Hodinkee
One To Watch: Cornell Watch Co. Aims To Put A Spotlight On American Watchmaking
The 1870 CE is a fitting introduction for a new company that aims to shine a light on the past and present of American watchmaking.
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Hodinkee
The 1870 CE is a fitting introduction for a new company that aims to shine a light on the past and present of American watchmaking.
Teddy Baldassarre
Founded in 1839 in Geneva, Patek Philippe has long been the gold standard of high watchmaking, pioneering complications and design elements that are now found widely throughout the watch industry - from the first keyless winding system in 1845 to the first annual calendar wristwatch in 1996, with many other innovations and historic timepieces in between. Throughout the maison’s long and prestigious history, watches from Patek Philippe have proven to be among the most coveted and valuable on the watch-auction circuit, making up nine of the 10 most expensive watches ever sold and 14 of the top 20. What are these record-breaking Patek Philippe timepieces, what makes them so special, and exactly how much money did they fetch when the hammer came down? Below, we count down the top 10, ending with the most expensive watch ever sold at auction. Patek Philippe Gold Chronograph Ref. 1527 ($5.709 million, 2010, Christie’s) Sold at Christie’s in 2010 and still holding its spot in the top 10 most expensive Patek Philippe watches, this exceedingly rare perpetual calendar chronograph with a yellow-gold tonneau case more than doubled its pre-auction estimate. Its matte silver dial features applied Arabic numerals, a tachymeter scale, and three subdials for chronograph minutes, running seconds, date, and moon-phases. Its movement is stamped with the prestigious Geneva Seal, attesting to its elite level of finishing as well as its chronometric performance. 9. Patek Philippe Titaniu...
Monochrome
Social media can be a wonderful tool. When we discovered the initial pictures of the new chronograph movement from Manufacture Fleury a few weeks back, it immediately tickled our interest. Now that the dust from Watches and Wonders has settled, we have contacted Jean-Marc Fleury to find out more… A few days later, we hit […]
Worn & Wound
Watch collaborations are most successful when the result is greater than the sum of its parts. We’d like to believe The Depancel x Worn & Wound Valjoux 92 is one such example. Borne out of a desire to add a distinctly American flair to a classic chronograph format, the new Allure Valjoux 92 is both aesthetically and mechanically significant. The unique mint green dial conjures classic American automobiles – think Mustangs and Corvettes – and even shares the cars’ metallic paint finish. We’ve also elected to further simplify the dial by removing the running seconds sub-dial, which results in a single-eye chronograph. Speaking of chronographs, the watch’s namesake movement utilizes what is known as an oscillating pinion. To this day, the oscillating pinion remains the most efficient and simple horizontal clutch for engaging the stopwatch function, making the caliber Valjoux 92 a special movement for collectors and chronograph enthusiasts. The Allure is paired with a quality leather strap with matching green stitching, rounding out an attractive and interesting collaboration that would not be possible elsewhere. This Depancel x Worn & Wound special edition is priced at $3,900 and is limited to 20 pieces worldwide. Please reach out to us directly at sales@windupwatchshop.com for inquiries and purchasing details. The watch will also be on display and available at Windup Watch Fair San Francisco from May 3rd to May 5th. For more information on the event, please visi...
Worn & Wound
Belfast’s Nomadic Watch Company was named after the last remaining White Star Line ship in the world, and the nomadic pursuit of new horizons. Their long-term ambition is to eventually make all their watch components in Ireland, except for the Swiss movements that power them. Their first step towards this goal was opening their state-of-the-art watch assembly and testing facility in Belfast in 2023. Until then, their cases and other components are produced by a world-class supplier in Asia, which far exceeds the capabilities of anything available locally. Turas is an Irish Gaeilge (pronounced Gwal-gah) term, which means journey, expedition, or pilgrimage. What a fitting name for a watch line that is all about exploration. New for 2024 is a Numbered Edition of their Turas 914 line in Emerald Green called Landfall. With this watch, Nomadic wanted to pay homage to explorer Ernest Shackleton and his wingman, Tom Crean. Both shining examples of determination and leadership in the face of overwhelming odds against survival. The new Nomadic Turas 914 Landfall measures 39mm in diameter, 11mm thick, 47.5mm from lug-to-lug and has a 20mm strap width. It has a flat sapphire crystal, with anti-reflective coating and is water resistant to a depth of 100m, making this one a great all around go anywhere do anything watch. Beating at the heart of the Landfall is the revered Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement, which has a power-reserve of up to 41 hours. The bracelet features screw in li...
Fratello
The Seiko Motorist is a watch that doesn’t pop up for sale often, so once an opportunity came, I didn’t hesitate much. It’s not perfect, but it is good enough. It’s fairly worn but aged in a way that gives it a unique character. And it’s green! Some Seiko watches are not easy to find. […] Visit #TBT Driving With An Individualistic Seiko Motorist to read the full article.
