Latest watch news · Page 989

There are lots of buzzwords that fly around the realm of microbrands. Innovation, function, craftsmanship - they all serve the purpose of validating a watch brand’s existence beyond the simple fact that they exist to sell watches. Sometimes it’s necessary to use these because watch collectors are biased towards brands that have centuries worth of … ContinuedThe post From the world’s thinnest dive watch to an absolute monster, the NOVE Trident Automatic and Atlantean are dive watches with a difference appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Elizabeth Doerr was (and remains) one of Baselworld’s staunchest supporters. For purely selfish reasons, of course: the fact that practically everything was in one location made her life as a watch journalist so much easier. Here she reflects on why she misses Baselworld and why Watches and Wonders isn't enough to maintain balanced journalism.

A color change goes a long way.

It has been a few months since I started writing Who To Follow. In that time, I’ve gotten to know some amazing individuals from professional photographers to artists, each reinforcing the #watchfam motto we all know and love. It has reached a point now where, by the time I’ve finished writing, I feel like I’ve … ContinuedThe post WHO TO FOLLOW: @therubyhour and her amazing watch stories appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Breguet extends its excellent Marine collection with two new references in white gold and rose gold. Introducing the Breguet Marine Ref. 5557.

Last summer Tudor introduced several Black Bay variants such as the Fifty-Eight 925 and METAS-certified Ceramic. Though one of the most affordable amongst the year’s new launches, the most unique was arguably the Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze. While bronze is not a new material for Tudor – the brand has unveiled several bronze dive watches in the past – it’s a first for the compact Black Bay Fifty-Eight (BB58) and also the first instance of a bronze bracelet. Given the popularity of the standard Fifty-Eight in steel, it leads to the obvious question: is the Fifty-Eight in bronze interesting enough to differentiate itself from its predecessors? Initial thoughts With the original BB58 has proven itself a winner, it is logical that Tudor builds on its success with a new palette, case material, and even minor improvements to the case construction. Though it is a Fifty-Eight in name, the Bronze is a very different watch. For starters, it is the first Tudor dive watch with a bracelet that isn’t steel. More usefully, the bronze bracelet incorporates a newly-developed, micro-adjustment clasp for easy sizing on the fly. While bronze isn’t rare amongst dive watches in general, it is unusual for Tudor, so credit should be given to the brand for its choice of case material. Tudor doubles down on the material by taking the bold step of using bronze not just for the case but also the bracelet, making this one of the few watches with a bracelet in the metal. Bronze is popular ...

It’s been an eventful week so let’s get right into it. To kick things off, I spent the weekend with Maurice Lacroix down in Miami to celebrate the launch of their latest evolution of the Aikon: the Aikon #tide. The Aikon #tide is both a playful and principled release, a colourful daily wearer with an … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: In Miami with Maurice Lacroix, MoonSwatch mania, and W&W; excitement! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The latest from Ressence dials back on technical complexity, but preserves the brand’s trademark aesthetic centred on a planetary time display. As a result, the Type 8 is substantially more affordable, while instantly recognisable as a Ressence wristwatch. By doing away with a seconds indicator as well as simplifying the case construction, the Type 8 is priced at CHF12,500, or about US$13,500, making it the most affordable watch in the brand’s catalogue. The next most affordable model, the Type 1, costs about 30% more. Initial thoughts Ressence founder Benoît Mintiens once said to me that he wished he could make his watches more accessible, but that was impossible without more economies of scale. Ressence has evidently inched closer to Benoît’s vision, since the Type 8 looks to be an excellent product in both design and execution, while being affordable, at least relative to the brand’s other watches. It sacrifices nothing in terms of aesthetics – the missing seconds but isn’t overly obvious – while still managing to be a Ressence. In fact, the Type 8 case is entirely different from the brand’s other watches, bringing a new form to the brand’s design language. But it fits right into the catalogue and feels no different from the other watches, illustrating the coherence of the design. Type 8C The inaugural version of the model is the Type 8C, which has a grained blue dial. Minutes are indicated on the full dial, while the hours are shown on an “orbita...

Although the name LeJour conjures up the idea of something fleeting and trendy, that portrayal of the brand couldn’t be further from the truth. The brand’s rich history began back in the 1960s when they also cased watches for names as big as Heuer and Yema. If you’re looking for a bargain in the world … ContinuedThe post The LeJour Seacolt Diver is a modern dive watch with vintage swagger appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Scottish brand's in-house type specialist takes us along on her journey from art student to watch designer.

A limited edition creation with a column-wheel actuated date display.

Sketches meet watches.

It's light, it's tall, and mighty cool.

