The torpid days of summer season are actually absolutely within the rearview after a considerably sleepy September. October 2024 was chock filled with headlines from the watch world, the largest of which was Patek breaking out its first new assortment in a quarter-century. It ignited a firestorm that our pals at Horlonomics and Fratello counterbalanced, explaining why the client (and the model!) isn’t all the time proper. Nearer to house, the ABTW crew reported reside from Dresden on a really unusual NOMOS whereas eBay discovered the highlight twice with a brand new collab and a giant change to vendor charges in Europe. Lastly, New York lived as much as its nickname, giving no relaxation to the weary with headlines from Windup 2024, in addition to Manhattan’s very personal Hodinkee. Learn on!
Is “Cubitisgate” a Monetary Nothingburger?
In what was simply the largest headline of the month — and presumably the entire yr — Patek Phillipe introduced its first new assortment in 25 years. To say its chunky dimension and considerably unrefined look was controversial could be an understatement, with vociferous opinions emanating from Patek loyalists and the peanut gallery alike. Thierry Stern, the model’s president, didn’t precisely douse the flames when he remarked throughout an interview with Swiss publication, Handelszeitung, that “The haters are principally individuals who have by no means had a Patek and by no means will.” However does the vitriol across the Cubitus spell doom for Patek? Hardly. Brendan Cunningham, professor of Economics at Connecticut State College explains, “We should always always remember that retail patrons usually are not [Patek’s] clients.” With approved sellers worldwide clamoring for extra allocation, Patek may have no hassle promoting the Cubitus. Even when it’s a stinker, on the finish of the day, that’s an issue for AD’s — not a lot for Patek.
Supply: Horolonomics
New Launch: Omega Speedmaster Anniversary Sequence “First Omega in House” Watch
In October 1962, Wally Schirra, one of many authentic Mercury 7 astronauts, wore his private Omega Speedmaster CK2998 aboard the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission. He couldn’t have identified it on the time, however he was kicking off what would turn out to be a multi-billion greenback heritage for the already revered Swiss watch model. Since then, variations of the “First Omega in House” have come and gone with the newest iteration being quietly retired from Omega’s catalog in 2020. Having celebrated the fifty fifth anniversary of the Moonwatch in 2024 and with the seventieth anniversary of the Speedmaster coming in 2025, there’s no higher time to fit in a revival of the “First Omega in House” with the deep-blue dial model introduced this month. Paired with a flat-link bracelet found on the Speedy ’57, it’s one other profitable launch from Omega.
Supply: aBlogtoWatch
LVMH Scores 10-12 months Sponsorship Cope with Formulation 1, Pushing Rolex Out
At all times fertile grounds for watch information, this month, the world of Formulation 1 proved fruitful but once more with the announcement that LVMH will take over from Rolex because the official timekeeper for at the very least the following decade. Additionally, different non-watch manufacturers from the LVMH portfolio will start showing trackside and past, together with Champagnes from Moët & Chandon (excellent for spraying round on podiums) and numerous luxurious merchandise from Louis Vuitton. The deal begins subsequent season, and whereas it hasn’t been formally introduced, odds are that former official sponsor TAG Heuer’s brand can be chosen to emblazon the F1 world subsequent yr.
Supply: aBlogtoWatch
Arms-On Debut: NOMOS Tangente 2Date Watch
Within the immortal phrases of Paul Rudd in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, “The much less you do, the extra you do.” This month, NOMOS added a brand new watch to the oft-imitated Tangente lineup that definitely does loads. Within the common watch discourse, the brand new in-house motion was overshadowed by the pairing of a conventional date window at 6 o’clock with the model’s extra signature sandwich-style outer date ring, giving it (appropriately) the title 2Date. No, it doesn’t present two completely different dates, however the identical one twice. As aBlogtoWatch Senior Editor Sean Lorentzen explains, “Is it strictly obligatory, and even sensible? No, however in apply, the 2 date shows give two barely completely different results on the wrist…. The outer date ring, although, is extra about monitoring the general development of the month. It’s a clear, graphic approach of reminding oneself how shut the following paycheck, hire cost, or different month-to-month milestone is perhaps.” When thought of that approach, the 2Date makes much more sense.
Supply: aBlogtoWatch
Watches of Switzerland Group Acquires Hodinkee
These previous few months, it has grown tougher to disregard the headlines round watch web site Hodinkee. Based as a weblog in 2008, the positioning developed right into a timepiece tastemaker earlier than coming into the retail sport in 2017. 4 years later, by its acquisition of Crown & Caliber, Hodinkee started promoting pre-owned watches (well-known for skinny margins) at precisely the worst time, simply when stock was the costliest, and costs started falling. Like many corporations (each watch-centric and non-horological, alike) laborious instances meant evolving with a purpose to survive. So this month’s announcement by founder Ben Clymer that Hodinkee could be acquired by watch retail large Watches of Switzerland was massive information. Hodinkee has proven a capability to adapt previously. What is going to this subsequent chapter maintain?
