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Best Super NEWS Watches
The very first day of this year's SIHH we introduced you to the platinum Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle 14-Day Tourbillon Openworked, knowing immediately that this was a watch we had to see in the metal. Well, only a day or two later we were able to get some live photos of this absolutely incredible work of art and today we want to share them with you. The "basic" 14-day tourbillon is impressive enough, but here Vacheron has taken the movement, stripped away an incredible amount of metal, and then decorated every surface by hand. We'll let the photos do most of the talking here. We showed you the first 14-Day To...
Zurich-based Maurice de Mauriac is one of only a handful of watch brands out there that will let you create a customized piece, designed to your own specifications. But for those who want something formed by a trained hand and eye, there is the new L1, created by award-winning furniture designer Fabian Schwaerzler. Next to the minimalist shelves and chairs Schwaezler has designed in the past (for the likes of Vitra, no less), the L1 looks right at home and, unlike many "design-watches," offers a robust automatic movement underneath the sleek exterior. Schwaerzler had never designed a watch before, but decided to approach this...
That Time I Almost Bid On A Watch With A Redone Dial, Didn't, And Now Wish I Had
It will come as absolutely no surprise to any of you that I am constantly on the hunt for undervalued vintage watches.?One of the brands that I am always searching for is Longines, in particular those chronographs from the 1930s-1950s.?I told you about the 13ZN monopusher I bought from a German dealer here and these in-house chronographs are some of my favorite watches, period.Sunday morning I was browsing eBay, as most well adjusted 31 year olds do, and came across this watch you see above.?It's a 1940s Longines 13ZN chronograph, but what made this one special is it is a central minutes chronograph, meaning the thicker of the two central hands (shown above just past 1 o'clock) actually coun...
The new Perpetual Calendar Black Edition features ?a DLC-coated 40.8mm titanium case. When H. Moser & Cie introduced its in-house perpetual calendar movement in 2006, the industry took note. The Schaffhausen-based independent manufacture had produced an elegant perpetual calendar C really a study in simplicity C that wowed the jury, taking home the Grand Prix dHorlogerie de Genve prize for favorite watch with a complication. What sets this Perpetual Calendar apart from its competitors is the uncommon way the months are displayed: the 12 rose gold hour markers around the dial double as symbols for the 12 months of the year, with the current month indicted by a...
In the weeks after SIHH, I am asked by more than a few different publications to recap the highlights (and low-lights) of the fair. ?My responses are, in some ways, rather predictable. ?If you've followed HODINKEE for any period of time, you know my personal proclivities tend to trend towards traditional watchmaking, refined, almost conservative design, and above all else, pure subtlety. ?So, each year my "Best Of" lists consist of things like a classic, ultra thin Tank from Cartier, something vintage-inspired by Jaeger-LeCoultre, a self-winding Royal Oak from AP, and whatever the latest is from Vacheron or Lange. ?These are my bread and butter watches, so to speak. ?But, for 2014, two watch...
Bring a Loupe: Three Unheralded 1960s Sport Watches
In this week's What's Selling Where, we bring you three interesting and relatively unappreciated sport watches of the 1960s: a Omega Speedmaster 105.012-66 with 321 movement in a case made by La Centrale Bo?tes of Bien, a Triton Spirotechnique diver, and a Heuer Camaro with the logo of spark plug producer Champion on the dial. These aren't your run-of-the-mill finds, but they could offer great value. Omega Speedmaster 105.012-66, circa 1967 Although a lot has been written about the Omega Speedmasters featuring calibre 321 movements, from the reference 2915-1 (circa 1957) to the reference 145.012-68 (c...
VIDEO: Swatch Creative Director Carlo Giordanetti Presents The Spring/Summer 2014 Collections
There's no denying that Swatch is one of the most important ambassadors for wristwatches to the general public. Whether you're a serious collector or someone who's never worn a wristwatch, you know Swatch. We sat down with Swatch Creative Director Carlo Giordanetti to talk about both Swatch's current offerings and it's greater place in the world of watchmaking. Sure, the purists might say that a quartz watch is a quartz watch, but that would be to miss the point of Swatch entirely. Giordanetti first joined Swatch back in 1987 and served for ten years (with a short break from 1992-1995) in a variety of roles. After another hiatus,...
