Hodinkee
Recommended Reading: Telling Time With A Traditional Clock Face May Be An Endangered Skill
Ok, boomer. But, like, what time is it?
34,524 articles · 177 videos found · page 261 of 1157
Hodinkee
Ok, boomer. But, like, what time is it?
Revolution
After the launch of the Full Titanium G-SHOCK on Shop.Revolution.Watch, we were honored to co-host an exclusive dinner with the father of the G-SHOCK, Kikuo Ibe
Hodinkee
The "hole in one" of Talking Watches.
Quill & Pad
If there is one complicated element that has been in a whirlwind (pun intended) of developments, it has been the tourbillon. And while tourbillons are still fairly expensive, you don't have to spend $100,000 anymore, as many brands now have great offerings for even a third of that amount.
Quill & Pad
It was a cold, wet, and windy autumn day when Van Cleef & Arpels invited Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle and a few colleagues on a boat ride along the Seine river through central Paris. The occasion (and the boat ride) was just the start as the launch of the new and improved Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux, which has now been expanded into an entire collection gathered under the umbrella of "Love Stories," was the main attraction.
SJX Watches
Since Edouard Meylan took the top job at H Moser & Cie. in 2013, after his family acquired the struggling brand a year earlier, he righted the ship and the brand is now forging ahead with technical ambition and a surprising degree of commercial nous. Wielding a Wharton MBA, Mr Meylan devised creative, and at times, controversial marketing campaigns – from the “Frankenstein” watch to one covered in grass – that have allowed Moser to punch above its weight as a maker of just 1,500 watches a year. Yet Moser has retained its technical know-how that has allowed it to refine its signature perpetual calendar, amongst other things. That’s aided by the fact that besides Moser, the Meylan family interests also control its sister company Precision Engineering, via a 90% ownership of the holding company Moser Watch Holding. The component specialist produces hairsprings, as well as other key movement components like escape wheels, pallet forks, and balance wheels, supplying Moser as well as a host of the independent brands. The ingenious Moser perpetual calendar movement During his recent visit to Singapore to inaugurate the newly inked partnership with retailer Cortina Watch, we sat down with Mr Meylan to discuss a spectrum of topics, from his mischief-making promotional activities to the firm’s manufacturing, as well as the soon-to-be-launched chronograph. The interview was edited for clarity and length. When you took over the company seven years ago, it was struggling ...
Science fiction meets spacecraft technology with a clockwork rover on the surface of Venus.
SJX Watches
Another of the strikingly elegant, one-off minute repeaters that’s part of Vacheron Constantin’s 2019 Les Cabinotiers line-up is the Minute Repeater Ultra-Thin ‘Dance of the Gemstones’. Well, it is actually two repeaters, a matched pair of his-and-hers watches (that are available separately nonetheless) with eggshell grand feu enamel dials and ruby hour markers. The dials are extravagant yet elegant, evoking prominent watches of many decades ago. They are inspired by high-end gentlemen’s wristwatches of the 1950s that combined silvered or enamel dials with ruby hour markers, with baguette-cut stones for the quarters and brilliant-cut in between. These were often special orders for royalty or as royal gifts, with the best known being the pocket- and wristwatches made for King Saud bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia that bore his portrait on the enamel dial. His and hers A Patek Philippe ref. 2481 from 1955 with a cream enamel dial bearing a portrait of King Saud bin Abdulaziz. Image – Christie’s Both the repeaters share a similar case design, but different diameters and decoration – the men’s version is 41mm while the ladies’ watch is 39mm with a diamond-set bezel and crown. The watches are otherwise identical, powered by the same cal. 1731, an extra-flat, hand-wound movement that was developed in-house. Key facts and price Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Ultra-Thin ‘The Dance of the Gemstones’ Men’s model – ref. 6630C/000R-B662 Ladies’ model – r...
Quill & Pad
Back in 2018, Ian Skellern published a provocative article taking issue with the current state of online watch journalism. Specifically, he criticized what in his view is the low quality and repetitive nature of what we see online. But are things really uniform and uniformly bad or are there distinct types of online sources and content? GaryG wonders how we think about the different business models and value propositions of watch sites, and what it tells us about how the future may unfold.
Revolution
Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers department introduces a complete line up of one-off creations as part of their 2019 La Musique du Temps collection
Quill & Pad
When writing 'Bridging Art and Mechanics: The Unabridged Story of the Corum Golden Bridge,' Elizabeth Doerr discovered much more about Corum’s artistic co-founder, René Bannwart, including the fact that he was the creator of Omega’s flagship Constellation and Seamaster lines.
