Best Super NEWS Watches
The Watch Lover's Guide To London
Hodinkee writers are always on the move. In this new series, we'll show you the world through our eyes. This is how we (and watch-loving locals) experience some of our favorite cities around the world. Set your GMT bezel and join us on the trip. My great-grandpa Monty, a born and bred Londoner, and the kind of man to repeat things he found very true, would often revisit the famous Samuel Johnson quote, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life." Grandpa loved his city with unwavering devotion; he knew his neighbors around the square, he was steadfastly loyal to the local shopkeepers and restaurants and adored taking his grandchildren out on adventures t...
Philippe Dufour's Royal Oak 16202
Philippe Dufour, the man who brought us the Simplicity series, is known worldwide for his incredible watchmaking abilities. Longtime Hodinkee readers will also recall that he often wears watches that don't bear his name on the dial. In the past, we've highlighted Dufour sporting everything from a pink gold A. Lange & Sohne Datograph to a 126710 Rolex GMT-Master II. This weekend, Dufour took to Instagram to share the latest addition to his collection C a 16202 Royal Oak.? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dufour Philippe (@philippe_dufour_officiel) The 50th Anniversary Jumbo is a gift from his wife, Eli...
Merci Launches A Trio Of New LMM-01s (Live Pics & Pricing)
Yesterday, the popular French brand Merci Instruments launched a trio of new iterations of their LMM-01 series, including a limited edition model for the Paris-based watch dealer The Archiwatch. The new versions follow the clean design language of the previous LMM-01s while offering three entirely different dial treatments, each with specific inspirations.? All three of the new LMM-01s use the same 38mm steel case that is 12mm thick (including the domed crystal) and carry a brushed finish, drilled lugs, and a closed steel caseback.? Likewise, all three versions use the same movement, a Sellita SW210-1...
Watch Casebacks: Open Or Closed? Let's End The Argument Forever
I was going to write about display casebacks. I was going to make a case for them, but only if the movements inside are truly special enough to be displayed. Then I realized that article has been written about a million times way better than I could write it. Not an uncommon occurrence.? And then I began to wonder: Why do we have to be so boring about casebacks? Why is it always the same binary choice: Leave them open and reveal the movements under a transparent material, or leave them closed and?engrave them with messages like "Love forever, Dad" or more branding. The watch industry is creative with dials, why not with casebacks, as well??? ...
Introduction to the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Large
One of the things we love about The Spec Sheet is that it allows us to briefly revisit iconic watches, giving just enough numbers and information to let those who are so taken discover more. From the Omega Speedmaster to the Rolex Submariner, we've revisited some of the 20th century's classic watches. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso remains one of the most recognizable designs from the art deco era. It's one of those watches that hasn't changed much since Jaeger-LeCoultre first introduced it in the 1930s, mostly because it doesn't need to change.? Wrist Size: 6.5 in | 16.51 cm When it comes to the Reverso, we've said it all. Our ...
Pre-Owned Picks: To The Moon And Back, A Speedmaster For Everyone
The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional famously passed all the NASA tests, was certified for space flight, and made it all the way to the Moon. It's a story that's been written about ad nauseum. The enduring design of this manual-wind chronograph certainly gets a boost in popularity from its history spent away from terra firma, but to go nearly unchanged since the Moon landing has more to do with how good it looked to begin with.?A highly legible black dial with white markers and hands, surrounded by a black tachymeter bezel, made for a clean design that did a much better job of being an easy-reading tool watch than any of its contemporaries. The twisted lugs and asymmetrical case that acted as ...
Introducing The Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Starwheel
Let's get a couple of things about Audemars Piguet's Code 11.59 collection out of the way up front. It was introduced in 2019 as a clear commercial effort by AP to be something more than the Royal Oak. Second, that initial time-only Code 11.59 was a relatively uninspired way to introduce a collection that was supposed to represent "the future of AP." Today, Audemars Piguet announced the latest addition to the Code 11.59 collection, the "Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel." More than three years since that initial Code 11.59 release C and more than 30 Code 11.59 models into the collection C we're far enough removed from that initial launch to evaluate new Cod...
