Archive

A Guide to Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

A Guide to Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

Originally Posted on Hodinkee March 3, 2020 Blancpain, with roots dating back to 1735, is a company that brings the perspective of generations to its watchmaking. The brand is often uncredited for the key role it played during the revival of the Swiss watch industry in the 1980s and '90s, and it is…

Seven Watches You Can Only Buy Pre-owned

Seven Watches You Can Only Buy Pre-owned

As much fun as it is to walk into a store and look at all the beautiful new watches that were just released, sometimes they do not speak to us in the same way the old styles did. They are not the watch you saw in that store years ago that you could never shake the thought of one day owning. Maybe th…

[VIDEO] Real vs. Fake: Breitling Super Avenger

[VIDEO] Real vs. Fake: Breitling Super Avenger

Conversation surrounding replica watches has been divisive, with strong opinions on both sides of the debate. What draws people to fake recreations of brand-name luxury items, despite the fact that it's illegal and morally questionable? Partly because it makes otherwise unaffordable pieces affordabl…

Does Watch Size Matter?

Does Watch Size Matter?

Almost every watch comes with a relatively similar makeup – a band, a case, a crown. However, little nuances make watches appear and watch size seem vastly different. The band can be a metal bracelet or leather strap. The case can be square or round. The crown may be flanked by pushers or stand alon…

Trend Forecasting at SIHH 2017

Trend Forecasting at SIHH 2017

From January 16-20, 2017, all eyes were on Geneva, host to this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH). For the most part, it was business as usual, and despite a difficult 2016 for the Swiss watch industry, watch manufactures were ready to show off. For the second year in a row, S…

How to Buy a Watch for a Man

How to Buy a Watch for a Man

Every guy needs at least one nice watch. Even those who eschew mechanical watches as outdated technology can appreciate having a watch for special occasions. And if they can't, sometimes you just have to push the point. Which means taking matters into your own hands and buy a watch for him. Certainl…

Watch Maintenance 101: What Does a Full Service Cost?

Watch Maintenance 101: What Does a Full Service Cost?

For the third and final installment of our guide to watch maintenance, we check in once more with our panel of experts — Florin Niculescu, vice president of product development at Parmigiani Fleurier; Maximilian Büsser, founder and CEO of MB&F, who spent time at Harry Winston Rare Timepieces and…

Profiles in Time: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Watch

Profiles in Time: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Watch

Martin Luther King Jr. - The Man and His Legacy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an extraordinary figure in American history. He was an American Baptist minister and activist and is the most recognizable leader in the American Civil Rights movement. The changes that King ushered in were led by his ten…

Watch Maintenance 101: What Goes into a Full Service?

Watch Maintenance 101: What Goes into a Full Service?

In this second installment of our guide to watch maintenance, we take a look at what exactly a complete watch overhaul entails. What does an overhaul include? It varies from manufacture to manufacture and from one service center to another, but the fundamentals are pretty consistent: A watch technic…

[VIDEO] How To Replace a Watch Bracelet

[VIDEO] How To Replace a Watch Bracelet

Replacing a watch bracelet can completely change the look of your watch. If you want to go more casual, replace the bracelet with a rubber or NATO strap. Headed to a more formal occasion? Stick with the metal bracelet or a black leather strap. But how do you replace a watch bracelet yourself? There…

Watch Maintenance 101: How Often Should You Service Your Watch?

Watch Maintenance 101: How Often Should You Service Your Watch?

Like a high-performance sports car, your mechanical watch needs to be serviced now and then. In timepiece argot such treatment is called a “complete overhaul,” and although that’s mostly accurate, it’s also a little misleading. It refers, in essence, to a tune-up, but what does it really mean? For s…

Sarpaneva: Watches as Art

Sarpaneva: Watches as Art

These watches are not created for everyone. If you happen to stumble across a Sarpaneva watch, that's the clear message you'll get. Stepan Sarpaneva, an independent Finnish watchmaker, cut his teeth in complicated watchmaking with stints at Piaget and Parmigiani. In 2003, he left Switzerland for Hel…

Watches for Left-Handers

Watches for Left-Handers

Ah, left-handers. Your burden is heavy, living in a world made for righties. Scissors, notebooks, doors, etc....left-handed people have to deal with life's everyday nuisances, including watches. Generally, you wear a wristwatch on your non-dominant hand. This keeps it from getting in the way, it get…

Profiles In Time: John Wayne’s Watch

Profiles In Time: John Wayne’s Watch

Marion Mitchell Morrison, better known as John Wayne, is famous for his longstanding film career. On-screen, he was the All-American man. He often played the role of the stoic and heroic cowboy or soldier—characterized by rugged masculinity, honest moral values, and a pioneering spirit. As is the ca…

Girard-Perregaux, The Literary Bond Watch?

Girard-Perregaux, The Literary Bond Watch?

