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New: The A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Minute Repeater with Editorial Commentary
A. Lange & Söhne introduces the Richard Lange Minute Repeater, putting the focus back on the chiming mechanism as a singular complication.
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A. Lange & Söhne introduces the Richard Lange Minute Repeater, putting the focus back on the chiming mechanism as a singular complication.
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A. Lange & Söhne first unveiled their first minute repeater in 2013, in the form of the Grand Complication. It took two more years for the unveiling of a simpler – yet still complex – model in the form of the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater. Finally, seven years later, Lange unveils the Richard Lange Minute Repeater – a no-frills, classical three-hander with the coveted chiming feature. Initial Impressions Surprisingly slim and impressive in terms of acoustics, the Richard Lange Minute Repeater feels like a conservative release from the brand, but one that is much needed in the brand’s lineup – especially for those looking for a classically-styled minute repeater compared to the Zeitwerk. At first glance, it feels like an odd watch relative to the rest of Lange’s catalogue – we’ve taken for granted that Lange usually designs movement that are distinctively unique, especially for complications. In fact, the minute repeater mechanism and overall layout feel like a traditional Swiss calibre, albeit one with a German aesthetic. This can be forgiven as there’s only so many ways to design a minute repeater in a classic three-hander. And the brand still innovates – the repeater has practical high-end features compared to most of its peers, such as safety mechanisms and eliminating the pauses between the hour and minute strike. But arguably the best quality of the watch is its tactile feel. It feels and sounds good on the wrist – the case is unusually thin for a La...
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Founded by a Slovakian duo who are both trained jewellers, Molnar Fabry specialises in elaborately decorated watches built on existing movements. Last year the pair reworked a Vaucher automatic calibre, but the brand’s latest project started life over a century ago. Echoing one of Molnar Fabry’s creations from 2018, the Grand Master Minute Repeater is essentially a pocket watch converted into a wristwatch. Starting out as a C.H. Meylan minute repeating pocket watch from 1901, the Grand Master features a hand-made case containing the pocket watch movement, which has been entirely refinished and extensively engraved. A close-up of the heavily decorated movement Initial thoughts Molnar Fabry does high quality work especially in terms of decoration, both for movement components and engraving. Their style is usual ornate, which might not be to everyone’s taste, but the brand has shown versatility in its past work, which has included more streamlined designs. The Grand Master is definitely ornate with its fully engraved case and movement. The quality and thoroughness of the work is impressive. And relatively to its ballpark price, the Grand Master is priced reasonably compared to what better-known makers in Switzerland would charge. But as with many pocket watch conversions, the Grand Master is a huge watch. The case is 47 mm by 14 mm. For anyone who likes their watches on this scale – and appreciates the skill that went into the decoration – the Grand Master is off t...
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Just days after the inaugural Nautilus ref. 5711/1A Tiffany & Co. 170th Anniversary sold for just over US$6.5 million, Patek Philippe has announced a wristwatch at the other end of the watchmaking spectrum. The latest in a series of watches focused on experimental new technologies, the “Advanced Research” Minute Repeater ref. 5750P-001 is the ultimate Patek Philippe minute repeater in terms of acoustics. Equipped with a patented amplification device named ‘fortissimo “ff”‘, the ref. 5750P strikes chimes that are so loud they are audible 60 m away according to Patek Philippe. Initial thoughts The ref. 5750P is interesting both mechanically and aesthetically. The R 27 PS movement certainly lives up to the “Advanced Research” label with its amplification mechanism, while the design is practically radical, at least in terms of Patek Philippe grand complications. While the “fortissimo” device relies on a few familiar principles, including a crystal soundboard and perforated case back, it is still novel enough to make it interesting. While other watchmakers have built repeating movements based on the same concepts, including Audemars Piguet with its Supersonnerie, Patek Philippe has done it in a classical fashion with an impressively thin movement that is very much typical of the brand. Visually, the ref. 5750P is radically different from any Patek Philippe repeater. Even the most contemporary of the brand’s striking watches are conventionally classical in...
