Wednesday, November 30, 2016

The Watchismo Times is now 'The Minutes' - Check it out!


Be sure to come check out our new blog at The Minutes where you'll find features like the following and much more!

DOES YOUR WATCH HAVE BALLS?

The  Van Cleef & Arpels 'Midnight Planetarium Poetic Complication' by watchmaker Christiaan van der Klaauw, is a hypnotic astronomical timepiece bearing a miniature solar system that you can wear on your wrist. Ok, maybe the title of this post is a tad crass but the fact is the watches below have the balls to use spheres of [...]

the coolest wood watches EVER MADE

There is no denying mid-century design was particularly special for art, cars & furniture but also true for a variety of watch designs. It was a period of experimentation with minimalism, asymmetry and new materials which opened the door for the use of wood in timepieces. Introduced in the late fifties and [...]


PUTTING SOME STEAM BACK INTO STEAMPUNK

This week, we're revisiting an old friend, Japanese Steampunk watchmaker, Sueyoshi Haruo (also referred to as Haruo Suekichi), featured nearly a decade ago on The Watchismo Times blog. Having created thousands of custom built Steampunk watches, all nearly one of a kind and with completely hilarious mechanical functions like flapping leather dragon wings to celebratory noisemakers and [...]
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WHAT'S THE COOLEST WATCH NEVER MADE?

Far ahead of its time, the 1958 Patek Philippe Cobra concept watch was doomed.  Destined to torment space-age vintage watch collectors like myself, this watch exists only as a one-off prototype designed by renowned avant garde watchmaker Louis Cottier eight years before his death in 1966.  Unique for its linear time display and [...]
Prototype Patek Philippe Cobra Movement

ANDREW GRIMA'S UNUSUAL OMEGA & LED WATCHES 1969-76

Andrew Grima was a famous British mid-century modern jewelry designer, commissioned to create unusual one-of-a-kind watches for Omega and Pulsar in the 60's & early 70's. He was commissioned by Omega to create a highly aesthetic avant-garde collection called 'About Time'.  Grima was given a free hand and chose to stick to one principle: he would [...]

ARE WATCHES ART?

If you ask us, we wholeheartedly believe there has been a new genre of art forming over the past twenty years within the very exclusive world of independent horology.  That said, it's more about motion and machines as the medium but nevertheless, there are some important collaborations that have occurred with watch brands and [...]



THANK GOD IT'S SEVENFRIDAY

We've been watching  SEVENFRIDAY's growth in their fast & furious few years since inception...and we're hooked, especially the new collections & limited editions available in very small quantities. In pole position sits the  P3B/01 RACER, the newest from the original P Series. Undeniably forward thinking design up & down, inside and out. Hot on its heels is the [...]


WHAT DOES TIME IN THE 4TH DIMENSION LOOK LIKE?

22 Design Studio's elegant '4th Dimension' Watches feature a staircase of high tension concrete for the dial. From its sculptural time display to the custom shaped brass hands and perfectly styled leather straps, every detail of this wristwatch has been designed to show the beauty of the raw materials. This unique timepiece's tanned leather and [...]

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Maximilian Büsser & Friends - The Smelling Salts of the Watch World...Wake Up and Smell The Space Pirate!

We all know there are cool watches, classic watches and collectible watches -- but then you get to the world of Horological Machines -- in a class of their own.  If that doesn't make sense to you, MB&F watches are quite honestly the Umami, that savory taste you can't quite put your finger on but you know you gotta have it. Without naming names, you very well know what watches are sweet, sour, bitter and most definitely salty!  But what you don't know, that UMAMI is the taste that doesn't get old, it only gets better with each bite!




Horological Machine No.6 - now in limited "SV" editions, in sapphire crystal combined with streamlined red gold or platinum. The sapphire crystal alone requires 350 hours of careful machining and polishing, just for a single case - the equivalent of 2 months' worth of working days...

Learn more about this performance art piece . . . mbandf.com/machines/horological-machines/hm6

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

The HALOGRAPH Automatic by XERIC is Live on Kickstarter

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KICKSTART This Mechanical Heart

The HALOGRAPH is not an electronic gadget: it's a mechanical heirloom

The Kickstarter Campaign Starts Now!
We need your support to make this cool & affordable limited edition mechanical watch a reality and if you're quick, take advantage of the Early Bird rewards.
The HALOGRAPH is super easy to read. As the Halo hands float over the dimensional, hemicycle time display arcs, they encircle the hour and minute of the current time. The inner arcs display the hours, the outer arcs displays the minutes.
Like the chambers of a beating mechanical heart, the twin balance wheels pump life into this complex time machine. Seeing the action of a living machine on your wrist gives a thrill no electronic gadget can.
We created the HALOGRAPH to be more elliptical than other mechanical watches, with a 5mm high double-curved domed-crystal and rounded forms throughout the design. This reflects our obsession with the infinite nature of time.

