No products in the cart.
Best Super NEWS Watches
Weekend Report: MotoGP Motorcyle Racing At Indianapolis With TISSOT
Pedrosa crosses finish line. "Take these earplugs, you'll need 'em." a Tissot rep tells me as we head trackside at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, also known as the Brickyard. The high-pitched sound we're approaching is coming from the 1000cc engines warming up inside of MotoGP race bikes. They're about to head out for a Saturday morning practice session - an important process that allows for suspension tweaks and proper tire selection - before afternoon qualification begins to decide starting grid position. The bikes begin to head onto track, as they scream by at over 200mph, I put the earplugs in. MotoGP is an international sport, boasting riders from many nat...
Hands-On: With The Harry Winston Midnight Collection (Live Photos, Specs, Official Pricing)
Two members of Winston's Midnight family. Harry Winston has been hard at work developing their horological offerings.? Sure, they've always produced some truly spectacular high-end watches with their Opus line and bevy of mega-tourbillons, but their more everyday watches have long played second fiddle.? Though, one has to remember that while the likes of its competitors - AP, VC, PP, etc - have been making watches for, well, a long, long time, Winston has only been in watch game for only about 20 years.? Considering this, what they've accomplished is more than impressive. The Harry Winston Midnight Big Date in Rose Gold ...
In-Depth: In Depth: The Vostok Amphibia
In the watch scene, phrases like "classic" and "iconic" are used as often as "dial"and "movement" C and its easy to get desensitised to all the marketing spin. But my theory is that you can judge the classic status of a watch by the number and loyalty of its fans. By this standard, the humble Vostok Amphibia, best known for its ludicrous price of about $60 (though prized vintage versions can sell for hundreds) and the vast array of quirky dials on offer, is a true classic. Legions of fans love this watch, and for good reason. The Amphibia offers more than cheap thrills, including insights into watchmaking history and a design aesthetic outside the norms of the Swiss cantons.?In 1967, Mikha...
Today marks the death of arguably the world's greatest modern explorer.? Neil Armstrong was the first human being to step foot on the moon on July 20th, 1969.? With that one step, the entire planet entered a new age of science and exploration.? He was a hero for all mankind.But to watch-nerds, he was even more.? You see, there has been no more storied use of a mechanical wristwatch than that of the Apollo astronauts.? The folk-lore around Omega's Speedmaster is built entirely around the fact that it was the watch chosen above five others (including those from Rolex, Heuer, and others) to become the official watch of NASA, and thus, the first watch on the moon.What most people don't know is t...
Inside Out - The Blancpain Villeret Inverted Movement (Live Photos)
Blancpain has taken their usually quiet Villeret and and turned the volume up with the Inverted Movement. We're used to seeing movements through sapphire case backs, but showing its movement through the front, the Inverted Movement is a different animal entirely. The result is certainly noteworthy, and here are some of our thoughts.There's no denying that this watch is a "statement piece." The design is immediately striking, and at 43mm it is going to get noticed. Essentially what Blancpain has done is flip the movement over so that the large decorated bridges act as the dial. Pretty straightforward actually. These bridges ha...
American Made - The Good Looking, Hard Wearing Wallets of Chester Mox (Review & Live Photos)
The #53 at HODINKEE HQ Central to HODINKEE is an appreciation of fine craftsmanship and a belief in products that get better with time. This doesn't apply just to watches. So it's with this in mind that we present Chester Mox, a small American leather goods company making great wallets at affordable prices.When I say "small company," it might be a bit of an understatement - Chester Mox is California husband and wife duo Brandon and Bellanie Salcedo. They began making wallets for friends and family while Brandon was selling furniture (though he was already trained in leather-craft) and Bellanie was working in a bank. Eventually they began selling their creations onl...
Letters To The Editor: Worthwhile Vintage Under $1,000
Q. I'm a college student, and a big watch fan. I understandably can't afford nicer watches (yet). Are there more to collect <$1000? Dropping thousands on school really ruins my budget. What did you guys buy before you could afford the classics? -Trevor B.A. Trevor, you're not in this alone. I finished up graduate school not so long ago, and completely understand that the student life can put a serious damper on watch acquisitions. But that doesn't mean you can't get something classic and worthwhile on your limited budget that you'll still love years down the road. Omega Seamaster Ome...
