H10: My Favorite HODINKEE Story: Stephen Pulvirent

Now, six and a half years later, I look back at this day and the story/video that resulted, and I see some of the best things about HODINKEE all rolled into one. Our scrappy attitude, the way we work to make really elevated things approachable and exciting, and the way we highlight the interesting people who make up the watch world are all on display. This was also the first story I ever worked on with both Ben and Will, two guys who have become much more than just co-workers since that day we interviewed Michael Safdie. (And I even saw Michael Safdie, the subject of the video just two weeks ago in Geneva for the auction – the watch world truly is a community.)

Great watches, great people, and great work. To me, that’s what HODINKEE has always been about, and this is the story that brought them together for me for the first time. 

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Artisans de Genève and Juan Pablo Montoya introduce « La Montoya »

Juan Pablo Montoya 

“I’ve always been passionate about the Rolex Daytona, I won the Rolex 24 three times, and it’s a watch that really relates to all of my racing. So I was amazed when the idea came along to do a skeleton Daytona.
Artisans de Genève embodies what I wanted in somebody who would build a watch for me. They are that somebody that was happy to go with no limits to how a watch should be built.

The more you look at it, the more you like it. »

Juan Pablo Montoya

For more information, visit www.artisansdegeneve.com/en/collections/la-montoya/

Juan Pablo Montoya was taught the art of motorsports at an early age by his father. He quickly began to show promise, and has since then carved an incredible career for himself,  winning the most prestigious races. He is the only driver to win so many different races; a CART Series title, the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the Monaco Grand Prix.

The Timepiece 

Artisans de Genève and Juan Pablo Montoya introduce « La Montoya », an audacious and sporty reinterpretation of the Rolex Daytona model. An edition limited to 50 pieces.

« La Montoya » is undoubtedly the meeting of all superlatives. It brought to life this unthinkable challenge : to revisit one of the most iconic timepieces of this decade, by creating, for the first time, a skeleton version of the Rolex Daytona timepiece, Juan Pablo’s favorite one, synonymous with his most vibrant successes.

Two years of development were necessary to succeed in embodying with elegance the 4130 Rolex Caliber of « La Montoya ». This caliber of exception is dismounted piece by piece, cut, angled, and finished by hand in the Vallée de Joux. It takes hundreds of hours to achieve this true work of art, which highlights the greatness and beauty of the unique Swiss know how.

« La Montoya » could never have been such an incredible timepiece without Philippe Narbel’s talent and experience. As a true angling genius, he precisely signs each piece he touches. None of “his” movements are alike. He perfects an already exceptional movement in the smallest details, giving it a unique touch, making each of them one of a kind.

For more information, visit www.artisansdegeneve.com/en/collections/la-montoya/

Modifications

The bezel from the original model was replaced by a tachymeter bezel machined in a forged carbon block. It was conceived and produced by Artisans de Genève.

The dial resonates with the automotive world. It has been skeletoned and angled by hand. Each hand is individually polished by hand. The red arrow chrono hand is sandblasted. The counter hands were replaced with special shaped ones.

Just as their hands, the counters are individually painted by hand and wear the colors of Juan Pablo Montoya’s beloved Colombia.

“La Montoya” wears Artisans de Genève’s signature: a solid gold rotor. Manufactured entirely in 22 carat grey gold, and completely openwork, it enhances the beauty of the angled movement. It was polished with a circular finishing and blends into the movement’s perfection. This timepiece wears another signature, the transparent sapphire back, individually engraved, numbered and polished by hand.

Artisans de Genève has paid close attention to the polishing, which is entirely handmade. Mix of brushing and sandblasting, it gives “La Montoya” a contemporary and timeless look, highlighting all the splendor of the skeletonized caliber. The lugs are brushed, and the back of the case is sandblasted, as a final signature from Artisans de Genève.

