Hodinkee
The Grey NATO: Episode 120: July Q And A
Diving on U-Boats, caring for NATOs, and when to let a watch go.
3,964 articles · 169 videos found · page 113 of 138
Hodinkee
Diving on U-Boats, caring for NATOs, and when to let a watch go.
Time+Tide
When browsing through high-contrast, black-coated, neon-highlighted luxury watches, it shouldn’t be too long before the name Bamford crosses your path. The origin story of the Bamford Watch Department starts with a Daytona. Taking advantage of his father’s corporation, JCB - which specialises in manufacturing equipment for construction, agriculture, waste handling, and demolition - George Bamford wanted nothing … ContinuedThe post The Modifier’s Series – Bamford Watch Department, the big dog in the modding space appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Ken Gargett thinks that the Penfolds Grange 2016 has a good 50 years ahead of it, for anyone planning their grandkids’ cellar. Giving this wine 100 points is one of the easiest things he has done in ages. And yet, the day after the wine seemed even better. Outstanding. And he rates the G4 as good as it gets. Cheers.
Time+Tide
Normally, when the name Transylvania is uttered, a certain fictional monster comes to mind. But for this week’s Micro Mondays, we’re taking a look at something hailing from the gothic region of Romania that doesn’t want to suck your blood … just your bank account. And not nearly as vociferously as many rival brands. Peren … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: Hands-on with the Peren Hintz, a field watch with warmly nuanced touches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Many people believe resonance to be very rare, when in fact every single timekeeping device (yes, even quartz) is a resonant mechanism. But clocks and watches featuring resonance as we generally understand it in watchmaking are few and far between. In the last few decades, less than a handful of highly skilled watchmakers have taken up the challenge of creating a resonance watch. Here, Joshua Munchow looks at the pros and cons of the different approaches taken by the three leaders in this technology.
Time+Tide
We’ll spoil the suspense here straight up and say that we’re fans of Dan Henry here at T+T – the Brazilian watchmaker’s ability to create timepieces that capture the enthusiasm and spirit of some rare (and much more expensive) watches is no mean feat. That’s why last year, when Dan himself reached out to us … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Dan Henry 1937 might just be the best value vintage-styled chrono on the market appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
When you think of microbrands, a clear picture starts to form in your mind pretty quickly. A vintage-inspired diver, powered by a Japanese NH35 movement, perhaps? Not only is this formula wildly successful, it’s become somewhat of a trope. Its popularity is justified, and it’s a wonderful way to bring fresh blood into the watchmaking … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: Meet CODE41 and their X41 AeroCarbon, this is a Swiss brand with big ambitions appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
The rise of Brunello has been recent. And, arguably, the single most convincingly 100 percent Brunello example of fine wine is Soldera at Case Basse according to Ken Gargett and other wine experts. But Soldera and the region have a dramatic background, one that might not be common knowledge outside Tuscany. Read on for a Hollywood script-worthy story and mouthwatering descriptions of Super Tuscan wines you may not (yet) be acquainted with.
Time+Tide
From A. Lange & Söhne, we’ve learned never to predict what might be next. In this clip from our Watch Fair & Chill coverage of Watches & Wonders 2020, you’ll see exactly what we mean. When a wristwatch can cost as much as a house or a McLaren supercar, there are a certain amount of … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: A closer look at the 2020 A. Lange & Söhne collection, including a more toned Odysseus appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
When Martin Green first saw athe Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Tiger he thought that Jaquet Droz had used a photorealistic print on the dial, so real was the miniature enamel painting for him. The artist focused on the eyes of the tiger, and its gaze is so lifelike and filled with restrained power that it is almost scary. It looks like it’s about to pounce right off the dial!
