Editor — Mark Kauzlarich

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No move by Rolex is ever done unintentionally, but nearly every move is done with some level of subtlety. Putting this watch on this wrist next to this man might seem coincidental, but it might as well have been the equivalent of sounding a foghorn in a library. Federer seems to have one of the closest relationships to the brand as one of Rolex’s modern \"testimonees.\" A Swiss icon and tennis legend, a lot of watch lovers watch his wrist closely as he often brings out the \"big guns\" in the rarest pieces from Rolex’s catalog (or often, “off-catalog”). Well, alright Rolex, you’ve got my attention.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"code":"<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-media-max-width=\"560\">Roger Federer watching tennis and Kevin Hart watching tennis. A play in two acts. <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://t.co/AyGZUq2AMw/">pic.twitter.com/AyGZUq2AMw

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://twitter.com/usopen/status/1831169832093413855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\%22>September 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js/" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>"},"type":"Block::Code"},{"data":{"copy":"Aside from one or two leaked photos from Watches & Wonders, very few people have seen the new yellow-gold Le Mans Daytona. Thanks to Rolex and Federer, we get another look; in videos shared online since last night's quarterfinal matches, you can see the telltale details. The watch is the newest case shape for the Daytona rendered in yellow gold, and we assume it has a display caseback like the white-gold Le Mans. It has a black ceramic tachymeter bezel with red 100, a black dial, and white subdials with the \"lollipop\" markers. So far this is the closest I've gotten to the watch – a full New York City borough away – but if we ever get a chance to get hands-on, you know I'll do my best to bring you more photos.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"Top photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"}],"migrated_content":true,"meta_title":"","meta_description":"","meta_social_media_headline":"","meta_social_media_description":"","meta_social_media_image":"","artist_name":null,"artist_type":"","internal_notes":"","column":{"id":22,"slug":"watch_spotting","name":"Watch Spotting","description":"Photo-first, event-driven articles that feature photography from news and wire agencies. The focus may be on one watch or multiple watches from a single event.","sort_order":null,"created_at":"2016-07-13T12:24:44.241-04:00","updated_at":"2022-05-06T14:24:41.017-04:00","status":"hidden"},"hero_image":{"id":"51e9781a-0571-4323-967a-58781958fcb3","container_id":13700,"container_type":"Article","url":"https://hodinkee-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/12272e88-1ab3-4d9f-b1fc-d1b67282acbf/Hero_GettyImages-2170103038.jpg","width":2880,"height":1620,"format":"jpg","render_args":null,"caption":null,"alt_text":"Federer Le Mans Daytona","created_at":"2024-09-04T09:01:32.898-04:00","updated_at":"2024-09-04T09:44:57.360-04:00","sort_order":0,"product_ids":null,"imgix_url":"https://hodinkee.imgix.net/uploads/images/12272e88-1ab3-4d9f-b1fc-d1b67282acbf/Hero_GettyImages-2170103038.jpg?ixlib=rails-1.1.0"},"share_url":"https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/watch-spotting-roger-federer-rolex-lemans-daytona","full_title":"Watch Spotting: Roger Federer Wearing The New Yellow Gold Rolex Le Mans Daytona At The U.S. Open","tags":["rolex","watch-spotting","rolex-daytona","lemans"]},{"id":13695,"slug":"hands-on-madeditions-mad1s","column_slug":"hands_on","title":"The M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.1S, Some Of The World’s Best Horological Entertainment And So Much More","status":"published","working_copy_of_id":null,"published_at":"2024-09-03T11:00:20.723-04:00","created_at":"2024-08-30T13:18:25.922-04:00","updated_at":"2024-09-03T11:01:37.978-04:00","scheduled_for":null,"review_status":null,"package_id":null,"lede":"A \"thank you\" to friends and supporters, a horological toy, or a way to democratize decades of avant-garde design – any way you slice it, the M.A.D.1 series never fails to make you smile, if you’re lucky enough to get one. ","hero_media_type":"image","hero_video_id":null,"hero_video_type":"vimeo","hero_homepage_image":null,"gallery_view":false,"legacy_url":null,"multiple_authors":false,"pinned_related_article_id":null,"hero_image_url":null,"hero_homepage_image_url":null,"view_count":26629,"public_token":null,"notification_sent":true,"keyword_targeting":null,"apple_news_id":null,"display_template":"feature","exclude_from_related":false,"comments_state":"comments_enabled","article_type":"default_article","shopify_id":null,"featured_comment_id":null,"noindex":false,"sponsored_by":null,"advertising_enabled":true,"redirect_url":"","automatic_related_articles":true,"show_promotional_frame":true,"show_related_articles":true,"show_editors_picks":true,"sponsor_image_url":"","display_theme":"light","custom_props":{},"content_chunks":[{"data":{"alignment":"interscrollerV2"},"type":"Block::Advertisement"},{"data":{"copy":"By now, you should know if you're among the lucky 1,500 offered an M.A.D.1S. If you are, congratulations. If not, don't get too down – there will be more M.A.D.Editions in the future. For the rest who need a catch-up, let me say this: I genuinely believe that the release of the M.A.D.Editions' M.A.D.1 was a watershed moment for horology.","dropcap":true},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"MB&F, a brand long known as a flag bearer for collaboration and community, was also known for the high price tag that comes with avant-garde high horology. You see an MB&F, and the price makes sense. The complexity, the finishing, the engineering, the design, and the low production numbers scream \"expensive.\" But when you meet Max Büsser and get to know him, you quickly realize these watches don't come from a place worried about price or exclusivity. It's all about ideas, designs, conversations, and community.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["9b134697-c112-4c01-94cd-1ee553909ef3"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The M.A.D.1 should have come as no surprise. An affordable watch that’s kind of from MB&F without really being an MB&F? It felt like Max Büsser and the folks at M.A.D.Editions made something affordable just for someone like me. In that way, it was perfect. Sure, some people said the price – CHF 2,900 – may be a little high for the build quality. To me, I don't mind the price. But either way, it was more about what the price represented. ","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"People were clamoring for it and the four iterations (the first blue watch for the \"Tribe,\" two raffles for red models, another raffle for a green piece, and a multi-colored collaborative watch earlier this year). The first two red models had over 40,000 raffle entries for only 3,000 pieces. Sure, not everyone who wanted one got one (myself included), but the very gesture of the whole thing struck me.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["b4e9ddad-32b0-4d7b-b557-0b084b55ad4d"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Loving watches is a democratic thing. Anyone can love watches. Owning watches is inherently the opposite. Yes, there are plenty of affordable brands. But sometimes, the ones you want always seem to love the most tend to feel far out of reach. There are financial reasons, access issues, limited supplies, and so much more that can be a barrier to entry to making the love of watches a tangible thing. But what made the M.A.D1 special was Max Büsser acknowledging that fact. Imagine a $10,000 Greubel Forsey, $15,000 Philippe Dufour, or $5,000 Urwerk, all done in ways that don’t dilute the brand. That’s what Büsser did, bringing his creativity to a whole new price bracket of people who maybe felt equally enamored with his designs, story, or even personality but never could imagine owning a Legacy Machine or Horological Machine. It was a fun and exciting design for the masses.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"Frankly, I feel like any other brand might have just left it at one design, done a handful of other colors, and been done with it. As a \"thank you\" to the community, you could be excused for only saying thanks once. This is sort of the route M.A.D.Editions took with the M.A.D.1 anyway. It won a GPHG Challenge Award and got a few color changes, and I just assumed they'd keep doing that until everyone who wanted one had a chance. ","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["1fc06069-3d55-4206-bdb3-a8e9b57d5318"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"In fact, that game plan would have been a lucrative one. Financial reports by the brand during Chanel's recent buy of a 25% stake in MB&F put the total income from 2023 at CHF 45,500,000. But even more surprising was that CHF 10,150,000 came from just iterating on the M.A.D.1 last year alone. But when they announced the new M.A.D.1S (\"S\" for slim) ahead of Geneva Watch Days, they showed they wouldn't rest on their laurels. They took something that no one expected and made it better.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["ebac6310-4657-43ee-aa75-51a5f34f923f"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"For those not inducted into the world of the M.A.D.1, the watch is essentially a horological fidget spinner, where the three-armed blade rotor has been placed where the dial would normally sit. I don't say this with any malice. A friend pointed out to me that I tend to wind my watch absent-mindedly, but with the M.A.D.1S, this takes fidgeting to a whole new level. With the right touch, the rotor will spin and spin for quite a while, and you'll feel that slight rattle of the rotor's weights shifting around on your wrist. Sometimes that spin can be triggered intentionally, but often, my friend remarked they watched the rotor spin freely while I was just gesturing.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"fullbleed","images":["cd6aa84c-665b-4e25-bd8c-a687534236bd"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"I posted a video of the watch, and more than a few of my non-watch friends said, \"I like it, but how do you tell the time.