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Best Super NEWS Watches
Auctions: The Patek Philippe 5208T For Only Watch Sells For 6.2 Million Swiss Francs
The November Geneva auctions are off to a running start. Among the first big lots to go off was number 12 at Only Watch, a Patek Philippe 5208T produced in titanium exclusively for this charitable auction.? The record for most expensive wristwatch now of course belongs to Paul Newmans Paul Newman Daytona, which sold for $17.8 million at Phillips last month. A year before, we saw Phillips sell a stainless steel Patek Philippe 1518 ?for $11 million.?And of course, before that, the record belonged to a Patek 5016a, which went for $7.3 million at Only Watch 2015. ...
Auctions: Tudor Black Bay Bronze One Sells for 350,000 CHF At Only Watch 2017
The first big lot has dropped at Only Watch 2017, and it's a doozy. Tudor once again got this charity auction off and running with a unique left-handed Black Bay in bronze aptly called the Black Bay Bronze One. It sold for 350,000 Swiss Francs. You'll remember that at the last Only Watch Auction, Tudor shocked everyone with a stainless steel Black Bay that achieved 375,000 Swiss francs on intense bidding. This sale doesn't quite match that of Phillips in 2015, though this watch is admittedly not aimed as squarely at vintage collectors as the last C not necessarily the worst thing. Still, this result shows that anything can happen when...
This is really something. We have a new record for an F.P. Journe timepiece, with his unique blue-dialed monopusher split-seconds chronograph crashing through the million-dollar barrier on the way to a finally 1.15 million Swiss Franc price. And, in the process, this watch became one of the most expensive wristwatches from an independent watchmaker ever sold at auction. This was one of the most highly anticipated lots in the Only Watch sale, generating a ton of buzz amongst collectors since it was unveiled back in July. It's honestly not all that surprising that it has now reached such heights, setting a serious record here. To a...
Auctions: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ceramic Perpetual Sells For 800,000 CHF At Only Watch
The big sales keep piling up here in Geneva. The latest big one to drop is CHF 800,000 ($803184.75 at the time of publication) paid for an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in ceramic. It's one hell of a watch, and an expensive one. Back when this reference came out at SIHH 2017, its retail price was announced at $85,000. When AP announced that they'd made a unique blue-dialed version of this guy for Only Watch, the estimate was CHF 80,000-120,000. Boy, was that number way off! The AP Royal Oak Ceramic Perpetual was a huge hit at SIHH, before it was a bigger hit at Only Watch. What's so remarkable here is that...
Another big number has been dropped on a vintage Omega wristwatch at auction. This one isn't a Speedmaster C we've certainly read about a couple of those in recent weeks C but a tourbillon. A tourbillon, you say? It's true that this is hardly the first complication that springs to mind when one thinks of Omega. But the fact is the Omega?that just sold at Phillips Geneva Six is among the very first wristwatch tourbillons ever made, dating from way back in 1947, long before tourbillon wristwatches had a chance to become cool, and even longer before some deemed them pass.?And now it is the most expensive Omega ever sold at auction, bringing in CHF 1,428,500. ...
Found: Four Incredible Clocks At Urwerk HQ, Geneva
Urwerk is a company whose work I've admired for many years, and among the independent brands, they're one whose products seem remarkably consistently appealing. The system of satellite wheels that are at the heart of Urwerk designs have proved a remarkably fruitful base on which to build the brand, and since the first Urwerk C the UR-101, which you might say is the ur-Urwerk C was released in 1997, they've gone on to produce a large number of different models, ranging from highly technical products focused on chronometry, like the EMC, to very design-forward watches such as the rather saurian UR-T8. Satellite system for the UR-101. ...
Hands-On: The Timex Marlin, A Sub-$200 Mechanical Watch (Now Back In Stock)
Last month, Timex dropped something totally unexpected C a hand-wound, vintage-inspired wristwatch called the Marlin. This is the first time Timex has made a mechanical watch since 1982 (yeah, I know, right?) and the Marlin made quite a splash, if you'll pardon the pun. In fact, the model sold out almost immediately. I should know C I wanted one and waited too long.? Luckily, it's back in stock! Not only is this watch attractive, it also costs $199. Yes, you read that correctly: one hundred and ninety-nine dollars. In a world where watch prices only seem to go up, this Timex offered a refreshing option for those of us who can't afford a 5790. While I wasn't able ...
