HOW TO: Get the watch you want on Valentine’s Day

Screen Shot 2017-02-08 at 10.00.34 pmHoping to unwrap a small box next Tuesday and hear yourself saying ‘Wow!’ with genuine delight and awe and exclamation marks? How did he/she know this was exactly the watch you wanted! Then follow our step-by-step guide to avoid the tears and inevitable relationship breakdown that will result from your significant other choosing the wrong present for your wrist. 1) Harness the power of Instagram Forget the eyes – Instagram is the real window to your soul, so make sure the right people are peering through it, noses pressed to the glass. Unless you’re weirdly devious, your partner will already be aware you’re obsessed with the ‘Gram, but now’s the time for a gentle reminder. First, ensure your recent posts feature enough shots of the watch you have your eye on to be unambiguous. You don’t want her merely thinking, “Oh look, he likes watches. I’ll get him a watch. This one from [insert chunky, gross, quartz monstrosity brand here] will do the trick.” Because it will not. For the next day or two, exclaim loudly every time you get a new like, before humbly insisting it’s not really your camerawork that deserves the praise, but the Tudor/Omega/JLC in the shot. Message still not getting through? Caption your next post, “Almost as beautiful…

The post HOW TO: Get the watch you want on Valentine’s Day appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.

9 years ago

Stay Tuned For A Big Announcement Coming Tomorrow At 11:30 AM EST

It’s almost time for us to drop some really big news. Here at HODINKEE HQ we’ve been working with a few of our friends over in Switzerland on something truly special. It’s been a little more than a year since the conversations started and finally we get to share the fruits of our labor with you. Be sure to keep your eyes on HODINKEE at 11:30 AM EST tomorrow, February 9, to be amongst the first to see what is undoubtedly one of the coolest things to ever find its way onto HODINKEE.com

9 years ago

Historical Perspectives: The Fascinating (And Totally Geeky) Story Of The Rolex Oyster Bracelet

Why writing on some random stainless steel bracelets that have been around for decades? Trust me, not only to celebrate their 70th Anniversary this year. I decided to do so because I truly believe that the Oyster bracelet and the associated endlinks played a significant role in the legend of Rolex, perhaps as much as the original waterproof case. The simple design of those bracelet blends perfectly with the utilitarian lines of the Submariner or the GMT Master. On the wrist, it wears great, and the deceptively simple clasp works flawlessly. However, it would be a mistake to call the modern Oyster bracelet as we know it today a single stroke of genius. Its creation was more a continuous process of incremental improvements; Rolex patiently made sure that the Oyster bracelet would keep on being the most functional around, with almost invisible touch-ups. As such, this part is highly revealing of Rolex culture, especially its obsession for the details that matter; to me it easily explains the cult status that vintage and modern Rolex eventually reached.

9 years ago

In-Depth – The F.P. Journe Vagabondage III (And The History Of The Vagabondage Series)

François-Paul Journe has always been a bit apart in the watchmaking industry. Yet, most of his watches are easily recognizable and are imbued with a clear, distinctive DNA. However, a specific series of watches does not respect the rule; the Vagabondage watches. Entirely different case, entirely different displays, entirely different philosophy… 2017 marks the arrival of a third tortue-cased watch, the F.P. Journe Vagabondage III (which we already showed to you in video here). A splendid watch and the first-ever mechanical watch with digital jumping-seconds. And today, we take a closer look at it.

9 years ago

De Bethune DB25L Milky Way Watch

The Milky Way is estimated to contain somewhere in the range of 100-400 billion stars, and an estimated 100 billion planets. Swiss luxury watchmaker De Bethune’s DB25L Milky Way interpretation of the beauty and massiveness of the galaxy that we inhabit is on a much more measurable scale.

9 years ago

Introducing: The Panerai PAM 684 Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Oro Rosso (Live Pics + Pricing)

I know what you’re thinking. Gold? For a dive watch? Why? First of all, you’re right, gold is a ludicrous choice for a dive watch – but Panerai knows this. And so do all of the other watchmakers that have made gold divers (a long list that includes Cartier, IWC, and and even Rolex). So while you have every right to question why this watch is needed, it’s good to keep in mind that for a few decades now, since the introduction of Quartz technology and in the diving world, of computers, it’s a question most mechanical watches face. And that brings us to the new PAM 684.

9 years ago

In The Shop: A 1960s IWC Dress Watch, A 1982 Rolex Datejust Reference 16018 With Black Onyx Dial, And A 1990s Piaget Triple Calendar Reference 15958

In anticipation of Valentine’s Day next week (it’s Tuesday, for those of you who forgot), we’re dressing things up a bit. This week we have a diverse selection of dress watches in the HODINKEE Shop specifically chosen to look good on both male and female wrists. Brands like IWC, Rolex, and Piaget are all represented. Read on to see the full selection.

9 years ago

Hands-On – Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Moon Phase And Retrograde Date

This year was the year of the exceptional for Vacheron Constantin, a year of ultra-complex, ultra-rare and ultra-precious watches. The two main novelties were indeed the Celestia and the Symphonia. One is an astronomical watch with 23 complications, tourbillon and massive power reserve (6 barrels…!) The other one is no less than a Grande Sonnerie. Good for angels… However the brand also had some novelties for us, mere mortals. And one of them is this highly elegant and rather original Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Moon Phase And Retrograde Date.

9 years ago