Hodinkee
Auctions: Philippe Dufour Simplicity Fetches CHF 1.36 Million At Phillips
The record price shattered the pre-sale top estimate of CHF 400,000.
Results for Equation of Time
33,548 articles · 3,584 videos found · page 1086 of 1238
Hodinkee
SJX Watches
Breaking News: Philippe Dufour Simplicity 20th Anniversary Sells for US$1.51m
The very first Philippe Dufour Simplicity 20th Anniversary to leave Mr Dufour’s workshop was the first major example of independent watchmaking at Phillips’ Retrospective: 2000-2020 auction. It set a very high bar, hammering for 1.1 million Swiss francs, or 1.36 million francs including fees, which is equivalent to US$1.51 million. Almost forty times the retail price of the Simplicity when it was launched in 2000, the price is a new record for the model. The result handily crosses an earlier record set just a month ago at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong, where an 34 mm example from the original production run sold for US$662,000. The Simplicity 20th Anniversary features a hinged hunter back, a feature not found in the original series Impressive as it is, the record price was reached swiftly. Although the estimate was 200,000-400,000 francs, a bidder on the phone represented by Tiffany To of Phillips opened with a 450,000 franc bid. The phone bidder was joined by a handful of fellow phone as well as in-room bidders – Mr Bacs commented during the proceedings there were seven phone lines active – along with a solo bid online from Singapore. The price rose quickly in 50,000 and 100,000 franc steps, with Ms To’s phone bidder clinching the prize. The seven-figure price for the Simplicity elevates Mr Dufour to the rarefied territory of living independent watchmakers whose wristwatches have sold for above US$1m at auction. There are just two watchmakers who can make that clai...
Deployant
Throwback Sundays: Six Underrated Luxury Watches to Consider, from Our Archives
Collectors, at least within the local context, are a conservative bunch. There are certainly no shortage of collectors in Singapore, but most of them tend to stick to the usual few big brands. No prizes for guessing what are some of the brands that we were referring to. As a watch publication, we hope thatRead More
Deployant
Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Azzurro Power Control
This spring, Chopard will proudly reprise its role as main sponsor and official timekeeper of Italy’s world famous Mille Miglia classic car rally, a position it has held continuously since 1988. Each year, Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele has demonstrated his passion for automobiles by competing in the gruelling, 1,000-mile contest that runs from Brescia to Rome and back – and each year the Maison produces a new Mille Miglia watch collection to celebrate what is regularly described as 'the most beautiful race in the world'.
SJX Watches
Cartier Introduces the Métiers d’Art Straw and Gold Marquetry Panther
A recurring theme in Cartier’s watchmaking is Métiers d’Art – or “artisanal crafts” – where traditional decorative techniques are employed to create elaborate, intricate decoration on the watch dial, and occasionally the case. This year’s Métiers d’Art offerings are a pair of Ronde Louis Cartier wristwatches that return to the brand’s signature big cat motif. Decorated with an unusual marquetry technique involving straw and gold Métiers d’Art Straw and Gold Marquetry Panther is the larger, 42 mm model for men, while the smaller, 36 mm model features enamel filigree, where the enamel has been stretched to form bamboo shoots secured to the dial with gold wire. The 36 mm model with an enamel, gold, and diamond dial Initial thoughts Artisanal decorative techniques often result in prohibitively expensive watches, which narrows their appeal. That said, many watchmakers offer such watches, but produced in small numbers. More recently, they have used old-school techniques to create modern motifs or even light-hearted, whimsicial themes. Cartier’s approach is creativity in technique rather than style. The motif is traditional and reassuringly familiar – the famous panther is executed with exemplary skill but still the panther. That said, the marquetry dial is slightly abstract, giving the panther a slightly more contemporary look. But it will still appeal best to those who appreciate the jeweller’s well-established style. The finished straw marque...
SJX Watches
Business News: Richemont Six-Month Watch Sales Plunge 38%
Richemont just reported its sales for the first half of the financial year – the six months to end September 2020 – and most of the numbers are in the red. The Swiss luxury group that owns Cartier and IWC saw sales fall 26% year on year, though the quarterly numbers show a gradual recovery. Sales were down by 47% in the first quarter but recovered enough to dip just 6% in the second quarter, owing to a gradual reopening of the economy. This no doubt inspired optimism amongst investors, who sent the group’s share price up almost 9% by the close of trading. Optimism notwithstanding, the declines extended to all performance metrics. Operating margin fell sharply to just 8.3%, almost half that for the same period in 2019. The falls in sales and margins collectively led to stark, 82% fall in operating profit. Net profit cratered, going from €869m in the first half of 2019 to just €159m. Beyond the negative numbers, the report was also notable for what it did not include. With rumours swirling about changes to Richemont management at the very top level – particularly about the tenure of chief executive Jerome Lambert – it was widely speculated the results announcement would include personnel changes, but nothing was forthcoming. Woe for watches and everywhere but Asia The global pandemic meant a global fall in sales, but with drops varying from region to region. As expected, Asia Pacific performed the best, with sales falling just 4%. Negative growth in the fir...
