Best Super NEWS Watches
Introducing The Girard Perregaux Saint Laurent Collaboration Casquette Watch
Saint Laurent and Girard-Perregaux have joined forces (honestly a phrase I could never have imagined typing) on a new limited release of the Casquette. Girard-Perregaux is a brand that lays claim to a long and serious history of Swiss watchmaking. The Casquette, albeit not your most conventional-looking timepiece, plays an important role in the GP canon. At one time, Girard Perregaux was an innovator when it came to digital technology. Back in 1971, it made waves with the Caliber GP-350, a quartz movement that set the universal market standard for frequency, which is obviously a pretty big feat. The new GP casquette 2.0 Sain...
For many of us, it was our dad who started our love for watches. We may have copied what they wore every day, maybe they bought us our first watch when we were young or as a graduation gift, or maybe they passed down to us their own special timepiece. This year, take a moment to give something back to the father that did so much for you. A gift that will last more than the moment, a reminder of how much you care that will last a lifetime. If you are the father hoping for one of these gifts, send this article to your own prospective gift-givers, for we may love our children, but sometimes they need a reminder of what makes the perfect gift.This year we have two Father's Day Gift Guides; this ...
Announcements: Revisiting Our Community Terms Of Service
Here at Hodinkee, we are continually working to improve and advance everything we do, all in the name of pursuing our mission statement: To make the world of watches better. In the spirit of full transparency, one area we feel we've come up short and let our community down is the comments section. This is an effort to address that. Even with automated and manual moderation, the comments section C whether on Hodinkee.com or our social media channels C can quickly veer off-topic, leading to an unproductive, incoherent, and sometimes toxic environment that doesn't benefit our community and undermines our miss...
Introducing: The Vero x ADPT Workhorse Limited Edition
The crack team at Worn & Wound is back with their latest release, a super summery take on the Vero Workhorse Chronograph that has been made in collaboration with ADPT. Featuring a boldly colorful Cerakote case and a matching bright blue dial for a decidedly pool party-ready vibe, this toolish, quartz-powered chronograph?is being offered in a very limited edition just in time for beach season.? With a steel case that measures 44.5mm wide and 13.5mm thick, the Vero Workhorse is a large and expressly sporty design, but not one that has been rendered into such a brightly colorful form in the past. For those not aware, ADPT (prono...
Record-Breaking Omega Speedmaster Now The Subject Of Alleged Criminal Activity
A record-breaking vintage Omega Speedmaster is now the subject of an investigation and alleged criminal activity, including by three former Omega employees. The watch, a tropical Omega Speedmaster ref. 2915-1 "Broad Arrow," originally made headlines when it sold for a record-breaking $3.4 million at Phillips in November 2021. As you might've seen, the news began in April when Perezcope published his findings related to the tropical Speedmaster. But on June 1, a report by Zurich newspaper Neue Zrcher Zeitung (NZZ) detailed a criminal series of events that resulted in a "Frankstein" watch made of disparate parts from various vintage Speedmasters appearing at auct...
As guests in tuxedos and ball gowns filtered into the H?tel des Horlogers in the Valle de Joux, it was clear that Saturday, June 3, 2023, was set to be a big night for Philippe Dufour and his family.? With a glance around the room, one could see legends of independent watchmaking C?Kari Voutilainen, the Gronefeld brothers, Laurent Ferrier, and Max Bsser C to name only a few. It was a packed house, with giants of the watch industry like Jean-Claude Biver, the horologist and actor Aldis Hodge, ambassadors from Cameroon and Haiti, and collectors from as far away as Japan. All were there for one reason: to celebrate the 75th birthday of Philippe Dufour. ...
Staff Picks: Our Favorite Pilot's Watches
The idea of the pilot's watch is one of subtle distinction. Seemingly an evolution of the eternal go-getter, the field watch, aviation-specific watches have evolved from the need for outright legibility in the cockpit and now represent a core consideration in the history of the sports watch.In honor of an aviation-themed weekend here at Hodinkee, I asked a few of the Hodinkee team to weigh in with their favorite pilot's watch. Old, new, rare, and even quartz, here are the high-flying watches that we think of when it comes to the genre of the pilot's watch. If we happen to have missed your favorite, be sure to let us know in the comments.? Breguet Type XX For Only...
