Hodinkee
Hands-On: Three Grand Seikos Only Available In Japan - And One You Can Only Get Six Hours From Tokyo
Don't book your ticket too fast, though. One is already sold out.
4,138 articles · 24 videos found · page 73 of 139
Hodinkee
Don't book your ticket too fast, though. One is already sold out.
Monochrome
Just a couple of weeks ago, we brought a very interesting Dutch watchmaker to your attention: Fred Dingemans. Through his eponymous brand, dingemans mechanische horloges (Dingemans Mechanical Watches), Fred offers a true slice of artisanal watchmaking, with a lot of work done by one man, by hand. While his three-hander in bronze was already quite […]
Hodinkee
Plus, a look at the Black Bay Chrono "Pink," some historical context to Tudor Chronographs, and more.
Worn & Wound
While much of the focus when discussing Hamilton’s history centers on World War II (for good reason), the brand was making waves within its repertoire decades earlier. In the mid-1930s, the country was in the throes of economic recovery after the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Initiatives like the Social Security Act and the Works Progress Administration, created in 1935, began to reflect a positive return to some stability. The same year, Hamilton Watch Company – then based out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania – offered a new design to the public: a handsome, fully gold watch called the “Ardmore.” This watch was manufactured for only three years and included a 14K gold case, domed crystal, and curved case design. Newspaper ads from the time show the Ardmore typically priced at $100 – steep enough, given the overall context of the Great Depression, which spanned the entirety of the 1930s. Perhaps this accounted for the Ardmore’s relatively short run. While most would agree we are seeing a trend towards smaller watches in the past few years, the last year alone has seemed to hasten the move towards the teenytiny. Timothee Chalamet is the current face of the Itty Bitty Watch Committee with his various elegant Cartiers, but brands are also driving forces in this movement. Audemars Piguet dropped their 23mm “Mini Oaks” in May of this year in various shades of gold. Cartier released the Tank Louis Mini in April. Similarly, Hamilton’s newest addition to their America...
WatchAdvice
Part of Zenith’s Watches & Wonders 2024 releases was a long-overdue Revival of a popular retro model. But does the 70s aesthetic still hold up today? Let’s find out! What We Love: Retro design & old-school cool Tough specs make for good for daily wear Plenty of adjustments for even the smallest wrists What We Don’t: Clasp feels lacking in design Challenging to pull off and style with outfits Smudges easily – a byproduct of all high-polish watches Final Score: 8/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 8/10 We at Watch Advice were busy throughout all of 2024’s Watches & Wonders. So many brands, so many releases, and all in one place? April was the season for Watch Heaven. With your eyes darting from brand to brand, it’s easy to get lost in the fog of the amazing new models – however, if you don’t slow down and look around, you might realise that you missed something special. ‘Under-the-radar’ is a somewhat apt description of Zenith’s releases at this year’s biggest watch fair. While there were two new modern defy models worth celebrating, one release didn’t seem to get as much press as everything else did. Designed in the ’60s, the Zenith Defy lineup was a distinctive collection in a sea of retro timepieces. However, they were built for one purpose: survival. Zenith wanted to make the most resilient Swiss watch of its time, and they made sure that no stone was left unturned. The vintage goodness that is the Zen...
