Times Ticking: Recent Episodes
Times Ticking
We talk about the history of our company and different intriguing facts on clocks and watches plus whatever else is on our mind.
In an era dominated by digital innovations, the question of whether investing in a mechanical watch is still worthwhile often arises. We asked our horology experts here at Times Ticking to share a few reasons why they feel a mechanical watch will always be a great investment.
"What is the lifespan of a kinetic watch?" — this question invites us to explore the fascinating world of kinetic timepieces, where advanced horology meets everyday motion.
Much like a beautiful piece of art, a luxury watch will occasionally need repair and refinishing. While it’s a bit nerve wracking to think of your Rolex Submariner in another person’s hands, when it’s in the right hands, a bit of spiffing up can go a long way in protecting the value of your investment. Our watch enthusiasts offered some guidance on this topic.
Some would say meca-quartz is the best-kept secret in affordable, high-quality chronographs. Others, like mechanical purists, think it's a cheap imitation of the real thing. Either way, meca-quartz movements have made their way back into high-end watchmaking, and it looks like they're here to stay.
Delve into the compelling stories of 5 Collectors Who Successfully Reintroduced Classic Brands.' This video explores the journeys of collectors reviving iconic watch brands, with Part 2 concentrating on Angelus, Airain, and Sherpa.
Delve into the compelling stories of 5 Collectors Who Successfully Reintroduced Classic Brands.' This video explores the journeys of collectors reviving iconic watch brands, with Part I concentrating on Czapek and Nivada Grenchen.
Whether you're a seasoned watch enthusiast or a newcomer to the world of horology, it's important to understand which tools are essential to nurturing your collection.
The stories of three heroic watch owners and the timepieces that lived on to memorialize them.
While there are a bevy of beautiful watches, hand-wound ones are by far your best option if you want to increase mindfulness and bring more joy into your life. A mechanical watch can help you become more aware of what’s happening around you in various ways.
As we continue to develop ingenious ways to determine the day, date, and time with growing precision, one method stands out among the rest: the perpetual calendar.
If someone were to ask you to think of an iconic luxury watch company, Rolex would likely be the first to come to mind. But what is it that puts Rolex into a class of its own?
Our expert watch repair technicians compiled a list of 5 modestly-priced (under $1,000) wristwatches that deliver on price, functionality, and durability.
Daniel A. Spitz, a three-time Grammy nominee, world-renowned thrash metal guitarist, and now, a master watchmaker. In his relentless pursuit of challenges, he's about to unveil his most ambitious endeavor yet—the Raw Metal Series One watch, a true Swiss-grade luxury timepiece crafted entirely in America from the ground up.
NATO watch straps can often be found on watches from brands such as timex all the way up to the high end patek phillipe, including most brands in between. NATO watch straps offer amazing value and may be the perfect partner for your watch. Today I'll share a brief introduction to this famed watch strap and how it became such a popular choice among watch aficionados across the world.
Having achieved a remarkable milestone of selling 15 million watches over a span of more than 130 years of uninterrupted operation, West End stands as an esteemed and revered name among Swiss watch brands on a global scale. Its enduring legacy and widespread acclaim solidify its position as one of the most prestigious and esteemed names in the realm of horology.
In the world of hip-hop, where fashion reigns supreme, one accessory stands out above the rest – the Jacob & Co. Five Time Zone Watch. This timepiece isn’t just a watch; it’s a symbol of status, style, and the perfect blend of luxury and artistry that defines hip-hop culture.
The Elgin National Watch Company Observatory took the time from the stars and put it in our pockets. The observatory is an American historic treasure and today we'll explore how and why it claimed that title.
Big names like Rolex, TAG Heuer, Richard Mille, Seiko, and Audemars Piguet dominate the court, and tennis greats choose their watches much like we do: for functionality and precision and as a reflection of personal style. Today, we take a closer look at some of our favorite players and their watches.
Join us on a journey through time as we uncover the impact of trade agreements, wartime disruptions, and the struggle to maintain market share with the American watch industry against fierce competition from Swiss watchmakers.
In 2018, Citizen Watch Co. marked its 100th anniversary and to celebrate they established a long-term promotional partnership with The Walt Disney Company. Citizen now hails as the official timepiece of Disney and is celebrating Disney's 100th anniversary by launching what they’ve named the Wonder of Time collection.
Who are the best people to see about getting your timekeeper serviced? You could send it in to the people that made it, or you could go to the independent repair center. Here are just a few perks of using an independent watch or clock repair service to keep your timepiece doing what it was designed for.
By the 1600s, the pocket watch had evolved and, at times, become quite exquisite including pocket watches with enamel painting but where, why and when did this new style of watch originate?
This is the story of a watch company who went from one of the largest watch manufacturers in the country to total bankruptcy in just 6 years.
Our ancestors had devised many clever ways to tell time; everything from the reading of the stars in the heavens, to the passing of shadows across stone. Today, we will be focusing on one particular method of time keeping that is simple in concept, but whose utility and potential would far outstrip its contemporaries, today we shall explore the fascinating Greek Water Clock.
Cyma is a Swiss watchmaking company with a long and rich history; filled with innovation, precision, and dedication to craftsmanship.
