Best Super NEWS Watches
Each and every Wednesday, we present a fresh installment of "My Watch Story," a video series starring HODINKEE readers and their most prized watches. Today, we have five new stories submitted by Will Dean, Mike La Pietra, Miguel Mangoma, Chris Arkfeld, and Guido Muratore. My Watch Story See all of the videos in the series here. Already sent your video, and don't see it here? Fear not C it's likely to appear here in the weeks to come. Due to the large volume and quality of submissions, we are happy to announce that we will be presenting five more videos each week going forward.Feeling inspired, or just discovering this project...
A Reader Asks, 'Are ETA Movements Ever OK In High-End Watchmaking?'
Not long ago, HODINKEE's Stephen Pulvirent published a story on common mistakes enthusiasts new to watchmaking can make, and which can and should be avoided (this, in turn, was a follow-on, from a different perspective, to Ben Clymer's story on the same subject from 2016). Such lists are quite interesting for a number of reasons, partly owing to the fact that making mistakes is probably to some degree unavoidable as one's tastes develop, in which case they are not so much mistakes as necessary learning experiences. Still, though, I think in both cases my colleagues made some excellent points, and there are certainly basic perspectives which, if adopted, will go a long way towards increasing ...
Introducing: The Zenith Defy 21 Ultraviolet
What we have here is a colorful new version of the Defy 21, a super-high-frequency chronograph from Zenith, a company with deep historical knowledge about making chronos tuned to beat fast. Looking at the strap, and then a bit more closely at the dial and movement, one sees that the color violet has been paired with a faceted, matte titanium case.?The violet hue of the dial is actually on the movement, and on top of that movement has been placed what amounts to a partial dial C really just the flange and seconds/minutes track, some hour markers, and the three solid subdials. Is the color a bit loud? Sure. But it's not bluster. The name of this watch hints at the frequency of light just beyon...
The Two Watch Collection: The Tudor Black Bay 58 And The Grand Seiko SBGK007
As a thought exercise, The Two Watch Collection forces us to decide what's most important in a watch, and further, a collection. Being novel or interesting just isn't enough in a two-watch collection. Limited real estate means we must strip a watch down to its essence and ask: Is this the best expression of whatever it's trying to achieve? If the answer is no, there simply isn't room in the collection. That's the maxim I operate under when forming a two-watch collection. It has to be the best expression of whatever it is.? Another product of The Two Watch Collection thought exercise is that it makes us really think about how we use a watch and the role of a colle...
HODINKEE Radio: Episode 92: A Grand Seiko Collectors' Roundtable
Subscribe to the show: (Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn). Already heard it once or twice? Please leave a short review, and tell us which guests we should have on! Anyone who's been involved in watch collecting for any real period of time will know that there are countless subcultures and subcategories of collecting, each with their own special qualities, their own ways of speaking about things, and their own never-ending obsessions. One of the most passionate groups of collectors in all of watch enthusiasm, though, is the Grand Seiko community, so we decided to team up with Grand Seiko again and sit down with some of the most...
Sunday Rewind: Keep Your Eyes On The Skies With This Incredibly Complicated Vacheron Constantin
Following Jack's lovely look at a massively complicated and beautifully executed grand complication from Jaeger-LeCoultre (if you missed this one, read it now), we figured it might be fun to keep you all on sidereal time with an in-depth look at another remarkable and thoroughly complicated watch. For this specific rotation of our planet, the watch in question is the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication.? Mechanically, technically, and conceptually about as dense as a watch can get, the Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication is Vacheron Constantin's most complex wristwatch. Thankfully (an...
In-Depth: Travels With A Marathon Watch In Search Of Adventure
There's always a reason to postpone an adventure, but resist the urge. This one would have gotten off to a much slower start had it not been for a push from a little watch C or rather, a medium-sized watch. Inspiration to get out there and explore didn't come from magazines or documentaries in this case. Instead, it came in the form of a recently-released 36mm Marathon mechanical watch dubbed the "Arctic MSAR." I had been putting together the framework for a trip meandering through the Southeastern United States, but the fickle nature of life's routines, and of course a number recent of circumstances that no one could have ever predicted, made it difficult to execute. Or maybe I was just wai...
