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Best Super NEWS Watches
I am in Geneva for a myriad of things - the most important of which to serve as a jury member for the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve, or GPHG, or as many people call it, "The Oscar's of Watchmaking". These most prestigious awards are decided by an international jury made up of the most esteemed (ahem, ahem) editors, experts, collectors, and historians. ?Fellow jury member Elizabeth Doerr decided to call her friends at the WatchesTV over to get some of our reactions the day of the decisions, and that's what you'll see above.Watch, and tune in Friday to see who takes home the prestigous?Aiguille d'Or, or Golden Hand, the night's premier prize. ?You can see all watches in the running right h...
It was 30 years ago that F.P. Journe first put his name on the dial of a watch. It was a tourbillon pocket watch in the style of Breguet and he built everything himself, from the dial and case to the tourbillon cage itself. To celebrate this milestone, F.P. Journe has released the Historial Anniversary Tourbillon, a wristwatch reinterpretation of this original creation. It is an absolute stunner and just yesterday we had a chance to see it in the metal. Consider us impressed. The Historical Anniversary Tourbillon's Hunter Caseback Until yesterday, I was a bit skeptical of the two-tone case, which is silver and pink gold. In pe...
The Movado Datron HS360, A More Budget-Friendly El Primero
One of the most fascinating and important milestones in wristwatch history was the race to manufacture the worlds first self-winding chronograph. This race culminated in 1969 with three factions crossing the finish line with competing claims to the prize C the Project 99 group of Heuer, Hamilton-Buren, Dubois-Depraz and Breitling, Seiko, and Zenith. And while were not going to go into the nuances of each partys claims here (Jeff Stein does an excellent job of that already), suffice it to say, any one of these early automatic chronographs is a special one to own. But with the exception of some Seiko 6139 chronos, the early Chrono-matics and especially Zenith El Primeros come with fairly hi...
It's very easy to get lost in the extreme sales of auction season - the $1m Daytona, the $500,000 stainless steel Lange, or the $2.1m Patek. ?But not everything goes crazy at auction, and in some cases, it's still THE place to rip a deal. ?And today I'll show you two watches I had my eyes on before the sale, and during, and now have a little bit of regret not making a play for - they're both Vacherons, they're both in platinum, and they both represent tremendous...nay...ABSURD value. ??The first watch that I genuinely really, really considered bidding on (as proven by the wristshot taken above) was at Antiquorum, and it's a watch called the Vacheron Constantin?REF 47101 PLATINUM "LES HISTORI...
On The Block: President John F. Kennedy's Personal Bulova Watch
JFK's Gold Plated Bulova Watch Later this month we will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. Here we have a watch owned by JFK himself, with his initials and the date he received the watch engraved on the original bracelet. This is a perfect case of an unassuming vintage watch that has an amazing story to tell.New Hampshire auction house RR Auction is currently holding on online sale of many JFK-related items to commemorate the President's 1963 assassination. The auction concludes on November 13th and among the 288 lots is this Bulova watch owned and worn by President Kennedy before he wa...
EXCLUSIVE: Introducing The Ochs Und Junior Annual Calendar Brass (Details & Pricing)
Ochs Und Junior Annual Calendar Brass Here at HODINKEE we're big fans of Ochs Und Junior and the rigorously simple watches they craft in Lucerne. In fact, we like them so much that we gave a unique Moonphase to a lucky reader to celebrate our fifth anniversary. Today we bring you a new watch from Ochs Und Junior, one even more stripped down that what we've already seen. The Ochs Und Junior Annual Calendar Brass utilizes only the natural finishes of titanium and brass, adding no colors or artificial decorations to the watch at all. Check out all the details, exclusively on HODINKEE. The Extremely Simple Annual Calendar Mechanis...
Veterans Day Rewind: Vacheron Constantin Chronograph For The WWI US Corps Of Engineers
Today is Veterans Day here in the USA, so we thought we would reach into the HODINKEE archives and find something cool to celebrate. During World War I, Vacheron & Constantin (the "&" wasn't dropped until 1970) made 3,289 pocket watches for the US Corps of Engineers, most of which were 60 second chronographs like the watch we have here. The luminous numerals and large hands make the dial extremely legible for field use, though most examples have since had the radium lume removed for safety concerns. Click through for the full story of these awesome military pocket watches....
