HODINKEE 4+

What can I say!? If you’re a watch lover or looking to purchase your first watch....or just interested in how they fit all those gears in such a little case...Hodinkee is the site for you! They provide in depth analysis of current watch trends, prices and even where to get them! They have great selections of modern and vintage pieces for purchase with objective insight on each piece. They also have articles and videos on why other people just like you enjoy collecting multiple pieces or why their one and only watch is all that they ever need! Once you “Hodinkee” you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner! See you here! And always remember...the best watch in the world, is the one on your wrist.

I’ve been a collector in the world of horology for the last 10 years and the first name in watch publication that’s commonly spoke when it comes to education on the subject matter is HODINKEE. Although I do really appreciate the content that’s put on this publication as it tends to be very interesting and easy to understand I cannot help but notice something odd about the site. Much like Twitter or other organization these days they tend to heavily sensor what is being posted as far as discussion and anything that disagrees with their opinion tends to fall under their famous “auto moderation”. I am not the only one that have taken note of this feature which silences harsh opinion and in some cases even more mundane comment but I find it a bit terrifying they do anything of the sort. They have gotten a ton of backlash as far as their moderation and essentially controlling of thoughts that differ from theirs and therefore despite a lot of great usability in their app and alright subject matter I cannot give it greater than 1 star.

I use the clock “tool” in this app frequently to set my watches, so its placement in the bottom navigation was great; close to where your fingers are and accessible from any screen in the app. And it was just a fun timepiece featured prominently in an app celebrating timepieces.

This “tool” I used multiples times a week has been replaced by “insurance,” which I will use never. My assumption is the overwhelming majority of your users will set their beloved watches from time to time, but a vanishingly small percentage will buy insurance. That’s you choosing advertising over usability, and that’s a shame.

The clock is still there in the upper corner, but it’s now harder to reach, not available on every screen, and breaks muscle memory. I don’t mind you selling insurance, but it’s sad that this business push has literally replaced a useful tool and a fun celebration of why we love watches.