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Results for AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants)

3,201 articles · 291 videos found · page 101 of 117

HANDS-ON: Is the Bulgari Octo Finissimo blue dial in satin polished steel the best steel sports watch of 2020? Time+Tide
Bulgari Octo Finissimo blue dial Oct 27, 2020

HANDS-ON: Is the Bulgari Octo Finissimo blue dial in satin polished steel the best steel sports watch of 2020?

Editor’s note: We’ve had quite the flurry of Bulgari lately, mostly in celebration of the brand’s 2020 collection. And, increasingly, the pinion of the collection is emerging as this model right here. Make no mistake, it doesn’t rightly deserve to be. It’s a simple dial variation away from the black lacquer dial variation that the … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Is the Bulgari Octo Finissimo blue dial in satin polished steel the best steel sports watch of 2020? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Breitling Endurance Pro Review WatchAdvice
Breitling Endurance Pro Review Just Oct 26, 2020

Breitling Endurance Pro Review

Just in time for Australian Summer, Breitling has released a new set of watches that is, as they state, the “ultimate athleisure watch”. The Breitling Endurance Pro comes as part of the brand’s Professional range and is a timepiece that is not only made for athletes, but for people that love the outdoors and active lifestyles. The Breitling Endurance Pro is essentially a luxury sports watch. Combining innovative materials with a sense of artistic style, this latest creation by the Swiss brand has high precision, vibrant colour design and the robustness to make it a hit among sporting enthusiasts.  The Endurance Pro fits perfectly into the world of sports, in which Breitling already has quite a history. In motorsport, Breitling has sponsored Bentley at Le Mans, while also having a longstanding partnership with the car brand in general. In the world of cycling, Breitling has already partnered with major competitions, such as Giro d’Italia and Tour de France along with cycling legends Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. Breitling has been offering timepieces with sports functions for a long time now, and the Endurance Pro is the latest to continue this tradition.  Breitling, a brand that used to be synonymous with aviation, today, stands for accessible sports. Sports such as running, cycling and swimming. High-performance activities that are not just limited to professionals but sports everyone can enjoy. In fact, there can be no better endorsement for the Breitling Endu...

IN-DEPTH: The  TAG Heuer Carrera Collection, powered by a movement from the present, with an all-time classic design from the past Time+Tide
TAG Heuer Carrera Collection powered Oct 25, 2020

IN-DEPTH: The TAG Heuer Carrera Collection, powered by a movement from the present, with an all-time classic design from the past

As a watch journalist in 2020, based in Europe under the draconian rule of the pandemic, it’s easy to lose perspective and here is a particular example. Despite my missionary preachings and personal taste, 38-39 millimetres is not the Goldilocks size for everyone. So, with this self-realisation in mind, the  TAG Heuer Carrera Collection is … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: The TAG Heuer Carrera Collection, powered by a movement from the present, with an all-time classic design from the past appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Ressence Type 2A/2G: Is This Electronic-Mechanical Hybrid Timepiece The Future Of Mechanical Watchmaking? Quill & Pad
Ressence Type 2A/2G Oct 24, 2020

Ressence Type 2A/2G: Is This Electronic-Mechanical Hybrid Timepiece The Future Of Mechanical Watchmaking?

With concept cars, it is typical for most of the features on the prototype to be weeded out once the design is optimized for manufacturing. The electronical-mechanical Ressence Type 2 is the complete opposite, Joshua Munchow says, as it has retained pretty much every single thing the concept watch of 2018 offered and has only improved in function. Is the Ressence Type 2 the future of mechanical watches?

