While we’ve shown you some of our favorite pieces from Panerai at SIHH 2012 (including this badass ceramic tourbillon, the very first watch in a new case style, and two special edition Radiomirs) there was one piece noticeably absent piece from our coverage, a watch that seems to have re-energized some dormant Panerisiti with its black on black on black ceramic look. We are, of course, talking about the The Panerai Tuttonero Luminor 1950 3 Days GMT Automatic Ceramic, or just the Tuttonero. Even if you have a mild interest in Panerai, this is one you’ll want to see.
Raising a 1,800 square foot mainsail is an exhausting task, even if you have five other guys helping out. Doing so on a sultry Miami afternoon after a hearty breakfast didn’t help matters. This past weekend, a few journalists, retailers and one lucky contest winner got to see what it’s like to sail on an ocean racing yacht, including what it takes to hoist and trim sails and man the tiller, all the while avoiding losing a finger in a winch or tripping over a rope and falling overboard.
Lyrics: What they say what they say what they say You speak out all you feel is defiance All you need is some self-reliance Cause this world is gonna always try us And all you wanted was to run for cover Well here’s looking to yourself and no other We’re all searching for that special something And we keep on running We all have the choice to take the lead or follow I want to feel the light shine on me You’re so afraid of what people might say But that’s okay cause you’re only human You’re so afraid of what people might say But that’s okay you’ll soon get strong enough You’re so afraid of what people might say But that’s okay cause you’re only human You’re so afraid of what people might say You’re going to break So please don’t do it You wanna spread your wings but you’re not sure Don’t wanna leave your comforts Wanna find a cure We’re afraid of who we see in the mirror We wanna let go but it feels too pure Who wants to be alone in this world You look around and all you see is hurt But the light it always finds us If we move with a little trust A diamond don’t define what shine is I don’t need a Rolex to know what the time is You got your let me find what mine is I’m a survivor look how strong my mind is I stand on my own it’s all me Regardless of whatever they call me I’m a leader not a follower And I’d rather be paid and popular Ride homie get your dollars up We’re in the belly of the beast that already swallowed us Video Rating: 4 / 5
The Avengers may be taking the box office by storm, but there’s another flying figure who’s gracing the skies instead of the silver screen. Yves “Jetman” Rossy, modern day Rocketeer, dropped from a helicopter sporting a Breitling jetpack and soared over Rio de Janeiro for a groundbreaking (skybreaking?) eleven-minute flight in early May of 2012.
Rossy is a Swiss inventor and pilot and the first person to sustain human flight while using a jetpack. Though he has completed several other flights successfully, his most recent flight over Rio de Janeiro is perhaps the most breathtaking yet. The Jetman’s jaunt took him past the Christ the Redeemer statue at speeds of 200-300 km/h.
Rossy has developed his own set of wings, and though he hasn’t quite mastered an unaided takeoff yet, he has managed to fly for a whopping 18 minutes at one time and has even created a simple throttle which helps direct his flight path.
There’s a lot of behind the scenes technical and mechanical know-how to get a project as unusual as a human rocket off the ground. It’s no surprise that Breitling—well known for their history with aeronautical pioneers and, of course, the Breitling Jet Team, that the famous watch brand would have a hand in helping the latest advances in aeronautics get off the ground.
In fact, this is not the Jetman’s first flight with the Breitling. Just last year he shared the skies with the Breitling Jet Team, following the aerobatics of the planes with his own take on the stunts. Rossy’s flight over Brazil was a solo affair (apart from the helicopter drop off), but the Jetman was still accompanied by the trademark set of Breitling wings on his jetpack.
It’s no wonder that Breitling would team up with Rossy. Not only does the brand have a longstanding relationship with aeronautical advances (in fact, the watch built its reputation off of crafting quality watches for pilots), both flight and watches require an incredible attention to detail and mathematics for accuracy.
