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Welcome to our new weekend column. Think of this as a catch-up session for latecomers who were too 'busy living their lives' to consume every tiny morsel of watch content all week, and an extra helping for the true friends who just can't get enough. "New Watch Alert" will feature new watch releases from the week past, "In Case You Missed It" a collection of our favorites that deserve a second look, "Culture of Time" will highlight an interesting article from outside the Hodinkee universe, and "The Conversation" is where we respond to your comments. Grab your Saturday-morning coffee, and let's dig in.
This week was packed full of exciting news from the watch world with Sinn launching the latest generation of their T-Series titanium dive watches, Danny bringing us a look at a handsome new pilot's watch from Longines, Ben delivering an epic Reference Points on the Heuer Carrera and Malaika providing some core context for those who think they know the new Cartier Tank Française. Read on for a look at the proposed 2023 re-launch of the cult brand Daniel Roth, a fantastic look at Tudor's own in-house cycling program, and even a consideration of why someone would want a dive watch with a GMT function.
Following the success of the smaller steel U50 diver that was launched in the spring of 2020, the stoic German brand is back with a new titanium range that adds a lightweight alternative that is anything but light on appeal.
Few brands have a back-catalog like Longines and that's where the brand found inspiration for its latest vintage-inspired pilot's watch, the Pilot Majetek. Upsized from the original but not lacking in charm, Danny takes a closer look at this quirky throwback to a military design.
Buckle up buttercup because our own Ben Clymer saw a space on the Friday schedule and dropped a vintage chronograph Reference Points that'll blow your hair back. It's 9,500+ words and an awesome 45-minute video all about the evolution and excellence of the Heuer Carrera.
So treat yourself, cancel some plans, leave your friends on read, and dig into one of the greatest chronograph lineages of all time.
Hot on the heels of the recent relaunch of the Cartier Tank Française, our own Style Editor, Malaika Crawford, offers a close and personal look at this classic design. And from Guy Ritchie, Kate Moss, and even the Spice Girls, Malaika is here to tell you that the modern context of the Française is more than just a "grown-up ladies' watch".
Despite the continued feminine perspective of the Française – the Princess Di effect cannot be overstated – Ms. Crawford contends that the new Française is something else. Something modern, matte, and meaningfully unisex.
For hands-on impressions, lovely photos, and plenty of context, hit the link above.
Big news for all you Daniel Roth-heads out there as this week the brand announced that they will be operating in a standalone fashion with involvement from Louis Vuitton and La Fabrique de Temps. Daniel Roth had been owned by Bulgari since 2000 (and later, Bulgari would be sold to LVMH) and the brand's new-found independence will culminate with a limited production line that will be unveiled later this year.
A C147 Chronograph. Image: Courtesy of Sean Song
While the brand Daniel Roth has seen more than a few generations, the modern configuration will see the brand operate within a similar headspace as it did from its early inception as a manufacture of very high quality, rare, and independent watches.
If you want to be ready for the next act from this storied and cult brand, be sure it check out Tony Traina's full story and stay tuned for more Daniel Roth news later this year.
Few in the world are better suited to cover The Tudor Pro Cycling team than Zachary Piña, an avid cyclist, excellent photographer, and watch enthusiast. In this latest Dispatch, follow along with Piña and Tudor's own clicking team as they negotiate a 120-kilometer ride through Spain's Mediterranean coast.
Along the ride, Piña captures a stunning array of photos as he digs into the personalities, plan, and impetus of a professional cycling team that was founded and is funded by a watch brand. It's a young team that is bristling with potential and each member is rocking a special (and unbuyable) watch.
So clip into your pedals and enjoy the climb, this story is one hell of a good ride.
The Comment: "I really struggle with diver GMT watches. Something about mixing up functions. I know most dive watches never even get wet but having said that, why would a diver need to know what time it is elsewhere in the world? Surely he or she should be worrying about decompression issues or being eaten by a shark?" – ColinGermany
The Response: Interesting question, and though a diver-GMT cannot help with any possible shark-related scenarios, the combination of a dive bezel and a GMT complication makes for a seriously handy watch – both in and out of the water.
In this setup, which puts the focus on the dive watch first, you get the best of both worlds. You get a tough, reliable, and useful watch (both for when diving, or otherwise – this being the core appeal of the dive watch) while also having the ability to easily manage a second time zone.
Sure, most people don't use their dive watch for diving, but some do, and they often have to travel if they want to dive. With a dive-GMT like the Seikos in question, you don't have to worry about bringing another watch on vacation (and all the risks that can entail), you just have a one-watch solution that works while diving, while timing a pizza, while waiting for a flight, or while trying to figure out what time it is at home, or even at your next destination.
While the base configuration of a GMT watch is one that features a 24-hour bezel, I'd wager that the number of people who dive with their dive watches is loosely similar to the number of people that know/use their 24-hour bezel as it was intended (to capture the offset of another time zone referenced against UTC).
While the specific benefits of any given layout – be it GMT, dive-GMT, or otherwise – will be largely subjective and tied to your own needs, the usefulness of a dive-GMT is hugely appealing to those who travel, might dive every now and then (and use the watch as a backup for a dive computer), and simply love the raw usefulness of a sports watch... and the occasional shark.
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