Hands-on review: Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” Deployant
Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” DEPLOYANT Oct 24, 2020

Hands-on review: Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow”

A timepiece shrouded in mystery. Its existence has eluded collectors and Zenith  collaborators alike for decades. As the legend goes, in 1970, not long after Zenith debuted  the groundbreaking El Primero calibre, the manufacture had produced a prototype of a manual-winding chronograph, housed in a blackened steel case – a rarity for the time. Only Read More

Dubai Watch Week 2020 Goes Online SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey  Aline Sylla-Walbaum Christie’s Luxury Oct 20, 2020

Dubai Watch Week 2020 Goes Online

Having taken place in Dubai and London since 2015, Dubai Watch Week (DWW) is now going online. Organised by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the largest watch retailer in the Middle East, DWW was traditionally a watch fair catered to consumers and collectors that was a platform for education as well as new product launches. Despite the pandemic, DWW is going ahead as much as is reasonably feasible. “Our objective of uniting the watch community and providing an educational platform is at the forefront of what we hope to achieve via this experience,” explains Hind Seddiqi, Director General of Dubai Watch Week. A scene from an earlier DWW that took place in the Dubai International Financial Centre This year the event takes the form of four panel discussions that will be broadcast live online. The panels will cover familiar topics like the grey market for luxury watches, but also the more intriguing: the October 26 session is about “conspiracy and authenticity and whether the heart of the luxury industry beats in an organic market or is wound-up and coerced into ticking by specific entities”. Representing the breadth of the watch industry, the panellists ranging from auctioneers to entrepreneurs to watchmakers. Amongst the participants are Edouard Meylan of H. Moser & Cie., Stephen Forsey of Greubel Forsey, Aline Sylla-Walbaum, Christie’s Luxury department head, as well as Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer of Seddiqi Holding Christophe Nicaise. And it also ...

Panerai Introduces the Radiomir Paneristi 45mm PAM02020 SJX Watches
Panerai Introduces Oct 19, 2020

Panerai Introduces the Radiomir Paneristi 45mm PAM02020

As it did for several anniversaries before – but against a vastly different landscape in the past – Panerai has just announced the Radiomir Paneristi 45mm PAM02020 for the 20th anniversary of its collector forum. The PAM 2020 is a hand-wind, 45 mm Radiomir with a steel case finished with an faux-patina treatment, and an inappropriately large anniversary logo on the front (and an even larger one on the back). Initial thoughts This is the sixth Paneristi edition. Six editions ago, Paneristi was arguably the most fanatical watch forum dedicated to the hottest brand in the world. The first Paneristi edition, the PAM 195 of 2003, sold out in an instant, and despite all of them having the owner’s name engraved on the back, sold for many multiples of the original retail price on the secondary market. But times have changed. Although Panerai describes the new Paneristi Radiomir as “the result of an intense creative process involving close collaboration between… Panerai’s technical and creative team… and the Paneristi”, it is neither intense nor creative. The emblem on the dial might be engraved like it is on vintage Panerai, but it looks unattractive. And “Venti”, which is Italian for “twenty”, between the lugs regrettably brings to mind the extra-large Starbucks coffee. The dial colour and finish does look good, however, and the faux-aged case (identical to that on the Radiomir PAM 992) is also appealing. And for €6,500 this is reasonably priced, though...

Paulin Introduces the Neo SJX Watches
Oct 19, 2020

Paulin Introduces the Neo

Founded in 2013 by the Paulin sisters, descendants of Scottish sculptor George Henry Paulin who is most famous for his war memorials across the United Kingdom, Paulin was conceived as a locally-designed watch brand focused on minimalist and monochromatic watches. And now the Glasgow-based brand introduces the Neo, a watch with 1970s flavour that the brand’s first to feature a colourful dial, either in blue, yellow, and white. More notably, the Neo is the result of a collaboration with fellow Scottish watchmaker Anordain, best known for its accessibly-priced enamel dials. Initial thoughts Put simply, the Neo is a solid offering with playful colours and in-house typography in an amiable, 38 mm package. It was realised in an unusual three-way collaboration between Paulin, local jeweller Helen Swan, and anOrdain (which was founded by the husband of one of the Paulin sisters). Paulin and Anordain have both been successful in creating original, affordable watches, but their respective offerings differ in style and price. Paulin has kept to simple, coloured dials for its watches, while Anordain made a name for itself with vitreous enamel dials. The Anordain Model 2 with a purple enamel dial As a result, the collaboration between the two is interesting, since it bridges two brands that are similar yet different. The Neo injects the fun and colour of anOrdain into the more affordable Paulin timepiece. The dial of the Neo is anodised aluminium, and not enamel, but entirely suitab...

