Hodinkee
Introducing: The Hermès Arceau Squelette (Live Pics & Pricing)
A transparent take on one of the house's most iconic watches.
236 articles · 20 videos found · page 8 of 9
Hodinkee
A transparent take on one of the house's most iconic watches.
Quill & Pad
Early American historian and Harvard professor Laurel Thatcher Ulrich titled her 2008 book 'Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History.' Ulrich would probably be very interested to know about three famous Swiss and French brands whose very first wristwatches were made for – and in a way by – women. Their watches have made history as some of the first examples of wristwatches in history, too.
Quill & Pad
A horological detox means going back to simplicity. Just the basics: time-only, preferably in a stainless steel case and fitted with a strap, not overly thick or large, and dial functional in design. These are not attention-grabbing watches, but the perfect choice to start the new year with.
Revolution
My 4th grade composition: “A most enjoyable dream” I had the most vivid dream on one wintry evening in early January. I didn’t know where I was from and when it begun. I remembered I was seemingly flying freely in a little town at Valee de Joux, and floated effortlessly into a room which looked […]
SJX Watches
The world’s largest luxury group, Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), just announced that it has taken a minority stake in Swiss movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret, an important supplier to the group’s watch brands as well as the industry at large. Owned by Citizen of Japan, La Joux-Perret also controls a few of its own brands, including Arnold & Son and Angelus, that will remain independent. The solar-powered TAG Heuer Formula 1 that relies on technology licensed from Citizen Initial thoughts LVMH’s investment in La Joux-Perret marks a logical next step in its long-term effort to consolidate movement production within the group. Such arrangements are becoming increasingly common - Hermès and Chanel, for instance, have taken similar minority stakes in movement makers Vaucher and Kenissi, respectively. LVMH, which owns TAG Heuer, Bulgari, Zenith, Hublot, and of course Louis Vuitton, had already hinted at this direction. Last year, Frédéric Arnault, son of Bernard Arnault and then the head of LVMH’s watch division, proposed expanding Zenith’s manufacture to supply movements to other group brands. That plan has been partly realised with Zenith now producing Bulgari’s Solotempo calibre. However, the idea of Zenith supplying a high-volume brand like TAG Heuer always seemed unlikely, which helps explain this latest move. La Joux-Perret’s solar technology for movements is particularly important to TAG Heuer, the most important watch brand in LVMH in terms o...
SJX Watches
One of the most beautiful, albeit not particularly novel, debuts at Watches & Wonders recently was the Patek Philippe Ref. 5370R-001 Split-Seconds Chronograph with a two-tone grand feu enamel dial in brown and cream. It’s merely a new variant of a longstanding model, but it is striking. Prior versions were in platinum with a black and then blue enamel dial; this is the first model in rose gold and perhaps the first-ever modern-day Patek Philippe with a multi-part, two-tone enamel dial. Design aside, the ref. 5370R retains the same specs and movement as its predecessors. Initial thoughts I usually don’t like brown dials, and the ref. 5370R is merely a cosmetic tweak. The movement remains the same CHR 29-535 PS that is good looking and contains some clever technical features, but its decoration could be a little more artisanal for the price. Overall, the ref. 5370R isn’t fundamentally new. And despite being in rose gold, it’s even more expensive than its predecessors in platinum, with a retail price crossing US$300,000. Being a Patek Philippe, the ref. 5370R is expensive, in the same manner that Ferrari and Hermes can charge more than the competition. But despite so much going against it, the ref. 5370R is one of the few watches that has remained in my memory in the weeks after W&W;. It is simply that beautiful. As the saying goes, if I could, I would. The new ref. 5370 looks classical yet modern, and still captures the old school Patek Philippe aesthetic. The two-ton...
Hodinkee
Brands from Parmigiani to Ulysse Nardin, Hermès, and Oris see few reasons to raise volumes.