Monochrome
The Lang & Heyne brand debuted in 2002, and since then, it has gained recognition for expertly blending the rich tradition of German fine watchmaking with a modern sensibility. Lang & Heyne timepieces, consistently named after historical figures from the Saxony region, pay tribute to the past while embodying a contemporary vision. The result is […]
SJX Watches
Best known for its TV-shaped watch, Hautlence marks its 20th anniversary this year with something radically different, but also entirely apt: the Retrovision ’47. Cleverly inspired by a 1940s radio, the watch has a titanium case painted in a bright green that contains a self-winding movement with a flying tourbillon. Though it’s powered by an existing movement (borrowed from Moser), the Retrovision ’47 is the brand’s first all-new model in a long time. Whether it marks a new direction for the brand is unknown, but it definitely makes a statement. Initial thoughts The Retrovision ’47 is a weird and interesting watch that is a surprisingly creative take on the vintage-inspired timepiece. Even though it is outlandish, the Retrovision ’47 is coherent. The watch achieves what it sets out to do: instantly evokes a vintage radio. It’s paradoxical in several ways: not exceptionally large, but it stands out because of its shape and colour. And at a distance, the Retrovision ’47 resembles a plastic toy, but up close the fit and finish make it clear that this is a high-end watch. I doubt I would wear one, but Hautlence should be commended for doing something bold and different. Beyond the watch itself, however, Hautlence still needs work. Weird and wonderful as it is, the Retrovision ’47 doesn’t explain where Hautlence is going, or even what the brand is really all about now. Even though the watch has a quirky, intrinsic appeal, the brand behind it still needs cla...
Hodinkee
The German brand doubles down on the date complication with a wildcard take on a classic model.
Worn & Wound
I’d be hard-pressed to name a watch more iterated upon in the last few years than Zodiac’s Sea Wolf. The retro-inspired diver has been at the heart of a true brand renaissance and was at the forefront of the vintage revival movement that has so characterized the watch world over the last decade. Today, Zodiac is looking back to one of its earliest dive watches with the new Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Ref. 691. There is, as with most things watch-related and pre-internet, some debate as to the initial launch date of the Zodiac Sea Wolf, but regardless of the date, there’s no doubt that Zodiac released the Sea Wolf as part of the first wave of dive watches back in the 1950s, but while watches like the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Rolex Submariner, and Omega Seamaster 300 soared (or dove), the Sea Wolf fell into the background - obscured to all but the most devoted watch enthusiasts alongside other early generation dive watches like the Eterna Kon-Tiki and Enicar Sherpa-Dive. By the time I got into watches in the early 2010s, the Zodiac Sea Wolf was one of the great secrets of the enthusiast world. Great examples could be had for a few hundred bucks, so for not much money, you could have a great-looking vintage dive watch with some real history. That all started to change when Zodiac, under the larger umbrella of Fossil Group, revived the Sea Wolf in 2015. The Zodiac Sea Wolf was immediately brought to the center of the horological world and has continued to stay relevant in t...
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe’s new launches for 2024 included novel complications like the World Time Date ref. 5330G and a “salmon” face for the flagship perpetual calendar ref. 5236P, and also a watch that exemplifies formal simplicity, the Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738/1R-001. The new Golden Ellipse is a two-hander in the model’s largest size, but stands out for its bracelet. The only men’s watch in the current catalogue with an integrated bracelet that isn’t a Nautilus, the ref. 5738/1R has a “chain-style” bracelet made by Wellendorff, a German jeweller that has long supplied bracelets to a variety of watch brands. Initial thoughts The Ellipse is one of Patek Philippe’s trademark models but relatively under the radar, especially compared with its famous integrated-bracelet sports watch cousin designed in the same era. But the Ellipse has its appeal, particularly as a no-frills formal watch. Most commonly seen on a strap, the Ellipse feels strikingly different on a bracelet, although it is still easily recognisable. The gold bracelet evokes the mesh bracelets popular in the 1970s and gives the ref. 5738/1R a pronounced retro feel. The bracelet is finely wrought and supple. Up close, the bracelet also reveals a surprisingly intricate design that contrasts with the simplicity of the case. The fact that the bracelet is made by Wellendorff is both a strength and weakness. It has the flexibility of fine jewellery but also the open-ended clasp typical of a jewellery, instead o...