\" I explained that this is close to what we'd call a \"driver's watch,\" where the time is relayed on the side (band) of the case. For the M.A.D.1, an arrow points to the time as a barrel rotates around with the hours marked, plus marks at every quarter. Sure, it's not particularly accurate, but that's not really the point. The time-telling barrel is made of aluminum colored to match the movement surround. There are two colors of the new M.A.D.1S – purple, available only to members of the \"Tribe,\" and ice blue, which was up for raffle entries to buy. ","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["a5703017-0781-4e49-b3a6-508d1b63f145"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"There are some practical, functional improvements to the M.A.D.1S, but the key is in the name. The watch is now just over 20% thinner. That thinness would be noticeable on most watches, but starting with a watch that’s 18.8mm thick, with dimensions of 42mm wide and 50.5mm lug-to-lug – unwieldy bordering on unwearable for many people – is just a game-changer. The relatively flat caseback and lug placement already accentuated the height, so the M.A.D.1 was like a hockey puck on the wrist. At 42mm by 15mm, with 30m of water resistance, the M.A.D1S is infinitely more wearable.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["cabd5348-b9d6-4cc3-9e53-345121ed54fc"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"To chop off those millimeters, M.A.D.Editions removed one whole time-telling barrel from the M.A.D.1. Unlike before, when you did have a more accurate display with hours and minutes, this watch is for telling time in a general sense. I wore this watch for nearly a week, so I'll get back to how that works in practice, but on paper, it was trade-off that made perfect sense.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["46d57d29-2e26-4452-b240-3be9daf47031"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"From the top, you see the movement and blade rotors and the lugs, which sit out from the edge of the baseband. The lugs have been slimmed down quite a bit, which makes for a more balanced profile. The rotor itself is made in a combination of tungsten and titanium, which adds enough weight to get the whole thing spinning. Set into the rotor is a decent amount of lume. If you are the kind of watch guy to carry a UV torch, you can put on a show at night as well.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["2ac5307e-972f-423c-b074-e5f858fda967"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"With the new release, M.A.D.Editions is offering a new movement powering the M.A.D1S, a modified La Joux-Perret G101 that didn't exist when the first M.A.D.1 came out. One of Büsser's friends recommended the movement as an upgrade to their previous Miyota. The La-Joux Perret movement is made in Switzerland (though several people coyly pointed out that La Joux-Perret is also under the Citizen Group and owned by a Japanese company, so it's still in the \"family\"). Yet, with the size adjustments and Swiss movement running at 4Hz, with 68 hours of power reserve, the brand still kept the price at CHF 2,900. ","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["10db29da-b3b2-4172-b6a6-1874aebe60ae"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Finding a rotor that rotates unidirectionally is important for the rotor to do the funny \"spinny\" thing. A clutch also allows the rotor to continue spinning even when the barrel is fully wound. The finishing also looks much nicer than on the Miyota. However, one downside is that the rotor doesn't spin as freely and stops more abruptly than in past releases. If you abruptly change the watch's rotating axis, it stops pretty quickly. If I had to guess, the La Joux-Perret movement likely has tighter tolerances. I know the feeling of an early M.A.D.1 or other Miyota movements on the wrist – often, you get a kind of jangly feeling from the rotor that doesn't feel like it's screwed on tight. If you liked the non-stop spinning, you could say that the upgrade also came with a downside.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["01598fdc-3674-4a5a-a5e7-35480f68a013"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Typically, you’d flip the watch to see the movement or a caseback engraving. On the M.A.D1 series, the caseback is actually the superstructure holding the watch down to the lugs. The lugs and stainless steel case are otherwise not connected. The key design concern here seems to be keeping the entire watch attached to the wrist – a wrist that will probably be doing a lot of moving around to get the rotor to do its party trick. You can also see that a lot of the watch's depth is taken up by space of the hollowed-out aluminum barrel that tells the time. It also keeps the watch light.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["c58ff222-ad0b-442a-96d8-33899cb57723"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["25b1a3c0-5a37-4c6b-847b-a9a7a4208875"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The crown sits at 12 o'clock (or where 12 o'clock would be on a standard watch). To use the crown to set the time, you'll probably have to take the watch off the wrist, as the strap gets in the way when you wear it. The crown is much bigger and more user-friendly than the original, with a turtle with a body shaped like the rotor blades rendered on the cap.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["3ed81ec9-6875-4810-8582-07a818671672"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"fullbleed","images":["8acc4d60-b2f0-441f-9ff8-465d322149a7"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The watch comes with a comfortable leather strap with a textile pattern that's been thinned to make it more wearable than the past straps. The accent stitching on the strap matches the color of the specific model of M.A.D.1S. It also comes with a deployant clasp, a nice and almost necessary accessory because of how often you'll find yourself taking the watch on and off to show people. But the folks over at <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://delugs.com//" target=\"_blank\">Delugs</a> have several cut-to-size rubber straps that they've confirmed will work with the M.A.D.1S 24mm lug width (tapering to 20mm at the spring-loaded butterfly clasp), and while I think they seem a bit pricy, I'll probably pick one up.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["8ad85a4b-9784-4470-858d-31f491b5cd14"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"I'm someone that's pretty strongly opposed to \"double-wristing\" – it's nothing against anyone who does, I just don't. But I broke my rule (albeit briefly) for this watch. Since Max Büsser and his team were kind enough to let me borrow this for all of Geneva Watch Days, I felt like I had to wear it around and share it with as many people as I could. It's fun and put smiles on faces, so why not? Well, there are two wrinkles to that plan.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["95e55f1f-6eed-432f-b62a-abe5b5961240"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"First, if you're at something like a trade show keeping pretty tight back-to-back appointments, it's helpful to have a watch that shows you an exact time. I'm just too comfortable with the normal dial layout. I've never worn the original M.A.D.1 for any extended time, but even with the lack of minutes here, I can't imagine I'd trade the slimness here for more accuracy.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["adbfcd4c-d585-449e-8dfd-dcdd29e3fe3e"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Most people reflexively glance at the space where the dial usually is, so adjusting to the \"driver\" design takes some time. But, feeling like I still needed to share the watch with folks, I put it on my right wrist. That's how I learned that the rotor \"spins\" more easily on the right hand. There is a technique to making the watch do the \"fidget spin,\" but it's up to you to figure it out. When you do, it makes a lot of sense.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"One impact of the shift from Miyota to the new La Joux-Perret movement is that the rotor now rotates counter-clockwise while the original spins clockwise. Consider the angular momentum that encourages the rotor to move. If you raise your left wrist, the motion (at the elbow) is more clockwise. The right wrist makes a counter-clockwise motion around the axis of your elbow. It makes sense that the rotor should spin if you raise your wrist quickly and stop abruptly. A \"whip\" of either hand from right to left (with a snap or abrupt stop at the end) will also get the watch spinning fast. Think of it like skipping a stone – just be careful not to hold on too loosely and turn the watch into the M.A.D.1S \"Frisbee Edition.\"","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["86e47b14-384c-43b8-ae40-f23846d26395"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"This all sums up to a lot of digital \"ink\" spilled on technical details and business decisions, all of which are beside the point for me. During Geneva Watch Days, I carried the M.A.D.1S with me everywhere, taking it out to share with anyone who hadn’t had a chance to see the watch in an appointment. Folks at major brands (indies and otherwise) asked to see the watch and tried repeatedly to make it spin. I passed the watch around a table of Italian collectors and then showed it to a doorman at the hotel, who asked to see it. It’s a cliche, but the watch just seemed to bring a smile to people’s faces.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"By the time this article is live, the raffle will be complete, and hopefully, people will find out soon if they're among the lucky 1,500 to get the new M.A.D.1S. If you're not, don't lose hope – the M.A.D.Editions line has become a staple of what Max Büsser does now, and I'd put money on more versions of the M.A.D.1S in the future. Even better? Next year, they've promised me we'll see the M.A.D.2, and all the madness will start again.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.1S; 42mm diameter by 15mm thick stainless steel case with a 24mm lug width and 30m water resistance. Purple or ice blue accented aluminum plate around a central movement, time-telling barrel rotating around the case edge. Modified La Joux-Perret G101 movement running at 4Hz with 68 hours of power reserve. Leather \"racing\" strap with color-matching contrast stitching. Price: CHF 2,900. Current run limited to 1,500 pieces.