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Best Super NEWS Watches
Introducing: NOMOS Plays The Blues C Four Neomatik Models Get New Blue Dials
NOMOS Glashtte has just introduced new blue dials to four models, all of which are in the Neomatik series and use the in-house DUW-3001 automatic caliber. The DUW-3001 (DUW stands for Deutsche Uhrenwerke, by the way) is the most vertically integrated movement, in terms of parts and manufacturing, of any movement used by NOMOS, with even the balance spring, balance, and lever manufactured in-house. Let's take a look at the new dial treatments for the new Nachtblau watches. The Metro Neomatik Nachtblau The Metro line of watches was created by designer Mark Braun ...
It's no secret that most things made today are meant to be used until they start to show signs of wear and then promptly thrown in the garbage. That's basically the total antithesis of how we think over here at HODINKEE HQ, and we imagine most of you are on our side. It turns out, so is the Swedish government. The team over at Fast Company's Co.Exist website takes a look this week at new legislation that would make it cheaper to repair products made to last and drive up costs for companies who try to make throw-away junk. Essentially, the ruling coalition in Sweden's parliamentary government (a mix of the Social Democrat and Green parties) is attempting to ...
The Horological Society Of New York Heads To California For Two Weekends of Watchmaking
The Horological Society of New York's (HSNY) Traveling Education program recently began its tour of the USA with a weekend of horology in Miami. The classes were hosted by HSNY sponsor F.P. Journe in its wonderful Design District offices, with students traveling from across Florida to take part. Miami was just the start though, and later this month HSNY will travel to California for two full weekends of classes. Students at the classes in Miami. Horological Education classes will be offered in San Francisco over the weekend of October 29 and 30, at the Nomad-A-What co-working space in the city's Financial District. The very ne...
Hidden below the dial, the calendar complication holds centuries worth of fascinating technical development. From simple calendars to perpetual calendars, the development has never stopped. Today, the complication represents a desire to master the specificities of the multiple calendar systems in use worldwide. At the October meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Mr. Francois-Paul Journe himself?will host a discussion on the history of calendars with a panel of world-class experts, including our own editor-in-chief Jack Forster. An F.P. Journe Quantime Perptuel movement on its own. Mr. Journe will be joined by Pier...
Weekend Report: Teeing Off With Omega At The Ryder Cup
"Theres so much emotion with the Ryder Cup," Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann tells me, "that even after being at the Olympics, I wouldnt miss coming here." I'm sitting with the freshly-minted CEO in his companys special exhibit at Hazeltine National Golf Course in Chaska, Minnesota. Omega, of course, has staked a lot in golf marketing over the past few years, being Official Timekeeper and Patron of the U.S. Professional Golfers Association and having two high profile golf ambassadors in Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia. The Ryder Cup is one of the biggest events in golf, so its only natural that Omega would be here in some capacity too. Omegas temporary installation at Hazeltine features a...
We knew something was coming, but didn't know what. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the famed Patek Philippe Nautilus, a favorite amongst collectors new and old. At Baselworld 2016, we were told by Patek directly that indeed there would be some special pieces coming this fall, and now we know what they are C an oversized white gold Nautilus chronograph with diamond indexes and a platinum time-and-date Nautilus, both with a special stamping on the dial to commemorate the anniversary. What's more, the cork box is back!This news is still breaking, and we'll have more updates and better images for you shortly, but for now this is what we know about the two anniversary edition Nautilus. ...
Hands-On: The Ralph Lauren Automotive Watch 39mm
The Ralph Lauren Automotive Collection is supposedly inspired by the dashboards of vintage automobiles, and the particular touchstone for the collection is a particularly famous car from Ralph Lauren's very famous collection: the Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe. While that specific car's connection to the collection may or may not be obvious to a casual observer, the influence in general seems to have produced watches with a coherent design language. This sort of appropriation of design motifs is, of course, something Lauren has been doing in his clothing designs for many, many years to great success. The signature element of the Automotive Collection watches is the use of Amboyna burl wo...