Found: The Only Known A. Lange & Sohne Double-Split In STAINLESS STEEL
A. Lange & Sohne makes some of the finest watches in the world. And at the very top of their own impressive spread of strengths is the manufacture of exceptional chronographs. Heck, even living legend Philippe Dufour says the Datograph is the finest serially produced watch in the world. And, if one must pick the most "bad ass" of all Lange chronographs, it would have to be the Double-Split. The Double-Split is the first and only chronograph in the world to feature, you guessed it, a double-split-seconds mechanism, allowing the wearing to time not only two individual runs of seconds, but also up to 30 minutes. The watch is just a monster, and remains?(in the opinion of this very humble pu...
A Quick Note Of Thanks To Those Who Came To My Talk At The Apple Store
I'm a few weeks late with this, but I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who took the time out of their schedules to come see?my talk at the Apple store.? I was really overwhelmed by the response from all of you. ?Actually, I think Apple was too. More people pre-registered for my talk than for a chat with director James Cameron. Seriously.? The audience feedback and level of interest from all of you was really humbling, and I can't thank you enough for caring so much about this little project called HODINKEE. It was really inspiring, and knowing how much people like what we're doing just makes me want to push things ev...
Swatch Introduces Five New Versions Of The Sistem51, Available To Purchase On February 23
When Swatch announced the Sistem51 at Baselworld 2013, watch enthusiasts took note. The mechanical, machine-made wristwatch was lauded for its simple movement architecture (51 components anchored to a central screw) all hermetically sealed against potentially damaging environmental elements. While the introductory models featured a linear, constellation-esque pattern on the dial, these new versions (excepting the pink watch) are more conservative in design. Luckily, the Sistem51 will still be offered at a reasonable price of $150.We won't get too deep into technical details in this post; for that, we recommend reading our hands-on review of the Sistem51 here. In summary, notwithstanding its ...
TAG Heuer already makes one of the best chronographs under $10,000 in the caliber 1887. ?Stephen reviewed it here, and found it to offer really a tremendous amount of technical virtues not just for the dollar, but in general. The movement feels much more expensive than it is. ?But TAG didn't stop there, and just yesterday, at its brand new manufacture in Chevenez (we'll get to that later), we were shown an entirely new caliber that, to me, shows just how serious this company is about its future as a high-end chronograph manufacture. ?The Caliber 1969 is a gorgeous new caliber, designed and developed completely in-house, and it hits all the right notes for me. ?Here's why... ...
Introducing The HM5 RT, A New Red Gold And Titanium Creation From MB&F (Details & Pricing)
Last year the MB&F HM5 "On The Road Again" made pretty big waves in the horological community. As always, Max Bsser pushed the boundaries of what we think of when we hear "mechanical watch," this time inspired by supercars of the 1970s. Today we have a new take on the HM5, the "RT," crafted from a mixture of red gold and titanium with the same form as the original. The HM5 introduced a new time display system, which uses a sapphire prism to magnify and project the time at a 90 degree angle from a series of horizontal discs. The louvres simulate those found on the rear windshields of 1970s sports cars allow light in, maki...
Introducing The Xetum Limited Edition PVD Tyndall Carbon Fiber (Live Pics & Pricing)
Xetum PVD Tyndall Carbon Fiber Today we have the latest for you from California-based Xetum. The PVD Tyndall Carbon Fiber is only the second limited edition watch Xetum has produced and takes the already popular PVD Tyndall and adds a carbon fiber dial. Though designed on the West Coast, these are Swiss made and house Swiss automatic movements. Only 300 pieces will be made and we've got live photos and all the details for you here. Xetum PVD Tyndall Carbon Fiber On The Wrist Xetum's Tyndall line starts with a 40mm stainless steel case that has integrated lugs and grooves around the outer edge to add ...
