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Best Super NEWS Watches
Letter From The Editor: Has The Term 'In-House Movement' Become Obsolete?
One of the first things you learn to do when you become a well-trained watch enthusiast is to say, when you first look at a watch, yes, but is it an in-house movement? Arguments about what the term means, about whether any given movement should be called in-house, and whether it is any help at all to worry about it, have been going on for as long as I can remember, and I can remember arguing about it on Usenet Newsgroups in the 1990s. It is at first glance C it seems at first glance C a great way to tell the good from the merely okay. If a watchmaking firm makes its own movements, that says something, the thinking goes: a greater commitment to craft; more distinctive design; a more exclusi...
Announcements: Jack Forster Joins HODINKEE As Managing Editor
It is with the greatest of pleasure that I make the following announcement: my dear friend, long time travel companion, and one of the smartest men I know C Mr. Jack Forster C is joining HODINKEE today. Jack joins us as our full-time managing editor, and what this means for both us and for you, as lovers of all things horological, is something really special.Jack began his obsession with wristwatches as a graduate school student, and spent many years collecting and repairing vintage pocketwatches. By the mid-90s, he was an active participant in several watch related Usenet newsgroups, and then became a moderator on the well regarded forum The Purists Pro. For the last seven years, Jack has b...
The Panerai 1940 3 Days Ceramica
In addition to three new releases last month, Officine Panerai has released the new Radiomir 1940 3 Days Ceramica, 48 mm PAM00577, which was inspired by historical watches from the 1930s. The new black ceramic case adds a contemporary flair to this otherwise minimalist design.The black matte ceramic cushion-form case is more durable and lightweight than ever before. It is a high performing material that is resistant to scratches and high temperatures. The black sandwich dial features simple Super LumiNova dot and dagger indexes that are clearly visible under water. Additionally, the dial features a relief image of the Silura a Lenta Corsa, or human torpedo, in commemoration of Panerai's invo...
The MB&F Tenth Anniversary Horological Machine HMX
This year MB&F celebrates its 10th year in the watchmaking business, and to honor this momentous occasion, they have conceived a new horological machine C HMX C as in the Roman numeral for ten. The tagline, "A creative adult is a child who survived," refers to MB&F founder Max Bsser's ability to see beyond the mundane and make truly innovative objects. Inspired by Bsser's love of designing fantastical supercars as a child, the HMX's curved case is made of stainless steel and grade-5 titanium and was particularly challenging to manufacture. The piece comes in four colors reflecti...
Talking Watches: With Jason Singer
Over my time in watches, I have been lucky enough to become acquainted with some truly great scholars and collectors. The greatest scholars C the folks that lead our study and interpretation of collectible watches C are often quiet, reserved people who do what they do because they love and want to understand watches for everyone, not for show or ego. The man you are about to meet has been collecting watches for 32 years, he is an American, and until recently, very few outside his closest circle of friends (think Aurel Bacs and John Goldberger) knew his name. He has been quietly amassing a truly world-class collection that will absolutely leave you in shock and awe C he collects only the rare...
Photo Report: Inside The New Bremont Boutique On Madison Avenue
The British brand Bremont has traveled stateside and opened a boutique on Madison Avenue in New York. The new store is similar to the Mount Street outpost in London, wth a great selection of watches, memorabilia, and even a Martin Baker ejection chair. The U-2 Wristwatch This watch was designed for spy-plane pilots to use at altitudes of 100,000 feet ?and temperatures approaching -40 degrees Celcius. The watch is also water-resistant to 100 meters and has...
Hands-On: With The New Van Cleef & Arpels Cadenas
I first fell in love with the Van Cleef & Arpels Cadenas watch when a vintage one came up for auction at Sotheby's a couple of years ago. It wasnt so much the technical aspect that got me, but the innovative design of the angled dial that allowed the wearer to discreetly check the time C so as not to offend their dinner partner or to quickly glance at their wrist while driving. I found this nostalgic in the day and age of iPhones and Apple Watches, where people cant complete a full sentence without checking texts and the latest Instagram updates (you know who you are). Originally, t...
You asked for it, you got it. The HODINKEE Shop has just been restocked with pretty much every type of strap you can imagine. Yup, that means nylon NATOs, Kangaroo NATOs, Horween Shell Cordovan Single and Two-Piece Straps, and more hand-made calf and suede straps than you knew existed are all ready for your purchase. On top of that, we re-upped on what is quickly becoming a fan favorite C the absolutely stunning stitched calf strap seen up top, available in taupe and honey brown. We also have these beauties in 18 mm, 19 mm, and 20 mm.We also have our awesome crocodile straps in stock, and our canvas guys. Oh, and since the fi...
Interview: F.P. Journe On The New Women's lgante Line
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Mr. Fran?ois-Paul Journe to discuss the brand's new line of Women's watches, lgante, and it was awesome.First of all, I would like to preface this article by saying that I did not think I would like this collection. When I first heard that the watch has a quartz movement, I think I rolled my eyes. BUT to my great surprise, I was very impressed with the pieces in person and now I want one for myself. The watch is everything its name suggests C elegant. The trademarked flattened Tortue case comes in platinum, red gold, and titanium. The titanium version comes with or without diamonds, w...
While the big news in the watch/tennis world over the past 10 days has been Nadal's newest ultra-light-weight, $800,000 Richard Mille Tourbillon, it wasn't this mega watch, or even Djokovic's Seiko Astron, that was seen as the championship trophy was hoisted yesterday at Roland Garros. Nay, it was an Audemars Piguet, and it was the wrist of Swiss-born Stan Wawrinka. What is even more is that Stan didn't just put his AP C A Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph in Steel (reference 26470ST) C on after he won, but he actually wore the watch while playing! This AP is a big watch, not a featherweight like the Nadal tourbillon, which make...