The Value Proposition: The Frederique Constant Classics Manufacture
Frederique Constant Classics Manufacture in Stainless Steel Here at HODINKEE, we cover a lot of different watches, from breathtaking vintage pieces to cutting-edge marvels of high technology. We strive to show you only pieces that represent value C whether monetary, aesthetic, or technical C though often these watches fall outside the range of financial accessibility for a large segment of the population. With this in mind, we offer you The Value Proposition, a weekly column exploring watches under $3,000 that we believe offer true value without compromising technical or aesthetic quality. The first watch well look at is the Frederique Constant Classics Manufactur...
Interview: Crown & Caliber Founder Hamilton Powell
In 2012, Hamilton Powell founded Crown & Caliber with the goal of helping watch lovers both buy and sell high-end pieces. Whether you're someone looking to sell a piece so you can step up to that next level or someone looking to buy your first vintage watch, Crown & Caliber tries to make the process as low-friction as possible. Our friends at Hypebeast paid a visit to Crown & Caliber's Atlanta headquarters and sat down with Powell to discuss why it's so tough for an individual to sell a watch and to take a look at some of his favorite pieces.(via Hypebeast)...
A Week On The Wrist: The IWC Ingenieur Chronograph Racer
The Ingenieur has symbolized many facets of IWCs history since its first appearance in 1955. Novel materials, high magnetic resistance, and visual distinctions from legendary designer Grald Genta, to name just a few. When a new generation of Ingenieur was announced last year, IWC was tasked with retaining strong ties to historical context while setting a new tone and expanded direction for the line. Weve highlighted some of our favorites of the new collection, such as the 40mm Automatic right here. To find out just what these new Ingenieur watches are all about, we opted to take the robust Chronograph Racer for a spin. Int...
Editorial: Brief Thoughts On The A. Lange & Sohne Zeitwerk
This isn't A Week On The Wrist; this isn't an official, detailed look at anything. This is simply a quick recap of my thoughts on a cool watch after wearing it for a few weeks. The watch I am going to discuss here is the Zeitwerk from A. Lange & Sohne. The Zeitwerk is a watch that isn't like anything from anybody else, and that's exactly why I asked to borrow it this past fall. You see, I consider it the ultimate "second Lange," as in the watch you buy from Lange after God has smiled upon you sufficiently enough to provide you a life where you can afford not one, but two timepieces from the house of Lange. I realize it doesn't happen to many of us, but it does happen. So why the second L...
Bring a Loupe: Four Great Steel Watches From The 1940s
In this week's "What's Selling Where" post we bring you four great steel watches from the 1940s including a Rolex reference 2508 chronograph, a Heuer reference 2543 triple date chronograph,?Universal Geneve Compur chronograph, and Universal Geneve reference 21301 triple calendar watch. All are available for sale now.?Rolex Chronograph?C?Reference 2508While the majority of Rolex chronograph collector attention is focused on Oyster chronographs, particularly Daytonas, this Rolex reference 2508 is stunning in how it shows its age. The dial is signed W. Rosch Berne, a Swiss retailer, and it apparently has a name of its original owner engraved on the caseback. The blue steel hands are beautiful, ...
VIDEO: Rare "Siffert" Autavia Finds Its Way Onto "Pawn Stars"
If you like old watches, chances are you like old things. And if you like old things, you may be a Pawn Stars fan. You know, the History channel's look at a family-run Las Vegas pawn shop and the unbelievably strange stuff that comes through its doors? Well on a recent episode, all vintage watch nerds' hearts went aflutter when a watch showed up. But it wasn't some boring old Rolex or gold Patek Philippe. Nay, it was a Heuer, and a damn cool one at that.On this episode, a gentleman brought in a watch originally purchased by his father. And that watch was a "Siffert" Autavia.? These rare white dial Autavias are a little bit like the "Paul Newmans" of the Heuer world, selling for many times wh...