Seiko Announces the Design-Your-Own-Seiko-5 Contest SJX Watches
Seiko Announces Oct 19, 2020

Seiko Announces the Design-Your-Own-Seiko-5 Contest

Much loved for its extreme affordability, the Seiko 5 was revamped last year with the Seiko 5 Sports. Since then, there have been numerous iterations of the diver “lite” Seiko 5 Sports, as well as a variety limited editions such as the Street Fighter V quintet inspired by the video game of the same name. And now anyone could be the designer of the next Seiko 5. Seiko has just announced Seiko 5 Sports Custom Watch Beatmaker, a design contest open to the public. It’s an online platform to mix and match the key elements of the watch, and the design receiving the largest number of votes will be realised as an actual production watch. Initial thoughts As if in response to the long-existing and substantial community of “modders” who modify Seiko watches, the contest presents choices for five external parts of the watch, namely the bezel insert, case, dial, hands, and strap, allowing users to iterate amongst all of them. But the choices for each of the five elements are all drawn from existing models of the Seiko 5 Sports, so there really isn’t that much of a diversity in design. The resulting watches will essentially be a shuffling of familiar elements, which is not that exciting, especially given the numerous and interesting after-market modifications available. That said, it is significant that Seiko is allowing watch enthusiasts to take part in the design process – up to an extent – bringing about hope that there will be more enthusiast-led designs in the...

HANDS-ON: The Hublot 40 Years Anniversary Black Ceramic Time+Tide
Hublot 40 Years Anniversary Black Oct 17, 2020

HANDS-ON: The Hublot 40 Years Anniversary Black Ceramic

It’s hard to believe it’s been four decades since the inception of arguably the most disruptive and provocative watchmaker in modern history. But we are indeed celebrating their 40th birthday and their first-ever watch – the Classic Original, otherwise known as the OG gold watch with a rubber strap. To commemorate the milestone, Hublot has … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Hublot 40 Years Anniversary Black Ceramic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Watchmaking: How the Art of Precision Regulation Became a Science SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Oct 14, 2020

Watchmaking: How the Art of Precision Regulation Became a Science

They were once the horological elite, credited with magical powers. The precision timers who tuned the watches for the observatory trials in the 1960s and 1970s are now a dwindling band in the twilight of their lives. In those days, when mechanical precision rather than mechanical complication determined the value of a watch, precision timing was a post-graduate discipline that took a lifetime to master. Before he died last October in his 90th year, one old timer, François Mercier of Le Locle, described what he had to do to win prizes for his employers, initially Ulysse Nardin and then the hairspring spring manufacturer Spiraux Réunis. First, he had to identify the most faultless spring, calculate and shape the terminal curve, pin it up to the staff of a previously poised balance wheel. Then he would shift balance screws by hundredths of a millimetre, adjust forces and inertia in micrograms, to move a fraction of a second closer to the unattainable goal of a true and constant time. An overcoil hairspring in a contemporary Voutilainen Vingt-8 Temperature compensation  The biggest challenge was to compensate for the effects of temperature changes on the steel alloy springs of old. As the temperature rose, the spring would lose its elasticity and beat more slowly. Such springs needed a compensation balance made of two metals each having a different coefficient of expansion. Rising temperatures would cause the cut ends of the balance rim to curl inwards, thereby increasing...

