Latest watch news · Page 1128

Twenty-twenty one sees Rolex revamp both its Explorer references, just in time for the 50th anniversary of the model. The new Explorer II ref. 226570 gets a new movement, while preserving the familiar style of previous model, the ref. 216570 that was launched exactly a decade ago. That means a second time zone hand in orange; fixed, brushed steel bezel; a largish, 42 mm case; and a white or black dial. While the new Explorer II is similar to its predecessor in terms of aesthetics – though the case is slimmed slightly and bracelet widened – it is powered by the cal. 3285, one of the latest-generation Rolex movement. Initial thoughts The new Explorer II is a major technical update thanks to the new movement, but in terms of look and feel, it is likely indistinguishable from its predecessor. Anyone who was a fan of the preceding model – this is a superior version of the same because the new movement is substantially better. But for those who thought the 42 mm case was too wide, it’s still 42 mm, albeit with redesigned lugs to make it slightly narrower. I find the 42 mm case a bit too big, but the version with the “polar” white dial has long been a favourite, and the new movement makes it more appealing, notwithstanding the case. For what it costs at retail the Explorer II is an excellent buy – as most Rolex watches are – though it’ll probably be tough to land one for now. Nips and tucks The Explorer II has a 42 mm case made of Oystersteel, which Rolex’s o...

Rolex celebrates one of its most historically significant lines, the mighty Explorer, as its flagship launch of 2021. Both the Explorer and Explorer 2 have been revisited this year and fans of the venerable tool watches won’t be disappointed.

Capitalising on the enduring popularity of the Tank, Cartier has (re)launched the Tank Must de Cartier at Watches & Wonders 2021. The new Tank Must line includes several entry-level watches in steel, including an unusual solar-powered model, and also a trio of watches with monochrome, solid colour dials in red, green and blue that are inspired by originals of the 1970s. Initial thoughts Appealing for its simple, 1970s style, the new Tank Must is especially striking in red, which is Cartier’s house colour. The cases are all “large model” size, which makes it suited to both genders, though more of a formal-dress watch for men. But they are all unfortunately powered by quartz movements, which are entirely acceptable given the affordable price. Given the style and movement, the new Tank Must is best suited to someone who wants a fuss-free watch that is quintessentially Cartier but not too expensive. Watch enthusiasts will probably have to wait for new versions with mechanical movements in the coming years. Vintage Technicolor The Must de Cartier Tank was born in 1977 as a mass-market product at a low price – and it was a massive hit. Prior to the Must – “I must have a Cartier” – the Tank had only been manufactured in precious metals and never been on an industrial scale. The Must de Cartier watches, which also included the Santos and other case shapes, transformed Cartier into the watch and jewellery giant it is today. While the new Tank Must line encompasses...

Yesterday it is fair to say that Tudor hit a home run with their releases, notably introducing an attractive duo of precious metal Black Bay 58 watches as well as a revamped pair of panda-dialled Black Bay chronographs. Tudor was originally created to provide more affordable timepieces that leveraged Rolex designs and fabrication with mass-produced … ContinuedThe post ANALYSIS: Gold Tudors are now selling but who exactly will be buying? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Montblanc and Reinhold Messner go to the Gobi for their latest limited edition.

Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen walks us through their latest additions to the Pilots family at Watches & Wonders 2021.

IWC Museum Curator Dr. David Seyffer, walks us through IWC’s latest at Watches & Wonders 2021 and tells how these new watches add to the watchmaker’s long standing history of Pilot’s Watches.

Cartier CEO Cyrille Vigneron walks us through the ethics, intentions and watches announced the maison has unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2021.

Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari, walks us through Bvlgari’s 7th world records: the 5.8mm thin, Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2021.

Crafted from almost 100 percent recycled-based material, Panerai’s Submersible eLAB-ID paves the way for Swiss horology’s ethical evolution.

Nicolas Baretzki, Montblanc CEO and Laurent Lecamp, Watch Division Direcor, walks us through the their latest at Watches & Wonders 2021.