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Having just concluded, Monterey Car Week was a series of shows and auctions, concluding with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The week was the venue for Porsche 911 specialist Singer Vehicle Design to exhibit the DLS for the first time in the United States. Launched in 2018, the DLS is a Porsche 964 that’s been entirely remade to be ultra-light and ultra-aerodynamic. To go along with the car, Singer Reimagined rolled out the Track 1 DLS Edition. It’s a new take on Singer’s trademark central chronograph, reimagined to be, well, ultra-light, while retaining its recognisable case design and thoroughly original Agenhor movement. Initial thoughts Because it combines a distinct, retro design along with a truly ingenious movement, I like the Track 1 (and I own another version of the watch). The DLS is essentially a condensed version of the same thing – and it’s cool. The aesthetic is pared-back just enough, while the composite case is an interesting novelty. Though the material is common in watchmaking, it’s a first for Singer. The only shortcoming I can uncover is a philosophical one: the DLS Edition echoes its namesake automobile with lightweight materials, but unlike the car, it doesn’t make any functional changes. The movement is identical to that of the standard model, but it is admittedly an excellent and innovative movement. Still, all that’s a moot point given that the watch is only available to owners of the car, of which there will be just 75. ...
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Singer Reimagined introduces the Track 1 DLS Edition. A personalizable watch available by commission to only owners of the Singer reworked Porsche 911.
Quill & Pad
John Howe has created many an iconic dragon for J.R.R. Tolkien works over the years, so it was appropriate for him to craft something radiating the same energy and history for Jaquet Droz. The result is the new limited-edition Petite Heure Minute Dragon, a watch perfectly combining two of Joshua Munchow's passions in one incredible object.
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Patek Philippe keeps up the pace with the fourth instalment of new releases for the year, which were just announced at its annual Rare Handcrafts Exhibition in Geneva. While most of the watches at the exhibition are one-offs bestowed with colourful, artisanal decoration, the line up includes an ensemble of repeating watches, led by the flamboyant Sky Moon Tourbillon in pink gold and brown. Simpler, at least relatively speaking, is the Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5374G that packs a pair of high-end complications fronted by a blue, grand feu enamel dial. Initial thoughts Today’s launches stand in stark contrast to the brand’s hottest watches of the moment – the sports watches that are arguably its most recognisable products now – that were its opening act for the year. Patek Philippe launched a slew of exquisite, highly decorated timepieces today, affirming its twin strengths – haute horlogerie and metiers d’art. The generous array of Rare Handcrafts, along with the fact that several are chiming watches, is a reminder that Patek Philippe is more than a faddish, integrated-bracelet sports watch. That said, the ref. 5374 is not entirely new (neither is the flagship Sky Moon Tourbillon ref. 6002R). In fact, the only truly new reference amongst the Rare Handcrafts complications is the Ladies Minute Repeater ref. 7040/250G. The ref. 5374 was first introduced in 2016 with a platinum case and black enamel dial – a formal, classical package. Now it ge...
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While the Sky Moon Tourbillon introduced at the same time is bold and over the top, the Rare Handcrafts Ladies’ Minute Repeater ref. 7040/250G is graceful and delicately detailed. Now the only minute repeater for ladies in the catalogue, the ref. 7040/250G features a dial with spiral guilloche covered in translucent enamel, match with unusual, spear-shaped hands and markers. Initial thoughts The ref. 7040/250G is surprisingly reminiscent of Patek Philippe’s men’s watch of the 1990s with its “officer’s” case. In fact, that case is quite close to that of the ref. 5029, the limited-edition minute repeater made in 1997 to commemorate the opening of its factory in Plans-les-Ouates. That resemblance is a good thing, because the ref. 5029 was an elegant, classical watch. The new repeater shares similar lines, but has been tastefully dressed up as a ladies watch with a diamond bezel and guilloche dial. The dial is a first for Patek Philippe, and certainly good looking. There’s a hint of Laurent Ferrier design in the dial, but again, the resemblance isn’t a bad thing. All in all, the ref. 7040/250G is an all-rounder – a pretty watch with a finely detailed dial and a complex movement. Svelte dimensions Slightly larger than the preceding minute repeater for ladies (the ref. 7000 that was 33.7 mm), the ref. 7040/250G has a case of 18k white gold that measures just 36 mm by 10.14 mm high – more or less the dimensions the men’s minute repeater of the 1990s. The rou...
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The 180th anniversary of Dresden’s famous Semper Opera takes place on April 12, 2021. Home to the Saxon State Opera and the Saxon State Orchestra concert hall, the historic building also features the innovative Five-Minute Clock, which was the inspiration for A. Lange & Söhne's now iconic large date. Sabine Zwettler shares the story behind this clock and how it inspired the most powerful visual element of A. Lange & Söhne's Lange 1.