SJX Watches
The world’s most important watch trade show, Watches & Wonders, has just announced the dates for next year: April 1-7, 2025. Practically all major luxury watch brands present their latest wares at Watches & Wonder (W&W;), including Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Cartier. The event also named additions to the board of the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation (WWGF), the governing body of the event. Chanel, Hermès and LVMH join Rolex, Richemont, Patek Philippe, and Cartier on the board, giving representation to the biggest brands or groups showing at the event. Alongside the enlarged board, the WWGF appointed Cartier chief executive Cyrille Vigneron chairman of the board, taking over from Rolex chief executive Jean-Frederic Dufour, who now becomes the organisation’s treasurer. Still a key man on the board, Jean-Frederic Dufour (second from left) Give and take The changes at WWGF reflect longstanding rivalry between the brands and groups that emerged when the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, better known as SIHH, evolved into W&W; after the demise of Baselworld. Previously dominated by Richemont and Cartier, SIHH transformed into an event that included giants like Rolex and LVMH. LVMH long believed it deserved a seat on the board, according to a senior executive of its watch division. It is possible that the elevation of Cartier’s boss to the chairmanship is a concession for the jewellery agreeing to the enlarged board. Interestingly, the two-year term of Mr Vign...
Fratello
Geneva-based Pragma is the brainchild of Christopher Wegener and Kai-Hsuan Liu. Wegener has 21 years of experience in watchmaking; he worked for Rolex and F.P.Journe, for instance. Liu is the brand’s Creative Design Director. He has a background at Hermès and a studio of his own, and his forté is fusing natural and technological elements. […] Visit Introducing The Pragma P1 – Perseverance: A 100% Swiss Chronometer Made With 82.7% Recycled Materials to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Yesterday, Zach Weiss, Kat Shoulders, and Zach Kazan told you about their favorite watches from Watches & Wonders week. Today, our contributors have their say. Their choices reflect the incredible diversity of watches at the show (even in what most consider a somewhat slow year) and show that there are lots of great watches that we’ll all continue to discover from the event, sometimes from unexpected sources. Tanner Tran By many accounts, the releases of Watches & Wonders 2024 were a relatively muted affair. We saw a lot of massaged designs and logical extensions of existing product lines. But that’s not to say there weren’t any new releases. The Cut, a new sports watch from Hermès, was one such example and a personal favorite of mine. I have a sneaking suspicion this watch will appeal to anyone looking for an uncommon 36mm integrated bracelet sports watch – that is to say, a lot of people – even though ‘The Cut’ is a little more than implicitly marketed as a ladies’ piece. With its rounded case (almost Cartier pebble-like) and variants featuring diamond-studded bezels, ‘The Cut’ is a softer alternative to its sibling, the H08. I really dig the design and find that it neither feels overly done nor half-baked. The applied numerals carry a distinct Hermès typography, and the orange accents along both the inner dial and second hand add a nice touch of contrast. The execution of the quick-change bracelet (and strap) is also simple and elegant. On that n...
Worn & Wound
There’s a storied history of non-watch companies making the foray into the watch world. Montblanc, Ralph Lauren, Tiffany & Co. Some of them are even quite good–the Hermès H08, for example, is simply stunning and unlike anything else on the market. But none of these forays into watchmaking is quite as quirky, quite as unexpected, or quite as downright amusing as the LEGO Watch System. I discovered the LEGO Watch System, and specifically those released in 2013 which after some research seem to be the best since LEGO launched the product in 1996, on January 28, National LEGO Day, as luck would have it, through a random recommended post on Instagram. The 2013 LEGO Watch System was produced for adults, unlike its predecessors–no Nexo Knights minifigures included with these. The designs ranged from zero LEGO design references–like a black and yellow dial with arabic numerals that just featured the LEGO logo–to those with subtle LEGO design cues–such as the models with two-stud LEGO pieces for indices–to models that wanted zero confusion about who made these watches–like the model that features a pirate skull and crossbones made out of LEGO bricks or the one that’s just a big LEGO minifig face in the middle of the dial. Uniting all of these disparate aesthetics is a modular design that lets you switch and swap parts. The bezels, straps or bracelets and their links are all interchangeable, giving owners increased customization over their timepieces. Powered by a...