Time+Tide
96. That’s how old I’ll be when the warranty on one of these watches runs out. This year is all about the Luminor in the 2020 Panerai collection, with a number of exciting new references that have been released so far. We focus on two highlights within the collection, the Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01117 and … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Highlights of the 2020 Panerai collection, including the watch with a warranty that will probably out-live you appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having just set the record for a modern Rolex wristwatch two years ago when a unique, platinum Daytona ref. 16516 with a Zenith movement sold for US$871,000, Sotheby’s broke its own record with yet another one-off Daytona in platinum that sold for HK$25,375,000, or about US$3.27 million, fees included. The Daytona became the most valuable modern Rolex despite having been relatively under the radar prior to the sale. While the platinum Daytona sold in 2018 was widely published in the press and social, today’s example was not covered by any of the key horological publications. And it was depicted with a bizarre turquoise leather strap in catalogue photos, though the strap was replaced with one in a neutral shade of tan during the preview exhibition. The famous five Both were part of a five-piece run of Zenith Daytona watches with platinum cases made at the request of former Rolex chief executive Patrick Heiniger in 1999. The late Heiniger reputedly kept one for himself, and gifted the others to key business partners. The watch sold in 2018 for instance was a wedding gift a member of the family that was a longtime Rolex retailer in Italy. All share the same model reference 16516, but each was unique in having a different dial made of an exotic or precious material. The example sold in 2018 had a dark mother of pearl dial, which was also found on the standard-production white gold Daytona of the period. In contrast, the platinum Daytona that just sold at Sotheby’s has a ...
Time+Tide
Much like a car manufacturer does when it designs a brand new engine, TAG Heuer are making sure that their flagship self-winding chronograph movement, the Calibre Heuer 02, finds its way into every chrono they’ve released this year. And just days after letting us know that their three in-demand limited edition chronographs equipped with the … ContinuedThe post The boldly modern new TAG Heuer Carrera Chrono Sport is here to save those tiring of heritage remakes appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Helmed by Pascal Raffy, Bovet is a small and independent brand that excels in timepieces that are ornate, original and eccentric – and often highly complicated. The modern-day philosophy of the brand echoes the brand’s origins in the 19th century when it was a leading purveyor of pocket watches to the Chinese market. This year, Bovet furthers its distinctive expression of watchmaking with the Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two. Features an imposing but transparent sapphire case with a sloped, “writing desk” profile, the watch is equipped with a host of complications, from a flying tourbillon to a three-dimensional moon phase. And despite the name, Brainstorm Chapter Two is not just a sequel to the Brainstorm Chapter One, but is more like a newly-conceived watch. Initial thoughts Immediately eye-catching, the sapphire case has a very unconventional inclined shape. Introduced in 2016, the form takes after the traditional sloped-top writing desk and is now a signature Bovet design. While transparent sapphire cases are not new – they are in fact commonplace today with watches with several launched this year, including the Hublot Big Bang Unico Sapphire and the Chanel J12 X-Ray – the Bovet case is unusual in form. It is not entirely sapphire, however, and instead made up of a titanium frame of the case back and lugs, with the sapphire case middle and front mounted on the frame. The titanium case back and its pins that secure the sapphire case middle Though fashi...
SJX Watches
Originally an 18th century Danish brand, Urban Jürgensen & Sønner (UJS) was resurrected in 1981 by Peter Baumberger (1939-2010), an antique watch dealer turned watchmaker. While the brand’s best-known timepieces were elegantly-styled wristwatches with teardrop lugs, its greatest technical achievements were pocket watches, all of which were built by Derek Pratt (1938-2009), a deeply talented English watchmaker who was a contemporary of George Daniels. As was typical of the era when pocket watches were the preeminent genre of watch collecting – and the tourbillon was the ultimate complication – Pratt’s best work for UJS were his tourbillon pocket watches. Pratt not only built the movements, but also fabricated some of the dials that were decorated in exceptional guilloche. Peter Baumberger. Photo – Dr Helmut Crott The oval pocket watch The pièce de résistance in Pratt’s series of tourbillon pocket watches is no doubt the Ref. 1 “Hommage”, an oval pocket watch featuring a tourbillon with an integrated remontoir d’egalite. Writing in Derek Pratt – Watchmaker, a book dedicated to the watchmaker’s life and works, watch expert and auctioneer Dr Helmut Crott explained the Ref. 1 was originally conceived as a series of five watches for an Asian collector in the late 1980s. But after the first watch was complete, the client cancelled the rest of the order, making it a “financial disaster for Peter [Baumberger]” according to Dr Crott, , a longtime f...
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: When people talk about the Grand Seiko Snowflake as being one watch, they are in fact forgoing the many and varied shades of snow that Grand Seiko has showered us with since the OG became almost a pillar in itself. Here, we choose a Snowflake for every season, to show the nuance and … ContinuedThe post Which Grand Seiko Snowflake is right for you? Four models that show the stunning dial’s diversity appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
German independent watchmaker had a hit when it debuted the Kudoke 2 last year. Combining hand-engraved decor with an affordable price tag, the watch was well received by enthusiasts while also enjoying critical acclaim, winning the Petite Aiguille – the category for watches under 10,000 Swiss francs – at the 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). The Kudoke 2 Nocturne is a limited edition variant of the standard model in a run of only 20 pieces, a nod to the 20th year of this century. While the standard version features a silver-and-gold palette, the Nocturne is dressed in shades of grey, both on the dial and movement. Initial thoughts The Kudoke 2 was one of last year’s more compelling watches for me. Not only is it priced well, but the watch has a refined yet German aesthetic that’s pleasing. The watch is clean, with no superfluous elements to distract from its charming simplicity, yet equipped with several attractive classical details. And the Nocturne has a slightly more modern look than the original, despite having the same design. The movement, developed with the help of Habring2, has a unique style and excellent finish, especially considering the price of €8,665, or a little under US$10,000, which is the same price as standard version. With artful hand engraving and an original movement, the watch screams value proposition. A new face Having an identical design as the standard model, the Nocturne retains the clean, symmetrical look of the...
Quill & Pad
Stefan Kudoke’s time has arrived. All the long years of learning, obsessing, wondering, and hard work are now paying off for the German watchmaker and engraver, whose gorgeous Kudoke 2 won the Petite Aiguille award at the 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). And Elizabeth Doerr finds the brand-new Kudoke 2 Nocturne just as enchanting; she explains why here.
SJX Watches
When it was launched in 2019, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet became the most-talked-about new releases of the year, and also of the most panned, largely for the way it was hyped before launch and the perceived plainness of the design. But Audemars Piguet is undeterred and affirmed its commitment to the new collection with the launch of a face-lifted Code 11.59 Selfwinding and Chronograph, featuring new dials with a smoked, graduated-colour finish, along with a variant in a two-colour gold case. The new Code 11.59 Selfwinding Initial thoughts The most frequent criticism against the Code 11.59 had to do with the rather bland dials of the base models. In contrast, the pricey, complicated models were the standouts of the collection, having fired enamel dials with a smoked finish (for the minute repeater and the flying tourbillon) or aventurine glass (for the perpetual calendar). Audemars Piguet doubtlessly realised the appeal of the smoked enamel dial, and followed up with the Code 11.59 Bolshoi Limited Edition, which featured the same graduated, dark blue dial in enamel, but on a time-only watch. The downside of the enamel dial on the base model is a massive price premium of over 55%, or a bit over US$14,000. Evidence that Audemars Piguet is receptive to feedback, the new dials for the Code 11.59 show how a slight tweak can completely change the visual impact of a watch. It’s highly probable that if the Code 11.59 had been launched with smoked dials in the first plac...
SJX Watches
When Tudor announced the original Black Bay Fifty-Eight in 2018, it arrived to critical and commercial acclaim. With strong vintage cues and slimmed-down proportions, the “BB58” was what many enthusiasts had been asking for. And it turned out that the broader, watch-buying public also wanted exactly the same thing. Now Tudor has just rolled out a new variant of its bestseller – the Black Bay Fifty-Eight “Navy Blue”. Essentially the same watch as the original BB58 – with the same in-house MT5402 movement – but now with a navy-blue dial and bezel, making it more contemporary. Initial thoughts The original BB58 is my favourite in the Tudor collection because of its sleek and wearable dimensions. At 39 mm by 11.9 mm, it wears significantly better than its chunky, 41 mm counterparts. Since its release, I have been excited about the prospects of the BB58 as a springboard for new models, so the BB58 Blue is a welcome addition to the line. The navy blue dial and bezel are the primary attraction of the new BB58 Blue, not just in terms of looks, but the historical basis of the colour, which harks back to the Tudor Submariner “MN” with a “snowflake” dial that was supplied to the French Navy, or Marine Nationale, in the 1970s. The blue “Snowflake” Submariner of the 1970s (left) and the BB58 Blue But blue is also fashionable, having come into vogue in recent years. While Tudor has never been a fashion-forward brand – if anything it is conservative in sty...
