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Best Super NEWS Watches
Walter Lange is the 89 year old caretaker of one of horology's greatest treasures, Saxon manufacture A. Lange & Sohne. It was he, along with visionary entrepreneur Gunter Blumlein, that in 1990, just after the fall of the Berlin wall, revived his family business of watchmaking after four decades of eastern block rule. Walter was 70 by the time A. Lange & Sohne showed its first four commercial pieces, and he, coming up on his 90th birthday, in addition to the 20th birthday of the company that bears his name, is still very much involved with the brand. This past week, Will and I were lucky enough to share a lunch with ...
This week we are bringing you a few chronographs that could easily end up as anxiously-watched lots in future Geneva auctions, but that are available for sale now. These are what I would call mega-chronographs, and the examples here from Vacheron Constantin, Longines, and Patek Philippe represent a golden age of chronographs. And to top it off, we also have a spectacular vintage Jaeger chronograph that is a fraction of the price of these other three, while still bringing a lot of history and style. Vacheron & Constantin Reference 4072 In Rose Gold This is one of the most beautiful vintage Vacheron...
Introducing the Longines Heritage Diver, Another Throwback That Hits The Mark
Longines continues to focus on its Heritage line with the addition of a new Diver model, drawing inspiration from similar Longines watches from the 1970s. Like the Conquest Heritage released in Basel earlier this year, the Heritage Diver is an accurate homage to what you find in the brands past, with the addition of more contemporary movements. The Heritage Diver will be offered in both chronograph and three-hand configurations, and each recalls its vintage counterpart to great effect. Both the Heritage Diver and Diver Chronograph feature ETA movements made specifically for Longines, referred to as the caliber L663.5 for bot...
Introducing The Valbray EL1 "100 Years Of Leica Photography Edition" (Details & Pricing)
Last month we introduced you to Valbray and its unique Oculus diaphragm dial system, inspired by camera lenses. So, it makes perfect sense that it would be Valbray to partner with Leica on the occasion of its 100 year anniversary to create a watch the embodies the spirit of its cameras. Here we have the aptly-named Valbray EL1 "100 Years Of Leica Photography Edition," a pair of titanium chronographs with design details inspired by Leica's cameras, limited to only 100 pieces worldwide. Let's take a closer look.? Before we get into the details of the EL1, here is a quick reminder about how the Valbray diaphragm dial works. Each...
?A few weeks ago we told you about an insane collection of unique titanium Pateks?that will be hitting the block at Sotheby's on June 10th in New York. Well, there's one left that we didn't tell you about. This unique, previously unknown watch looks unassuming enough from the front C two-hands, Breguet numerals, silvered dial C but when you turn it over you'll see a massive 9.44ct D Flawless diamond staring back at you. Instead of looking at the movement through a sapphire window, you actually look at the manually-wound caliber through the diamond itself. Here is your exclusive first look at this extremely unique watch.? This image was taken through a p...
Introducing: The Nomos Metro Datum Gangsreserve
NOMOS has been impressing us with its in-house movements for years, but at Baselworld 2014 the German brand showed us something that takes the definition of "in-house" to the next level: a true, in-house escapement. Few manufactures have the know-how or the technological capabilities to create escapements in-house, with even many revered manufactures bringing them in from one of a handful of creators. Today we bring you the Nomos Metro, the first watch to exclusively utilize the new Swing System escapement made right in Glashtte. This is big news, people. As the supply chain tightens up, cutting off access to components and ebau...
Hands-On: With The Longines Conquest Heritage 1954-2014, A 35mm Vintage-Inspired Marvel
When we first heard about the Longines Conquest Heritage, we had to do a double-take; was Longines really re-releasing a 35mm dress watch to celebrate its 60th anniversary? The answer is a resounding yes and we couldn't be happier with the results. Sure, vintage tribute watches have been something of a trend as of late, but rarely do we see something that remains this faithful to the original inspiration. The Conquest Heritage is a limited edition available in steel, yellow gold, and pink gold, and here we have a closer look at all three.? Today the Conquest name is utilized by Longines m...
