Best Super NEWS Watches
Just Because: How Apple's Awesome Motion Watch Faces Are Made
Apple isn't exactly a company known for offering frequent peeks behind the proverbial curtain. Having just reviewed the new Apple Watch Series 4, getting to see how Apple made the incredible "motion faces" (the vapor, fire/water, etc.) feels like an extra treat. Getting this kind of perspective though shows just how dedicated the team over there is to nailing the details C Apple took something that seems relatively basic at first and pursued it to its logical conclusion, giving us something awesome in the process. "We probably could have done this digitally, but we actually shot all of this practically in a studio" says Alan Dye, Apple Vice President of User Inte...
Yesterday, French magazine Challenges reported that Jean-Claude Biver would be stepping down from his operational responsibilities as President of the LVMH Watch Division. That report was then confirmed earlier this morning by Reuters, to whom Biver said, "I am giving up my operational responsibilities, but I'm staying as non-executive president of LVMH's watch unit and its three watch brands, TAG Heuer, Zenith and Hublot." In an updated version of that report he went on to explain, "I'll no longer be cutting the onions and crying in the kitchen early in the morning, I'll just come later to see if they are ready." For now, these are all the details that we have, as neither the group nor any ...
Sunday Rewind: A Complete History Of The Humble Spring Bar
Here at HODINKEE we are all about asking the tough questions. What is the very nature of time? How does wearing a mechanical timekeeper ground one to the very fabric of physics and the universe? And who the heck invented the spring bar? Ok, ok, that last one might not be quite on the same level, but it's a good question nonetheless and one that we'd be willing to be hundreds, nay, thousands, of watch nerds the world over have been noodling over for quite some time. Luckily for all of us, we have the illustrious Jack Forster to help, doing the arduous research that would terrify the rest of us. Oh yes, there are diagrams. Back ...
HODINKEE Radio: Episode 12: Apple And The Future Of Watchmaking
Subscribe to the show: (Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn). Already heard it once or twice? Please leave a short review here, and tell us which guests we should have on! Last week, reviews of the new Apple Watch Series 4 started rolling in (including my own), and there was a ton of chatter across the internet about what improvements the new watch offers, whether or not you should get one, what it says about Apple at large, and more. We're obviously already in on the conversation, but we thought it would be fun to have a team of our editors who have been covering the Apple Watch since day one sit down to discuss their thoughts o...
Introducing: The Timex Marlin For Women (Live Pics & Pricing)
Last year, Timex released the Marlin as a tribute to a vintage piece found in the brand's archive. The new model featured the same 34mm case, Art Deco numerals, and manually wound movement (except this time it was made in China, and is likely a Seagull C?nothing wrong with that!). The new Marlin sold out instantly and was then later released with a black dial by our friends at Todd Snyder as the Marlin Blackout. This go around, Timex has released the very first Marlin for women, with a rose goldCcolored case and a silvered dial. Technically, the watch is exactly the same, but the new colorway makes it look completely different. I...
As the seasons change and the weather cools off, gold watches now outnumber stainless steel watches in this weeks roundup, which is stacked with top condition chronographs from Rolex and Breitling, along with genuine rarities from the likes of Gallet and Cartier. For good measure, weve also included a pristine Omega Constellation in a beautiful shade of yellow gold that is just too cool to ignore. Without delay, lets get into this week's watches. Rolex Daytona Ref. 16528 Full Set Its always advisable to hunt down the best example of a particular watch that you can possibly find, since truly desirable ...
Business News: Stphane Bianchi Appointed To Succeed Jean-Claude Biver As Head Of LVMH Watches
LVMH has tapped Stphane Bianchi, the former CEO of the cosmetics firm Yves Rocher, to succeed Jean-Claude Biver as head of LVMH's watch division, the company announced today. Biver confirmed yesterday to Reuters and other news outlets, including HODINKEE, that he was stepping down from operational duties as president of the LVMH watch division and CEO of TAG Heuer, for health reasons. Biver, who turned 69 yesterday, will remain as non-executive chairman of the division. Bianchi will become CEO of TAG Heuer and oversee the operations of Hublot and Zenith, the other two brands in the watch division, effective November 1. LVMH has also ...