SJX Watches
In the midst of a resurgence that makes it both one of the biggest and fastest growing luxury brands, Dior nonetheless has a barely-there presence in the watch segment – particularly in mechanical watches – despite having offered watches since 1975. This contrasts with its peers like Chanel, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton, all of which have invested significant resources into making serious watches, particularly compilations and métiers d’art offerings. Now Dior is embarking on an overhaul of its mechanical watch offerings by returning to the Chiffre Rouge, a model first unveiled in 2004 that was distinguished by an asymmetrical case accentuated by a red crown or pusher at four. More streamlined and almost monochromatic, the Chiffre Rouge Black Ultra-Matte Chronograph has a black-coated, 41 mm case containing the Zenith El Primero movement. Initial thoughts The Chiffre Rouge stood out as a memorable design model from the 2000s, although its mechanics were rarely serious. The earlier chronograph models, for instance, relied on either ETA or quartz movements. Dior also never made a real effort to upgrade the model, so it was mostly perceived as a “fashion” watch. The redesign gives the Chiffre Rouge more appeal, as it retains the original, distinctive styling but with a definitely superior movement. That said, I would have done away with the date window at four for a clean geometric-patterned dial. The key feature of the new chronograph is the Zenith El Primero, which ...
Worn & Wound
A Lange & Söhne opened the doors of their latest boutique in New York City’s upper east side this week with the help of CEO Wilhelm Schmid, and a new Zeitwerk Minute Repeater rendered in Honeygold was presented to mark the occasion. That might be the poshest sentence ever to be written on this website, but don’t let that turn you away just yet, there’s an impeccably interesting watch underneath the glitz here. The Zeitwerk takes a unique approach to displaying the time, and it’s no different when a chiming complication is added to the mix. There is no hour and minute hand here, and there’s also no slide mechanism along the side of the case. It is an entirely over the top example of the kind of creative engineering the brand is capable of set into a material that is nearly as difficult to explain. The new boutique finds itself in New York’s lovely upper east side, on Madison ave at 63rd street, directly across from the Hermès boutique. The cozy space is accented with plenty of Lange ephemera, including a monolithic installment of a Saxonia Triple Split chronograph, which includes an oversized hyper accurate recreation of the movement around back. What I personally found the most compelling, however, was the display on the south wall, which was composed of small numbered boxes, each depicting a single piece of the 684 total pieces that comprise the Tourbograph Perpetual Pour Le Merite movement. It takes up an entire wall, and imagining them all placed within ...
SJX Watches
Having been the subject of chatter since the beginning of 2023, the F.P. Journe boutique in London is now official. Located at 33 Bruton Street, around the corner from Hermès in London’s upmarket Mayfair district, the store is slated to open in early summer. Although F.P. Journe has been in London almost since its founding in 1999, it was always represented by retailers. Now, as is the case in many other cities, F.P. Journe is bringing things in-house. The brand’s 11th boutique, the new London store joins its long-established outposts in Tokyo, Geneva, and Hong Kong, giving F.P. Journe a major presence in yet another key city. The upcoming boutique at 33 Bruton Street Given the mismatched supply and demand for F.P. Journe watches – it makes about 1,000 watches a year and enjoys demand many multiples of that – the business rationale of the new boutique might be hard to grasp, at least on its face. But given that Mr Journe has already spoken of consolidating his brand’s retail network around the world – word has it that even some boutiques might not be spared – it can be inferred that the London boutique will be receiving some of the inventory that would have otherwise gone to the soon-to-be-closed locations. According to industry insiders, the team for the new boutique has already been hired, with a respected industry veteran slated to take the helm of the store. Regardless of his or her talents, the boutique’s manager will likely need to be adept at managi...
