⌚Omega Wins at Olympics!

Omega's Olympic gold release, Hodinkee's failure, and more!

Welcome watch nerds

This is Watch Bites, where we go through the watch world’s talking points quicker than a Spring Drive movement ticks. Today, we’re talking about Mont Blanc’s newest diver, Hodinkee’s recent decision to downsize, and more!
🍿 5 min read

Here's what we got today:

  • Omega’s Already Won At The Olympics 🏆Ω

  • Chopard Unveils Two New Dress Watches 🕺

  • Unimatic Launches A Toolwatch Collection 🛠🇮🇹 

  • A Chinese Master Unveils His Latest ⏱

The numbers above represent market trends in secondhand watch prices. The “Price“ column represents the average secondhand price for the top 30 watches of each brand. This data is sourced from Watch Charts.

Watch News

An Underrated Omega Quietly Returns For The Olympics

Made in the image of 2022’s under-appreciated CK859, the Paris 2024 BG859 Bronze Gold Edition watch is Omega’s latest cultural crossover, produced to commemorate some random sports competition happening in France this year. Although it mirrors the dimensions of the CK859, at 39mm wide by 11.7mm thick, Omega’s bronze gold alloy sets this model in a class of its own. While it initially looks like a rather simple watch, the combination of a Clous de Paris finish at the centre of the dial and the brushed and flawlessly delineated outer tracks soon reveal the quiet complexity of the BG859. This depth in detail is further emphasized by the subdial at 6 o’clock and the slightly baroque seconds hand that adorns it. Minimal numerals and a sans-serif typeface do well to balance these more intricate details and the result is a design that’s both serious and (for lack of a better word) cool.

Inspired by ancestors from the 1930s and later, there’s a stark vintage element to the BG859 and weirdly, it being an Olympic model contributes somewhat to that ageless character. Perhaps it’s the 5 rings on the case back. I’m not sure but what I do know is that for $12,000, this might be one of the best Olympics edition watches ever released.

Hodinkee Pulls Out Of Watch Retail

Unless you’ve been living under a watch-shaped rock, you will undoubtedly have heard the recent chatter about Hodinkee’s ‘business woes’. Although a lot of this has proven to be unfounded, Hodinkee’s founder, Ben Clymer, took to his company’s platform to update readers on the shape of the Dink’s future. In his own words, Clymer stated with no uncertainty that there won’t be any pre-owned or new watches added to their retail portals and that moving forward, “Hodinkee's primary focus will once again be creating the world's most detailed, engaging, and entertaining watch content”.

What this says about the market isn’t completely clear - Hodinkee could be struggling to move units in the face of retail expansion by larger brands or they may just not have the best marketing strategy. What we can assume with some accuracy, however, is that the internet’s most-read watch publication is getting back to its roots as an unbiased, unabashed industry commentator. Now, more than ever, people want honest insight, untethered from the influence of profit or financial partnerships. It feels like Hodinkee is one step closer to realizing that dream and I commend them for it.

Watch Fact

At one point in time, all chronograph watches had just one pusher for start, stop, and reset functions. That is until Breitling came along and added a second pusher to reset the hands of a chronograph, somehow both complicating and simplifying watches forever!

3-Watch Collection

3 Watch Collection: Big 3 Edition

Every pursuit has its pinnacle. In the watch world, many would agree that owning a piece made by each of the ‘Big 3’ is the top of the horological mountain. Here’s a collection of Switzerland’s finest tickers that’ll motivate you to finally plan that bank heist you’ve (allegedly) been thinking about…

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin (Sport watch) - Limited to just 200 pieces and retailing for a cool $150,000, this all-titanium AP is as practically sporty as luxury watches get, with a classic design and enough dials to maneuver a Boeing 747. Throw in an unassuming moon phase complication and you’ve got yourself a heck of a timepiece.

Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R (Dress watch) - With a slim profile and subtly bossy alligator strap, this Patek is stealth wealth at its most effective. The rose gold case, beautifully hobnailed bezel, and unbeatably simple converge at the point of design genius which absolutely justifies this Calatrava’s $30,000 price tag.

Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Self-Winding (Everyday watch) - It’s unusual to find a new Vacheron for under $30k but thanks to the firm’s recent push to create an affordable everyday timepiece, here we are. The Fiftysix comes in a few variations but if you’re going to grab one, may as well buy as the makers intended and go for a ‘cheapie’. That’s still a $12,700 watch, just FYI.

Total Collection Cost (USD): $192,700

Watch News Bites

Quick Bites

  • The CEO of Rolex predicted hard times ahead in the watch industry and since then, the Swatch group has taken some massive hits, with sales dropping almost 20% in the first six months of 2024. Is this as serious as it sounds?

  • Italy’s Unimatic has just introduced a collection of military-inspired toolwatches. Bold, chunky, and slightly sexy (in a “that’s a good-looking multi-tool” way), these are a great addition to the Unimatic family.

  • The mountain after which Mont Blanc is named sits 4810 meters above sea level and that’s exactly how far below the ocean’s surface the new Mont Blanc Deep Diver can go.

  • Straight out of Chongqing, China, Qin Gan is a watchmaker of extreme proficiency. He recently released his second timepiece, the Pastorale II and believe me, it’s worth a look.


  • A pair of new Chopard timepieces dropped at Watches and Wonders this year - the L.U.C XPS And L.U.C Qualité Fleurier. Dressy by nature and high-end by default, these are smart/casual done right.

Vintage Watches

Audemars Piguet Cal. 2003 Ultra-Thin (1960s)

Why It’s Worth It: On paper, AP’s vintage 2003 Ultra-Thin may seem too small for some readers but this 32mm wide timepiece sits deceptively well on even large wrists thanks to relatively big lugs. As the name suggests, it’s a skinny ticker and thus plays the role of ‘quiet and classy dress piece’ far better than ‘do whatever everyday wearer’. That said, you can pick up a white or yellow gold model for under $5,000, making this a very tempting offer for anyone who wants some ‘Big 3’ energy on their arm. Find the right strap or bracelet and you could have an unparalleled vintage hit in your collection for less than the down payment on a modern Royal Oak.

Pre-Owned Watch Deals

Watch Scout by Watch Bites


Glashütte Original Sixties (White Dial)

  • Case: Stainless Steel, 39mm

  • Condition: Excellent

  • Box & Papers: Yes, box and papers included


Girard Perregaux Laureato
  • Case: Stainless steel, 42mm

  • Condition: Very good

  • Box & Papers: Yes, box and papers included

A. Lange & Söhne 116.032

  • Case: Rose gold, 42mm

  • Condition: Very good

  • Box & Papers: Yes, box and papers included

Watch Meme

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*Watch Bites does not provide financial advice. None of this is financial advice. This is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research!

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