Supply: Watch Collecting Lifestyle
Arms-On: Zodiac x eBay Tremendous Sea Wolf Restricted-Version Watch Designed by Ariel Adams
aBlogtoWatch founder Ariel Adams is not any stranger to look at design. Particularly, he’s no stranger to designing Tremendous Sea Wolf watches along side Zodiac. Having helped create the Aquamarine Dream in 2021 and 2023’s Pineapple Dream, Adams’ newest collaboration brings eBay absolutely into the fold. Celebrating the e-commerce platform’s foundational function in serving to watch followers construct collections, the 300-piece restricted version employs eBay’s 4 main model colours, satisfyingly divided between the 12 hour markers. The very best characteristic? A countdown bezel that’s a transparent reminder of eBay’s nail-biting auctions, each these gained and misplaced.
Supply: aBlogtoWatch
Windup Watch Honest New York 2024: The Largest Windup Ever
Ask anybody in attendance at this yr’s Windup Watch Honest in NYC, and one of many first feedback will possible be in regards to the dimension of the present, each when it comes to distributors and attendance. With round 150 manufacturers showcasing their wares, it’s possible the most important retail watch occasion on the earth. Whereas tent-pole exhibits like Geneva Watch Days and Watches & Wonders are absolutely greater, they’re geared primarily towards trade insiders — not end-users. Skyler Nielsen-Sorensen over on the Everest Bands weblog offers a first-hand account of the sights and sounds of the most important Windup occasion but.
Supply: Everest Bands
New Launch: Alterum Worldtimer Watch
The very best concepts are sometimes the only. With newcomer model Alterum’s Worldtimer, that maxim is on full show. Becoming a member of such esteemed manufacturers as Ressence and Trilobe in utilizing flat planar discs to inform time, the freshman timepiece is deceptively easy in its look but considerable by watchmakers for its complexity. Forgoing conventional fingers requires some tough engineering, and Justin Walters’ workshop manages to tug it off in type. Every of the 4 seen discs spins, that means there’s no mounted place to place conventional dial markers. Learn how to get round this drawback? Print them on the underside of the crystal. Very inventive.
Supply: aBlogtoWatch
Cease the Snark: Earned Dogmatism and the Dunning-Kruger Impact in Watches
It’s straightforward to dismiss these with important opinions as merely “haters.” Simply see the Cubitus fracas (above) to see direct proof. It’s a lot tougher to stability the cognitive dissonance {that a} critic is perhaps each proper and improper concurrently. What are manufacturers to do? Thomas Van Straaten leans on his background as a shopper habits advisor to clarify the function the Earned Dogmatism Speculation may play. Utilized to watches, the EDH would say that in any group, the particular person deemed to be “most knowledgeable” about timepieces is extra prone to maintain dogmatic beliefs about them. Issues get much more squirrely when introducing the Duning-Kruger Impact, whereby “lesser performers are likely to overestimate their efficiency.” In plain phrases, self-proclaimed watch nerds might not know as a lot as we expect. It’s all very compelling and a worthy exploration of simply why the remark part is so poisonous in terms of watches.
Supply: Fratello Watches
Ariel’s Ideas: eBay’s Elimination of UK and Germany Non-public Vendor Charges and The way it Impacts the Market
In October, eBay introduced it was eradicating charges for sellers within the UK and Germany. Ariel Adams explores how this adjustments the calculus for each patrons and sellers in Europe and past, what this implies for eBay, and what it’d imply for the e-commerce platform’s largest market: the US. All of it appears half of a bigger technique of coming house to eBay’s peer-to-peer roots and away from the darkish days of drop-shipped plastic junk, listed by loopholes by unscrupulous sellers in international locations with unfair delivery benefits. For anybody who’s bought a watch earlier than forking over 15% to eBay, the potential for decrease (or zero?) charges sounds virtually too good to be true. Will the prices shift to the client? We’ll see how the experiment performs out.
Supply: aBlogtoWatch
Watch Pun From Hermès’ “Flagship” Watch
Credit score the place credit score is due: this watch is downright humorous. Rendering the model’s iconic flagship Paris boutique as an precise ship, replete with rigging and billowing sails, October’s Slim d’Hermès launch is that uncommon occasion when a giant model can snort at itself just a little bit. This type of self-aware watchmaking is normally reserved for microbrands (and Moser), however the French style home has proven it’s not all stuffy shops and Birkin ready lists. Kudos, Hermès.
Supply: It’s About Time
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