In-Depth: Photo Report: The Ultimate Omega Speedmaster Get Together
Last week, I flew to the town of Noordwijk, just outside the Hague.? No, I wasn't being tried for a war crime.? I was there to attend the very first Speedy Tuesday Get Together, hosted by our friends at Fratello Watches and Omega.? This special day was organized as a way to encourage the collecting and scholarship of one of the most important wristwatches ever made, the Omega Speedmaster.? What I encountered was a tremendous amount of knowledge and passion, that quite honestly, I seldom see outside of vintage Rolex get togethers and the occasional Paneristi meet-up (granted, I do not attend many of those).? In this extensive...
Found: An Original Universal Geneve Tri-Compax, For Sale
Don't worry, this article won't upset our regularly scheduled Friday afternoon "What's Selling Where" flow?C?this is just a quick notice about a great watch we came across for sale today that we couldn't wait to tell you about it. The reason that I felt compelled to tell you about this watch right away is because this model holds a special place in my collecting history, and because you simply don't find watches like this often. A 1940s Universal Geneve Tri-Compax was one of my first really great watches. I bought it in the Henry Graves Jr. sale some years back, and wrote about it right here. The design and balance of these w...
One Day Later: All Autodromo for HODINKEE Stelvio Sunglasses Are Sold Out (!!)
Just around 24 hours ago, we launched a run of limited edition sunglasses with our friends at Autodromo. They are called the Stelvio, and they're purpose built for great fall (or summer, or winter) driving. They are crafted completely by hand in Japan, requiring over one month to complete. We made fifty pairs of them, and as of 10:49AM EST, all of them are sold!?We really can't believe how strong the response has been to these shades, and to say we are humbled, honored, and encouraged would all be an understatement. We want to thank each person who placed an order with us, and please know we will get these frames out to you, wherever you might be, as soon as humanly possible. And if you miss...
That Time Paul Boutros Called The New Vacheron Patrimony The Finest Perpetual Calendar Money Can Buy
Paul Boutros loves watches, but he seldom speaks in superlatives. And then, he goes ahead as says this in a recent review over on Timezone: Bottom-line-up-front - This is the finest, simple perpetual calendar watch money can buy. What he was referring to was the new Vacheron Patrimony Traditionnelle Skeleton Perpetual Calendar. ?It certainly caught our attention, and we think it'll catch yours too. You can read why he thinks this watch is so special in his full report here....
Introducing The Limited Edition Autodromo For HODINKEE Stelvio Sunglasses
Say hello to the newest member of the HODINKEE family.? Yup, sunglasses.? But these aren't your typical off-the-shelf shades. No, that's not us, but you probably know that by now.? Made with the help of our friends at Autodromo, these frames are called The Stelvio.? They're named after the famous alpine pass C one of the finest driving roads in the world C and they're designed to inspire that sense of 1960s European style, the same type of style that we love so much in great vintage chronographs. Our limited edition Stelvios aren't die-cut like the stuff you see in chain stores, even those with designer names on them. No, the...
Zenith's New Lacquer Dial El Primero Offers A More Refined Take On A Sporty Classic
During the week of SIHH, Zenith took over a palatial suite at the Grand Hotel Kempinski in Geneva, where we were shown an addition to the brand's iconic El Primero lineup. The new model features a lacquer dial, in either black or white (both equally attractive options, if I may say so myself). The fact that this model commands only a few hundred dollars more than its non-lacquered counterpart makes it a worthwhile choice for anyone with a penchant for in-house movements, refined sporty design, and modern watches with respectable lineage. First, let's take a quick look at some technical aspects. Inside the 42 mm (x 12.75 mm) s...
Introducing The Girard-Perregaux Chrono Hawk Hollywoodland Special Edition (Details & Pricing)
Girard-Perregaux Chrono Hawk Hollywoodland Last year Girard-Perregaux announced itself as the exclusive timekeeper of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Though not explicitly in partnership with the museum, the new Chrono Hawk Hollywoodland uses Girard-Perregaux's new sport chronograph as a canvas for paying tribute to the history of filmmaking. This pair is being added to the other three currently available Chrono Hawk models and will be available as part of the main collection from here on out. Click through for all the details. Girard-Perregaux Chrono Hawk Hollywoodland Light Silver Dial There...