Perhaps the most surprising launch of the year so far, the Bioceramic MoonSwatch is a collaboration between Swatch and the maker of the Speedmaster Professional. The MoonSwatch is essentially Moonwatch “lite” – it has all the key details such as lyre lugs and a Velcro strap, but a quartz movement and small price tag. And the MoonSwatch is next level in terms of range. Whereas the original Moonwatch is mostly black, Swatch offers almost dozen variants of the MoonSwatch, each dedicated to the most significant bodies of the solar system, such as the Sun, Moon, and Mars. The MoonSwatch “Mission to Mars”, a tribute to the Speedmaster “Alaska Project” but with the entire case in bright red ceramic Initial thoughts The MoonSwatch is an exemplary crossover because its encapsulates the specialties of each brand. Combining the quintessential cheerful style of Swatch with Omega’s iconic Moonwatch results in a fun, lighthearted watch that’s very affordable. But it’s also a shocking product because the two brands are poles apart in terms of positioning and pricing. Put simply, an Omega strap costs more than the average Swatch watch. Swatch is clearly the winner. It’s an especially shrewd move for the maker of plastic watches, since some of the prestige and historical significance of Omega rubs off onto Swatch. As for Omega, it’s a purposeful act of brand dilution, no doubt in the hope that it brings the brand to a new audience that will aspire to own the real d...

If you’re old enough to remember the song Video Killed the Radio Star, you’re also old enough to remember a time when most people wore quartz watches. This was a time of breakdancing, big hair, even bigger shoulder pads, and every song on the radio having at least one saxophone solo. The 80s might have … ContinuedThe post Why this is the golden age of mechanical watch collecting appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Ressence’s new Type 8C is a new entry-level watch, price-wise, but as a non-conventional, “non-central hands” time-telling machine, it packs a mighty punch.

Ressence introduces the new Type 8, an entry level watch to the Ressence universe of oil filled watches driven by a conventional movement by magnets.

Singapore Watch Club founder, Tom Chng brings us through the Club’s six year journey and the 18 unique Special Edition Cartier timepieces the Club has issued in partnership with the maison to mark the occasion.

Czapek extends their chronograph line - Faubourg de Cracovie model with 2 additional dial colourways in an Panda Purple and California Blue.

A few months ago, Revolution’s founder acquired his grail watch that’s been the object of his obsession since 2016. He describes what it’s been like living with it.

Not long after Citizen unveiled the Caliber 0200 in early 2021, it followed up with an affordable alternative, the Series 8 870. Resembling its bigger brother with an integrated bracelet, the Series 8 outperforms in its price segment. And just as Citizen unveils a limited edition Caliber 0200 in shades of grey, it is also taking the covers off the Series 8 870 First Anniversary Limited Edition, which features an all-black case matched with a carbon-composite dial. Initial thoughts While the standard 870 has excellent fit and finishing considering the price, it is available with just two dial options – black or silver – that are pretty plain, especially when bold textures or colours are all the rage. The new 870 caters to current fashions, but still remains low-key in a manner that’s typical of Citizen’s higher-end watches. With its cleaner look, the all-black case is an improvement from the two-tone standard model, while the carbon composite dial adds a degree of interest that is only obvious up close. It’s also an unusual take on the patterned dial, which is typically stamped. Unlike the standard model, this has a see-through back. The movement has been made a little more interesting with a gilded rotor, which stands out even more than usual as the case is entirely black. In fact, the gilded rotor is the sole bit of colour on the watch, but one that will only be known to the owner. Arguably the only shortcoming of the new 870 is the lack of a bracelet. Th...

A member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI), John-Mikaël Flaux is no stranger to automata and clocks. His most recent creation however, is something smaller and wearable – an automata wristwatch, the Homage to Al-Jazari. The watch pays tribute to the Elephant Clock, a fascinating and exotic timekeeper conceived by the 12th century inventor and mathematician, Ismail al-Jazari. While not an exact replica of the original – the ancient clock was powered by water and gravity – Mr Flaux’s creation artfully captures the theme of the clock with a jumping half-hour automata and an equivalent 24-hour day night indicator, complemented by miniature painting on the front and back. Initial Thoughts The Homage to Al-Jazari is undeniably intriguing, both mechanically and visually. The watch has a brave design that is striking. The complexity of the dial means legibility isn’t the best, or even decent, but that’s besides the point. While its key complication, a jumping half-hour mechanism, is not technically complex, the integration of the thematic elements into a cohesive display modelled on the ancient clock means the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In other words, the Homage to Al-Jazari lives up to its name. But it is also a missed opportunity. The jumping automata display would have been perfect if paired with a simple chiming function, though that would’ve significantly increased the complexity, due to the requirement of a base ...

We’re going to call it a space oddity. Albeit it a very welcome one at that. But today’s news that Omega have teamed up with Swatch to create a playful take on the Speedmaster Chronograph in the form of the BioCeramic MoonSwatch has caught the watch world by surprise. In the one corner there’s Omega, … ContinuedThe post VIDEO:  Unpacking why the Omega x Swatch BioCeramic MoonSwatch is out of this world appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Today the watch world was stunned when word got out that Swatch and Omega have collaborated to bring us a set of 11 new, affordably-priced "Speedmasters." Now, considering the available color options, the proprietary BioCeramic cases, and reliable quartz movements - it's clear that these will be a hit with everyone from budget-conscious collectors to hardcore Speedy fanatics.

Standing in the Omega HQ in Bienne, Petros Protopapas is visibly excited. The Brand Heritage Director of Omega is holding forth under a vast cosmic backdrop that depicts the planets in technicolour detail in a star-lit sky. “This revolutionises the Swiss watch industry for me,” declares Petros with tangible emotion in his voice. “This is what … ContinuedThe post Omega x Swatch blast off together on the BioCeramic MoonSwatch collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Out-of-focus brand service or tack-sharp watchmaking?