Best Super NEWS Watches
In the original Talking Watches, Mr. John Mayer (who Im very much looking forward to seeing shred on Dead & Companys Summer Tour) spoke about the first 10 to 12 watches where you think youre amassing a collection. As someone who made many a mistake in the early days of my vintage watch obsession, this hit a little too close to home, but its nothing to be ashamed of in the slightest, as youve gotta learn what does it for you somehow. The figurative 180s that some experience are often quite funny to look back at, including that of a good friend of mine, who went from being a hardcore Paneristi to making gilt dial chronographs his area of expertise. In honor of all the gilt dial rela...
HODINKEE Radio: Episode 33: Chris Grainger
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! Back in December, I had the opportunity to visit IWC in Schaffhausen to get a sneak peek at the novelties theyd be releasing a few weeks later at the SIHH. As you already know by now, the brands focus this year is on its pilots watches, and in particular a new crop of Spitfire models that make use of new materials and colors to give the catalog a fresh look.The highlight of my trip though wasnt seeing the new watches. It was a conversation I got to have wit...
Introducing: The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical In New Colors (Live Pics & Pricing)
Any new iteration of the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical has big shoes C or rather, big combat boots C to fill. What you're looking at is the progeny of a bona fide piece of American history.? This update to the classic Khaki feels like its hit the target. At 38mm it's modern and wearable, while still maintaining that sort of old-school cool that's been in American military watch DNA since the '40s, and it comes with new green and white dials, along with a new case finish called ?Earth PVD.?When it comes to American military watches, all roads lead to an old set of government specifications put out by the Army Ordnance Department to major watchmakers in the 1940...
Introducing: The Omega Seamaster Exclusive Boutique New York Limited Edition
Omega has honored one of the worlds greatest cities (if I may say so myself) by releasing the Seamaster Exclusive Boutique New York Limited Edition. Only 399 examples of this gradient-dialed Seamaster are being made, and they're available exclusively at Omega boutiques in the Big Apple(there are two); each is individually numbered too. Paying tribute to a city that never sleeps, the watch features a detailed engraving of the city's iconic skyline along an inner ring that runs the circumference of the Omega Master Chronometer Caliber 8800. Peering through the display caseback, the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan Bridge, as well as the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Rockefeller Center, and Empire Sta...
Photo Report: Launching The Hamilton Khaki Field Murph In New York City
Last week, Hamilton and HODINKEE hosted a meet-up here in New York City to celebrate one of the most significant appearances by a wristwatch in a major motion picture. The film in question is the 2014 blockbuster Interstellar, and the watch is the timepiece known as the Murph, named after the character played by (as a teenager) Mackenzie Foy and (as an adult) Jessica Chastain. In the film, Murph is the daughter of former NASA pilot Joseph Cooper, who embarks on a last-ditch expedition to survey a dozen planets which may offer a refuge to humanity from a dying Earth. Access to these planets, which are in a distant galaxy, is via a wormhole which has been placed in orbit around Saturn by myste...
Sunday Rewind: Changing Hearts And Minds With A Grey NATO
Believe it or not, I used to hate NATO straps. The look, the material, the excess strap folded and tucked into a bulky mess on the side of your wrist C I didn't get it. I stuck to leather, rubber, and steel bracelets until one photo changed my entire position on the humble NATO. In August 2011, HODINKEE posted the below photo of a Patek Philippe 5960P on a grey NATO and I immediately ordered one.? While the original post puts nearly the entire NATO trend on blast, I was obsessed with how the watch looked on that basic strip of nylon. As worn by one William Massena, this sporty platinum chronograph with an annual calendar just roc...
Introducing: The Urban Jrgensen One Collection
Urban Jrgensen is known for their mastery of details, a distinction particularly well suited for the realm of haute horology. Grenage dials and precious metals typify the Jrgensen range, with a history of roughly 400 years transforming the Danish watch and clock making industry.?After all that time, the One collection is the first range of true sports watches in stainless steel from Urban Jrgensen. Not a single straight line is present on the seven-piece case that features satin brushed and mirror polished finishing. The Jrgensen-developed P5 movement features a subtle single bit of gold on the watch: a rotor with a Jrgensen shield in gold accompanied by 22ct solid gold weights. At 41mm...