What’s next for the Jetman? Will he be making tours of locations with oversized statues? Stonehenge would make a great locale, or the Leshan Giant Buddha statue in China. I vote for Mount Rushmore—after all: Teddy Roosevelt was the first American President to fly a plane!
Whatever the locale, Yves “Jetman” Rossy will certainly have his name down in the history books, wearing his bright yellow jumpsuit and Breitling’s wings.
In 2004, TAG Heuer introduced us to a concept-turn-to-reality watch, the Monaco V4. The watch kind of kicked off TAG’s run at innovative concepts such as the Pendulum and Mikrograph over the next 8 years. It wasn’t until 2009 that we saw a production model of the V4, a watch favoring belt systems over gear trains. The V4 has seen a few variations through its life cycle, the latest of which is the Titanium model, showing off a bevy of materials to great effect, a rich black case and dial. The V4 Titanium was introduced last summer, but at this years Basel we got a chance to appreciate the watch up close.
Last year, we participated in a pop up flea with a multitude of other brands, giving readers a chance to buy some of the watches you see on our site everyday. If you went you also got to meet our head man, Ben Clymer, a thrill for anyone. The sale was a hit for our east coast fans, so we’ve decided to have another, this time on the other coast. Starting May 25th, HODINKEE will be teaming up with our friends at Taylor Stitch to host our second pop up shop in the great city by the bay.
That Friday through Sunday you can swing into Taylor Stitch’s shop in San Francisco’s Mission district, where you’ll find an appropriate selection of fine vintage watches from the likes of Rolex, Omega, Breitling and JLC. A small modern selection will be included as well, from d.m.h. to Xetum. What’s more, both Ben and Blake will be present to answer any questions or just engage in some watch talk.
We’ll also have a small selection of HODINKEE leather goods, so if you’ve missed them in our online shop be sure to swing in and snag one. Additionally, Taylor Sitch will have their full array of goods available, check em out right here.
So if you live in the Bay Area be sure to mark May 25, 26 and 27 on your calendar and swing in to say hi and buy a watch or two. Details you need to know:
What: HODINKEE Pop Up
When: May 25 thru 27
Where: Taylor Stitch | 383 Valencia St | San Francisco, CA | 93103
Bold. Iconic. Meticulous. Louis Vuitton has long embodied the ideals of strong design principles tempered with a keen editing eye. The 2012 Louis Vuitton Tambour Regatta America’s Cup Watch maintains the Louis Vuitton dedication to artistry and combines it with a modern-day sportiness, just in time for the American World Cup regatta race, due to take place in San Diego in November 2012.
The first Louis Vuitton watch to celebrate the sailing races, the 2012 Regatta watch is part of the Tambour line—Louis Vuitton’s section of urban causal watches. With the fun, bright color combination set against the backdrop of the world-renowned sailing races, this watch more than fulfills the line’s dream of quality casual pieces.
The timepiece captures the thrill of the sailing races with a bold black with red color scheme. Add blue accents and an added detail of a tiny white trophy above the words “America Cup,” and the watch celebrates—but doesn’t scream—its appreciation of the renowned race.
The durable black rubber and firm buttons add to the feeling of sportiness, but the clean lines of the timepiece keep this watch looking stylish. With just a touch of playfulness in the asymmetrical design of the chronograph dials and the two-toned hands, the timepiece captures the ease of a breezy day by the sea.
The watch features anti-reflective sapphire dial window and is waterproof up to 100 meters—perfect for those fans who want to keep track of the time without the sun or elements interfering. The rubberized case only serves to make the watch more resilient during outdoor activities.
The timepiece will be released in two versions, in quartz and in a more limited—and more exclusive—automatic function. Whether a quartz or automatic movement LV171, this watch is sure to be accurate as all Louis Vuitton products are extraordinarily meticulous in the detail work of their products.
The chronograph function is sure to come in handy for those who enjoy tracking the times on their own, while the 42 hour power reserve means you won’t have to waste time caring for the watch. The buttons are large and easy to manipulate, making it that much easier to stay with the times—and on time, of course.