Specifications

Base: Rolex 116520

Diameter: 40mm

Dial: Handmade skeleton angled dial, Juan Pablo Montoya marked

Bezel: Tachymeter carbon forged bezel

Case: Original Rolex Stainless Steel

Movement: Modified skeleton Rolex 4130 movement, angled by hand, with 22ct grey gold rotor

Materials: Stainless Steel

Water resistance: 100m waterproof

Polishing: Handmade Polishing

Back: Transparent Sapphire back individually engraved

For more information, visit www.artisansdegeneve.com/en/collections/la-montoya/

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In The Shop – In The Shop: The 2018 HODINKEE Shop Holiday Gift Guide

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The HODINKEE Shop is an authorized retailer of new watches from a growing but carefully curated set of brands. By partnering directly with the brands we carry, we guarantee 100% authenticity of everything we sell. We even offer free shipping and returns, and a complimentary extended year warranty so you can be confident you’ll be happy with your purchase.

Shop Now

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This Week in Watches – November 24, 2018

Today we’ll kick off what I think (and hope) will become a fixture on Fratello Watches called “This Week in Watches”. For those of you who follow baseball, perhaps you grew up watching something on TV with a similar name but focused on baseball. Well, we won’t have the San Diego Chicken here and the Wizard of Oz won’t be doing any backflips, but what I aim for is a loose recap of what’s gone on during the week. I (or perhaps my colleagues may jump in as well) won’t cover everything, but we’ll try to hit the high – and low – points along with other random findings that we come across as the week progresses. As for publishing, we’ll shoot for later Friday (Central Europe time), but the weekend may be an option due to travel schedules, etc. The plan, by the way, isn’t really to give you, the reader, just a recap, but one laced with some opinion and, yes, there will be sarcasm.

The Breitling Party Plane Keeps on Rolling

If you’re an Instagram user, go check out the account of Breitling CEO Georges Kern. This guy and his crew keep the road hot! This past week, the B team was in Beijing for its latest roadshow and it looks like Brad Pitt, he’s a rather new endorser if you didn’t know, showed up with hair that I haven’t seen (nor Mr. Kern) on my head since I was a teenager. Seriously, though, whether you like what Kern has accomplished in little over a year at the helm, the new management is getting out there and, despite re-upping at Baselworld for 2019, taking customer-focused events to a whole different level. With the new Premiers in focus – and what a turnaround on the Bentley theme-, Breitling continues to revamp its lineup for the better. Hang in there @watchfred, you’ll reach HON Circle status soon enough!

Heuer, Heuer and more (TAG) Heuer

Man, vintage Heuer is down in the dumps. Since Philipps held its brand-focused auction a year ago, it’s been a downward spiral with collectors turning their noses up at the once-hot brand in favor of some other flavor of the day. Plus, we hear that some veteran Heuer collectors were offering their pieces as BOGO’s (look it up, Europeans) on Black Friday! I kid, I kid. Actually, I think the whole negative Heuer trend is going to be short-lived, but that’s a story for another day. Still, and yes this is over one week old, it doesn’t help that Christie’s flubbed its catalog listing for a rare “Skiperrera” reference 7754 for its Geneva auction held on Nov 12th. This is a super rare watch with roughly 20 known to be in existence, so the sale of one is a big deal.

The auction house catalog showed what looked like a minty watch, but in real life (as found out by collector Carlo S when he requested additional pictures), it looked more like a Brach’s Star Brite mint that had rolled around in a sandy playground after falling from a child’s mouth. Adding insult to injury, some Instagram warriors proclaimed that the advertised and the real looked amazingly similar. Fake news, one cried! Well, I showed my 4 year old the two watches and asked if they were the same and she quizzically looked at me and said, “Daddy, one looks dirty.” Case, erm, closed…the watch still hammered for 53,750 CHF all-in. Jeff Stein and On the Dash do a nice job of covering the controversy here.

We’re not done with Heuer, or the brand with a TAG in front. First, we saw the release of a TAG Heuer x fragment collaboration which gave us a near replica of the famed 2447NT Carrera from the 60’s. At $8100, this new 3-register Caliber 2-powered chrono looks nice. It sits in the 39mm “glass box” case we’ve seen before and I really like the way it fits the wrist. But, I have a few criticisms. First off, I don’t know the famed gentleman, Hiroshi Fujiwara, who runs “fragment” and I’m sure he’s a creative genius, but the shapes within his logo (and on the dial of the Carrera) are about 20 degrees shy of looking like something pretty damn evil from about 80 years ago. Weird. Second, and this is pointed at TAG, why not just make this watch and a white version and be done with it? Heck, it works for Rolex and the Daytona. The original Carrera is a timeless icon and anything that’s used the name since hasn’t been quite the same. Just give it to us already and slow down in giving us more versions of the chunky Autavia.

