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Best Super NEWS Watches
Hands-On: The Weiss 38mm Automatic Issue Field Watch
Founded back in 2013, Weiss Watch Company is one of the older brands in the current wave of American watchmakers. These usually-small companies are bringing varying degrees of American design and manufacturing to horology, offering something different from the usual Swiss manufactures. Based in Los Angeles, Weiss has focused on classic field watches, and the 38mm Automatic Issue Field Watch, the brand's first self-winding watch and its first in a smaller diameter. Field watches are Weiss's specialty, and have been since the company started in 2013. The Automatic Field Issue is a significant departure from the other watches in ...
There's a lot going on in American watchmaking right now. In particular, a new breed of small brand has started popping up, with passionate watch guys quitting their former day jobs to tackle horology themselves in their hometowns. But it's not easy. I wanted to get a better sense of what actual problems are facing these new U.S. watch brands, so I spoke with Michael Wilson, founder of Niall Watches in Kansas City, to get the story right from the source. I asked Michael to walk me through the five biggest challenges to his business (and to the community of American watchmakers at large). Here are his answers. Michael W...
Happenings: William Massena To Lecture On Watch Auctions At The Horological Society Of New York
Watch auctions can be intimidating even for the most experienced collectors. What questions should you ask a specialist? How do you bid successfully? What pitfalls should you avoid? At the March 2017 meeting of the Horological Society of New York, industry vet William Massena (and Talking Watches alum) will address these questions and more. Massena's illustrated lecture will explore all aspects of the world of watch auctions, including key auction houses in the international watch market, the role of auctions in the context of watch collecting, and nuances of catalog descriptions. About William Massena William Massena, Man...
Hands-On: The Oris Artelier Calibre 113, A Non-Traditional Calendar Packing Serious Power
Oris is well known for offering quality watches that present good value for money. It's the dive watches, the vintage-inspired models in particular, that get most of the attention, but Oris does a lot more than just divers C the Artelier Calibre 113 is a perfect example. This calendar watch has an in-house movement, a slightly unusual display, and an impressive 10-day power reserve. It's not uncommon to see a moonphase indicator on a triple calendar, but Oris is calling this a "business calendar," instead displaying the number of the week of the year. The Artelier Calibre 113 is a 43mm stainless steel watch with a relatively conservative aesthetic (not a ba...
Hands-On: The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton Tourbillon, And How It Got To Be So Thin
The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon was introduced in 2014, and, at the time, it was the thinnest tourbillon movement ever made, at only 1.95mm thick. The skeletonized version, introduced this year, lets you look inside that movement and get a better idea of how the watch manages to be so thin, while at the same time offering slickly cool visuals to go along with the faceted Octo case. If you're interested in ultra-thin tourbillons, it's a good time to be alive. There have been several interesting ultra-thin tourbillons released in the last few years, including the?Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Thin Automatic 5377, which has a movement only 3mm thick...
The Monsieur de Chanel was one of the more surprising watches from Baselworld 2016. A handsome watch overall, it was the companys first dedicated to men and it was powered by the companys first in-house mechanical movement too. An instant hit, it was also a sign of more to come. Well, 12 months later, more has arrived. When Chanel unveils its latest range of watches next month at Baselworld, it will be introducing its second in-house movement and this time it will be housed in a ladies' timepiece, the?Premire Camlia Skeleton Watch. "Obviously, there was never any doubt wed be making an in-house movement for a ladies watch," says Nicolas Beau, Chanel's ...
The Horological Halfwit: An Unquenchable Obsession With Eberhard
When I was a kid, my father used to call me "Johnny One Note." Why? Because I would become obsessed with one particular thing, and that's all I'd talk about for weeks, until the mania finally ran its course. It was a very appealing trait, I'm sure. Amongst my odd and varied childhood obsessions, one of the strangest was an intense romance with a hand-engraving tool (I just realized how that sounds). I had expansive dreams of hand-tooling assorted leather goods with the names of my friends, or customizing glassware with ribald phrases. Really, when I look back, it's a miracle I had any friends at all. Eberhard did some ...
Historical Perspectives: Why Watch Movements Are Called Calibers
The word "caliber" has a number of different meanings, but in watchmaking the word is synonymous with "movement." Across the entire industry, one of the few absolutely ubiquitous practices is to call a movement "caliber XYZ123." It's one of those words you can see a million times without wondering why it's used in both the world of firearms and the world of watchmaking, which would seem to have little in common. But, have no fear; HODINKEE's done the wondering (and researching) for you. A variety of cartridges of different calibers, from .50 (far left) down to .22 (far right). On the off chance you're not already familiar with...
Introducing: The Dot Braille Smartwatch For The Visually Impaired
It's not something most of us think about on a daily basis, but most watches are basically useless for the visually impaired. Traditionally, the solution to this was to make watches with crystals that could flip up, allowing the wearer to feel the hands. These tended to be poorly made and touching the hands is a really good way to throw a watch off over time. But there are more creative solutions out there. Meet the Dot, a sleek motorized smartwatch that uses braille to give the wearer the time. Developed in Korea, the Dot is an extremely new product (most of the company's website is still "coming soon" pages) that offers a new take on telling the time and ...
Bremont launched its first collection a decade ago. Its hard to believe the British company is already turning 10, and perhaps even harder still to believe that in those 10 years it has established itself enough that it no longer sees any reason to attend Baselworld, the worlds foremost watch fair. And yet, here were are in a small townhouse in one of London's quiet Georgian squares, viewing the companys latest range. There are quite a few novelties to see, and well eventually go through them all. But first, lets take a look at some updates to a watch that has been part of the catalog since Bremonts inception, the ALT1-P pilot's chronograph. ...