The Hublot Classic Fusion 40 Years Anniversary yellow gold Time+Tide
Patek Philippe have all incorporated rubber Oct 13, 2020

The Hublot Classic Fusion 40 Years Anniversary yellow gold

Brands such as Rolex, Richard Mille and Patek Philippe have all incorporated rubber into their high-end watches, but there can only be one pioneer who got the party started. Forty years ago, Hublot founder and designer Carlo Crocco took the watch world by storm, pairing a porthole-inspired yellow gold watch with a rubber strap integrated … ContinuedThe post The Hublot Classic Fusion 40 Years Anniversary yellow gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Grand Seiko Introduces the 60th Anniversary Hi-Beat SLGH003 SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Introduces Oct 13, 2020

Grand Seiko Introduces the 60th Anniversary Hi-Beat SLGH003

Grand Seiko has progressively introduced a diverse line up of watches to mark its 60th anniversary, ranging from a remake of the vintage 3180 to the heavily jewelled 8 Days to the T0 Constant Force Tourbillon, while also opening the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi production facility. Now the brand has finally reached the last of it anniversary watches with the Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Caliber 9SA5 Hi-Beat 36000 80 Hours SLGH003. Although the 60th anniversary watches are numerous, the most significant was the Hi-Beat 80 Hours SLGH002, which was powered by the newly-developed 9SA5, the first of a new generation of movements that will underpin the Grand Seiko collection. The SLGH002 was available only in 18k yellow gold and correspondingly pricey, but now the movement is available in the all-steel SLGH003. Initial thoughts From the perspective of being a more affordable version of the yellow-gold SLGH002, the SLGH003 is appealing. It’s still an expensive watch – the retail price is US$9,700 – but a lot less than the US$43,000 of the gold model. But from the perspective of it being one of several anniversary editions, many of which share the same dial colour, it is less appealing. That is especially so given that the 9SA5 movement will inevitably be made available in regular-production models that will probably cost a bit less. So if the colour and design is a big draw, then the SLGH003 is a buy. If not, just wait for the next one. Anniversary livery The SLGH003 h...

Destroyed Notre-Dame Cathedral Clock Restoration Boosted By Exciting Find Of Nearly Identical Clock Quill & Pad
Oct 10, 2020

Destroyed Notre-Dame Cathedral Clock Restoration Boosted By Exciting Find Of Nearly Identical Clock

The 850-year-old Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, one of the world’s most iconic buildings, was devastated by a fire on April 15, 2019 during renovations, which destroyed much of its roof and spires as well as the cathedral’s nineteenth-century clock. Unfortunately, there were no plans or digital files of the clock. Luckily, though, a nearly identical clock movement was recently discovered and a passionate team is working to use that as a template for (funds permitting) rebuilding a new clock for Notre-Dame.

Patek Philippe Introduces the Twenty-4 “Manchette” SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Introduces Oct 10, 2020

Patek Philippe Introduces the Twenty-4 “Manchette”

One of the “It” watches of the 2000s was the Patek Philippe Twenty~4, which was launched in 1999 as an elegant yet everyday watch for women in steel with a bracelet and quartz movement, making it affordable and chic. Having unveiled the round Twenty-4 automatic two years now, Patek Philippe has rebooted the original Twenty-4 “Manchette”, once again in steel with new dials in blue and grey. And like the original, it has a steel bracelet, hence the nickname – manchette being French for “cuff”. Initial thoughts While the round, automatic Twenty-4 is larger and perhaps more casual, the original rectangular model is more compact, giving it a slightly more formal style – but the new dial design avoids looking old fashioned. And the rectangular Twenty-4 has been around long enough it is easily recognisable, despite the relatively simple styling, making it the signature Patek Philippe watch for ladies. The central element of the new Twenty-4 is the facelifted dial. Doing away with the diamond indices and Roman numerals of the original, the new dial is cleaner and more modern, while also having luminous hands and hour markers. The upside of a quartz watch is that it more easily accessible than a mechanical watch, in both pricing and functionality, avoiding winding and setting the time. And this particular model does not have a second hand, so its identity is hidden. Priced at about US$14,700, the Twenty-4 is very expensive for a quartz watch with a steel case. An...

