Best Super NEWS Watches
Making the Tissot Sea Touch Video: Tissot Has Never Looked So Bad Ass
We often think of watchmaking as a quaint, old world, manual operation - wizened men hunched over a desk, loupe planted firmly in the eye, carving out steel components with 19th century tools. While there still are watch manufactures that preserve the old ways of doing things, even the storied companies like Patek and Lange fully embrace the latest technology for parts of the process where it makes sense. Similarly, even mass produced pieces require some manual steps and the steady hands of trained watchmakers to assemble.Take, for example, the Tissot Sea Touch. The Sea Touch is a quartz ana-digi multifunctional dive watch from the Swatch Group's entry level marque. Though it's a thoroughly ...
Xetum Announces Limited Edition Tyndall, Adds A Touch Of Carbon
California based company, Xetum, whom?we introduced to you last year, has announced a limited edition of their Tyndall watch. With only 100 individually numbered pieces being produced, this is a true limited edition watch.Unique features include a polished case, C?tes de Genve?rotor decoration (on select pieces) and most prominently, a carbon fiber dial. Retained from the original Tyndall are the 40mm lugless case design and elaboree-grade ETA 2895-2, all attached to Xetum's unique Italian cork lined leather strap.?As we detailed in our introduction to the brand, Xetum differentiates itself by operating with environmental responsibility. A theme that continues with the LE Tyndall. Everythin...
Thursday Morning Find: A Great, American Market, LeCoultre Polaris on eBay
While Jaeger-LeCoultres most iconic timepiece might be the Reverso, we also have told you about our fond appreciation for the Polaris. The Polaris is a grail watch for many serious collectors.?Currently on eBay is a spectacular LeCoultre Polaris (made for the American market) that appears to be in great shape.With less than 1500 of these Polaris watches made in the 1960s, we take notice whenever we see one for sale, particularly one that is in this nice of condition. It is a bit reminiscent of a Polaris that we previously profiled. To see the eBay auction ending at 1:11 PM Eastern today, click here....
IWC Launches New Website, Becomes One Of the First Major Brands To "Get It"
It's no secret that affluent audiences, both young and old, are spending an increasing amount of their time (and money) online. Recent studies show that well over 50% of Gen X and Y affluents use social media to engage with brands, and that websites are as influential as physical stores. Most watch brands have been slow to acknowledge these trends, maintaining flash-based websites with slow load times and utter confusion in navigation. Today, I'm bringing you a closer look at one brand that is leading the way in both design and user experience, IWC.?Showing an adept understanding of their audience, IWC has developed an entirely new website for 2011. Together with digital strategy partner, Un...
Hublot CEO Jean-Claude Biver Live on "What Time Is It? Radio": Ask Him Anything You Want
Jean-Claude Biver is as big of a rock-star as the world of horology has.? The man brought Blancpain back to life, re-invented Omega, and is now at the helm of the wildly popular, if not slightly controversial brand Hublot.?Tomorrow (Thursday, February 10th) at 10:30 EST, Biver will be live on the air with "What Time Is It Radio?" answering your questions.? Feel like asking him about his time at Blancpain? You can. Want to dare him to say the Big Bang is as fresh as daisies in spring time? You can.? This is live radio, and Biver is a master of conversation, so expect it to be a great show.To call in to "What Time Is It? Radio", dial (760) 683-2652.? To listen to the show, go here.? Should be ...
The Hamilton Khaki Skymaster UTC: A Quirky and Affordable GMT
When looking for an entry-level mechanical watch, one is consistenly drawn to Hamilton; a brand with a very long pedigree that has flourished under the Swatch Group umbrella. They make some cracking watches. What weve seen of Hamiltons latest offerings, to be launched at Basel later this year, definitely fall into the cracking category.? Take the Khaki Skymaster UTC, for example.The Skymaster UTC shares essentially the same case and layout?as many other Hamiltons, (such as the Khaki Navy GMT, the Air Race? and the Khaki Conservation) but with a different skin.? And this iteration is a very appealing one C a clean vintage feel of the sort that is so en vogue. The Skymaster also has a GM...