Back in 2010, Bremont introduced the Supermarine 500, which introduced a fresh take on a pretty well-trod path: the dive watch. Its unique crown guard, sapphire bezel, signature Bremont three-piece "Trip-Tick" case, and overall styling set it apart from the pack. It quickly became a favorite of dive watch lovers. Then, in 2014, came the Supermarine 2000, which quadrupled the water resistance, introduced the anti-magnetic and anti-shock properties of Bremonts MB watches, and beefed up the case from 43mm to 45mm. The S2000 is an exercise in sheer overkill in every respect, a watch that will survive things no human wearing it ever could, something many who buy the watch appreciate.? ...
A Week On The Wrist: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Date With Sector Dial
The annual Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) is, as the name would suggest, a show predominantly made up of watchmakers creating watches that represent the upper echelons of watchmaking. Six-figure price tags are a dime a dozen on the show floor. When I first saw the new Master Control Date with a sector dial at Jaeger-LeCoultre's booth, I knew I wanted to get some time with it on my wrist, but when every conversation I had with collectors, journalists, and other industry friends kept coming back to a $5,700 time-and-date watch, I knew we had something special on our hands. Openworked tourbillons and decimal striking watches are great, sure, but i...
Hands-On: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Moon
Another year, another Reverso. In many ways, Jaeger-LeCoultre has fallen victim to the popularity of its swiveling watch, having to come out with new iterations every year to satisfy the hungry collectors. While the big JLC story this year was the watchmakers round watches with sector dials, there were still some nice updates in the Reverso range as well, including this absolute stunner. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Moon. Last year, I went hands-on with one of my favourite Reverso models in recent memory, the ultra-sophisticated Reverso Tribute Calendar. Well, this is essential that watch pared down a little. First of...
Business News: Auctionata Forced To Close After Failing To Find New Investors
In January, we told you that online auction house Auctionata had filed for insolvency after not paying salaries for weeks. The Berlin-based company began looking for new investors to keep itself afloat, but now, after another month or so of looking, has been forced to shutter due to lack of interest. The details are a bit messy, with some sub-companies making it out of the chaos alive, but the gist is that Auctionata is no more. One of the surprising things about this whole situation is that just last year Auctionata completed a merger/acquisition with New YorkCbased Paddle 8, and had previously taken on investment from the likes of Hearst Ventures and Grou...
Historical Perspectives: Van Cleef & Arpels And The Unusual Cadenas Wristwatch
When you think about Van Cleef & Arpels, what do you think of? The Alhambra necklaces and earrings? The experimental?poetic complications watches? If your answer to either of these was "yes," then I invite you to take a closer look at the?Cadenas (or "Padlock") wristwatch. What started out as a simple appreciation for a cool vintage ladies' watch turned into a deep interest in the heritage and success of the haute joallerie maison?Van Cleef & Arpels and the research led me to some pretty interesting places. A Little Bit About Van Cleef & Arpels This story starts way back in 1898, when a woman named Estelle Arpels married...
This week we've rounded up pieces that truly changed how wristwatches were worn, to greater and lesser degrees. Obviously the Rolex Submariner contributed immensely to the field of dive watches, but one should not underestimate what the Breitling Navitimer brought to pilot's watches, nor the impact of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Futurematic (despite its limited success). Lastly, both the Heuer Jarama chronograph and the Union Glashtte Julius Bergter Edition are indicative of their makers' mindsets at the time each was launched. Learn more in your Bring A Loupe for March 3, 2017. Rolex Submariner Reference 5514, Issued To COMEX ...
Hands-On: The Blancpain Villeret Annual Calendar GMT In Steel
The Blancpain Villeret Annual Calendar GMT was a Baselworld 2016 novelty, and when it was introduced at the show it generated a lot of interest thanks to the combination of its case material (steel), its user-friendliness (considerable), and its delivery of bang for the buck (lots, at least, in relative terms). I finally managed to get my hands on one and spent a few days with it, to find out whether or not the initial positive impression stands up to longer exposure. The annual calendar is a surprisingly recent innovation in watchmaking; the very first wristwatch annual calendar wasn't patented until 1996, by Patek Philippe. The annual calendar does most o...
Hands-On: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold
It's been exactly 64 days since I first held the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold, and it's now been exactly 64 days of me missing it. This watch is everything I want and more. It's sporty, cool, classic, sparkly, too much, too little, and, most of all, I need it. Like, a lot. But before getting into my effusive feelings on this beauty, let's get into the story behind this awesome timepiece and how it came to be in the first place. Where Did This Watch Come From? The Audemars Piguet Frosted Gold Royal Oak in 37mm rose gold. Wow. If you are an avid reader of HODINKEE, you likely know the histo...
Introducing: The Bremont AIRCO Mach 1 and Mach 2 (Live Pics & Pricing)
If there's a field of watchmaking that Bremont dominates, it's custom pilot watches. Bremont says 20% of its customers are in the military, and the watches they wear are typically large and their dials are filled with iconography relating to the types of aircraft their squadrons fly. In fact, Giles English, one of the company's two founders, recently told me that quite a few watches in the core collection borrow elements that first appeared during these special military projects.?What we havent seen from Bremont though, is a small and classically-styled three-hand pilot's watch. Until now. The AIRCO Mach 1/BK with its glossy black dial and orange accen...
When Lotus test driver John Parramint was promoted and asked to test drive the Elan and the Europa, two of the British manufacturers most emblematic sports cars, his reaction was to go out and pick up a chronograph with a tachymeter bezel C not as a reward to himself, but to help him test the cars' speedometers. He purchased a Heuer Autavia Ref. 2446C, then a budget-friendly option C now, almost 50 years later, he's selling it at auction and might get back more than 100 times what he paid for it. But let's start at the beginning. Checking the accuracy of speedometers C which were made by independent suppliers and connected by car manufacturers to gear boxe...