Auction Watch: The First Philippe Dufour Simplicity 20th Anniversary SJX Watches
Breguet numerals Oct 9, 2020

Auction Watch: The First Philippe Dufour Simplicity 20th Anniversary

Phillip’s upcoming Geneva auction on November 8 encompasses Retrospective: 2000-2020, a sale centred on important watches of the last 20 years. The Retrospective catalogue was curated by Blackbird, best known as the sole agent for Ferrari in Hong Kong, but also the publisher of a watch magazine. Naturally, independent watchmaking looms large in the selection, and a Philippe Dufour Simplicity was almost expected. Phillips and Blackbird have gone one further: going under the hammer will be the very first Philippe Dufour Simplicity 20th Anniversary, numbered “00/20”. Conceived to mark the two decades since Mr Dufour unveiled his signature wristwatch, the anniversary Simplicity is very much like the classic version of the watch, but enhanced with various extras. The 37 mm now includes a hinged, hunter case back, while the crown is topped with the “PD” logo. More obvious are the changes to the dial. While it retains the traditional guilloche and dauphine hands, the hour markers are now applied Breguet numerals and at 12 o’clock sits an extra-large “PD” emblem. The Simplicity 20th Anniversary is a limited edition of 21 watches, or more specifically, an edition of 20 plus this watch that is numbered “00/20”. There will be seven each in platinum, rose as well as white gold. The estimate on Simplicity “00/20” is 200,000-400,000 Swiss francs – reasonable relative to the record price recently set by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong – and it will be sold on Novembe...

Aquastar Introduces the Deepstar Chronograph SJX Watches
Oct 9, 2020

Aquastar Introduces the Deepstar Chronograph

Originally founded in 1962 to capitalise on the popularity of leisure diving at the time, Aquastar specialised in making diving instruments and notched up several patents, such as a “no-decompression” bezel. But like the rest of the Swiss watch industry in the 1970s, the Aquastar suffered during the Quartz Crisis and faded away, although it never really died. Now it’s been resurrected and makes it debut with, unsurprisingly, a vintage remake with the Deepstar Chronograph. Initial thoughts The Deepstar is obviously a watch of the 1960s, with the angular, tonneau-shaped case and dial design giving away its origins. The retro-diver look is now back in vogue, which was no doubt a reason behind the revival of the brand. And the popularity of the design is for good reason. It is clean and attractive, and unusual compared to today’s dive watches (although vintage remakes are increasingly common). The vintage Deepstar All of the best elements of the vintage original are found on the remake, including the oversized, “big eye” minute register. And though it’s larger than the 37 mm original – a necessity due to the La Joux-Perret movement inside – the remake is 40.5 mm, smallish by today’s standards, which means it still retains the vintage feel. Aside from the true-to-original grey dial, the Deepstar is also offered in black and blue, with an “early-bird” price of US$2,790 (which rises to US$3,590 after the initial run of 300 pieces in each colour). The pre-...

TAG Heuer Introduces the Monaco Calibre Heuer 02 on Bracelet SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Introduces Oct 8, 2020

TAG Heuer Introduces the Monaco Calibre Heuer 02 on Bracelet

One of TAG Heuer’s most distinctive watches because of its angular, square case, the Monaco turned 50 last year and the brand marked the occasion with a variety of limited edition watches as well as a hand-finished, one-off watch that was sold to benefit charity. At the same time, the regular-production Monaco in blue – arguably the quintessential Monaco design – received a substantial upgrade, with the ETA movement replaced with the in-house cal. Heuer 02. The Monaco Calibre Heuer 02 is now also available with a black dial, and a new, retro-inspired Monaco bracelet is also making its debut. Initial thoughts The Monaco is an intrinsically interesting watch because of its case. But TAG Heuer has produced many iterations that unfortunately look similar – despite having different movements – making it difficult to distinguish between them. The latest variant still looks similar, but manages to stand out from the crowd thanks to the bracelet, which has not been part of TAG Heuer’s offerings in a long time. The new bracelet is modelled on the 1970s original, but has been made more robust while being finished better. The result is a bracelet looks original and sporty. There have been numerous Monaco variations, but most were solidly constructed and well priced. The same appears to be true here. While the Monaco Heuer 02 has a new movement and bracelet, it retains the well finished case that’s a wearable 39 mm, along with the symmetrical, “Compax” dial layou...