Unveiled alongside the fancy Cloche Skeleton, the Privé Cloche de Cartier is the latest vintage design to be revived by the Parisian jeweller. Less famous than the Tank or Santos, the Cloche is nevertheless an original design that quirkier than the typical Cartier case. Designed in the 1920s and shaped like a bell – cloche is French for “bell” – the Cloche has been a fixture in Cartier’s catalogue for decades, but only ever produced in small numbers, explaining its relatively obscurity. The last major edition of the model was the Collection Privee Cartier Paris (CPCP) limited edition of 2007 – 100 in yellow gold with a silver dial – though smaller runs and custom models were made in the interim. The new Privé Cloche is offered in three metals – either pink or yellow gold as well as platinum – each limited to 100 pieces. The Cloche variants. Image – Cartier Initial thoughts The Cloche is a quirky but appealing shape that brings to mind “driver’s” watches, but is an original design in itself. The newest iteration of the century-old design is the largest to date, making it a good size for a formal-dress watch even by modern standards. The case is fairly wide, and also thick enough it doesn’t feel delicate. The only aspect of the design I question is the strap, which feels too narrow, especially on a bare wrist that isn’t under a shirt cuff. Although the design is classic Cartier, the colours and details give the Cloche a more modern feel. The d...

From new riffs on Cartier favorites and well-priced releases to elegant, artful designs that the maison is renowned for, Cartier shows the way ahead for 2021.

Style & Heritage Director at Vacheron Constantin, Christian Selmoni walks us through the maison’s latest at Watches & Wonders 2021.

Patek Philippe’s outgoing steel Nautilus 5711 is given one last hurrah with an olive green dial for its end of series edition, the reference 5711/1A-014

Launched alongside the affordable Tank Must in steel at Watches & Wonders 2021, the Tank Louis Cartier is a limited-production that’s the flagship model of the new Tank offerings. Featuring an Art Deco “sector” dial modelled on a style found on the Les Must de Cartier Tank of the 1980s, the Tank Louis Cartier (or Tank LC) combines an 18k gold case with the in-house, hand-wind 1917 MC movement. Initial thoughts The Tank LC is the perhaps quintessential Tank, and the new version is one of the most compelling in recent years, both in design and the fact that it’s mechanical (most have been quartz). The new model is practically identical in size to what was historically the “large” Tank LC. That means a case that’s 33.7 mm by 25.5 mm, and 6.60 mm high. It’s relatively small by modern standards, but the size works well as a formal-dress watch under a cuff, though it would look out of place with casual wear. In fact, it excels as a formal watch that is a little more interesting, thanks to the dial design and colours. The Art Deco dial is simple but striking, and appealing in both design and colour. The only shortcoming is a historical one – it was originally found on the inexpensive Les Must de Cartier Tank, while this is clearly a high-end timepiece. At US$13,100, the new Tank LC is relatively affordable as such things go, which makes it a strong contender for a formal watch that’s a bit more lively. Classic Tank The new Tank LC is offered in two guises ...

Chabi Nouri, CEO of Piaget, walks us through the their latest at Watches & Wonders 2021.

The Cartier Tank is quite possibly the most iconic rectangular wristwatch, matched only in its longevity and enduring appeal by the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. Capitalizing on the popularity of the Tank, Cartier has reintroduced the Tank Must de Cartier name as an entire model family at Watches & Wonders 2021. Initial Thoughts The Tank Must de Cartier was born in 1977, in the throes of the quartz crisis. The Must de Cartier was the jeweler’s answer to the upheaval within the industry – it marked the first time the Tank was produced at an industrial scale and was also the first time the model was not produced in precious metal. The Tank Must de Cartier borrowed the shape of the Tank Louis Cartier – whereas the brancards of the 1917 original were flat, those of the Tank Louis Cartier are gently rounded. I am a fan of the new collection. Not only is the Must de Cartier probably the most recognizable of the Tank range, but the new watches are handsome and a surprisingly good value proposition. The new Tank Must de Cartier is a comprehensive family that is sure to become a bestseller – not only is there a model at every price point, from entry-level steel to more glitzy diamond-paved variants, but the models are also available in a dizzying number of sizes and movement configurations. Tank Must de Cartier The classic silver-dialed model with Roman numerals, railroad minutes track, and blued steel hands is available in steel in three sizes: small, large, and extra-large. ...