Time+Tide
NOTE: We understand that you’ve found a new watch to add to your collection (congratulations!). But rationalising this fact – coupled with the fact that it’ll cost a bucket-load of cash – may not always sit well with the less horologically minded. That’s where we come in … Use The Enabler’s advanced levels of sophistry … ContinuedThe post The Enabler: How To Justify Buying Another Watch #3 … “It’s A Symbol Of Moral Resistance Against The Spiritual Decay Of Modern Life” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Voutilainen watches are well loved for their dials, which are made in-house and offered with a myriad of finishes – primarily guilloché or enamel – as well as numerous colours and appliques. But unconstrained freedom leads to hesitation, and too many choices make a decision difficult. American psychologist Barry Schwartz, writing in The Paradox of Choice, notes that consumers are often happier having to choose from fewer options, rather than more. The author’s custom GMT-Villes But in my own collecting, perhaps the opposite is true. When I work with an independent watchmaker on a custom or bespoke watch, exploring the abundance of possibilities is the main attraction, particularly when I can specify the details face to face with the watchmaker himself. Investing sufficient time to figure out my goal makes the process of choosing not a task to be feared, but an enjoyable journey leading to the unique piece. This is my story of commissioning the GMT-Villes from Kari Voutilainen (which happened slightly before I embarked on a similar project with Andreas Strehler). Kari Voutilainen in his showroom. Image – FHH The beginning of custom work After setting up his own workshop in 2002, Kari, then 40 years old, made his debut as an independent watchmaker with the Masterpiece series of wristwatches, starting with Masterpiece 6 unveiled at Baselworld in 2005. The Masterpiece watches were all one-off minute repeaters relying on rebuilt and finely decorated vintage ebauches ma...
Deployant
We take a close look at the Jaquet Droz Lady 8 Petite Mother-of-Pearl in this in-depth review and reveals its charms with our Ladies View column.
SJX Watches
As the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) is gearing up for its 20th anniversary next year – and a week after the 2019 winners were announced – the foundation that administers the industry awards has announced the Academy. This adds an additional layer of nominations and votes to the awards to better encompass a wider swathe of the watch business. Slated to be several hundred strong – 300 was the number mooted – the Academy will be composed of individuals from across the watch industry, from brands to the media to retailers. The large size of the Academy and its diversity is to ensure the GPHG awards represent the industry’s views as much as possible. The GPHG trophy takes the form of a gilded hand The Academy will be able to nominate watches for the awards – in past years only brands could propose their own watches – as well as vote in the earlier shortlisting process. The final vote and physical evaluation of the shortlisted candidates will then be undertaken by a 30-member jury meeting in Geneva, which is similar to the voting process today. The first members of the Academy will be announced in early 2020. Subsequently, new members can join the Academy when nominated by existing members.
Revolution
Belgian watchmaker Ressence releases a limited edition of its Type 1 Squared to mark its partnership with UAE luxury retailer Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Seiko SNE329 is a solar powered field watch that wears surprisingly well in spite of its generous proportions... and very tiny hands. Check out the full review.
Quill & Pad
Phillips Game Changers is a compact auction featuring 74 lots, among them the usual array of rare, fine, and attractive Rolex and Patek Philippe models. But there are a few watches in this auction that are notable for reasons outside of the fact that they fine, rare, attractive, and made by certain brands. And it is these watches that Elizabeth Doerr highlights here. Oh, and spoiler: there are indeed two Rolex models among them, but you’ll see why.
Revolution
A complete list of all the prize winners from the 19th edition of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Gèneve, GPHG 2019.
Quill & Pad
Year after year the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève continues to prove its relevance in the world of watches, and this year is no different. One of the conclusions reached during our discussions of the pre-selected watches is that whichever watch won in the respective categories, none of them would be “unworthy” of the prize. So what took home the big prizes at the 2019 event?
Revolution
The final of five limited editions to mark 50 years of the TAG Heuer Monaco was recently unveiled in Shanghai.