Introducing The Mhle-Glashtte Special Edition S.A.R. Rescue-Timer "150 Jahre DGzRS"
One of the most perennially popular watches among tool-watch enthusiasts is from the firm Mhle-Glashtte: the S.A.R. Rescue-Timer. ?The Rescue-Timer C which has over the years become something of a cult classic for its combination of user-friendly size, unpretentious but characterful design, and general tough-guy vibe C was developed in cooperation with the German Maritime Search and Rescue service, and according to Mhle-Glashtte continues to be in service with the 56 rescue cruisers that patrol the Baltic and North Seas. ?An eminently practical watch, which in its current iteration houses the Mhle-Glashtte modified SW 200-1 movement (fitted by MG with a woodpecker-neck fine regulator s...
The waterproof chronograph reference 1463 is easily one of the most desirable vintage watches in the world. It is, after all, a Patek Philippe, with a screw-back case and a muscular feel on the wrist with round pushers. It is a true mid-century watch, and was actually in some way, the predecessor to even the 5070. The 1463 most recently received the spotlight in our latest episode of Talking Watches with the great collector Jason Singer. As such, I thought I'd point you to two examples of the 1463 for sale in New York C both of which are charming. Sotheby's Lot 252 C 1463 In Yellow Gold With Breguet Numerals http://www.sothe...
On The Block: My Top 5 Picks From The Upcoming Sotheby's New York Auction
The upcoming Sotheby's auction in New York City tomorrow, June 11, has a large selection of modern timepieces, great vintage Rolexes, and a collection of "Swiss Mechanical Marvels," a selection of museum-quality enamel automata. Here are my top picks from the sale. Lot 37 C A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia In White Gold This Lange Saxonia from 2001 in white gold with black dial (even though it looks blue due to the anti-reflective coating) is a classic model and with an estimate of $7,000-$9,000 it is a steal. Without sounding too biased, Lange is one of my favorite makers, and this watch is simply gorgeo...
Vacheron Constantin To Unveil "Grand Oeuvre" Supercomplication In September; Wants To Keep You Guessing Vacheron Constantin has just announced that this September, it will reveal what it unapologetically calls the most important watch in the world. The watch, dubbed the Grand Oeuvre, is said by Vacheron to incorporate entirely new and unique complications, representing the most significant technical advancements in watchmaking in modern times. Whew. That may seem like hyperbole but apparently the collector who commissioned the piece (who for now chooses to remain anonymous) means business.Very little has been revealed so far. Vacheron has chosen an in...
As the current new guy at HODINKEE, it gives me no small pleasure to introduce C I should say, re-introduce C an old reader favorite: The Value Proposition. Its been on hiatus for some time but youve asked us repeatedly to bring it back, and we listened.In Value Proposition we bring you a look at some of horologys biggest and best bang-for-the-buck C timepieces that, in a world where price increases have for over a decade shut more and more out of enjoying mechanical horology, really over deliver in the value department. In general this means things in the under $10,000 category but at the same time, you might see us occasionally cover something like, say, a $15,000 minute repeater that s...
Today, I am proud to announce some really big news. Like really big news, especially if you're a watch lover, and something tells me we have a few of those around here. As of today, this little web-log that I began out of pure boredom at work some seven years ago and has blossomed into, well, the web-log that hopefully prevents many of you from boredom at work, is growing up. In fact, we're merging with our good friends at Watchville with the hopes of bringing you even more horological awesomeness every single day. So what does this mean? It means that now, more than ever, the HODINKEE voice and message, one that encourages m...
What were you doing when you were 14 years old? I was in high school in California, playing lots of soccer and generally getting into trouble. Over in Switzerland, Rexhep Rexhepi was an apprentice at Patek Philippe working on tourbillons. Now he has started his own brand, AkriviA. While AkriviA is young, the brand has already drawn praise. A while back Kari Voutilainen was in NYC for a Q&A event. A question was asked along the lines of, "what young watchmakers are doing interesting things?" Kari's answer was "Rexhep Rexhepi." A few weeks ago I received a press release about a new wat...
Hands-On: With Two Saxonias From A. Lange & Sohne
I have said it before, and I will say it again C I love Lange. There is something so pure and meticulous about the design that I think most watch enthusiasts appreciate, which is why I am excited to review two Lange Saxonias: one from this year's SIHH and the other women's Saxonia released in 2012. Lets start with the pink-gold Saxonia, shall we? First of all, this watch is just so darn attractive. The 38.5 mm pink-gold case is a deep rose gold, perfectly polished, with a ribbon of brushed metal to the case band. The champagne dial has some new design update...
Ressence, the horological startup, has released a limited edition run of their Type 1 timepiece to commemorate their fifth anniversary. The Type 1 V Genesis will be released in a run of only five pieces. Each watch will contain parts taken directly off the production line, presenting a design philosophy that promises a clear graphic aesthetic for the 21st Century.? Since their debut five years ago, Ressence offers an unusual spin on timepieces. Their timepieces have no hands, just a dial with three discs that rotate to indicate the passage of time--thanks to its patented 107-part Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS1). I've alway...
The Value Proposition: The Meistersinger Salthora Meta Jump-Hour C Single Handed Serenity
There are a lot of different ways to start a watch company. You can scour history books for the name of a distinguished watchmaker to appropriate (hurry though, the pool of respectable ones is shrinking fast.) You can come up with some exotic mechanism that has a lot of novelty appeal, but which may or may not actually hold anyone's interest after the first five minutes have passed. You can resurrect one of the casualties of the Quartz Crisis, and trade on borrowed good will created by a company that sold its last watch before the 1969 Astron was a gleam in Seiko's eye. Or, you can do something that's pretty rare: create inte...