Hodinkee
Introducing: IWC Announces Two New Limited-Edition Pilot’s Watches With F1 Driver George Russell
Ahead of the new F1 season, IWC announces its first collaboration with an F1 driver.
217 articles · 1 video found · page 5 of 8
Hodinkee
Ahead of the new F1 season, IWC announces its first collaboration with an F1 driver.
Worn & Wound
Recently, over the course of a brutally cold weekend here in Concord, NH, I rewatched last year’s F1, the Brad Pitt vehicle that is essentially a very long advertisement for the sport for which it is named. It’s a fun movie, and even though it was made for giant screens and deafening surround sound systems, it played just fine at home as a fairly standard sports movie. I had been wanting to give the film another look as it was recently nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards (a bit of a surprise to most observers) and figured it was time to see how it stood up to a repeat viewing. The answer is that it’s still really enjoyable popcorn fare, but my one real reservation is in the almost nonstop product placement. IWC watches factor heavily into the texture of the film itself. If you look closely, you can see a watch or the IWC logo in more scenes than not. It speaks to the importance of the relationship between IWC and F1, so I was not at all surprised when I learned that IWC’s first big novelty release of the year would be a pair of watches representing a collaboration between the brand and F1 driver George Russell, who races for the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team, which IWC has had a longstanding relationship with. Unlike previous watches IWC has released as part of their partnership with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS, this one is tied to a specific driver. Rather than the teal color highlighted in those earlier watches, these feature a more traditional blue hue, ...
Worn & Wound
More now than ever it seems, watch companies fight their way onto the big screen through influencer programs or partnership deals with film production companies. Sometimes the partnership feels natural and complements the film, though the savvy enthusiast can still spot a brand deal when it is played out in front of them. However, there are the rare occasions where a watch is chosen by the actor, the director, costume designer, or even the writer. Those instances are special as they better integrate into the final piece and add a bit of fun watch spotting for the enthusiast. I recently had the opportunity to join the Blancpain team in Santa Fe, NM for a special world premier screening of the new George R.R. Martin story directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, In The Lost Land. The film takes place in a dystopian reality and stars Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista with the Blancpain Carrousel Répétition Minutes Chronographe Flyback taking center stage with a prominent feature as an ancient and coveted relic. Watching the movie, the casual enthusiast may be left with questions such as why they chose this particular watch, how did Blancpain work their way on set, and was it a real watch at all? Well, we had the opportunity to sit down for a roundtable interview with George R.R. Martin, Paul W.S. Anderson, and Milla Jovovich to try and answer these questions ourselves. Perhaps most interestingly, this partnership is one that reaches back quite a long time ago while the film was v...
Hodinkee
All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.
Hodinkee
Brock Purdy and his Tudor didn't win the game, but there were a lot of other watches to check out (and a massive clock during Usher's Halftime Show performance).
Hodinkee
In our watch-related movie of the week, a Speedy gets so much screen time it deserves an acting credit.
Revolution
Hodinkee
And Julia Roberts rocks a gold mystery piece in our watch-related movie of the week.
Hodinkee
That goes for watches – and also for his pair of wholecut kicks, made from 235-year-old Russian leather.
Hodinkee
And he wants to make you smile.
Hodinkee
We talk customization, collaborations, collecting, and a whole lot more.
You gotta have faith...in this watch.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Timex?
Hodinkee
A very beautiful watch, sold during a very ugly war.
Hodinkee
Three geniuses, a few too many drinks, and a design icon from 1949.
Revolution
Revolution
With a new watch designed entirely by Bamford Watch Department (BWD), plus new contracts that guarantee him an unlimited supply of TAG Heuer, Zenith and Bulgari timepieces to customize, 2017 was the year that one of horology’s most legendary mutineers officially came in from the cold.
Once again, the global editors of Revolution weigh in on the best timepieces of the year, as well as the personalities that shaped the watch industry.
Revolution’s sister magazine, The Rake highlights individuals who have taken to that most extraordinary of Swiss watch manufactures, Patek Philippe.
