The Space Explorer

From Canuck Timepieces -

Courtesy of Canuck Timepieces

So this is piping-hot, right out of the oven from Canuck Timepieces. Canuck Timepieces is headed by James Williams out of Simcoe, Ontario. For those of you in the lower 48 unfamiliar, Simcoe is a stone's throw from Lake Erie, and north by northeast of my hometown of Oberlin (Ohio). The Space Explorer is made up of three different color ways.First is the Nebula Velvet Purple (above). For those less daring, there is the Deep Orbit Black (below) -

Courtesy of Canuck Timepieces

And rounding out the intergalactic trio is the Cathode Ray Green -

Courtesy of Canuck Timepieces

This is a limited release of 75 pieces total (25 in each flavor) with each piece being individually numbered. This is currently a pre-order item, and my understanding is that very few pieces are left, so if you are interested you should reach out to Canuck Timepieces rather sharpish.

Retail is $480 - not sure if that's Yankee Greenbacks or Toonies & Loonies, but either way represents a great price.

Here are the pertinents -

Limited to 25 Pieces of Each Colour, Individually Numbered

75 Pieces in Total

Case Size: 39mm

Case Material: 316L Stainless Steel

Crystal: Sapphire with AR Coating

Lug to Lug: 42.5mm

Case Thickness: 9.7mm (Including Crystal)

Lug Width: 20mm

Movement: Manual Wind, Seagull
ST1700

H20 Resistance Rating: 100M

Lume: BGW9 Super-LumiNova

Strap: Signed FKM Material with, digitalized texture

Bracelet: Elastic Metal Bracelet with, Easy Link Removal (no tools required!), in collaboration with Vario.

BOTH STRAP AND BRACELET ARE INCLUDED WITH WATCH!

The HYPE - NYC 2026! The Countdown is On!

                                                     The HYPE - NYC 2026

  Friday October 16, Saturday October 17, and Sunday October 18

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

   

Come see us at The Draper New York -         

4-6 West 37th Street, New York, New York

Friday                                    Saturday & Sunday

1776 Atelier (Friday only)                     5280
5280                                                     Carl Suchy & Söhne
Carl Suchy & Söhne                             Elka
DLoke (Friday only)                              GoS   
Elka                                                      ISOTOPE   
GoS                                                      Kneijnsberg
Hager (Friday only)                              Minase
ISOTOPE                                             Moriarty
Minase                                                 Nepro
Nepro                                                   Ollech & Wajs    
Ollech & Wajs                                      Sartory Billard
Sartory Billard                                      Schaefer & Companions
Statera                                                 Sherpa

                                                                            Statera

                                                            Tesse

                                                            Version

The Cenote

From Papar -

Courtesy of Papar

The dynamic duo behind Papar has taken a beat, and come back with something special. A sporty diver that is a refreshing change from the standard issue Submariner tribute.

The Cenote is available in two versions. A rose gold PVD titanium (my personal favorite), and for the not as stylistically daring, a more subdued (but still different) titanium model with what I will call a "latte" dial. 

Courtesy of Papar

Both priced at $995. 

Here are the pertinents, straight from Papar -

Courtesy of Papar

Cenote - Rose Gold Titanium

Diameter: 40mm

Thickness: 10.9mm

Lug-to-Lug: 47mm

Weight: 60g (including strap + buckle)

Material: Rose Gold PVD coated Titanium

Bezel Insert Material: Gloss black ceramic

Movement: Miyota 9015

Sapphire crystal with AR coating

Strap: Sailcloth

Buckle: Titanium

Packaging: Leather watch roll

Initial Run: 100 numbered watches

Courtesy of Papar

Cenote - Titanium + Blue

Diameter: 40mm

Thickness: 10.9mm

Lug-to-Lug: 47mm

Weight: 60g (including strap + buckle)

Case Material: Titanium

Bezel Insert Material: Matte blue ceramic

Lume: Lumè (Superluminova Fumè) dial + lume hands

Water Resistance: 200m

Movement: Miyota 9015

Sapphire crystal with AR coating

Strap: Sailcloth

Buckle: Titanium

Packaging: Leather watch roll

Initial Run: 100 numbered watches

 

Perhaps Just Under the Radar...

The Anillo GMT, from PAPAR -

Courtesy of Papar

So after a bit of a "timepiece" overdose in Geneva, I got a very pleasant surprise on my drive back from Lawrence the other day, courtesy of the Wrist Check Podcast.