Time+Tide
Movement masters Agenhor have had their fingers in so many pies that one article can’t cover all of their unique takes on complications. We’ve already looked at their involvement with the likes of Arnold & Son and Harry Winston, and today explore their involvement with Fabergé, Hermès, MB&F;, Parmigiani Fleurier and Van Cleef & Arpels. … ContinuedThe post Agenhor, and the many movements of the Genevan complication masters (Part 2) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
The preeminent – and perhaps only international – awards for watchmaking, Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), has just announced the competing timepieces of 2022. We are please that one of own editions, the Kudoke 2 “Zodiac”, is competing in “Artistic Crafts”. Created last year for the 10th anniversary of SJX Watches, the Kudoke 2 “Zodiac” is a candidate alongside marques like Voutilainen and Hermes in a category that calls for “exceptional mastery of one or several artistic techniques such as enamelling, lacquering, engraving, guilloché (engine-turning), skeleton-working, etc.” The Zodiac is all about engraving – done by hand naturally – with both the front and back decorated in relief and textures. Both the dial and movement are fully engraved by the hands of the skilful artisans at Kudoke. The hand engraving is extensive and complete, with is nothing on the dial or movement that is engraved by machine – even the brand name on the dial is executed by hand. But the Zodiac is more than just artisanal technique. It is also an artistic creation: the hour symbols on the dial were commissioned especially for the watch and drawn by Canadian illustrator Lee Yuen-Rapati, who’s now the in-house designer at Fears. He cleverly combined both a sign of the zodiac and Roman numeral into each hour markers. The marker at ten, for instance, is Aquarius but also contains “X”, the Roman numeral for “10”. To echo the celestial theme on the fr...
SJX Watches
Although Jaeger-LeCoultre has launched about a dozen new wristwatch models to date in 2022, the standout new timepieces from the Le Sentier manufacture are a pair of clocks that share the same aesthetic. One is the very expensive Atmos Hybris Mechanica Calibre 590, and the other is the far more affordable Atmos Infinite. Most Atmos clocks are defined by their boxy exterior and classical dial, with the notable exceptions being those designed by collaborations like Apple designer Marc Newson and Hermes. Reminiscent of Mr Newson’s Atmos designs, the Infinite features a clean, monochromatic movement in a seamless glass cylinder, instantly setting it apart from the rest of the Atmos lineup. Initial thoughts Sitting alongside the Patek Philippe Dome Clock as an iconic timepiece in the clock category, the Atmos is one of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s best products in concept and execution. It’s powered by a simple yet ingenious mechanism that’s so effective it remains unchanged after almost a century. And it is offered in a surprisingly wide range of designs, many of which are affordable, with the entry-level model starting at just over US$7,000. The Atmos Transparente, a more typical example of the clock with its four-sided glass box But most Atmos designs feel dated, being more or less unchanged since the 1950s. The exceptions were the limited editions by the likes of Mr Newson and Hermes, which were all much more expensive. The most recent Atmos Newson, for instance, retails for...
Time+Tide
High-fashion, low rent refers to the playful relationship between the rarified objects in life with the more mass-produced and accessible. G-Shock often delivers great examples of this interplay, whether it’s Tom Sachs’ Casio G-Shock, featured in A Man & His Watch, that he customised with a Hermès-esque Cape Cod double-loop strap, or even the full metal … ContinuedThe post COLLECTING STORIES: A G-Shock CasiOak modification that pushes the Genta levels up to 11 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Paris, Haute Couture and summer on the French Riviera – France has elegance ingrained into its very soul. Wrist-worn style is something we are used to seeing from both Cartier and Chanel, while Hermès has evolved into a serious horological prospect – take their sporty H8-series this year. But for the more budget-conscious, there is … ContinuedThe post The new French Wave: 5 small watch brands setting a high bar for independents worldwide appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
We look at the best dressy gold watches this year to pick of best 6. A list of F. Berthoud, Greubel Forsey, Hermes, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin.
SJX Watches
Cancelled because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Watches & Wonders (W&W;) was due to take place in Geneva but will now go online starting April 25, 2020 at 12:00 pm CET (or 6:00 am in New York, 6:00 pm in Hong Kong and Singapore), where most of the year’s new watches will be revealed. Once known as SIHH, W&W; was meant to take place in the Palexpo convention centre in Geneva. Now the 30 brands that would have taken part in the event will be presenting their wares on a brand-new W&W; website, a project that has been completed in barely a month. Amongst the exhibiting brands are A. Lange & Söhne, Cartier, Hermes, IWC and Panerai, as well as independent brands like Ressence and H. Moser & Cie. Three cheers for a long, long time ago, when W&W; was actually real The virtual fair will showcase most of the year’s new launches, accompanied by videos, articles and other content. And the April 25 opening is just part one of W&W;, with the second part slated to arrive in summer 2020, where additional products will be launch, along with “strategic e-commerce partnerships”. Ambitious as it is, being the first large-scale virtual “fair”, this may be the first and final instalment of W&W;, given that Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chopard and Chanel have withdrawn from Baselworld and will be joining the new, as-yet unnamed fair in Geneva in April next year that will substitute W&W;. The virtual W&W; will go live on April 25 at Watchesandwonders.com. You’ll find all of the new la...
SJX Watches
I rarely write “listicles” but the holidays are always a good excuse for one: a run through of the year’s wants. It’s a wish list of watches I desire, and in a handful of instance bought, and not about the most significant or notable watches (which will be published just before the year’s end). Surprisingly the list is a pretty short one, and heavier on affordable watches than top of the line ones. That’s perhaps reflective of both the state of the industry – often saturated and occasionally unimaginative – and the fact that I’ve seen quite a lot. That being said, sometimes it’s the simple and affordable that surprises, like the Tudor P01, or something from an expected corner, like the Chanel Monsieur Edition Noire. High hopes Even for a price-is-no-object list there are barely any must-haves. The list of candidates was long, but most were crossed out for one reason or another. That also in part reflects the fact that the more expensive a watch is, the higher the standards it should be held to. The Vacheron Constantin Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar, for instance, is exceptionally interesting and smartly conceived, in fact, it’s one of the year’s best watch in terms of mechanics, but the design is a bit of a let down. Even in a more affordable tier of complicated watches, the wants come with caveats. The Hermes L’Heure de la Lune is unconventional and poetic, typically Hermes in style. Though its face is elegant, the case profile is less so; it is a ...
SJX Watches
Unveiled last year as the debut product of Kikuchi Nakagawa, the Murakumo is modelled on the 1930s Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 96, considered by its founders as the ideal classical men’s wristwatch. Originally available only with a matte black dial, Kikuchi Nakagawa has now unveiled its inverse – the Murakumo with white dial and black numerals. Black polishing Founded by a pair of Japanese watchmakers, Yusuke Kikuchi and Tomonari Nakagawa – with Mr Nakagawa having worked at Citizen as it developed the tourbillon – the brand is all about two things: components supplied by the very best Japanese specialists (save for the dial and movement), and exceptional black polishing of all the external steel parts. The three-dimensional hands are made by precision machine shop Yuki Precision, while the case and buckle are courtesy of Matsuura Works. The parts are all black polished by hand, creating a remarkably flat, mirror-like surface. With some Swiss help The dial on the other hand, comes from Swiss supplier Gilwatch, located in Geneva. Particular attention was paid to the printed numerals, which require several layers of pad printing in order to give them height. Also from Switzerland is the movement, which is a Vaucher VMF 5401. Though high quality in finish and construction – variants of the same calibre are used by Hermes, Richard Mille and Parmigiani – the movement is relatively pedestrian compared to the rest of the Murakumo. That being said, Kikuchi Nakagawa...
