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Best Super NEWS Watches
The Value Proposition: The Seiko SKX013 Dive Watch
Almost three years ago to the day, Jack wrote a Value Proposition story about what might be the value watch to end all value watches: the Seiko SKX007 diver. For well under $200, you get a tough-as-nails dive watch with classic styling and some real history. Theres nothing to argue with, really. Unless youre me, of course.? Ive always loved the SKX007, I really have. But, Ive never been able to wear one. At 42mm across, its just too damn big for my Lilliputian wrist, both looking and feeling out of place. Until recently, I thought it was a lost cause, assuming that I would have to wander the Earth without a bang-for-your-buck Seiko diver at my side. Luckily,...
We're back at it this week with another stacked selection, including several rare and important pioneering dive watches. From Tudor we've got one of the nicest Big Crowns to have surfaced in recent memory, and from Breitling, the dive watch that started it all for them. For those that choose to?stay on land, we've also included a few dressier pieces as well, with an Omega originally sold in Portugal, an uncommon Universal Genve, and a simple Movado in remarkable condition. Buyer Beware is back too, with a shady-at-best chronograph. Here's the lowdown.? 1940s Movado Calatrava In True New Old Stock Condition ...
HODINKEE Radio: Episode 15: Ted Gushue
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! There really is nobody quite like Ted Gushue. I would describe Ted as a "man of sort-of-leisure." He works hard C really hard, in fact C but at the kinds of things that most probably wouldn't consider work at all. Ted is currently something of a nomad, traveling the world taking pictures with his Leica M10, driving the coolest cars from nearly ever era of automotive history, and helping brands reach new audiences. To say Ted's got a dream job would be something...
Sunday Rewind: How Patek Philippe Makes Some Of The Best Minute Repeaters In The World
As far as complications go, minute repeaters are pretty close to the top of the top. They are exceedingly complicated to make, require a great level of connoisseurship to enjoy and understand, and tend to cost rather large sums of money to obtain. We can't exactly help you with that last bit C sorry, we really wish we could C but luckily our editor-in-chief, Jack Forster, published a lengthy story back in September 2016 detailing Patek Philippe's history making chiming watches, various techniques used to create them, some of the challenges that had to be overcome to get them to the level they're at today, and why getting to see eight of them, all in the same place at the same time, was such ...
Introducing: The Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Phoenix
The Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers department is where some of the firm's most elevated watchmaking happens, and where the company's top watchmakers and artisans are occupied with two basic activities: taking commissions and requests for one-of-a-kind and bespoke pieces (one of the most famous of which is the caliber 57260, which we covered in-depth on its launch, and which contains, by Vacheron's count, 57 complications, several of which are unique to the watch) and also with coming up with new ideas, both for mechanisms and designs. Ahead of SIHH 2019, Vacheron Constantin has announced two new Les Cabinotiers unique pieces, one of which you see here: the Grand Complication Phoenix, wh...
Recommended Reading: The Omega Speedmaster Professionals Of Neil Armstrong Biopic 'First Man'
Actor Ryan Gosling is a well-known vintage watch enthusiast C last year, he wore a vintage Air-King to the Golden Globe Awards in January, which is a rather low-key inside-baseball choice for a film star (in a good way). Gosling portrays astronaut, engineer, and aviator Neil Armstrong in the new film, First Man, and for the movie, authentic Speedmasters were sourced as well as created. According to Esquire, " ... the team on First Man played it strictly by the book, and, aided by the boffins at Omegas headquarters in Bienne, Switzerland, set out to equip the cast in period-correct Speedmasters. Production began in the summer of 2017, and throughout the filming s...
Happenings: A HODINKEE Meet-Up In New York City
Fall is finally here. The air is crisp, the leaves are changing (sort of), and wristshots all of a sudden have a lot more layers in them. We thought we'd celebrate our favorite season with a little get-together in downtown New York City tomorrow evening (Tuesday, October 16) from 6:00-8:00 PM.?We will have a handful of our editors there (along with some other HODINKEE team members too), some snacks, and of course drinks. All you need to do is show up wearing your favorite timepiece, rocking your softest sweater, and being your best self. Oh, and please RSVP right here.?Space is limited, so don't dawdle. We hope to see you there!...