The Swiss Made label has become a mark of excellence in the watch industry, and is highly valued by consumers around the world, but how much do you really know about this prestigious stamp and what it takes to receive one?
Since 1881 Seiko has gradually expanded into becoming one of the worlds largest watch manufacturers, their history since then, has been full of innovation, discovery and domination over the industry. Today, let's take a look at some of the things you might not know about the watch giant over their 140 years of existence.
The Bifora Watch Company – one of the world’s most respected and beloved watch brands has a rich history that spans from the early days of pocket watches to the modern era of wristwatches.
With spring and Easter just around the corner, let’s look at the complicated field of computus clocks, and focus on one master horologist. The Moscow Computus Clock, or Moskovskaya Paskhaliya as it is also known, is the pinnacle of Russian horology.
These two brands are legends in their own right. Rolex is renowned for its timeless designs, impeccable craftsmanship, and unparalleled prestige. At the same time, Tudor has earned an impressive reputation for its innovative approach to Swiss watchmaking coupled with its dedication to creating high-quality luxury timepieces for a wider audience.
Rihanna and her absolutely eye-catching timepiece were the true stars of the Superbowl half-time show.
The Lemania Watch Company is (probably) the most impressive watch company – you’ve never heard of. While brands like Rolex, Omega, Cartier, and Patek Philippe, are well known – Lemania, at the same time, had been slowly crafting its own legacy amongst the prestigious category of watchmakers.
A fan of luxury watches, and specifically Kobold – James Gandolfini (Tony Soprano) presented Kobold Soarway Diver Watches as a farewell gift to the entire cast and crew of the Sopranos during the filming of the show’s final season.
TAG Heuer has a proud history in motorsports that includes Formula 1 racing, ties to Steve McQueen and more recently, Mario Kart too.
Let's dive deeper into the Bulova Watch Company for the history and facts you (probably) didn't know.
Some watch aficionados confuse Heuer and TAG Heuer. Well, what is the relationship between these two brands? Let’s explore...
Charlie Brown makes a featured appearance on this limited-edition re-release of the 1960's Timex Marlin - just in time for the holidays.
In the Harry Potter world, there are countless variations of time keeping devices that, here in the muggle world, would absolutely mesmerize us, enchanting the walls of our living rooms, schools and even in our own pockets and wrists.
While women are offered a myriad of wrist decorations to choose from, the watch has been the staple accessory that a man wears every day. And no, it wasn’t always that way.
Concord watches, standing more than 100 years, have been credited for creating luxury timepieces of exceptional craftsmanship and beauty combined with reliability and modern technology that display a highly innovative and ambitious design.
With Halloween around the corner, there are plenty of inexpensive watches out there to satisfy any number of ghoulish themes. However, only a handful can boast being genuinely frightening and horrifically luxurious at the same time.
As we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, we’d be remiss if we didn’t take a moment to reflect on the 140th anniversary of one of Latin America’s most famous contributors to the luxury watch industry.
If you’re a southpaw, you already know what it’s like to live in a right-handed world. So we took a closer look at what’s out there for you lefties and came up with a list of our five favorite left-handed timepieces.
What do serious female collectors want to see in a luxury timepiece? To answer that, our watch repair experts took a look at some of today’s five hottest trends in ladies’ luxury watches.
Your watch is an investment. It’s important to treat it that way if you want to get maximum mileage out of it. Here are some ideas for squeezing every last drop of life out of your timepiece.
To a large extent, the development of the watch industry, in America, can be attributed to the advent and later development of American railroads. Through tragedy, the need for uniformed time within the railroad system helped push the Ball Watch Company to success.
The Cartier Tank is one of the most iconic pieces of wristwear donned by some of the most popular women and men in history, including Jackie Kennedy-Onassis, JFK, Princess Diana, Andy Warhol, and Michelle Obama.
The Moonswatch is a piece of marketing perfection. Combining a famed luxury timepiece with an equally popular yet significantly lower-priced fashion icon watch, this piece is already one for the history books.
After more than two years, Watches and Wonders once again threw open its doors to 38 major and independent brands and today we'll go over the top timepieces from the event.
Nothing says ‘Invest in Our Planet’ - this year’s Earth Day theme - quite like a quality timepiece made of sustainable materials, we picked the top 5 most environmentally friendly watches in the world.
The history of Azimuth, the watch company with some of the strangest watches you've ever seen.
The Patek Philippe 2499 is one of the world’s most sought-after watches. With only 349 units produced in history – an average of nine pieces per year, John Lennon's model is truly a marvel and a treasured piece of history.
The Swatch watch represented a sorely-needed renaissance for the Swiss watch industry after it was devastated by the advent of the quartz movement in 1969.
Charles Lindbergh worked, with Longines, to produce one of the Swiss brand’s most historically significant timepieces. An intricate instrument, compared to current technology, the Hour Angle is still a remarkable timepiece, even today.
A masterpiece in horology was created and launched in 1972, that stands as America's biggest watch success story. The shiny, new Pulsar – announced the Pulsar Time Computer, billed as the world's first digital watch.
