Hodinkee
HODINKEE Radio: Episode 113: Explorer & Educator Josh Bernstein
Here's a guy who truly knows the value of a great tool watch.
7,116 articles · 1,167 videos found · page 262 of 277
Hodinkee
Here's a guy who truly knows the value of a great tool watch.
SJX Watches
Alongside the unusual R500 “bullhead” chronograph, Sinn’s new debuts for the year include a pair of entry-level “tool” watches. The Series 105 is comprised of two models – 105 St Sa and 105 St Sa UTC – that are reminiscent of classic pilot’s watches, but in a clean, modern style with a dial populated by geometric shapes. Both are dual time zone watches, but executed differently. The 105 St Sa UTC is similar to a traditional GMT watch, having an additional 24-hour hand as well as a 24-hour rotating bezel. More unusual is the base model 105 St Sa, which has a bezel with two separate scales – 12-hour and 60-minute markings – that allows for measuring short elapsed times as well as tracking a second time zone. 105 St Sa (left) and 105 St Sa UTC Initial thoughts Starting at €1,350 for the base model, and rising to €1,790 for the UTC on a steel bracelet, the 105 is a value buy that manages to differentiate itself from the numerous “tool” watches in the same price segment. It has roots in Sinn’s Pilot Watch 104 – the brand’s long-standing, entry-level aviator’s watch – but the 105 is different enough to make it stand out. To start with, the dial design is simple but smart. The base model, for instance, manages to incorporate a day and date display in a symmetrical manner, preserving both legibility and balance. At the same time, the colours are unusual, especially the white and orange combination that is just as functional but avoids the all...
Time+Tide
It is no secret that quartz has its haters. It was only last week that we were in conversation with Roger Smith, who reminded us that George Daniels himself used to pooh pooh quartz, saying “why would you buy something that did kamikaze every three years?” But others, equally informed within the community, will attest … ContinuedThe post 6 impressive quartz watches released in 2020, including Grand Seiko, Breitling and Bulova appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
You don’t need the statistics to tell you that Apple Watches sell more than the rest of the Swiss watch industry combined. You need only to glance at people’s wrists. You can’t miss those sleek square slabs. They’re everywhere. Worn by every age group, in every profession. I’ve been told they’re particularly popular among undertakers, … ContinuedThe post The only thing I want buzzing on my wrist is a Memovox. Why I’ll never wear an Apple Watch… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Oh, and we tell you how to order one, too.
Time+Tide
Military watches, or tool watches, are incredibly popular in today’s marketplace – with heritage becoming a huge emotional driver behind watch purchases. The Vario 1918 Trench Watch is a new and affordable option for buyers looking for a detail-driven and military-inspired timepiece. Vario carefully considers each component utilised within their Trench watches, working to provide the best … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: Vario modernises the first wristwatch with their 1918 Trench line appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Before you ask, yes we have a date. April 2, 2021. It ain’t exactly days away, but at least we know how long the advent calendar has to be. A fair bit of chocolate is the upside. We are happy to report that one of the largest entertainment-related casualties of the pandemic, the delay … ContinuedThe post UPDATED: The complete list of Bond watches – now including “No Time to Die” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
This week, in an unusual move from the obsessive tool laboratory of Sinn Spezialuhren (yes, Special Watches - only tools and instruments may apply), comes a glittery fresh take on the social media and forum hive-mind favourite, the 41mm Sinn 103 pilot’s chronograph. In the Sinn 103 Sa G version they have taken what is a … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Sinn 103 Sa G is a totally new look for Sinn, and we can get around it appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
All the connotations and daydreams that come with the image of a fighter pilot are on show in the intriguing IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph TOP GUN Ceratanium, a functional tool watch that transcends the genre. The cool black finish could only be German, and following a strict code of functionality that, while formal in … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph TOP GUN Ceratanium, a stone-cold classic … blacked-out, suited up and mission-ready appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Famous for its no-nonsense “tool” watches, some of which are supplied to the German military and law enforcement, Sinn’s latest debut is slightly different. Inspired by auto racing, the R500 chronograph is a watch that shows the brand can have some fun, while being properly functional. Modelled on a funky chronograph Sinn produced in the 1970s, the R500 is a “bullhead” chronograph, with the twin pushers positioned like horns at one and 11 o’clock. While the style very much evokes the 1970s, the R500 is built like a robust modern wristwatch, with titanium case rated to 200 m that’s resistant to extreme low and high pressures. Initial thoughts Radically different from Sinn’s usual fare of pilot’s or military-style watches, the R500 is arguably the most interesting watch amongst the brand’s recent releases. It’s recognisably 1970s in style, but with a clean dial design that avoids the “exotic” dial found on the vintage original, which was a typically 1970s feature that can look dated today. A notable element of the dial design is the power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, which seems unnecessary for an automatic watch. But German rally champion Peter Göbel, speaking during a video interview for the launch of the R500, noted that a fully-wound mainspring is crucial before starting a race – since the chronograph can be used to time laps – so it is useful in that context. And it’s also unusual against the broader landscape because “bullhea...