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is the archetypal diving watch, we've told you that before.? The Fifty Fathoms was conceived before even the Rolex Submariner and Omega Seamaster, and its story even more dramatic.? The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is the archetypal diving watch, we've told you that before.? The Fifty Fathoms was conceived before even the Rolex Submariner and Omega Seamaster, and its story even more dramatic.?In 1952, the French "Nageuers de combat" (combat swimmers) was instituted by the French government as an elite team of tactical soldiers - the NAVY Seals of France. ? Captain Bob Maloubier was at the helm of this g...
Live Photos of the New Breitling Transocean Chronograph
When Breitling announced the new Transocean Chronograph with their inhouse Caliber B01, people responded enthusiastically. The Transocean really looks like the Breitlings of yesteryear, the simple but masculine sport watches that made the brand famous.Today, we got to try the Transocean on in Breitling's beautiful new boutique on 57th street. While larger than we expected, the Transocean is really stunning. It is the kind of watch you could wear in any occasion, especially when on a leather strap. At $7300, it is by no means an inexpensive watch, but it may well be the least expensive truly in-house, integrated, column-wheel chronograph on the market (from a Swiss company).Let us know wh...
The Urwerk UR-110 "Torpedo" Explained (Live Photos & Video)
We know you've been waiting for this post - the HD video of the new Urwerk UR-110 "Torpedo".? Urwerk watches really speak to HODINKEE readers, and the video we shot of designer Martin Frei explaining the UR-CC1 "Cobra" from Basel 2010 remains one of our most popular to date. We know you've been waiting for this post - the HD video of the new Urwerk UR-110 "Torpedo".? Urwerk watches really speak to HODINKEE readers, and the video we shot of designer Martin Frei explaining the UR-CC1 "Cobra" from Basel 2010 remains one of our most popular to date.The UR-110 is a new watch from Urwerk that was announced last month around the time of...
The Corum Golden Bridge Automatic: Like Wearing A Perfectly Formed Display Case On Your Wrist
To me, perhaps because I am a child of the decade, Corum has always struck me as being a bit 80s C slightly wacky and showy (Can anyone say World Series of Poker?). But more than that, if you say Corum I say Golden Bridge.The Golden Bridge watch by Corum is the most iconic, and for me, the most interesting staple in the collection. Introduced in 1980, its slender floating baguette movement floating in a case foreshadows the trend to expose the workings of watch that is so prevalent today.For the last 30 years the Golden Bridge has been (understandably, given the size and layout of the movement) a strictly manual winding affair. 2010 saw (along with pretty much every other watch bran...
Introducing the Haptica Braille Watch, Now Get Donating!
Is it us or are there a whole bunch of great new watch designs coming out these days?? Remember TikTok and LunaTik, the iPod Nano conversion project we showed you on the crowd-sourced funding site KickStarter??Well today we've got another timepiece project for you, also currently being featured on Kickstart.? The Haptica is an innovative timepiece that indicates time using braille. The dots actually rotate on the face of the Haptica and as found and designer David Chavez puts it, represent a major step forward in timepieces for the visually impaired.If the project reaches its $150,000 capital goal, produciton will begin and each will cost around $250.? Currently, Haptica has 24 backers and $...
Bulgari by Gerald Genta Octo Quadri-Retro Chronograph: A Quadruple Retrograde In Ceramic & Steel
While we mention Gerald Genta often on HODINKEE, it is rarely for the products produced by his former brand for Bulgari.? That's not to say these "Bulgari by Gerald Genta" pieces aren't interesting, they are - they simply have no affiliation with Genta himself.?Irrespective of that, this new piece is pretty bad-ass.? Constructed in steel and ceramics, the Octo Quadri-Retro Chronograph features a quadrupe retrograde (minutes, date and chronograph hour and minute counter) and a continual jump-hour at 12 o'clock.? With the hour at 12 and the chronograph seconds at 6, the hour is never blocked ensuring great readibility.The dial itself is one of the piece's strong points: Using cloisonn techniq...
The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle World Time Explained (VIDEO)
One event that caused a big stir at SIHH this year was Vacheron Constantin's introduction of a world time watch, the Patrimony Traditionnelle World Time.? It is the first world time wristwatch for Vacheron in the better part of a century, and the all new Vacheron calibre 2460wt, which is patent-pending, of course, took over three years to develop.?This watch may look like a traditional world time but it is actually one of the most complex in existence.? It goes well beyond tracking the 24 timezones that most of us here is the western world tend to think of, and actually considers the timezones that sit on the half and quarter hour, bringing the total to number of timezones viewable at all ti...