Speaking of the beefy Autavia, now we have a Viceroy 1972 version of the Rindt (does that make sense?) for the US market. Yes, we know that Omega gets a jabbing for releasing so many Speedmaster LE’s, but it feels like TAG Heuer is out to single-handedly crush Omega’s record all within a couple short years! It’s sad that I don’t like the modern Autavia because the original Rindt is one of my favorites, but this Viceroy feels odd. Even the most faithful Heueristi are choking a bit. The watch contains elements from a 70’s model transplanted onto a modern watch that’s supposed to be a reinterpretation of a 60’s model. It lacks the original model’s tachy bezel, which is a strange deviation. Notably, this is the first 2-register version of the Caliber 02 movement we’ve seen in the newish Autavia case. Head to Calibre11 for a nice overview of the watch.

Who’s the Leader of the Club?

The leader of the club is 90 and his name is Mickey Mouse. Last weekend, Swatch dropped a couple Damien Hirst-designed pieces celebrating the 90^th birthday of the world’s most famous mouse. One, the “Spot Mickey”, in 34mm was offered in a run of 1999 pieces exclusively online for 165 Euros and only last Sunday the 18^th. The other, the 40mm “Mirror Spot Mickey”, is available online for 110 Euros (it’s still available in Germany, but seemingly not in the USA) in a run of 19,999 pieces. The short-run piece sold out quickly and the Swatch Group, once again, had some IT problems in handling the traffic and ordering.

Yours truly missed out on the Sunday piece, but bought the other. I’ll live. It was annoying, but also good to see that Swatch still has the ability to get people all hot and bothered. It brings me back to the 90’s when I collected the things – at retail prices thankfully – only to see that market completely fall apart. A continuous avalanche of limited editions and collaborations ultimately helped to kill that market. It’s good to see that brands learned a wise lesson from that era…

More Than Meets the Eye

Speaking of collaborations, Casio just announced a Transformers collaboration to celebrate the toys’ 35^th anniversary. Done up in the guise of the original Optimus Prime, this thing looks badass and will look fantastic on my desk. Robert-Jan and I both have our orders in, so let’s see if our mutual friend in Japan can get the job done once the watches are released in December. At roughly $300, this is one of the more fun, and infantile, things we’ll hopefully get to own.

Bada Bing Bada Boom Bamford

This week, we saw the release of the Bamford London GMT. I’ll reserve complete judgment until I get to hold one of these, but my initial opinion is one of ambivalence.  Let’s hope my stance improves upon handling. First off, the case reminds is a straight up retake on the Zenith Sub Sea A3635. That’s not bad, but it’s not exactly novel. Then, is placing the winding crown at 10:00 a good idea? Otherwise, we have a Sellita inside and a handset and dial that remind me of a lot of Asian-sourced micro brand watches that I review. Is that a bad thing? Not really. Pricing is in the range of $1000 – 1200. Unless the Werewolves of London sport it en masse, I fear this watch will find itself lost in the sea of mediocrity.   Amongst its competition in the growing number of English-based brands such as Chris Ward and Farer, the Bamford is in for a mighty battle. Head to their official site for a gander.

Baltic Goes For a Swim 

Earlier this week, we took a look at the new Baltic Aquascaphe, a vintage-inspired diver from the French-based micro brand. The watch went on sale as a pre-order (shipments aren’t due until June of 2019 – yikes!) and the first 300 numbered pieces were gone in 27 minutes. Not bad at all! At under 40mm, this is a rather faithful skin-diver-esque release complete with either a Tropic-style strap or beads of rice bracelet. A Miyota sits inside and that helps keep pricing below 500 Euros on strap during the first month’s pre-order period – head here for ordering info. I’ll look forward to handling one of these, but it looks like another hit. The Aquascaphe feels like a great holiday gift for your significant other. Just ensure that “other” is still significant by the time they start shipping.