Time+Tide
The 30-year wait is over. Liverpool are Premier League champions, having clinched the title with a record seven games of the season to spare. Frankly, it turned into an annihilation. Jürgen Klopp’s team won 26 of 27 league games from August to February 28 and haven’t lost at home in the league for three whole … ContinuedThe post Rolex, Patek Philippe and Richard Mille – the Liverpool players’ watches are as spectacular as their football appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Aviation is the pinnacle of human endeavour. The simple dream of wanting to fly has allowed the very best engineers, scientists, artists, and countless other professionals to flex their talents and serve Earth’s globalisation. Adventure and ingenuity go hand-in-hand when it comes to flying, and so too does it go with Bremont. The English-bred company … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Bremont ALT1-P2 JET might just be the blacked out chrono you’re looking for appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
When Montreal meets Carrera, there is no shortage of color.
WatchAdvice
Introduction Hublot’s Spirit of Big Bang collection has always piqued my interest, and when a 42mm variant was released back in 2016 – I paid attention. Primarily because I saw the size as more accessible, and the design more refined and in proportion. In fact, back then I wrote about this exact model — The Hublot Spirit Big Bang Moonphase Titanium — for another publication. Surprisingly though – it took a good four years before I actually went hands-on for proper inspection. After a couple of weeks on loan, I’m happy to report back on what it’s like to wear the Spirit of Big Bang around town. First Impressions As far as first impressions go, the Spirit of Big Bang is bold, brawny and makes quite the splash. Although fairly monochromatic in design, the SOBB feels significant, carrying an aura of cool on wrist. The size isn’t outrageous, it’s comfortable to wear, and from a distance, the Skeleton dial seamlessly blends into the titanium case. Although watch enthusiasts will instantly recognise the tonneau case shape, the Spirit of Big Bang maintained an ‘under-the-radar’ feel to it – which I found appealing. On The Wrist On the wrist, the Hublot SOBB sits snugly thanks to the curve on the underside of the tonneau case, which balances its height. Coming in at a reasonable 42mm, the case has a balanced blend of polish and satin finishing. Initially, I found the height took some getting used to, being a little thicker than my usual. The Spirit Of Bi...
Time+Tide
Looking at these two Grand Seiko GMTs, it’s easy to see how the world has changed from the time when the complication was invented. What began as an essential tool for pilots crossing the skies with a priority on legibility and simplicity has evolved into a different artform altogether. This centres around the creative, and … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Grand Seiko SBGJ237 and SBGJ239, two terrific GMTs with lovely lume appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
There are hundreds of emotions that flood through you when looking at a Cartier watch. Authentic historical contributions to aviation timekeeping, coupled with more than 170 years in the jewellery industry, shrouds the French name in an air of romance, adventure and audacious style. With few models is this truer than the Santos-Dumont, originally designed … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: A closer look at the 2020 Cartier collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Any Seinfeld fans will know what I’m talking about when I say that the Home Delivery Watch Fair, where we re-created both SIHH (or Watches & Wonders, as it’s known now) and Baselworld, was more akin to Kramer’s version of the Merv Griffin show than it was a real watch fair. As in, it was … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Top 10 watches of Virtual Baselworld 2020, inc. Hublot, Longines, Seiko, Casio and Hamilton appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The Longines HydroConquest 41mm in Khaki Green possesses two of the most popular characteristics found on any timepiece today – it’s a dive watch, and it’s green. But there’s so much more to this watch than those en vogue features. In fact, when you consider its very reasonable retail price, it might be one of … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Longines HydroConquest 41mm in Khaki Green is flat out the best value dive watch on the market right now appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Last year, Nirmal “Nims” Purja made headlines when he scaled all 14 of the world’s 8000m mountain peaks, in just under seven months. He did so with a Bremont on his wrist. The watch in question was a blue and white Bremont S300, proving just how robust the brand’s watches are and how well they … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Project Possible Limited Edition, Bremont’s first bronze watch, with a hell of a backstory appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
When I had my great-grandfather’s 1958 Omega Seamaster restored, I was convinced that I’d never wear, or need another watch again. It looked great, performed fantastically, and I had a personal connection to it that just didn’t exist for anything else. But as my interest in watches and time spent researching them grew, it was … ContinuedThe post How the Swatch Casino Royale changed my collecting forever appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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