Both the Allies and Axis forces benefitted from some incredible watchmaker collaborations during the war years and some excellent individual contributions.
If you ask someone what sound a clock makes, their answer will be “tick-tock,” and never “tock-tick.” But every tick of the clock sounds the same – one doesn’t tick while the next one tocks – so why can’t a clock tock-tick?
The history of the Rockford Watch Company is mixed with a story of the very unfortunate man, Jacob Franks - whose life took a tumble, for the worst, the moment he tried to revive the company.
For decades the term ‘The Holy Trinity of Watchmaking’ has been used to refer to three of the most important luxury watch brands in the world. So let's break down what sets these brands apart from other luxury brands and why they deserve to be in the "top 3" in the first place.
In 1986, a fresh, minimalist approach to watches burst onto the scene... the 1 hand watch! But, seeing how people used to seek watches with the most complications, how did we get to this world of minimalism?
During the ‘Golden Age’ of flying the watch industry stepped in and developed the first GMT watches. Today we discuss the creation of the first GMT watch as it birthed the iconic 'Pepsi' colored bezel.
The Longines brand is at the cutting edge of innovation and seeks to ensure that all their watches offer a unique combination of tradition, elegance, and performance. Today, we'll be exploring the history of this Swiss luxury watchmaker tracing its roots all the way back to 1832.
Our watch repair pros decided to put together some must-know terms to keep handy when you talk to your friends about your favorite watch or are exploring the realm of horology.
It wasn’t long ago that wristwatches were considered a pure novelty. Before they were diving into trenches or soaring above the sky, wristwatches were seen as a delicate liability.
Exploring the sunken Titanic on the Atlantic Ocean floor pieced together the moments of that fateful night, and answered many mysteries. Among these discoveries was a highly collectible silver pocket watch owned by Sinai Kantor, which recently sold at auction for $57,500 USD.
Nowadays, there’s a common misconception about this phrase as it appears on clock and watch dials. It can appear to be a brand name to many—due to the prominence it has on many horological façades. However, Tempus Fugit (temp-us few-git) is a simple Latin phrase meaning “Time Flies”.
A true account of how cuckoo clocks became one of Germany's most popular and long-standing exports.
Boasting ~30million visitors a year, Niagara Falls is a hot destination for many a traveler. Part of this destination’s appeal goes beyond the falls, with a particularly time-oriented attraction at Niagara Falls is its massive floral clock.
The whole genre of Soviet horology, including the First Moscow Watch Factory, is truly enormous and its origins are significant in piecing together the grand scope of Joseph Stalin, his 5 year plan and the future of Russian made timepieces.
The Elgin National Watch Company factory was once the largest site dedicated to watchmaking in the world. Today I'll be giving you the history of this massive watch company, including why and how it was shut down.
The Corum Admirals Cup Watch is a nod to the Admiral’s Cup Regatta, an international yachting competition, organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, and known as the unofficial world championship of offshore racing.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants, the luxurious watch brand Unimatic created a collection of beautifully designed watches inspired by our favorite anthropomorphic sponge.
In their day, observatory chronometer trials were important and prestigious events, in the world of watches which tested brand vs. brand head on and more specifically, a brand could enter in a specific movement, for testing.
Although timekeeping (specifically) has a longer history with larger mechanical works, deepening study of the atom in the 20th century saw time oriented tech becoming smaller and smaller—as well as incredibly more precise. Ahead, we’ll look at some brief history involving this revolutionary time-telling technology—to pare down the picture of how it functions.
The history and story of the worlds first titanium wrist watch. Titanium entered the watchmaking scene in the 1970's thanks to the space race to the moon.
We often get asked about the Seiko and Pulsar watches and more specifically what is the relationship and what are the differences? We'll discuss a brief history of the brands and differences between them too.
In 2020, Accutron celebrated its 60th anniversary beautifully. As a Bulova division, Accutron introduced its first electronic watch, the SpaceView 214, in 1960. This model has been hailed as one of the most important watchmaking innovations of the 20th century thanks to its pioneering technology.
James Bond has worn the finest suits, driven the fastest cars, and most notably for horology enthusiasts, he’s strapped on some of the most impressive wrist watches ever developed. So today we'll be taking a look at every watch worn by the super agent from "Doctor No", to "No Time To Die".
The multitude of different collaborations and unique versions attracted not only ordinary consumers but also collectors, who, in part, helped to elevate the G-Shock to cult status.
Seiko has arrived with the latest and interesting seven Seiko 5 Sports creations inspired by two leading Japanese animations; Naruto and Boruto.
The EBEL watch house’s history is somewhat unusual and full of romance, which gives the watch of this brand a veil of mystery and sophistication… But first things first.. they're a brand that captures the union of two loving hearts!
If you are into watches and love Metallica, then the collaboration between Metallica and Nixon would be one of the most exciting news for you as well. The news of Nixon watches collaborating with Metallica got hundreds and thousands of people excited.
The Rotary Watch Company has made a huge impression on the UK market since their entry almost 100 years ago so let's take a dive into their impressive history.