This is the Anillo, and if I've understood things correctly, this is the first offering from Papar. And as they are just on the other end of the Commonwealth, I feel a wee bit sheepish that I hadn't heard of them before now. It is a wonderfully clever take on a GMT. Available in both stainless steel and rose gold PVD (my personal favorite) -

Courtesy of Papar

It is very reasonably priced at $750 US.

Courtesy of Papar

Here are the pertinents -

Diameter: 36mm

Thickness: 12.1mm

Lug-to-Lug: 43mm

Case Material: 316L Steel (rose gold PVD)

Water Resistance: 100m

Movement: Miyota 9075

Complication: Sub-dial GMT disc

Sapphire crystal with AR coating

Packaging: Leather watch roll

Initial Run: 100 numbered watches

The 1858 (Underground) Railroad Watch

A shameless bit of self-promotion -

For those of you who might have missed it, this is the 1858 from the Oberlin Watch Company. And to clarify things, yes, I am the owner of the Oberlin Watch Company ; )

The 1858 is a hand-wound watch. The case is stainless steel with a solid case back. 

This was originally a pre-order model, but we are now selling the final 9 available pieces. The price is $458 US.

Should it be in your wheelhouse, here are the pertinents -

The Basics:

The 1858 is a hand-winding watch. It is stainless steel, with a solid case back to allow for personalized engraving. The movement is made by Seagull, a Chinese manufacturer. The movement is the ST-3600, which is a clone of the ETA 6497.

The watches are assembled and tested in the United States. The watch comes standard with a blue and a black leather strap. The straps utilize quick spring bar attachments so they can be changed without the use of a tool using your finger and thumb!

The Particulars:

Case - stainless steel, 40 mm in diameter, solid case back with Oberlin engraving

Movement - Seagull ST-3600

Strap - black leather with quick spring attachment, stainless steel folding clasp

Warranty - 1 year

Henki Shares His FAVORITE Summer Watches!

Is a post that you will NEVER see on Henki Time ; )

But with that being said, what I thought I might so is share one of the coolest watches that I once owned, one that is still available from Gorilla -

Courtesy of Gorilla

This is the RS White from Gorilla's Fastback collection. It originally came out some time back, but for me it still epitomizes what is really cool about the Gorilla brand. I bought mine back in 2019 from Watch Gauge, if memory serves me correctly. I wore it quite a bit, but it was part of my collection that I put up for sale to aid relief agencies working in Ukraine following the Russian invasion.

Courtesy of Gorilla

The case is substantial without being overwhelming. It measures 44 mm in diameter, and is crafted of varying composites and layers (more specifically detailed below). The movement is a self-winding (automatic) Miyota 8215.

There are retail locations, or you can always order direct from Gorilla.

Here are the pertinents -

CASE:
Forged carbon case
Ceramic bezel
Anodized aluminum pinstripe
Screw-down titanium crown for improved water resistance
Diameter: 44.00 mm
Thickness: 13mm
With crown guards: 48.50mm
Lug to lug: 57mm
Water resistance: 100M/330FT/10ATM
Scratch resistant sapphire, double anti-reflective coating
Brushed titanium caseback
Engraved periodic symbols of the material composition

DIAL:
Matte dial
White Super-Luminova™ printed numerals
Super-Luminova™ filled hour disc, minute hand, and hour markers

MOVEMENT:

Miyota 8215, self-winding, 3Hz/21.600 vph

STRAP:

FKM Rubber & Cordura™ hybrid, titanium pin buckle 

Less Than A Week To Preorder!

We're coming down to the wire, with seven days left to preorder the Oberlin Watch Company's (Underground) Railroad Watch - the 1858.

Here is a quick rundown -

The preorder deposit is $58 US dollars and is non-refundable. The total price for those who do preorder will be $285 US. The watches are projected to ship in April. Keep in mind, that is a projection, not a guaranteed delivery date.

Once the preorder period is over, the price will be $385. The preorder will run until December 15.

Artistic Interpretation courtesy of D.N. Mason

The specifics:

The 1858 is a hand-winding watch. It is stainless steel, with a solid case back to allow for personalized engraving. The movement is made by Seagull, a Chinese manufacturer. The movement is the ST-3600, which is a clone of the ETA 6497.