Deployant
At Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024, Hermés released a new model lineup which they call CUT. We got our hands on one, and here is our review.
Monochrome
In 2021, Bianchet debuted in the watch industry with the Tourbillon B1.618 Openwork, establishing the brand’s design language and paving the way for future releases – like the 2023 Flying Tourbillon Grande Date. In 2023, Maserati returned to the world of open-wheel single-seater motorsport after a hiatus of 65 years. However, instead of the roar […]
Fratello
Rising watch prices, particularly for some brands’ classic models, are creating opportunities to look further afield. Today, we look at five vintage, neo-vintage, and more recent secondhand options that are worth exploring. Last month, an article I wrote garnered quite a lot of attention. In it, I mentioned French philosopher Denis Diderot and the message […] Visit Pre-Owned Watches - The Answer To Rising Watch Prices to read the full article.
SJX Watches
You can never be too rich or too thin – a quote attributed to Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, but it might as well have come from Piaget, which just debuted the thinnest tourbillon wristwatch in history, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon 150th Anniversary. Covered in-depth at launch, the AUC Tourbillon is just 2 mm thick, including the case and crystal; that makes the watch thinner than a Swiss five-franc coin. While its record-breaking dimensions are headline-grabbing, it’s the watch’s overall design and ergonomics that make it look and feel almost miraculous on the wrist. The AUC Tourbillon next to the five-franc coin; it’s also slimmer than the two-franc coin, and equivalent to about 20 sheets of A4 printer paper Initial thoughts Record-chasing, whether in terms of thickness, weight, water resistance, or complications, is a common theme in the watch industry, but the results are often gimmicky and impractical. When I heard that Piaget would be introducing the thinnest tourbillon in history, I rolled my eyes. But my perspective changed as soon as I picked up the AUC Tourbillon, a moment that stands out in my memory as a highlight of Watches & Wonders 2024. The watch is thin, of course, but the immediate impression is one of substance; it feels far more substantial than it looks. This is in part due to the M64BC cobalt alloy case, the extreme rigidity of which makes the watch’s 2 mm thinness possible. Furthermore, the ergonomics of the case, which is...
Fratello
The months leading up to Watches and Wonders are exciting ones in the Fratello office. Every week, we receive new teasers and press releases. This year, there were also a lot of brand-organized previews. That’s great because the more we know upfront, the better we can inform you, our readers, about these new watches. However, […] Visit Hands-On: The Cartier Tank Américaine In Platinum With A Salmon Art Deco Dial to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
This is the story of a daily-wear watch, the Tsunami by Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka. It’s not a “beater” as it’s too beautifully made for that description, and some folks justifiably take offense at characterizing a five-figure expenditure in those terms. But it is a watch that GaryG suspects that he will be wearing a lot and in a variety of settings.
SJX Watches
The surprising, and to some shocking, Louis Vuitton Tambour Einstein Automata created for Only Watch 2024 is over the top in both aesthetics and complexity. Based on the brand’s automata wristwatch that’s available either as a Chinese mask or vanitas skull, the Einstein Automata has the air of a mad scientist’s creation. Depressing the pusher at two o’clock starts the automata, which also serve to tell the time with a jumping hours display in Einstein’s forehead and the minutes indicated by the atom symbol pointer at eight o’clock. Made in-house at its Geneva manufacture of La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), the watch illustrates Louis Vuitton’s impressive matchmaking capabilities, while also bringing to mind the extravagant, casual style of its streetwear. Initial thoughts When I first saw images of the Einstein Automata, I knew I had to see it in person. And in the metal the watch certainly lives up to expectations, it is bizarre, impressive, and wearable, all at the same time. It is bizarre because Einstein is accurately portrayed – the likeness is done well – yet rendered in alien colours of pale blue and silver. It’s impressive because the dial is enamelled and engraved in-house while the movement is exceptionally complex. And it’s wearable despite being a very large watch because the case is in stainless steel, unlike its regular production counterparts that are in gold. Do I like it? I do. But I can imagine a lot of people won’t and I can understand...