Introducing: The MB&F Horological Machine No. 9 'Flow'
The Horological Machines from MB&F, of which this is the ninth, are about the furthest things from conventional watches and watchmaking that you can imagine. In the years since the first Machine came out (HM1 debuted in 2007) the Horological Machines have come in a bewildering variety of shapes and inspirations, from the bulbous convexity of the HM3 "Frog" to the flying saucer-shaped HM7 "Aquapod," to the most recent, automotive-inspired HM8 "Can Am." Each of the Machines is essentially an act of horological deconstruction and recreation C the elements of a traditional wristwatch are re-engineered in order to produce a new kind of time-telling device that also doubles as wrist-wearable a...
Happenings: Jeffrey Kingston To Lecture At The Horological Society Of New York
Today, many take diving watches for granted.?Perhaps this is because few are actually used for diving.?Conference room wear is the modern norm. But in the aftermath of World War II, things were different.?The experience of the war set many of the worlds militaries on the path of developing combat diving corps.?At the same time there were a miniscule number of amateur diving clubs that came into being giving birth to the notion of sport diving.?Both groups had common cause for much of their equipment.?Prominent on the list was a timing instrument to keep track of elapsed time underwater.?? In sharp contrast with other types of wa...
Business News: 'Sustained Recovery' in U.S. Market, FH Says
The Swiss watch industry turned in another strong performance in August, extending its streak of consecutive increases in exports to 16 months. Watch exports rose 5.5% in value compared to August 2017 to CHF 1.50 billion ($1.48 billion), according to data released by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH).?A dozen of Switzerland's top 30 markets had double-digit jumps in August, and two C tiny Kuwait and Oman C had rare triple-digit increases (119% and 154%, respectively).? The U.S. market was not among the double-or-triple-digit performers in August. Nevertheless, in a sign of America's importance to the Swiss -- and li...
Introducing: The NOMOS Glashtte Tangente 'Red Dot' 2018
Made in cooperation with the Singapore-based retailer The Hour Glass and Watches of Switzerland, NOMOS has produced a new limited edition run of their Tangente in two new dial colors with subtle customizations. Both new "Red Dot" Tangentes have a red dot at six that is a nod to Singapore's colloquial nickname "the little red dot" (in reference to how the city is shown on a map). Despite being a small market, Singapore is relatively watch-crazy and this 2018 Red Dot NOMOS edition is a follow up to the original Red Dot edition from last year.? Initial Thoughts At 37.5mm wide and available in both midnight b...
Introducing: The Frederique Constant QP Tourbillon Manufacture (Live Pics & Pricing)
This announcement is the biggest news from the Plan-les-Ouates-based manufacture since its acquisition by Citizen in May 2016. Husband-and-wife duo Peter and Aletta Stas founded Frederique Constant in 1988, naming the brand after their respective grandparents, and they have done a remarkable job of capitalizing on the opportunity they saw to produce reasonably priced Swiss watches 30 years ago. "Believe it or not, working together as a couple has actually made our relationship better," said Mr. Stas. In many ways, the company was ahead of its time, having produced 27 in-house calibers, all in the last 14 years.Just to give a little context to this launch, it took three years of research and ...
Business News: Richard Mille Will Exit SIHH After 2019 (Update: Audemars Piguet Is Leaving Too!)
In a press release distributed earlier today, Richard Mille has announced their intention to withdraw from the SIHH. While the brand will still display at the 2019 show in January, as they have in the past, they will not be present at SIHH 2020. This undoubtedly comes as a hit to SIHH at large, as Richard Mille has become a noted player in the modern haute horlogerie landscape and has previously used the show to launch several noteworthy pieces.? Citing changes to their distribution and boutique network over the past few years, Richard Mille no longer feels that exhibitions are a good fit for their overall brand and sales strategy. Specifically, Richard Mille cit...