Hands-On: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph In 38mm
While it's safe to say that Audemars Piguet's SIHH was somewhat tumultuous, it wasn't without its more crowd-pleasing fare. Among a handful of new Royal Oak expressions, we find what might be the most well balanced and sweet-on-wrist of the lot, the new 38mm Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph. While perhaps not a surprise offering from the house of the Royal Oak, this all-new model retains the charm of the standard Royal Oak while adding an automatic chronograph in a trio of colorways that sing on wrist.? I think that, provided you're into the general vibe of a Royal Oak, these new 38mm chronographs are really really good. Offered...
Introducing: Chopard L.U.C XPS Twist Qualit Fleurier
The L.U.C. watches from Chopard hold a special place in the hearts of many enthusiasts, for offering an alternative to those firms more traditionally identified with fine watchmaking. Though Chopard has been making watches since its inception C its founder, Louis-Ulysse Chopard, was a watchmaker C it became most famous as a watchmaker to the growing international watch enthusiast community when in 1996, it released the first watches made with its high-grade L.U.C. calibers. These movements instantly brought Chopard international recognition, and today L.U.C. movements continue to represent the highest level of traditional watchmaking at Chopard. ...
Interview: Marie-Laure Crde, Timepieces Creation Director At Cartier
In 2017, Marie-Laure Crde took on the role of Timepieces Creation Director at Cartier C a position with unique responsibilities. The weight of tradition at Cartier is felt perhaps more heavily than at some of its peers, thanks to its custodianship of some of the most enduring and memorable designs in watchmaking. To look at Cartier's portfolio of watches is to be reminded just how influential its core design language has been, over the last century C watches like the Tank, the Baignoire, the Tonneau, Tortue, Santos, and others have each in their way spawned whole generations of offspring, and have been influential in ways that their designers probably never could have imagined. ...
Hands-On: The Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Capitole 'Waves' In Rose Gold
Parmigiani Fleurier has a long history of looking to unusual past masterpieces for inspiration C one of the best known examples is the Pantographe wristwatch, which has an oval case and telescoping hands that mimic the appearance of a pantograph machine (a tracing device that allows one to make a bigger or smaller copy of a drawing or design). The Pantographe is based on a most ingenious oval pocket watch, which was made by the English makers, Vardon and Stedman, around 1800, and which is part of the Sandoz Collection (the Sandoz Family Foundation is Parmigiani Fleurier's parent company).? Another quite spectacular piece in the S...
Introducing: The Ulysse Nardin Freak NeXt
In 2001, when Ulysse Nardin introduced the very first Freak, it represented not only an entirely unprecedented quantum leap in wristwatch design, but also in wristwatch technology C in addition to its unique take on the tourbillon, it was also the first watch, wrist or pocket, to use silicon components. In subsequent years, the relationship between Ulysse Nardin and Sigatec, its manufacturing partner, has continued to produce a number of important innovations in silicon technology for watchmaking, among the most important of which is the Ulysse Anchor Escapement, in which the anchor of the escapement is suspended from very fine silicon blade springs. This means there's no pivot for the...
Its a well-known story, at least in the community of vintage watch collectors. Its a story about one of the most important events in the history of watches.?And so it has been almost obligatory for bloggers and journalists to publish narratives of the race between three watch companies (or joint ventures of watch companies) to produce the first automatic chronograph. There were three contestants C Seiko, working alone in Japan; Zenith, around the time of its acquisition of Movado; and the joint venture between the Swiss brands Heuer, Breitling, and Hamilton-Buren working with movement specialist Dubois-Depraz.?Oddly enough, to this day, there are three winners of the race, depending on how...