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Krayon Anywhere Universal Sunrise-Sunset Complication
One of the most sophisticated sunrise-sunset watches is drop-dead elegant as well.
SJX Watches
Highlights: Phillips Geneva Watch Auction XII
Taking place over two days – Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7 – The Geneva Watch Auction: XII at Phillips is the first sale of the fall auction season. A compact sale of under 180 lots, the auction comprises a diverse line up, ranging from the obviously notable – like a Cartier Crash in platinum and a unique Patek Philippe ref. 5020P – to the obscure but extremely interesting, like the postwar A. Lange & Söhne wristwatch made after the company had been nationalised by the Soviets, as well as a vintage Audemars Piguet perpetual calendar with a paradoxical brand-new but factory-original case. Here’s a look at handful of standouts from the sale. You’ll find the full catalogue, as well as online bidding, right here. Lot 31 – Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Regulator ref. 5235G Unlike many of the other watches in the auction, the ref. 5235G is neither rare nor complicated, or even especially valuable. But it is an under-appreciated gem in Patek Philippe’s line up. Lightly designed and full of unusual details – ranging from the brushed dial finish to the engraved logo at three – the ref. 5235 also boasts a distinctively-designed movement unique to this reference and found in no other model. This example of the ref. 5235 is in white gold, which was discontinued last year and replaced by the same in rose gold with a black dial. While the new version is far more striking, the almost monochromatic white gold version is deeply appealing in its simplici...
Revolution
Introducing the Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin for Revolution & The Rake
Having witnessed the beauty of Aurel Bacs’ sector dial Laurent Ferrier, we worked with the Swiss watch manufacturer to create our special edition in the same spirit but with different details.
Hodinkee
The Value Proposition: The Waldan Heritage Collection
The next generation of a family watchmaking story.
Deployant
Insider critique: The Omega Speedmaster Snoopy 50th Anniversary with hands-on and live pics
We covered the launch of the Omega Speedmaster Snoopy 50th Anniversary with our insights and commentary earlier. And the watch made it to our shores recently, and we got up close and personal it for a photo session and hands-on. Here are our photographs. This is the third in the Snoopy Award series by Omega,Read More
SJX Watches
Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Phillips’ ‘Retrospective: 2000 – 2020’
Taking place this weekend as a live auction with only cameras, telephones, and online bidding, Retrospective: 2000 – 2020 is a thematic sale that happens the day after Phillips’ Geneva watch auction. The second sale curated with Blackbird, both the publisher of a watch magazine as well as the agent for Ferrari in Hong Kong, Retrospective: 2000 – 2020 is self explanatory: contemporary wristwatches produced in the past 20 years. The 95 lots that make up the sale are a selection of the important, interesting, and intriguing from the last two decades, including obvious candidates like the Rolex Daytona and Patek Philippe ref. 5970. And the sale also includes notable watches that usually go under the radar, like the Breguet Classique Chronometrie 7727 with magnetic balance pivots (which is possibly the most accurate Swiss-made mechanical watch of the 21st century). The Breguet Classique Chronometrie 7727 (lot 258) Importantly, the line up also encompasses a diverse selection of independent watchmaking, reflecting the rise of these niche watchmakers. Here’s a roundup of highlights from independent watchmakers, which include the Philippe Dufour Simplicity 20th Anniversary and the ultra-rare Opus Eleven. The selection includes the worthy Seiko Credor Eichi II and Lange 1 25th Anniversary. Neither comes from an independent watchmaker, but both are as close as it gets for establishment brands. Lot 206 – Philippe Dufour Simplicity 20th Anniversary No. 00/20 Philippe Dufour...