SalonQP

And finally, Robert-Jan and I will head to the land of fish and chips, tight trousers, and cask ales for a look at SalonQP. It’s been a couple years, so let’s see if Hearst UK can help re stoke the fires of what was once a heaving and truly fun show. More on that next week…

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Weekend Round-Up: When To Eat Turkey, Frank Ocean’s Photography, And Designing Better Schools

Matchbook Diaries – Instagram

Miniature reminders of once-in-a-lifetime meals, perfect first dates, and many of life’s celebrations, restaurant matchbooks have become nostalgic souvenirs of evenings we don’t want to forget. As it would seem I have a thing for high-res scans of what most would perceive as trash (see fruit stickers, here), I am totally obsessed with the Instagram account, @matchbookdiaries. Featuring a number of HODINKEE staff favorites, including La Esquina, Pasquale Jones, Pizza Loves Emily, and Sant Ambroeus, this digital account of the jar of matchboxes I keep on a shelf in my apartment turns these little boxes of fire into legitimate works of art. As a bit of bonus content, you can find a brief history of where the restaurant matchbook originated here.

– Sarah Reid, Business Development Associate

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Victorinox INOX Mechanical | Hands On Watch Review

Victorinox INOX Mechanical

Since the debut of the original Victorinox, INOX, watch enthusiasts have been clamoring for an automatic version. This year, at Baselworld, Victorinox introduced the Victorinox INOX Mechanical, and it was just released this fall. The new automatic retains much of the same look of the original but now with an ETA 2824 instead of a quartz movement and a few added touches such as the guilloche square textured dial and as seen on this variation, a wood and leather strap. The price did not raise as much as I expected it to either as this automatic INOX can be had for a retail price of $795.00.

Victorinox INOX Mechanical Specifications:

• 43mm Case
• 13.5mmThick
• 52mm Lug to Lug
• 21mm Lug Width
• Sapphire Crystal
• Eta 2824 Automatic Movement
• 200 Meters Water Resistant
• Wood/Leather Strap (Bracelet also available)

Price $795 USD

https://www.swissarmy.com/us/en/Products/Watches/Mechanical-Watches/I-N-O-X-Mechanical/p/241834

As I said, the VictorinoxInox Mechanical is the same case and dimensions as the original, so I will not be rehashing all of the features and details of the case again, you can find that in the original review (and the diver version and titanium version) here on Watchreport. What I will be doing though is discussing the differences and unique features of the new automatic. One of the standouts is the textured dial. The version I was sent for review is the muted blue dial. It’s a different shade of blue and not a bright,vibrant hue,but I still find it attractive. I would love a no date version or date at the 6 o’clock position and I’m surprised they didn’t do an olive green version like with the original, that would have really popped. Maybe at a later time.

As far as I know the bracelet is the same on the new Victorinox INOX Mechanical as the original, and that is why I was sent the strap version. I think funky is the best way to describe this wood and leather strap and it has a retro look about it. I like the addition of the deployant buckle as it will save on wear and tear but the edges of the buckle are sharp and give this $800 watch a slightly cheap feeling. I honestly expected better.

Powering this VSA is the standard base Swiss movement, the ETA 2824. It has been around for a long time and is the movement most would expect from a watch such as this in this price range. As usual with most Swiss Army watches, there is no elaborate decoration to the case back or movement. This is a straightforward, no frills deal here, but for those that like to see the movement, you do have the exhibition case back.

For 2018, it seems Victorinox listened to myself and others and did a better job with the lume application. It is still not the brightest but my example at least has an even coating and seems to hold a charge for more than past models.

Remember how I said about the edges of the clasp being sharp? Well, you not only can feel it with your fingers but when it is one your wrist. It’s really a letdown. The strap looks great and the Victorinox INOX Mechanical wears very much like the original, but because of 21mm lugs, strap replacements can be a little tough. Custom is always an option as is a soft 22mm leather or rubber but come on VSA, can we go with an industry standard for the INOX already?

Let’s talk about durability for a bit. The original INOX is touted as an absolute beast, at least from the marketing department of VSA. Tons of tests for toughness, shock resistance, extreme hot and cold temperatures and more. Thing is, NONE of this is mentioned on the Victorinox website for the Mechanical. Obviously, putting an automatic movement inside this case and adding a see through case back lessens the abuse this watch can take. They really don’t mention it being anything like the original at all, so I don’t believe you want to use this in harsh conditions at all. This is more for show, not go.