Interview: Meet Dan Spitz, Anthrax Guitarist Turned Master Watchmaker
When it comes to a watchs quality, the truth is that the movement sucks ass or the movement kicks ass. With me, you are going to get the heavy metal answer from the heavy metal dude.Dan Spitz, former lead guitarist for thrash metal band Anthrax, has sold more than 15 million albums, been nominated for 3 Grammys, created over 10 studio albums C and now he is recognized as one of the best watchmakers in the world. After leading one of the greatest metal bands of all time, he abruptly departed Anthrax and pursued numerous courses of study to master the art of watchmaking.John Reardon: You suddenly lost interest in playing guitar in 1995, ripped the stereo equipment from your cars and house,...
Hands-On: With The Rado D-Star 200 (Live Photos)
Too many brands try to make their dive watches as hefty and "sporty" as possible, often with awkward results. Rado made no such missteps with the D-Star 200, giving us a relatively thin, sleek, 21st-century sport watch, at under $2,000 no less. We got our hands on the stylish blue model and took a closer look at this competitively-priced diver.The first thing you notice picking up the D-Star 200 is how clean it looks and feels. It is a modern 42mm in diameter, but still comes in at a relatively thin 12.5mm. The finishing on the steel case and bracelet is shiny without verging on cheap-looking, and the ceramic bezel insert looks particularly cool in the deep blue color. ...
Mechanically Serious But Good Looking Winders from Wolf Designs (Live Photos)
There's a lot more to making a good watch winder than you might think. It seems a simple enough operation - turn the watch - but there are all kinds of factors to be considered. Los Angeles's Wolf Designs continues to nail it, making winders that look great and function even better. Meridian Burl Three-Watch Winder with the 2.7 Module We've introduced you to Wolf's Module 2.7 technology before, but we got our hands on some of Wolf's newer winders and just had to share. Overall we're very impressed. Wolf's signature locking cuff/barrel unit is 70mm deep and allows watches to be held perfectly vertical (many winders operate on a...
Quirky Girard-Perregaux Hits the Block in Hong Kong
Last week we told you about the four awesome vintage alarms being sold at Antiquorum Hong Kong on Saturday, and we've got another interesting find. This 1960s Girard-Perregaux chronograph is quirky in a number of ways, and at around $2,000 could be a fun piece to pick up.The styling sits somewhere between a dress chronograph and a sports chronograph, the nicely faded silver dial juxtaposed with the chunky bezel. That bezel, by the way, is aluminum, which isn't something you see very often. After some prolonged discussion at HODINKEE HQ, the original Rolex Milgauss's dial and the entire F.P. Journe Centigraphe Sport are the only other aluminum we could come up with. Let us know if you can thi...
One Year After The Death of Grald Genta, We Learn More About Him Than Ever Before
One year ago today, the world of horology lost its greatest designer - Gerald Genta.? Responsible for more iconic designs than any other man in the history of timepieces, his trademark aesthetics are ingrained in countless watches we see, and speak of every single day.In an incredibly detailed and revealing interview just published via Greek watch blog VeryImportantWatches.com, Mr. Genta opens up about his earliest days - when he was getting paid 15 CHF to sell designs to American brands and Swiss suppliers - to how he designed the Royal Oak in a single night.? He mentions many of his less well-known work, like that of his Cellini for Rolex, a limited edition Seiko, oh, and a digital watch f...
Nomos Limited Editions: Getting Playful with a Sporty Trio and a Headmaster
Hop, Skip, and Jump We at HODINKEE are big fans of Nomos's classic, simple, and restrained designs. We love the solidity and overall cohesiveness of their designs. We also enjoy their seriousness, and well, how German they are.?Nomos comes across as pretty straight and buttoned up, and you wouldn't associate them with a sense of fun or whimsy. And that's ok, Nomos have a clear visual style that they don't really mess with very much.?But not always. It turns out that they do occasionally play around with their brand DNA, injecting some fun into their teutonic designs. Their recent limited editions demonstrate this perfectly.?First out of the gate is a trio of modifi...
Found: Four Cool (And Affordable) Mechanical Alarm Watches, At Antiquorum Hong Kong
We haven't had any serious auction action in a while, but next Saturday (August 25th) Antiquorum is hosting a sale at their Hong Kong location. While they seem most excited about a handful of premium modern tourbillons, what really has us interested are the four vintage alarms with very reasonable estimates.Team HODINKEE will always get behind good alarm watches. They vary in style, but the sound of a mechanical alarm is charming and good examples can often be had for relatively good prices. That said, if these four watches sell within their $1000-$2500 estimates, they'll be even better deals than usual. LeCoultre Memovox for Ford ...