The watches will be assembled and tested in the United States. The strap that the watches will ship with will be black. The blue strap in the image is strictly for rendering purposes.

The initial production will be for a minimum of 25 pieces with the potential for a larger series, up to 100 pieces. This will be dependent upon the number of preorders received.

Specs:

Case - stainless steel, 40 mm in diameter, solid case back

Movement - Seagull ST-3600

Strap - black leather with stainless steel folding clasp

Warranty - 1 year

Artistic Interpretation courtesy of D.N. Mason

You can preorder here -

https://oberlinwatch.com/products/1858-preorder-deposit

Preview of Coming Attractions!

A little bit of shameless self-promotion!

 

This is a first look at the next offering from the Oberlin Watch Company. Hand-winding, and assembled in the US. Pre-orders will start in December, with delivery targeted for March, 2024.

Stay tuned!

Two Years On - Revisiting My opinion is Fact with the Holthinrichs Raw Ornament "Henki Time"

Keeping the Faith

After a year long winter that seems to have lasted a decade, we are slowly seeing a potential new spring cautiously peeking around the next corner, but for many it could still be a few months off. COVID has pretty much kicked the snot out of all of us.

The big dogs who were able to keep moving and (as far as I know) also managed to keep the majority of their teams employed are to be commended for their resilience. 

But what has been most impressive (to me) has been not merely the resilience, but the blossoming of a handful of small, and I'm going to use one of my most hated words here - artisanal brands. 

And this is now one of those times when my writing and watches that I personally own converge, this is now a: 

"Why I Bought It/My Opinion As Fact" piece -

Now I can only go by what I see on wrists of some of my erstwhile colleagues from the Fourth and Fifth Estate at BaselWorld (and again, it's been a minute), but I think it is safe to say that I tend to worship at a different church than most of them.

You may have noticed those large banner ads and "sponsored posts" here at Tempus Fugit... oh yeah! That's right, this is a self-funded venture! So to that end, I tend to spend my dollars pretty selectively. More to the point, true confession - I don't tend to buy watches other than the occasional Swatch these days. Don't get me wrong, I have a weakness for sneakers and fountain pens. But when it comes to watches I have gotten to a point where I truly am not all that interested in getting anything new, with a few possible exceptions. More to the point, I have sold or simply given away just about my entire personal collection. So it takes something special to get my attention.

Enter the Holthinrichs Raw Ornament "Henkitime" -

I have known Michiel Holthinrichs for a little while. He was a founding member of Roderich Hess's Wine and Time event at BaselWorld, and is a HYPE2019 alumnus. And it was during Basel 2019 that I became, well, somewhat obsessed with the idea of getting a Raw Ornament for myself. A plan was hatched - slow, steady monthly payments to the Holthinrich's account were even more slowly accumulated, a final version was agreed upon, and last week my erstwhile obsession became a wrist bound reality -

Now to understand why the Raw Ornament is the Shit That Killed Elvis (remember, this is my opinion as fact), it's important to understand "What Makes Henki Run". I have spent the better part of two decades living and working in Watch Town. While there are many beautiful watches made by exciting brands, I tend to gravitate away from the obvious.

I once went to a job interview where the second question asked was - 

"What is your favorite ice cream flavor?"  

For the record, it's pistachio. 

And if I think about so much of what is out there, on offer from the mighty to the small is either vanilla or chocolate. Or in some instances, a runny sicky-sweet version of rocky road. Or put another way, shock for shock value.

But what is special about what the folks at Holthinrichs are doing is borne out in the resulting watches. Watches are made one by one, and with the exception of the 3D printing machine, everything else is done by hand. Yes, they could simply send the case design to a case maker and simply bang out a bunch of them all at once. It would be faster and certainly cheaper, but that is not the watch that Michiel Holthinrichs and his team are interested in making. 

And odd though it sounds, you can feel that dedication when you put it on your wrist. Not just see it, but feel it.

There are plenty of nice watches out there. And I can't and won't attempt to speak for anyone but myself. But with so much choice out there, when you plump for something special, it ought to really be something special. The Raw Ornament is special (even without the custom "Henki" iconography). And the best thing about what Team Holthinrichs is doing? Yes they are making watches, but it is much more than that. A Holthinrichs watch is made with passion and integrity, and while it would have been easy to copy someone else's designs, they have stayed true to their vision. And as I said before, you don't just see it.  You feel it. And in all honesty?  That's why you should want it.

