Results for MB&F

Watch Of The Week: My Dad and I Each Own A LeCoultre Futurematic – It's The Perfect Symbol For How Our Relationship Has Changed

The founder of Haven Watch Co. on how vintage watches and watchmaking helped him grow closer to his father.

Incredible One-Of-A-Kind OAK Collection Premieres At London Design Museum On May 19, 2022

A very special new exhibition opens this week at London’s Design Museum: the OAK Collection (“OAK” stands for “one of a kind”). This exhibition comprises unique and ultra-rare museum-quality timepieces that have been amassed by a single collector over the last 40 years, including the largest number of Patek Philippe timepieces once owned by Henry Graves, Jr. But that is not all.

Breitling Introduces the New Navitimer B01 in 41, 43, and 46 mm

Distinctive for its slide-rule bezel, the Navitimer is synonymous with Breitling. Having been in near continuous production since its introduction 70 years ago, the Navitimer has been offered in a bewildering array of iterations, but the 2022 Navitimer B01 returns to the roots of the model with a vintage-inspired design, but livened up with bright, metallic dials. Initial thoughts If you already like the Navitimer, the 2022 version is an appealing proposition. It’s essentially the traditional Navitimer design with Breitling’s in-house chronograph movement that has an excellent construction. The model is consistently priced given the in-house movement, while the design has enough vintage elements to give it a classic Navitimer feel. The dial colours, however, are modern, so this avoids being a vintage remake (which Breitling has done enough of). Of the three sizes, the 41 mm is identical to the vintage original, so it’s probably the perfect size. The 43 mm is probably still acceptable on most wrists, but the 46 mm will be enormous. If there is to something to criticise it is probably the wide range of models – two case metals, three case sizes, and a dozen or so dial types, though not every dial is available in every size. The number of choices feel too ambitious and confusing for a launch of a new model. Throwback design The new Navitimer is the first redesign of the model since current chief executive Georges Kern took the helm of Breitling in 2017. Unsurprisingly...

Abraham-Louis Breguet Souscription Pocket Watch No. 1836, dated 1807: Touched (Perhaps) By The Hand Of The Horological God, I’m Jaded No Longer – Reprise

This Breguet souscription pocket watch number 1836 was created just after the French Revolution in 1796 and was sold in 1807 for £600. A testament to the quality of the movement’s design and the skill of its watchmaker, after more than 200 years it still runs impeccably today, which makes it the perfect role model for Breguet's modern Tradition line. But what relationship does Ian have to it?

My Watch Story: The Joy Of Assembling Your Own Watch, Getting The New Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight, A Wedding Anniversary Watch Tradition, And More

Five video stories from HODINKEE readers.

Adventure Time: Why I Traded My Fancy Climbing Gear For A Pair Of Ramshackle Watches

Sometimes 'value' means a lot more than monetary worth.

Introducing the Harry Winston Premier Sunflower Automatic 36mm

Harry Winston introduces two new models embellished with the House’s iconic Sunflower motif, designed to complement other pieces in the Sunflower collection

Auction Watch: Patek Philippe 1518 “Pink on Pink” Sells for US$9.57m

Widely regarded as the best “pink on pink” 1518 ever to emerge, the ref. 1518 once owned by Prince Mohammed Tewfik A. “T.A.” Toussoun of Egypt lived up to expectations and then some, having just sold at Sotheby’s in New York for US$9.57 million including fees. While almost 300 ref. 1518s were produced, only about fifth of them were in pink gold, with the majority in yellow gold. And just 14 are “pink on pink” with salmon-toned dials matched with a pink gold case. The 14th “pink on pink” ref. 1518 known, this was consigned by the heirs of the late prince, who passed away earlier this year aged 95. He was a first cousin to the the last King of Egypt, Farouk I. The prince pictured in the 1970s The prince was the original owner of this ref. 1518, which he bought on July 25, 1951 according to the certificate that accompanied the watch – which makes it the only “pink on pink” ref. 1518 with its original certificate. The watch remained in his possession since then, seemingly hardly worn, explaining its near-pristine condition. All those factors combined to create a tremendous interest from bidders, almost a dozen of them, all on the phones with Sotheby’s representatives. Bidding was easy and enthusiastic at the start, with one bidder making a million-dollar jump from two to three million, presumably in an attempt to deter the competition. It didn’t work and though there were just a handful of bidders past the five-million mark, the proceedings contin...

Breitling Super AVI Collection 2021: Come Fly With Me!

Breitling’s new 2021 Super AVI collection highlights its ongoing commitment to a foundational pillar of the brand: aviation-inspired timepieces. Nancy Olson thinks that this collection embodies that sense of nostalgia for the early days of aviation when pilots relied on their watches as onboard tools.