Alpina first introduced its "4" line of sports watches in 1938, bringing together the four themes of anti-magnetism, anti-shock, water resistance, and stainless-steel construction. The Alpina 4 was one of the very first Swiss sports watches to appear, helping to set the tone for following generations. Just a few weeks ago at Baselworld 2014, Alpina brought this concept back with the new Alpiner 4 watches, available in both GMT and chronograph models. The new watches cover all four of the original requirements first set fourth in 1938, and here we take a closer look at the Alpiner 4 Chronograph. The Alpiner Chronograph 4 is a ...
Bring a Loupe: Six Great Vintage Sports Watches Including A Few Perhaps New To You
We all know the most commonly considered vintage sports watches: Rolex Submariners and Omega Speedmasters to name just two at the top of the list. But today we are bringing you a few unknown, rare, and underappreciated vintage sports watches from Vacheron Constantin, Ulysse Nardin, Universal Geneve, and Heuer, but we'll cap it all off with a nice vintage Sub and a great Speedy, for good measure. Vacheron Constantin Reference 6782 When I think of pre-1970s Vacheron Constantin (before the famous 222), I don't typically think of time-only sport watches. But what this white gold 6782 represents is a watch...
Introducing The Swatch Big Classic Collection, Casual Watches Just In Time For Spring
A few months ago we sat down with Swatch Creative Director Carlo Giordanetti?to get an inside look at the history of Swatch, its relationship to the art world, and the spring/summer 2014 collections. Today we're focusing on the Big Classic collection, a set of seven new watches that offer a more conservative take on Swatch's directional styles. To celebrate, Swatch has even opened a temporary concept store in London's famous Harrods department store.? The Big Classic collection starts with Swatch's 41mm stainless steel "Irony" case, meaning the watches are slightly larger and more robust feeling than the more typically-seen p...
I see a lot of watches. But man, this is one where if I could, I would, if you know what I'm saying. Why? This is about as perfect a watch to me as one can get. It's a little tiny minute repeater that shows quite a bit of wear, but to me, that's what makes this watch so special. Because, of course, much of the wear that you see on the case and dial came on the wrist of a man named Henry Graves, Jr. Graves was the most prominent collector of the 20th century, and the man who commissioned the incredible Supercomplication that would eventually shatter all records for a timepiece sale in 1999 at over $11,000,000. His extensive li...
A Week On The Wrist: The Tudor Heritage Advisor
If youre anything like me, the prospect of a mechanical alarm wristwatch successfully waking you up each morning is a little far-fetched. But the buzz from the Tudor Heritage Advisor doesn't have to replace the digital drone that emanates from your bedside clock or smart phone to be interesting. Rather, the Advisor's diligent ring is akin to a well-trained assistant: there when needed, discreet when necessary. After a week wearing the Heritage Advisor, I was left with a surprising new appreciation for this uncommon complication.? Saved By The Bell The first Eterna alarm watch, Image via WTheJournal Th...
The Laco For the first chronograph covered in The Value Proposition, we take a look at a solid offering from a brand we havent covered too much here on HODINKEE: Laco. Founded in 1925, the German company gained fame for its pilots watches produced in the 1940s. Its current range of watches includes a number of chronographs inspired by the brands historic models, with a few modern design updates. If youve been looking for a chronograph with traditional looks, but without faux patina or dramatic detailing, the Laco Chronograph Watch New York could be a good bet. It also doesnt hurt that it comes in under $3,000. The Valj...