Capcom has recently released some fun and exciting Street Fighter merchandise and they thought that a watch they knew fans would love would be the natural next step and if you are a fan of this popular game, this probably comes as amazing news for you! So Let's take a closer look at each model Seiko is releasing.
While in today’s time, we are mostly familiar with the quality of Swiss watches, back in the 1800s this wasn’t at all the case. In fact, half of the world’s watches were produced by British watchmakers at the time.
But if the British were so great at making watches back in the days, then how come they’re not known for it anymore? And what are some great examples of British watches? Let’s find out!
Having a distinct look of rugged build, recognizable bezels, and extreme water resistance, the diving watch has come a long way since it was first built.
TAG Heuer is known as one of the most famous luxury watch brands of modern times so let's take a look at some of the lesser known facts of their history.
Omega has dedicated a whole museum in its parent city to showcase 170 years of its expertise, so let us dive right into the museum, and discover the secrets the watchmaking industry has to offer.
How much do you know about Victorinox? Well hopefully you'll know more after listening than you did going in.
Timepieces and pirates may not have a clear connection, but thanks to a recovered pocket watch, we can deduce the time of the earthquake that sunk Port Royal, the richest and wickedest city in the new world.
The Ingersoll Watch company will forever be identified as the company with “The Watch that Made the Dollar Famous” which is recognized for its crucial role in the development of timepieces.
The Shinola company touts themselves as an American-made watch brand and make simply designed and elegant watches.
Movado watches are some of the most identifiable watches in the watch world. While they are most well-known for their iconic dot at 12 o’clock design, they have always been working toward advances to improve timekeeping.
Clive Cussler was an American adventure writer and a deep-sea diver. Today's discussion is about his personal DOXA dive watch he wrote about in his books!
HYT is a wristwatch company who build hybrid mechanical movements that use liquid to tell the time.
Serving up loads of uniqueness is watch brand Ikepod. Since their wave-making launch in 1994, Ikepod has released retro-futuristic designs that could almost make one wonder, “are we alone in the universe?”
Stretching all the way back to 1775, Breguet’s history is rich with firsts and special commissions.
Ahead, we're going to do our best to sample the variety available in the realm of watch hands. There’s a design for all dials and cases—for all tastes and walks.
Virtually all of Switzerland’s historical milestones can be attributed to what is known as the “Watch Valley”. But what is the Watch Valley in Switzerland?
The Omega Constellation is a watch line that has influenced watchmaking for over 70 years. Today's discussion will tell its story of significance through the 20th century onward.
Breitling has a history with crafting quality chronometers that goes back 136 years, and their Avenger series is no different.
In today's discussion, we're going to discuss the arrival and career of the ETA watch movement that continues to be heavily influential on the watchmaking industry.
A suspectly-engraved gentleman’s pocket watch from the 19th Century, has been seen by some as definitive proof of Jack the Ripper’s true identity.
With an exciting recent release, Russian watchmaker Raketa is delivering a brisk blast-from-the-past for horological enthusiasts around the globe.
Utilizing classic rock imagery in their marketing, is watch manufacturer Vestal. Pulling from minimalism and Rock N’ Roll aesthetics alike, the brand has been making consistently cool timepieces for over 20 years. It’s a relatively brief history, far shorter than Rock N’ Roll itself, but worth bending an eye toward.
Splitting the days in half doesn’t work well for everyone. In fact, there are relatively few countries that officially bifurcate the days into “a.m.” and “p.m.”, so why do we have this system?
Highlighting 2 episodes of Antiques Roadshow, we look at some rare vintage timepieces that changed these ladies lives forever.
In today's discussion we'll share with you what watch hacking actually is and why people use it.
Tissot has become a staple wristwatch for people around the globe. That is, to say the least, putting it mildly. Tissot is an inescapable name that denotes a fair price and solid engineering.
As a company that handles watch repairs, we here at Times Ticking get the above question quite a bit. Battery changes are an inconvenient truth of quartz-watch ownership and it’s not unfair to want each button cell to provide the most bang for one’s proverbial buck.
Combining a history of traditional creation with quartz innovation is the brand Tissot. This includes one of their most popular wristwatches—the “T-Touch”.
A new(ish) and refreshing brand on the watch market is Eone. The Eone Bradley watch is designed to tell time without any visual or audible aid.
Elvis Presley, the dubbed “King of Rock & Roll”, gifted a wristwatch to his lifelong friend J.D. Sumner in 1974 and sold for a very large price tag.
Millions (if not billions) of dollars are spent yearly in the current watch industry—promoting everything from new startup companies to ages-old Swiss brands. So how much are some of these companies spending?
Luminox is a profoundly recognizable name in modern watchmaking. Having a solid bearing on the affordable military dive-watch market, many swear by this brand—and nothing else.
Each year we here at Times Ticking get questions about setting dates on watches after the month of February. Every leap year adds extra potency to this short-month date-setting struggle. So in today's podcast we will be showing you how to set the date on your watch after leap year hits.
Releasing in Nov. 2019, these watches pay homage to the classic fonts and characters that Marvel has been using for nearly a century. Each Spider Man drop in this series of Marvel timepieces is a true standout.