The timepieces worn by the cinematic James Bond–from the Gruen 510 he sported in Dr. No to the Omega Seamaster around his wrist in Spectre–have been exhaustively chronicled. The watches 007 has worn onscreen include the Breitling, Pulsar (made by Hamilton), Rolex Submariner, Rolex (Pre-Daytona) Chro…

[VIDEO] Rolex Submariner Watch Service Timelapse

[VIDEO] Rolex Submariner Watch Service Timelapse

Ever wonder what goes into servicing a luxury watch? A lot, actually. A full service involves literally taking the watch apart piece by tiny little piece, cleaning everything, and then putting it all back together again. Our watchmakers do this sort of work day in and day out, all to make sure that…

Sammy Sy of WatchRecon: The Semi-Anonymous Interview

Sammy Sy of WatchRecon: The Semi-Anonymous Interview

The outreach was clandestine, the e-mails to the point. When he said we could meet at his office, my first reaction was, “You work there?” That’s when he went dark. Sammy Sy (pronounced “see”) doesn’t want anyone to know too much. Here’s what we do know: He created WatchRecon, a web curator of timep…

The RedBar Crew’s Preferred Cocktails

The RedBar Crew’s Preferred Cocktails

The RedBar Crew is a New York City based group two-parts watch enthusiasts and one-part libation imbibers that meet up rather regularly in various well-heeled watering holes around town to cocktail and converse on various horological topics — often with special watch industry guests and lectors in t…

Cigars & Watches: Economics 101

Cigars & Watches: Economics 101

Cigars and watches have been sold side-by-side since the 1930s. In this three-part series, we explore the connection and interplay between two manly pursuits: collecting watches and lighting up cigars. To read Parts I and II, go here and here. The final installment of this three-part series could ve…

[VIDEO] Real vs. Fake: Rolex Explorer II

The idea of a fake watch is kind of interesting. It's built to duplicate of a four-figure (sometimes five- or six-figure) watch at the lowest cost possible. And whether the producers of fake watches are really trying all that hard to pass their wares as legitimate, their ability to produce fake watc…

Cigar Watch Partnerships—Fuente, Hublot, and More

Cigar Watch Partnerships—Fuente, Hublot, and More

Cigars and watches have been sold side-by-side since the 1930s. In this three-part series, we explore the connection and interplay between two manly pursuits: collecting watches and lighting up cigars. To read Part I, click here.  Another notable tobacconist, Davidoff of Geneva — which these days st…

[VIDEO] Real vs. Fake: Rolex Day-Date

The Rolex President is a pretty iconic watch. There's not really any other watch that looks like it—that includes fake watches especially. However, that doesn't stop them from trying. In general, it's much easier to replicate a stainless steel watch. That's because steel is a relatively cheap materi…

How To Buy a Luxury Watch On a Budget

How To Buy a Luxury Watch On a Budget

Everyone should own at least one quality watch. But you might have a problem: you're on a very tight budget. That's understandable—not everyone can afford to just drop the money on an expensive watch without some serious consideration. However, there are some great watches to be found at reasonable…

Cigars & Watches: The Stateman’s Pursuits

Cigars & Watches: The Stateman’s Pursuits

The old adage holds that men who are mechanical wristwatch, cufflink and fountain-pen men are also fond of supercall spirits, hand-rolled cigars and automobiles. And while polymath gents with an appreciation for the finer things might not covet, collect or even appreciate all these things, as a psyc…

[VIDEO] Real vs. Fake: Rolex Sea-Dweller

[VIDEO] Real vs. Fake: Rolex Sea-Dweller

When we get a fake watch into the facility, oftentimes it's pretty easy to see right off the bat. But not all replicas are made equal, and recently, they've gotten pretty good. We're talking Frankenwatches that combine both real and fake parts, really well-done copies that look like the real thing o…

The Cigarette Brand Behind the “Viceroy” Autavia

The Cigarette Brand Behind the “Viceroy” Autavia

The 1970s were the heyday of Indy Car racing, and racers of the time were the epitome of the modern masculinity. At the same time, the 1970s were a struggle for the Swiss watch industry, and 1971 in particular was a challenging year for Heuer, the brand that had made its name in racing chronographs…

[VIDEO] Real vs. Fake: Rolex Milgauss

[VIDEO] Real vs. Fake: Rolex Milgauss

Fake watches aren't created equally. Believe it or not, there is such thing as a sophisticated replica watch. This means that if you're interested in the real thing, you have to trust the seller. And understand that if the price on your dream watch seems too good to be true, it probably is. And when…

[VIDEO] Watch Stories: Jonathan Ward, Founder of ICON 4×4

[VIDEO] Watch Stories: Jonathan Ward, Founder of ICON 4×4

Into vintage cars? You'll like Jonathan Ward (that is, if you didn't drool over his work already). At ICON 4x4, the boutique automaker Ward runs with his wife, they reinvent classic cars with modern tech. And by classic cars, we're talking the real workhorses of the 60s and 70s—MPVs like the Land Cr…

[VIDEO] Real vs. Fake: Rolex Submariner

[VIDEO] Real vs. Fake: Rolex Submariner

Ah, fake watches. Bad or good, we can't help but be fascinated by them, even as they cheapen the carefully crafted brand images of the Swiss watch industry or bankroll dubious overseas business practices. But ultimately, it's the quality and emotional value that makes a watch meaningful. And a fake…

Jo Siffert and the Heuer “Siffert” Autavia

Jo Siffert and the Heuer “Siffert” Autavia

October 2016 saw the 45th anniversary of Jo Siffert’s untimely passing in 1971, at the age of 35. The racing accident that claimed his life marked the end of the greatest sponsorship arrangement in sport to that point. Still, Jo Siffert lives on through the watch that unofficially bears his name, th…

The History Behind the Minute Repeater

The History Behind the Minute Repeater

A minute repeater is one of the most elaborate watch complications ever invented. Its name is pretty self-explanatory—the mechanism “repeats” the hours and minutes back to the wearer on demand. While it's largely a decorative (but still absolutely fascinating) mechanism on the modern wristwatch, the…

NEWSLETTER

C&C Correspondence Straight to Your Inbox