The Phillips x Bulgari Octo Finissimo Review
Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo collaborated with Bulgari on a 50-piece limited edition Octo Finissimo that introduced a vintage-inspired dial design into the well-known form factor of the modern classic. The watch is a celebration of the Octo design and its decade-long presence in the watch world, and the dial takes inspiration from core Italian design heritage and 20th-century Italian architecture. The entire case is sandblasted titanium, a textural effect that carries over onto the equally titanium dial surface. Symmetry is the underlying principle behind the look of the watch. The dial layout takes obvious cues ...
The Best Way To Store Your Watches? We Asked The Hodinkee Staff
I've always enjoyed considering the ways we all store our watches C especially when they're neither fully secured (such as in a proper safe or a safety deposit box) nor actively on a wrist. The way we store our stuff says something about who we are as collectors. So I asked a handful of my esteemed colleagues to snap a photo of their storage solution C or lack thereof C?and explain how they approach putting away their watches. As you'll see below, we found both similarities and differences in strategy, execution, and style C which was to be expected. The answers also help us see the watches as a part of a larger consideration of space, organization, and the way i...
Happenings: Colin de Tonnac To Lecture At The Horological Society Of New York
Since the 1980s and in the general subconscious, watchmaking has been, above all, a Swiss affair. When we think of watches or of a watch-producing country, typical images of Lake Geneva, the Swiss flag, or the snowy mountains of the Valle de Joux immediately come to mind. However, there is another neighboring country that produces fine timepieces, as well: France. For the final lecture of 2022, Colin de Tonnac, Watchmaker, CEO and Founder at Semper & Adhuc, will discuss the evolution of French watchmaking, focusing on events, anecdotes, innovations, and flagship models that put France on the map as a serious watchmaking nati...
Review Of the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Rose Gold Ruby
Now is the time of year when I find myself tempted to make big, sweeping changes. I will become the better, more optimized version of myself the minute this hangover has receded and the leftovers are cleared from the fridge. I will no longer be petty or jealous or stuck in the routines I hate but can't seem to break out of. In about three weeks, it will be the time of year I find myself saddled with self-loathing and a big bag of adaptogen powder I'll never touch again. All this navel-gazing is to say that I can't think of a more perfect watch to consider now, at this moment, than this one, the Tonda PF Automatic Rose Gold Deep R...
The Best Watch Merch by Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe
If you are a consumer in the year 2022, chances are you own some kind of branded merchandise. Maybe you have a New Yorker tote that came free with your subscription, which you pretend to use as a nothing shopping bag for a small grocery run C?but the choice of branding is actually wholly intentional and you're desperate for people to read you as an intellectual. Or maybe you drink your coffee out of a State Farm insurance mug C you're not sure why it lives in your kitchen cabinet, but you sip from it every morning anyway. Or maybe you've spent hours trawling eBay looking for a Patek Philippe baseball cap and setting alerts for Rolex multi-tool knives. I...
Frederique Constant Manufacture Classics Worldtimer
It's almost the holiday travel season and, as always, I'm really wishing I had a travel watch. I've written before about how inept I am when it comes to calculating other time zones (U.S. Mountain Time is the bane of my existence, but that's neither here nor there). And while I'm pretty staunchly a fan of GMTs, there's something just so elegant and romantic about a world timer. World timers were once the epitome of inaccessible luxury, one of the most collectible and expensive vintage complications of all time, and an incredibly pricey proposition even for new references. But a number of new players have come on the market in rec...
Seiko 5 Sport SSK GMT Video Review: A Week On The Wrist
If you want a good-looking GMT at an attractive price point it's slim pickings for you, my friend. Well, it was until Seiko released the Seiko 5 Sports SSK GMT back in June of this year, at the affordable price of $475. Not only is it easy on the bank account, but it's a damn good-looking watch, too. What else do you expect from a watch inspired by the discontinued cult-classic Seiko SKX line of affordable dive watches? Seiko released the SSK line in a few different color options, but I spent a week wearing the SSK001, which has a matte black dial, big red GMT hand, and bi-colored Hardlex glass bezel insert that really makes the ...
