Hodinkee
Hey, HODINKEE!: Can An Automatic Chronograph Movement Be Beautiful Or Is It Doomed To Be An Ugly Duckling?
We can't all be swans.
1,545 articles · 5 videos found · page 27 of 52
Hodinkee
We can't all be swans.
SJX Watches
A brand that made its debut just last year, Furlan Marri is all about affordable watches with retro style – just like many of its peers that entered the business around the same time. But the brand manages to set itself apart with a keen sense for design and details, something that was evident in its inaugural model, a quartz chronograph modelled on the Patek Philippe ref. 1463. Now the brand unveils something that’s arguably more compelling, the Reference 2116-A “Black Sector”. Once again vintage in style with compact proportions, the “Black Sector” is however automatic. Initial thoughts My first impression of the Reference 2116-A was positive. The styling is appealing and it is well priced, despite being a major step-up from the quartz chronograph in terms of case quality and the movement. In fact, the 2116-A is very well priced. It costs about US$1,250 but brings along fancy features such as artfully finished “cow horn” lugs, which is typically found on more expensive watches or actual vintage watches. At the same time, the watch is replete with retro details that collectors will like. That includes a properly proportioned dial where everything is laid out just nice, in contrast to many modern-day “sector” dial that can appear sparse. And the Breguet numerals may not be original or novel, but they are pleasing. As appealing as it is, the 2116-A still has a few shortcomings, at least for me personally. One is the wide cover for the central boss of th...
Revolution
Hodinkee
Crown left, right stuff.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Looking for more info on Formex Watches? Check out our detailed review featuring crucial facts, stats, and unique photos!
Hodinkee
A record-setting traveler's chronograph with genuine style.
Quill & Pad
Every time Ian Skellern writes the words “relatively affordable” here on Quill & Pad, he braces himself for the stream of comments reminding him that he must live in an alternative reality to most of the world. So he doesn't describe the Patria Brigadier Flyback Chrono as relatively affordable (though compared to most of the watches we review on Quill & Pad he thinks it well merits that description), but he does think that it’s fantastic value and the bargain of the year. And here he explains why.
Revolution
Harry Winston introduces two new models embellished with the House’s iconic Sunflower motif, designed to complement other pieces in the Sunflower collection
Hodinkee
In which I re-examine my own preconceptions about the hobby and help a pal find his perfect timepiece.
Hodinkee
What's the kid going to want, twenty years down the road?
Revolution
With the Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying T, Special Revolution in hand, Wei gives the rundown of a great revelation that the already impressive COSC & Geneva Seal watch has, an enigmatic stop-seconds function, making it one of only six tourbillons in existence from major watchmakers that feature.
Revolution
The Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying T, Special Revolution is the thinnest COSC & Geneva Seal stop-seconds tourbillon available today. Here’s why this matters.
SJX Watches
Unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2021, the H08 is an all-new men’s watch from Hermès. Featuring a cushion-shaped case and a Vaucher movement, the H08 is typical of Hermes in its restrained, thoughtful styling exemplified by the custom typography. Hermès described the H08 at its launch as a relatively affordable, everyday watch with a simple, high-quality execution – which is accurate. Though it comes from a brand better known for its handbags and scarves, the H08 is a watch done well in many ways. Initial thoughts The H08 is surprisingly appealing in the metal. Slim and lightweight, it has a design that is interesting despite being simple. And its technical credentials are solid, albeit not fancy, with the H1837 movement inside being a Vaucher calibre. Although the H08 does evoke other watch designs, it still manages to look original. And it does look like a Hermes product, which might be important to some buyers, thanks to the touch of orange in the seconds hand that remains discreet enough to suit those who don’t care for obvious emblems. The H1837 Characterised by geometric shapes, the styling is modern while incorporating accents that illustrate Hermes’ traditional attention to detail. The font used for the hour numerals, for instance, was designed specifically for the H08 and echoes the cushion shape of the case. And the same font is used for the date, ensuring perfect consistency in its typography (though it does impact legibility of the date somewhat). On t...
Hodinkee
Watches we love, the second time around.
Deployant
Panerai first released the Luminor Marina with blue dial PAM01313 in 2020. The watch is a permanent model in the Luminor collection and is a contemporary staple of the brand.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Well, that's one way to ruin an iconic watch. Oh, and don't worry they're already sold out.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Hublot’s Been Tangoed – The Big Bang with a Twist The humble orange is something of a celebrity Chez Revolution and The Rake, thanks to its integral role in...
Revolution
Protecting the bearers of time from the ravages of time has been WOLF’s noble cause for almost two centuries. Aptly, for a family company whose stock in trade is posterity, its expertise becomes more abundant with each new generation.
Quill & Pad
The Paulin Watches Neo is fully designed and assembled in Scotland. The dial – the most important part of this watch – was also handmade in Scotland. And those are not the only great things about the affordable, reliable, and well-designed Neo.
WatchAdvice
I have made a promise to myself for this review, absolutely no cheesy 80’s movie quotes for this review. The IWC Top Gun pilots watch is after all, not associated or affiliated with any Tom Cruise movie whatsoever. This watch is part of an ongoing collaboration with the Strike tactics instructor program of the US navy. A partnership that began back in 2007, in which IWC manufacture watches specially designed from robust materials. The use of alternative case materials is a focal point of all the Top Gun watches from IWC, with models being constructed from titanium, ceramic and a hybrid paring of the two; Ceratanium. The use of tougher metals comes from the watches needing to meet the specific requirements of elite jet fighter pilots, those ‘Top Gun’s’ if you will. Recently I got the chance to go hands on with the latest three hander in the Top Gun series, the automatic pilots watch in Ceramic. My initial impressions of the watch were overwhelmingly positive. At 41mm x 11.4mm, the ceramic cased timepiece really appealed to me visually. I have never really been a huge fan of traditional Flieger style watches, the dials always felt so cluttered and heavy. Of course I understand the need for the traditional type A and type B style Flieger watches. Flieger style pieces were born of necessity and practicality during the second World War. Pilots needed large dials and indices for precisely timing flights and bombing runs, the watches therefore bore oversized hands, huge...
Another world record set by the reigning king of ultra-thin watchmaking.
Hodinkee
Slow and steady wins summer.
Hodinkee
Clean, round chronographs with an in-house movement and a contemporary vibe.
Quill & Pad
Are you ready for fine high horology with a bit of glamour? Here are two of the more affordable and elegantly sporty models from two of watchmaking’s finest brands: Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe.
Hodinkee
The ever funky brand continues its revival with a mechanical offering.
Quill & Pad
One of IWC’s most emblematic timepieces, the Portugieser chronograph has been a cornerstone of the brand’s collection for many years. The Portugieser, which first appeared back in 1939, has not always been a bestseller. The truth is, IWC failed with three separate launches before the Portugieser finally became a success in the early 1990s. Sabine Zwettler shares a brief history of the Portugieser here and introduces the six new chronograph variations powered by an in-house movement.
Quill & Pad
The Bovet Virtuoso IX combines a (double-face) flying tourbillon with two time zones, large date, an impressive power reserve of ten days, plus the brand's patented Amadeo convertible case. What more need we say?
Quill & Pad
The Streamliner Flyback Chronograph is about firsts for Moser: its first chronograph complication, its first bracelet, its first cushion-shaped case, a brand-new dial, hands, and a new movement. But what grabbed Joshua Munchow from the start was the bracelet, and that is when the amnemori began. What is that? Joshua explains here in detail.
SJX Watches
Originally introduced in 2011 as a round, dressy-ish watch that was distinct from most other Richard Mille watches, the RM 33 has now been revamped and looks like, well, other Richard Mille watches. The new RM 33-02 is still round, but is aggressively styled and executed in a striking combination of materials. Just as it is with Richard Mille’s better known tonneau-shaped watches, the RM 33-02 has an angular, notched bezel, while the case is a sandwich combining carbon composite and gold held together by large, visible screws. The bezel notches at six and 12 are continued onto the integrated rubber strap, which has a fin running down its length, accentuating the sporty look. The bezel and back are made of Carbon TPT, a carbon composite made by North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT), a Swiss materials specialist that supplies the material for all of Richard Mille’s composite cases. Layers of carbon fibre within the composite give it a distinctive, striped appearance that is now found on most Richard Mille watches. In between the carbon composite is a case middle in 18k red gold. Also in red gold are the large Arabic numerals, which sit on a pair of black-coated titanium rings mounted on the base plate of the movement – necessary because the watch has no dial. Despite the bold styling, the RM 33-02 is a relatively compact watch, measuring just 41.7mm in diameter, and a slim 8.8mm high. That’s thanks in part to the extra-thin RMXP1 movement inside. It’s an automatic that...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
It’s nice to see a case that was the product of a thought process as opposed to a generic lump that fell out of a parts bin.
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