Breitling AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition Review WatchAdvice
Breitling AVI Ref 765 1953 Oct 7, 2020

Breitling AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition Review

Back in February this year, Breitling released the stunning re-edition to one of the much-loved aviation models from the past. The reference 765 AVI chronograph, born in 1953, was a popular piece among enthusiasts and is as much of a collectable now as it was back then. In 2020, Breitling decided to bring back the 765 AVI chronograph with almost the same design as the original, only this time with their modern in-house movement. Dubbed the AVI ref. 765 1953 Re-edition, this new model brings the same stylish flair as the original, but now is offered in stainless steel, 18k rose gold or 950 platinum.  We at Watchadvice got our hands on the stainless steel model (reference AB0920131B1X1), as we think the black dial with steel casing is the most versatile out of the three. Before we dive into this latest re-edition, it’s good to look at the original piece’s history, to do the new one justice.  Reference AB0920131B1X1 Although the Breitling AVI Ref. 765 was created in 1953, the creation of the Ref. 765 AVI started back in 1930. In 1930, Breitling released two pilot watches named the Premier ref. 765 and Ref. 734. These Ref. timepieces were more compact in design, with the tri counter layout cutting into the hour indexes. The 1930’s models were still elegant in design and would pave the future for the iconic Ref 765 Avi that would be born some 23 years later.  The second world war had quite an impact on timepieces throughout the world, with many new watches coming into ...

Highlights: Sotheby’s Hong Kong Watch Auction SJX Watches
Zenith Oct 7, 2020

Highlights: Sotheby’s Hong Kong Watch Auction

With its auctions earlier in the year having been delayed due to the pandemic – and supplemented by weekly online sales – Sotheby’s has resumed its traditional schedule and the fall auction season in Hong Kong is now in full swing. Preceded by sales of wine, art, and jewellery, Important Watches takes place in Hong Kong in two days – at 4:00 pm on October 9. Made up of just over 180 lots, the catalogue encompasses independent watchmakers like Philippe Dufour – there are two Dufour Simplicities in the sale – who are notable and known, and also some who are less prominent today, like Antoine Preziuso and Svend Andersen. And the sale naturally the usual suspects, with the headline watch being a possibly-unique Rolex Daytona “Zenith” with a lapis lazuli dial, and perhaps the most intriguing being a quartz Rolex Beta 21 in white gold that might be one of a kind. Here’s a look at a couple of interesting lots, and the complete catalogue is available here. The lapis Daytona The white gold Rolex Beta-21 Lot 2062 – Andersen Geneve Secular Perpetual Calendar Known for his inventive complications and unique bespoke watches, Svend Andersen was a pioneer in independent watchmaking. He established his own brand in 1979 and cofounded the AHCI in 1986. Four decades on, he continues to produce watches using artisanal and traditional methods. A good example of his mechanical creativity is the secular perpetual calendar that made its debut in 1996 – the first of its...

Bell & Ross Introduces the BR 05 Blue Gold SJX Watches
Bell & Ross Introduces Oct 6, 2020

Bell & Ross Introduces the BR 05 Blue Gold

Conceived as an affordable entry into the world of the integrated-bracelet, luxury-sports watches, the BR 05 was first launched in steel, priced at a little under US$5,000. Now the brand has just taken the covers off the decidedly more lavish BR 05 Blue Gold, which is rendered in the trendy colour combination of a metallic blue dial with a rose gold case, and even a matching gold bracelet. Initial thoughts When it made its debut last year, I found the BR 05 to be as good looking as it was controversial. At a glance the design is redolent of the usual suspects in the luxury-sports watch genre. However, there’s originality to the design that is less noticeable, such as the bezel derived from the quintessential Bell & Ross (B&R;) wristwatch, the square BR 01. And the case finishing on the steel BR 05 is well done; not overly complicated yet managing to have well defined edges. All of those qualities carry over to the rose-gold variant, which coupled with the blue, sunburst-brushed dial, results in a compelling watch. But the price is far from compelling. At US$32,500 on a bracelet (and US$11,000 less on a rubber strap), the BR 05 in gold is expensive, especially since the competition is very, very strong. It is cheaper than the Royal Oak or Overseas in solid gold, but the difference doesn’t seem like that much of a stretch at this level. The Overseas in gold, for instance, costs a little over US$46,000. A good look While the value proposition in terms of the movement an...

