Watch Dandy

Found: A Vintage 1936 Luxury Catalog, From A Great But Forgotten Paris Retailer Of Rolex, Omega, And Jaeger-LeCoultre (And Many Other Exceptional Objects)

This Ebay find was only supposed to be an interesting piece of memorabilia, another of those old catalogs that vintage enthusiasts cherish as they feature the watches exactly as they were initially made, with the original dial and strap. Yet, as soon as I opened this 28-page booklet from 1936, I knew it was a very special document. The hundreds of cool items displayed told a different story: Kirby, Beard & Co. was absolutely not your average watch retailer for Rolex, Omega and Jaeger-LeCoultre. In fact, it was one of the coolest department stores you could go to in Paris, if not in the world. And everything I could find out about it since, more than confirms how important this forgotten store was – a huge monument to traditional luxury. Not bad for a company which started in 1743 as a pin maker.

LAST CHANCE: Formula E ePrix Race In New York With TAG Heuer Watches Experience Giveaway

Just a short time left in December & for your chance to win a VIP trip to the 2017 Formula E event in New York with TAG Heuer & aBlogtoWatch. Enter now!

Hands-On – Perrelet Turbine Sung Kang Limited Edition – When One Rotor Is Not Enough

The result of a partnership with the American actor – known for his apparitions in actions movies, including the Fast and Furious franchise – the Perrelet Turbine Sung Kang is the latest version of the brand’s signature model, meaning a bold and unique watch that features the brand’s signature double rotor system. Presented earlier this year at JCK 2016, this 350-piece limited edition is now launching.

Found: One Of Only 10 Kari Voutilainen Vingt-8 In Titanium (With An Incredible Burgundy Lacquer Guilloché Dial Too)

There just aren’t enough Kari Voutilainen watches in this world. Seriously. Seeing one is a pretty rare treat, and almost every piece you do see ends up having something special about it that sets it apart from the rest. This watch, though, is even more unique than most. What we have here is one of just 10 Vingt-8 being made in titanium – yes, titanium – and it’s number 2/10. Let’s dig into this rare, amazing beauty.

Horological Travesty: The TAG Heuer Monaco V4 is Underappreciated

Three days past Christmas and thoughts of the Wise men’s gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh for the infant Christ led me thinking about the 2014’s seminal TAG Heuer Monaco V4 in rose gold, ruthenium and ceramic. This in turn, led me to consider the other Monaco V4 watches that have come before and after it; I began to…

Hands-On With The Baume & Mercier Clifton Chronograph Complete Calendar (10280)

When the Clifton was introduced by Baume & Mercier’s CEO Alain Zimmermann in Geneva, he introduced it as a watch in the category of affordable luxury. Back then, the Clifton series started below 3000 Euro for the most basic version. Later on, complications (including a tourbillon) were added. Today, we take a look at the […]

Interview: Thierry Stern on Guardian of the Patek Philippe Patrimony

Having become President of Patek Philippe in 2009, assuming the mantle once donned by his father and grandfather before him, Thierry Stern is no mere watch industry boss, he is the steward of a multi-billion Swiss franc enterprise that is arguably the world’s most prestigious watchmaker. In Singapore earlier in December for the reopening of […]

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Ocean Commitment II Watch Hands-On

I am not shy about my feeling that these days Blancpain produces some of the most beautiful high-end diving watches available in their Fifty Fathoms family. The collection is populated with a few distinct models which generally fall into the “classic” Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 5015 watch family, and the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe.

TOP POSTS OF 2016: Number 3 – How to buy a watch when you’re drunk

great_gatsby Editor’s Note: It’s both unsurprising and disturbing that our cautionary guide to buying watches while on the sauce has been so popular this year. Equal parts fun and fact, with a dash of self-reflection, the resulting story is a biting brew with woody undertones and a kick in the tail. Enjoy responsibly. We’re pretty sure this doesn’t need to be said, but let’s say it anyway. Don’t buy watches when you’re drunk. Nothing good can come from it. Seriously. Nothing. You’ll wake up hungover, surrounded with bottles of Dom/Chivas/Pabst (depending on budget and taste), considerably poorer and with a rare Enicar Sherpa Graph heading your way via the Philippines. Or not. But if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it right. So we’ve prepared a three-step program to minimise risk and maximise fun. Step 1: Be prepared. A lot of this comes down to what you’re like when you’ve had a few. If you’re the kind of guy who gets excited about the late-night escapade to the nearest Casino for a few hands of poker (‘cos you totally could have gone pro. Totally) it might be an idea to send some flyers to your local…

The post TOP POSTS OF 2016: Number 3 – How to buy a watch when you’re drunk appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.

The HODINKEE 2016 Video Year In Review

In late July, on our second day on the Isle of Man, we pulled up, unannounced and a bit jet-lagged, to the George Daniels estate on the Isle of Man. Arthur, somewhat bashfully, knocked on the front door, and when the current owner appeared, he said, as casually as one can, “Oh right, I’ve been expecting you – I’ve been following you on HODINKEE Live.” It was at that point that I snapped-to, realized just where we were, and that we were doing something special.