A 1950s Tissot And The Appeal Of The World Time Complication
World Time watches hold a certain fascination to us here at the 'Dink - we've told you this before - especially when we get to the world-timers from the 1950s and earlier. Louis Cottier made a name for himself creating the first true-world time movement, and countless brands employed him and his team to create pieces for them. We're talking Patek, Vacheron, and Rolex, to name a few you may have heard of (of course, Aggasiz also used Cottier and this watch was actually given to the leaders of the allied forces after the Second World War).But, a vintage world timer from Patek, VC, or Rolex will cost you some serious money, and that is why we are here today with a 1950s Tissot that has the sa...
Live Photographs Of The Hublot Masterpiece (MP-01)
The upcoming Masterpiece line (and MP-01 model) is a big, big deal for Hublot. Finally answering the calls of not only Hublot critics, but also Hublot collectors, they have announced the release of a totally new product that is completely removed from the Big Bang umbrella. We showed you the press pics a few weeks back, but now here are some live photographs of the MP-01 in the flesh that we found on Chronopassion's new website (which looks fantastic, btw).Now that you've seen live pictures of this three-barreled, 10 day power reserve, limited edition chronograph, are you more impressed than you were before?...
Question: What Does A $100,000 Submariner Look Like? Anwser: This (Rolex For Cartier).
Ever try to explain to someone why a Red Submariner (~$10,000) is worth about double the price of a regular, white Submariner (~$5,000)? Some get it, some don't.? That's fine.?Now imagine trying to explain to someone why your Submariner 1680 with white writing is worth ten times the price of a Red Submariner and see how they react.?For a very (and we mean very) short period of time, Rolex watches were available at Cartier here on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Some of the watches sold at Cartier featured a "Cartier" stamp right on the dial, a trait we see much more commonly with those Rolex pieces retailed via Tiffany's in NYC.? A Tiffany & Co. stamp is rare and will certainly add to the...
A Look at Ralph Lauren 2011: Live Shots of The Sporting Watch Plus A 27.5mm Men's Watch
Back in late November, we were the first to show you the Ralph Lauren Sporting Watch with Elm Burl Wood Dial and the response from you, the readers, was tremendous.? At the SIHH, we had the chance to see the Sporting Watch in person, along with the rest of the 2011 collection.? On the whole, the entire RL fleet is really starting to develop a personality outsides those of its Richemont sister brands - one that is, well, for lack of a better term, very "Ralph Lauren".?In these 2011 pieces you really get a sense that the RL mantra has made it down the ladder into the timepieces.? Ralph is a master of selling a lifestyle just as much as he is selling a product, and you really get the sense the ...
If you were growing up in the mid '90s like I was, there were a few albums that transcended any form of genre or culture to become part of something bigger C part of life. The Score was one of those albums. The Fugees, consisting of Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras Michel, went on to win two Grammys and The Score went platinum twice over. At the center of this trio is today's guest. Not only is the man who can be held responsible for the creation of this super group (Pras discovered Lauryn Hill in high school in South Orange, New Jersey) a seasoned performer and writer, but he is also an acclaimed documentary filmmaker, philanthropist, and yes, even a serious watch collector. This is Talki...
Pre-SIHH 2015: Introducing The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar With Meteorite Dial
In introducing their new Master Calendar, Jaeger-LeCoultre has embraced a literal connection to our Solar neighborhood, setting its astronomical complications within a physical piece of space C a meteorite. The new for 2015 Master Calendar retains the same layout, dimensions, and movement as last years model, but a slightly revised case and hypnotizing meteorite dial bring a very different personality to this classic calendar watch from JLC. Of course, weve seen meteorite dials on the Daytona and Speedmaster, but this is the first weve seen set within the context of an astronomical complication, let alone a classic dress watch. ...
The 2014 HODINKEE Watch Lover's Holiday Gift Guide
December officially marks that time of year during which the pickiest folks (known as watch?lovers) seem almost impossible to please. Have no fear, because there are plenty of gifts out there other?than a Ref. 1518 in steel?that could please a watch?lover for the holidays. Rest assured, that if they made it on?our list it means that they're unmatched in coolness, guaranteed to wow and, most importantly, we want them ourselves.? NOMOS Postcards C?$7 If the watch?lover in your life is keen on holiday hallmarks then Nomos is the way to go. Their postcards are plastered with original photography, and are ...