25,404 articles · 2,272 videos found · page 52 of 923
Hodinkee
Zenith's CEO on keeping production at the El Primero maker in line with retail sell-out, and how supplying movements to other LVMH brands will be a growth driver for the 160-year-old manufacturer.
Worn & Wound
Once again, here I am late to the party as our own Zach Kazan blows my mind with another brand specializing in artistic dials featuring my favorite métiers d’art craft: enameling. You may recall when he first covered the partnership between De Rijke & Co. and the illustrator Guy Allen two years ago. Now the duo is back with another trio of driver’s watches spanning on the previous Amalfi theme, this time with a stronger focus on the automotive angle. While the Dutch watchmaker and the British artist have been teaming up for nearly a decade, the pair took their work to the next level in 2024 by collaborating on their first set of watches, establishing the Amalfi special editions. The initial set of three watches focused on the themes of air, land, and sea with distinct designs and color palettes reflecting each element. Thanks to champlevé enamel, the illustrations come to life with texture and depth. For the uninitiated, the specific technique of champlevé enamel (French for “raised field”) is similar to cloisonné. However, instead of raised sections to hold enamel, reservoirs to hold the material are created by carving directly into the metal base. The newest trio builds on these designs, but now takes the automotive theme more literally on both the enamel dial and the engraved caseback. The names of the models draw from three regions, the Amazon, Sahara, and Turini, and each gets a corresponding vehicle you might drive there. For the Amazon, you get the Landr...
SJX Watches
The niche market for modern automatons just a little less tiny with Hugo Rittener’s Le Majordome, a mechanical butler that pop ups and greet the onlooker on demand. In the tradition of historical automatons, Le Majordome is entirely mechanical and driven by complex clockwork, and made entirely by hand. Initial thoughts Hugo Rittener is a young automaton maker from the Vaud region of Switzerland. Having cut his teeth working with François Junod, one of the most celebrated talents in the field, Mr Rittener has now gone into business for himself. Against this backdrop, Le Majordome (“the butler” in English) represents a foundational release. Compared to the timepieces we sometimes call mechanical art, this tabletop automaton serves no actual utility; there’s no time-telling and no complication other than the bronze figure itself. In terms of pure mechanical art, this is as artful as it gets. Having taken over 1,000 hours of work, from design to finishing, the (Le) Majordome is a mechanical animation of a bronze-sculpted and gold-plated butler figure, which raises his top hat towards those who actuate the mechanism. Mr Rittener poetically describes the Majordome as an automate d’accueil - meaning “welcoming automaton”. The mechanical butler does in fact greet its audience, so it could be used as an extravagant welcoming party trick. Hugo Rittener will make 10 pieces of the Majordome in total, over the course of some years. Given the highly artisanal process...
Worn & Wound
One thing that we’ve learned quite clearly over the last decade or so is that there are a lot of different ways to release a limited edition watch, particularly a collaborative limited edition. Our friends over at Monochrome have a particularly interesting way of doing it, with their Montre de Souscription series, which makes limited edition watches available on a “subscription” basis, a throwback to a very old way of selling watches. This is essentially the offer of a pre-order with money down, that allows the watchmakers to begin working on the pieces to be sold later. The concept has evolved and become quite common, but in the early days of watchmaking this was the only way that fine watches could be made and that everyone involved could make a living at it, so the term has come to evoke classical watchmaking in a very real way. For their part, Monochrome has chosen to work with some very esteemed and similarly old-fashioned independent brands since this series launched in 2020, including Habring (twice), Armin Strom, and Czapek. Last week, they debuted the latest MDS series watch, the Montre de Souscription 5 x Angelus Chronographe Tachymètre. This is a new spin on the Chronographe Télémètre, a watch that was among our favorite debuts at Watches & Wonders last year. As you might guess from the name, the new piece made with Monochrome switches out the telemeter scale on the chronograph for a tachymeter. There are other little changes as well, but the mos...
Monochrome
Although some might argue it has never lost its touch, it must be said that the independent watchmaking scene feels rejuvenated and stronger than ever. Just a couple of years ago, creative souls looking to make a name for themselves struggled to find traction and lure collectors to make their dream come true. Established names […]
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Monochrome
This morning, we all had a very pleasant message when we woke up… all 33 pieces of our fourth collaboration with Habring² were gone. Maybe it didn’t sell as fast as our first MdS, when all 33 pieces sold out in just 17 minutes, but still, we’re super happy and grateful that all 33 pieces […]
Hodinkee
The publication's fourth entry in this collaborative series with independents returns to Austria with a special take on the Habring² Erwin.