Hands-On: With The AP Royal Oak Leo Messi Chronograph (Live Pics + Pricing)
About a month ago, we showed you a new limited edition chronograph from AP designed by, and in honor of Leo Messi, arguably the best soccer (footie!) player in the world.? Just this morning we were lucky enough to get our hands on this limited edition chrono that you guys seemed to love...well, just the platinum version, anyway. Limited to just 100 pieces for the entire world, the platinum Leo Messi chronograph is really an impressive and understated watch.? Did we mention it's platinum? We did? Good, because it is, and that is central to the narrative of this post.? The Messi chrono is ultimately a very sporty watch - after ...
In-Depth: How The Number Three Cigarette In America Made Heuer A Household Name
Struggling To Sell Chronographs A tough year, 1971. With these four words, Jack Heuer C then the 38-year-old President of Heuer Leonidas C opened the 1972 case study on his company by the Swiss business school IMEDE.The Heuer Time and Electronics Corp (HTEC), the American branch of the company, had enjoyed 11 consecutive years of increased sales heading into 1969. By 1970, the U.S. had become Heuers largest market, with $1.2 million in sales. However, 1971 was a different story. U.S. sales declined 19 percent (to $952,000) and HTEC suffered a loss of $154,000. Retailers were afraid of the chronographs.– Jack Heuer ...
Introducing The MB&F HM3 Poison Dart Frog: A PVD-Coated Zirconium Machine, Limited To Ten Pieces
Max Bsser and Co. know how to get the most mileage out of their hard work.? They've often set about releasing tweaked iterations of existing models creating even more fun and funky horological machines.? Today is no different, as we introduce the HM3 Frog with a new skin.The HM3 Poison Dart Frog could be our favorite Frog yet, as the black PVD-coated zircoinum case against the 18k yellow gold screws and 22k yellow gold rotor really sets off a nice contrast.? The Poison Dart Frog is, of course, designed after an actual poison dart frog, or Dendrobates Leucomela, whose black and yellow camouflage protects him in his natural habitat of the tropical rainforest.? There is nothing particularly no...
The Linde Werdelin Oktopus II Double Date Becomes Official, With A Few Changes Since Basel
The Oktopus II - Double Date at release You may remember our hands-on look at Linde Werdelin's Oktopus II - Double Date a few months ago, but the watch is only just now becoming available on the market. And since the prototype we saw at Basel, quite a few things have changed. Here's an updated look at the new diver.The guts haven't really changed. There is still the same modified Dubois Depreaz 14580 movement with 44 hour power reserve, there is still the large double date at 12 o'clock, and the case is still Linde Werdelin's proprietary 5 part design. Water resistance is still rated at 300m and the case is compatible with the Reef dive instrument (which is a serio...
Hands-On: The Richard Mille RM053, A Tourbillon Built Exclusively For The Polo Field (Live Photos)
Richard Mille is no stranger to putting beautifully made watches in punishing situations. Their tourbillons have survived tennis courts, golf courses, and the Olympic track. Now it's the polo field's turn. Unveiled at SIHH 2012 back in January, the RM053 Pablo MacDonogh is a space-age watch for an ancient sport. The RM53 at SIHH 2012 The first thing you notice when looking at the RM053 is the 30 degree pitch of the dials. Like the angled placement of driving watch dials, this allows the rider to read the time without removing his hand from the reigns. It's not just the dials which are tilted though - the entire manual-wind tou...
The IWC 3705 Fliegerchronograph in ceramic next to 2012's Miramar Top Gun in ceramic. A few weeks back, Mr. Mayer took us through IWC's latest pilot's chronograph in ceramic, the Miramar Top Gun.? His critique was tough, but fair, and many of John's complaints came from the large case size and slightly toyish demeanor.? Today we take the Mirmar of today, and put it side by side with a very special watch from IWC, the reference 3705 Fliegerchronograph.? The 3705 was actually the very first ceramic chronograph from IWC (like, ever) and according to many, it was actually the very first ceramic watch, period. The process of zirconium plating was so costly back then, th...