Time+Tide
The Louis Vuitton 2020 Collection delivers flying tourbillons, gem-set cases and some very special spinning cubes
Louis Vuitton are best known today for their leather goods, and historically for their travel trunks, but when it comes to watchmaking, most aren’t aware of the work they do. Of course, having such a well-recognised brand globally is a double-edged sword, where Louis Vuitton bags are desired all over the world, but the quality … ContinuedThe post The Louis Vuitton 2020 Collection delivers flying tourbillons, gem-set cases and some very special spinning cubes appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
EDITOR’S PICK: Great value complications – the Clifton Baumatic Day-Date Moon-Phase
Editor’s note: With watch collecting skewing towards sports models, there is definitely room for more classic and complicated watches in our collections. Now I know what you’re thinking: more complicated means more cost. This, however, is not necessarily the case. In fact, we recently covered a watch that fits the bill. When Watches & Wonders … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Great value complications – the Clifton Baumatic Day-Date Moon-Phase appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
VIDEO: The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph collection, a sharp new formula for a classic
In a year that sees TAG Heuer peaking with vintage inspiration, the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph collection comes sliding into our feeds as a fresh take on a classic. There is strong inspiration from its ’60s heyday, while a contemporary 42mm case, and a sparkling new engine inside in the Heuer-02 movement, inspires a … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph collection, a sharp new formula for a classic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Auctions: Five Charmingly Idiosyncratic Lots From The Upcoming Auction At Sotheby's
It's not all time-only and QPs.
Deployant
Hunting for the Grail Watch: The Lange 1
We all have a grail watch, or watches. Some people define the grail watch as something they will not be able to obtain in their lifetime. Some define it as something just along the border between difficult and impossible, be it financial or availability. Sometimes it’s oddly specific, down to the detail of the typeRead More
SJX Watches
Zenith Introduces the Defy Classic Carbon
A line of sports watches that’s modern in style and mechanics, the Defy was previously available only in mostly traditional materials, namely titanium, ceramic, or gold. But the base model now gets an upgrade with the Defy Classic Carbon that has a carbon-composite case, and more interestingly, a bracelet entirely in carbon composite. Initial thoughts Carbon composites are desirable in engineering for their lightness and strength, which is why they are used in aircraft bodies and Formula 1 cars. In watchmaking the material is useful for its lightness, but even more useful for its distinctive look. It is widely used for watch case, and sometimes in movements, so it’s no longer as novel as it was. This isn’t the first carbon-composite case for Zenith; the El Primero Lightweight of 2013 claims that title, while the El Primero Defy 21 is currently in the catalogue. So the Defy Classic Carbon isn’t groundbreaking, but it does look good. The liberal use of carbon composite suits the design well, with the techno-organic random pattern of the composite going well the open-worked dial, resulting in a sporty, fresh look that’s the best amongst all of the base-model Defy watches. The version equipped with a carbon fibre bracelet looks best naturally, because of the coherent, unbroken aesthetics and also rarity – while carbon-composite case are common, an integrated bracelet in the material is rare. Weighing just 65 g with the bracelet – about half the weight of a si...
Time+Tide
Retail versus secondhand: which 5 Rolex models have the most inflated prices on the seconds market?
We track down the five most price-inflated Rolexes.The post Retail versus secondhand: which 5 Rolex models have the most inflated prices on the seconds market? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
David Oscarson Sea Turtle Pens: Lift Your Mood With Smiling Turtles And Summer
David Oscarson’s use of guilloche and fired enamel to create the exquisite designs on his pens is his well-established hallmark, and over two decades he has brought compelling and often thought-provoking topics to pictorial life with clarity and artistic flair. His latest collection features sea turtles all the way down, providing us with just a whiff of the bygone summer.
Revolution
Revolution Awards 2020
On our last issue of every year, it has become tradition for us to celebrate by sorting through the wide array of watches launched over the course of the year and bestowing awards among the best of the best.
Time+Tide
RECOMMENDED READING: Apple now sells more watches than the entire Swiss watch industry
Whether you like it or not, the Apple Watch is here to stay and has proven itself the most popular wristwatch in the world. A watch for all people, whether working class, a professional athlete, or celebrity … everyone has seemed to hop on the Apple bandwagon. But is that really any surprise? The reality … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Apple now sells more watches than the entire Swiss watch industry appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
De Bethune Introduces the DB28GS Yellow Submarine
De Bethune builds watches that are deliciously futuristic in form and construction, though it has rarely applied its house style to sports watches. Last year’s DB28GS Grand Blue is a bona fide sports watch, with plenty of water resistance and dynamo-powered illumination. Now it’s been given a new look with the DB28GS Yellow Submarine, which has a richly-gilded case that is actually titanium heat treated to create a bronze-gold oxide layer on its surface. Initial thoughts Measuring 44 mm wide and 12.8 mm high, the DB28GS is even chunkier than most De Bethune watches, which are already quite large. The original DB28GS Grand Blue is mostly a monotonous grey, with some blue accents, giving it a technical, rugged style. Even though it is just a change in colour, the yellow case of the Yellow Submarine gives it an entirely new look. The gold finish is luxe but more bronze in tone, and also combined with a brushed surface finish, giving the watch a warm, slightly aged look. And the new case colour gives the watch more contrast – it definitely pops – making it more visually attractive than its predecessor. The original DB28GS was a pricey watch, and so is the new Yellow Submarine. But fortunately it costs almost the same at 95,000 Swiss francs, or about 4% more than its predecessor. Yellow titanium De Bethune’s inventiveness is most prolific in its movements, but also extends to cases. Its signature case material is heat-blued titanium – where the alloy is heated ove...