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"}],"migrated_content":true,"meta_title":"","meta_description":"","meta_social_media_headline":"","meta_social_media_description":"","meta_social_media_image":" ","artist_name":null,"artist_type":"","internal_notes":"","column":{"id":8,"slug":"hands_on","name":"Hands-On","description":"A longer-form review of a watch we've actually held and spent time with. Includes original photography and full product analysis.","sort_order":3,"created_at":"2016-07-13T12:24:44.007-04:00","updated_at":"2023-05-04T16:59:23.463-04:00","status":"visible"},"hero_image":{"id":"55c03ab1-ddc7-4fba-ba72-13211fc2b46e","container_id":13695,"container_type":"Article","url":"https://hodinkee-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/5309b724-beb5-4ac1-a963-aade8aded850/20240830_MAD1S_003.jpg","width":2880,"height":1620,"format":"jpg","render_args":null,"caption":null,"alt_text":"MAD1S","created_at":"2024-08-30T13:18:26.004-04:00","updated_at":"2024-09-02T11:47:19.656-04:00","sort_order":0,"product_ids":null,"imgix_url":"https://hodinkee.imgix.net/uploads/images/5309b724-beb5-4ac1-a963-aade8aded850/20240830_MAD1S_003.jpg?ixlib=rails-1.1.0"},"share_url":"https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/hands-on-madeditions-mad1s","full_title":"Hands-On: The M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.1S, Some Of The World’s Best Horological Entertainment And So Much More","tags":["mbf","hands-on","max-busser","mad1","new-watches-2024","geneva-watch-days-2024"]},{"id":13694,"slug":"hands-on-nivada-chronosport","column_slug":"hands_on","title":"An Unusual Chronograph Revival – The Nivada Grenchen Chronosport","status":"published","working_copy_of_id":null,"published_at":"2024-08-30T15:00:00.000-04:00","created_at":"2024-08-29T20:17:00.463-04:00","updated_at":"2024-08-30T16:52:03.146-04:00","scheduled_for":null,"review_status":null,"package_id":null,"lede":"It's an unusual-looking watch, but I shouldn't have judged a book by its Singer-dialed cover.","hero_media_type":"image","hero_video_id":null,"hero_video_type":"vimeo","hero_homepage_image":null,"gallery_view":false,"legacy_url":null,"multiple_authors":false,"pinned_related_article_id":null,"hero_image_url":null,"hero_homepage_image_url":null,"view_count":39847,"public_token":null,"notification_sent":true,"keyword_targeting":null,"apple_news_id":null,"display_template":"standard","exclude_from_related":false,"comments_state":"comments_enabled","article_type":"default_article","shopify_id":null,"featured_comment_id":null,"noindex":false,"sponsored_by":null,"advertising_enabled":true,"redirect_url":"","automatic_related_articles":true,"show_promotional_frame":true,"show_related_articles":true,"show_editors_picks":true,"sponsor_image_url":"","display_theme":"light","custom_props":{},"content_chunks":[{"data":{"alignment":"interscrollerV2"},"type":"Block::Advertisement"},{"data":{"copy":"You know what? Sometimes, I miss things. I'll admit it. I saw the press release for the Nivada Grenchen Chronosport – a recreation of a vintage Nivada (as the brand does) and immediately put it out of my mind. The thing looked weird. I can't place another chronograph with subdials at nine and 12 o'clock, with a date at three o'clock. It felt like an unfinished idea (not the fault of the new one, but more about the prototype it was based on) and almost disconcertingly visually top-heavy. My gut said that the community would feel the same, and I didn't feel like I needed to create a forum to dunk on a solid recreation of a watch that I thought suffered for no other reason than being weird. ","dropcap":true},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"Turns out I was wrong. The watch has been selling well. It was well received by Nivada fans. I guess I was out of touch, but \"too late now,\" I thought, \"it still looks kinda weird.\" Then I saw a listing for an original version on Chrono24 and thought about buying it, which means that either I had gone insane or maybe there was actually something here I thought was compelling enough to talk about. Unfortunately, by the time I saw this new release in the metal – and the company's owner, Guillaume Laidet – at Geneva Watch Days, that vintage example had sold, which was a bummer for both of us. But it proved to me that, yes, we've got a watch here that's worth at least a quick look.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["891a3df5-dec9-420a-8878-b748e0bad660"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The first thing I'll say is that, while many people will disagree with me, I am often a fan of vintage reissues. If they're done right, that is. I love the idea of vintage watches and own a handful, but I like the comfort of wearing something new. It's no so much about a cleaner look, it's just about not wanting to worry about banging up a watch that survived a long time before my clumsy self got my hands on it. You also get things like the reliable 200m water resistance in this case.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["f505201b-f790-44c4-8542-6b622d1ca9b9"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The buzz around the watch started a bit before launch when Nivada Grenchen shared a photo on its Instagram of one of these \"exotic Singer dial\" prototype watches from the 1970s that was up for sale at <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://bulangandsons.eu/products/nivada-sports-chrono-rare-exotic-chrono-w1508/" target=\"_blank\">Bulang & Sons</a>. With an estimated 20 pieces produced, the watch was never sold commercially. If you know vintage watches, you'll know that Jean Singer was one of the greatest dial makers in Switzerland and is known for everything from Omega Speedmaster Racing and the Heuer Skipper to the famed Paul Newman Daytona.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["beaacbc6-881b-4bee-98b4-d7f4b6fba5b3"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"You'll also know that Singer prototypes are a thing unto themselves (heck, there's a bunch of weird and wild Rolexes out there with Singer dials taken from a salesman travel sample book). This vintage watch falls somewhere between the rare one-offs and the mass-produced commercial products. They're not extremely expensive, but they are still pretty rare. And that kind of wrinkle of interest in a brand's history is enough to launch a watch, especially for a brand built on recreating past pieces.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["5e10a23f-64cd-408f-b52e-ef42a53c51a8"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Funny enough, when I looked at the file name of the photos from Bulang & Sons, it said \"Poor Man's Newman,\" and there are certainly recognizable features on both the old and the new to give it that sort of title. The biggest is the \"lollipop\" markers and Art Deco font on the subdials, similar to the Newmans. In the vintage watch, small touches make a difference, like the open 6 and other numbers like 2's and 5's that are a bit bolder and more crisp in different areas. It's a pretty close semblance, but these are the tiny things that deep vintage lovers are passionate about.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["c2405b96-87b7-4052-83b6-f02fa4253d40","a031bd9c-6dde-4c0e-843f-f98ef16e5a31"],"enforce_aspect_ratio":false},"type":"Block::TwoUpImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Focusing on other details, the original watch featured a flat printing for the subdials, tachymeter on the dial, and even just flat printed dial markers. You'll also notice that the dial is much more flat, with a little texture to it but not much. The lume was relegated to the end of the hands and (aged) yellow dots on the end of the hour markers. With the new Nivada Grenchen Chronosport, this has been turned up to 11.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["aabd3f05-0062-49db-8928-47392b557891"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"I think that things like the fully-lumed Super LumiNova baton hour markers and more lume-filled hands make a lot of sense from a usability standpoint. Sinking the subdials seems like a solid plan, even if not necessary. And while I like the raised printing of the tachymeter, the texture of the dial feels like it went just a little too far. It's very grained and a bit distracting.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"The watch isn't particularly thin and feels a bit top-heavy for that fact. The stainless steel case is 15.7mm tall, 38mm in diameter, and 44.3mm in lug to lug and felt pretty noticeable on my wrist. But it's a very particular case shape: blocky, chunky, and very '70s, and if watch media was around in the '70s, would they have complained about what was standard for the time?","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["09252e5e-179f-42ec-b622-84a2763ec7cb"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The flanks have a nice high polish, contrasting against the brushed top case and bracelet. The thickness is because of the modified Valjoux 7750 automatic movement inside (an iconic movement and a good reason to consider any watch, in my opinion). The bracelet has been improved from the vintage example, with end links that meet the case. And the double-domed sapphire crystal sticks out like the original plastic one.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["facf3fa4-f147-408a-9724-1cca3922ee03","802c1dc4-6da0-429b-bcf7-6fc92dde0b60"],"enforce_aspect_ratio":false},"type":"Block::TwoUpImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["c39ff67b-5a35-4b2d-8f41-4bbcf91daafb","290ecdd0-1e28-4360-9b7c-ea46ccae6516"],"enforce_aspect_ratio":false},"type":"Block::TwoUpImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The caseback on the Bulang & Sons example had a flat caseback but Nivada Grenchen stuck with what would have been more of a production design. All of this came sole from the team at Nivada working off the pictures of the Bulang & Sons model. Guillaume told me they weren't able to acquire one of the rare 20 original pieces, so they used pictures, measurements, and essentially went by feel. They 3-D printing and tried CNC for refining so that the shape and thickness was correct and the pushers and crown sat appropriately on the case. Without the original watch in hand, I feel like they must have gotten quite close.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["95ad4322-eb65-4872-b799-b05a4d83151f"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["abc83539-2a41-4bd8-87a0-f34459caf1c4"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"I am not sure how much overlap there is between people who love heritage reissues and hate fauxtina – they seem to go hand in hand, but I'm sure a commenter will chime in and say, \"I'm here.\" But Nivada has made another version where all the yellowed bits are still white as they would have been back in the day (minus the subdials, which were designed that way from day 1). I didn't get to see that watch, but it brought me to the last little thing I liked about it. If you've ever handled an old watch with a textured aluminum bezel (or sometimes even plastic, like the TAG Heuer F1s), there's something instantly recognizable about the feeling of an old coated bezel on your fingers. The fluted unidirectional rotating aluminum bezel here is blacked out and feels pure vintage in a charming way and has both minutes like a dive bezel and twelve-hour numbers.