The Goodwood Revival is one of the most spectacular automotive events on Earth, and as the cars race off the track, the watches follow suit. You’ll see a variety of timepieces, from rare Swiss masterpieces worth more than the vintage Jaguars and Ferraris speeding around the track, to everyday enthusiasts' choices that many might be wearing right now. But the most intriguing are the emotional heirlooms that come out of their boxes due to the era's dress codes.
If you’ve been following Hodinkee for a while, you’ll remember Cole’s annual photo reports from the Goodwood Revival. I was fortunate enough to capture many of the images used in those reports. Strolling around the Goodwood circuit with Mr. Pennington was an enlightening experience in horology for me and greatly influenced my growing involvement in the watch community.
Searching for watches with Cole at the Revival has become a highlight of the event, so even though he couldn’t attend last year, I continued my quest for cool timepieces; scanning everyone’s wrists for any design clues that might suggest a story behind the watch seems to have become second nature to me.
With the 2024 Goodwood Revival just wrapped up, I’ve embarked on my journey to find watches once again. Here are some of my favorite photos from my watch-hunting adventures at the Goodwood Revival over the past two years! Enjoy!
We start strong with this year’s first photo. Mark Gonnelli may not be wearing watches on both wrists, but the Royal Oak he has owned since 1998 complements the Dent four-spring chronometer pocket watch he has tucked away in his front pocket from the late 19th century.
"Big Al" sports a massive James Cameron-inspired Seiko deep-sea diver’s watch.
Just like you do, pausing to chat in front of the original Le Mans-winning GT40.
“This is a Tank watch from 2010. There’s nothing special about it; it just feels right to wear it today.”
After seeing that sponsored jacket, I searched hard for a true timepiece machine, but unfortunately, I didn’t find one.
This Rolex Day-Date perfectly aligns with my personal motto of “all-brown.”
While the BND watch lacks historical background, it is equally charming. It fits perfectly with the retro vibe of the Revival, almost as if it was custom-made for it.
Mr. Henrik explains, “I bought it from a collector friend in the 90s. It was a big watch back then. Now it looks small!”
Lyn Wynwood showcases her inner Audrey Hepburn, darling.
Jonny Lieberman’s Big Pilot chronograph may not always keep the most accurate time, but this hefty IWC pairs well with his chunky Tatuaje cigar.
This Seamaster not only perfectly reflects the era but was once owned by George Daniels, serving as his daily wear for a time.
“This watch was a gift from my dad’s best friend. My dad never wore watches, but he always wore it because it was a gift. After my dad passed away in 2017, he gave it to me. This watch has been in our family for 30 years.”
This is the right way to document the moment at the Revival.
As a wise person once said, always read the case back.
You might recognize Dominik Infante from last year’s coverage, as well as the year before that. His watches are always impeccable, and he happens to be the reason Hodinkee attends the Revival.
This year, he wore a 38mm 1955 Omega Speedmaster Automatic, making its debut at Goodwood.
Some believe the Revival’s parking lot is the best car exhibition of the year.
In 2015, the Breadvan crashed on the track, and to continue racing, they had to hammer out the aluminum body panels with wooden mallets. There weren’t many other options for this unique 250 GTO variant.
Mr. Bianchi from Northern Italy wears an Eberhard Speedmaster his grandfather bought in the 1950s.
A little rain never hurts anyone. Well, maybe it has a slight effect on the Daytona.
My personal Credor Phoenix might be the highlight of my modest collection. A Piaget Upstream chronograph.
The Ferrari 250 GT SWB (short wheelbase version) will always be perfection.
A masterpiece that might have more facets than you can imagine.
If watches could talk…
…this one would surely make you unable to resist.
Two years ago, we bumped into Ms. Ikuzawa and her friend Daniel Arsham. This year, they showcased the Arsham team’s Porsche 904 race car more prominently on the track. The charming Mai wears her Ikuzawa x Bamford Carrera watch.
The next day, Jonny Lieberman swapped his IWC for a Sheffield 24-hour watch: “Although I can’t read the time, this medieval-style design is perfect for weekend wear.”
Scott Evans, senior features editor at Car and Driver, brought along many heirlooms. The Vantage watch (formerly a more accessible sub-brand of Hamilton) and a genuine Hamilton pocket watch, both from his late grandfather.
Next up, something different watches.
From Casio to Kurono. Japan’s presence at the Revival isn’t particularly high (for several obvious reasons), so this chronograph with a jade dial, the “Hisui 3,” stands out.
Is it really a photo report without at least one Nautilus?
This Nautilus belongs to Max Chilton, who drove the record-breaking McMurtry Speirling at another annual automotive celebration at Goodwood—the Festival of Speed—making him undoubtedly the fastest driver at Goodwood.