Pre-Baselworld 2014: Introducing The PanoMaticInverse, Dynamic Exhibitionisim From Glashtte Original
Glashtte Original PanoMaticInverse in Stainless Steel By inverting the configuration of various movement components, Glashtte Original displays?a regulator on the dial side of the new PanoMaticInverse. Instead of using the same movement found in the original PanoInverse, an entirely new one was developed, the in-house, self-winding Calibre 91-02. While the concept of inverting movement components is unusual, careful technical and design considerations allow the PanoMaticInverse to achieve a difficult objective: balancing playful inversion with wearability.In 2008, Glashtte Original introduced the PanoInverse XL, the first timepiece from the Saxon-based manufactu...
An Introduction to the Breitling Aviator 8 Collection
If you haven't heard, Breitling makes pilot's watches. A lot of pretty cool ones, too. The Breitling Aviator 8 collection takes this aviation inspiration the brand is known for and strips back everything else. This means the dial designs are simpler and the cases are often smaller, with the various complications of the range communicating only what's absolutely necessary. They're not for today's pilots, strictly speaking C?most of them have computers to help with flying nowadays instead (unless you're a Southwest pilot, that is) C but the Aviator 8 line is certainly pilot-inspired.? The Aviator 8 collection relies on these vintag...
Cartier Ballon Bleu Video Review: A Week On The Wrist
I need (okay, want) a classic watch that'll never go out of style, which means I want a Cartier. I haven't decided which one yet (I'm leaning towards a vintage Santos Carree or Galbee), but every time I search for my soon-to-be new watch online I constantly come across articles and videos related to either the Tank or the Santos. There's nothing wrong with these two angular icons, but where's the love for the round models? Well, I decided to show the very round Cartier Ballon Bleu some affection The Ballon Bleu comes in a variety of case sizes and a few metal options, but this 42mm variant caught my attention because, well, it's ...
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Limited Edition Review
We know it's an anniversary year for a lot of big watches. And we know watch brands love to celebrate anniversaries. Blancpain is first out of the gate in 2023, announcing the new limited edition Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act I to celebrate the occasion of its first dive watches being introduced in 1953. As the name suggests, this limited edition of 210 examples kicks off Blancpain's celebration of the Fifty Fathom's 70th anniversary. It'll be released in three series of 70 watches across three markets: the Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), and Asia-Pacific. Each series will carry its designation on the dial at 6 o'clock (for example, the press images here have "Series I...
New Vintage Watches In The Hodinkee Shop
To view the entire current selection of vintage watches available in the Hodinkee Shop, click here. This Week's Vintage Watches While some start off the new year by joining a gym, vowing to read more books, or purchasing a calendar in an effort to be more organized, watch people look toward possible additions to their collections in 2023. If that list includes any of the watches listed fresh to the Hodinkee Shop today or still hanging around from a previous drop, great. If not, feel free to leave a comment or send the team an email! We are always interested in hearing what the community is currently hunting for. While the team does th...
TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronometer 2022 Review
When it comes to TAG Heuer chronographs, the Monza ranks somewhere after the more popular (and collectible) Carrera, Autavia, and Monaco. Introduced in 1976, the TAG Heuer Monza, like most TAG Heuer chronographs, draws its inspiration from auto racing.?After Ferrari won the Formula One Constructors Cup in 1975, and driver Niki Lauda won the Drivers Championship, Heuer, then a sponsor of Ferrari, released the Monza to celebrate the Scuderia's first victory since 1964.? Today, the Monza is back in a big, skeletonized way. Much like Niki Lauda might not recognize today's Formula One cars, the new TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronometer shares little else with the origin...
Pre-Owned Picks: Calendar Watches For The New Year
With the chaos of the holiday season only just behind us, it can leave one scrambling to remember what day of the week it is and pausing just a bit too long when writing down the year. With that in mind, here are six pre-owned watches in the Hodinkee Shop that can reliably tell you it's Monday, Tuesday, or Friday, and one that can even tell you what year it is, so you can kick off the new year in a fashionably synchronized way. Tudor Day-Date Prince 76200 A date wheel is a common complication, and while adding the day of the week may give some clarity to your calendar, it will also add s...