The Horological Halfwit: My Early Ebay Mistakes
Phillip Toledano is an artist and automotive enthusiast who relatively recently jumped headfirst into collecting watches. He's become a serious collector very quickly (serious enough to be featured on Talking Watches), with only his wit, charm, and taste to help him. Now he's a columnist for us here, sharing the trials and tribulations of someone trying to make his way in the ever-confusing world of horology. Enjoy. You can follow his misadventures, both horological and automotive, on Instagram. It can take a while to learn exactly what separates good watches from bad watches. I'm a certified pathological contrarian. As such I...
Dr. Andrew Hildreth has written for a variety of publications on watches, including Watch Journal, QP, The Hour, Calibre, and others, in addition to having been a moderator at PuristsPro.com. He is a Liveryman at the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers and a Freeman of the City of London, which permits him the pretty cool title of "Citizen and Clockmaker of London." When not writing about watches, he has a day job as an economic consultant. He was formerly a Professor of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley. And now he's writing for us.Just recently, at a well-known auction house, a Patek Philippe ref. 2526 first series was being offered for sale at what I thought was an unexp...
The Value Proposition: Hublot Aerofusion Moonphase Titanium
Hublot is not a brand known for its subtlety. Whether you think that's a good thing or a bad thing, it just is. Experimental LaFerrari watches, full-on sapphire Big Bang chronographs, and quirky collaborations with contemporary artists are more Hublot's speed. But the watch we have here today is a relatively restrained, finely detailed triple calendar with moonphase in one of the more wearable 42mm cases you'll find anywhere. This is, without question, my favorite Hublot yet. The Hublot Aerofusion Moonphase Titanium 42mm is one of the more wearable Hublot watches. The watch at hand is the Hublot Aerofusion Moonphase Titanium 4...
This was quite an astonishing press release to get. Vacheron Constantin has announced a total of ten new models in the Harmony collection, which is practically an SIHH's worth of new wristwatches. Now, before you get too excited, it is also true that the majority of these watches are incremental changes in existing models, but there is one in particular which is a completely new model (new new, you might say) and which looks, on the basis of the first round of images from Vacheron, extremely promising and interesting.Let's take a look. The Harmony Complete Calendar The biggest news is the Harmony Co...
You're Invited: Celebrate The Grand Opening Of Seiko's Miami Design District Boutique With HODINKEE
We're on the road again. This week, we're down in Miami with Seiko to celebrate the opening of the brand's first Miami boutique. The boutique is in the Design District, placing Seiko right in the heart of Miami's watch retail scene. There will be a master craftsman from Japan on hand, demonstrating the art of Japanese watchmaking, as well as a Japanese whisky tasting, cocktails, and hors d'oeuvres C plus members of the HODINKEE community, of course. And that's where you come in.Whether you're based in Miami or just happen to be in town, we'd love for you to join us in celebrating Seiko's new Miami home. Here are the details for the event:Tomorrow C Wednesday, October 57:00 PMSeiko Boutique13...
Hands-On: The Fiona Krger Celebration Skull Black, A Festive Watch With A Secret
Fiona Krger is a bit off the beaten track, even by the somewhat iconoclastic and even eccentric standards of independent watchmaking. First of all, in one of the most unapologetically and deeply traditional-gender-role-oriented industries on Earth, she's an independent woman brand owner and designer. Secondly, in an industry dominated by sage-like elders (or so they'd like you to think) she's young C just 30 years old. And, thirdly, there is absolutely nothing traditional whatsoever about her approach to watches and watchmaking: her watches, which are inspired by Mexican Day Of The Dead calaveras (stylized, ornate depictions of human skulls) are some of the most fun you can possibly have...