SJX Watches
A tribute to the German city of Dresden, the PanoMaticInverse Limited Edition depicts the city where the predecessor of Glashütte Original was founded in 1845. It retains the inverted movement construction that characterises the model, displaying the escapement on the dial, but here the three-quarter plate on the front sports a hand-engraved rendering of Dresden landmarks, the Frauenkirche and Academy of Fine Arts, while the bridges on the reverse are engraved with the Elbe promenade. Initial thoughts Although the brand itself was founded after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Glashütte Original (GO) has its roots in the very beginning of watchmaking in the Glashütte area. Because the brand was formed from the East German state-owned watchmaking enterprise, it was vertically integrated from the beginning, making it a true manufacture. It is somewhat under-appreciated compared to its neighbour, A. Lange & Söhne, although the two brands focus on different segments of the market, with Glashütte Original offering more affordable timepieces. The brand’s steel watches, for example, usually retail for under US$15,000. However, GO is capable of German haute horologerie, as demonstrated by its top-of-the-line timepieces like the Senator Chronometer Tourbillon. The PanoMaticInverse “Dresden Tribute” is one of the brand’s high-end offerings, with a retail price of US$47,400. Even though that’s a big number, the watch delivers substantial tangible quality. In addition to th...
Worn & Wound
If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you’ve been to one of our Windup Watch Fairs in San Francisco, Chicago, or New York City. In the nine years we’ve brought together enthusiasts and brands across the country, it’s been incredible to hear the different stories of how people have come to Worn & Wound and all the reasons they’ve stayed. If you’re a long-time-reader-none-time-attendee lamenting, “I’ve never been to a fair like this before…” – trust us, neither have we. 2024 is going to be a brand new year for the Windup Watch Fair. With over 30 first-time watch and EDC brands as well as many familiar favorites, everyone is in for a treat as we descend on the Fort Mason Gateway Pavilion later this week for the Windup Watch Fair. Maybe it’s our refreshed mission for the year, to include even more enthusiasts under the Worn & Wound umbrella, catalyzing the new EDC Expo with Carryology. Maybe it’s the new venue, the historic (literally) building in the arts and cultural hub along the San Francisco Bay. Maybe it’s the over 90 watches and gear brands coming this year. Ok, a big part of it is the brands. All of these different pieces make this year an all-together new Windup for everyone. If you’re in the Bay Area this weekend, we have two words for you: get here! Fort Mason – Gateway Pavilion, 2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94123 Friday, May 3: 12PM – 6PM Saturday, May 4: 12PM – 6PM Sunday, May 5: 12PM – 5PM Free and open ...
Worn & Wound
U.K. based Farer is a brand that marches to the beat of their own drum, or perhaps in horological terms, the beat of their own movements. From their case shapes, use of color, bronze crowns, and their wonderful lume applications, being different is at the heart of their charm. So why would their take on an aventurine dial be like all the others? This new special edition of their Moonphase collection is called the Baily and it is made from natural aventurine. While most aventurine dials are simply glass flecked with copper filings, these are natural semi-precious gemstones that have been painstakingly cut and polished into a dial that is just 1mm thick. The finished product has a distinctive speckle-patterned look and a smooth glossy surface unique to each watch. Further enhancing the Baily line, the moonphase discs are carefully hand painted in Switzerland and finished with yellow moons made from hand applied, textured Super-LumiNova, which mimics the lunar surface. No Farer would be complete without their signature touch of lume. Each Baily features applied Lumicast markers made from a blend of ceramic and Grade OL X1 Super-LumiNova. These are paired with polished lance style hands and a second hand with a white Farer “A” at its tip. Powering this piece is the hand-wound Sellita SW288-1 in Elaboré grade, which can be seen through the display caseback. It even has a date wheel that is color matched to the larger moonphase wheel, which is a slightly darker shade of gre...
Monochrome
Let’s not go into too many details… This watch, the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT, was one of the most anticipated, most discussed and most appealing watches of the fair. Somehow, in its category of watches made for “normal people” (I’m here excluding highly complex or ultra-luxurious watches that only a few can afford), it […]
Hodinkee
Covering the wild, the weird, and the scholarship-changing in our preview of the upcoming Geneva auctions.
Time+Tide
Omega is aiming the new smaller, blingier Speedy at men and women - but are men actually interested in it? We put it to our audience.The post We asked, you answered: would you wear the new Omega Speedmaster 38mm? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
It's the watch many collectors have been waiting for, and this limited edition set delivers the goods – with a twist.
Deployant
An interesting collaboration, perhaps somewhat unexpected, between Beauregard and Vianney Halter. Presented at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024.