IWC has introduced eye-catching variations of the Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar, two new colorways for the Pilot Chronograph, and a Top Gun Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar special edition.

There was a major Rolex announcement hidden in plain sight today. It was not mentioned during Rolex’s Watches & Wonders presentation, but our team of sleuth detectives realised that on Rolex.com the model configurator tool will allow buyers to put the Rolex GMT Master II Pepsi & Batman on an Oyster bracelet once again. On … ContinuedThe post The sleeper Rolex story is that the Batman and Pepsi are back on Oyster and Sky-Dweller is available on Jubilee appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

A. Lange & Söhne first unveiled the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar in 2014.  Still the most complicated Lange 1 in the line up, the watch combined an instantaneous perpetual calendar with a discreet tourbillon only visible on the back side. Fast forward seven years later, Lange finally unveils a simplified version – but still a complicated watch – the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar, now without the tourbillon. Two variants are available: in pink gold with a grey dial, or in white gold with a solid pink gold dial. Initial thoughts At a glance, one can be forgiven for thinking this is another version of the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon. It is, however, a completely new model that distills the design to focus on a fascinating perpetual calendar, without the added complexity and cost of a tourbillon. In typical Lange style, there were no shortcuts taken: the watch is powered by a new(ish) movement, rather than the same calibre minus the tourbillon. The removal of the tourbillon makes it more accessible, but the new watch is still a hefty €98,000 with the grey dial (and a bit more for the pink gold). At the same time, it might dilute the status of the pricier, flagship tourbillon variant. Nevertheless, the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar is intrinsically an exemplary perpetual calendar – in both construction and design – especially the pink gold dial (or “salmon”) being a trendy colour that would likely be the more popular choice. An upgraded moonphase ...

IWC releases the Big Pilot Watch 43 in homage to the IWC Big Pilot’s watch Ref. 5002 launched in 2002.

To celebrate the Reverso’s glorious nine-decade long journey, Jaeger-LeCoultre has chosen the Hybris Mechanica collection to introduce its most complex Reverso, with 11 complications displayed over four functioning faces and 12 patents to its credit.

A roundup of the stunning watches newly released by the maison this year.

Jaeger-LeCoultre releases two new Reversos A non-complicated Reverso in a green dial, and the other will be revealed on April 14th when the embargo lifts.

When A. Lange & Söhne first introduced the Triple Split in 2018, it was an incremental improvement over the Double Split but still a landmark, being the first watch capable of recording twin elapsed times of up to 12 hours. Lange remains the only watchmaker to offer a split-seconds chronograph of this magnitude. And now at Watches & Wonders 2021 it is unveiling the Triple Split in a new guise of pink gold and a blue dial. Initial thoughts Interestingly, Watches & Wonders 2021 marks the first major watch fair where Lange has not introduced any new timepieces with either a silver or black dial. Instead, the new Lange models all feature bold dial colours that break away from tradition – and I’m all for it. The new Triple Split is a merely facelift of the original, which had a dark grey dial and white gold case that gave it an austere characteristic of Lange. In contrast, the new model sheds its predecessor’s sternness with the rich combination of a blue dial and pink gold case, allowing it to come across as significantly more contemporary. I really like the new look. It’s eminently striking, while also being intriguing as it’s an unusual colour combination for Lange, which typically makes its watches with either silver or black dials. I particularly like the rhodium-coloured sub-dials, that contrast distinctly against the blue dial. Regardless of colour, the Triple Split is a magnificently complicated watch, one of the most complicated that Lange produces. Arguab...