SJX Watches
Singapore-based watch retailer The Hour Glass, one of the world’s largest, is marking its 40th anniversary this year with a series of limited editions from brands like Audemars Piguet, Longines, Sinn, and Urwerk. More unusually, the anniversary encompasses exhibition of specially commissioned contemporary art by boldface artists and designers – Daniel Arsham, Marc Newson, nendo, and Studio Wieki Somers. Appropriately, each artist’s work is a meditation on the concept of time. Together they form Then Now Beyond, an exhibition curated by a committee made up of British architect David Adjaye, auctioneer Aurel Bacs, and The Hour Glass chief Michael Tay, and managed by art advisory outfit The Artling. Then Now Beyond is on show in The Hour Glass’ largest store in Singapore, Malmaison – from now till end February 2020 – within a gallery area designed by JoAnn Tan Studio, a Milan agency best known for the window displays created for Hermes, Fendi and other major fashion labels. Then Now Beyond Daniel Arsham, an American artist based in New York, is known for his “eroded” works meant to look like objects of today viewed in the distant future, but perhaps better known for his collaborations with the likes of Adidas and Rimowa. His work for the exhibition is a variation of a motif he has explored before. Titled Hourglass, it is an “eroded” hourglass cast in bronze, with the body of the hourglass broken to reveal an aged pocket watch and camera within. Daniel ...
SJX Watches
Independent watchmaker Raul Pages debuted his first wristwatch in 2016, after several years spent restoring watches and clocks at Parmigiani and then the Patek Philippe Museum. Limited to just 10 watches, the Soberly Onyx wristwatch contained a reworked and highly decorated Cyma movement from the 1950s. The very last of the series, however, is strikingly different from the rest. The Arabic Calligraphy pièce unique is a custom commission from a European client, an important collector of both vintage and modern watches who already has two other Soberly Onyx watches. The client wanted a cloisonné enamel dial bearing the phrase ٱلْـحَـمْـدُ للهِ, or alhamdulillah. Most commonly used by Muslims but also by Arabic speakers of other denominations, it translates as “thank God” or “praise be to God”. Raul recruited Jean-Luc Peter, an enamel artisan who has also done work for Hermes, to create this dial. Elegant and striking in form, the phrase is executed in a mustard enamel and outlined in fine gold wire, as is traditional for cloisonné enamel. It sits agains a vivid green background that complements the rose gold hands and case beautifully. The rest of the watch is identical to the standard Soberly Onyx, which has a polished onyx stone dial. That means the case is 40mm in diameter and a slim 9.3mm high. Inside is a movement that started out as a Cyma 586K from the 1950s, but one that has been heavily modified by Raul. The bridges were reshaped and ...
SJX Watches
Jean-François Mojon, founder of complications specialist Chronode, has a client list that reads like a who’s who of independent watchmaking: from establishment names Hermès and MB&F; to revived brands like Urban Jurgensen. His latest creation, however, is one of the most affordable to date. Constructed for Trilobe, a start-up founded just three years ago by former banker Gautier Massonneau. The brand’s first collection, Les Matinaux – “The Morning” in English – derives its name from a poem written by French author René Char. Novelty aside Built at Chronode’s Le Locle facility, Les Matinaux is designed to subvert traditional time-telling. Instead of conventional fixed indices and moving hands, the hands, or rather pointers, are fixed but the markers – on three separate chapter rings for the hours, minutes and seconds – are constantly in motion, and rotate counter-clockwise to boot. The concept is not entirely new, of course. This type of time display is most often used on digital-style dials with numerals shown either in a single line or within a window, as on the De Bethune Dream Watch 5. Affordable brands have done the same with quartz movements, including Klokers, which is sadly now defunct, as well as Lip with its Mythic Jump Hour Watch. In contrast, Les Matinaux does not have its indicators arranged in a linear manner. Instead, the trio of trefoils – trilobe is French for trefoil – seem casually scattered across the dial, so i...
Hodinkee
The Swiss-based, California-raised designer shares how he went from a die-hard watch nerd to creating his own collection for Hermès.
Revolution
Fratello
I wrote this article after hearing a 1977 punk/rock song on the radio and reading an introduction to a new watch. The song “No More Heroes” from British band The Stranglers asks, “Whatever happened to all the heroes? All the Shakespearoes?” The song was still playing in my head when I read an introductory article […] Visit Watch Brands Of Yesteryear: Whatever Happened To The Heroes? to read the full article.
Deployant
There are many celebrated heroes from the world of independent watchmaking. But how many of these unsung heroes do you know?
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