Monochrome
We’re thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of our next Montre de Souscription. Following the release of the Montre de Souscription 1, a salmon-toned, sector dial chronograph based on the Habring² Chrono-Felix, the Montre de Souscription 2, a MONOCHROME white interpretation of the Czapek Antarctique, and the Montre de Souscription 3, a discreet and traditional […]
Time+Tide
JLC has opened its second standalone Melbourne location, which is also its first in Australia to feature the brand's new boutique concept.The post Jaeger-LeCoultre opens its first Chadstone boutique, bringing the Vallée de Joux to Melbourne’s emerging luxury shopping capital appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
In January, Ace Jewelers in Amsterdam announced that it became the exclusive authorized dealer for Fears watches in the Netherlands. During the launch party at the boutique, people were surprised that there wasn’t a limited-edition collaboration between the two parties yet. After all, Ace Jewelers is very active when it comes to collaborative watches. It […] Visit Introducing: The Fears × Ace Jewelers Brunswick 38 “De Stijl Edition” to read the full article.
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Hodinkee
Thirty years in, the Maison celebrates its origins with a tribute to its founder.
Hodinkee
Deal for minority stake gives luxury giant access to Swiss-made watch movements at a significant scale and comes as the industry consolidates.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Cartier of today is undeniably a symbol of luxury and has strategically manufactured that imagery. From its quintessential deep red boxes with gold filigree border to its looping cursive script, even before you get to the object itself, whether it be jewelry or a watch, the brand has carefully crafted the entire experience of its product to position it as such. But today, we’re taking a look at an anomaly in the maison’s past, for which Cartier descended from its luxurious heights to extend its hand to the mass market. Les Must de Cartier is representative of a pivotal time in the history of watchmaking, and its contrasting accessibility played a crucial role in the maison’s longevity and its ability to weather shifting market trends. Down below, I’ll be walking you through how Must de Cartier came to be, some significant design codes, how the line has reemerged after its discontinuation, and share some musings and philosophical ponderings about this strange chapter in Cartier’s history. Les Must de Cartier Context From its relatively humble beginnings as a local, artisanal jewelry workshop in 1847, by the turn of the 20th century, Cartier had already established itself as a global luxury powerhouse, operating in London, New York, and Paris by 1909. Each independent branch of Cartier at this time was operated by a trio of Louis-François Cartier’s grandsons, and while they often collaborated, each location developed its own unique flair and catered to ...
Monochrome
“What could have been…” is a remark often heard when talking about cancelled racing programs, failed prototypes or one-hit wonders. In the world of motorsports, there have been plenty of examples of this. Cars that raced just once, never managed to move beyond the development stage, or existed only in rumours, even. Think of the […]
Hodinkee
After years of not getting Cartier's "sports watch," it's finally making sense to me.
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Worn & Wound
In the ever-growing sea of impressive microbrands, Swiss upstarts Furlan Marri have carved out a niche of dressy watches with vintage flair. That’s not giving them full credit, of course-they’ve also managed to create a wholly recognizable visual style within a few short years, to the point where “Furlan Marri-esque” is a perfectly reasonable compound adjective to sling around. Continuing their current theme of circular motifs, the brand is expanding their Cornes de Vache (“cow horns” in French, referring to long, curved lugs) collection of automatic watches with the Blue Sector joining the lineup, bringing a classically upscale blue and silver colorway to a collection already bursting with color. Like the other Cornes de Vache models already available, the Blue Sector is housed in a circular 37.5mm polished stainless steel case with cow-horn lugs, connected by a bridge at the 6 and 12 o’clock positions. Lug-to-lug, the case measures in at 46mm, with a 10.5mm thickness, placing it on the small-to-medium side of the dress watch spectrum. The sector dial from which the reference pulls its name features the same layout as the other Sector models, with double-stamped indications and applied Breguet-style indexes. The dark blue of the dial is further diversified by the textured center circle, split into four. The 12, 3, 6, and 9 numerals echo the quartering theme, and feature an elegant, vintage script. These numerals, along with the hands, indexes, and other ...