Hodinkee
Universal Genève means a lot to us at Hodinkee. It's been one of my favorite brands since the early days of our publication—one that's been with me through various moments in my career, through my growth in knowledge and passion for vintage watches, and a brand I've watched with anticipation, hoping it would come back. And today, we are sharing a conversation between myself and Georges Kern, former Breitling CEO and recently appointed CEO of House of Brands, which includes Breitling, Universal Genève, and Gallet, to chat over the recent results of a long-term project to bring Universal Genève back to the forefront. I don't think there's been a more hotly anticipated brand relaunch than that of Universal Genève. The announcement that Breitling (now House of Brands) had secured the rights to the dormant brand sent shockwaves through the industry. We—both in the industry at large and at Hodinkee—had high hopes for the relaunch, but the proof would come with the first releases. Let me tell you, I don't think anyone thought Universal Genève would go this far to knock it out of the park. Just before Watches and Wonders 2026, Universal Genève essentially stole the show before it began by launching a few dozen of its most iconic watches in both heritage-styled and reimagined forms. The Gerald Genta-designed Polerouter? Returned, not just in one size but two, and in multiple materials, dials, bracelets, and more. Oh, and a brand-new microrotor (well, three-quarter rotor...
Hodinkee
'House of Brands,' the group of watchmakers including Breitling, Universal Genéve, and the soon-to-be-revived Gallet, announced executive changes that will see the flagship brand led by new leadership, with Georges Kern becoming the group's Chief Executive Officer. Jean-Marc Pontroué, a long-time Richemont executive and the former CEO of Panerai and Roger Dubuis, is the new Chief Executive Officer of Breitling, the group says in a statement. The changes take effect in May. Georges Kern Georges Kern, who has led Breitling under new ownership since 2017, overseeing a more than doubling of annual sales to above CHF 800 million, according to analyst estimates, and one of the most dramatic turnarounds in modern watchmaking, becomes the new CEO of the House of Brands, overseeing the three marques and their leadership in a newly created role.At Universal Genève, which relaunched this month in the high-end segment in what's likely the most ambitious watch brand return and repositioning in decades, Grégory Bruttin remains Managing Director. Meanwhile, at Gallet, the approachable-priced brand known for its Flying Officer and Multichron models, to be revived in August this year, Erwan Rossignol, who is already leading the team preparing the relaunch, becomes Managing Director. The changes confirm the multi-brand ambitions of the private-equity-backed Grenchen, Switzerland-based company, and provide a structure similar to that of other groups with portfolios of several watch bra...
Fratello
During Dubai Watch Week, I sat down with Georges Kern to discuss his House of Brands group, which consists of Gallet, Breitling, and Universal Genève. His work on adding Gallet and Universal Genève to his portfolio has not gone under the radar. In recent times, we noticed a lot of speculation, rumors, previews, and advisory-board […] Visit “Collectors Are Helping Me Avoid Mistakes” - A Talk With Georges Kern On The House Of Brands to read the full article.
Time+Tide
We caught up with Georges Kern at Dubai Watch Week, and true to form, the Breitling CEO didn't shy away from the challenging questions.The post Georges Kern answers the tough questions: Breitling’s bold vision at Dubai Watch Week appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Revolution
Monochrome
About a year ago, Georges Kern, also known as the CEO of Breitling, made a resounding announcement for the watch community; the acquisition of historic brand Universal Genève and its planned return as a watchmaker in 2026. A brand known for its innovative designs and movements, benefitting from a certain aura in the collecting community, […]
Quill & Pad
Breitling needs no introduction. Just on hearing the name you can already picture their watches. But the brand was in trouble and Georges Kern has appeared to turn it around. Raman Kalra explains how.
Hodinkee
For the first time, the Breitling CEO discusses the Universal Genève Acquisition; then, we look back at his tenure at Breitling so far.
Revolution
“Only success will prove that we are right.” – Georges Kern. Joining the Richemont Group in 2000, Mr. Kern was highly involved in major brands like A. Lange & Söhne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and IWC Schaffhausen following their acquisition by the group. In 2002, Kern was chosen to be the CEO of IWC and became the youngest […]
Revolution
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