Hodinkee
Gift Guide: The Best Stocking Stuffers For Watch Lovers
You know that large decorative sock over the hearth? We came up with the novel idea of stuffing it with small goodies.
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Hodinkee
You know that large decorative sock over the hearth? We came up with the novel idea of stuffing it with small goodies.
Hodinkee
A gift guide for everyone that is also somehow for a very specific type of person.
Time+Tide
Erotic watches have long been a controversial topic. Some praise the individuality, artistry and taboo nature of these pieces, impressed by the intricately painted scenes or complex automata depicting them. Others, however, denounce them completely for their tackiness despite the connection to the historical tradition of erotic art – something Luke Benedictus shared his thoughts … ContinuedThe post NSFW! Holiday Hentai from a historic Swiss brand? Merry Christmas, I guess appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The wristwatch hobby is often full of lore and ritual, with prescribed traditions and a general consensus that old age legitimises worth. BA111OD are an incredibly young brand having been started in 2019, which would ordinarily lose them a chunk of customers were it not for their relentless challenging of misconceptions about Swiss watchmaking. The … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The BA111OD Chapter 4.1 T.V.D. is the latest watch from a young brand with big ideas appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
While Blancpain is best known for its retro dive watches and triple calendars, the brand’s catalogue includes a surprisingly broad range of complications, especially for a brand of its scale (but the fact that the brand is part of Swatch Group clearly helps). One of its most interesting recent complications is the Villeret Tourbillon Heure Sautante Minutes Rétrograde, the first Blancpain watch with either a jumping hours or retrograde display. Despite the lengthy name, the Tourbillon Heure Sautante Minutes Rétrograde, from now on simply THSMR, is a simple watch on its face, but one executed in an elaborate manner with details that speak to its quality. The dial is champlevé enamel with a symmetrical time display and “floating” flying tourbillon, while the movement has a six-day power reserve and bridges finished with guilloche. Initial thoughts Unlike most of Blancpain’s complications that formal and busy, the THSMR is an elegant watch with an almost minimalist design. The fired enamel dial has a figure-of-eight display that gives it almost perfect symmetry, except for the charmingly quirky hour window that is off-centre but just right. And up close the tourbillon appears to be “floating” thanks to a clear sapphire lower bridge. It is a fairly large watch as most Blancpain watches now are, though it’s not too thick at just over 11 mm high. But the size is grounded in its mechanics: the cal. 260MR is a sizeable movement with an impressive six-day power r...
Teddy Baldassarre
It's a common refrain in the watch collector community that chronographs are one of the most popular complications while at the same time being one of the least practical in day-to-day life. Many of the most famous chronograph watches are also equipped with tachymeter scales, and while fans of these watches mostly agree that they look very cool, few of them have ever used the scale with the stopwatch function, and many wouldn't really know how. Nevertheless, the tachymeter on a watch was invented for a utilitarian, practical purpose once upon a time and it's worth briefly exploring those origins and exploring those capabilities. Essentially, a tachymeter (also called a tachometer) is a numerical scale on a watch’s dial or bezel that is used in conjunction with a chronograph seconds hand to measure an object’s speed over a predetermined distance. It is often used to determine miles or kilometers per hour and is thus a common feature of chronograph watches whose design is inspired by automobile racing; we'll showcase several icons of that category in our list below. Unlike divers’ watch bezels, which should rotate in one direction to set dive times, or other types of bezel scales used for calculations and conversions, like the circular slide rule on Breitling’s Navitimer, most of which are bidirectional, a tachymeter scale bezel should be fixed. The numerical scale typically starts around the 6- or 7-second marker on the minute track, and is usually indicated in ...
Hodinkee
When F.P. Journe unveiled his Octa Sports line of watches back in 2011, we (the royal watch collecting "we") could simply not believe how light they were. After all, the F.P. Journe "lineSport" pieces, being the Octa Sport and the Centrigraphe (CTS), were made entirely of aluminum. Yes, aluminum! They were so light, they almost felt fake (seriously). They were not fake, they were just absurdly light, and absurdly cool.
Quill & Pad
Chablis must surely be one of those wines familiar to almost everyone. Ken Gargett tastes the wines of William Fèvre in Chablis and shares his thoughts here as well as a brief history of the region.
