Recent arrivals to the shop that deserve a moment of your attention. In the flow of watches that come into the Hodinkee Shop, there are a few that will always stand out. They are the unusual, the under-appreciated, and sometimes simply a damn good-lo…
Six dive watches that are sweet as pecan pie. Once again, Thanksgiving is upon us. For most of us in the United States, we'll either be reading this article, waiting for dinner to cook, or recovering from a turkey-induced coma. The best type of watch content for any of these cases cove…
A race car is a work of art, and so too are the watches they inspire. The world of watches has historically intersected with other circles of passion: Diving flourished hand in hand with new waterproof watches, aviators who were pioneers of flight needed specifically designed easy-to-read watches, a…
The History of the Rolex Datejust In 1945, Rolex celebrated a monumental occasion. To commemorate the milestone, they wanted to create a timepiece that was different from any other watch offered at the time. The result was the first self-winding, water resistant wristwatch with a date window on the…
From Controversial to Classics When you think of Audemars Piguet, you might immediately think of the brand’s iconic Royal Oak. Although the one-of-a-kind design was polarizing at first, it’s now a cult classic. The model is not just the flagship of the brand. The two have become synonymous. About tw…
Watch and Car Partnerships The watch and automobile industries have a longstanding history together. Their partnerships first began out of necessity. Many watchmakers started working with automobile manufactures to supply dashboard clocks. Soon, watch companies began partnering with motorsports team…
The Founding of Nomos When you think of the brand Nomos, it immediately conjures images of their simple, functional, and understated design approach. What you may not know is the unconventional backstory behind the company’s instantly recognizable aesthetic. Nomos is a young brand, founded just a de…
Athleticism runs in Jordan Spieth’s blood. Both of his parents are former college basketball players, and Spieth showed a breadth of skill at a young age. Growing up, Jordan Spieth tried on every sport, from basketball to soccer, baseball to football, and, of course, golf. His parents recognized his…
2018 World Cup Players Earlier this month, one of the most significant global sporting events kicked off in Russia: the 2018 World Cup. Many of the top soccer players spend their careers playing in leagues outside their home countries. However, the World Cup presents them with a unique opportunity t…
Dive Watches Under $7,000 When we think of our favorite summer watches, we instantly think of the dive watch. It’s got that undeniable aquatic aesthetic that pairs perfectly with an afternoon on a sailboat or evening stroll on a boardwalk. Dive watches for summer may sound cliché, but there are actu…
The Dive Watch Bezel The dive watch bezel is the signature characteristic of the watch. This simple yet significant feature first appeared on dive watches out of necessity. When scuba diving grew in popularity as a sport in the 1950’s, the dive watch was an indispensable tool. The bezel in particula…
History of the Perpetual Calendar Complication The most basic watches tell time only, but others feature complications. One of the most common varieties of complications is the date complication. A date complication can be as simple as the day and date in a window on the dial or as sophisticated as…
To celebrate the awesome book A Man and His Watch by Matt Hranek, we asked our Crown & Caliber community for their own watch stories. To us, watches are more than just timepieces. They each have a history and are connected to special moments throughout life. Sometimes they connect us to people…
Summer is here! We’re ready to jet off on an exotic vacation or at least to the nearest body of water. And, of course, we want to do so in style. When picking out the ideal warm weather ensemble, we think fewer clothes and more accessories. A great pair of sunglasses, a dapper fedora, and, of course…
History of the Moonphase Complication Before the calendar as we know it today, we used different methods to measure time. People measured days by the rising and setting of the sun and years by the changing of seasons. In addition, they used phases of the moon to measure months. You’ve likely heard o…
Dads come in many shapes and sizes. Some are highly driven and career focused, and others are more laidback. Some can’t resist the latest trends, and others are timeless and classic. No matter what type of father you have, he’s your rock and your superhero. He’s more than just a father—maybe he’s a…
An old rule once said you couldn't wear white before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. We no longer strictly abide by this guideline, but passing of Memorial Day has us reaching for our summer whites. This includes our watches. A watch with a clean, crisp white dial is the perfect way to get into a s…