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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.
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Jaquet Droz has already given us a few dragon watches and now offers another with its latest iteration of the Petite Heure Minute Relief Dragon, a showcase of Jaquet Droz’s magnificent Ateliers d'Art talents.
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The 20th annual GPHG was streamed and broadcast live, with digital spectators tuning in around the world to see who would win what some refer to as “the Oscars” of watchmaking. Each year, an academy of industry experts, journalists and influencers is assembled to determine the nominees for these prestigious awards – with 30 of … ContinuedThe post We watched every minute of the GPHG 2020 so you don’t have to. And you owe us a beer, it wasn’t amazing… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Patek Philippe releases an ultra complicated watch in the form of the Ref. 6301P Grande and Petite Sonnerie Minute Repeater with Jumping Seconds. This is the first Grande and Petite Sonnerie without any other complication in a Patek Philippe wristwatch. Press release information with commentary in italics Key highlights Grand Complication highlighting the chiming functions:Read More
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English artist Alice Shirley has been creating illustrations for Hermès to reproduce on its scarves since 2012. Typically imaginative motifs of flora and fauna, two of Ms Shirley’s illustrations have made their way onto Hermès wristwatches. And now the Parisian leatherwoods maker has just revealed the third, and most impressive, instalment of this crossover – the Arceau Pocket Aaaaargh! Minute Repeater. A pocket watch boasting a minute repeater and tourbillon, the Aaaaargh! is decorated in leather mosaic and marquetry – and a very large eyeball in grand feu enamel. It’s named after the sound a Tyrannosaurus rex presumably made, and continues the phonetic naming conventions of Ms Shirley’s earlier watches, which were the Slim Hermès Grrrrr! with a bear motif and the Arceau Awooooo featuring a howling wolf. Initial thoughts Unlike the previous two Alice Shirley watches that were time-only, the Tyrannosaurus is a pocket watch – unusual in itself – and also combines a minute repeater and tourbillon. In addition to the complicated mechanics, the motif is executed more elaborately than on the earlier watches, which admittedly were substantially more affordable, most notably with the three-dimensional enamel eye and intricate leather inlays. The result is an intriguing, fun, and imaginative watch that is very much in keeping with Hermès’ quirky, elegant, and expensive house style. Compared to the typically safe and practical high-end complication, the Arceau...
Quill & Pad
Many watches hold a special significance for their owners. Some timekeepers may be a powerful emotional reminder of an esteemed person, place, or event. Others the long-searched-for keystone in a valued collection. There are watches that can change your mood and generate a smile just by thinking about them. There are even watches that have changed lives, and the Two-Minute Tourbillon by Jean Daniel Nicolas significantly changed Ian Skellern's life. Read how right here.
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Originally introduced as the 12-piece limited edition ref. 5303R-010 for the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition Singapore 2019, the Minute Repeater Tourbillon was a unique watch amongst the brand’s grand complications. It combined an open dial, partially-skeletonised movement equipped with a minute repeater and tourbillon, within a case with contrast-colour gold inlays. Now the reference has entered the catalogue as a regular-production model with the Minute Repeater Tourbillon Ref. 5303R-001. Initial thoughts When first debuted during the Grand Exhibition in Singapore, the ref. 5303R was polarising but popular. Traditionalists who favour the old-school Patek Philippe style (think Breguet numerals and leaf hands) didn’t appreciate it, but those who wanted something more contemporary or unusual loved it. Initially I though the look was too much, but came to appreciate it, especially in the context of a Patek Philippe collector who already has several watches. This looks different, while still having all of the key features that make it appealing, namely the excellent minute repeater sound and the “octopus” wheel on the back. Skeletonised and inlaid The key features of the new watch are identical to the Singapore edition. The movement is the Cal. R TO 27 PS, featuring both a minute repeater with cathedral gongs and tourbillon. Both the complications are visible on the dial, with the hammers and racks exposed at 11 o’clock, and the gongs circling the dial. Th...
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When Martin Green first saw athe Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Tiger he thought that Jaquet Droz had used a photorealistic print on the dial, so real was the miniature enamel painting for him. The artist focused on the eyes of the tiger, and its gaze is so lifelike and filled with restrained power that it is almost scary. It looks like it’s about to pounce right off the dial!