The above question is a tricky one—and is not uncommon for us to hear at Times Ticking. It’s also not uncommon for the first battery in a watch to last longer than its replacements. So ahead, we’re going to break down this topic to help clear the air.
Known to sport fine luxury pieces alongside stunning apparel, Goldblum has been the subject of memes and press regarding all aspects of male finery. We’re going to focus in on Goldblum’s timepiece preferences—both off and on-screen.
Like many Swiss maisons (houses) Patek Philippe’s legacy predates the popularity of the wristwatch. However, few (if any) brands can boast the level of complication mastery that they sport to this very day—in both their wrist and pocket watches. Early innovations by the brand would begin a legacy of timekeeping that is seen, by many critics and fans alike, as the pinnacle of Swiss watch engineering. Ahead, we’ll have a look-see at some landmark moments from Patek Philippe which have reinforced their name for generations.
International watch trade is being veritably impacted—like most industries—due to the continued spread of Coronavirus. While the least of some folk’s worries may be timekeeping, especially with quarantines keeping folks from everyday life (aka time sensitive engagements) all over the globe, the impact of the watchmaking industry slowing down is a significant international economic reality.
With a new year comes new wristwatch fashion. A lot of great designs from storied brands are lined up to make 2020 an eventful year of releases. Whether one is a fan of luxury or everyday pragmatism (or both), there will certainly be plenty of pieces to choose from.
Seiko, a brand name meant to denote exquisiteness or success is dropping their new Prospex watch line in 2020.
Today we’re going to take a moment to highlight both Muller (the man) and his self-titled brand of watchmaking.
You read the title correctly—there’s a luxury bitcoin watch existing out there in the world today.. so of course we talked about it.
A popular watch from Vacheron Constantin (VC) has been reissued a few times over the last half-decade and is an important part of the companies history.
We just learned here at Times Ticking (right before posting this blog) that this year’s Watches and Wonders Geneva has been canceled—due to public health concerns over the Coronavirus. With that in mind, in today's video we are focusing on what the SIHH actually is, so let's get right into it.
Diamonds were, at the very least, Monroe's best friend—and her Blancpain wristwatch was no exception. While originally a part of her luxurious estate, this timepiece has traveled across decades of change and remained unphased.
We’ve decided to explore the horological aspect of the royal family. As it turns out, both contemporary timepieces and classic Swiss mechanicals can be found down the generational line.
There’s more to Billie Eilish—when it comes to horology—than her hit song “Watch”. That’s right, like other famed folks including Chris Pratt, Princess Diana, Fidel Castro, Justin Bieber, Drake, and even the late Marlon Brando, Billie is known to double-down on wristwatches.
It was just last Christmas that a pretty sizable present was gifted by Ravens’ QB Lamar Jackson to his fellow teammates. Indeed, the entire offensive line each received a brand new Rolex as a Christmas gift.
Casio’s G-Shock having a celebrity status of its own, the Gorillaz find themselves immortalized on not one—but 7—limited edition G-Shock releases.
David Hasselhoff is an iconic figure in popular culture. While he may sport a timepiece in virtually all of his acting gigs, one futuristic piece of wrist-tech co-stars with him in Knight Rider.
Crossing the workbench of our repair shop recently, we’ve been sent a uniquely American timepiece.
As a watch and clock repair business in primary practice, we are no strangers to being hands on with creative designs. Having a legitimate Romain Jerome “Titanic-DNA” watch come through our door has been a particular treat, however.
Wristwatches do not always seem like futuristic technology—depending on the style one wears—but retro-futuristic shows like Star Trek employ their own visions of where “no watches have gone before”.
When we say “vintage” we’re not trying to politely say “old”. In fact, it’s a very modern phenomenon that has taken ahold of a current couple living in Sheffield, England.
We’re going to be covering Movado’s digital watch line from the 1930s. There’s not a ton of literature on this piece but it predates their still-popular Museum watch (released in 1946).
Today we’re going to have a quick look at two big topics from Ancient Aliens and dissect what they mean to the world of horology. As well, we’ll be giving a quick nod to Giorgio Tsoukalos’ relationship watches (yes, the guy from the memes).
Kim Jong-Un might not show up to your family dinner—but he has shown a taste for American wristwatches.
There’s a particular piece of tech that we still have not covered—an industry-shaping innovation from Ervin Piquerez S.A. (EPSA) known as the Super Compressor (SC).
G-Shock’s toughness teams up well with the grit of Wu Tang to get a black-and-yellow tribute to one of hip-hop’s greats that can take a hit and keep on ticking.
Where Trudeau won recent re-election by a slim margin, he sports a similarly slim timepiece. Staying fashionable among other modern politicians, he wears a Swiss built watch.
Digital watches can really create a rift between watch enthusiasts. However, one digital watch that’s still quite beloved—born from the quartz/digital revolution—is the Casio Databank. Casio’s calculator watch line is still considered (to many) haute geek couture.
Today, we’re going to break down eight watch chimes that encompass hourly, quarterly, and down-to-the-minute repetition.
During a time when digital watches had almost fully usurped mechanical wristwatches (the 1980s), having a proto-wristwatch involved in this sequel is a fantastic horological detail.
