Hodinkee Just Hired Its First Executive Editor

New York—Award-winning watch journalist Joe Thompson is moving up at Hodinkee, effective immediately.

On Tuesday, the company announced Thompson’s appointment as executive editor in charge of the day-to-day editorial operations of Hodinkee.com, which both publishes content about and sells watches.

Thompson, who has been covering the watch industry for 42 years, is the first editorial director for Hodinkee.

He joined the publication as an editor-at-large (a part-time contributor) in late 2017.

His hiring as a full-time staff member “further solidifies Hodinkee’s position as the leading publication covering the world of horology and reinforces its commitment and drive for journalistic excellence,” the company said in a statement.

Thompson started his career at Jewelers Circular Keystone (now JCK) magazine in 1977.

In 1982, he became editor-in-chief of Modern Jeweler magazine but left in 1996 to start another magazine, American Time, which was owned by Miller Freeman Publishing and was a sister publication to National Jeweler.

When American Time folded a few years later, Thompson became WatchTime magazine’s editor-in-chief and, later, an editor-at-large.

He left WatchTime in 2017.

Thompson has won nine awards from the American Business Press and two from the Society of Professional Journalists, formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, for his writing and reporting.

In 2016, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 14th annual Gem Awards, the annual industry awards gala organized by Jewelers of America that recognizes individuals in the industry.

In his new position as executive editor, he’ll work with Hodinkee.com Editor-in-Chief Jack Forster on the website’s overall editorial direction.

“I am honored to be Hodinkee’s new executive editor,” Thompson said. “The Hodinkee team’s writing, reporting, photography, videography and podcasts have redefined watch journalism for the digital age. I look forward to working with innovators like Jack Foster, Stephen Pulvirent, Will Holloway and the entire editorial team to further develop and strengthen Hodinkee’s editorial content.”