Latest watch news · Page 878

On very rare occasions does Grand Seiko create unique versions of its watches. But it has done so with a unique version of the Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon – the one-off reference SLGT001 – that will go under the hammer at Phillips’ New York auction December 11, with some proceeds from the sale going to a children’s charity. Anyone who read our earlier in-depth, two-part story on the Kodo (part I covers the watch and part II its technical features) will understand the the impressive technical achievement that is its movement. The SLGT001 has all of that, but in a unique execution specifically for the auction. Engraved “Unique Piece No. 1/1” on the back, the SLGT001 is instantly recognisable as a one-off. While the standard version of the model has a monochromatic grey palette, the SLGT001 is set apart by its colour: heat-blued and gilded components against rhodium-plated bridges. Most of the screws are blued steel, while the three-armed tourbillon carriage is blued titanium. And the SLGT001 is also distinguished by its case material. Unlike the standard model that has a case made up of both titanium and platinum, this is entirely in Brilliant Hard Titanium, the brand’s proprietary alloy that boasts a brighter, more silvery hue than most titanium alloys. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the SLGT001 will go to the Children’s Heart Foundation. Besides benefiting a good cause, the winning bidder will also get a trip to Japan to meet the team behind...

Mecaquartz or Valjoux 72? The choice is up to you.

Solid gold watches can be wildly expensive, and this is partly why the consumer base largely focuses on stainless-steel references. But those who are willing to do the leg-work can track down some really interesting vintage gold watches that, in the scope of what they offer, can be had for quite a bargain. As a … ContinuedThe post Gold rush: Three discontinued gold watches you can have for a bargain appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Dresden-based Lang & Heyne is a German independent watchmaker that makes just 100 to 150 timepieces per year. Created to mark the ninth year of the partnership with its retailer in Hong Kong, its latest release is the Friedrich II Remontoir “The Lavish Attic Edition”. If the watch sounds familiar, that’s because the prototype of the limited edition was sold at Phillips in May for HK$819,000, or just over US$105,000. Now it returns as a serial-production timepiece in a limited edition of 36 watches – nine pieces each in stainless steel, white gold, rose gold and platinum. Lang & Heyne (L&H;) was founded in 2001 by watchmakers Marco Lang, Mirko Heyne, and Lothar Zieger. All three founders have since left the brand, most recently Mr Lang, who left to set up his eponymous brand. Their departure has allowed the brand to evolve into less traditional watches like the Friedrich II Remontoir for the Lavish Attic, which has a sporty aesthetic and titanium movement bridges. Initial thoughts I was intrigued when I came across the prototype offered at Phillips. A watch with a constant-force escapement is something you don’t often see (even if brands like F.P. Journe have made it a speciality). That, combined with the stark black dial, steel bracelet, and sporty design, made it an unusual proposition. As a serially-produced watch, albeit a limited edition, the Lavish Attic edition retains the key elements that give it a distinctive look, namely the glossy, black enamel dial ...

Finally! Lang & Heine releases the commercial (9 piece limited edition) release of the Friedrich II Remontoir, a collaboration with The Lavish Attic.

By the pool at Villa Hublot, a palatial mansion on the Persian Gulf coast, the French World Cup winner Marcel Desailly is sitting at the corner of the bar drinking a glass of red wine. As a DJ spins upbeat house tunes to usher in the sunset, a waiter circulates among the guests with a … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: At the World Cup with Hublot, final ChaosMaster Save Us Koala Edition available for purchase appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

This trio of novelties from the Vacheron Constantin Égérie Moon Phase collection encompasses the brand’s incredible attention to detail and gem-setting savoir-faire. The first is a more simple, possibly even everyday, piece with a brand new bracelet, touted to fit like a second skin. The other two share a case and dial covered in diamonds, … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Vacheron Constantin Égérie Moon Phase stuns with its diamond-studded designs appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Gary's controversial and not-so-controversial gift picks for the holiday season.