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Jaquet Droz produces some of the most refined artistically-inclined timepieces, typically using a variety of artisanal decorative techniques to express its peculiar aesthetic sensibility inspired by the splendours of nature. Encapsulating the brand’s approach is the new Petite Heure Minute “Tiger” featuring black and ivory grand feu enamel dials that adeptly captures the majestic essence of the tiger with a lifelike miniature painting. Initial thoughts Tiger motifs are not new for Jaquet Droz timepieces; the big cat was found on several other versions of the Petite Heure Minute. But the latest version is easily the most enchanting. While the earlier tiger-motif watches were decorated in the style of a Chinese painting, the new watch depicts the tiger’s gaze up close. The dial immediately arrests with the lifelike details of the tiger’s eyes that fill the lower half of the dial. Every strand of the tiger’s fur can be discerned, with the highlight undoubtedly the eyes, which reflects the brooding, mysterious and ferocious personality of the feline. For this reason, I find the white gold version significantly more interesting than its red gold counterpart as the painting is more outstanding; the white brush strokes are enhanced and sharper thanks to the contrast against the glossy black enamel. The painting is also more appealing as the blue-eyed white tiger is more exotic. Although the painting on the red gold version represents the prototypical, orange-and-b...
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Founded in 2017 as the watchmaking arm of Singer Vehicle Design, the critically-acclaimed rebuilder of early 1990s Porsche 911s, Singer Reimagined specialises in chronographs powered by an ingenious Agenhor movement. But before Singer Reimagined settled on its retro-inspired case design, it made a Track 1 prototype with an equally retro but more angular case that is going under the hammer at Phillips’ upcoming Geneva watch auction, the same that includes a pair of much-hyped F.P. Journe souscription watches. The production version of the Track 1 has cushion-shaped, titanium case with a radial brushed finish that is very much reminiscent of sports chronographs of the 1970s that were produced by host of brands, ranging from Omega to Heuer. It also has a “bullhead” pusher layout, with the chronograph buttons on the left and right sides of the case. More importantly, the standard Track 1 features short lugs with a narrow hood over the end of the strap, making the strap look almost integrated. The Track 1 in 18k gold (left) and titanium In contrast, the prototype has longer lugs with a pronounced opening for the strap. It’s still made of titanium, with a similar brushed case finish, and also evocative of the 1970s, but a different look altogether. Like the production watch, the prototype has wide, polished bevels separating the brushed tops and sides of the cases The prototype is fitted to a NATO-style leather strap – with matching, brushed titanium rings – that loo...
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It takes an iron will to walk past an A. Lange & Söhne dealer without losing a few minutes of your day. The German masters ensure their collections soar above the competition, bewitching onlookers and dominating wish-lists around the world. If you’re lucky, dead in the centre of the captivating display will be a Zeitwerk … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, the three-quarters of a million dollar watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
The Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, a true A. Lange & Söhne Tour de Force, now comes cased in white gold.
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Five years ago, A. Lange & Söhne unveiled its first minute repeating wristwatch (setting aside the €2 million Grand Complication), but it was no ordinary repeater. Instead the it was a decimal repeater incorporated into the Zeitwerk and its signature digital time display. Originally introduced in platinum as part of the regular collection, the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater now returns in white gold as a 30-piece limited edition at Watches & Wonders 2020. Though the white gold case bestows little price advantage over the monochromatic platinum model, the watch does look more striking in blue. The idea of a decimal-repeating, digital watch is sensible – pairing the digital, jumping hours and minutes of the Zeitwerk with a decimal repeater means the chimes to match time display of hours, tens of minutes, and single minutes. In other words, the decimal repeater is as intuitive as the digital time-display. This is in contrast to typical minute repeaters that chime the time in 15-minute blocks, followed by the the remaining minutes. Visible at 12 o’clock is a power reserve indicator The only stylistic difference with this new edition is the dial colour. While the time display is still framed by the familiar rhodium-plated bridge, the rest of the dial is now dark blue, a first for the Zeitwerk (which has historically been available with either silver or black dials). And below the bridge are the symmetrically-arranged twin hammers and gongs, with the latter tracing the pe...
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Losing track of the date during the lockdown? Here are a few calendar watches that you can consider, in this week's Throwback Sundays column!