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Ask most watch enthusiasts what Tudor’s first GMT wristwatch was and they’ll tell you it’s the perpetually popular Black Bay GMT aka “The Diet Pepsi”. And that, my friends, is the wrong answer. Tudor’s first timepiece equipped with a GMT complication was actually a model called the Iconaut. A chunky, bulbous-looking thing, this … ContinuedThe post Peter calls his Tudor Iconaut “weird” and “odd-looking” with looks “only a mother could love”. So, why did he buy it? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Taking place over two days – Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7 – The Geneva Watch Auction: XII at Phillips is the first sale of the fall auction season. A compact sale of under 180 lots, the auction comprises a diverse line up, ranging from the obviously notable – like a Cartier Crash in platinum and a unique Patek Philippe ref. 5020P – to the obscure but extremely interesting, like the postwar A. Lange & Söhne wristwatch made after the company had been nationalised by the Soviets, as well as a vintage Audemars Piguet perpetual calendar with a paradoxical brand-new but factory-original case. Here’s a look at handful of standouts from the sale. You’ll find the full catalogue, as well as online bidding, right here. Lot 31 – Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Regulator ref. 5235G Unlike many of the other watches in the auction, the ref. 5235G is neither rare nor complicated, or even especially valuable. But it is an under-appreciated gem in Patek Philippe’s line up. Lightly designed and full of unusual details – ranging from the brushed dial finish to the engraved logo at three – the ref. 5235 also boasts a distinctively-designed movement unique to this reference and found in no other model. This example of the ref. 5235 is in white gold, which was discontinued last year and replaced by the same in rose gold with a black dial. While the new version is far more striking, the almost monochromatic white gold version is deeply appealing in its simplici...
Time+Tide
In this final instalment of the Rockstars Rocking Vintage trilogy, we see two famous musicians go the way of Wilsdorf. He founded both Tudor and Rolex, and here we have spotted two desirable tool watches from the Wilsdorf group on the wrists of two artists from different generations – once again proving that vintage staples … ContinuedThe post Rockstars rocking vintage watches, Part 3 – Wilsdorf Watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The WMB came out in 2019 as an unusual and strong contender from the newly formed French microbrand Serica, through an idea from the only American on the team, author of A Man & His Watch, Matt Hranek. Inspired by the iconic Wrist Watch Waterproof of the armed forces, a tough-looking everyday tool watch with … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Serica 4512, a tough French take on classic military utilitarian chic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Earlier in the week we uncovered a group of celebrities whose daily weapon of choice is not just a modded Rolex, but a modded Milgauss. And not just modded, fully blacked-out, including the bracelet. In our research for that story, with a little help from Nick Gould, we discovered this example – David Beckham wearing … ContinuedThe post That time David Beckham wore a blacked-out Rolex Sea-Dweller courtside, with a custom Tudor thrown in appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Fabrizio Buonamassa, Creative Director for Bulgari Watches and Wei Koh, founder of The Rake and Revolution tell us a little about the phenomenon that is the Octo Finissimo and our latest “glowing” limited edition.
Revolution
Bulgari’s world record setting Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT gets a “tool watch” makeover and an unexpected take on luminosity.
Time+Tide
Looks can be deceiving, and the Seiko Prospex SNR049J proves the point in idiosyncratic style, once again firmly setting the bar for how we perceive a tool watch. This is a deliciously blue faced, limited reference in the LX series, Seiko’s pinnacle of sports and diver’s watches. In 2020 this is a brash and unapologetically … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Seiko Prospex SNR049J Batman will leave you black and blue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
I recently had a wide-ranging conversation with a fellow collector during which the following question was raised: is it possible for one watch to be objectively better than another? While pondering this question, I was reminded of Euthyphro, a Socratic dialogue written by Plato. The “TL;DR” version is this: Plato asks Euthyphro if he can provide a definition of piety. Euthyphro responds with a clear-cut example of piety, but Plato is unsatisfied. He responds that an example is not enough; he wants the underlying rules that define piety, those by which Euthyphro chose his example. So it is with watches. We can all point to examples of great watches, and to some extent we can defend these examples with some kind of justification. But it’s very difficult, if not impossible, to articulate a set of criteria that can be applied universally – a necessary precondition of truly objective comparison. But as an exercise, I think it’s worth exploring in what ways, specifically, watch collecting defies objective analysis so that we can understand the limitations of this way of thinking. Defining objectivity Objectivity is, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, “the quality of being able to make a decision or judgment in a fair way that is not influenced by personal feelings or beliefs”. Objectively, there’s not much more to a watch than its size, shape, colour, materials, and functions. A lot of the criteria collectors use to make value judgements about watches ...