Auctions: Behold The Patek Philippe Wiretapping Device That Just Sold At Antiquorum Geneva
The collection of non-watch ephemera associated with particular brands or retailers is a sideline for most collectors C an interesting sideline, but a sideline nonetheless. Still, among the logo'd golf balls, whisky glasses, sets of spoons, wacky retailer displays showing the tastes of another era, and what have you, every once in a while something comes up that rely defies description. This is one of those times. At Antiquorum Geneva on November 12, a watch world still reeling from the record set by the you-know-what-once-owned-by-you-know-who mostly missed a lot that I can safely say is one of the weirdest finds in non-watch, watch brand collecting. It's not exactly ephemera, because it's ...
Inside The Manufacture: Tools Of The Watchmaking Trade At Montblanc Villeret And Le Locle
Watch collector and celebrity chef Alton Brown was fond of saying, in his pioneering show Good Eats, that with few exceptions, there was no place for "mono-taskers" in his lineup of kitchen tools. Generally speaking this is an excellent principle, although every profession has its specialist tools that are intended, often, to perform one and only one critical task. It's always seemed to me to be particularly true of watchmaking, where trying to use a general purpose tool for certain tasks is asking for trouble, up to and including broken parts and a damaged watch.? Tweezers and screwdrivers are probably the least special-purpose watchmaking tools and even here, t...
Introducing: The Ferdinand Berthoud FB1.4 In Titanium
As you might have noticed if you're following us on HODINKEE Live, some of us are at Dubai Watch Week, where we've already seen a number of recently introduced watches, and some new releases as well. One of these is the latest version of the Ferdinand Berthoud FB 1.4 in titanium, which is an updated version of the original FB1, but in a new case metal. As you may know, Ferdinand Berthoud is owned by the Chopard Group, and was founded in 2015. Last year, in 2016, the FB 1 won the Aiguille d'Or at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genve, and we caught up with it at last year's Dubai Watch Week, when we were able to see all of that year's winners together. Now the FB1 is back with a titanium case...
This coming February, Watches & Wonders will take place in the Miami Design District for the very first time. The four-day event will be hosted by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) and the Miami Design District Associates (MDDA), with a slew of events, talks, and novelties to peruse. And the best part? All new timepieces for 2018, fresh from their debut at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, will be on display for the first time after SIHH, and we want you to join us to check them out. The Miami Design District at night. No stranger to watch brands, the Miami Design District is home to some of th...
Business News: Still Too Many Watches In The World, Says Richemont Group
?Last May, in a meeting with financial analysts, Richemont Group Chairman Johann Rupert railed against rampant overproduction in the Swiss watch industry. "Our retail partners, the big and the small, are still being force fed like geese producing foie gras with people (i.e. brands) who still sell in more than they sell out. Its bad for the whole industry," Rupert said. Six months on, with Swiss watch sales beginning to recover after two years of declines, watch market inventories are still too high, Richemont says. "We still see inventory levels which are above normal," Richemont Chief Financial Officer Burkhart Grund told financial analysts last Friday. "The lu...
Introducing: The Autodromo Ford GT Endurance Chronograph (And A Very Special GT Owner's Watch Too)
Sometimes, in very rare instances, David and Goliath actually team up and do something awesome. This is one of those times. Regular HODINKEE readers will be well aware by now of the New York CityCbased brand Autodromo, and if you haven't heard of the Ford Motor Company, I don't know what planet you're living on. The pair have just announced a two-pronged partnership that includes a collection of affordable chronographs inspired by classic Ford GT race cars, and a customizable watch just for GT owners themselves. I won't go into too much detail here about the Ford GT (that could easily be its own story), but you do need a little bit of background info on the car t...
