Latest watch news · Page 1221

One year after the launch of its first collaboration with Japanese streetwear label A Bathing Ape (BAPE), Swatch has just announced the second edition of the Swatch x BAPE Big Bold. A limited edition of unknown quantity, the new line up is made up of three models, plus a more exclusive box set that Swatch has teased about but not yet announced. From left: Tokyo Black Multi Camo, Tokyo Grey Multi Camo, Tokyo White Multi Camo Initial thoughts The first Swatch x BAPE edition was made up of six watches, each dedicated to a different city, along with a sixth “global” model – resulting in six truly distinct designs, making the whole set desirable. On the other hand, the new edition pays homage to Tokyo, the birthplace of BAPE, and all three watches have the same design, namely a stamped camouflage pattern on the dial, making it arguably less interesting as a trio. The monochromatic dials accentuate the large 47 mm diameter, which is further emphasised by the copious negative space in the lower half of the dial. Though not as daring in terms of design as the first edition, the new Swatch x BAPE collection will probably be well received thanks to its affordability and fun styling. Tokyo White Multi Camo with copper dial and matching pin buckle Round two The new Swatch x BAPE watches are identical, except for the colours of the case and dial. The case is 47 mm and matte plastic, with the crown at two o’clock and an integrated silicon strap. The trademark BAPE camouflage...

By now, you should be familiar with the Rado Captain Cook collection, inspired by a historical Rado reference from the golden age of dive watches. This year, the collection has launched three new references, announcing the Rado Captain Cook bronze for the first time ever. This warmly toned coloured metal complements the already vibrant array … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Rado Captain Cook bronze collection review, with blue, green and brown dials appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Bond Roberts is a joint venture between Rob Fox of James J. Fox and Rob Ayala of Friends of Habanos. They refer to the operation as, “a transparent cigar exchange where technology, oversight, and member participation come together to offer the largest continuous selection of aged, vintage, and rare Cuban cigars to the global market in a secure trading environment.” Ken Gargett weighs in on the trustworthiness of the new operation.

There were giants on the earth in those days.

A different kind of blue blood.

Revolution accounts for the many watches that Hollywood’s “King of Cool”, Steve McQueen owned and also the watches that he wore on screen.

With the success of the premiere model in stainless steel, Armin Strom releases the Gravity Equal Force in a 18k rose gold case.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe model now comes in a version combining a blue dial and bezel with a Sedna® gold case.

In 1816, Louis Moinet accomplished a first in watchmaking: a timepiece that could precisely track elapsed time. Measuring periodicity on demand had been accomplished before, but the French watchmaker’s invention gave it the functionality and exactness that we expect today. In assessing prototypes, we often tend to forgive their shortcomings and rosily reminisce, rewriting flaws as charms. Moinet’s timepiece, however, was a prescient opus. The layout of the dial had the now-familiar large central hand and elapsed time in subdials. Two pushers controlled the start, stop and reset functions, the power reserve lasted over 30 hours, and the mainspring could be wound while the timing mechanism was engaged to allow for longer timing runs. Most impressive, though, was its precision. Louis Moinet’s compteur de tierces of 1816. Image – Louis Moinet Named the compteur de tierces, or “timer of thirds”, Moinet’s invention ran at 216,000 beats per hour, measuring time down to one-sixtieth of a second. To allow for this ambitious exactitude to be utilised, the central chronograph hand completed revolutions once per second – such that the user could easily see which sixtieth of a second the period in question ended on - and the watch had an extra sub-dial for tracking elapsed seconds in addition to those for the minutes and hours. Whys and wherefores An impressive story, except that it’s missing something. Why did Moinet build it? And what did he use it to measure? A...

Last year, Seiko fans around the world had a collective skipping of heartbeats when the Japanese firm announced the release of the SLA033. This was no normal Seiko dive watch. As its full name suggests, the Seiko Diver’s Re-Creation Limited Edition SLA033, is a watch inspired by one of the most iconic Seiko dive watches … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Seiko SPB151J and Seiko SPB153J are modern Apocalypse Now reissues, and they’re ready for 2020 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

For the Hermès Arceau Harnais Français Remix, Hermès’ watch designers found inspiration in a pair of beautifully harnessed horses that formed the centerpiece of a silk scarf designed by Hugo Grykar, who served as the brand's in-house designer from the 1940s until 1959. The dial is engraved Limoges porcelain painstakingly decorated with colorful oven-fired enamel. And the result is a wearable work of art!