PRE-ORDER YOUR HALOGRAPH HERE

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XERIC HALOGRAPH Automatic Rosegold HLG-3018
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Why choose a mechanical watch over a smartwatch today?
A smartwatch starts to die as soon as its circuitry is activated, and its functional obsolescence starts as soon as it's off the assembly line. A mechanical watch will never be obsolete. It will always connect you in a meaningful way with this moment in time. With the HALOGRAPH Automatic, we think we've designed a v1.0 that 'nailed it' the first time, and will be as exceptional in form and function in hundreds of years as it is now.
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XERIC HALOGRAPH Automatic Gunmetal HLG-3017
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XERIC HALOGRAPH Automatic Black HLG-3014
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XERIC HALOGRAPH Automatic Gold HLG-3020
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XERIC HALOGRAPH Automatic Tan HLG-3015
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XERIC HALOGRAPH Automatic Silver HLG-3016
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Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Meet The XERIC Xeriscope² Squared Limited Edition Watch

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MEET THE XERISCOPE² SQUARED

Be one of the select few to reserve the first 100 limited edition individually numbered Xeriscope² Squared watches.
It's been nearly a year to the day since we first launched our Kickstarter campaign for the Xeric Xeriscope Orbiting Mechanical Watch. We're proud that it became the most funded mechanical watch on Kickstarter.
Now we're back with a killer follow-up with the very modern Xeriscope² Squared - produced in a strict limited edition of numbered timepieces and utilizing one of the most unusual movements ever created. Once they sell out, no more will be made.
Xeric XeriscopeSquared XS23014-front
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3014 Steel & Black
Xeric XeriscopeSquared XS23019-front
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3019 All Black
Xeric XeriscopeSquared XS23020-front
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3020 Gunmetal/Brown
Xeric XeriscopeSquared XS23015-front
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3015 All Steel
Xeric XeriscopeSquared XS23016-front
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3016 Rose Gold
Xeric XeriscopeSquared XS23021-front
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3021 All Gold
Xeric XeriscopeSquared XS23017-front
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3017 Black & Tan
Xeric XeriscopeSquared XS23018-front
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3018 Silver/Brown
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Green Tinted Crystal Caseback / Numbered Limited Edition Engraving
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Blue Tinted Crystal Caseback / Numbered Limited Edition Engraving
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Yellow Tinted Crystal Caseback / Numbered Limited Edition Engraving
Xeriscope Squred Silver Black Angle
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3014 Steel & Black
Xeriscope Squred All Black Angle
Xeric Xeriscope² XS2-3019 Squared All Black
Xeriscope Squred All Steel Angle
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3015 All Steel
Xeriscope Squred Black Tan Angle
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3017 Black & Tan
Xeriscope Squred Gun Brown Angle
Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3020 Gunmetal/Brown
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Xeric Xeriscope² Squared XS2-3016 Rose Gold

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Meet The XERISCOPE Watch from XERIC Watches on Kickstarter



XERISCOPE: The Orbiting Mechanical Automatic Watch by XERIC

XERIC Watches: Stop strangers in their tracks with an unusual mechanical time machine beating on your wrist. Meet the XERISCOPE.

Xeriscope Campaign on Kickstarter

Xeriscope at Xeric Watches Website

Xeric Watches at Watchismo


For years, my brother and I combed the globe to bring the world’s most interesting watches to our customers at Watchismo.com.  Our work identified a glaring gap in the watch market – the need for a very cool & affordable mechanical watch – at a time when we were eager to act on our longstanding dream to create something that had not been done by anyone else. Together with our team, we designed the first collection of
XERIC timepieces.



Take a look and you’ll see why XERISCOPE watches by XERIC will stop strangers in their tracks for a glance at your wrist:

The Fully-exposed, mechanical movement that is the display: Enjoy viewing the machine on BOTH sides of the watch and reading the time via the movement itself.

Unique double-sided minute hand lives nearby, alongside a second timezone display and a power reserve meter that lets you know it’s time to keep moving.

Five colorways in a timeless-yet-modern design to suit any style and proudly pass along to the next generation.

A limited edition of 100 individually numbered watches per style for the early backers of our Kickstarter campaign.

Automatically recharges itself with the motion of your daily life: No batteries needed. Ever.

How did we finally make Mechanical an affordable reality?  We are a slim company, and don’t have a lot of red tape and added costs. Yet we do have a great deal of experience with watches that informed the design of a piece that would look as exceptional today as it will in a hundred years. Finally, we found a way to produce our creation at an artisanal scale… and we hope to keep it that way because our customers care to have the most unusual watch in the room.

We value Kickstarter as a way to reach those who share our dream of making Mechanical affordable now to the visionary and stylish people who care about them.

Know anyone who plans to leave their smart watch to their kids? Neither do we. Let’s not plan for obsolescence. Let’s be a part of something that was perfect to begin with, and only gets better with time. Join us by making XERISCOPE watches a timeless reality.





ABOUT WATCHISMO

Watchismo.com is carefully curated watch collection by brothers Mitch & Andrew Greenblatt, modern horological enthusiasts with a passion for unique timepieces. Purveyors of wrist-borne time machines since 1999, Watchismo is a singular source for unusual modern watches from around the world.