Why The USAF Thunderbirds Still Use A Mechanical Stopwatch In The Cockpit
Major Michelle Curran has gone through the start-up sequence of the F-16 Fighting Falcon thousands of times. She has more than 1,500 hours on the airframe, with 163 of those logged as combat hours during Operation Resolute Support and Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan.? The F-16 is officially designated the "Fighting Falcon," but many know it by its colloquial name, the "Viper." Note the bubble canopy that offers unparalleled visibility. Curran was promoted from Captain to Major since this photo was taken. Now, as Thunderbird no. 5, the lead solo pilot of the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, there...
The Worlds Greatest Pilot's Watch Collection
At HODINKEE, we believe watches are for everyone C everywhere. So we're very proud to present this new video series, which celebrates the collectors and creators thriving in every corner of the globe. Our first installment focuses on Thailand. In Episode 1, we found out what makes the local Seiko market so special. In Episode 2, we'll meet the man behind one of the most interesting pilot's-watch collections on the planet. And in Episode 3, we'll visit an ordinary box factory hiding an extraordinary horological secret. In this episode of Watches in the Wild, we take to the skies above Thailand and uncover the nation's incredible aviation history C as well as one o...
Hodinkee Interviews Brian Shul About Watches and the SR-71
Brian Shul is one of just 85 pilots to ever fly the SR-71, ?one of the fastest man-made machines to have ever graced the skies. He's the author of Sled Driver, a collection of personal stories from flying the world's most lauded aircraft. He's known for the legendary Speed Check story that almost every aviation enthusiast has heard by now. If you haven't read or heard the story, find it here. And now, long after retiring from the Air Force, Shul can add "watch designer" to his list of accolades and accomplishments. In collaboration with Ball Watch Co., Shul guided the creation of the Engineer Hydrocar...
New Watches From The Patek Philippe Grand Exhibition
The Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition begins today in Tokyo, Japan. We are on the ground to see all that Patek has to offer, from historical pieces to heavy hitters and, of course, novelties specific to the event. I mean, we hardly thought the brand would put on a show in one of the most amazing locations on earth and not drop some newness on us to celebrate. Wristwatch-wise (because there are also high-art pocket watches being displayed), there are six watches in total: Four with complications and two colorful time-only Calatravas. I'm going to focus on what I think are three of the standout releases, which are the 5308R and two takes on the World Timer....
Of Breitlings entire catalog, including their amazing vintage chronographs, my favorite model from the brand is the Aerospace. Born in the 80s, the Aerospace was part of Breitlings Navitimer line and it represented both the eras boldness and its defining need for technology. Originally launched in 1985, the Aerospace was a truly post-modern take on the idea of a pilots watch, and one that wholeheartedly embraced the watch worlds new overlord C?quartz. Over the last 35+ years, Breitling has evolved the Aerospace several times, growing its case size and increasing its capability, usefulness, and accuracy. ...
Introducing The New Seiko 5 Sports 55th Anniversary Editions
To celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Seiko 5 Sports collection, Seiko has announced four new additions to its modern Seiko 5 collection. The first is a limited edition that recreates the original Seiko 5 Sports watch, while a new trio of non-limited watches pays tribute to the 1969 Seiko 5 Sports collection.?Let's start with the limited edition. For this reference C the SRPK17 C Seiko has paid homage to the case shape, bracelet, and bezel of the original Seiko 5 Sports from 1968.? An original 1968 Seiko 5 Sports next to the SPRK17 limited edition. That means it's not the modern Seiko 5 Spo...