The watch is a limited edition, so you’ll have to scramble for the Louis Vuitton Tambour Regatta America’s Cup Watch if you want to catch one before it sails away.
If you’re looking for watches that are out of this world, your first stop should be MB&F watches. For a watch brand that refers to its timepieces as “horological machines” and bases their aesthetic off the human adventure, MB&F watches are without peer in the world of super-cool gadget timepieces.
Enter the MB&F HM3 MoonMachine Watch. The timepiece is MB&F’s first foray into their Performance Art line by Finnish watchmaker Sepan Sarpaneva. Not content to kick off the line with a small start, Sarpaneva reconfigured the HM3 Frog—an element unique to MB&F watches.
The mechanism is configured as two bulbous domes to resemble frog eyes. Not only is the design unique, but extremely functional as well—the domed setup of the dials lets the wearer read the time at any angle of the watch with ease.
For those of us who like to keep track of the moon phases (the better to avoid crazy drivers during the full moon), the MoonMachine includes a moon-phase indicator inlaid above the HM3 Frog. The timepiece even includes stars etched into the colored background with an added sky rotor as a backdrop for the moon.
The watch is truly unique. Though the HM3 Frog setup can make the watch a bit bulky on the wrist, the timepiece truly captures the essence of the brand’s wish to combine the passion of horology with certain playfulness for design.
In spite of the edgy design, the watch is surprisingly easy to read. The hour and minute “eyes” are clearly marked, and though the font is whimsical, the piece itself is still very simple to read. Readability is rarely combined with avant-garde design, yet this watch manages to pull both off with style.
To top it all off, the horological machine is powered by a Girard-Perregaux base and encased in titanium or red gold. The alligator wristband will set off all versions of white gold and red gold moon faces set off against anthracite, light or dark blue skies to their best advantage.
Not made for the faint of heart, these avant-garde watches will thrill those looking for a horological masterpiece that will stand out from the crowd. With only 18 timepieces in production per version, the watch is twice as unique.
MB&F has certainly outdone itself with its MB&F HM3 MoonMachine Watch. With all the fun gadgetry of the steam punk avant-garde to the playfulness of MB&F to the high performance quality of the mechanics, this watch is truly a work of art.
Whatever your feelings on the impending transition of the Mayan calendar, end of the world or not, DeBethune has built a fitting tribute to the breadth of knowledge the Mayan people displayed in creating their calendars. Symbolizing the cosmic pyramid, the advent of a new world, and humankind’s existential passage to the loftiest levels of consciousness, DeBethune’s Ninth Underworld is a serious conversation piece. Of course, it tells the time as well, and we got a chance to get our hands on this special watch at this year’s Basel world fair.
Today we have a brand new Jaeger-LeCoultre diving watch. It’s called the Deep Sea Chronograph, and it is the modern extension of the Deep Sea line, of which, up until today, we’ve only seen vintage variations - the Deep Sea Alarm tribute of 2011 and the Deep Sea Vintage Chronograph.
It is with this new, three register, 42mm automatic chronograph that we see the Deep Sea line will not be for tributes only, but will encompass the entire JLC sport watch family. Yes, this watch resembles the Deep Sea Vintage chronograph, but ultimately, this watch is very modern (we show you the two side by side, below). It features sapphire glass, a rotating bezel, no faux-aged lume, and water resistance to 10 bar. It’s larger than the vintage guys by about 1.5mm, and complies with all the criteria imposed on diver’s watches by the ISO 6425 standard.
Inside this new chrono is the JLC caliber 758 featuring with a 65-hour power reserve. But, perhaps the most noticeable trait of this new JLC Deep Sea Chronograph is the activation aperture that sites below 12 o’clock. This display allows the wearer to know, without a doubt, if the chronograph is running, stopped, or ready to be used. This is how it works:
