HODINKEE Radio: Episode 12: Apple And The Future Of Watchmaking
Our editors talk about what the Apple Watch Series 4 means for mechanical watch enthusiasts everywhere (with a special appearance by Daring Fireball’s John Gruber).
Hands-on – MB&F HM9 Flow – The Horological Lab’s New Retro-Futuristic Machine
The big day has arrived for MB&F enthusiasts, or those of you who have been following the Horological Machine series since 2005. The latest opus in the series, the HM9, has just been unveiled… A new, unconventionally good-looking, mechanically complex and design-centric creation inspired by one of Max Busser’s countless dreams and passions… pure MB&F! And today, we have it live for you here, on MONOCHROME.
IN-DEPTH: The Omega Seamaster Professional 300M – 25 years on and still going strong
Story in a second: The much-loved diver just got a serious makeover. Omega’s Seamaster Professional 300M is a true legend of the watch world, a watch that will be eternally associated with Bond – specifically Pierce Brosnan, the Bond who brought the franchise out of the wilderness, and once again into the spotlight. Like I said – legendary. And, as everyone knows, you don’t mess with legends. So I can only imagine that the pressure must have been high in the Omega product department in the lead up to the 25th anniversary makeover of the line, released earlier this year. And, broadly speaking, the refresh is restrained and balanced, providing upgrades where needed, but otherwise keeping the key elements right where they are. The case One of the most heated reactions to the ‘new’ Seamaster Professional was the size increase. Though really, it’s pretty marginal: 42mm, up from 41. Personally, I think the difference is minor and subtle, in keeping with what people who are after a contemporary daily dive watch want. However, while the cut-and-dry specs increase is the most obvious change to the case, it’s far from the only one. The helium release valve (that extra crown at 10…
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Interview – The Online Watch Market – Tim Stracke from Chrono24
It’s often said that the online world of buying (and selling) watches is kind of murky. I remember the days, actually not so long ago, when most watch brand websites started with a pop-up warning the visitor about watches for sale in the online world. Now, only a few years down the line, those very same brands have started to develop their own e-commerce channels. Besides these official e-commerce channels, the internet is teeming with online marketplaces and we will be asking the CEOs of the largest and most reputable online platforms to tell us more about their company, themselves and which watch tops their personal wish list.
Sunday Rewind: A Complete History Of The Humble Spring Bar
This is the stuff of HODINKEE legend.
Opinion – The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 39mm Face-to-Face with the 41mm Version
As we explained when Tudor introduced its latest vision of a vintage-inspired dive watch, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 39mm, internal competition is getting stronger than ever… BB41mm or BB58? Tough choice! To shed some light on the situation, we have staged a face-off between the Black Bay 41mm and the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 39mm and arm you with all the details to help you choose between what are, obviously, two great watches.
EDITOR’S PICK: The truth about bezel screws
Editor’s note: After the seemingly despised date window, one of the hottest of hot-button topics in the world of watches is bezel screws. If you say “I really hate it when the bezel screws on a watch aren’t lined up” out loud, it sounds a little ridiculous, but when you really, really care about something, the details all make the difference. But should those screws be aligned? And are they even screws? Read on … “Such a shame they don’t take the time to align their screws. I wouldn’t buy one purely because of this.” Every time we post a picture of a watch with exposed bezel screws (mostly Hublot or Bell & Ross) we get a variation of this comment. And I’m well and truly over it. While many brands use exposed screws on bezels, the most commonly cited example is that of the iconic Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet. It’s certainly what all the commenters on our social feeds reference when they’re lambasting other brands for their inability to align screws. But you know the funny thing? The screws on the AP’s bezels aren’t screws. In fact, they’re threaded nuts which fit neatly and immovably into the perfectly…
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WHO TO FOLLOW: @ErikasOriginals – maker of some of the coolest straps on the market right now
Famous for her iconic straps, Erika has always been one for a new challenge or adventure. She’ll take any chance to jump into her roofless series 3 Land Rover and drive over small, preferably unpaved roads, exploring the beautiful Spanish countryside. Hi Erika, how did you find yourself making watch straps? It is pure chance that I ended up making watch straps. A few years ago, just for the fun of it, I started making custom leather sandals, initially because with my size feet, it is almost impossible to buy anything off the shelf. But when friends started raving about them, I soon was working full-time making bespoke leather sandals and eventually leather watch straps. So what’s your daily watch and why? I don’t have a daily watch. I wear a variety of new and vintage watches. When travelling, I like to wear my — which I’m almost afraid to admit — Apple Watch. I nearly got kicked out of Baselworld earlier this year for wearing it. It’s just because I can see all incoming messages and emails and, if necessary, I can act immediately without having to stare at my phone all day long. What else is in your collection? Have…
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Weekend Round-Up: Mail Order Houses, Holding The Red Sox Ransom, And Ralph Lauren’s 50th Anniversary Show
The week’s can’t-miss stories from around the web.
EDITOR’S PICK: Size doesn’t matter – why 36 should be the new 42
Editors note: I wrote this story back in 2015, and I’m pleased to say that the passage of time has somewhat vindicated my opinion. Some brands, like Tudor, Oris and IWC, have been releasing new 36mm watches with unisex appeal, so the size seems to be catching on. And while the 47mm big boys of the industry are still there, they’re not as omnipresent as they were a decade ago. Is the swing back to smaller sizes a return to sanity, or just another trend? If you ever have the opportunity to try on a watch made before the ’50s, we’re willing to bet you’ll be astounded at how small it feels. Back then, anywhere between 30mm and 36mm was considered normal, while everything more than that tended to be described in auction catalogues as ‘oversized’. And often these smaller pieces languish, unsold, unloved and unworn. How did it come to this? For decades, men were as comfortable with petite models as they were their bulkier brothers, but things started changing in the ’90s. Spurred on by the rising popularity of brands such as Panerai and IWC, we witnessed the birth of the ‘Big Watch’ trend, as average diameters crept…
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