The world of watches has a new champion in terms of auction price. That’s right, after about 5 years of dominance, someone has knocked Patek Phillippe’s Henry Graves Supercomplication out of the top spot.
Omega’s Ultra Deep watch has taken wristwatches to new depths with its recent trip down the Challenger Deep portion of the Mariana Trench.
One particular patron of finer timepieces is an unlikely one—the current (14th) Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatzo. Ahead, we’re going to highlight a few of these holy horological pieces and touch lightly on their individual significance.
While McDonald’s was dropping the price of their beloved Big Mac down to just one dollar (for a limited time) for their 50th anniversary, merchandising was going ballistic. One of the best (yet cringiest) pieces of merchandising to come out of this anniversary was the Casio “Big Mac” watch.
How did Sears go from selling a few watches to making up 1% of the United State’s GDP? Let's explore that answer together.
China never truly had their own watch industry until quite recently. With an industry that started by bringing in watches from Switzerland, the Chinese government would eventually commission Chinese-made watches.
Today, we’ll be touching on the building blocks that lead to Swatch’s powerful status in the modern watch industry.
Trusting advertisements can be tricky. But well-established brands like Seiko and Bulova continue to put out quality work en-masse. They were there at ground zero as the horological industry met mass global communication.
Have you ever received a package that made it to your place by mistake? Well, Jamaica had something pretty similar happen way back in the early 19th century.
No one has to be the Human Torch to generate some body heat. Trying to capitalize on this biological energy source, watchmakers Seiko and Citizen released watches that boasted human-heat-powered movements back in the late 1990s.
Nowadays, stamping “Swiss” on the dial of a watch denotes a level of quality that surpasses all others. This wasn’t always so. It took the rise of wristwatches, the decline of the British Empire, and the advent of mass commercial marketing to achieve this feat.
Today we wanted to do a shoutout to one of Star Wars’ most charismatic original characters, Lando Calrissian. His wrist-bound tech in The Empire Strikes Back plays its own role in the film with futuristic styling to boot. Though it’s not a traditional timepiece, it’s one of the few examples of a futuristic watch-like gadget in Star Wars.
Today we’re going to look at some standout watches that got on the wrists and or pockets of popular US presidents.
Helium escape valves are a highly handy invention for divers, let's explore why together.
When the Second Great War ended in the 1940s, a massive wave of drafted soldiers made their way back home to rejoin civilian life. With the workforce ready to accept new recruits in horology—Bulova stepped up to the proverbial plate to get ex-servicemen to work.
Combining the future of dive watches with the future of diving—with acclaim to boot—was Jacques-Yves Cousteau. It’s no surprise that he kept some solid dive pieces with him on his adventures.
Tied to the early years of mass production—Blancpain has withstood centuries of change. But one might ask, “how does a brand end up lasting almost 300 years?”
Freestyle is a digital watch brand that captures a watch style indicative of the times it was originally born into and is a very important piece to surf watch history.
Having trouble figuring out what wristwatch might fare well with pops this holiday season? It can be pretty daunting to face down the constant advertisements and “top 10 watches to buy…” during a time that’s meant to be cathartic and full of cheer. So, as a watch and clock business, we’re going to make a few suggestions that we’ve pulled from the internet and from our collective experience—hopefully as a no-pressure guide to buying on whatever budget you have.
With the advent of widespread clockmaking—and eventually watchmaking—all over Europe, “watch” became a quick and easy way to reference a personal timepiece.
The luxury watch world is brimming with highly valuable watches (the cup doth spilleth over). With wealthy collectors scooping up pricey watches at auction, it’s no surprise that certain pieces have been let go with substantially high price tags.
Today we’re taking a snapshot. History houses many mechanicals in its catalog and the Waterbury “Long Wind” is one worth unearthing.
We explore some of the most influential and iconic games in the Zelda franchise and explain how Time connects them all.
The Lighthouse is a throwback to classic cinema and myths surrounding the ancient sea. It’s a psychological movie that has its audience members questioning reality and time throughout.
We’ve decided to go over some basic terms to arm anyone who might not be familiar with industry lingo.
You may not be able to take a sip from them, considering their water-tight structure, but Canteen style watches draw from a well of history that is certainly brimming.
The current king of complications is the Vacheron Constantin (VC) 57260. “57” in its model number stands for the amount of complications that this watch has.
If you think the watch you own now is tough, just wait until you get your hands on one made from an AK that was once owned by a drug lord.
Casio is one of many companies that have moved their GPS operations to Android OS smartwatches. Years before making this decision, though, Casio broke ground on GPS wristwatch innovation.
It’s not very often we give a shoutout to Youtube celebrities on their watch-wearing prowess. However, one particular Youtuber has incorporated some solid timepieces into his videos recently: Greg, from the channel “How To Drink”.
Between his portrayals of Bruce Wayne and American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman, Christian Bale sports some standout pieces worth highlighting.
A humble Yorkshire carpenter by the name of John Harrison invented the first functional marine chronometer.
“Game over man, game over”. Okay, now that we’ve got that out of the way, we’re here to talk about Ellen Ripley’s futuristic Seiko wristwatch in Aliens.
