Latest watch news · Page 1152

Despite the five day lockdown, when we were heading into this time last week, life in Melbourne is generally very good. The Australian Open has been thundering along at full steam with some seriously good matches being played, summer is finally here with blue skies as far as the eye can see and life is … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: The Australian Open tennis watches, and spending some quality time with the Zenith Chronomaster Sport appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The 2021 Australian Open is edging towards its climax in Melbourne after the players and their respective teams completed a mandatory two weeks of quarantine. It’s been controversial. It’s been far from ideal, with a 5-day statewide lockdown intervening mid-comp until just yesterday. But it’s been on. And that’s what matters.  In this post-COVID era … ContinuedThe post 4 professional tennis players who wear their watches on court, and what they are appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Bulova new edition of the "666" Devil Diver Oceanographer in a stunning orange dial. Here is our comprehensive report after a week's worth wear testing.

Having been resurrected three years ago, Ikepod is returning to collaborations with contemporary artists, this time for Megapod designed together with Tom Christopher, best known for his paintings of New York City streetscapes. Based the automatic model launched last year, the Ikepod X Tom Christopher Megapod is a 200-piece edition sold exclusively online, reflecting the reborn Ikepod’s focus on affordable watches sold direct to the consumer. The Tom Christopher Megapod is the brand’s first artist collaboration since the Jeff Koons and KAWS watches created by an earlier iteration of the company. To recap, the brand was originally founded by Swiss businessman Oliver Ike and industrial designer Marc Newson in 1994, but failed to achieve commercial success despite its distinctive designs, in part due to high retail prices that resulted from its small production and high-quality components. It closed its doors in 2006, before being revived by art collector and dealer Adam Lindemann, whose influence helped gets Mr Koons and KAWS on board. But the brand continued to focus on pricey watches, and went bust once again in 2012. Now owned by a pair of Swiss entrepreneurs, the latest iteration of Ikepod is very much sticking with entry-level watches. Initial thoughts Having been the brainchild of Mr Newson, and then backed by Mr Lindemann, Ikepod’s idiosyncratic timepieces were long popular with certain well-heeled fans of contemporary art. Kanye West, for instance, sported a...

A pioneering American independent watchmaker established in 1992, RGM Watch Co. long ago developed an in-house expertise in traditional guilloche, resulting in a Breguet-inspired aesthetic that defined the brand in its early years. But RGM – named after founder Roland G. Murphy – has since diversified its offerings to include custom and bespoke watches. The latest example of a custom commission is Model 25 “Kauai”, a wristwatch with a dial bearing the map of the eponymous Hawaiian island. Initial thoughts RGM is especially good at dial making, and the Kauai is a good example of what the brand can do. While the Hawaiian island motif is personal to the client who ordered the watch, the quality of the execution is evidently high. The wave guilloche on the dial is engraved the old-fashioned way, with a hand-operated straight-line engine, while both plaques on the dial are solid gold that were cut by hand on a jig borer. And almost all of the dial is produced in house, save for the laser engraving of the map and the blue galvanic coating. The value of the watch is almost entirely in the one-off, hand-made dial – and it offers strong value in itself. The Kauai cost US$13,900, and similar custom watches are priced about the same – alternatives include enamel or marquetry dials – making them a good value proposition, especially since comparable watches from establishment Swiss brands would cost substantially more. Made in Pennsylvania Located in Mount Joy, a town in...

Back in the 1970s, Steve McQueen was the king of cool: he was a world-famous movie star and a prominent racecar driver. So it's no surprise that the Heuer Monaco he wore in the film 'Le Mans' instantly became a hit. But what happened to the Monaco models used on set and where are they today? Chris Malburg interviewed the now-deceased prop master to find out.