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["4e1f97d5-e145-4920-a2da-4c86920f16e3"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The Nivada Grenchen was listed at $2,180, which feels like a solid price for the design, build, and movement. It was also offered on different strap options, though I like the one here. But I say \"was\" because here's the worst part for those people who love the watch: the pre-order window has already closed. But you can see watches starting to be listed on secondary market sites. Did I fall in love with the watch? Not really, but I learned that I should have given it more credit. Just because I'm a <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/hands-on-nivada-tropical-chronomaster/" target=\"_blank\">CASD</a> guy doesn't mean I should be so closed-minded. At a time when I often feel like a lot of releases are \"rinse and repeat,\" an iconic designer creating something weird in the 1970s is probably just what I needed to check out.\n\nFor more, visit Nivada Grenchen <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://nivadagrenchenofficial.com/pages/chronosport/" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"Nivada Grenchen Chronosport. 38mm diameter by 15.7mm thick 316L Stainless Steel case, with 200m water resistance. Singer-inspired black dial with yellowed subdials and lumed hour indices. Stainless steel hands with Super-LumiNova. Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph with 30-minute counter, running seconds. ETA Valjoux 7750, automatic cam-lever chronograph. 42h power reserve. Available on brushed steel bracelet with folding clasp or a selection of 10 different straps (leather, fabric or rubber). Price: $2,180.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"}],"migrated_content":true,"meta_title":"","meta_description":"","meta_social_media_headline":"","meta_social_media_description":"","meta_social_media_image":"","artist_name":"Mark Kauzlarich","artist_type":"photographer","internal_notes":"","column":{"id":8,"slug":"hands_on","name":"Hands-On","description":"A longer-form review of a watch we've actually held and spent time with. 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Through the lens of 100 different watches in 12 different categories, pulled from the Citizen archive of over 6,000 different watches, the exhibition started in Japan before coming to New York for a small private viewing, then will move onward to Europe.","dropcap":true},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["5b24ec92-7255-4bc1-b877-5492eb3a6d27","52e9c421-2916-4736-9f6a-5157aa174714"],"enforce_aspect_ratio":false},"type":"Block::TwoUpImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"While attending the event, I expected to take a few images of some of Citizen's more iconic models from the brand's history – Eco-Drive models including the \"Eco-Zilla,\" their Fugu dive watches, the Aqualand – but you can see my personal collection Citizen was very narrow. The full exhibition was a shock to the system, in some ways, because it opened my eyes to a whole world of fascinating design and incredibly technical watchmaking. It was one of the more fascinating watch exhibitions I'd visited, but I wished it would have been open to the public. Well, I'll have more on that in a bit.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["f9fb2340-b8e3-449f-8894-c93aa84cac0a","77921fcf-768d-44b9-b725-06cc35b50c8a"],"enforce_aspect_ratio":false},"type":"Block::TwoUpImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"I knew Citizen had serious watchmaking bonafides – other companies often collaborate with Citizen and their sub-brand Miyota to create never-before-seen horology – but I had never gone that deep into the brand's back catalog of watches. The brand also had a lot of original sketches on display. While this story centers around an interview I did at the exhibition, I want to share a few watches with you, so I've put them in the mix.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["26c0872e-6a64-4594-a4a6-c7b7100e29a9"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["dad26a5b-9cd1-41bd-aa44-7a2ce2ef6528","797bb467-a7b8-4aa6-a54e-be4c761c9d79"],"enforce_aspect_ratio":false},"type":"Block::TwoUpImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"As a part of the traveling exhibition, I briefly sat down with two people who have played a significant role in Citizen's success, both globally and specifically in the U.S. market. With the help of an interpreter, I was able to pick the brain of Yoshihisa Yajima, Senior General Manager at the Watch Business Center as well as Citizen Brand Manager, about the broader history and success of Citizen and what it means to be a Japanese company with a global view. Separately, I also sat down with Jeffrey Cohen, the long-running President of Citizen Watch America. These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"Mark Kauzlarich: Over the last 100 years, Citizen has made a name for itself as a timekeeping specialist, and we see much of that history on display here. But like many Japanese companies that branch out into other fields, Citizen hasn't limited its skills solely to the narrow focus of wearable timekeeping. There's also Citizen Finedevice, which makes everything from movements to LCD screens. Citizen Systems produces more watchmaking parts and products, such as mini-printers. What are the kinds of things that Citizen does that we don't often see or think of? Why tackle these products as well?","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"left","images":["22c0df81-bbca-45ae-b904-49860c581f67"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Yoshihisa Yajima, Chief Operating Officer of Citizen: Even though we started out as watchmakers, we actually do other things as well. Watchmaking is still our core business, but with the technology we have developed, we have been able to transfer it to other businesses as well. We use skills and technologies like miniaturization, precision manufacturing, engineering, and minimizing power consumption. Citizen has become a corporation that is good at making use of discrepancies. We mix and match technology, craftsmanship, and design – things that don't always live well together, but we've found a way to balance this across different projects and companies. And yet, at the core, we always keep the watch and watchmaking in mind.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"MK: It seems that a big part of that is not keeping a narrow definition of what a watch is or should be. The watches on display highlight the fact that you not only combine analog and digital, but often go even further – like a tactile watch with braille indications.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["9497107e-14a6-4270-8d7c-c4aa4f314228"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"YY: Our philosophy is to keep on creating the watch which would help people's lives. Sure, there are some people who find digital watches cool. Some want a combination of digital and analog. Others just want only a mechanical timepiece. We often spend a lot of our time thinking about all the ways that people want to express themselves and how we can fill that role.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"MK: I think many casual enthusiasts would be surprised to hear that Citizen is a Japanese company. The choice to name the company Citizen was very forward-thinking for the time, making the brand accessible to a global audience. At the time, an English-sounding name might have been more accessible for a global brand, but with an increased interest in Japanese craftsmanship and heritage, will we see Citizen start framing its work and watches through that lens of heritage more than in the past?","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["e502a30a-fa2b-41ab-b297-6a164791b007"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"YY: We believe that Japanese DNA comes through in things like our dedication to craftmanship, high quality, details, precision, technology, and design. We want to keep making products that show that there is value in these things, and if we can show the value we can use these same things to keep making progress. Our products don't have to be obviously \"Japanese\" if that heritage comes through in the way we make them.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"Mark Kauzlarich: First of all, it's been really interesting to walk through the exhibition and see all these various watches. There's a lot of inspiration for me for watches I didn't know existed, but I might need to look for myself. Has there been any consideration to opening this up to the enthusiast community? It would be a shame if more people couldn't see this for themselves. ","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"left","images":["06b5f219-c0f8-4a90-8371-a5fd76fe4e3f"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Jeffrey Cohen, President Of Citizen Watch America: There's been a lot of consideration. In fact, it's already in motion. The entire third floor of the new Citizen Flagship in New York is going to become a Citizen museum, with a small portion dedicated to other brands. The goal is to bring this to the wider community so they can see the different categories, materials, and ways the brand has been able to innovate over the last 100 years. We plan to have a full calendar of events bringing in all the different watch collectors and communities into the space.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"MK: In your tenure with Citizen, what are some of the most significant changes that you've seen, especially maybe in the U.S. market?","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"JC: I think innovation has gone to a whole different level, from material to advancement to movement technology. Take, for instance, Eco-Drive going from a core watch with a power reserve of six months to a minimum of a year with E365. Super Titanium, with Duratect – now using different type of DLC finishes takes it to a totally different level. Even most recently in the mechanical side, there's been a very big interest in the resurgence in development of mechanical watchmaking.