The Grey NATO: Episode 76: Perfect Product #1
Subscribe to the show: (Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, Google Play). Already heard it once or twice? Please leave a short review here, and tell us what topics you'd like us to chat about.? Episode 76 kicks off a new series for The Grey NATO called Perfect Product in which the guys offer a deep dive on some of their most beloved kit. Focusing on one watch-related item and one non-watch related item, Perfect Product explores the bits of stuff that Jason and James cant live without. This first run at Perfect Product includes a great pair of boots, an excellent and accessible lens, and two must-have watch ...
Introducing: The Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Automatic For Classic Car Club Manhattan
Chopard is the official timekeeper of the Mille Miglia, and this partnership has spawned an entire line of timepieces paying tribute to the romantic race through the Italian countryside. It was none other than Jacky Ickx, legendary LeMans driver, that laid down the tracks through connections in the racing world for Chopard to become an official partner of the Mille Miglia. Hes now an ambassador for the brand and splits his time between Monaco and Mali. A fitting lifestyle for for a man whos lived at high-speed for most of his time on earth.? Every year Chopard creates a special edition of the Mille Miglia watch thats issued to the drivers. Getting a spot in th...
Weekend Report: The Leica Q2 Might Be The Best Watch Guy Camera Ever Made
My camera situation can get pretty out of hand sometimes. Ive been an avid photographer most of my life and if you catch me out in the world theres a pretty good chance Ill have a camera hanging on my shoulder.Most of the time, if Im shooting for myself, I shoot a Leica M (a Typ 240 M-P, to be more precise). But with the hyper-specific needs of watch photography, if Im shooting for HODINKEE I could be holding any number of Fuji or Canon rigs, or even a Hasselblad from time to time. Often when I travel I end up lugging multiple systems with multiple lenses, and its a giant pain in the butt.?The Leica Q2 might be the perfect solution to my very specific, totally insane problems. Leicas ...
Introducing: The MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT, The First MB&F Machine Dedicated To Women
MB&F has long been a cult favorite among watch enthusiasts. Max Bssers creative and imaginative designs paired with excellent watchmaking leave lasting impressions on anyone who has the honor of seeing the watches in person. Even if you are a traditionalist, such as myself, you cant help but fall in love with these quirky and unique timepieces. Ever since the founding of MB&F back in 2004, all of the watches have been "made" for men (without any explicit branding, so to speak) until now. MB&F has created their first dedicated womens piece C the Legacy Time Machine FlyingT (the T is short for Tourbillon).? The Legacy Machine FlyingT is th...
Theres no theme to speak of this week, but it could be said that the roundup was influenced by a newfound interest in all things old and gold. With picks like a left field Rolex Ref. 8490 and an alarm-equipped watch retailed by Tiffany & Co., youll be sure to stand out from the pack. Care to make your presence known in a bolder fashion, well theres a beyond top shelf example of Patek Philippes Ref. 1463, featuring a likely unique dial signed by Serpico y Laino. Just so you dont think Im only in it for the gold, Ive also included a fetching chronograph from Lemania, thats potentially trumped by a Longines Calatrava in near untouched condition. Its a good one this week, so lets g...
Photo Report: An Evening With Todd Snyder And HODINKEE In NYC
This Wednesday, HODINKEE and Todd Snyder were delighted to welcome fans of both men's style and fine watchmaking to the Todd Snyder boutique on Madison Avenue, for a wonderful evening of watches paired with a selection of whiskies from Balvenie. Guests who braved the cold were able to check out the latest offerings from Todd Snyder and as well, a selection of watches and accessories from the HODINKEE Shop, which are also regularly available at the boutique.? We're always delighted to have a chance to meet our readers in person and a lot of folks brought some really major horological heat with them as well, as you'll see in our photo report below. Thanks so much t...
HODINKEE Radio: Episode 34: Yves Bhar
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! Whether you know it or not, theres a pretty good chance youve encountered something designed by Yves Bhar. This could be the Herman Miller Sayl chair you sit in all day, the Samsung Frame TV that hangs on your wall at home, or the Movado Edge watch strapped to your wrist right now. The Swiss-born, California-based designer founded his firm Fuseproject back in 1999 and hes spent the last 20 years heavily influencing how global brands and small start-ups alik...