Business News: Watchbox Raises US$165m from Investors Including Michael Jordan, Bill Ackman

A pre-owned watch merchant that has smartly transformed itself into a market-making juggernaut – and also the owner of De Bethune – Watchbox just announced it has raised US$165 million from new and current investors. The valuation was not revealed, but CNBC reported it to be almost US$1 billion. The investment was led by a pair of American investment firms, The Radcliff Companies and The Spruce House Partnership. Also taking part were existing investors in Watchbox, including CMIA, a Singapore-based private equity outfit that was instrumental in enabling Watchbox to scale up when it invested US$100 million in 2017. According to Watchbox, the latest round of fundraising also brings a list of boldface names to Watchbox’s roster of investors, including Michael Jordan as well as prominent hedge fund managers Bill Ackman and Marc Lasry. A Watchbox favourite With the pre-owned watch business consolidating, Watchbox and its peers now have the scale to tap on institutional investors – and eventually public markets – for funding. A pre-owned merchant focused on German-speaking European countries, Chronext was planning to go public in mid 2021 but shelved plans for an IPO amidst rumours that it was in talks with another industry player on some sort of tie up. And European giant Chrono24, which began as a marketplace but is increasingly become a dealer with its own inventory, already achieved a US$1 billion earlier in 2021 and is reputed to be seeking a listing. Higher ambi...

Philippe Dufour Grande Sonnerie Wristwatch Sells for US$5.2m

One of the most anticipated sales during Geneva’s watch auction week just concluded with a big number – the Philippe Dufour Grande Sonnerie wristwatch sold for CHF4.749 million, or about US$5.2 million, including fees. While bidding was steady, it was restrained. Three bidders were the key movers behind the result – a phone bidders represented by Yong Ho and Alex Ghotbi of Phillips in Hong Kong and Geneva respectively, as well as an online bidder in Singapore. At the end it was down to the Singaporean buyer and Mr Ghotbi’s phone bidder, who clinched the watch with a hammer of CHF3.9 million. I wrote just earlier this week that I expected the Grande Sonnerie to sell for between US$4.0-5.0 million, so the result was well within my expectation. While there was talk of a far higher number prior to the sale, a variety of factors led me to that range, including the number of known potential buyers as well as the values of comparable watches. And that was how it turned out.  

Hands-On: The Bremont MBII (Refreshed for 2020)

Bremont's core model gets a 2nd generation, and now you can make it your own.

Introducing: The Rolex Submariner Ref. 124060, A 41mm No-Date Sub With An Upgraded Movement (Live Pics & Pricing)

One of the most iconic watches of all time gets a number of subtle upgrades, proving once again that it is greater than the sum of its parts.

Audemars Piguet Debuts the Royal Oak Offshore 42 mm with In-House Cal. 4404

One of the biggest watches on the market when it was introduced in 1993, the Royal Oak Offshore is a landmark in the oversized-sports watch genre. Since then the model has been iterated into numerous variants and several sizes, while the first-generation originals have occasionally returned as limited editions. Now they are back for good as part of the regular collection at Audemars Piguet – but upgraded with the in-house cal. 4404 as well as quick-release bracelets and straps. Nicknamed “evolution” by Audemars Piguet (AP), the new Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 42 mm ref. 26238TI is being launched with a trio of watches that are a faithful take on the 1993 original, along with two new “Mega Tapisserie” dials in the same size. The Offshore 42 mm with “Mega Tapisserie” dials Initial thoughts The last major revamp of the Offshore Chronograph 42 mm was in 2014, when it received a movement upgrade in the form of an in-house base movement, though retaining the modular chronograph. And then two years ago Audemars Piguet unveiled a model equipped with the Frederic Piguet cal. 1185. The new Offshore is arguably better than all its recent counterparts, because it combines the original design – which is a classic – while improving what needed to be improved, namely the movement. In the release announcement, AP describes the movement as “a new selfwinding integrated chronograph, Calibre 4404, equipped with column wheel and flyback function”, which pretty much ...

Why Geneva Watch Days And Dubai Watch Week Are My Favorite Watch Fairs

While the last 18 months have wreaked havoc on the big (and not so big) watch fairs – and everything else – there have been two rays of horological sunshine in the last couple of years: in November 2019 (just months before COVID-19 hit) the biannual Dubai Watch Week took place, which was bigger and better than ever. And then in August 2020 the inaugural Geneva Watch Days was held during a lull in the pandemic and it was superb. Here Ian Skellern explains why these two fairs have become his favorites.

Breguet Reine de Naples 8938: Just Perfect For My Wrist

When Nancy Olson first saw the Breguet Reine de Naples at Baselworld many years ago, she remembers being taken by its absolute gorgeousness. It was so much more than a jewelry watch and it seemed to be made just for her wrist. Many years and many “try-ons” later, the Reine de Naples is Breguet’s flagship ladies collection, the most recent of which is the Reine de Naples 8938, which is available in two beautifully diamond-set versions.