Best of Watchville: What's The Attraction To Mesh Watch Bracelets?
Over on Quill & Pad, Elizabeth Doerr has penned an interesting article about one of the most popular types of watch bracelets for enthusiasts.?When I saw this story on Watchville, I immediately clicked on it. While I've never owned any watches on mesh bracelets, also known as Milanese bracelets, they've long been a subject of my interest and curiosity.?I think a Milanese bracelet can add a dash of old-world, rakish charm to just about any watch.?When I think of this type of bracelet in its ideal form, I tend to imagine it securing a vintage chronograph with pump pushers to my suntanned left wrist, just below a rolled linen shirtsleeve, as I pilot a wooden speedboat down a long stretch of...
Introducing: The H. Moser x MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon And The MB&F x H. Moser LM10
Honoring both brands' 15th anniversaries, H. Moser & Cie has partnered up with MB&F for a fum-focused set of limited edition models that blend both technical and aesthetic elements from both of these well-loved independent manufactures. With a total run spanning just 135 units split into 15-piece editions, this collaboration is built around two watches. From H. Moser, we have the brand's interpretation of the MB&F FlyingT called the H. Moser x MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon. And from MB&F, we have a "Moserized" take on the LM101. With both available in an array of colorful fum dials, this fun-loving collaboration is born of mutual respect and longstanding co-oper...
Talking Watches: With Naoya Hida
Talking Watches features watch enthusiasts, celebrities, and serious collectors getting together with the HODINKEE editorial team to, you guessed it, talk about watches. Today, we bring you the second episode from HODINKEE Japan, featuring Naoya Hida. Before jumping into the world of watches, Hida was active as a professional modeler creating original cast models for garage kits. In the 1990s, Hida started his career in sales and marketing for watch brands including Eterna, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, and Breguet. He was also behind the launch of F.P. Journe and Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry in the Japanese market. ...
One of the (apparently) inalterable features of watch collecting is the degree to which, for the vast majority of mechanical watch owners, the history of watchmaking coincides with the invention of the wristwatch. This appears to be true even of serious enthusiasts and collectors, with the largest amount of attention and enthusiasm reserved for wristwatches from the period roughly between the end of World War II and the worst years of the Quartz Crisis, in the mid-to-late 1970s. And yet, of course, the wristwatch is a latecomer C this despite the fact that for most of us, "watch" is synonymous with "wristwatch." So-called pocket watches have existed almost since the beginning of watchmaking ...
Introducing: The Hublot Big Bang e
It was only two years ago, as part of its sponsorship of the most recent soccer World Cup in Russia, that Hublot entered the?smartwatch fray. And it did so in a high-profile way that, in reality, included a fairly limited production of 2018 pieces. The Big Bang Referee was designed to be worn by referees and fans during the competition. At $5,200, it was the least expensive Hublot that one could buy, while also being among the most expensive smartwatches out there. Clocking in at 49mm in diameter with a thickness that eclipsed 13mm, it was also a seriously big watch.? Now we see an evolution of the Hublot smartwatch and a reaffir...
Hands-On: The Breguet Marine Tourbillon quation Marchante 5887
The Breguet Marine Tourbillon quation Marchante 5887 made a sensational debut in 2017 with a blue dial variant in a platinum case and silver dial in rose gold. For 2020, Breguet added this rose gold model with a slate gray dial to its lineup. This reference is the most complicated watch in the Marine collection, which includes several pieces featuring design cues tied to ocean/marine applications. The relatively large case measures 43.9mm across and houses a tourbillon, perpetual calendar, and Equation Of Time (EOT) indicator. The watch also contains automatic winding with a peripheral rotor. The dial features an eye-catching gu...
Recommended Reading: OT: The Podcast
Need a fresh new watch podcast to fill out your feed? Look no further than OT: The Podcast, the latest horological heat from some friends down under. Hosted by Andy Green (aka the wrist roll king) and HODINKEE alum Felix Scholz, OT brings you varied conversations and interviews fueled by a fascination for watches.? View this post on Instagram Did you catch this week's episode of @ot.podcast? We had Masterchef @diana.chan.au in the studio for a chat, and she hung around to help us choose the perfect watch for a physio named Bryan. Here's where @andygreenlive and @fkscholz landed ??. As usual, let us know your thoughts in the comments. ...