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["88bdbb52-fe62-40e8-9b55-29abade82db3","51824f09-fc54-4385-abd0-5d9595dbf0de"],"enforce_aspect_ratio":false},"type":"Block::TwoUpImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"MK: Citizen is one of the few brands that emerged from the quartz crisis in a way that has integrated both quartz timekeeping and mechanical. What has that afforded you, not only for innovation in terms of the watches you're making, but what you are bringing to the end customer? And how do you keep those two things aligned side by side?","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["c5f21cc1-9cb3-4130-9ac7-1caff22f813f"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"JC: We've learned to speak two different languages, in many ways. Eco Drive really is our baby on the quartz side. But the mechanicals are certainly a whole different species. But keeping them aligned often comes down to understanding our customer. Lately we've been bringing in a younger demographic on both fronts, with Eco Drive as a line focused on sustainability, but also having the mechanical line for the younger people who want to understand and appreciate the mechanics of watchmaking. It's about having two different pathways to the consumer, while also being able to cover different price ranges as well. Even if it's two different languages and kept separate, we always have people in the middle. From product development to marketing, we have people that bridge the gap to keep the company cohesive while allowing each side to experiment, grow, and follow where their development takes them, while keeping to the roots of watchmaking.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["7cf0fd39-4241-4b09-8983-35c9a00f5a85"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"MK: Speaking of your roots – and I spoke to Mr. Yajima about this – but with a renewed interest in Japanese heritage and culture in watchmaking, how does that come through in Citizen's products? Can we expect to see more direct acknowledgment of that heritage?","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"JC: Sure, Japanese heritage is very, very popular right now across a lot of demographics in a way it hasn't been in the past. So we'll lean in when we think it's appropriate, but we don't really get into the Swiss brand versus the Japanese brand debate. We own Swiss companies, but more than any country-focused marketing, we're about being inclusive. What you see today of our Japanese heritage comes through in the unbelievable technology, engineering, and development of materials and movements. It's really mind-blowing, to be honest with you.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"}],"migrated_content":true,"meta_title":"","meta_description":"","meta_social_media_headline":"","meta_social_media_description":"","meta_social_media_image":"","artist_name":null,"artist_type":"","internal_notes":"","column":{"id":12,"slug":"interview","name":"Interview","description":"","sort_order":null,"created_at":"2016-07-13T12:24:44.069-04:00","updated_at":"2022-05-04T16:55:07.940-04:00","status":"hidden"},"hero_image":{"id":"d63cf07d-e4c9-4e2c-8bf5-57c2cf37427c","container_id":13670,"container_type":"Article","url":"https://hodinkee-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/5e427ce5-a48f-449b-b01c-12332c7cc108/Hero_Citizen.jpg","width":2880,"height":1620,"format":"jpg","render_args":null,"caption":null,"alt_text":"Citizen Exhibition","created_at":"2024-08-22T12:51:23.997-04:00","updated_at":"2024-08-22T16:16:34.867-04:00","sort_order":0,"product_ids":null,"imgix_url":"https://hodinkee.imgix.net/uploads/images/5e427ce5-a48f-449b-b01c-12332c7cc108/Hero_Citizen.jpg?ixlib=rails-1.1.0"},"share_url":"https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/interview-citizen-100th-anniversary","full_title":"Interview: Citizen's Senior General Manager Yoshihisa Yajima And Jeffrey Cohen, President Of Citizen Watch America, On The Brand's 100th Anniversary","tags":["interview","citizen","history"]},{"id":13687,"slug":"business-news-ming-fleming-shapiro","column_slug":"business_news","title":"Ming, Fleming, And J.N. Shapiro Form 'Alternative Horological Alliance' And Announce Their First New Product","status":"published","working_copy_of_id":null,"published_at":"2024-08-29T12:00:00.000-04:00","created_at":"2024-08-28T17:32:18.665-04:00","updated_at":"2024-08-29T12:51:34.089-04:00","scheduled_for":null,"review_status":null,"package_id":null,"lede":"The trio of relatively young brands plans to collaborate and work outside of traditional watchmaking structures to grow independent brands in new ways.","hero_media_type":"image","hero_video_id":null,"hero_video_type":"vimeo","hero_homepage_image":null,"gallery_view":false,"legacy_url":null,"multiple_authors":false,"pinned_related_article_id":null,"hero_image_url":null,"hero_homepage_image_url":null,"view_count":26231,"public_token":null,"notification_sent":true,"keyword_targeting":null,"apple_news_id":null,"display_template":"standard","exclude_from_related":false,"comments_state":"comments_enabled","article_type":"default_article","shopify_id":null,"featured_comment_id":null,"noindex":false,"sponsored_by":null,"advertising_enabled":true,"redirect_url":"","automatic_related_articles":true,"show_promotional_frame":true,"show_related_articles":true,"show_editors_picks":true,"sponsor_image_url":"","display_theme":"light","custom_props":{},"content_chunks":[{"data":{"alignment":"interscrollerV2"},"type":"Block::Advertisement"},{"data":{"copy":"At a press conference in Geneva today, independent brands Ming, Fleming, and J.N. Shapiro announced a new brand alliance called the Alternative Horological Alliance. The goal is to take three brands that have thought outside the traditional watchmaking structures and combine their experience, passion, and knowledge to continue along that path and foster other brands along the way.","dropcap":true},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["7b1c3c79-9a3d-4051-9685-efbe211108c7"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"This isn't a \"group,\" in the same way as Swatch or Richemont, but something closer to the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI). The three brands have not announced any corporate conglomerate or profit-sharing. Instead, they are using the AHA to pool resources where it makes sense and show what can be done when reimagining portions of traditional watchmaking supply chains. \n\nWhile the AHA might seem like a surprise for three brands that aesthetically share very few similarities, with less than 20 years in existence between the three brands, they've each shown that the limitations of some watchmaking suppliers (both technical and, in some cases, in imagination or experimentation) can be overcome by going to suppliers outside the watchmaking space. ","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["7b5d4754-b54a-4587-8ad4-d649fcf32fef"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"For instance, Ming's <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/intro-ming-lw01/" target=\"_blank\">record-breaking ultra-lightweight LW.01</a> was considered largely impossible by traditional suppliers until Ming decided to approach the case construction in a new way. J.N. Shapiro recently made what I consider the first fully \"Made in America\" watch since 1969, but to do so had to source the hairspring from a non-watch supplier who had not made hairsprings (at least at any time in recent decades) and had a minimum order of 5.3 miles of wire. The brands hope to combine this kind of ingenuity to push to the next level.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["9decb9dd-93a8-48bd-ab9c-6410f3999adb"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"\"We formed the AHA not only to multiply our collective strengths but also simply because we enjoy working with each other. By pooling resources, each brand can achieve things beyond its individual constraints. For example, we might have J.N. Shapiro make cases for us or for Ming to serve as an Asian reception point for future servicing for Fleming. We want to take an openly collaborative approach – for instance, the joint exhibition is a much stronger incentive for collectors to visit us in person during Geneva Watch Days than any one of our brands alone,\" said Ming Thein, founder of Horologer Ming.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"The new association isn't looking for members, but it is willing to open its doors to other brands that share similar philosophies, subject to a unanimous vote. In the meantime, the three brands have announced at least one collaborative effort: a new \"universal\" tantalum bracelet designed by Ming and made by J.N. Shapiro, available in 21mm curved, 20mm curved, and 20mm straight versions. The end links will be interchangeable to fit all three brands without needing multiple bracelets.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["1d2ba706-0366-4377-880d-d4b049e555e3"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"\"The development and prototyping of a tantalum bracelet from scratch in under four months demonstrates the kind of things we can do together under the AHA umbrella. The design was originally conceived by Ming but pushed by our curiosity and machining expertise at Shapiro to produce. Due to the shape and number of links in this bracelet, it is exponentially more challenging to do in tantalum versus more generic and less organic bracelets. It would have been much more difficult to do this as individual brands and the economics would not have worked. But now our customers benefit from a rare tantalum bracelet that is easily adaptable to different watches,\" said Joshua Shapiro, founder of J.N. Shapiro.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["bb8f8071-044b-4e41-8ac9-ee2e2556d717"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"\"The idea of the AHA is not so much of an exclusive club, but rather it's a forum for smaller, independent watch brands to support each other in our own aims and to collaborate to bring something new to market that we might not have been able to do alone,\" said Thomas Fleming of Fleming Watches.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"For more information, visit <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://www.aha.watch//" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.aha.watch</a>.