Worn & Wound
Editor’s Note: This post on the new Leica Q3 43mm from Ben Carpenter, Director of Marketing at Camera West, appears in a longer version on the Camera West blog. Today, Leica announced the Leica Q3 43, a highly anticipated addition to their popular Leica Q series. At Camera West and Leica Store San Francisco, we’ve long been hoping for a longer focal length in the Q lineup, and many of those that we meet through our stores have expressed the same. It’s exciting to finally see this come to fruition with the release of the Q3 43mm. The Leica Q3 43mm offers a “sweet spot” focal length between 35mm and 50mm. This seemingly odd focal length isn’t new for Leica-past cameras like the Minilux, CM, and CL featured a 40mm focal length, which have their own dedicated fan base. While the original 28mm Q lens has its enthusiasts, the 43mm provides a more compressed field of view that some photographers may prefer. Both the Q3 43mm and the Standard Q3 (28mm) share the same internal components, including the 60MP BSI sensor, autofocus system, and OLED viewfinder, but the standout feature of the Q3 43 is its 43mm f2 APO-Summicron ASPH lens, which delivers superior microcontrast and precision thanks to Leica’s advanced optical design. Details At A Glance – The Leica Q3 43mm APO-Summicron 43mm F2 lens contains 4 aspherical elements and a leaf shutter just like its predecessors ISO Range of 50-100k 60mp BSI Sensor with triple resolution technology (18/36/60MP) and 8k vid...
WatchAdvice
A revolution in affordable Haute Horlogerie with the latest M.A.D.1S. What We Love: Affordable haute horology timepiece The three-blade rotor design is well thought out, with it becoming even more fun with lume activated! Despite its thickness, the timepiece sits very well on the wrist thanks to the flat case back. What We Don’t: The hour time barrel is read right to left as it spins counter-clockwise when it should be read left to right The racing-inspired textile leather strap lacks adjustment for slim wrists. Lack of secondary strap choices from M.A.D Editions! Overall Rating: 8.75/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 The M.A.D.1S. is one of the best, if not the best, horological “fun” pieces that are available on the market right now. There are not too many other watches in the luxury world of horology that offer such an amusing timepiece that gets everyone talking, even non-watchgoers! The M.A.D 1 has a relatively short-lived history, as it was first released in June 2021; however, since then, it has been met with an overwhelming reception, giving more and more incentive for the M.A.D. Editions brand to keep creating more innovative, affordable entertainment timepieces! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chamath Gamage (@champsg) The brand new 2024 M.A.D.1S. models To understand how M.A.D.1 first came about, we need to look at how the brand M.A.D Edition started and how its big sister brand, MB&F;, played a maj...
Hodinkee
The Spirit Zulu Time collection gets an easy-wearing addition.
Monochrome
Sometimes simplicity is best, especially in the watch game, and Alpina proves that looking back at another era can be an aesthetic winner today. Many brands have vintage-inspired collections that pull from older, often historic models, so this is certainly nothing new. Alpina’s expanding Heritage collection, however, encapsulates the best of the brand with style, […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
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Hodinkee
Classically inspired but challenging convention, the asymmetrical Mirage rejects the traditional "rules" of watchmaking.
WatchAdvice
The Riviera 10770: Baume & Mercier’s Perfect Balance of Form and Function is now met with a brilliant emerald-green dial! What We Love: Exceptional dial design The movement offers a 5-day power reserve A smaller and slimmer case makes it more versatile. What We Don’t: The bracelet design is too plain for Riviera’s case finishing and dial design Lack of micro-adjustment on bracelet. Lack of colour options for secondary strap options (to colour match with the dial) Overall Rating: 8.95/10 Value for Money: 9.3/10 Wearability: 8.75/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 8.75/10 Founded in 1830, Baume & Mercier, as a watchmaker, has long been known to have a deep-rooted passion for horology, reflected through their timepeices that show elegance and precision. Brothers Louis-Victor and Célestin Baume founded Baume & Mercier, and the brand quickly found itself on the international stage with a reputation for creating watches of exceptional quality, earning them numerous awards for precision at international exhibitions. In 1918, Baume & Mercier further solidified its “luxury image” by bringing in Paul Mercier as a partner. Paul Mercier brought a modern vision to the brand, leaning more towards aesthetic innovation while still upholding the brand’s technical excellence. This philosophy of Paul Mercier laid the groundwork for future Baume & Mercier collections! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Baume & Mercier (@baumeetmercier) All-new Baume & Mercier Riviera 10...