Time+Tide
MICRO MONDAYS: The Brellum Pilot Power Gauge Chronometer – a COSC-certified classic pilot’s chronograph with a modern edge
Brellum has just released a resolutely modern, yet classic take on a pilot’s chronograph, with the sharpest of details – and shows how much colour and texture transforms the aviator personality of the Brellum Pilot Power Gauge Chronometer. This is another strong reference from Brellum that will follow your lead, be it battle-ready flight instrument … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Brellum Pilot Power Gauge Chronometer – a COSC-certified classic pilot’s chronograph with a modern edge appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Jaded Wife Donates Husband’s Watches to Trick-Or-Treat Candy Bag Due to Political Differences
“Seriously he deserved it. You should see who he’s voting for in the upcoming election. A few misplaced watches are nothing compared to Armageddon he intends to unleash upon the rest of the country.”
Deployant
Recommendations for six watches with more than just a tourbillon on Throwback Sundays
Not just any ordinary tourbillon equipped wristwatch, God forbid that a tourbillon can be allowed to be called ordinary, but one which feature the tourbillon and another complication. Double Whammy so to speak. Here is a list of six of the best when it comes to piling another complication over the grand tourbillon. From theRead More
Quill & Pad
Vive Paris And Vive La Couleur: What Berluti Has Done To Make Men’s Feet Fashionable – Reprise
For a die-hard shoe aficionado, the Berluti moniker probably resonates the same way that Franck Muller’s name does for a WIS: overpriced, under-crafted, and something that clueless wanabees might buy. But Berluti, like Franck Muller, was a game changer. As much as What Makes Me Tick wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a Franck Muller on his wrist, Berluti is for him one of the greatest shoe brands ever.
SJX Watches
Rimowa Introduces the Rimowa Watch Case
Famous for its stamped aluminium luggage that’s has become a status symbol of sorts, Rimowa has just unveiled the Rimowa Watch Case. Like its signature suitcases, Rimowa’s watch box is made of matte aluminium with parallel grooves and also steeply priced, with a retail of just over US$2,000. Initial thoughts The utility of Rimowa’s aluminium luggage – namely its robustness – doesn’t feature in a watch case, since watch storage doesn’t need to be particularly robust. In fact, the weight of the case – 1.29 kg, or about 2.84 lbs – makes it ironically impractical for travelling. The distinctive all-aluminium aesthetic, however, does translate well into ultra-premium storage for three watches. And premium the watch case is. Rimowa’s diversification is no surprise, especially since the brand was acquired by French luxury conglomerate LVMH in 2016. And watch accessories are particularly sensible, because of the price premiums that can be charged for such accessories. Compare the price of a watch strap to a belt strap by the same maker for instance. The case is disproportionately more expensive compared to Rimowa’s aluminium luggage. In fact, the watch case costs almost 50% more than Rimowa’s largest check-in luggage in aluminium. It doesn’t make sense from a value perspective, but the watch case is cool, especially for someone who appreciates Rimowa’s aesthetic. Pressed, matte, and silvery The watch case is made in Italy, unlike Rimowa’s primary l...
Time+Tide
Getting some Eichi, or Wisdom, from macro monster @horomariobro
Within the watch community, you will hear the phrase “in the metal” a fair bit. With some watches it is as simple as paying a quick visit to an authorised dealer to become more acclimated with a watch. However, not all watches are available to view in-store – and no, this is not a conversation … ContinuedThe post Getting some Eichi, or Wisdom, from macro monster @horomariobro appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Hands-on review: The Rolex Submariner Ref. 124060 new for 2020
The new Rolex Submariner is an improvement of the 2019 edition, with a larger case size and an upgraded movement. Lesser mentioned improvements include an anti-reflective crystal. The difference between the models are less discernible but becomes apparent when the 2 watches are side-by-side.