Auctions: Detailed Analysis Of The Phillips Heuer Parade Sale (VIDEO)
On Saturday, November 11, Phillips held the Heuer Parade auction in Geneva. It was a sale of 41 vintage Heuer chronographs from the Crosthwaite & Gavin Collection. In an article published a day before the auction, we offered a comprehensive guide to the watches and a bit of context for the auction overall.?Today, we consider the results of the sale and how they may impact the market for vintage Heuers going forward. ? Setting the Stage: The Background And Some Recent Sales The last comprehensive offering of vintage Heuer chronographs was Bonhamss sale of the 82 vintage Heuer chronographs in the Haslinger collection, in December 2010....
Introducing: The Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Complete Calendar Collection Excellence Platine
It may only be November, but the SIHH novelties are already coming in. Leading the way is the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Complete Calendar Collection Excellence Platine. This new addition to the is a welcome one to the Traditionelle Collection as its first full calendar wristwatch. Last year we saw the release of an updated perpetual calendar chronograph, and now we have the complete calendar in platinum. Read on to see what this watch is all about.? The Vacheron Constantin automatic caliber 2460QCL movement. The Vacheron Constantin Complete Calendar features a 41mm x 10.77mm polished platinum case, water resistant to 3...
Happenings: Dubai Watch Week 2017
Well we have arrived for Dubai Watch Week and it does not disappoint. If you are in the area be sure to stop by The Gate, Dubai International Financial Center, ?to see a range of horological sights. There are several pavillions set up where you can view the latest watches from the likes of Stephen Forsey, Richard Mille, Audemars Piguet, and the latest from Ferdinand Berthoud.? There are a number of master classes that you can sign up for and a series of panels throughout the week. Tomorrow at 1 PM we will be hosting our Creative Hub on the Art of Digital Media, so if you have not signed up be sure to do so on the Dubai Watch Week...
Introducing: The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time
Although in some ways it feels like just yesterday that we first saw the Celestia at SIHH 2017, its already almost time for SIHH 2018 and Vacheron Constantin is giving us our first taste of what well be seeing at the show in January. Today weve got a pair of new Overseas models C this one is the Dual Time, a small complication thats perfect for everyday wear. The familiar Overseas profile gets some new functionality with the Dual Time. If youre a fan of the latest generation Overseas models, youre going to really like the Dual Time. It has a 41mm case in the familiar Overseas shape with the signature bezel and semi-tonne...
Hands-On: The NOMOS Glashtte Tangente Neomatik 39 Silvercut
Broadly speaking, when it comes to their core offerings, NOMOS doesnt really do new. Being about as firmly connected with their aesthetic as any brand could claim, NOMOSs appeal is fueled by their ability to gently massage their motif into a variety of different watches, all while protecting the application of their core design principles. Even when they do get a bit wild, such as with the Signal Red Ahoi Neomatik, or the mint green asymmetry of the Metros power reserve, the NOMOS-ness of it all endures.? In furthering their use of the in-house Neomatik movement, NOMOS recently announced a new series of watches. Well, new for NOMOS. Stephen wrote an excellen...
Personalities: The Richemont Group's New COO, Jr?me Lambert
A year ago, Richemont Group Chairman Johann Rupert caused a stir in business circles by eliminating the CEO position at the worlds second largest luxury-goods group.?Rupert announced that CEO Richard Lepeu would retire at the end of March 2017 and would not be replaced. Instead, Rupert, Richemonts largest shareholder, said he wanted the CEOs of the groups 18 brands to report directly to the board of directors. The group, with annual sales of 10.65 billion ($11.68 billion) in the fiscal year ended in March, had gotten too big to be run by one person, Rupert said: "One individual cannot be held responsible. Its unfair." Cutting out the CEO would streamline decision-making and allow each b...
If you hold a mechanical watch to your ear, you can hear the escapement doing its job, ticking many times per second and keeping you on time. The escapement is one of the most important inventions in history, yet we don't know exactly who invented it and when. Instead, the development of the escapement was contributed to over centuries by watch and clock makers around the world. This work has advanced the escapement to a level that is refined, accurate, and practical. Understanding the history of the escapement leads to a deeper understanding of timekeepers in general, and a greater appreciation of the escapement development that continues today. At the December ...