from an unlikely source - Glashutte, Germany.? A. Lange & Sohne was but a few years old in 1999, but the Datograph was to become a veritable benchmark in haute horology architecture and finishing.? It was a column-wheel chronograph with a fly back mechanism and a big date, and what was most impressive, is that the Datograph was completely in-house, one of the first of its kind.?The Datograph sent shock waves through the finest manufactures in the Vallee de Joux, insp...
The New Rado D-Star 200: A Return To The Sane Diver?
Rado is a brand we havent paid attention to for well, forever. They made their mark back in the 1960s with their DiaStar line of watches, which were distinguished by their virtually scratchproof cases, made from high-tech ceramics. Through the 60s and 1970s, Rado kept a distinctive look that gradually became dated C thin rectangular dress watches and bulbous helmet-shaped sports watches, many with pedestrian quartz movements. And while Rado has never really caught on in the USA, it was for a long time one of the bestselling watch brands in Europe. Now Rado has released a new line of dive watches that made us sit up and take notice: the D-Star 200. ...
On This Day In 1957, Hamilton Announces The First Electric Watch
Today, January 3rd, in 1957, those crazy guys from Lancaster, PA (otherwise known as Hamilton), unveiled the very first electric watch movement.? Called the 500, this watch used a battery to drive a complex gear train, which in turn pushed the hands.? This required constant battery changes, and all but nullified the theoretic benefits of an electric watch that you wouldn't have to wind.? The watch was not a commercial success and a decade later, the quartz cyrstal technology put the Hamilton 500 out of action for good.? The 500 was used in a few different cases, the most popular of which was the asymmetrical Hamilton Ventura.?For more information on electric Hamiltons, including a few for sa...
VIDEO: Understanding The Patek Philippe 5070 Chronograph
With the new year, we thought it was time we started to educate you more a bit about the classics, the watches every man worth a damn should know about.? One such watch is the Patek Philippe Reference 5070.? The 5070 was released in 1998 as the brand's first basic chronograph in almost 40 years.? Bet you didn't know that, did you?It's true, the last simple chronograph (non-perpetual) before 1998's 5070 was the Reference 1463, the production of which ceased in the 1960s.? So, when Patek brought out the 5070 in 1998, it was a big deal.? Housed originally in yellow gold with a black dial, it was also enormous for a Patek of that day (or today, too).? It was sized in a 42mm case (that's bigger t...
Introducing The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Ultra-Thin Tribute To Mad Men
Since its introduction in 1931, Jaeger-LeCoultre's Reverso has acted as the blank slate on which so many great stories have been told and tributes have been paid.? Now, in 2012, one more tribute will be made using the Reverso, one that in our opinion, couldn't make more sense.In 2007, Matthew Weiner and the team from AMC introduced a television show about 1960s Ad Men that has since not only become the first television show in history to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row, but also had a profound impact on fashion, design, and watches.? Think about how many times you've flipped through the pages of a magazine and seen a "Mad Men" style shoot.? Or how many tim...
Pre-SIHH: Introducing The IWC TOP GUN Miramar, With Ceramic Case And In-House Chronograph Movement
Say hello the new Pilot watch from IWC.? To be launched at SIHH this year, the IWC TOP GUN Miramar is a brand new model in the line of TOP GUN watches, which will now act as a unique familiy within the IWC Pilot's watches category.?The TOP GUN Miramar is a tribute to the place in California where the myth of the elite pilots was born.? The TOP GUN Miramar is sized at 48mm 46mm and housed in a new for IWC ceramic case.? Also, in probably the most welcome move, this watch is not based on a Valjoux 7750, but rather IWC's excellent in-house calibre 89365, which is a flyback chronograph with a power reserver of 68 hours.??No word on pricing yet but this is clear indication we'll be seeing a lot o...
The Most Popular HODINKEE Posts Of 2011
2011 was a good year for us at HODINKEE.? We made a lot of new friends this year, and wrote about a lot of new (and old) watches.? In fact, we wrote 614 posts in 2011 (not including the one you're currently reading), and we think the hard work has paid off.? Actually, we know it has because our community of readers and supporters is only growing stronger by the day.? We couldn't be more encouraged by the amazing level of interest we've seen in what we're doing, and in mechanical watches in general.? Small things like a mention in the NY Times, or an article about independent watchmakers in Forbes, or an enthusiastic response to our first ever Pop-Up shop bring us back to keep working hard to...
Have You Seen This Watch? Vacheron Constantin Looks To Reunite Lost Timepiece With Rightful Owner
Vacheron Constantin is doing its good deed for the holiday season.?The vintage Vacheron above was lost in a prominent NYC restaurant recently.? Vacheron was contacted by that restaurant about the loss, and now they have put out a call to the watch collecting community to help try to find its rightful owner.?The watch has been identified as reference number 4413 and houses a manual wound 17 jewel movement, caliber P454/5B within an 18 carat yellow-gold case and dates to 1955.? Even more impressive? It still has the original domed crystal!Vacheron is in possession of the watch, and whoever can identify where the watch was lost, approximiately when, and provide some historical background as to ...
VIDEO: Inside The Atelier of Camille Fournet, Strapmaker To The Whole Industry
Camille Fournet is a Paris-based strap maker that provides these make or break accesories to watch collectors the world over (their bespoke offerings are quite popular indeed), but also supplies stock straps directly to manufactures.? Most of the time, this relationship is left behind the famed smoke and mirrors of the industry, but occassionally, you'll get an idea of the caliber of watchmakers that use their products.? For example, the image below: So, needless to say, Camille Fournet as it the top of their game.? Recently, French watch blog Les Rhabilleurs went inside the Fournet studios and shot the video above.? It's a p...