Blood In The Water, Water In Its Blood: A Brief History of Squale
Any history of the dive watch would be incomplete without a thorough look at?Squale. ?But despite its illustrious history, this small Swiss brand is still largely unknown to all but the most hardcore dive watch nerds. And thats a shame because Squale has made some truly iconic watches, not only under its own name but also through cases built for other, more prestigious companies. Today, Squale is enjoying a bump in recognition and renewed interest and theres even a limited edition watch with vintage parts available. Before we peek at that one, lets look back at Squales history. Squale founder Charles Von Buren?(image courtesy of Page and Cooper) ...
If you've seen our Reference Points: Understanding The Entire Lineage Of Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronographs, you'll already know all about the ref. 1518, the very first perpetual calendar chronograph. But you probably don't know about this unusual variant. This extremely early 1518 has an additional "Calendrier Perptuel" signature above the calendar windows at 12 o'clock and is the only known example like this. This possibly unique piece will be sold at Christie's Geneva as part of the May 12th sale and is worth a closer look.? Even if we set the unique signature aside, this is a superb example of a ref. 1518. On...
All watches from Zeitwinkel, including the 273o, will now be available in FAIRMINED gold. A few months ago, we introduced you to Zeitwinkel, an independent brand producing modern wristwatches with in-house movements. We went?hands-on with the 273o, the most complicated offering from Zeitwinkel, concluding that despite a relatively large case (42.5mm x 13.8mm), the 273o is a nice option for those looking to invest in a timepiece outside of the normal horological brand canon. This year, the 273o received an update in the form of a new case material: Fairmined gold.? The new FAIRMINED rose gold case looks modern in a mix of polis...
Introducing The Bathys Cesium 133, The First True Atomic Clock Wristwatch
You've probably seen a so-called "atomic watch", which is actually a simple quartz watch that sets itself by synching with a distant atomic clock via satellite or terrestrial radio signals. Here we have something else entirely, the Bathys Cesium 133, which actually contains a microchip housing a tiny atomic clock in the watch itself. This is a world first, and while the Cesium 133 is still in prototype stages, the makers are selling the first 10 pieces via Kickstarter as a way to get the watch into production. It pushes accuracy to a whole new level, keeping time to one second in 1,000 years.?We might think of a second as a particular number of beats of a balance wheel or vibrations of a qua...
Introducing The MeisterSinger Salthora, Minimalism In A Jump-Hour (Live Pics & Pricing)
The Salthora is the first watch from MeisterSinger to include a jumping hour display. MeisterSinger designs watches with two objectives in mind: focus and restraint. Theyre known for their single-handed timepieces like the time-only No. 01 and?Paleograph, an attractive monopusher, column-wheel chronograph.?MeisterSinger watches are well designed, in a way thats slightly clinical but not cold. This year, the German brand launches a new model C the Salthora C that keeps the minimalist imperative of a single hand alive but with the addition of a simple jumping hour display.? The jumping hour module was developed by a 25-year ol...
Earlier today, Bubba Watson won the Masters for the second time, and again, he did it wearing a Richard Mille watch. Back in 2012 it was a RM038 on his wrist (we showed you the actual watch here) and this time Watson was sporting the revised RM038 "Bubba Watson Victory Watch." This slightly different take on the original is a limited edition that pays tribute to Watson's first Masters win and raised money for Watson's charity fund. The Richard Mille RM038 Bubba Watson Victory Watch is a very limited edition of only four pieces created to celebrate Watson's 2012 Masters win. The inner flange has been turned green to match the ...
Bring a Loupe: Three Classic Steel Watches From Rolex, Universal Geneve, And Jaeger-LeCoultre
I often get the question, "I am interested in buying my first vintage watch, what should it be?" Most people want something that exudes vintage style, can be worn frequently and does not need to be babied too much, and might appreciate a little in value. Today we are bringing you three classic steel watches that are great entries into the world of vintage watches and meet all of the above criteria. There is a 1960 Rolex Explorer with a serial number close to Ian Fleming's own watch, a Universal Geneve Tri-Compax from the 40s, and a steel Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic. Rolex Explorer Reference 1016, Circa 1960 ...