Watch Dandy

Introducing: The Longines Heritage 1945 (And The Personal Story That Goes Along With It)

This is the new Longines Heritage 1945, a watch that I was particularly thrilled to see in the metal. I named it as one of my favorites of the show so far in our live report last night, and I have to say this watch really speaks to me. The 1940s is arguably my favorite decade for watch design, and this simple calatrava-style case design with a flat bezel and a curved convex dial is just stunning. And it’s now a production piece in the often-wonderful Longines Heritage line. But my connection to this watch goes a little deeper.

Introducing: The Alpina Startimer Pilot Automatic AL-525

If you’re looking for a solid pilot’s watch but you’re on a budget, Alpina is definitely a place you should be looking. Its most successful collection, the Startimer Pilot, offers several good options, including the Chronograph Big Date. Here we take a look at another solid entry, the new Startimer Pilot Automatic AL-525, a simple no-fuss take on a classic.

Baselworld 2017 – Glashütte Original Senator Chronograph Panorama Date, Now in Sporty Steel / Black Style

Back in 2014, Glashütte Original launched an important watch, the Senator Chronograph Panorama Date with the new In-House Calibre 37. Important because the market for high-end chronograph is extremely competitive and because, to fight with the right gears, GO came up with their first automatic integrated chronograph, conceived internally. First unveiled in rose gold and platinum – rather dressy versions – the Glashütte Original Senator Chronograph Panorama Date is now dressed in a sporty Steel case with black dial.

VIDEO: The Planet Ocean ‘Big Blue’ is “one of the most interesting” in Omega’s new collection, says CEO

According to the CEO of Omega, Raynald Aeschlimann, the Planet Ocean ‘Big Blue’ Co-Axial Master Chronometer is “one of the most interesting” watches to be launched by Omega at Baselworld 2017. It represents, he says, a “continuation of Omega’s technological advances, a full ceramic blue Seamaster Planet Ocean, which is coming as a very nice surprise, following the Deep Black and following the whole evolution in ceramic that Omega has been doing for three years.” We should warn you though, this is more of a dip than a deep dive as we’re scheduled to meet the wider Omega school of 2017, including this blue ceramic diver, later today. It will be interesting to shoot this blue ceramic model under normal lighting conditions to compare and contrast with the brand video here and previous Swatch Group blue ceramic models, most notably the Blancpain Ocean Commitment Fifty Fathoms models.

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HANDS-ON: Return of an icon – the TAG Heuer Autavia

The new Autavia is finally here. Twelve months after TAG Heuer announced the Autavia Cup, an innovative, open design process that allowed fans to have their say on the look of the final product is here, and it’s quite the looker. The Autavia, a portmanteau combination of automobile and aviation, was first released by Jack Heuer in 1962 and was the first chronograph wristwatch with a rotating bezel, a feature that added even more functionality to the already utilitarian watch. And, as is the case with all of Heuer’s chronographs, the identity of the Autavia is inseparable from the world of racing – it was a model worn by legendary racers such as Jo Siffert, Mario Andretti and Jochen Rindt. The combination of classic chiselled-jaw manliness and heady nostalgia for the golden age of racing means that the popularity (and value) of vintage Autavia’s has been skyrocketing in recent years. Which brings us to the 2017 reissues. Based on the 1966 ‘Rindt’ model (reference 2446, mark 3), the latest Autavia is a smart blend of vintage style and modern sensibility. Visually the watch is a very close fit to the original, with the most noticeable change being (predictably enough) the dimensions.…

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Introducing: The Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Chronograph

Zenith is back with a new El Primero – the Defy El Primero 21. This new addition to the collection is a contemporary twist on an old classic with a titanium case, a skeletonized dial, and a new movement. The Defy (or as it was originally called, the Defi) has been a part of the brand’s fabric since the old days when Georges Favre-Jacot started the manufacture in 1865. In 1969, the “i” was dropped and a “y” was added, thus creating the Defy collection. The collection remained in place until the late 1990s, with some rather loud designs. Today the Defy is back with the Defy El Primero 21, and it’s got a totally different flavor.

Baselworld 2017 – Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon (Hands-On)

For Baselworld 2017, Jaquet Droz integrates what certainly is the most poetical complication in their very poetical watch, unique in its display, the Grande Seconde. Based on the now iconic 8-shaped dials, with a second larger than the rest of the time, what the brand has done is a perfect example of integration. Indeed, this moon-phase feels like it has always been part of the concept, as natural evolution of the watch… Here is the new Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon. And you already know that it is a perfectly achieved watch by just reading this introduction.

Introducing: The Porsche Design Monobloc Actuator Chronograph (Exclusive Live Pics, Specs, And Pricing)

Watch aficionados know that Porsche Design occupies a small but distinct, and very interesting niche in the history of wristwatch design – one that includes the Porsche Design Titan 1 Chronograph, which was a collaboration with IWC that was, in 1980, the very first titanium cased wristwatch with an integrated titanium bracelet. An interesting feature of the Titan 1 Chronograph were the chronograph pushers, which were integrated into the case flank so they didn’t protrude. The new Porsche Design Monobloc Actuator Chronograph features a similar design, but this time, with only a single pusher which pivots on a hidden rocker.

VIDEO: Tudor’s key Baselworld 2017 releases – 4 ways with the Black Bay

One of the brands we’re always excited to see at Basel is Tudor. They’ve built a reputation for consistently delivering solid, and occasionally surprising watches, and 2017 is no different. We take a look at four new versions of their flagship Black Bay. There’s the simple but upscaled BB41, the blingy BB S&G, the rugged new BB Steel and the complex BB Chrono. If there’s one thing that struck us about the collection as a whole, it’s just how versatile (and enduringly popular) the Black Bay design is.

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The Best Of Baselworld 2017, Day One

Well, that’s a wrap. On day one at least. We’ve got the entire HODINKEE editorial team on the ground in Switzerland all of this week to bring you in-depth coverage of the new releases and developments on display at Baselworld. There’s a lot to sort through, with a nearly infinite number of watches to choose from. Here’s a recap of the best things we saw during the first official day of Baselworld 2017.