SJX Watches
This year’s GPHG saw a total of no less than 196 watches entered into the running for one of the night’s awards. The jury, presided over by Aurel Bacs, then pre-selected 84 models, divided into 14 categories. The latter included four new awards – the Iconic Watch, Diver’s Watch, Calendar and Astronomy and Horological Revelation. The outcome is similar to last year’s, with a strong ratio of independents among the winners. Out of 18 watch awards, eight were awarded to independents including Kudoke (Petite Aiguille), Ming (Horological Revelation) and newcomer Genus, (Mechanical Exception), while virtuoso watchmaker Voutilainen scooped two awards (Men’s Watch and Artistic Crafts). The biggest winner of the evening was Audemars Piguet who took home three awards including the top prize – the Aiguille d’Or – for its Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin. The watch is the world’s thinnest automatic perpetual calendar at just 6.3mm in height, achieved primarily by using a modified ultra-thin cal. 2120 as a base with a smartly designed perpetual calendar module on top that has an integrated end-of-month cam on the date wheel and a 48-month wheel with a novel geometry. Elsewhere, having lost to Genus in the Mechanical Exception category, Vacheron Constantin clinched the Innovation award with its Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar. The watch addresses the problem of having to reset a perpetual calendar that has lain dormant. It utilises two balances osci...
Quill & Pad
Here is the complete list of winners at the 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). You might not be surprised that there are surprises.
Quill & Pad
The most interesting aspect of the Aiguille d’Or is how the winner won’t always be the most complicated, expensive, or groundbreaking. To win the Aiguille d’Or, a watch needs to be a fantastic all-around watch and have that little something extra, that 'je ne sais quoi.' So which watch has our panel set its sights upon? There is much discussion, of course . . .
SJX Watches
An F.P. Journe Octa Calendrier caught my eye at Phillips’ upcoming Geneva auction, not because of the watch itself, but because of the name engraved on the movement: “John R. Asprey”. Now 82, John Rolls Asprey ran his family’s luxury emporium in its heyday, when it was a purveyor of watches, jewels, silverware, fine bookbinding and hunting accessories, with the Sultans of Brunei and Oman as its top clients. Unusually, Asprey was a prominent name in two diverse segments of watchmaking – what are now valuable vintage watches, think “Khanjar” Rolex watches, as well as modern-day independent watchmaking. How it came to be is the remarkable story of the rise and decline of a grand name in British luxury retail. A wondrous emporium Long before luxury brand names had coalesced into conglomerates like LVMH and Richemont, they were independent, family-owned enterprises that were small but globally known – at least by the right clientele. Amongst them were names that are still famous today, including Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co., but also one that is less well known now, Asprey of London. Founded in 1781 and having opened in 1847 at 167 New Bond Street – still its premises today, albeit leased – Asprey was once London’s leading luxury merchant. In some ways, it was the ultimate gift shop, where one could buy all manner of exotic and exquisite goods from all over the world, from books to watches to sceptres to crystal. Many of the elaborate objects ...
Quill & Pad
The tenth edition of Poland’s Watch of the Year by CH24.PL included all timepieces introduced in 2019 competing across six categories. All of these watches were nominated by an international jury comprising journalists from six countries (including Elizabeth Doerr). Brands did not have to enter their watches; the shortlists were made by the jury. So who took home the big prizes?
Revolution
Glashütte Original turns to its long history to develop new watches that complete the brand’s product offering and showcase another fascinating facet of its heritage.
SJX Watches
Seiko changed watchmaking when it introduced the Quartz Astron in December 1969. Though it cost as much as a small car, it was the first commercially available quartz watch. Technology and economies of scale would rapidly reduce the cost of the quartz watch, enough that by the late 1970s the Swiss watch industry was in full blown meltdown – the Quartz Crisis. To mark the 50th anniversary of that landmark watch, Seiko has just introduced the 1969 Quartz Astron 50th Anniversary Limited Edition. Though powered by a latest generation, solar-powered and GPS-enabled quartz movement, the Astron anniversary edition is visually a remake of the original – and it still costs as much as a small car, or about US$35,000. Notably, the Astron anniversary comes a couple months after Citizen introduced its own an ultra-high end quartz watch, also with a solid gold case, but with a different approach to technology. The case of the Astron anniversary is 18k yellow gold and cushion-shaped like the original, but slightly larger at 40.9mm in diameter. The top surface of the case is “hand carved” with a fine, grain-like motif echoing the textured finish of the vintage Quartz Astron. And the pattern on the remake is a reference to itself: the carved grain motif is executed in a circular manner around the bezel, a nod to the fact that Seiko has come full circle in reproducing the 1969 design. Similarly, the dial on the new watch has a vertical, linear graining, also inspired by the finish...
Hodinkee
A master tailor from Italy and a collection of interesting timepieces made for quite a night.
Quill & Pad
Yard-O-Led is not exactly your average, everyday, run-of-the-mill brand name. And it's especially not an everyday, run-of-the-mill luxury brand name. However, although Yard-O-Led is an unusual name, it also happens to be a very practical one as it states right up front precisely what made it famous.
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