The Victorinox INOX Mechanical gives the enthusiasts what they have always wanted, but it does come at a cost. Yes, this is $300 more expensive but that is not what I am referring to. It looses that tough factor, though for many it won’t be an issue. If you want that hard use INOX, stick to the quartz. If you love the look though, the new dial and strap does make it stand out from its predecessors and you can probably find these at a discount soon if $800 is a little beyond your budget. It’s still not the perfect INOX for me, but that is a discussion for another day. I feel this is a great option though and curious too see how the INOX line will continue to evolve.

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Report – Amsterdam Seiko Boutique Opening

On Wednesday evening we joined the official (re)opening of the Seiko boutique in Amsterdam. It was one of the very first Seiko boutiques in Europe, and they felt it was time to update it. In the center of Amsterdam, the Seiko boutique almost can’t be missed.

Seiko Boutique Amsterdam

The boutique has received quite an overhaul on the inside and outside. The large doors give access to the most important Seiko collections. On the left side of the boutique, it has all been reserved for Grand Seiko. They have an impressive collection of Grand Seiko watches in stock, including the rare platinum (here) and gold (here) Spring Drive pieces with 8-days movements. On the right side of the boutique, you will find the Seiko divers (Prospex) and Presage collection for example. Not only the regular models but also the limited edition models can be found here.

Center: Marketing Director Seiko Nederland Paul Daniels.

After the management of Seiko Nederland and the boutique staff welcomed everyone, The opening of the boutique was celebrated with some members of the press. Seiko had a raffle as well for the participants of the evening and gave away a Seiko Presage Cocktail watch and a bottle of Japanese whiskey (guess who won?).

When you are in Amsterdam, make sure to pay a visit to the new Seiko Boutique at the Heiligeweg and meet with the boutique staff. They are happy to show you around and introduce you to the world of Seiko and Grand Seiko.

Enjoy the photo report below.

More information about the Seiko Boutique in Amsterdam, click here.

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Hands-On: The Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Les Aérostiers

At the risk of stating the obvious, the dial is the clear focal point of these watches that double as artworks, and where the majority of the attention has been spent. Each balloon on each dial represents an actual event from the history of ballooning. Specifically, they correspond to different balloons that took flight in late 18th century France, just prior to the French Revolution, and they include: Paris 1783, Paris 1784, Versailles 1783, Bordeaux 1784, and Bagnols 1785. The two that we had a chance to photograph here at HODINKEE HQ are Paris 1783 and Bagnols 1785. Each three-dimensional balloon is secured at four points to the main framework of the colorfully translucent dials, which are themselves decorated with plique-à-jour enamel, an incredibly difficult type of enamel to master. Similar to cloisonné enamel, in which a flat filament separates individual pieces of deposits of enamel baked onto a metal backing, plique-à-jour goes a step further by dispensing with the backing. The result is an enamel with a gauzy, translucent property to it that resembles stained glass. Four empty frames in the upper and lower portion of each dial are windows through which the hours, minutes, day, and date are displayed.

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Black Friday – Free Phone Wallpaper by Watches and Pencils

Normally Black Friday is about big discounts, but we like to do it differently. And therefore I decided to create a screensaver from my latest illustration (‘Crown Guards’) and make it free to download for just this Black Friday. It’s our way to show you our appreciation for supporting us and being engaged to all our activities.

Just save it on your phone and crop it the way you like.

It is strictly forbidden to duplicate, print or spread this wallpaper without permission of me (Teun van Heerebeek). Please respect the artist. More information about the piece can be found in the latest episode of watchesandpencils or via my personal website: watchesandpencils.com.

The download will ONLY be available this Black Friday (23rd of November 2018).

Enjoy Black Friday!

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In The Shop – Introducing: ‘The Watch, Thoroughly Revised’ Is Available In The HODINKEE Shop

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The HODINKEE Shop is an authorized retailer of new watches from a growing but carefully curated set of brands. By partnering directly with the brands we carry, we guarantee 100% authenticity of everything we sell. We even offer free shipping and returns, and a complimentary extended year warranty so you can be confident you’ll be happy with your purchase.

Shop Now

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