Quill & Pad
Another champagne from 2008, you ask? Yes, Ken Gargett resoundedly replies: he says 2008 will go down as the greatest year of the champagne century despite a plethora of fine years since the turn of the millennium, and he is here to tell us all about it.
Revolution
Hot on the tail of the launch of the Legacy Machine Perpetual Yellow Gold comes the all new MB&F; Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO
Time+Tide
Like we said in the previous instalment, 2020 has been so bad that fantasy is often all we’ve had left. Fantasies of leaving our houses are still being had daily in Melbourne, and fantasies of new watches and sunny days are not far behind. So, to try to make something good of the bad, we’ve … ContinuedThe post 2020 FANTASY WATCH COLLECTION PART 2 – What watches would we buy with a budget of $10,000 USD? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Rolex fakes have existed for a very long time. But where it used to be pretty easy to spot an impostor – from the dull lustre of the cheap materials, to laughable aesthetic inaccuracies, to the sound of the rotor rattling from across the boardroom table like a bag of Skittles – it is now … ContinuedThe post 3 reasons why Rolex fakes are getting so good, and some tips to avoid them from Watchfinder appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
If it’s the rugged tool watch charm of the Captain Cook or the historically energised dimensions of the Golden Horse, Rado is probably best remembered in recent years for the watches inspired by the archives of the brand. But there’s a part of the Rado family that watch enthusiasts might be less familiar with, a … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The liquid ceramic of the Rado True Square collection is something only this brand can do appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Fifteen years after its debut in the Harry Winston Opus V, Urwerk’s ingenious satellite-cube time display is now in its fifth generation with the just-launched UR-220 ‘Falcon Project’. While the UR-220 resembles its predecessor, the UR-210, a great deal, the new watch has been refined in several substantive ways. Most notably, it is powered by a hand-wind movement, something that’s not been used for the satellite-cube display since the UR-201 from 13 years ago. Initial thoughts A three-dimensional wandering hours, the satellite-cube hour display is one of the most significant innovations in modern-day independent watchmaking. Hours are indicated on three rotating cubes, while a retrograde hand points to the minutes, travelling in sync with the cube for the current hour. The complication has, however, reached a level of maturity. Incredible when it was launched in the Opus V in 2005, the satellite-cube display still remains special, though its impact has been moderated by subsequent inventions by other watchmakers, making it seem less avant-garde. So when I first heard Urwerk was soon to unveil the successor to the UR-210, which was introduced in 2012, I was keen to see the evaluation of the complication. The new UR-220 The UR-220 is unquestionably a better watch – it is slimmer and lighter, as well as face-lifted in terms of design details, and the manual-wind movement is a plus – but it is an incremental evolution over the UR-210, rather than a radical revam...
Hodinkee
Tool watch, meet hoop watch.
Time+Tide
It might be a coincidence, or it might be provenance. But what was once a supplier of professional tool watches for the masses has slowly but surely become the undisputed king that wears the crown among luxury brands. Rolex dominates auction catalogues, while holding and appreciating in value for the lucky owners, and is only … ContinuedThe post Are there any bargains left in the current Rolex catalogue? We found four… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
It is the time of the year again, where the moon appears to the biggest and brightest. And of course, for the Chinese, it is the period where we get to feast on delectable mooncakes once again. During this time last year, we featured six gorgeous watches that has a moonphase display to pay tributeRead More
Deployant
Several weeks ago, I reviewed the Panasonic LUMIX S1R, and made some comparisons to its L Alliance cousin – the venerable Leica SL2. The S1R is an outstanding photography tool, and as I mentioned in the review, ticks the boxes in so many places. Here are a selection of some of the photographs made withRead More
SJX Watches
Originally a watchmaker, Piaget made its first foray in jewellery in the mid-20th century (which was also the period it debuted its ultra-thin movement, a feat Piaget has since surpassed by a large margin). One of its signature jewellery timepieces is the Limelight Gala, a quirky but elegant watch available only with a quartz movement, till now. Piaget has finally unveiled a mechanical version that preserves the same asymmetric style, the Limelight Gala Automatic. Initial thoughts While evening watches are often conveniently conceived as pick-up-and-go quartz accessories, a mechanical alternative is an intuitive addition to the line given the growing appreciation for old-school watches. Even though the cal. 501P inside the new Limelight Gala is a razor-thin movement of the likes found in the Altiplano automatic, it is small enough for a 32 mm case, larger than the traditionally-tiny norm for evening wear but still agreeable. The larger size, as well as the fact that the cal. 501P is a workhorse movement, making the new Limelight suitable as a daily-wear watch. That said, the cal. 501P is a workhorse – it’s also found in the entry-level and sporty Polo S – which means it doesn’t seem upscale enough for the higher-end versions of the Limelight, which costs a little over US$50,000. The new Limelight Gala is priced steeply, starting at from US$35,000 for the base model with a diamond-set bezel. The quintet The new mechanical Limelight Gala is largely similar to its qu...
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.