Time+Tide
I expect we’ve all been there. A special occasion rolls around - Valentine’s Day, Christmas - and you buy your partner a gift. He or she does the same for you. And, shock horror. They ain’t equitable. They ain’t even close. This sets the scene for episode two of the second series of Every Watch Tells A … ContinuedThe post EVERY WATCH TELLS A STORY: A gifting fail gave Alex his TAG Heuer and, a little down the track, a wife appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Previously only available in titanium or carbon composite, Bulgari has now introduced the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater in a precious metal case. While titanium and carbon composite are superior in transmitting sound thanks to their low density – making them ideal for striking watches – the new rose-gold version is irrefutably more striking, no pun intended, combining a starkly industrial design with the sheen of gold. Frosted gold First unveiled in 2016, the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater remains the thinnest minute repeater on the market, with the case measuring just 6.85 mm high. The new gold iteration, however, is a hair thicker at 6.9 mm to ensure case rigidity as gold is softer than titanium. But the gold case retains the same all-matte, sandblasted case finish as the titanium model, creating a surface that is deliciously subdued. The dial is also made of rose gold, with the same perforated indices to better transit the sound from the movement to the case and crystal. Measuring 40 mm wide, the watch is depth rated to 30 m, helped by the use of a pusher at nine o’clock to activate the repeater, which is easier to seal against moisture than a traditional slide. The Genta connection Underneath it is the hand-wound BVL362 that is based on a 2.72mm high movement conceived by Gerald Genta in 1981. The movement was re-engineered by Bulgari, and bulked up slightly to improve structural integrity and reliability. However, at 3.12 mm high, the BVL362 movement is still ...
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In this week's column, we take a look at some last minute Christmas gift ideas that are related to horology with six watch recommendations.
Quill & Pad
The Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon Four Seasons is an ode to the journey we all must take, the journey that even our great big planet takes every year as it grows, dies, and is reborn. We can celebrate the mechanics and ingenuity behind the watches, but this limited edition celebrates the fleeting nature of life itself.
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Another of the strikingly elegant, one-off minute repeaters that’s part of Vacheron Constantin’s 2019 Les Cabinotiers line-up is the Minute Repeater Ultra-Thin ‘Dance of the Gemstones’. Well, it is actually two repeaters, a matched pair of his-and-hers watches (that are available separately nonetheless) with eggshell grand feu enamel dials and ruby hour markers. The dials are extravagant yet elegant, evoking prominent watches of many decades ago. They are inspired by high-end gentlemen’s wristwatches of the 1950s that combined silvered or enamel dials with ruby hour markers, with baguette-cut stones for the quarters and brilliant-cut in between. These were often special orders for royalty or as royal gifts, with the best known being the pocket- and wristwatches made for King Saud bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia that bore his portrait on the enamel dial. His and hers A Patek Philippe ref. 2481 from 1955 with a cream enamel dial bearing a portrait of King Saud bin Abdulaziz. Image – Christie’s Both the repeaters share a similar case design, but different diameters and decoration – the men’s version is 41mm while the ladies’ watch is 39mm with a diamond-set bezel and crown. The watches are otherwise identical, powered by the same cal. 1731, an extra-flat, hand-wound movement that was developed in-house. Key facts and price Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Ultra-Thin ‘The Dance of the Gemstones’ Men’s model – ref. 6630C/000R-B662 Ladies’ model – r...
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Singer Reimagined, a sister company of Singer Vehicle Design, the acclaimed Californian outfit that modifies 964-series Porsche 911s, made its debut in 2017 with the Track 1 – a watch with a retro case but an ingenious, modern movement. The brand has since introduced several limited editions for key cities, including Geneva and Hong Kong. Now, to coincide with Dubai Watch Week, it is launching the Track 1 Emirates Edition, a smartly coloured iteration with contrasting dial textures for more intuitive reading. Measuring 43mm wide and 15mm high, the watch features a ceramic-coated aluminium case, created by subjecting aluminium to an electro-plasma oxidation process that creates a thin layer of ceramic on its surface. This gives the case a hard, scratch-resistant surface while keeping it lightweight, although the coating can be damaged by impact. In the same vein, the bezel, pushers, crown and case back are in titanium, but coated with zirconium nitride (ZrN), a hard ceramic that is pale gold in colour. The dial features black, concentric hour and minutes discs on the periphery with an olive-green centre and a gilt tachymeter flange, while all the hands are orange. The watch is otherwise mechanically identical to the standard versions. It is equipped with one of the most revolutionary chronograph movements of recent times – the AgenGraphe, which was developed by Agenhor, a respected Geneva complications specialist led by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht. Boasting five patents for...
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