Iga ?wi?teks Rolex and Novak Djokovics Hublot At The French Open
This week, Roland Garros was the site of history as two champions put their respective marks on tennis history. First, there was the Polish rising superstar Iga ?wi?tek, who took home her third French Open title and fourth overall (all won since 2020). The 22-year-old is making quick work of the Grand Slams as she emerges as a true giant of the sport. But ?wi?tek has decades in front of her C and while she won on Saturday, yesterday saw all-time-great Novak Djokovic win his 23rd Grand Slam, which means he now holds the record for most ever by a men's player and is tied with Serena Williams overall. But that's the tennis part of this story C which may have gone un...
Introducing The Archiwatch Two-Tone Limited Edition
This is the Archiwatch Classic Two-Tone. It's designed as an homage to the original Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 96, but rendered in a modern package. It comes from the mind of Richard Mnas, a French dealer who's previously had his hand in the design of limited editions with Merci Instruments. The Archiwatch is a minimal, easy-wearing take on the vintage Calatrava that should appeal to fans of brands like Merci and Baltic that take unmistakable vintage cues and package them up in a modern watch.? Before this release, Mnas produced a limited run of 25 "Anonymous" watches with no branding in eight different dial variations. Th...
The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 35mm Review
Tissot sure knows how to keep us on our toes, especially when it comes to the PRX line. Today the brand has announced a new addition to the collection. We know about the existence of 35mm PRX models, but those have only been available in a quartz configuration C until today. Taking direct inspiration from the original 1970s historical watch from which the entire PRX line is based, Tissot is taking the Powermatic 80 automatic movement (ETA 2824-2 base) into this 35mm case design. In essence, this new selection of watches takes everything we like about the more premium Powermatic 40mm watches, and brings them into a more universally fitting C and decidedly unisex C...
Bulgari Serpenti Exhibit in NYC
I think it's safe to say I have a Serpenti obsession. Lucky for me (and other New York City residents), Bulgari has just opened a new pop-up in the Meatpacking District to celebrate the Serpenti's 75th anniversary. The exhibition has all kinds of historical Serpenti treats on offer: from the highly stylized gold Tubogas Serpentis first created in the late 1940s (fit with outsourced movements and dials signed by the likes of JLC, Movado, and Vacheron) to the more naturalistic snakes created in the late '50s well into the late '70s, with the head of the snake attached by a hinge to conceal a secret watch. All this amongst other glorious mid-century Serpentis, made ...
Tudor Pro Cycling Black Bay Chronograph Watch Review: Hands-On
A few weeks ago, Tudor invited me to join a group bike ride that would include the world-famous cyclist Fabian Cancellara. If you're not big into the world of cycling, let me tell you a little something; Cancellara is a LEGEND. His accolades include multiple Olympic gold medals and world championships in the time trial, eight stage wins at the Tour de France, and a ton of wins at the biggest one-day classic races the world has to offer. To say that I was a little nervous would be an understatement. I'm a casual rider who hasn't been on my bike since the fall of last year, so to think I could keep up with one of the best ever to do it was highly unlikely. However, I was assured it would be a ...
New York Watch Auction Review Spring 2023
Unlike last month's Geneva auctions, I watched the New York sales from afar this weekend. How to cover auctions when the very idea of auctions is being scrutinized from every angle is a question we'll save for just a moment. Controversy aside, there were some headlines worth covering from New York. If there's one thing we can still agree on in the world of watches in 2023, it must be Roger Smith's importance. Pocket Watch No. 2 is the British watchmaker's most important watch, the one that convinced George Daniels that Smith was ready to be his protg. It sold for $4.9 million at Phillips over the weekend, setting a record for any British timepiece; Smith himsel...
Bay Area Lawsuit Alleges Man Spent $220,000 To Get A Watch He Never Got
All Ali Rezaei wanted was a rose gold Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5980/1R. So, the Bay Area man walked down to his local boutique, long-time Patek authorized dealer Shreve & Co., to inquire about acquiring the gold Patek.?This from a story that was first brought to our attention by SiliconValley.com that you can read here. Not so fast, he says he was told by the folks at Shreve & Co. Instead, Rezaei was told he needed to build up his purchase history so that he could have the opportunity to buy a 5980. And so Rezaei did. He started with a Patek 5905R in September 2020 ($70k). Then, he bought two watches from Patek's women's collection totaling nearly $10...