Be your own action hero.

HODINKEE editors look back at the year in everyone's favorite complication.

The death of Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1823 was a significant blow to the firm. Nevertheless, the Breguet name persists through the ages.

Whether you're interested in PGA Championships or Supercomplications, you don't want to miss this one.

Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water with your diver of choice, there’s yet another iteration to consider, and it lurks not only in the deep, but in our marketplace, where you can buy it as of today… Dive watches are perhaps the best served category of watches in the … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Original is a bulletproof diver with a brutal point of difference appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Massena LAB partners with MB&F; and L’Epée to announce the MB&F; X L’Epée X Massena LAB T-Rex Bronze

One of the world’s most venerable retailers of vintage timepieces and independent watchmaking, Shellman in Ginza (pictured above) has long been a destination for horologically-inclined visitors to Tokyo. Shellman was founded in 1971 by Yoshi Isogai – the company name is a play on his last name, which loosely translates as “beach shellfish” – and is probably best known as the Japanese agent for Philippe Dufour and selling over half of the 200 first-run Simplicity watches. Two years ago Shellman was acquired by Komehyo, a publicly-listed merchant that has taken the business of selling pre-owned luxury goods to a whole new level with spacious, sharply-appointed stores offering items in stellar condition. Shellman is now the specialist-watch retail division of Komehyo, with six stores in Tokyo – including outposts in the city’s most prestigious department stores – and a diverse stable of independent watch brands, including Atelier de Chronometrie, Habring2, and Kudoke. It’s run by Yasuhiro Kojima, a 15-year veteran of Komehyo’s watch department who joined Shellman shortly after the acquisition. We caught up with Mr Kojima recently to discuss the state of the business, especially in light of the pandemic. Yasuhiro Kojima. Photo – Shellman The interview has been edited for clarity and length. What does your reopening look like? We take basic measures such as hand sanitisation before entering the store, measuring body temperature when entering the store, i...

Editor’s note: We recently covered the launch of Dan Henry’s latest addition to his range, the Dan Henry 1937, a cleanly designed chronograph that looks back to some of the most iconic watches in the category. If we need any more proof that Dan’s watches are taken very seriously by all levels of enthusiasts, we … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: 5 of our favourite Dan Henry watches, including the “spectacular dial” of the new 1937 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The time-only Romain Gauthier Micro-Rotor already seemed like it was built around the concept of 'simplify, then add lightness' as it was pared back to the essentials while still maintaining the Gauthier flair. Now the Insight Micro-Rotor Squelette doubles down on the concept and continues to add even more lightness everywhere thanks in great part to open architecture that has been skeletonized, laying the inner workings bare. But there's more to it, and Joshua Munchow explains all of it here.

In this week's Throwback Sundays column, we take a look at six iconic watches that have stood the test of time - some with interesting stories as well!

Time at the frigid edge of civilization.

Most watch enthusiasts are guilty of – at one point or another – scoffing at the advent of the smart watch, confident that they would be a fad. And more confident still that they would never appeal to one with a love for ‘real’ watches. But that hasn’t been the case for most. Whether you … ContinuedThe post 6 of the best smart watches released in 2020, including Timex, Hublot and Bausele appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Why do high-end watches cost so much? To answer the question, Ian Skellern looked at low production numbers and high complexity, but the cost he focuses on here is hand-finishing, because unlike low production numbers and high complexity, ultra-high-level hand-finishing is not easy to appreciate.

A gem from 2019's collection, the Cartier Santos-Dumont is everything we want in a modern dress watch. It is slim, iconic, and of sound watchmaking pedigree. Most importantly, its price point is relatively accessible at US$5,850 for a manual wind in steel and US$15,600 in rose gold.

Whether Geneva Watch Days takes place or not, and whether it’s deemed successful or not because of all the travel and quarantine restrictions, doesn’t change the fact that there was a good chance that it could have run very successfully. Which means Ian Skellern was wrong in calling Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin delusional for organizing it. And for that he apologizes.

One viewing of the Parmigiani Fleurier Hippologia in action is enough to confirm that its two horses’ gaits seem completely fluid and natural. The Hippologia displays two horses, a mare, and a foal taking a stroll around a Lalique glassware cabinet enclosing the highly complicated automaton and eight-day clock movement. This is an object that needs to be seen to be believed.