Introducing: The Rebirth Of Nivada Grenchen With New Versions Of The Chronomaster And Antarctic
As every watch enthusiast learns when they are but a wee watch enthusiast, there are two kinds of watches: quartz and "real" watches. The next piece of indoctrination is to the legendarium of the Quartz Crisis, which takes on in the minds of watch enthusiasts something of the same importance that the Battle of the Pelennor Fields does for fans of The Lord Of The Rings C unquestionable good pitted against utter evil, a dark outcome guaranteed for the good guys, and victory unlooked-for at the last minute when an ally despaired of appears in the nick of time (and by ally despaired of, I mean, the Swatch). Anyhow, in such battles, there are always many sad losses to make victory bittersweet, an...
Introducing: The Frederique Constant Classic Worldtimer Manufacture In Rose Gold
It goes without saying (despite my saying it) that the Frederique Constant Manufacture collection offers a variety of complicated watches with in-house movements at great value for the money. Here we have the Classic Worldtimer Manufacture in 18k rose gold featuring the in-house FC-718 movement, a limited edition iteration of an existing watch first released in 2012.? This is the first time this watch has been offered in a precious metal, and it features a blue dial with red and white accents, a 24-hour day-night disc, city disc, and date sub-dial. As with previous models, the watch's world-time complication, and all functionality, are operated via the crown. The...
Sunday Rewind: Feeling Feline With The Panthre de Cartier
Perhaps more so than any other brand, Cartier has a knack for creating watches that defy any grounding in a specific place in time. They are icons that appear in old black and white photos but eschew the concept of age. Want an example? Look no further than Cara's detailed and thoughtful look at a Cartier that often takes a back seat to the famed Tank, the diminutive yet dynamic Panthre de Cartier.? At 27mm wide, this is a watch that knows no weight class and has graced the wrist of the famous and the stylish since it was launched back in 1983. Take a few minutes to dig Cara's words as she highlights the history, market placemen...
Business News: Frdric Arnault Named CEO Of TAG Heuer
Luxury group LVMH has just announced that Frdric Arnault will take over as CEO of TAG Heuer, effective July 1, 2020. He has been at the company for approximately three years, most recently running strategy and digital, with a particular focus on the Connected Watch, which is clearly a priority for the brand.? If the name Arnault sounds familiar, that's because Frdric's father, Bernard Arnault, is the chairman and CEO of LVMH, and both of Frdric's brothers also have prominent positions in the group (Alexandre is the CEO of Rimowa and Antoine is the CEO of Berluti and the chairman of Loro Piana).?However, don't assume that Arnault's appointment to this new po...
HODINKEE Radio: Episode 94: Jeff Garlin
Subscribe to the show: (Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn). Already heard it once or twice? Please leave a short review, and tell us which guests we should have on! I am super excited about this week's episode. I've been a huge fan of Jeff Garlin's work for about two decades, since I first started watching Curb Your Enthusiasm with my dad back around 2000. You might also know him for his stand-up comedy or maybe as the patriarch on ABC's The Goldbergs, but however you know Jeff, you'll know he's a seriously funny guy. And on this week's episode, Jeff does not disappoint. Jeff and I were introduced a...
Introducing: The Alpina Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic
The 44mm model. The Seastrong Gyre is the latest dive watch from Alpina, but there's a deeper connection to the ocean than 300m of water resistance and an array of ocean-hued dials. The case is made from a composite that's formed by recycled plastic from fishing nets found in the Indian ocean, and the paired NATO strap is made from recycled bottles. Inside the case, there's an AL-525 movement, based on Sellita's workhorse, the SW-200. The entire range consists of five models, and 1,883 examples of each will be made. There are two models sized at 36mm in diameter, and three models sized at 44mm to cover a variety of wrist sizes. The watch is produced in co...