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"}],"migrated_content":true,"meta_title":"","meta_description":"","meta_social_media_headline":"","meta_social_media_description":"","meta_social_media_image":"","artist_name":null,"artist_type":"","internal_notes":"EMBARGO UNTIL SEPT 29 6PM CET, 12PM ET","column":{"id":4,"slug":"business_news","name":"Business News","description":"Explore past and present HODINKEE content, from in-depth product reviews to original video series.","sort_order":13,"created_at":"2016-07-13T12:24:43.947-04:00","updated_at":"2022-05-04T13:40:30.347-04:00","status":"hidden"},"hero_image":{"id":"d2e3c3e2-e6d9-4747-a5be-e67bb8ef461d","container_id":13687,"container_type":"Article","url":"https://hodinkee-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/03984ea7-6a8e-4e96-ae9c-335e379ec196/AHA-Hero-MingFlemingShapirowithBracelet.jpg","width":2880,"height":1620,"format":"jpg","render_args":null,"caption":null,"alt_text":"AHA Bracelet","created_at":"2024-08-28T17:32:18.788-04:00","updated_at":"2024-08-28T17:32:18.788-04:00","sort_order":0,"product_ids":null,"imgix_url":"https://hodinkee.imgix.net/uploads/images/03984ea7-6a8e-4e96-ae9c-335e379ec196/AHA-Hero-MingFlemingShapirowithBracelet.jpg?ixlib=rails-1.1.0"},"share_url":"https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/business-news-ming-fleming-shapiro","full_title":"Business News: Ming, Fleming, And J.N. Shapiro Form 'Alternative Horological Alliance' And Announce Their First New Product","tags":["independent-watches","ming","ming-watch","shapiro","josh-shapiro","fleming","geneva-watch-days-2024"]},{"id":13664,"slug":"hands-on-iwc-polaris-dawn-chronograph","column_slug":"hands_on","title":"IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition 'Polaris Dawn' – Four Unique Watches That Are Headed To Space","status":"published","working_copy_of_id":null,"published_at":"2024-08-28T11:00:00.000-04:00","created_at":"2024-08-20T21:52:06.122-04:00","updated_at":"2024-08-28T11:25:10.711-04:00","scheduled_for":null,"review_status":null,"package_id":null,"lede":"After coming back to earth, the watches will be auctioned by Christie's in New York to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.","hero_media_type":"image","hero_video_id":null,"hero_video_type":"vimeo","hero_homepage_image":null,"gallery_view":false,"legacy_url":null,"multiple_authors":false,"pinned_related_article_id":null,"hero_image_url":null,"hero_homepage_image_url":null,"view_count":20042,"public_token":null,"notification_sent":true,"keyword_targeting":null,"apple_news_id":null,"display_template":"standard","exclude_from_related":false,"comments_state":"comments_enabled","article_type":"default_article","shopify_id":null,"featured_comment_id":null,"noindex":false,"sponsored_by":null,"advertising_enabled":true,"redirect_url":"","automatic_related_articles":true,"show_promotional_frame":true,"show_related_articles":true,"show_editors_picks":true,"sponsor_image_url":"","display_theme":"light","custom_props":{},"content_chunks":[{"data":{"alignment":"interscrollerV2"},"type":"Block::Advertisement"},{"data":{"copy":"Last year, as I stood under the hot Wisconsin sun on the side of an active taxiway at EAA AirVenture 2023, I kept my eyes peeled on the horizon for an unmistakable sight. If I hadn't seen it first, I certainly would have heard it: likely the only American-owned MiG-29, piloted by American entrepreneur, pilot, and billionaire Jared \"Rook\" Isaacman. It's hard to miss.","dropcap":true},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["d588f8f6-87d2-42e1-8f59-cd52da09c6b3"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Piloting the MiG-29 not only makes Isaacman a certified bad-ass for a lot of aviation enthusiasts, he's also the commander of the Polaris Dawn mission – the first private spaceflight in a series of missions named the <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://polarisprogram.com//" target=\"\">Polaris Program</a> – that took off on August 26 after a long delay. But when he landed, I wasn't just looking at the sick camouflage paint job on his MiG and the rest of the Polaris squadrons' L-39 jets; I was there to see the watches on their wrists: four customized and space-themed IWC Ceramic Chronographs.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["501dbfbc-86c4-4b28-8eb8-8a29fda60bd8"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["aec5debc-efaa-4ff1-a1f1-78fa60d9292a"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["29b8222b-ed3b-4ba9-ba9e-81bffd0803a6"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"You might have seen my <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/photo-report-eaa-airventure-oshkosh/" target=\"_blank\">photo report from EAA last year</a>. It was a fantastic time and I walked well over 12 miles over two days in search of cool planes and watches. But first and foremost I was there for a different story that I couldn't publish until the Polaris Dawn team officially got up to space. Not only did I get to see the IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph Edition \"Polaris Dawn\" but I got to talk to \"Rook,\" and members of the rest of the team including SpaceX Lead Space Operations Engineers Sarah \"Cooper\" Gillis and Anna \"Walker\" Menon. You rarely (if ever) get to speak with soon-to-be astronauts or see watches that have or will go to space, so how could I not?","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["0fd1db78-f05f-46bc-bc28-b964ae45b77c"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"There's a totally understandable obsession with space watches. Space travel is utterly mind-boggling for most people, but wearing a watch that connects to space flight brings the achievement of leaving this planet a little closer to home. We've covered space-flown watches every chance we can at Hodinkee, but the Polaris Dawn program (and the watches) are unlike any mission to space before it. ","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"The Polaris Dawn crew was slated to take off this week aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for what's planned to be up to a five-day mission, though unfavorable weather conditions have delayed the launch. The mission will fly higher than any previous Dragon mission, flying through the Van Allen radiation belt. As for the rest of the mission, I'll let Isaacson break it down in a minute.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["b61ba995-bbcd-4aa3-9848-06efaa4b1c4b"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["2a4121d1-1449-4852-b078-6120be6cff42"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"If I was going to space, I'd want to keep the watch that I was wearing. Even more personal, each watch is numbered and engraved with each astronaut's name and call sign. Unfortunately, the astronauts won't be able to hold on to these as souvenirs – Sarah Gillis told me that the memories were enough. All four watches were donated to the Polaris Dawn program by IWC, and in turn, the watches will be auctioned off as a box set at Christie's New York this fall, with all proceeds benefiting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["089b5fbe-6849-42e4-8dbc-d17f738d68be"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["f127b310-3862-471e-a9e6-827dfd2cf769"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"This isn't the first time the astronauts have worked together – nor is it the first time IWC has worked with a SpaceX mission. The brand made – and later auctioned off – a very similar space-flown watch for Inspiration4, the world's first all-civilian mission to orbit. You can see that watch above. After meeting during that mission in different roles, all the current team eventually reunited with new mission.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"\"That mission [Inspiration4] was just to show that it could be done, that you could be happy, healthy, productive in space and do it for more than just going up and beginning this voyage and this new frontier, but also to show you can make life better here on Earth,\" said Isaacson. \"That's why St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was a huge part of Inspiration4. It raised over a quarter of a billion dollars. It was also a great partnership with IWC in that their watches were also donated that we flew in space to inspiration four.\"","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["c9cdc2c4-8b46-4848-a5a5-9c786c7bb81f"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"\"After that mission, we basically kind of looked at the future that SpaceX is going towards, which is their vision is to make life multi-planetary and that the world is a more interesting place when people can journey among the stars and they're building a whole new launch vehicle Starship to do it.\"","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"\"Polaris Dawn will be the farthest from Earth that any humans have gone since the last time we walked on the Moon on Apollo 17. Cooper and Walker here will be the women explorers who will venture farthest from the Earth in history. We'll learn an awful lot from that high altitude, that high radiation environment. We'll do a spacewalk – we'll vent the whole cabin down to vacuum. We'll test out the first new spacesuits that have been built in 40 years. Not like multi-hundred-million-dollar spacesuits, but suits that someday could be mass produced when you have hundreds or thousands of people on Moon or Mar someday. So we'll test out the suits and the operations and then we'll test a brand new constellation of communication satellites, Starlink. We'll do laser to laser communication between two objects going 17,500 miles an hour.\"","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["b30382ec-15fa-45c2-b1fc-68eb114dbaed"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"As for the watches, Isaacson and the team were more than just appreciative of the partnership but really in love with the history of IWC. \"Polaris Dawn is about leaning forward, pushing the boundaries for the exciting future we all want to live in tomorrow, and also trying to make good progress on the issues we have here back on Earth,\" he said. \"IWC seemed totally aligned with us in that regard. The brand was already was already forward-leaning in aviation. I think they were wanting to push the boundaries. So generously donated watches that we could fly on Inspiration4 with the aim of taking these unique time pieces and auctioning them em off for St. Jude, which was super successful and raised nearly half a million dollars for a pretty important cause.\"","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"So let's get to the watch again. You'll notice I couldn't eliminate the reflection in the 44.5mm dial. First, the watch had to return to \"Rook\" as he met with fans and went around EAA speaking with attendees about the Polars Dawn mission, so I had to work quickly. But also, apparently, it's tough to get perfect light mid-day on the taxiway of one of the busiest airports in the world. Hopefully, I did the watch some semblance of justice.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["c4b359db-11b1-4c58-a098-890c6ecf0920"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"There are four of these Polaris Dawn watches, differentiated by their unique caseback engravings for each astronaut. They largely resemble the <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://www.iwc.com/us/en/watch-collections/pilot-watches/iw389105-pilot_s-watch-chronograph-top-gun-edition-lake-tahoe.html?adlsid=c%7Cg%7CIW389105%7C53943747254&&mid=793oa416957&mkwid=s_dc&pcrid=267456390911&kword=&match=&plid=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwoJa2BhBPEiwA0l0ImKe3wmJxQOPaCSkCt0YXnhF8tdPKgo5rEo7f5UQKSgDgiXv4MtrUMBoC1J4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds\%22 target=\"_blank\">\"Lake Tahoe\" chronograph</a> in most respects. The white ceramic case is 44.5mm 15.7 mm with 60 meters of water resistance, housing a Caliber 69380 automatic movement. The kind of dial layout of these chronographs, with the vertical counter layout (a 30-minute counter at 12 o'clock, running seconds at six o'clock, and 12-hour counter at nine o'clock) goes back a long way for IWC – back to the Valjoux 7750 gear train that inspired these. You also get the day and date, which might seem a bit anachronistic now but are hard to deny, but it is a classic all the same. IWC has consistently been able to refresh what's under the hood and the whole look by playing with the colors and case materials. The Polaris Dawn watch takes this a step further.