Introducing Watchonista: Volume 04!

It’s here! Watchonista: Volume 04, the fourth instalment of our highly acclaimed print publication, officially launches tonight and hits stores Saturday, July 22nd (more on that later).

It’s been two years – though it seems like only yesterday – since we were bursting with excitement as we revealed to you Watchonista: Volume 01, which was born out of a desire to harness the best of our watch industry and lifestyle reporting from our talented staff on both sides of the Atlantic and to make a print magazine that fellow watch collectors would actually want to read and re-read.
 

And with each subsequent issue, we’ve looked at how to improve our print offering. Thus, we’ve made tweaks, refined our identity, and dug increasingly deeper to put the best storytelling and most eye-catching visuals on the page.
 

Next, when Volume 03 came out, we really felt we’d hit our stride. But then a funny thing happened: Our third issue’s success gave us the confidence to take a few more risks and experiment a little.
 

As a result, creating Watchonista: Volume 04 has felt less like a tricky fourth album, and more like a determined exploration of exciting new horizons: It’s our Hunky Dory, our Ill Communication, our Kid A…

Also exclusive to this print issue is our deep dive into the backstory of long-time Hublot collaborator Maxime Plescia-Büchi, founder of Sang Bleu tattoo studios and magazine and co-founder – along with Emmanuel Rey – of typography disruptors Swiss Typefaces. You won’t find any Times New Roman on these pages!
 

Plescia-Büchi isn’t the only watch-related artist we’ve decided to shine a light on in Volume 04: We also have two dedicated “Meet the Artist” pages with QR codes that redirect to our digital profile of prolific Instagrammer Andrei Stihi a.k.a. @watchfigures – who was kind enough to take a break from building an online universe using minifigs and timepieces to design and photograph one of his imaginative tableaux specifically for use in Volume 04 – as well as to our website interview with Gabriel Lau, a.k.a. @labeg, who recreates the world’s most sought-after timepieces using paper and cardboard!

As always, we cover the best watch releases of the past year or so, like Ulysse Nardin’s Freak One, Grand Seiko’s GS9 Club Limited Edition Spring Drive SBGY023, Citizen’s 37mm Promaster Dive, and a trio of retrograde date watches from Vacheron Constantin, to name a few.

However, that doesn’t mean we’ve shied away from challenging a few common perceptions about some of the most talked about – and possibly misunderstood – watches of recent times. Thus, we try to separate fact from fiction when it comes to the world’s thinnest watch, the Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari, argue that Audemars Piguet’s Code Starwheel should help to silence critics of the Code 11.59 collection, and more.
 

We even take on the messier side of collecting: The frenzy around hype watches and the unpleasant way frustration can warp your point of view.

And perhaps no one has a story quite so epic as our very own Rhonda Riche, who spent five months stalking Swatch boutiques in three countries across two continents in her quest to acquire an Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch after it launched.

Readers of Volume 04 can join Rhonda on her Homer-esque odyssey and vicariously experience the full gamut of emotions she went through. The tale’s finale – involving a Fiat 500 along Copenhagen’s waterfront – is a denouement like no other.
 

Of course, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, especially those lush images of watches snapped by Watchonista photographers Liam O’Donnell and Pierre Vogel.

That’s why, in this issue, we have expanded our signature, bock-of-book “Cut For Time” gallery to feature more of their superlative snaps, including no fewer than 19 mouthwatering timepieces, and an entire spread dedicated to movements.

As a result, more than ever before, our “Cut For Time” gallery is pure eye candy for any watch enthusiast.
 

Familiar to readers will be the look, feel, and even smell of Watchonista: Volume 04, which clocks in at over a pound in weight!

The dark, enigmatic front cover featuring Breitling’s B01 Premier Chronograph is stain-coated for added protection, giving it that luxurious soft touch you’ve come to expect from our print editions. Plus, for the first time, our “Watchonista” logo is not rendered in white and is instead emblazoned in the unmistakable shade of Breitling yellow.

Meanwhile, the chronograph’s hands and tachymeter are treated with a special UV gloss, allowing them to stand out against the matte surroundings. Inside, the paper used is of substantial quality, with each internal page treated with a soft-touch coating, which feels luxurious and inviting for readers.
 

As a byproduct of these paper choices and printing processes, not only do all our delectable images really pop, but the magazine also has a very appealing scent!

As a result, like our three previous print issues, Watchonista: Volume 04 feels so much more permanent than a magazine you’d typically find on newsstands. It definitely feels like something you’d want to keep on your coffee table for a long time.

Since our founding in 2009, Watchonista has always done things a little differently: Eschewing e-commerce, we don’t sell or buy watches or watch accessories; instead, we prefer to revel in their glory. In keeping with this mindset, we will never charge enthusiasts for our print magazine. Quite literally, it remains “The Watch Magazine You Can’t Buy.”

So, with Watchonista: Volume 04, we are continuing our unique distribution model: The only way you can get your hands on a copy is by visiting our “Find The Magazine” tab, where you can opt-in to location services and instantly find a brand boutique or partner retailer near to you who stocks the magazine.

As of July 26, Watchonista: Volume 04 will be available to pick up free of charge in over 32 points of distribution across North America.