Nomos Introduces the Lambda Limited Edition in Steel SJX Watches
Glashütte Original Ulysse Nardin or much Oct 6, 2020

Nomos Introduces the Lambda Limited Edition in Steel

Conceived to mark a major occasion for its hometown, the Nomos Lambda 175 Years Watchmaking Glashütte is a limited edition with a glossy lacquer dial that’s unusual for the brand. But it is more notable for being the first time Nomos is making its top-of-the-line watch available in steel. As a result, the new Lambda is far more affordable, despite being a limited edition. Initial thoughts Introduced in 2013 alongside its discontinued, tonneau-shaped sibling, the Lambda was Nomos’ first upscale watch and available only in an 18k gold case. Despite its qualities, the Lambda was expensive for Nomos, a brand that does simple, affordable watches well. Very expensive, in fact, with the base model in gold priced at US$17,000. It was too much of a stretch for Nomos to reach that high in the price spectrum. So the new steel Lambda makes a lot of sense. It keeps the ultra-clean dial design of the original Lambda, as well as the attractively-finished movement, while making it far more affordable. At US$7,500, it costs less than half the cheapest gold Lambda. For anyone who likes the original Lambda but couldn’t stomach the price, this is perhaps the perfect watch. That said, US$7,500 is still a lot for a Nomos. While the brand can compete strongly in its core price range of US$2,000-4,000, competition is tougher over US$7,000. For similar money, one can get an Glashütte Original, Ulysse Nardin, or much else. A 42 mm Lambda in 18k rose gold Minor refinements The 175th annivers...

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Polaris Mariner Memovox and Mariner Date SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces Oct 2, 2020

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Polaris Mariner Memovox and Mariner Date

Modelled on a 1960s diver’s alarm wristwatch, the Polaris was revived in 2018 as a full-fledged collection of watches ranging from time-only to chronograph. Now Jaeger-LeCoultre adds two more to the line up: the Polaris Mariner Memovox and Polaris Mariner Date. Looking very similar to each other, both share the same a gradient-blue dial but are distinguished in function; the Memovox is an alarm while the Date is a three-hand base model. Polaris Mariner Date (left), and Polaris Mariner Memovox Initial thoughts Probably because it manages to be sporty and slightly retro at the same time, the gradient (or fumè or smoked) blue dial is being used once again for a Polaris dive watch, not long after the similar-looking limited edition for the American market. And it’s worth noting that the three-tone blue dial takes inspiration from the Memovox “Snowdrop” of the 1970s. In short, the look isn’t novel, but it is a good one. And a few tweaks have been worked in to help it stand out, most obvious with the use of orange accents. The new Memovox on brand ambassador Benedict Cumberbatch The Polaris Mariner Memovox Although both watches have been updated in design and upgraded in functionality – water resistance is now 300 m instead of 200 m – they are beset by a sharp increase in price. For instance, the new Mariner Memovox alarm watch costs about 40% more than the equivalent limited edition of 2018. And the Mariner Date costs a bit over US$11,000, while the standar...