Randy Johnson is arguably one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. Over the span of his twenty-two seasons in Major League Baseball, he won an impressive five Cy Young Awards for best pitcher. This is second only to Roger Clemens’ seven. Plus, he’s one of only two pitchers to win the award…
Splurge: IWC Portofino When you think of the brand IWC, you may immediately think of dress watches. They’re known for creating understated and refined timepieces with a minimalist yet timeless design. But this effortless elegance comes at a price. The beauty of an IWC is not just skin deep. The bran…
A Man and His Watch, Matt Hranek I write for Crown & Caliber remotely from New York City. Not working in-office, I wasn't there when CEO and founder Hamilton Powell contributed to Matt Hranek’s A Man and His Watch. So, when I received the assignment to review this collection of iconic watches an…
As temperatures start to rise and the promise of summer feels just in arm’s reach, we started thinking about some of our favorite warm weather watches. One of the first types of watches that comes to mind is the yacht watch. Today, yacht watches are enjoyed by all types of wearers from avid sailors…
Jaeger-LeCoultre creates some of the most elaborately designed and technically proficient watches on the market. However, despite some of the more ornate and complex models in their catalog, their signature model, the Reverso, is a classic for any collector. Today, the luxury watch brand Jaeger-LeCo…
If you’re here, you likely share our fascination with timepieces and passion for buying and selling pre-owned watches. Technology gave us the tools to create a platform to safely and securely buy and sell luxury items; all in the digital space. But before the days of the internet, a watch auction at…
Watch Stories Our watch stories campaign kicked off a couple of weeks ago, and the submitted stories are amazing. Some of them feature watches passed down from loved ones. Some stories have watches given to celebrate life events. Others are purchases marking career milestones. These timepieces do mo…
James Lamdin is a self-described geek whose love of machines and timepieces led him to start Analog Shift, a curated boutique of incredible vintage watches. He started his career in outdoor apparel and as an automotive journalist, eventually finding himself frustrated with the vintage watch market…
The Zodiac Signs and Watches A piece of technology, like our modern-day wristwatch, hasn’t always measured time. The origins of timekeeping are traceable back to a time long before precision mechanics. A time when we looked to the sun and moon and seasonal cycles to measure the passage of time. Then…
Dr. Jack Carlson is the founder and Creative Director of Rowing Blazers, a menswear line, based in New York City. It is also the title of his latest book. The book itself delves into the connection between rowing and the iconic team jackets. Dr. Carlson knows a thing or two about blazers and their h…
Watches for Mom Mom is the woman who does it all. She scores a promotion at work and scores a sideline seat at her son’s soccer game—she’s his biggest cheerleader. She’s undeniably the master-multitasker. She juggles a phone call with her in-laws while folding laundry. She’s the ultimate care-taker…
Two Icons: The OMEGA Seamaster and Speedmaster The Seamaster and Speedmaster are undeniably two of the most memorable and significant watches in the OMEGA catalog. Both models have a colorful history and have carved their places in our culture. One landed on the moon and the other become a defining…
The Avengers Last week, the latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Infinity War, smashed box office records for an opening weekend. The reviews are in, and critics are raving this may just be the most intense and complex film in the franchise. If you’re a fan of series like t…
President Harry Truman In the midst of WWII, Harry Truman stepped in as the 33rd president of the United States when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt suddenly passed away. In the wake of political unrest and global conflict, Truman inherited a tremendous responsibility. He had to make some diffic…
We may never solve the great puzzle of perfectly pairing a watch with its wearer or create an exact science to define the best watch for a particular person. Still, there are certain watches that have withstood the test of time. A select few watches have both universal appeal and a unique, uncanny d…
The evolution of watch materials is not just driven by the wide range of aesthetically diverse and interesting watches currently on the market. It’s also deeply intertwined with the evolution of watches themselves. At one time, watches only found their way to elite members of society. At the time, h…
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