Introducing: The Mido Multifort Chronometer
While Mido's Multifort line of modern and stylish watches has been a long-standing part of their collection, the new Multifort Chronometer offers an evolution above that of the brand's standard automatic. Featuring an upgraded movement, the Multifort Chronometer is the first Mido watch to use the Caliber 80 Si, a COSC-certified automatic calibre that also features an 80-hour power reserve and some other notable enhancements over the standard equipment from ETA or Sellita. Given the everyday-ready style and value proposed by the Multifort, this upgrade to the Chronometer movement is a smart one that maintains general practicality and adds some nerdy enthusiast credibility.? ...
Auctions: Unique Patek Philippe Ref. 5524T Sells For CHF 2.3 Million
Last night in Geneva, Christie's sold a unique Patek Philippe ref. 5524T for CHF 2.3 million dollars to benefit the charity Children Action. The watch itself is a sleek take on Patek's popular Calatrava Pilot Travel Time, which was first released in 2015 in white gold and then later in 2018 in rose gold (and in a smaller size too). This unique piece has the same basic silhouette and the same movement inside as the standard ref. 5524G, but the case is brightly polished titanium and the dial is a rich black color with a vertically brushed finish. It's finished off with a vintage black calfskin strap with contrasting stitching along the edge, and the caseback is inscribed, "Children Action 2018...
Announcements: The Grey NATO Is Now A HODINKEE Podcast
We are thrilled to announce that The Grey NATO is officially joining the HODINKEE family. Now, co-hosts Jason Heaton and James Stacey are both regular contributors to HODINKEE (and have been for years), so it made complete sense to us that their wide-ranging, bi-weekly discussion of varied nerdiness should be a HODINKEE production. After launching the show in January 2016, Jason and James have produced some 65 episodes, all featuring in-depth conversations about everything from adventure to gear, cars to great books, diving to travel, and (of course) watches. The show is approachable, fun, light-hearted, and family-friendly?C and if you're into any of the topics mentioned above, you should d...
Introducing: The Montblanc Summit 2 Smartwatch
This is the second iteration of Montblanc's ambitiously-named Summit smartwatch, which was first released in March 2017. At that time, Montblanc's then-CEO (and now Richemont COO) Jr?me Lambert told me that the idea for Montblanc to get into the smartwatch game dated all the way back to 2013. That would make this project five years old now, and it really does feel like the product is now hitting the same level of refinement that you'd find in, say, their pens or mechanical watches. The Summit 2 is very much in the same vein as the original Summit, but it now has a smaller case more in line with what you'd find in a typical modern sports watch (at 42mm), though i...
Today we've got a pair of announcements from Uniform Wares. The first is a major evolution of their core M-Line (the brand's most distinctive collection). The new "M-P" watches come in three familiar sizes C?37mm, 40mm, and 42mm C and now have ETA "PreciDrive" movements, which are higher-frequency quartz movements that offer better accuracy. In fact, ETA themselves say that these movements are 10 times more accurate than their standard offerings, so it's no small upgrade. In addition to the movement changes, the three models have been given small design updates, including new dial colors and finishes, as well as subtle tweaks to the cases to make the watches more comfortable and elegant on t...
The Art Of Complexity, Episode 1: A History Of Complications At Audemars Piguet
Winter comes early and hard to the Valle de Joux. It's an unlikely place to settle, and an even unlikelier place to have given birth to an industry that, despite its relatively small size, has grown and refined itself over the centuries so that its products are sent, seen, and appreciated all over the world. To reach the Valle, you travel north from Geneva, and the city quickly gives way to rolling hills and farmland. The road to the village of Le Brassus, which has been the home of Audemars Piguet since it was established in 1875 by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, ascends the flanks of the Jura mountains via a series of increasingly steep switchbacks, narrowing as it winds...