Worn & Wound
Longines, somehow, still feels slept on to me. In the hierarchy or Swatch Group brands, they sit in a place where they really should be insanely popular with enthusiasts and the mass market alike, but somehow they often feel like a brand struggling to break into the wider conversation. To be fair, I have no idea about the relative commercial success Longines has experienced over these last few years – it’s quite possible that everyone at Longines and Swatch are quite happy with their performance. Anecdotally, though, I just don’t see them on wrists very often, either at local neighborhood watch meetups, or in the wild. And that’s kind of a shame, because whenever I actually spend time with a Longines watch, I come away feeling impressed. I’ve long held that they do vintage reissues better than just about anyone. Whoever has the job of raiding the archives and picking watches to resurface from the brand’s long history has impeccable taste, and an innate understanding of the watches that hit the center of the Venn Diagram covering “aesthetically interesting” and “historically important.” They’ve done a great job of telling the brand’s story with a string of excellent heritage releases. But Longines is too big, of course, to just release vintage inspired watches, so in a moment a few years back when it was clear that the heritage gravy train wasn’t going to run forever, they introduced the Spirit collection. An entirely new line, the Spirit watches...
Hodinkee
A bracelet is introduced for the black dial, too.
Worn & Wound
Picture this: You’re playing Thursday night trivia and the DJ asks which watch was first worn on the moon. The softball question generates bar-wide high fives as everyone celebrates their collective awareness of Buzz Aldrin’s Speedmaster that forever married watches and space travel into pop culture lore. Less than a year after we took our first small steps on the moon, the Apollo 13 mission sought a return to our celestial stomping grounds. Once again, a watch stole our collective attention, this time as part of the ill fated Apollo 13 mission. The world heard the phrase “Houston, we’ve had a problem here” and held its collective breadth as the safe return of three astronauts packed into a Lunar Module 200,000 miles from earth became dependant on their ability to precisely time a 14 second burn of the module’s thrusters – a task achieved with a NASA qualified Omega Speedmaster. John F. Kennedy famously declared that we choose to go to the moon not because it is easy, but because it is hard. While nothing about the nearly tragic Apollo 13 story makes this land-loving watch nerd want to get a closer view of the stars, others feel inspired to embody Kennedy’s words and to keep pushing farther… 586 times farther, to be exact. Kicking off this exciting new phase of space travel is NASA’s Artemis Program, which will bring a new generation of astronauts to the moon with new technology to be used on the quest for Mars. The Watch Watch collectors looking to cel...
Monochrome
The SeaQ series, part of Glashütte Original’s Spezialist collection, made its debut in 2019, representing the German brand’s interpretation of the classic diver’s watch and drawing inspiration from the Glashütte Spezimatic Type RP TS 200, originally introduced at the end of the 1960s by the East German GUB (Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe). While the vintage Spezimatic models […]
Hodinkee
Baltic celebrates its three showrooms with three colorful stone dials.
Monochrome
It’s been several years since we last saw an update to the Aquis Chronograph, making the recent release anticipated. Oris introduced the previous 500m water-resistant version back in 2018, featuring a 45.5mm case and a 6-9-12 sub-register layout. Since then, the model has remained unchanged except for the 2019 Blue Whale, which was part of the […]
Hodinkee
From the minds that brought us "Snowflake" and "Shunbun," could this be a new dial-driven icon?
Hodinkee
Plus some thoughts 10 years down the road.