Roger Bannister was the very first sub 4-minute-mile in recorded racing history and the timepieces behind this event are just as historic.
With a new 24-Hour Le Mans film releasing soon (Ford v Ferrari 2019), it's exciting to reminisce about Steve McQueen's Le Mans wrist watch.
The Bulova Precisionist is one of the most affordable HAQ watches on the market. If you’re a fan of accurate chronograph timekeeping, then it’s worth considering a Precisionist Chrono.
To pay respects to the classic comic character, an official Dick Tracy watch designed by Nick Mathis will be released in the later part of 2019.
How do watch companies achieve high accuracy in timekeeping? The answer is in their uniquely designed thermocompensated quartz movements.
Sure to be a hit at any “intergalactic kegger”, the Hamilton Ventura watch has been regulation attire for the M.I.Bs for four consecutive films.
Citizen has recently announced a new watch which is meant to be the “most accurate wristwatch ever made”. This timepiece is reportedly going to be accurate down to the second—on a yearly basis.
Office culture has always featured some unwritten rules of thumb. One in particular is more of a rule of wrist: don’t wear a watch that’s more expensive than your boss’s.😂
The humanity-saving Hamilton featured in Interstellar was designed specifically for the film, but was based off of Hamilton’s Field Khaki series.
Diving deep into the history and evolution of one of Rolex's most coveted watch lines - The Rolex Oysterquartz.
In terms of price, $40 million is pennies compared to the $260 million Fossil paid to Misfit four years ago for their own smartwatch purposes.
Omega’s Seamaster Chronograph Bullhead is a superb retro snapshot. Tapering from top-to-bottom on the case design—in terms of case thickness—this watch sits higher on the wrist at the 12-position.
Times Ticking has been in operation for more than 30 years, since 1982. We have performed watch repair for customers both locally and internationally. If it Ticks! We KNOW it! Our team of watch repair technicians have a combined experience in watchmaking of over 120 years.
Kinetic watch movements use a power source called a capacitor. Today we talk about the most harmful mistake people make with these watches.
Between Odell Beckam Jr.’s Cleveland Browns debut and Rafael Nadal’s US Open win over the last weekend, Richard Mille has been stealing mainstream headlines.
During the time of the Cold War between America and Russia, Seiko had its own sort of arms race. Having both Suwa and Daini as separate entities of the same brand would become a company-wide attempt to promote healthy competition in design.
Leonardo Da Vinci was a powerful innovator, inventor, and mind in human intellectual history. Much akin to this groundbreaking individual, IWC’s 1985 Da Vinci was a perpetual calendar watch that set a new standard for innovation in watchmaking.
In today's podcast we talk about the history of the Grand Central Station Clock along with secrets and facts you probably didn't know before.
Watch complications come in varying degrees of complexity and utility. One particularly handy one—in terms of tracking the date—is the perpetual calendar.
Wristwatch wearing comes with its own nuances of comfort and style. Nowadays, you can get a watch that has a dial the size of a dime—or one that is the size of a softball. So a common question that a lot of jewelry shops and watchmakers receive is, “is this watch the right size for my wrist?”
Watch complications are traditionally a mechanical endeavor. As a way to show off the prowess of a watchmaker, these complexities add a much higher level of value to any piece.
Already household names in their own right, The Office features some pretty popular wristwatch brands too! Though Dunder Mifflin is a fictional company, the characters in the show are wearing very non-fictional timepieces.
From the beginning of his career choice, until his eventual death, Seth Thomas built a brand out of his namesake that would grow to be one of the largest clock brands in U.S. history.
The world of luxury watches is no stranger to picking up popular figures as brand “ambassadors”. In keeping alive this now long-standing tradition in watch marketing, Hublot has picked up a powerful new representative—Nicky Jam.
As we tick off the years of our lives, the phrase “what are they teaching you in school?” becomes more commonly thrown out. With an ever-changing technological world—one that’s fast-paced and digitized—the answer to that age-old question seems to be changing by the day.
Quentin Tarantino’s latest flick is a nostalgia oriented period piece that cascades a stylistic light on an aged era of American film making. Once Upon a Time’s throwback beauty is reinforced by a masterful wardrobe which includes, you guessed it, wristwatches.
The Long Now Foundation is currently working on a bold new piece of horological technology. It is a clock known as the Long Now Clock which is inspired by the last 10,000 years of known human history.
Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, NYC. This is the place where two time capsules—which are not to be opened until the year 6939—reside. In an effort to preserve vignettes of human language (English—specifically), American culture, and modern technology, these two time capsules were constructed to withstand 5 millenia of burial.
Before beloved film darling Robert Downey Jr. donned the title of Ironman, Timex took up the namesake—and it was a successful venture.
Martha Wittnauer took control of her families company in 1916 when her last surviving brother (Emile) died—becoming the first woman to hold the title of CEO in the history of horology.
Besides their internal electric use, quartz mineral crystals are also used as protective glass—in industrial use. On watches, quartz crystals are the most commonly used material for watch “crystals”.
As Rolex moved forward with their branding/advertising, they featured a particular number in their date window: 28. Much like the freeing “10:10” hand position on the dial, 28 has garnered its own theories and suppositions.