Ever wondered what happens when you take the colour wheel and throw it at a watch with extreme craftsmanship and precision? Well, we recently found out. Franck Muller and colour share a healthy, two decade-long relationship, marked by the release of the first Colour Dreams model during the turn of the millennium. From the Crazy … ContinuedThe post The Franck Muller Vanguard Skeleton Colour Dreams is a joyful riot of mad-cap fun appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The NOMOS Club Date Limited Edition Collection For Hodinkee

Eavesdrop on a Hodinkee Slack chat as we talk auction trends, rare Cartier London watches, tiny chronographs, and more from the upcoming New York auctions.

Vacheron Constantin continues to delve into its massive capabilities in  Métiers d'art with the new Traditionelle Tourbillon Phoenix and Dragon.

In the realm of microbrand watches, Kickstarter has long been a preferred platform for launching new models, and even entirely new brands. It can be a sort of marketing test-bed for a fledgling brand, or a lower-risk method of funding production runs for more established ones. It’s pretty simple, really. If no one’s interested in … ContinuedThe post Three monster Kickstarter success stories that exploded into life appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The MP-09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis 5-Day Power Reserve Rainbow 3D Carbon is an excellent example of Hublot doing what it does best: challenging the status quo as a conversation piece. And Martin Green loves it!

Newton’s third law: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. When a brand, in any industry, gets super popular, it can become fashionable to try and tear it down. The power of the Hublot brand is massive, and if it is not their bold material innovation that drew you into their timepieces, then their … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Summer Purple embodies the best of the brand appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The saying “history repeats itself” is often associated with unfavorable occurrences. But this is definitely not the case with A. Lange & Söhne and December 7, a date that has marked milestones for the brand three times now. Sabine Zwettler explores the significance of the founding day of Glashütte’s finest manufactory.

Gifts for someone who knows they don't know a lot about watches, but knows they want to know more.

There is a strong allure to the simple time-only watch. Without all the complications to distract us, these watches instead rely heavily on their design. And more than anything, the design of a watch is what stays with us the longest. Just think about it. History is littered with such enthralling references; from the Panerai … ContinuedThe post Go modern vintage with the Nivada Grenchen Super Antarctic 3/6/9 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Led by a stunning time-only Audemars Piguet, this week's drop is our best in December by far.

The legendary collector and scholar returns with a dozen vintage watches of the highest caliber – and you'll probably never see anything like this again.

For its 25th anniversary last year, Parmigiani debuted La Rose Carrée, a grande sonnerie pocket watch that was entirely hand engraved and enamelled in blue. While it was a one-off creation, the pocket watch has spawned a collection of five minute repeaters, Les Roses Carrées. Each of the five will be unique and the very first is La Rosa Celeste, a minute repeating wristwatch that takes after the pocket watch in both decoration and detail. Initial thoughts As is typical of Parmigiani’s top-of-the-line compilations, La Rosa Celeste is impressive in both its decoration and complication, but it has an unusual modern feel. Although the case is intricately engraved, the clean dial gives it a contemporary feel, so it doesn’t have the old-fashioned ornateness that such watches often possess. With the lavish engraving and generous enamelling, the case makes a statement on the wrist, even more so with its size. At 42 mm in diameter and over 13 mm high, La Rosa Celeste is a big watch, a little too big to be as elegant as its decoration. But the size is no doubt also meant to give it presence, which it will surely have. La Rosa Celeste is finely crafted and artisanally decorated, which inevitably means it is expensive, or CHF600,000 to be exact. That’s a hefty sum but par for the course for a watch like this. Repeating roses and blue enamel Of all the elements of the watch, the dial is the simplest in terms of style. It’s almost minimalist with small, square hour markers...

Editor’s note: Making the case is a new column in which the author delivers a heartfelt argument on a watch-related theme. A tick-tock trial if you will. Today I tackle the importance of watch packaging. Does elaborate watch packaging really elevate the offering? Or is it a luxurious waste of time that will inevitably be thrown out? For a … ContinuedThe post Making the case: The importance of watch packaging appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Reservoir releases a second collaboration from the world of iconic cartoons. Introducing the Reservoir x Label Noir x Popeye.