Rewriting History – Discovering the Earliest Flyback Chronograph Wristwatch SJX Watches
Longines unparalleled history Sep 29, 2020

Rewriting History – Discovering the Earliest Flyback Chronograph Wristwatch

As a collector, I find myself in the rather sparsely populated niche of observatory chronometers. Due to Longines’ unparalleled history in precision timekeeping, the brand became a long-standing, personal favourite. Notably, competition chronometer movements, like the 30B with its off-centre construction and the rectangular 360, strike all the right chords with me. Along the way, I inevitably bumped into Longines’ outstanding in-house chronograph calibres – in chronological order, the 13.33Z, 13ZN, and 30CH – which opened a new door away from my focused, chronometer-centric journey as a collector. And it also led me to a discovery that rewrites horological history, one that gives Longines the title of having produced the very first flyback wristwatch chronograph, as well as the first chronograph wristwatch with two pushers. A catalogue page showing various Longines chronograph movements in the 1930s, with the topmost pair being for wristwatches, and the others for pocket watches 13.33Z Though Longines had produced several remarkable wristwatch chronograph movements, a two-pusher flyback chronograph powered by the 13.33Z had become the object of my desire. A watch that was only produced in minuscule quantities and remains largely unknown to even the most discerning of collectors, with only eight examples known the market. A long and winding quest ensued that ultimately resulted in the opportunity to acquire an exceptional example from a private collection in German...

Omega Introduces the Seamaster Diver 300 M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum SJX Watches
Omega Introduces Sep 24, 2020

Omega Introduces the Seamaster Diver 300 M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum

Best known as the watch worn by Pierce Brosnan playing James Bond, the Omega Seamaster Diver 300 M made its debut in 1993. But the blue-on-blue “Bond” model was not the flagship of the line. That distinction went to a chronograph composed of three metals – gold, titanium, and tantalum – an exotic and expensive combination two decades ago. The tri-metal combination (the original was the ref. 2296.80 for anyone curious) made a comeback as a time-only watch for the 25th anniversary of the Seamaster 300 M two years ago. Now, Omega has finally revealed a truer homage to the original, the Seamaster Diver 300 M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum, which stays to the aesthetics of its inspiration but refined to be more contemporary and technically advanced. Initial thoughts The original version of the tri-metal chronograph isn’t the best known variant of the Seamaster – because it was extremely expensive for the period and sold poorly – so when the time-only variant debuted in 2018, the combination of metal was rather novel. The new chronograph feels exactly like that – it is handsome and modern, but like the 1993 original, it is very expensive. In fact, it is a lot more expensive, all things considered. Priced at a little under US$20,000, the new chronograph is significantly more expensive than its steel-and-gold counterparts – by a factor of 50%. While the price tag partially justified by the unusual material combination and good looks, the new Seamaster Chr...

MB&F; Introduces the LM Split Escapement ‘Eddy Jaquet’ SJX Watches
Casio nally collaborations Sep 22, 2020

MB&F; Introduces the LM Split Escapement ‘Eddy Jaquet’

Conceived as an imagined, 19th-century take on MB&F;’s uber-modern, sci-fi inspired Horological Machines, the Legacy Machines (LM) draw inspiration from the aesthetic of the era – and the works of Jules Verne – to create a steampunk-meets-classical-watchmaking timepiece. Now the spirit of the LM have been made tangible with the LM Split Escapement ‘Eddy Jaquet’.  The series is limited to just eight watches in red gold, each featuring a dial depicting a scene from Verne’s novels, rendered in minute detail with the hand engraving of Eddy Jaquet, a Swiss artisan who has worked with an array of watchmakers but perhaps best known for his work on Voutilainen watches. Initial thoughts The new LM Split Escapement (SE) is a departure from the typical MB&F; watch, which usually emphasises technical aspects, like movement construction or finishing, or case design and materials (and occasionally collaborations with contemporary artists). Instead the new LM SE is all about artisanal craft, something that is familiar territory for independent watchmakers like Voutilainen but novel for MB&F;. Though such artistically decorated timepieces are not a traditional strength of MB&F;, the result is an attractive watch. The engraving is impressively done, and avoids appearing monochromatic thanks to its depth. The intricate, pictorial engraving also complements the style of the LM, making the whole greater than the sum of the parts. In fact, it can be argued that the original LM SE w...