A new technology emerged in the later half of the 20th century that nearly displaced mechanical timekeeping—and was a massive upset to the horological world. This benchmark of engineering was the quartz crystal movement.
In 1982, Seiko pulled out a smart watch long before the technology we know today. The Seiko TV Watch—in all of its LCD glory, was one of the more impressive digital wristwatch experiments of the 1980s.
Porting pop culture darlings to simplified racing, platforming, and puzzle-solving games, these Gaming Watches added to the strength and cultural prominence of gaming/personal computing through the 80s and 90s.
Romain Jerome is a luxury watch company that does not shy away from fun and entertaining designs. Though they have plenty of more traditional dials and cases, their expertise translates well to crafting nostalgia-fueled timepieces.
In this podcast, we’ll do some quick comparisons to see what kind of crystal might suit a potential watch-wearer’s needs. Being a matter of taste, as well as potential pragmatism, it can be a make or break aspect in purchasing a timepiece.
There are two basic types of mechanical watch. These are the manual (or hand wound) watch and the automatic wind watch.
Automatic Vs. Manual: Wearing and Winding .
Since its creation in 1996, there has been a steady stream of wrist and pocket watches designed for fans of all ages. Although it’s hard to say when the first Pokémon watch was created, there are definitely plenty of options to choose from.
Citizen Eco-Drive watches are powered by both natural and artificial light. If you don't carefully maintain your watch you might permanently hurt it. Today we talk about the #1 mistake people make with their Eco Drive watch and how to fix it.
In timekeeping, there’s a uniquely American style of wristwatch—the “Southwest” style watch and we will be talking about its history and its influence in today's world.
What would later come to be known as the Waltham Watch Company broke ground on a style of watchmaking that would carry on through the 20th century until today. Waltham's history is a story of New World innovation—and part of the greater history of the United States.
A brief history and explanation of Tachymeters. A tachymeter is a tool for measuring swiftness or “speed”. With watches, the tachymeter scale is inscribed on the bezel.
The quartz movement was introduced in the early years of the 20th century. Being even more precise than the first atomic clocks, these quartz-driven mechanics revolutionized the way folks keep track of time.
In the early 2000’s, Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak (the “Woz”) equipped himself with a tube-display digital watch. This stylish piece of tech harkens back to the cold war era—with its glowing display and retro industrial design.
Today we talk about the evolution of digital watches. In today’s digital age, it’s easy to envision a digital watch as more of a personal computer than a timepiece. This sentiment is especially reinforced by the existence of smartwatch technology—as well as the developmental history of watches moving from mechanical movements to electronic quartz.
Today we talk about the evolution of the clock and how made the first steps to inventing the clock we know today.
In this episode we discuss the watch that saved Disney and how the Mickey Mouse watch has become part of the greater narrative of American industry and success.
In this podcast we talk about the watches in western films, Red Dead Redemption 2 and the role they played in the wild west.
In this podcast we discuss the tradition of the heirloom watch including the sentiment and importance that a family timepiece has based in the achievement and history of a family’s ancestry.
GMT stands for 'Greenwich Mean Time' but what does that mean? 🤔
This podcast has the answers!
A brief overview about wrist watches and aviation history. Pilot watches have a pretty big role in watch history as you'll learn in this discussion.
A discussion with Jake about his role with Times Ticking and his love for creating content.
Local tattoo artist, Kira, discusses how she found her passion and worked towards success. Thank you, Kira!
Makenna briefly discusses why a customer had praised her with her exceptional service and how she does her best to connect with people.
Learn the story of a young man, Albert Wittnauer, who had a dream of creating a durable watch which eventually he realized and evolved the brand into his name being found on the wrists of United States astronauts, pilots, actors and all types of people found throughout the world.
Jake, a sales executive from Aptive International, who holds a professional sales degree stops by and we talk about a few questions he had recently considered in detail.
Learn the interesting history of the Zodiac watch company in this podcast. A young mans vision travels through more than a century of events including dynamic design and innovation, multiple ownerships and even intertwined with a serial killer. Have a listen to this podcast!
Steve, from Red Line Digital Services, joins us to discuss business tips to succeed online.
We discuss the evolution and history behind daylight savings time as well as the pros and cons associated with it.
A chat about watches from a 16 year old young entrepreneur student and his perspective about where watches are going from his point of view.
An informative overview of the wrist watch. What country invented the wrist watch? Find out in this podcast!
How we help our costumers with a negative experience have a positive experience with us at Times Ticking . While this is a rare case it is something important to us.
I do an over view of the history of chronograph automatic mechanical quartz kinetic and solar watches.
Jared and I talk about the most popular brands we receive and why people would choose these specific brands of watches.
In this episode I talk about 15 different random facts about clocks and watches. For example first watch to reach Mount Everest, the Moon, first alarm clock, and a variety of other things.
In this episode I give multiple ways of determining whether a watch is a high end Luxury watch or it’s just a fake.
In this podcast we start all the way in 18,000 BC and go all the to today’s methods of keeping track of time.
We go Jared’s favorite part of owning this business, what brands we fix, the process of send in you watch and more.