HODINKEE Radio: Episode 97: Jon Bues
Our senior editor talks about his decade-and-a-half in watches – and why you need to learn to make chicken rice at home.
Video – Reviewing the Zenith Chronomaster Revival A386 Manufacture Edition
No one can overlook the importance of the El Primero – both the movement and the watch – when it comes to chronographs. In 1969, the El Primero was one of the first automatic chronographs to be launched. And, in addition to that, the watch fitted with it, the Zenith A386, was very good looking. […]
MICRO MONDAYS: Meet CODE41 and their X41 AeroCarbon, this is a Swiss brand with big ambitions
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 world, however it perpetuates the notion that innovative, technical achievements in both design and function are reserved for the mighty brands with wealth to spare and centuries of experience. CODE41 are here to reassure us that trends aren’t taking over the industry, and there is still room for smaller brands to prove that they can be as clever as the big boys, without the exorbitant price tags. Their Anomaly-01, which is still available to order, used the well-established crowdfunding method to generate hype and brand awareness for an affordable, albeit visually striking watch with a Japanese Miyota movement. However, where most microbrands would build on that success slowly, the Swiss innovators have gone all-out on producing several variations of an exhilarating, tech-focused wristwatch, complete with a proprietary automatic movement. Within the last decade or two, an obsession with in-house movements has crept up on watch…
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Introducing – Panerai Luminor Blue Mare 44mm PAM01085
For long, the formula of Panerai watches was simple: rugged watches inspired by the sea, with Italian design, simple mechanics and large cushion-shaped cases. And, at the beginning a relatively accessible price that helped to create a huge community of fans. And then, things changed and Panerai became more complicated, more luxurious, more focused on […]
10 of the best digital watches you can buy in 2020, Part 2, including a cold Casio classic for 20 bucks
Digital watches remain an overlooked part of the watch world, forgotten by many who consider themselves to have ‘graduated’ to mechanical watches. But as we saw in Part 1 of this series where we looked at some of the best new releases in the last 12 months or so, there are a number of seriously cool and thoughtfully designed digital watches out there. So if you’re looking to mix things up in your collection that has previously focused on the mechanical side of horology, digital watches offer an injection of fun and variety into your collecting journey, without breaking the bank. Bulova Computron Bulova released this watch in 2019 to well-deserved praise, choosing to reissue a digital watch from a part in watchmaking history that isn’t much discussed. Based on the LCD/LED illuminated digital display watches of the 1970s, this piece revives the blocky case design and even requires the user to push the side button to display the time, just like the originals. While working on the Watch Buying Guide in the 2019 NOW Magazine, it was a no-brainer to include this fun reissue. Casio AE1200WHD-1A Featuring a world time map, analogue time display, 100m of water resistance, as well…
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Sunday Rewind: Delve Deeply Into The ‘Dirty Dozen’
Good enough for you, me, and the MoD.
Buying Guide – 5 Of The Most Striking Tourbillon Watches Recently Introduced
The Tourbillon is, without doubt, one of the most spectacular and prestigious complications – a must-have in the collection of a respectable watchmaker. Invented to counteract the effects of gravity on the regulating organ of mechanical watches, this now-ubiquitous mechanism has remained long the preserve of a few watchmakers. The past few months have brought […]
An owner's perspective on the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight vs. a first gen Black Bay Red
Editor’s note: Yannick Chan, the author of this piece, loved the idea of the first Black Bay, but the reality did not match up. “I loved the way that watch looked, but I really didn’t wear it much,” he says. That said, he was not put off enough to resist buying a Black Bay Fifty-Eight a few years later. How did the two compare from an owner’s perspective? With the recent release of the Fifty-Eight in blue, it’s a timely question. Read on. Being a Tudor enthusiast (or, for lack of a better word, a bit of a fanboy), the Black Bay Fifty-Eight was the watch that really caught my eye amongst the new releases from Tudor at Baselworld 2018. Yes, like everyone else, I love the look and functionality of the Black Bay GMT, but being more of a vintage watch guy, the size and retro design of the Fifty-Eight really appealed to me. I’ve been dying to get my hands on the watch ever since, and I guess I wasn’t the only one. Just like the GMT, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight has been an instant success for Tudor, and if you’ve tried looking for one, you’d know that it’s near…
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INTRODUCING: The new Omega Constellation 41mm demands that you look on the model with fresh eyes
Omega’s Constellation has always been somewhat of a quiet achiever – a low-key collection that has, thanks to the endless popularity of its space and seagoing siblings, been often overlooked and maybe even, at times, forgotten. That’s all changing in 2020, though. Omega appears steadfast in breathing new life into the dressy-come-sporty collection. In January, we saw a brilliant new array of redesigned 36mm and 39mm iterations, and now the Bienne outfit has unveiled an entirely new 41mm variant. The DNA Like the aforementioned smaller members of the collection, this new large-sized model is, of course, based on the ‘Manhattan’ Constellation. However, while some of the ubiquitous aesthetic traits remain, Omega has heavily reworked the design concept, and the resulting timepiece is a resolutely more contemporary one. The bezel Perhaps the biggest talking point is the glistening bezel. Hewn from a shimmering polished ceramic and still managing to incorporate the quintessential ‘claws’ at three and nine o’clock, the intricacy of its construction is no mean feat. Essentially, Omega has deployed the full force of its engineering team to create a materially innovative workaround for ensuring that the scratch-resistant materials blend into the solid steel or gold claws with perfect continuity.…
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10 of the best digital watches you can buy in 2020, Part 1, including Braun, G-Shock, Hamilton and HD3
Digital watches may not be mechanical masterpieces that harken back to the romanticism of time-telling from a bygone era. But they’re an increasingly exciting corner of the hobby we love, and what they lack in pedigree and soul they make up for in almost boundless functionality. If you look down at your wrist right now and see a digital watch, in place of your usual ‘real’ watch, you’re a pragmatist as well as a poet, inspired by technology and its brilliant ability to democratise information and accuracy. We’ve chosen 10 new digital watches to bring to your attention that might just scratch that retro, or tech-geek, itch, starting with these five. Casio G-Shock GBD-H1000 G-Shock’s latest release is the near-ubiquitous brand’s first serious attempt at a digital timepiece with some real “smartwatch” features. As a result, not only is the GBD-H1000 built like a tank and robust enough to take literally whatever you can throw at it, but it’s also got myriad gadgets. Chief among this go-go-gadgetry is five different sensors, which include an optical sensor for measuring heart rate, an accelerometer that measures daily steps, a magnet that’s used as a digital compass, a pressure (altitude/barometric) sensor, and…
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