The Art Of Complexity, Episode 3: Modern Complicated Watchmaking At Audemars Piguet
What does it actually take to make a complicated watch? The answer depends on who's making it, and on the complication or complications being discussed. Modern approaches to making complicated watches can vary enormously, as creating many complications can be done much more easily with today's high precision manufacturing methods. But, as with mechanical watchmaking in general, creating complications that represent real advances in the state of the art, which as well embody the finest techniques of traditional hand-finishing and manual adjustment, is as rare as ever if not rarer than ever. While many of us have become accustomed to seeing traditional complications across a wider and wider ra...
Hands-On: The Mraud Bonaire Diver
In a recent piece I wrote about microbrand watches, I, along with some of the respondents for the article, threw some shade at the steady proliferation of overnight watch brands on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform. While I am largely comfortable ignoring the vast cavalcade of crowdfunded watches and their new way of thinking direct-to-consumer sales models, the platform does not automatically preclude the possibility of offering a strong product at a great price (aka my jam). Its a question of signal to noise, so please allow me to be your filter with a closer look at Mraud Watches and their newly-launched Bonaire diver.? The Marine Blue Mra...
Introducing: The REC Watches RJM
One of the reasons we love vintage watches is that they come with stories attached. The question is, can a modern watch do they same? The folks over in Copenhagen at REC think so.?The RJM is the brands first aviation inspired watch and if you look closely enough at the dial you will see a small window of untreated Spitfire aluminium which frames the date at 6 o'clock. ?Now, REC is not the only manufacturer to get excited about implanting components of cars, planes, or boats into watches, but they have developed something of a reputation for doing so over the years (previously launching the REC P51-02 Mustang and the COOPER C3 among others). This new watch is named the RJM in recognition of t...
Photo Report: The Fall 2018 HODINKEE Meet-Up In New York City
Earlier this week we hosted a gathering in downtown Manhattan at the Ainsworth. While the temperatures were still relatively mild for mid-October, people still brought the heat with their conversation and wrist-wear. We had a range of guests, some young, some old, some from out of town, some local, but overall the crowd was buzzing with excitement as people chatted GMTs and chronos over cold beer and cocktails. A special thank you to all who came out; and to those who couldn't make it C stay tuned for next time. Here are some of the highlights from the evening. ? ...
Photo Report: The Launch Of 'The Watch, Thoroughly Revised' (Which Stephen Co-Wrote!)
It's not every day that a colleague writes a book, so in honor of the launch of The Watch, Thoroughly Revised, we teamed up with the sartorial standouts at The Armoury for a lovely hangout and book signing with both authors, Gene Stone and (our own) Stephen Pulvirent. It was a packed house at The Armoury and a great place to catch up with some old friends, local HODINKEE readers, and of course, the authors.? In this reworking of Stone's original, Stephen helped update the scope of the book for this updated edition. The Watch, Thoroughly Revised will be available in stores (including the HODINKEE Shop) on November 13. As you can imagine, given the space and the im...
Introducing: The Autodromo Group B Series 2
Autodromo first introduced the Group B way back in 2015, and it quickly became a customer favorite. Additional models were introduced over the following two years, including those with silver dials and the limited edition "Night Stage," however, the slim, steel-and-titanium watch eventually sold out completely. Instead of just resurrecting old versions, Autodromo founder Bradley Price decided to take the watch to the next level, introducing the Series 2 model you see here.Technically speaking, this watch is very similar to the original Group B, with the 39.5mm case consisting of an interior titanium capsule and a framing steel chassis, all of which holds an automatic Miyota movement inside. ...
Introducing: The Ochs und Junior Annual Calendar 36mm
Ochs und Junior is a brand all about doing a lot with a little. Their complications display ample information but with as few extra movement components as possible. The Annual Calendar, for example, uses just six extra components added to an ETA 2824-2 caliber, and in the process shows you the date, day of the week, and month, only needing to be adjusted once per year, at the end of February. Now the brand is going a step further, taking this complicated watch and packaging it in a new, smaller 36mm case.?If you're not familiar with the Ochs und Junior Annual Calendar, here's a quick refresher: the watch has a full calendar display, but without a single bit of text on the dial. The ring of 1...