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["57cf5af7-91af-489b-a304-9424a85ed2b0"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["a2835f07-f6b4-436a-9af6-57174d92bd82"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["28475e36-cfa1-48d9-baf6-7849b963cbdc"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"In addition to the caseback, which you saw above, the watches all feature dark blue lacquered dials printed with countless stars and the mission logo of Polaris Dawn. While I never would have considered a watch with printed stars on it but if there's one watch where I think it would work. The logo reminds me of other unit watches we've seen in the past and something IWC has done before publicly and privately (like with the <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-first-iwc-pilots-watch-with-a-fully-luminous-dial/" target=\"_blank\">Black Aces watch from 2023</a>). I don't recall another IWC with an astronaut on the dial, however, and this one is extra special.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["ccc7bc72-23f3-4623-b84a-5ddb315c4722"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"As Isaacson said, as a part of the Polaris Dawn mission, the team is taking part in the first-ever commercial astronaut spacewalk using the new SpaceX Extravehicular Activity (EVA) suit. The design on the dial is most likely based on the Intravehicular Activity (IVA) suit that the EVA is developed on (that's a guess because I saw this watch last year, and the EVA suit was only unveiled earlier this year).","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["4364dcae-a77a-4bb6-b0ad-f4df7a85327e"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"I've been watching the Polaris Dawn mission closely, waiting for a safe launch, because of my experience putting this story together and meeting the team. Frankly, I find the idea of spacewalks (let alone blasting into space on the back of a giant rocket) terrifying. Luckily, it's not a fear I'll ever have to tackle. Still, I've never felt so concerned about the people undertaking a space mission. There's a lot they're set to accomplish. I'll continue following the whole thing, and when the astronauts and the watches are back safely, I'll watch the Christie's auction – the final part of their mission – to see how much money they raise.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["bf68f3ea-8626-46fd-81e2-2b95a1629fe2"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"disclosure":"For more information and to be notified of the auction, <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://www.iwc.com/en/specials/polaris-dawn-mission-auction-sign-up.html/" target=\"_blank\">please visit this page</a>.","product_ids":""},"type":"Block::DisclosureBox"}],"migrated_content":true,"meta_title":"","meta_description":"","meta_social_media_headline":"","meta_social_media_description":"","meta_social_media_image":"","artist_name":"Mark Kauzlarich","artist_type":"photographer","internal_notes":"","column":{"id":8,"slug":"hands_on","name":"Hands-On","description":"A longer-form review of a watch we've actually held and spent time with. 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Editions' M.A.D.1 Gets Slimmer With The M.A.D.1S","status":"published","working_copy_of_id":null,"published_at":"2024-08-27T08:00:00.000-04:00","created_at":"2024-08-20T15:45:44.690-04:00","updated_at":"2024-08-30T16:53:45.305-04:00","scheduled_for":null,"review_status":null,"package_id":null,"lede":"A Swiss-made movement, a refined design, and only 1,500 pieces to start. Enter the raffle while you can.","hero_media_type":"image","hero_video_id":null,"hero_video_type":"vimeo","hero_homepage_image":null,"gallery_view":false,"legacy_url":null,"multiple_authors":false,"pinned_related_article_id":null,"hero_image_url":null,"hero_homepage_image_url":null,"view_count":33383,"public_token":null,"notification_sent":true,"keyword_targeting":null,"apple_news_id":null,"display_template":"standard","exclude_from_related":false,"comments_state":"comments_enabled","article_type":"default_article","shopify_id":null,"featured_comment_id":null,"noindex":false,"sponsored_by":null,"advertising_enabled":true,"redirect_url":"","automatic_related_articles":true,"show_promotional_frame":true,"show_related_articles":true,"show_editors_picks":true,"sponsor_image_url":"","display_theme":"light","custom_props":{},"content_chunks":[{"data":{"alignment":"interscrollerV2"},"type":"Block::Advertisement"},{"data":{"size":"h3","headline":"What We Know"},"type":"Block::Headline"},{"data":{"copy":"It's a big day for fans of affordable avant garde because M.A.D. Editions is launching the fifth edition of their cult-classic M.A.D.1., and it's the biggest update yet. What started in June 2021, as MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser sharing a relatively affordable watch with his community of suppliers and collectors via email turned into a watch that has spawned four other variations over the last three years. The M.A.D.1. is a watch meant to be read from the side angle (no wrist rotation required) through what was previously two barrels rotating around the case edge to tell the time in hours and minutes. At the top is a unidirectional, fast-spinning blade rotor that speeds around in circles to great effect. And while the watch has gone through a number of color changes, it's always been a fun, albeit chunky, watch.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["ea549754-9f0a-4d8b-92f9-7f28f4781cc7"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Well, the M.A.D.1S seems to have hit the gym and shed a bit of bulk, because the new release from Max Büsser is now 42mm by 15mm thick, 20 percent thinner than its predecessors. For the first time, the watch is powered by a Swiss-made movement, a modified La Joux-Perret G101 (instead of the previous Japanese Miyota 821A). Further cutting down the thickness is a simplified single-barrel display that shows the time at that side angle on the rotating hour disc only. The lugs have also been slimmed down and don't look nearly as dominating from the top or side. ","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["dfe373bb-e52e-4f15-b9bc-4139cbaa72b3"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The M.A.D.1S isn’t a limited edition, but only a set number are being made for the general public in this batch. Some of the M.A.D.1.S will have purple accents and will only be available to suppliers and previous customers of MB&F. The others have ice blue accents and will be allocated via raffle (as in the past releases) in a batch of 1,500 this go around, though more could be made in the future. That raffle will be checked and monitored for any gaming of the system or bots and the drawing will be monitored by an independent bailiff so everyone can get a fair chance. The price is CHF 2,900 and the raffle will run from August 27th to September 2nd.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["b14b20c0-3ebd-4945-b061-956e99f2fec7"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"h3","headline":"What We Think"},"type":"Block::Headline"},{"data":{"copy":"Oooooh buddy. Here we go again, and boy, am I excited. M.A.D.1 has been on my radar for quite a while. I'm a big fan of Max Büsser and MB&F, but I can't imagine I will ever be shopping in the price bracket where I could get an example of his watchmaking design skills. That's why the M.A.D.1. was so special. Suddenly, many more people had a chance to get a touch of Büsser's creativity on their wrist. But I'm not the only one who has thought so. ","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"The first M.A.D.1 had 19,000 entrants for 1,500 watches. The second release had 22,000 for the same number. The watch went on to win a GPHG Challenge prize for affordable watchmaking as well. And I – like many of you – never won the raffle. But this new watch makes it look like the wait was worth it (if I get picked this time).","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["5b85def0-872c-4801-bf72-33ce31be5369"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Until now, I've been relatively okay without winning the raffle. This is a novelty with the biggest \"capital N\" and despite the relatively affordable price tag, I always wondered how often I'd wear something that's 18.8mm thick. I told myself there were watches I would more likely wear at a price – just as a salve on the wound of not being lucky. Now the watch has slimmed down, and in pictures, it looks more substantially thin than the 3.8mm shaved off the top. Sure, you lose a bit of accuracy because you no longer have a more specific minute track, but it's not the kind of watch where accuracy is the point. If you look at the side of the case and say, \"It's 7:18-ish,\" I think that's more than fine. While it's hard to tell in the stylized, <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://www.paridukovic.com//" target=\"_blank\">Pari Dukovic</a>-esque pictures, the refined lugs also help visually slim the watch.