Monochrome
The name Santos at Cartier carries a lot of weight. One of Cartier’s oldest collections, named after Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, who commissioned a watch from his friend Louis Cartier in 1904 to be worn while piloting his flying machines, it took on a slightly different vocation in recent years, becoming the brand’s vision of […]
Worn & Wound
Québec City carries its history on every corner-stone walls, cobblestones, cafés spilling into narrow streets. For a few days in September, it also carried the buzz of race bikes and the weight of a UCI WorldTour peloton. Tudor brought us here to see their Pro Cycling team take on the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec. The race is unusual compared to most on the calendar. Instead of rolling through countryside, the riders loop through Old Québec, climbing and descending the same punishing circuit until it breaks them. Crowds lean over barricades, the sound of cheers bouncing off limestone walls as the peloton flashes past again and again. Our trip began with a chance to meet the Tudor Pro Cycling riders. They rolled in straight from training, relaxed but sharp, already thinking about the course. Later, in the subterranean car park beneath Hotel 71, we were shown the workshop: rows of bikes worth thousands apiece, mechanics tuning, polishing, preparing. A hidden paddock carved out of concrete, the quiet backbone of the sport. Dinner that evening was with Tudor and a handful of other journalists at Laurie Raphaël. It was polished dining, but the conversation stayed grounded-how a team operates at this level, what it means to link a watch brand with a sport that demands grit and repetition. FXD watches at the table looked at home: tough, precise, made for use. Race day carried a nervous hum. The morning was cool, the sun cutting through by midday. From Tudor’s hospital...
Monochrome
Founded in Paris in 1785 by Charles Leroy, L.Leroy was once one of France’s illustrious watchmaking houses, known for its marine chronometers, high complications and commissions for European royalty. After years of dormancy, the brand, acquired in 2004 by Miguel Rodríguez of the Festina Group, is staging a comeback. Following its first step with a […]
Hodinkee
Pierre Jacques moves from CEO to Honorary President at De Bethune, while Chrono24 has a new look.
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Hodinkee
Watchmaker bested rivals to buy the Breguet Pendule Sympathique No. 1 and says it will be a key part of a new museum dedicated to his work and its place in horology history.
Fratello
Gerald Charles has rolled out a steady slate of releases in support of its 25th anniversary. Among these debuts are new versions of the Maestro 3.0 Chronograph, which feature métiers d’art in the form of tapisserie Clous de Paris dials. The releases also include two case materials. I spent time at the Gerald Charles booth […] Visit Introducing: The Gerald Charles Maestro 3.0 Chronograph Mini Tapisserie Clous De Paris to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Over the last year or two, I’ve been traveling more and more for work. More often than not, I’ve found the experience impersonal at best. Thanks to the new invention of “contactless check-in”, I am usually greeted by a row of iPads, making it feel more like I’ve made a 4-day reservation at a Genius Bar versus a holiday in Malibu. You see, like glass-blowing or macrame, hospitality is a dying art. The ability to make one feel welcomed isn’t as simple as having a few brochures at the front desk; but, instead, it’s an immeasurable talent that turns a two-night stay into an experience. Luckily, there are a few good men fighting the good fight. An entire network of them, actually, called Les Clefs d’Or. Since 1952, this international organization has dedicated itself to the art of hospitality through its 4,000 members, making it one of the largest organizations of its kind. While many hotels now have a new-hire sit at a podium labeled CONCIERGE to hand out brochures of local attractions, the members of Les Clefs d’Or understands that a concierge is an untapped resource, giving you tips on where to eat, what to do, and he may pull a few strings to get you that hard-to-come-by table at the local Michelin-starred joint down the block. Now, of course for me, the imagination starts running when I think of a private organization of hotel professionals who are maintaining the old guard of hospitality. One might even be reminded of The Society of the Crossed Keys ...
Monochrome
Except if you’re a hardcore dive watch enthusiast, ZRC might not immediately ring a bell. And yet, it is a rather important name for divers, particularly in France. An old company that once created a watch for the French Navy and delivered them for a good 35 years, the whole concept was brought back to […]
![Auctions: Three Seriously Collectable Watches Are Coming To Auction For The First Time [Rolex Daytona 'Le Mans', Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisans, And A Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing]](https://hodinkee.imgix.net/uploads/images/5098071b-e047-4224-baf3-09dd9b11dece/rolex-lemans-daytona-hero.jpg?ixlib=rails-1.1.0&fm=jpg&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&w=1200&h=630&fit=crop)
Hodinkee
A duo of upcoming sales sets the stage for a trio of decidedly modern, in-demand models that collectors will be sure to follow.
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