Teddy Baldassarre
When it comes down to my personal watch tastes, I would not self-identify as a quiet luxury enthusiast. Nor would I claim to be a minimalist, even if we’re talking about the luxury variety. More often, my preferences lean towards the quirky and colorful, and I have been known to be a lover of things many might consider “junky,” “kitsch,” or even “tacky” at times. No matter how long I’m in “The Biz,” I don’t think I will ever be able to shake my enthusiasm for thrift-store gems or my habit of scouring eBay for hidden deals at strange hours of the night. However, if I were to have any hard-and-fast rule when it comes to Close Encounters With Watchkind, it would be always to leave ample room to be surprised. During my alone time with the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Automatic 36mm, I will admit that I found myself surprised - and might even be so bold as to say pleasantly surprised. For context’s sake, Parmigiani Fleurier is a relatively young brand in the world of watches. Founded in 1996, Parmigiani Fleurier is the brainchild of Michel Parmigiani – a Swiss-born watch restorer and architecture enthusiast who cut his horological teeth during the peak of the quartz crisis, in which he turned his focus to preserving and reviving antique pieces at his own workshop, Mesure et Art du Temps. Despite the maison’s intimate knowledge of horological history, in the current revival-heavy landscape of modern watchmaking, a quick look at Parmigiani F...
SJX Watches
Last year Vacheron Constantin (VC) the Traditionnelle Manual-Winding ref. 82172, a fresh variant of the brand’s longstanding time-only dress watch. Combining an 18k pink gold case with a sunburst green dial, the new Traditionnelle is an unusual and bold twist on the traditional formal wear timepiece. Although compact in dimensions and formal in style, it stands out as dress watch that different without trying too hard. Initial thoughts The Traditionnelle Manual-Winding is arguably VC’s quintessential dress watch. It has a traditional aesthetic and perfect proportions at 38 mm. And though it’s an entry-level model, it features upscale details like solid-gold indices and hands, along with a refined movement. The most familiar iteration of the Traditionnelle Manual-Winding is pink gold with a silver dial, which is classic but perhaps too plain for some. Similarly, most dress watches, VC or otherwise, tend to be in conservative colours, silver, cream, black and so on. The new Traditionnelle Manual-Winding, on the other hand, is a striking metallic green that’s flashy but not overly so. The combination is unconventional as a dress watch, but it works well. And it’s also one of the most affordable dress watches in the brand’s catalogue. Only the Patrimony 40 mm is less expensive but that has the slightly simpler cal. 1400 movement. The Traditionnelle Manual-Winding on the other hand sports the higher-end cal. 4400 AS, a large movement with a long power reserve that...
WatchAdvice
Finally, the Zenith Chronomaster Revival Shadow has a titanium bracelet to match! But can it change my mind on the ladder-style bracelet? Let’s find out! What We Love: Great movement specs and finishing Plenty of micro-adjustment holes for easy wear A sleek, sporty yet geometric design What We Don’t: The clasp isn’t as refined as it could be Ladder bracelet isn’t for everybody Retro styling may not suit all people’s tastes Final Score: 8/10 Value for Money: 7/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 8/10 “If You Know, You Know/IYKYK”: A phrase that I keep seeing being used all around social media. It’s a statement I often find used to infer that only a select amount of people know about a certain thing. It’s kind of cool and funny when done for inside jokes, but more often than not I see the term overused to gate-keep to an annoying degree. From withholding movie titles to restaurants – some people need to wake up and realise that buying Adidas Sambas, watching Set It Up or going to that poké place down the road doesn’t make you the main character of anything. Conversely, if used in moderation, it can make a community feel truly special and grateful to be a part of a tight-knit fan base. In that respect, I believe that Le Locle watch brand Zenith is the definition of an IYKYK community. I’ve not met a single Zenith wearer who doesn’t absolutely love Zenith – every single one who, upon mentioning my appreciation for their watch of choice...
Hodinkee
One size does not fit all. Available in large, small, and mini.
Hodinkee
An impressively executed follow-up from Daniel Roth and La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.
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