Rectangles, what do they mean? According to whiteriverdesign.com, these shapes represent stability. In fact, the rectangle is the most commonly used area shape in logo design. The reason for its popularity, apparently, is that it is a trusted familiar shape that represents honesty, solidity and stability. As squares and rectangles have straight lines and right … ContinuedThe post BOOK REVIEW: The Reverso book, 90 years of a timeless Art Deco masterpiece, ready for your coffee table appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

H.Moser have become central to the revival of deep fumé or degradè dial finishing. Their deep colours captivate your attention like no flat black dial ever could. In this video we check out the the H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds Swiss Mad Red, which certainly lives up to its colourful name. This luscious … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: You’ll get lost in the spellbinding dial of the H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds Swiss Mad Red appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

We can all get caught up in the latest news about Nautilus or the next unobtainable Rolex. But for the majority of watch buyers, the most important timepieces are those that are accessibly priced and offer a ton of value.  One brand that constantly delivers in this regard is Longines, a manufacture of longstanding heritage … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Longines Silver Arrow is the watch that Don Draper would wear to the race track appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Ikepod announces an extension to the Megapod line with a new artist collab with Tom Christopher, with dial art on the Megapod MCT 1 Skaters in the Sky.

Revolution takes the new 41mm German Submarine Steel SINN U50 for a spin to find out if it is arguably one of the better desk divers for your buck.

Over the past 28 years, Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Offshore has evolved into a cult watch that is simultaneously synonymous with success and street cred.

It’s turned into a mighty strange Australian Open. Before the Grand Slam event began, many players were herded into quarantine and forced to practise their drop-shots against their hotel-room walls. Next up, crowds were barred from Rod Laver Arena when Melbourne entered a hard five-day lockdown. Yet perhaps the most enduring change from this tournament … ContinuedThe post You cannot be serious! Shouts of “Rolex” could soon replace “Out” calls at the tennis appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Announced just a few months ago, the R500 Chronograph was unexpected for Sinn. Retro and funky at the same time, the R500 departs from the typical Sinn fare of no-nonsense, aviation-instrument watches. The R500 is straight out of the 1970s in style, with a hockey-puck case that has the pushers and crown at 12 o’clock, a retro configuration often known as “bullhead”. But like all Sinn watches, the R500 is a big, robust, and functional timepiece. The diametrically opposite blend of retro fun and tangible seriousness lies behind the R500’s appeal. Initial thoughts Though best known for their utilitarian, and almost military, style, Sinn sometimes creates novel designs, often for specific markets, like the many limited editions made for Japan. But such watches are mostly out of reach for the average buyer, if for nothing but geography and logistics. The R500, on the other hand, is a limited edition available at Sinn retailers globally, but is also different enough from the brand’s usual watches to make it interesting, especially with the retro “bullhead” layout matched with red and green accents on the power reserve scale. And the R500 is also unusual in being titanium, instead of steel, which is the metal most commonly used for Sinn watch cases. The handful of titanium watches that Sinn offers are also mostly dive watches. In fact, the only intrinsic downside of the R500 is the strap, which is a perfect fit in terms of design, but stiff on the wrist and also dif...

The market for stainless-steel watches with blue dials is as hot as ever. And it makes sense for brands to produce watches that meet this demand. But how many more do we really need? The Grand Seiko SBGR321 was first announced towards the end of last year as a part of their 60th anniversary releases, … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Is the Grand Seiko SBGR321 just another stainless-steel watch with a blue dial? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took the field on Monday morning (in Australia), February 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Ken Gargett pulled out a Romeo y Julieta Churchill. The poor thing was a solo stick in a lonely humidor and the foot was very ratty, torn and tattered, but otherwise it appeared in good condition. And as it was a gift, who was he to complain. But it turned out to be a stellar cigar and the perfect accompaniment to a cracking game.

Detailed review of the new Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi Spirit of Shí Chen, featuring the combination traditional Chinese timekeeping and Swiss horology.

Oris welcomes a new edition to their ocean conservation-themed line of limited-edition timepieces. The Whale Shark Limited Edition raises funding and awareness to save a very special and endangered shark.

