Cool Hunting
Obsessively punctual, horologically verbose, Watchismo, aka Mitch Greenblatt, flouts the rules of physics -- he collects Time. Specializing in unusual, vintage wristwatches of the 1950s-1980s, he is currently germinating his blog, The Watchismo Times, a reliquary of obscure timepieces from bygone eras as well as the cutting-edge designs of today.
Watchismo's affection for Oddity was evident from childhood, then nourished during his first job -- in the art department of Pee-wee's Playhouse -- before he was even old enough to order his own absinthe. As his vintage watch collection grew, so did his eccentric vision, which pupated during his years as a dimensional illustrator for the likes of Rolling Stone, Absolut, Taco Bell, Warner Bros, and Spike TV. Finally he emerged from his chrysalis as the time-sensitive man he is today. At this moment, Mitch is winding up for the genesis of his own creation -- the first original Watchismo watch.
All obsessions have their own big bangs and appropriately enough, my own compulsive watch collecting began with the Spaceman watches of the '70s. Below is an article I wrote for QP Magazine reminiscing about going back to the future with these Spacemen. Leaving New York one chilly winter day, late in 1999, I found myself come unstuck in time and arrive in Basel at...
One of Finland's most exclusive mechanical watchmaking companies, Sarpaneva, recently introduced the Korona K3 Red Moon. Featuring a red-hued moon phase indicator—reminiscent of the Harvest Moon typically seen in Europe this time of year—it's a fitting watch to be released just in time for Halloween. Different than the Sarpaneva models currently available, this one features a black, DLC-treated case combined with an 18-carat red...
We think this gold Longines watch is probably one of the more interesting objects you could own from Albert Einstein. He once said, "the separation between past, present, and future is only an illusion, although a convincing one." Too bad we can't ask him what a real timepiece should look like. If you'd like to own Einstein's personal Swiss wristwatch from 1930, here is...
Perhaps the next James Bond villain with plans to dominate the planet can use this newly announced Hysek "Colosso" to time his greedy destruction. The most obvious tool is the crystal pustule filled with a dimensional earth that rotates to tell local or GMT time but the massive size suits evil of any stature. And of course, the French watchmaker has appropriately priced it...
Suspended in a bubble block of Baccarat crystal and powered by temperature change, Jaeger LeCoultre's Atmos 561 mechanical clock is the work of Australian super-designer Marc Newson (known for designing the Ikepod watch and a million other sleek objects). Newson is reportedly a huge fan of the Atmos and approached the company to collaborate. The result is this eightieth anniversary Atmos. Using small temperature...
In this era of mechanical one-upmanship, the Opus 8 from Harry Winston Rare Timepieces shone at Baselworld 2008. Inspired by early electronic LED watches of the 1970s (like the first Hamilton Pulsar), creator Frédéric Garinaud (of Renaud & Papi) and CSH developed the Opus 8 with a new twist on mechanical-digital watches. Pulling the side-lever down activates mechanical pixels to rise up from the...
I'm proud to introduce the first look of two new watches from Bell & Ross. The Limited Edition BR Instrument Minuteur Tourbillon and Grand Minuteur. Using aeronautical instrumentation, the highest standard for readability, reliability and performance, Bell & Ross designers have sought to reproduce as faithfully as possible a cockpit timepiece that fits on the wrist.See more images and info (including diagrams of the...
Angela Yuan, a young NYC-based mechanical engineer, has built a fun little clock from an Etch-A-Sketch. Each minute that passes, the machine tilts the toy, shakes it clean and mechanically draws the correct time....