Adventure Time: How Three Avalanches And A Heart Attack Changed My Perception of Time

In his second HODINKEE column, a great American alpinist explains how life and death come down to a matter of seconds – and shares the watch he used to monitor his pulse after a mid-climb cardiac arrest.

Abraham-Louis Breguet Souscription Pocket Watch No. 1836, dated 1807: Touched (Perhaps) By The Hand Of The Horological God – I’m Jaded No Longer

This Breguet souscription pocket watch number 1836 was created just after the French Revolution in 1796 and was sold in 1807 for £600. A testament to the quality of the movement’s design and the skill of its watchmaker, after more than 200 years it still runs perfectly today, which makes it the perfect role model for Breguet's modern Tradition line. But what relationship does Ian have to it?

Omega Introduces the Constellation Gents’ 41 mm with Ceramic Bezels

One of the longest-lived models in the Omega line up, the Constellation with its characteristic “claw” bezel made its debut in 1982 as the Constellation Manhattan. Still looking like a 1980s design many years after that, the collection was face-lifted this year and given a smart new look that retained all of the key elements but with tighter, more modern lines. Now Omega has just taken the covers off the flagship men’s model, the Constellation Gents’ 41 mm that features an unusual combination of a metal case, polished ceramic bezel, and an integrated strap or bracelet. Initial thoughts Offered in a variety of striking dial and bezels combinations – with the red gold and blue ceramic being the most striking – the latest Constellation is the most noteworthy of any recent model. Despite the number of iterations, each model has a cohesive look with all the elements complementing each other. My favourite is undoubtedly the steel version with a irregularly textured dial thats adds visual appeal and intricacy compared to its counterparts with simpler dial finishes. Regardless of iteration, the new Constellation also has a slightly sporty look that is appealing, unlike earlier attempts at a sporty Constellations – like the chunky Constellation Double Eagle – that fell flat. Overall its a good-looking but affordable luxury-sports watch in steel And it does look much better in 18k gold, but then it costs three times as much. Shiny ceramic What makes them special a...

Tracing The History Of My Grandfather’s Pocket Watch And Delving Into English Watchmaking

Last year, Colin Alexander Smith's mother showed him a silver pocket watch. All she could tell him about it was that it had belonged to his grandfather. The watch appeared to be older than his grandfather, though, and he embarked upon a quest to identify it and discover the original owner. The story took a few interesting turns as he reveals here in a truly interesting trace of the origins.

Omega Introduces the Constellation Co‑Axial Master Chronometer 39 mm

After having modernised the Constellation for ladies two years ago, Omega has just done the same for the men’s model, revamping the watch inside and out. Now the full range of Omega’s bestselling model line – the Constellation is likely the most popular watch model in China – has been facelifted. The new gents’ Constellation Co‑Axial Master Chronometer line-up is 26 models strong, all of which share the same basic specs. While the signature Constellation design has been retained, the case and bracelet has been sharpened with subtle improvements that given it a substantially different look. And the case is also larger, at 39 mm instead of the 38 mm of the earlier generation. But most importantly, the new model is equipped with a Master Chronometer movement containing all of Omega’s latest tech. Nip and tuck Available in steel, yellow gold, Sedna gold as well as two-tone combinations, the new Constellation retains the classic barrel shape with concave facets at the top and bottom lugs, as well as the four bezel “claws” at three and nine o’clock. The overall design is, in short, fundamentally the same, but it has been improved in finishing and style, inside and out. The lines and surfaces of the case and bracelet are now cleaner and more pronounced, at the same time accentuated with improved finishing. While the bezel claws keep their traditional polished finish, most of the other surfaces are now brushed, with the case and bracelet featuring polished be...

Meeting the Manx Missile - Mark Cavendish MBE

World champion, Olympic medallist and winner of 30 individual stages of the Tour de France, 15 stages of the Giro d’Italia and three stages of the Vuelta a España, among many others, Mark Cavendish is one of the greatest cyclists Britain has ever produced – and a Richard Mille fan to boot.

Scott Brash MBE: Rolex Grand Slam Champion

BaselWorld 2014: Belles of the Fair: Bremont Supermarine Terra Nova & MBIII

Bremont is a brand that is synonymous with aviation and adventures; there is no surprise that their latest offering was derived from an expedition in Antarctica. Earlier this year, two British polar explorers managed to trek 1,795 miles across Antarctica. Ben Saunders, as well as his teammate Tarka L’Herpiniere, managed to break the world record for settingRead More

First Look – The New Bremont Altitude Chronograph Pulsograph Valjoux 23

Following CEO Davide Cerrato’s arrival in 2023, many Bremont fans feared that the strong aviation, tool-watch spirit of its founders, the English brothers, would be diluted. Released in 2025, the redesigned Altitude Collection, an evolution of the hyper-resilient Martin-Baker (MB) pilot watches with Trip-Tick cases, proved otherwise. In a move bound to win over collectors, Bremont […]