Hodinkee
You can get your hands on a dino-themed watch stand from one of the world's top watchmakers and do some good.
Hodinkee
Continuing a family legacy of cars and watches via Porsche Design, Eterna, JLC, Chopard, and many more special watches.
Deployant
Breguet's release for the Year of the Rabbit 2023, is this new Classique 9075 with an artistic interpretation of rabbits on the dial.
Time+Tide
There has been no shortage of love for Minase in recent times, and for good reason. The Japanese brand is consistently producing watches that challenge the artistry of much larger luxury brands for a fraction of the cost, and their originality goes far beyond simply changing up some dial designs. Expanding their list of potential … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Minase Horizon and 5 Windows Midsize appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Behind the scenes at one of the world's most unique and comprehensive archives of horology.
Hodinkee
A host of hidden gems means we have a vintage watch for everyone on your holiday list this year.
Hodinkee
Seeing Red for G-SHOCK's first wave of 40th Anniversary releases
Time+Tide
H. Moser & Cie. enters the metaverse with their new Endeavour Centre Seconds Genesis, the first of a triptych of watches.The post Moser enter the metaverse with new Endeavour Centre Seconds Genesis appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Continuing its annual tradition of commemorative editions for the Chinese Lunar Year, Breguet introduces the Classique 9075 “Chinese New Year” to commemorate the Year of the Water Rabbit set to start in January 2023. While last year’s “Tiger” edition was a men’s watch with a hand-engraved dial, this year’s watch is artisanal yet whimsical in a manner that is atypical for the typically conservative brand. Initial thoughts It is always lovely to see a timepiece that makes you smile, especially from a brand that is usually formal. While Breguet debuts special editions regularly, it often utilises guilloche for the dials, as is the brand’s trademark. So the playful dial on the Classique 9075 is refreshing. The prancing-rabbit motif manages to be whimsical without being bold and loud, and still retains the elegance and grace expected of Breguet. And of course the grand feu enamel dial is executed with intricate detail and craftsmanship. The Classique 9075, however, is a women’s watch, not because of the design but the compact case diameter of 33.5 mm as well as the diamonds on the bezel and lugs. A masculine version – scaled up and sans diamonds – would certainly have appeal for male enthusiasts. At CHF43,000, the Classique 9075 is priced in the same ballpark as comparable models in the regular production collection, making it a compelling alternative to the average Breguet. But it will only be an alternative for very few as the watch is limited to o...
Time+Tide
Even though it’s one of the most involved complications in the industry, developments in expertise and technology have enabled many brands to experiment with the tourbillon. A double tourbillon, however, is more rarely seen. Whether that’s due to the inversely proportional relationship of time and the usefulness of tourbillons in wristwatches or the inherent complexity … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Zenith Defy Extreme Double Tourbillon is high-tech AF appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Pack some comfortable shoes, grab your raincoat, and leave your Rolex at home. This London native is taking you on a (totally unbiased!) horological tour of the greatest city in the world.
SJX Watches
Seiko made history when it produced the first-ever made-in-Japan wristwatch in 1913. Known as the Laurel, the 1913 wristwatch was typical of the era when pocket watches were evolving into wristwatches. To mark the 110th anniversary of its first wristwatch, Seiko debuts the Presage Seiko Watchmaking 110th Anniversary ref. SPB359. Featuring a fired enamel dial, the Presage 110th Anniversary is modelled on the 1913 original, right down to the case reminiscent of a pocket watch. Initial thoughts Seiko regularly rolls out Presage limited editions with dials ranging from porcelain to Japanese lacquer, but all share the same case style despite the diversity in dials. In contrast, the Presage 110th Anniversary is refreshingly different and unique within the Presage line-up. Not only is the case executed in the style of an early 20th century watch, it is also more compact than the typical Presage, measuring at 37.5 mm in diameter instead of the usual 40.5 mm. That said, the new Presage is still fairly thick at over 12 mm high as a consequence of the movement inside. Both the case design and dimensions give it a distinctly different look and feel from past Presage models. This means the anniversary edition has appeal even for someone who already owns a past Presage model. And as expected for Seiko, the Presage 110th Anniversary is solid value with a retail price of about US$2,000. The 1913 Laurel in the Seiko Museum Retro styling Entirely polished and stainless steel, the case of t...