The Road Through Britain: Episode 4: Somlo Antiques
If you want to purchase a vintage Omega timepiece from an authorized dealer, theres literally only one shop in the entire world that can help you: Somlo Antiques & Omega Vintage. The little shop located at the northwest corner of the Burlington Arcade has very little to do with British watchmaking C other than the fact its owned and operated by an Englishman with a penchant for British pocket watches C but we just had to make a stop in London to see why its the destination for everything vintage Omega. Somlo Antiques has been at the northwest corner of the Burlington Arcade in London since 2008. George Somlo has been se...
Introducing: The Ulysse Nardin Classic Sonata, A Limited Edition With A Special Alarm Complication
Ulysse Nardin has just released a new limited edition, the Classic Sonata. It's an alarm watch with cathedral gongs and dual-time function, making it far more complicated an intricate than your typical alarm. It's a big, robust watch that has a semi-technical, semi-dressed-up aesthetic that translates much of the mechanical rigor of the movement straight through to the dial. Let's take a closer look. The Sonata is not a new line for Ulysse Nardin, though it has disappeared from the current collection as a part of the manufacture's recent efforts to streamline its offerings. This latest incarnation falls into the new Classic collection (one of six collections to m...
Business News: F.P. Journe Launches Certified Pre-Owned Program
Innovation comes from the most unexpected places in the watch world. F.P. Journe is a brand known for technical innovation, but not one, perhaps, known for bleeding edge retail distribution or after-sales service. There's nothing wrong with the way Journe does things C it has boutiques and authorized dealers, just like everyone else, but today, it has announced something obvious to most C most that live outside of the watch world, at least. F.P. Journe is beginning to offer what I believe to be the very first "certified pre-owned" program for its watches. Journe calls it "Patrimoine," but ultimately, it's CPO. And this, to me, is truly thrilling news. Here's why. ...
Introducing: The F.P. Journe Tenth Anniversary Centigraphe Souverain Anniversaire
Hot on the heels of announcing that it is offering a legit certified pre-owned program, the fan-favorite independent watch maker F.P. Journe has announced a new limited edition Centigraph Souverain in titanium and rose gold. It is an unusual kind of commemorative watch in that it celebrates the tenth anniversary of each of the brand's boutiques worldwide, and will continue to do so over the coming years as boutiques reach that milestone. Let us explain. The F.P. Journe Centigraph Souverain Anniversaire. If you aren't familiar with the Centigraph Souverain, this timepiece is remarkable in the fact that it's a chronograph that t...
Its difficult to think of a timepiece more welcoming than the Sympathique. The little table clock, whose name means literally means "likeable" in French, is one of the first pieces any visitor sees when entering Breguets manufacture in the Valle de Joux. And it is perhaps the most appropriate introduction to the watchmaker, as it offers a glimpse at one of Abraham-Louis Breguet's earliest inventions as well as the company's current direction. The Breguet Sympathique N13, the first timekeeper you meet when you visit the manufacture. The clock at home in Breguets restoration department is number 13, a designation reserved...
This week, Bring A Loupe presents some truly rare watches that you would be hard pressed to find at auction, or for that matter, anywhere. The Rolex Veriflat exemplifies such rarity, being an ultra-thin Rolex produced only through the late 1950s. The MultiChron Astronomic is another example of a complicated wristwatch, which is still flying under the radar nowadays. As for the Doxa T. Graph, its orange dial and unique handset immediately made it a crowd favorite C so much so that its Ebay listing was gone almost instantly. This is your Bring A Loupe for October 7, 2016. A Gallet MultiChron Astronomic, Offering Three Complications In One Watch ...
Hands-On: The Latest (And Greatest) Version Of The Frederique Constant Classic Manufacture
It was just last week that we got the news Frederique Constant had launched a new version of one of the most affordable in-house-movement, Swiss-manufactured watches out there, the Classic Manufacture. And it offers just what it says on the tin, as the saying goes C a classically-styled watch with a manufacture automatic movement. As we all know though, in-house is as in-house does. Our curiosity aroused, we got our hands on the watch itself for a closer look. This is the second and latest version of the Frederique Constant Classic Manufacture. This watch is the second version so far of the Classic Manufacture and quite hones...