Just Under The Radar - The Cincinnatus Centurion

From the Cincinnati Watch Company -

Courtesy of the Cincinnati Watch Company

A few Henki factoids -

I made my debut in Zanesville, Ohio. Although my formative years were spent to the north in Oberlin, I think I somehow felt a stronger connection to southern Ohio - at least as much as a 6 year-0ld can. While my friends rooted for the Cleveland Browns (or worse the Pittsburgh Steelers), my support went to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Cincinnati is now also home to a growing micro brand, the Cincinnati Watch Company. 

Courtesy of Cincinnati Watch Company

The Cincinnatus Centurion is a good example of the one watch to have if you are only going to have one watch. And yes, I mean that as a compliment.

The case is of stainless steel and measures 40 mm in diameter. The crystals (front and display back) are sapphire, with the front being double domed sapphire with inner AR coating.

Courtesy of Cincinnati Watch Company

The movement is Sellita's SW200-1. 

The Cincinnatus Centurion retails for $549.00 plus shipping, and is available direct -

Cincinnatus Centurion

This Is Not A Watch Review - The Earl

From E. Stohlman -

I will be spending the next week with Eugene Stohlman's new release - the Earl. This version is referred to as the "chocolate" version ; )

More deliciousness to follow, stay tuned! 

Just Under The Radar - the Méraud Antigua

Having sat out most of the last year, I hope that I can be forgiven for missing a few shots across the bow in terms of new releases. This one is from a small and "newish" brand based in Ghent,Belgium. This is the Antigua, from Méraud.

Courtesy of Méraud 

And while Belgium is a small country, it has provided the world at large with quite a lot -

Tintin and Snowy © Hergé 

Perhaps the most famous reporter never to win a Pulitzer, Tintin.

A former volunteer nurse and struggling chorus girl.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

And newspaper delivery boy who many feared had missed his true calling.

But back to the Antigua -

Courtesy of Méraud 

In a world of countless black-dialed micro brand dive watches, this is a bit special.

Limited to 100 pieces, this chronograph measures 40 mm in diameter and houses what Méraud describes as a "restored" Landeron 248 under the hood. Now I am (despite my cynical nature) a romantic. Having owned a few "modern" watches with restored Landeron movements, I can say that there may be the potential for occasional quirks. In my case it was a hesitation in the main chronograph hand. But in fairness, that could happen with a brand new Valjoux. More to the point, if the descriptions are anything to go on, Méraud has been working on this release for some time, so with luck it should be a winner.

The Méraud Antigua weighs in at a reasonable $1,922.00 (US$). This is a pre-order item, so you 

will need to be patient as delivery is projected for 

September.

The Méraud Antigua will be available in two flavors:

Courtesy of Méraud

"Soft Sand"

Courtesy of Méraud

"Miho Black"

For more information and ordering details, visit Méraud's website -

meraud watches

The ochs line due ore / 2 timezones

From ochs und junior -

Courtesy of ochs und junior

*Editor's Note - James Henderson has recently begun working with ochs und junior in a consulting capacity. 

As such, this is strictly a reposting of press information, and will contain no opinion/recommendation/review.

two time zone or due ore

Dimensions

39mm x 10.4mm

Weight

54g

Water resistance

100m (10bar)

Case

Made from two parts designed by Ludwig Oechslin, available in grade 5 Titanium. Visible machining and milling traces.

Base movement

ETA 2824-2 with 38 hours of power reserve. Manufacturer: ETA SA / Grenchen / Switzerland.

Crown

22mm width in titanium designed by Ludwig Oechslin. Manufacturer: Pibor SA / Glovelier / Switzerland.

Buckle

Classic buckle in Grade 5 titanium, designed by Ludwig Oechslin.

Watch straps

Navy blue Cordura strap in sizes S/M/L, handmade by Sabina Brägger.

Crystal

Sapphire crystal by Stettler in Lyss/Switzerland.

Night visibility

Swiss Super-LumiNova®, applied by Monyco in La Chaux-de-Fonds / Switzerland.

Swiss made

The ochs und junior due ore is entirely manufactured in Switzerland. Each watch is hand-assembled and regulated at the ochs und junior workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Warranty

The entire watch is covered by a 2-year guarantee.

Design

ochs und junior, Non-customizable.

Price:    

CHF 3'500 — Incl. 7.7% VAT.

CHF 3'230 — Export price.