Hands-On: The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton Power Reserve
Creating ultra-thin, record-breaking watches is something for which Bulgari's become justly well known over the last few years C watches like the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon and the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater Carbon have pretty conclusively scotched any doubt anyone might have had about Bulgari's bona fides as a real watchmaker. The combination of ultra-thin movements with the not-quite-square, not-quite-round cases of the Octo collection, has made the Octo collection one of the most talked about in modern horology and to such an extent that one has the impression that the collection is decades old, rather than the relative newcomer that it is. The Octo collection was launched just six yea...
Another week, another selection of top-tier curiosities from the wide world of horology. In todays installment, we take a look at yet another Heuer produced for Abercrombie & Fitch and a classic mid-century Omega that doesn't get nearly enough attention. Dont think we forgot about gold either, as an 18k Royal Oak has made the cut too, along with an unusual ladies reference from Patek Philippe. Lets take a closer look, shall we? Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 14486 In 18K Whether you strongly prefer the Nautilus over the Royal Oak, or vice versa, theres no denying the genius of Gerald Genta. The ma...
Business News: Grand Seiko Corp Of America Becomes Its Own Company
In March of last year, Japan's Seiko Watch Corp. separated its Grand Seiko collection of hand-assembled luxury watches from the core Seiko brand. It made Grand Seiko a full-fledged brand of its own, with its own separate identity and trade dress, distinct from the lower-priced Seiko brand."From today," SWC Chairman and CEO Shinji Hattori said at the time, "Grand Seiko lives a truly independent life and sets out on a new journey."Today, Grand Seiko took another giant step on its new journey. SWC in Tokyo announced that it had created a new company in the United States devoted specifically to the sales, marketing and distribution of Grand Seiko.? This new company i...
HODINKEE Radio: Episode 13: Jason Fried
Subscribe to the show: (Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn). Already heard it once or twice? Please leave a short review here, and tell us which guests we should have on! Some guys are into mechanical watches because they're born-and-bred collectors who love the thrill of the chase. Others are drawn to the romance of things like pilots watches and dive watches, satisfying their mid-century nostalgia through timepieces. Then there are the real nerds who can talk to you for days about the minutiae of balance spring curvature and proper gear ratios. Basecamp co-founder and New York Times best-selling author Jason Fried has a slight...
Sunday Rewind: A Visit With Milan's King Of Luxury Vintage
One of the greatest things about the watch world is the plethora of interesting and incredible people that it attracts. We're very fortunate that we get to meet many of these people as we travel the world looking for great watches and great stories to tell about them. There are few people though who have made a bigger impression on those of us at HODINKEE HQ than Mr. Max Bernardini. In the center of Milan you'll find Bernardini Luxury Vintage, the home for all things old and awesome that Max himself established. We paid him a visit back in 2013 as part of The Road To Basel, and it's about time we give it another look. Mr. Bernadini, wearing a Rolex over...
Introducing: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Carolina?Bucci?Edition?(Live Pics & Pricing)
If you frequent this site, you are familiar with one of my many obsessions C frosted gold. If you recall Audemars Piguet first released the Royal Oak Frosted Gold in partnership with jeweler Carolina Bucci back in 2016. The first wave of releases featured 37mm and 33mm versions in both white and rose gold. The 37mm examples were powered by the automatic caliber 3120, while the 33mm versions were run by a quartz movement. As a follow up, AP released a limited edition men's version in 41mm, and series of new dial colors for the original models. Now they have taken it s step further, introducing a limited edition 37mm version in yellow gold (for the first time) paired with a mirrored dial. This...
Recommended Reading: 'Keeper Of Time,' A New Film About The History And Evolution Of Horology
Sometimes it's hard to forget that this little hobby/obsession of ours is still rather niche. Not everyone knows the difference between automatic, quartz, and manually-wound timekeepers; few know the ins and outs of the watchmaking and collecting world too. Cue Keeper of Time, a documentary film produced and directed by Michael Culyba that explores the history of horology, mechanical watchmaking, and the concept of time itself. Today the film's production team launched a Kickstarter page to help get the movie across the finish line, and it's worth taking a look at both what they've done and what they hope to achieve with the finished film. ...