Mitch and Andrew founded XERIC Watches to bring complex, mechanical timepieces like the XERISCOPE collection to a broad cross-section of watch enthusiasts who dream of an affordable Mechanical. Together, the brothers have carefully curated the exceptional collection at Watchismo, which since 1999 has been a singular source for unique modern watches from around the world. XERIC Watches represents a natural progression of the business: from Curators to Creators of designs that reflect their experience, knowledge and passion for the truly unusual.

THE GENESIS of XERIC

2009: While living in Switzerland four years ago, Mitch began doodling rough concepts for very unusual watch designs and discussing an action plan with Andrew. The brothers agreed that the watch market was riddled with extravagant watches but held a gaping hole that they could attempt to fill, if only there were a way to make an excellent mechanical watch for an accessible price.

2010: They began connecting with watchmakers in Switzerland while attending the annual Baselworld watch expo. Mitch moved home to Brooklyn, NY, and then to the San Francisco Bay area, so that the brothers at last could work side by side.

2011-2012: With feedback from their discussions with manufacturers, Mitch and Andy refined their designs and decided to name their creations after Xeric Court, the street they grew up on. Their field research continued to highlight the enthusiasm for mechanical watches among a stylish, tech-appreciative crowd that was priced out of the typical high-end Mechanicals.  All they needed to complete the XERIC team was a visionary, in-house watch designer with extensive experience in every aspect of the production gauntlet.

2013: The brothers hired Danny to help finalize the XERISCOPE design and navigate the production process, knowing he’s succeeded with similar projects for other watchmakers. The team knew they had the right movement for the XERSISCOPE and a design that would celebrate every detail of mechanical timekeeping: the watch case would need to be open on both sides and the hour hand would be a direct extension of the mechanism. Andrew, Mitch and Danny developed five distinct colorways, packaging elements and a fulfillment timeline, applying their years of experience as watch authorities, designers, distributors and retailers.

The team identified a manufacturing partner with 30 years in the watch industry, with whom they created and tweaked several waves of prototypes before finalizing the fully-viable XERISCOPE prototype.  Upon full funding, production will immediately begin for 100 first-edition pieces in each of the five colorways.

All they needed to bring the XERSISCOPE to life was involvement from fellow enthusiasts for timeless thinking, in order to attract those with the same appetite for an affordable Mechanical. The team then cultivated a plan to connect with relevant audiences via Kickstarter, where original thinking is directly rewarded by those who share a dream.

XERIC Watches embody the art of timekeeping by fusing mechanical function with timeless form in a singular machine. Designed in California, XERIC watches are produced on an artisanal scale, making high-end mechanical features accessible to a broad cross-section of horological enthusiasts.

BRINGING THE XERISCOPE TO LIFE

For a company that has had worldwide retail fulfillment experience since 1999, meeting customer needs for a new product was no mind-blowing task; however, the XERISCOPE product line represents a new realm for an established business already catering to the desires of a global customer base.

Both internal and external factors are balanced by having a manufacturer with 30+ years of watch-specific manufacturing experience and a brand presence by an established authority in vintage and contemporary milestones in the world of watchmaking.

All next steps in production depend on expressed interest by consumers in the presence of an affordable Mechanical timepiece. The same manufacturers who meticulously developed the prototype through the finalization process stand ready to produce this series within two months, given notice to activate production procedures once funding goals are met.

Each Limited Edition XERISCOPE watch takes its place in individually numbered series featuring a surgical grade stainless steel case; a fully-exposed, orbiting 12-hour mechanical movement with dual timezone display; retrograde power reserve meter; and case-back window for observing the oscillating rotor. No batteries required -- ever -- as XERIC watches generate power by the daily action of your wrist.


 
Mitch Greenblatt’s career path as a visual artist spans the film, television, music and advertising industries. After receiving his first watch (ever!) in 1998, Mitch began collecting and selling unusual vintage watches via Watchismo.com, with special attention to mid-century modern design. Just a few years later, he established himself as an influential watch blogger and authority on the subject of modern horology, and to this day maintains friendships spanning the horological universe. Mitch brings his deep knowledge of historical watches and innate sense of style to XERIC Watches, where he guides overall creative direction.

Andrew Greenblatt is a born entrepreneur, with a lifelong track record of success growing seedling businesses to bountiful fruition. His experience launching a profitable personal computing company at the dawn of the PC industry is a testament to his instinct for finding a viable niche and for taking the right risks at the right time. In 2008, Andrew merged retail forces with his brother Mitch to focus on truly special contemporary watches, following his heart to drive insanely deep beyond avocation into a full-fledged vocation. Andrew is in touch with the customer base and keeps a creative and critical eye on retail market objectives for XERIC.  A passionate watch collector himself, Andrew knows how to translate an abstract concept to a concrete reality.

Daniel Hunsaker joined the XERIC team earlier this year to help make the XERISCOPE dream a reality. Danny is a watch world “insider” whose career has focused squarely on designing watches and managing product development from concept-to-market. Far from “square” though, Danny applies his sharp eye for detail and boundless creativity to create unique XERISCOPE designs and usher them through the production process. Danny brings an acute awareness of design implications for other aspects of the development trajectory.

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