Fratello
For many of us, today’s announcement of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith represents a return to where everything began. The original Formula 1 watch from 1986 was groundbreaking, and for many collectors, it was their first luxury Swiss watch. This may sound like “PR speak,” but it rings true for me as it […] Visit Welcome Back: The TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Originally introduced in 1986, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 was an affordable and cheerful sports watch recognisable to anyone who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s. Now TAG Heuer has just unveiled the Formula 1 Kith Limited Edition, a faithful remake of the original Series 1 model, created in tandem with streetwear label Kith. Offered in ten colourful variants, the new Formula 1 is branded “Kith Heuer” in a nod to the collaboration, with the fashion label’s emblem replacing the customary “TAG” in the watchmaker’s shield logo. Initial thoughts Historically a brand that was an entry point into luxury sports watches, TAG Heuer has now gone a bit more upmarket. Its re-issues of vintage Heuer chronographs, for instance, are located in a pricier segment. Buyers looking for something more affordable have the Aquaracer or modern-day Formula 1. Now they have another option: the original Formula 1 built to current levels of quality. Kith’s motto, “Just Us,” sits just above six The modern-day Formula 1 has evolved enough it no longer resembles the original, so the Formula 1 Kith will be appealing to someone who wants to indulge in some nostalgia. The remake is virtually identical to the 1980s Series 1 model – even the plastic for the case and bezel are made by the same supplier – but with updated specs for additional robustness. At CHF1,500, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith is a good value proposition and in keeping with the accessible spirit of the original. The first TAG...
Fratello
Maybe you’ve heard of it, but Kapton is not a material I’m familiar with. Before being introduced to the Louis Moinet Moon Tech during last month’s Watches and Wonders, I did not know the material existed, let alone its different purposes, such as insulation, chemical resistance, and heat control. It’s used by NASA too, you […] Visit A Rocket-Fast Hands-On Impression Of The Louis Moinet Moon Tech to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Possibly the successor to the Chronomètre Bleu, the Chronomètre Furtif Bleu is a unique creation made for Only Watch 2024 taking place on May 10, but also the template for a next generation of lineSport watches. The Furtif Bleu retains the familiar silhouette of the lineSport, but is executed entirely in tantalum – notably the bracelet is tantalum – with a fired enamel dial. Additionally, it is equipped with a new calibre that displays the power reserve and moon phase on the back. Initial thoughts Despite its name and low-key colours, the Furtif Bleu is a very striking watch, largely because of the contrast between the dark grey tantalum and the blue dial with an orange seconds hand. In the hand, it is heavy, as expected for the metal, and also silky in feel due to the finely blasted surfaces of the case and bracelet. Close your eyes and it feels like the current lineSport in platinum, though the blasted finish is finer than that on the existing gold and platinum models. And on the wrist, it is unexpectedly elegant for a sports watch because of its height, which is just 9.5 mm. That’s slightly thicker than the Chronomètre Bleu and noticeably thinner than the lineSport Automatique Reserve. One of the most notable aspects of the watch is the bracelet, which is entirely tantalum. The nature of the alloy makes it particularly difficult to work, explaining the cost and rarity of tantalum watch cases. Tantalum bracelets are even less common. The only other brand I can t...
Monochrome
Within Formex’s catalogue lie various collections, among which the Essence reigns supreme in versatility. Ranging from 39mm to 43mm in case diameter, the Essence collection offers timepieces of great quality, consistently delivering excellent value for money. With technical ingenuity, aesthetic appeal, and practical solutions, it caters to both seasoned enthusiasts and novice buyers alike. The […]
Time+Tide
The maker of the legendary Navitimer celebrates its 140th, and CEO Georges Kern takes us through the years.The post Breitling CEO Georges Kern talks us through the brand’s 140th anniversary celebrations appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Cartier Tank is one of the most influential and recognizable luxury watches in the world, as well as being one of the few truly iconic timepieces whose appeal is truly unisex: Cartier Tank watches are beloved by both men and women and worn in a diverse array of sizes, colorways, and variations on the original watch’s classical shape and dimensions. Throughout its prestigious history, the Cartier Tank has evolved in ways that are both subtle and revolutionary and has appeared in forms of which many of us might not even be aware. Here is a guide to the modern Cartier Tank collection and a bit of background on each model. While it is today better known as one of the world’s leading jewelers, Cartier’s roots are in the art of horology. Its eponymous founder, Louis-Francois Cartier (above, 1819-1904), was an apprentice to master watchmaker Adolphe Piccard before founding his own company, at the age of 28, in Piccard’s Parisian workshop in 1847. Several generations of family ownership would follow, and Cartier’s watches, and eventually its jewelry, cultivated a worldwide audience and an esteemed client list that included aristocrats and crowned heads; Britain’s King Edward VII famously dubbed Cartier “the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers.” In the early 20th century, during the third generation of family ownership, Cartier produced some of its most epochal timepieces under the creative direction of Louis Cartier, grandson of Louis-Francois, who...
Hodinkee
One escapement, two barrels and gear trains, three new Duometres.
Monochrome
There was a time when watch companies looked to the future, trying to capture the mood, technology, and materials of what might be happening in the coming decades. Then there was the trend for vintage or retro-styled watches, and brands with aeons of heritage dug up classics from the past and revisited them with contemporary […]
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