Teddy Baldassarre
Watches differ greatly in their sizes, designs, capabilities, straps and bracelets, and even in the materials used to make their cases. The one element that nearly always seems to be present when we peruse watches’ specifications is the use of sapphire for the crystal (for the newest of newbies, that’s the round, glass window over the dial). Over a certain “luxury” price point, a sapphire crystal is not even seen as a benefit but the baseline standard, like tempered laminated glass in a car windshield. How did sapphire come to play this key supporting role in watch manufacturing, and what did watchmakers use before it came along? For that matter, what differentiates different types of sapphire crystals from each other? Which materials other than sapphire are still being used in the watch industry, and why? And is sapphire being used for anything else in horological circles besides crystals? What are the properties of sapphire? Believe it or not, that little lens over the dial of your watch is made from one of the hardest substances on Earth. It is one of two precious gemstones from the mineral variety corundum, the other being ruby. Corundum, a crystallized aluminum oxide, is clear in its purest state; sapphires and rubies receive their blue and red colors, respectively from impurities: traces of titanium, and iron in the former, and of chromium in the latter. Sapphire (above) has a ratio of 9 on the Mohs Hardness scale. Among minerals, only moissanite, a naturally...
Hodinkee
I know what a tourbillon is. Sort of.
Hodinkee
Logan Baker looks over 2022's buzziest and most captivating indies – and celebrates a segment of the industry bursting with imagination.
Hodinkee
F.P. Journe is a renaissance man with the most resonant take on the resonance phenomenon – and these days he offers it with a side of remontoir.
Hodinkee
Grand Seiko built a literal castle in the heart of Williamsburg.
SJX Watches
A horological influencer in the Middle East, Hassan Akhras is behind the magazine Arab Watch Guide and Arab Watch Club (AWC), a community of collectors in the region. Like other regional clubs, the AWC has its share of limited editions made for its members, with the latest being the Piaget Polo Chronograph “Hope” Arab Watch Club Edition. Made to celebrate the seventh anniversary of the club, the edition is Mr Akhras’ first project with Piaget. Initial thoughts Special editions made for the Middle East usually intrigue me because they often have elements specific to the region, including the familiar Hindu-Arabic numerals on the dial. The Polo “Hope” takes a more subtle approach instead of the more overt styling often found on watches for the region. While the dial is eye-catching in its colour, the Hindu-Arabic numerals are found only on the chronograph registers and date wheel. Aside from the Hindu-Arabic numerals, the palette makes the Polo “Hope” an attractive watch. It’s distinctly different from the variants of the model to date. And even in its original form, the Polo S Chronograph has appealing dimensions at 42 mm in diameter and 11.2 mm in height. It’s a large, sporty watch but slim enough to slip underneath a cuff. Sadly, this timepiece is exclusive to its membership of the Arab Watch Club, and all 30 pieces have been sold out. First of many While Piaget has done limited editions for specific countries, the brand had not teamed up with a c...
Quill & Pad
When De Bethune released the new DB25s Perpetual Calendar at Geneva Watch Days 2022, the main talking point was just how much the model had shrunk from its previous iterations to become a more perfect proportion. And like any good diet consultation, it was the result of careful and deliberate attention paid to the watch as a whole and how components worked with each other.
Time+Tide
Writer’s note: This article was completed mere hours after Croatia’s incredible penalty shootout win against Brazil. During that match, the percentage of grey hair on my head has increased significantly, and the years of my lifespan that I’ve saved up by not smoking have been spent. With that in consideration, excuse any overly enthusiastic comments … ContinuedThe post Watchspotting among the fans at the Qatar World Cup appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
GaryG had the opportunity to borrow a Rolex GMT-Master II BLRO Meteorite from a long-time friend to photograph and wear. This watch's main event is the dial, a thin slice of metallic meteorite whose crystalline structure reflects the slow cooling process that took place as the meteor hurtled through space. Here he tries a variety of photographic techniques to learn which works best on the dial's unique structures. Which are your favorites?
Deployant
Zenith DEFY Extreme Double Tourbillon combines the best of complications with a 1/100th second chronograph and a double tourbillon.
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