What Watch Does Daniel Craig Wear In Glass Onion?
If you're a movie buff, you know Rian Johnson from his impressive filmography. If you're a watch nerd (I mean, you're here, aren't you?) Then you might know him as that watch-obsessed director who went on H Radio to profess his love for a vintage Speedy and an Explorer 1016. Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc on the poster for Glass Onion. Image: Courtesy of Netflix If you haven't yet seen the making-of-documentary The Director and the Jedi, following the creation of Johnson's own Star Wars flick, The Last Jedi (2017), you're missing out on some great Johnson watch spotting. It was after that film that he detoured from a galaxy far ...
A Dispatch From Women's Watchmaking Class
A few Friday mornings ago, within the herringbone wood-floored and high-ceilinged confines of the F.P. Journe boutique in West Hollywood, the Horological Society of New York held its first-ever all-women class with a woman instructor. I, a woman, was there to take the class. I did not excel the first time I took a similar class, back in May. If you'll recall, instructor Steve Eagle gave me a C, and that was only because I begged him for it. I had liked the class, theoretically, meaning that I walked away from it with a deeper understanding of watches. But much of the experience was humiliating. I felt stupid, slow, ridiculous, superfluous. No one there had made m...
Hodinkee Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts For The Watch Newbie In Your Life
In this year's?Hodinkee Holiday Gift Guides, our team rounds up their top gift picks across a range of price points from our very own Hodinkee Shop. No matter who you're shopping for this season, we've got you covered. Even if you're a watch newbie! Two years ago, I knew nothing about watches. Now I know...a little bit. Much of what I learned was from the fascinating people I have met through working at Hodinkee, people I interviewed and colleagues have both taught me a ton. But I have also read books, looked through loupes, taken classes and yes, I also learned how to use a spring bar tool. It is possible to go from newbie to not-so-newbie by just opening your e...
MoonSwatch Vs. Omega Moonwatch Prices, Explained
My phone lit up unexpectedly. I looked up from my laptop and picked it up.?"Yoo what's up with the moonswatch lol. They coming out this Saturday?"It was from one of my oldest friends. I remember smiling to myself after reading it; it was the first time he had ever initiated a conversation with me about watches. Swatch Omega MoonSwatch Mission To Jupiter This was back in late March, shortly after the MoonSwatch C?a $260 collaboration between Omega and Swatch, which combined the aesthetics of Omega's legendary Speedmaster Chronograph with the affordability and quartz engine Swatch is known for C had stormed the internet, and a...
An Introduction to Omega, Breitling, and Heuer Soccer Timer Watches
It must be the pure ridiculousness of making a very specific watch for a very specific purpose that makes me love the types of weird, purpose-built vintage watches you can often find. Yacht timers, golf watches, tennis watches: I love them all. Sometimes, the manufacturers of these watches didn't even modify the inside mechanics of the watch; they just used some clever, often colorful designs to change what a watch could clearly communicate. I know about as much about soccer (wait, ftbol) as I do about what to get my mom for Christmas (maybe a soccer timer?), but I've hitched myself firmly to the World Cup bandwagon this week, pulled by the capable thighs of tha...
Reading Time At HSNY: Inside The Jost Brgi Research Library
This article is the first in a new series written by the Librarian of the Horological Society of New York, Dr. Miranda Marraccini. When you visit the Horological Society of New York's (HSNY) library in person, almost everything that you see on the shelves C books, periodicals, boxes of papers, auction catalogs C is the lifelong work of one person, Fortunat Mueller-Maerki. Born in Switzerland in 1946, Mueller-Maerki developed a love for clocks and watches at a young age. He was living with his grandfather while he attended the University of Zurich. During this time, his grandfather inherited a 300-year-old table clock and had it restored, after which Mueller-Maerk...