I have been a huge fan of Kurono watches since their introduction. Master watchmaker Hajime Asaoka should be applauded for the brand’s mission of trying to make high-quality timepieces more accessible to consumers. What really makes Kurono so intriguing, beyond these more approachable price points, is the design language utilised across the various lines. This … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Don’t miss out – the new Kurono Chronograph 2 from the cult Japanese brand will sell out fast appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Now I wholeheartedly confess to being a die-hard Seiko fan with two of the dearest favourites in my watch box being my inky black delight – Grand Seiko SBGR053 – and my limited edition Baby Marinemaster. The latter one is pertinent to this article as one of the many “inspired by” 62MAS heritage reissues from … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Did Seiko quietly kickstart the massive heritage trend 21 years ago? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Bulgari’s race to the flattest started in 2014, when it started unveiling one complication after another of record-setting slimness, culminating with the thinnest-ever automatic chronograph two years ago. While the original version is monochromatic and all titanium, the new Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Titanium is a twist on the theme. It’s fitted to an integrated rubber  strap, in a first for the model that leaves it even more featherweight. Initial thoughts Admittedly – at least from a technical standpoint – the new Octo chronograph isn’t as exciting as it was when the model was first launched. This is just a facelift, but it’s a good one. Though similar to earlier versions of the Octo chronograph, the new model stands out for its palette, which arguably gives it more wrist presence. The original version has an integrated metal bracelet that flowed well in terms of visual continuity. But the strap is compelling for the opposite reason: it makes the extra-thin case stand out, increasing the visual contrast while making the watch look a bit fancier. The elimination of the bracelet will surely change its tangible feel on the wrist substantially. Because of the lightweight materials – a titanium case and strap in rubber – the watch will feel almost non-existent on wrist, taking the ultra-thin nature of the Octo one step forward. And like the time-only version of the Octo, the Chronograph is fairly priced in most iterations. This costs US$17,200, making i...

When Longines first remade a 1970s pilot’s chronograph as the Avigation BigEye Chronograph, it was well received for being a faithful re-interpretation priced affordably, as most other Longines reissues are. While the 2017 model was a dead ringer for the vintage original, Longines has just facelifted the watch, giving it a titanium case and gradient blue dial. That gives the Avigation BigEye Titanium more modern look, which along with the upgraded case, results in a steeper price that’s about a quarter more than that of the steel model. Initial thoughts Longines has been hitting it out of the park with its recent remakes – the Silver Arrow, Classic “Tuxedo” Chronograph, and Heritage Classic “Sector” Dial – that are smartly designed and good value, and despite the hike in price, BigEye Titanium is no exception. While the steel BigEye had a utilitarian look like the 1970s original, the titanium version is decidedly more contemporary. The gradient blue dial is bold, and also fashionable today, with a sandblasted texture adding further visual intrigue. I like the juxtaposition of the black sub-dials against the blue gradient finish, though the faux patina on the hands and indices might be a bit too affected, especially with the modern look. Despite the tweaks, the BigEye Titanium retains the same legible design, thus preserving the historical raison d’etre of its design. Another notable feature is the titanium case, which makes the new BigEye the brand...

Oris has always harboured a deep respect for the environment and supported efforts to protect the ocean and sea life therein. This isn’t a tokenistic move either. The brand really puts their money where their mouth is, aiming to become CO2 neutral by 2021 and incorporating recycled materials in both their watches and their packaging. … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Oris Whale Shark Aquis GMT has a textured dial with a bubbly personality appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Collaboration has become the name of the game. Be it in music, fashion or watchmaking, we’ve never seen such a diverse meeting of minds from around the world. But many collaborations leave you scratching your head, especially when two brands that have nothing in common come together to make a product that doesn’t make sense. … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph is a collaboration that makes perfect sense appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

While LVMH Watch Week 2021 did not take place in physical form, it was not any less spectacular. Hublot is one of the brands whose new watches Martin Green always looks most forward to: they never disappoint and they always dazzle. And, as Martin highlights here, despite the pandemic this year is no exception.

Rod Stewart recounts how his Cartier watch was stolen during a pitch invasion after a 1977 football match when Scotland beat England.The post This is how Rod Stewart’s Cartier got stolen during a pitch invasion at Wembley appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

We bring you the low-down and our honest thoughts on the Bovet Dimier Récital 29, the first of the series to have a stainless steel case.