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["ebb0cccc-c231-482d-b16a-4e3bd6cfd0ed"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"Maybe the third (or fourth, or whatever number this is) times the charm. I'm definitely going to put my name in for this and I'm definitely going to try to see this in person for more thoughts before the raffle closes. You know where to find them when I do. Oh, and before I forget, the team teased one more bit of information in the press release – there's a M.A.D.2 coming soon too. ","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["75e5b4df-51cd-4ebb-859d-73733962abb8"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"h2","headline":"The Basics"},"type":"Block::Headline"},{"data":{"copy":"Brand: M.A.D. Editions Model: M.A.D.1S\n\nDiameter: 42mm Thickness: 15mm Case Material: 316L Stainless Steel Dial Color: Purple accents for Friends and \"Tribe\" members; Ice-blue accents for the general public Indexes: Single cylinder display viewed from the side angle Water Resistance: 30m Strap/Bracelet: Leather strap with stainless steel folding buckle","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["c92b531c-58df-474d-a18e-0755a4f89d6a"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"h2","headline":"The Movement"},"type":"Block::Headline"},{"data":{"copy":"Caliber: Manufacture La Joux-Perret Movement G101 Functions: Singular rotating hour track Diameter: 11 ½''' Thickness: 4.45mm Power Reserve: 68 hours Winding: Automatic winding (unidirectional) Frequency: 4 Hz Jewels: 24 Additional Details: Mineral glass and sapphire crystal treated with anti-reflective coating on both faces","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"h2","headline":"Pricing & Availability"},"type":"Block::Headline"},{"data":{"copy":"Price: CHF 2,900 Availability: Raffle open from August 27th to September 2nd with a random draw Limited Edition: No, but only 1,500 pieces in this batch. \n\nFor more, click <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://www.madgallery.net/geneva/en/creators/mad-editions/" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"}],"migrated_content":true,"meta_title":"","meta_description":"","meta_social_media_headline":"","meta_social_media_description":"","meta_social_media_image":"","artist_name":null,"artist_type":"","internal_notes":"Aug 27, 8am EDT","column":{"id":16,"slug":"product_launch","name":"Introducing","description":"HODINKEE Introducing articles are designed to be fact-filled, detail-rich introductions to newly released timepieces. Each article provides essential details including technical specs, pricing, and availability, and also provides a quick first impression of the new timepiece, and the larger context it occupies in the modern watch landscape.","sort_order":7,"created_at":"2016-07-13T12:24:44.152-04:00","updated_at":"2023-05-04T16:59:23.481-04:00","status":"visible"},"hero_image":{"id":"3627719a-47d9-465e-ab59-fc7beada321f","container_id":13661,"container_type":"Article","url":"https://hodinkee-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/2a50a483-8b77-407a-9f08-1c2eaeaebab0/MAD_Editions_MAD1.S_Blue_Wrist_Shot_8_Hres.jpg","width":2880,"height":1620,"format":"jpg","render_args":null,"caption":null,"alt_text":"M.A.D.1S","created_at":"2024-08-20T15:45:44.844-04:00","updated_at":"2024-08-20T16:53:03.802-04:00","sort_order":0,"product_ids":null,"imgix_url":"https://hodinkee.imgix.net/uploads/images/2a50a483-8b77-407a-9f08-1c2eaeaebab0/MAD_Editions_MAD1.S_Blue_Wrist_Shot_8_Hres.jpg?ixlib=rails-1.1.0"},"share_url":"https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/introducing-mad-editions-mad1s","full_title":"Introducing: M.A.D. Editions' M.A.D.1 Gets Slimmer With The M.A.D.1S","tags":["mbf","max-busser","mad-editions","mad1","geneva-watch-days-2024"]},{"id":13657,"slug":"introducing-slyvian-pinaud-origine-esperluxe","column_slug":"product_launch","title":"The Sylvain Pinaud Origine 'Ste Croix' Limited Edition With EsperLuxe","status":"published","working_copy_of_id":null,"published_at":"2024-08-26T11:00:12.396-04:00","created_at":"2024-08-16T15:23:17.196-04:00","updated_at":"2024-08-26T11:01:24.483-04:00","scheduled_for":null,"review_status":null,"package_id":null,"lede":"Pinaud and EsperLuxe have refined an already solid independent watch and made something very attractive.","hero_media_type":"image","hero_video_id":null,"hero_video_type":"vimeo","hero_homepage_image":null,"gallery_view":false,"legacy_url":null,"multiple_authors":false,"pinned_related_article_id":null,"hero_image_url":null,"hero_homepage_image_url":null,"view_count":13702,"public_token":null,"notification_sent":true,"keyword_targeting":null,"apple_news_id":null,"display_template":"standard","exclude_from_related":false,"comments_state":"comments_enabled","article_type":"default_article","shopify_id":null,"featured_comment_id":null,"noindex":false,"sponsored_by":null,"advertising_enabled":true,"redirect_url":"","automatic_related_articles":true,"show_promotional_frame":true,"show_related_articles":true,"show_editors_picks":true,"sponsor_image_url":"","display_theme":"light","custom_props":{},"content_chunks":[{"data":{"alignment":"interscrollerV2"},"type":"Block::Advertisement"},{"data":{"size":"h3","headline":"What We Know"},"type":"Block::Headline"},{"data":{"copy":"Sylvain Pinaud has, alongside Boston-area independent retailer EsperLuxe, announced a very limited run of 12 pieces of Pinaud's time-only watch, the \"Origine,\" to celebrate EsperLuxe's fifth anniversary as a retailer. While I haven't seen it in person, judging by the photos, it's my favorite piece from Pinaud yet. As an example of high-end hand-made watchmaking, it doesn't come cheap, but it very well looks to be worth it.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["9efbde86-2dbd-459f-8fbc-8f0535fc1d98"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The new Origine \"Ste Croix\" is based on the framework of the original Origine that won the \"Horological Revelations\" Prize at GPHG 2023. The movement has an in-house gear train and Swiss-lever escapement. At the forefront is the 13.2 mm with Phillips spiral shown on the dial side at six o'clock. The sub seconds are at 10 o'clock, and the time is displayed on an elevated silver-toned frosted and brushed subdial at two o'clock. It's a beautiful, striking, simple display, but it allows Pinaud to highlight his handcrafting skills. The baseplate is made of frosted gold, giving it a bit of color that the original Origine lacked. This edition of the Origine removes the \"Hand Made\" label on the dial, which I felt was unnecessary anyway. The work speaks for itself.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["f62673c2-74ab-4aa9-9017-8b1805405d94"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The movement is deceptively simple on the back, but – again, judging only by pictures – the movement finishing is also great on the backside. The movement is manually wound with 55 hours of power reserve. It is cased in stainless steel (the shape of which is reminiscent of F.P. Journe's watches) and measures 40mm by 11mm thick. Again, you shouldn't put a price on good handwork, but if you have to, in this case, the watch runs CHF 76,900.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["6389bab9-49cb-4add-bdba-a2f4a9a58b3d"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"h3","headline":"What We Think"},"type":"Block::Headline"},{"data":{"copy":"Sylvain Pinaud is a watchmaker who probably deserves more attention than he gets, but unfortunately, I've not yet seen his work in person. His work seems to be of the highest possible quality, but with only two distinct models under his belt – both with slightly different design language – it's not quite clear if this is what Pinaud has landed on as \"him.\" I really hope so, because this looks fantastic. Every prominent feature – balance wheel and bridge, dial components, bridge shaping, feels very thoughtfully done.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["af3ab9d5-18c0-47a0-a582-3e6612310235"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"There are a few things I might change – the gap at the rear that would normally hold the balance wheel stands out as though something is obviously missing. But maybe that's part of the charm. It certainly adds some visual tension.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"copy":"You may remember EsperLuxe from a profile I did on <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/its-all-about-the-indies-for-christopher-daaboul/" target=\"_blank\">Christopher Daaboul last year</a>. He's been a long-time passionate collector, supporter, and now five-year retailer of independent watchmakers. He met Sylvain in 2021 over Zoom before later meeting at Pinaud's atelier in Sainte Croix. According to Daaboul, the watch draws inspiration from watchmaking in the Sainte Croix region. I frankly don't know enough about the region's watchmaking to pick up the fine details, and while I haven't seen his work in person, from pictures, this is my favorite version of the Origine.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["ae8410cd-b8c2-4935-9507-b4d25219bc2f"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"copy":"The gold-frosted main plate feels more traditional, in the same vein as some of F.P. Journe or Ferdinand Berthoud's aesthetics. This works quite well on a watch like this, especially with the giant balance at the forefront. It also feels like it might be more legible than the silver-on-silver Origine that came out at launch. While the price – CHF 76,900 – is pretty eyebrow-raising for a watch in a steel case, I would say it looks to be in line with the level of handcraft and hand-finishing you get with the Origine. That said, it's a good reminder that I need to make an effort to see Pinaud's watches in person. ","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["1580346a-5582-4fc0-ba38-48cf9ab6d580"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"h2","headline":"The Basics"},"type":"Block::Headline"},{"data":{"copy":"Brand: Sylvain Pinaud Model: Origine \"Ste Croix\"\n\nDiameter: 40mm Thickness: 11mm Case Material: Stainless steel Dial Color: Circle polished and sablage middle with gold frosted main plate Indexes: Flame Blued steel hours, minutes, and seconds hands Lume: None Strap/Bracelet: Calf leather strap with stainless steel deployant buckle","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"large","images":["a7e903fe-8ae6-43e2-8090-acec9859d22c"]},"type":"Block::InlineImageContainer"},{"data":{"size":"h2","headline":"The Movement"},"type":"Block::Headline"},{"data":{"copy":"Caliber: Origine Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds Diameter: 33.8mm Thickness: 6.9mm Power Reserve: 55 hours Winding: Manual Frequency: 21,600 vph Additional Details: In-house escapement and balance wheel with variable inertia; balance diameter 13.2 mm with Phillips spiral","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"},{"data":{"size":"h2","headline":"Pricing & Availability"},"type":"Block::Headline"},{"data":{"copy":"Price: CHF 76,900 Availability: Immediately through EsperLuxe Limited Edition: Yes, 12 pieces.\n\nFor more, click <a href=https://www.hodinkee.com/"https://www.esperluxe.com//" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.","dropcap":false},"type":"Block::BodyCopy"}],"migrated_content":true,"meta_title":"","meta_description":"","meta_social_media_headline":"","meta_social_media_description":"","meta_social_media_image":"","artist_name":null,"artist_type":"","internal_notes":"Embargo August 26 11am EST","column":{"id":16,"slug":"product_launch","name":"Introducing","description":"HODINKEE Introducing articles are designed to be fact-filled, detail-rich introductions to newly released timepieces. 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