295 articles · 254 videos found · page 11 of 19
Quill & Pad
As a fan of the classic 1950s and 1960s Omega Constellations, Colin Smith had always dismissed Omega’s 1982 reworking of its flagship model, known as the Constellation Manhattan, as something of an aberration from the “true” Constellation concept. His “road to Damascus” moment occurred recently when he saw a 36 mm black-dial co-axial chronometer on display at an Omega dealer in Bordeaux.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Franck Muller are known for their incredibly complex movements, wonderfully curved case designs, and brightly coloured dials. But did you know that each Franck Muller dial is hand-painted? That’s right, there is a dedicated dial painter with a very steady hand, who is responsible for adding that characteristic splash of colour to the … ContinuedThe post Why it’s so challenging to paint a Franck Muller dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
When it comes to finely-finished, time-only movements, the ultimate Seiko offerings are the Credor Eichi II and Grand Seiko Spring Drive 20th Anniversary. The Japanese equivalent of watches like the Akrivia Chronometre Contemporain and Philippe Dufour Simplicity, the pair are the work of the Micro Artist Studio and finished to the same magnificent level, broadly speaking. (The Grand Seiko 8 Day is of the same quality, but it is a much larger and more complex watch.) Because the movements, the 7R14 in the Eichi II and 9R02 in Grand Seiko SBGZ001 and SBGZ003, are fundamentally identical, comparing the finer details of the two – an enlightened, obsessive nitpicking – makes for some interesting conclusions. The 7R14 in the Eichi II (left) and the 9R02 of the Grand Seiko SBGZ001 The sampled are both finished examples that were purchased in stores, and not prototypes, so both are representative of their respective model and movement. Though both were made in the Seiko-Epson’s Micro Artist Studio, probably by the very same craftsmen, the Eichi II was produced in 2015, while the Grand Seiko SBGZ001 dates to 2019, which is the year of its launch, and is the property of Mark Cho, founder of menswear retailer The Armoury. Same but different Both movements share the same architecture and layout, with the key functional difference being the power reserve, in both duration and display. The Eichi II’s 7R14 has a single barrel and a 60-hour power reserve, indicated on a fan-sha...
SJX Watches
One of the iconic Swatch watches from its 1980s heyday was the Jelly Fish (ref. GZ010), which was unveiled in 1983, the same year Swatch itself was launched. A quartz movement entirely exposed in a clear plastic case – accented with brightly coloured hands – the Jelly Fish was a bestseller that encapsulated what Swatch was all about: no-frills but fun watchmaking. The Jelly Fish remained in production, in one form or another – there was even a COSC-certified chronometer limited edition (GK124) in 1990 – for over two decades. Now the spirit of the Jelly Fish returns as the Big Bold Jelly, essentially the same idea but in a larger watch case. The Big Bold Jelly features a quartz movement inside a Big Bold case, just like the recent limited editions created in collaboration with fashion label A Bathing Ape (BAPE). The case is a large 47mm in diameter, with the crown unusually positioned at two o’clock. But just as with the original Jelly Fish, the case is clear plastic, while the band is translucent silicone. And the hands are rendered in bright colours – red, yellow and blue – with a bit more colour provided by the gilded wheels within the movement. Key facts and price Big Bold Jelly Ref. SO27E100 Diameter: 47mm Height: 11.75mm Material: Clear plastic Water resistance: 30m Movement: Quartz Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds Strap: Silicone with aluminium pin buckle Availability: At Swatch stores Price: US$110 For more information, visit Swatch.co...
SJX Watches
Watches that are historical curiosities often make for good stories, and sometimes record-setting prices. The Patek Philippe ref. 2499 at Phillips’ upcoming New York sale, as it happens, is one such watch. Rare and usually expensive, the ref. 2499 is not the first perpetual-calendar chronograph made by Patek Philippe – that distinction goes to the smaller ref. 1518 – but it’s the most desirable, broadly speaking, because it has a largish case well suited to modern tastes. Introduced in 1950, the model is regarded to have been produced in four distinct series, each distinguished by various details like the shape of the pushers and the dial. The first series ref. 2499 is characterised by square, or rectangular, pushers, applied Arabic numerals on the dial, which also has a tachymetre on its periphery. For approximately the first two years of its production, the ref. 2499 relied on cases made by Emile Vichet, a Geneva specialist that was the go-to case maker for Patek Philippe during the period. Vichet case, round buttons. Image – Phillips Vichet and Wenger Vichet cases feature distinctive lugs, usually described as claw-like, which are elongated and curve sharply downwards. And because Vichet cases have a flat, as opposed to domed, case back, they sit slightly elevated, on the the tips of each lug, when placed on a table. The number of 2499s with Vichet cases is tiny: around four known in pink gold, and about 10 in yellow gold. Though Vichet went out of business i...
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Two Broke Watch Snobs
It’s been a long time coming. Finally, after sitting on this for a bit, I’m ready to share some thoughts about the Monta Atlas GMT. Recently, work and life have managed to brutally pull me under-but when a great watch has to be written about, I do my best to share my review when I can. Monta is the product of a new era of microbrands pushing into uncharted territory with a controversial pivot toward four-digit price points.
SJX Watches
Phillips’ thematic auction this season is titled Double Signed: A Celebration of the Finest Partnerships Between Manufacturers and Retailers, with a catalogue composed of watches with retailer signatures mostly on the dial, but occasionally on the case back. Though a retailer signature in itself does not make a great watch, many watches in the sale are already superb watches, but made even more special by the retailer’s mark, like the Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542 below. More broadly, Double Signed is more historically evocative than most other thematic auctions, because many of the retailers cited within represent a particular time and place that is long gone, even if the retailer remains in business. Examples include Serpico y Laino of Caracas, which no doubt prospered during Venezuela’s good times that are now long forgotten, or Le Palais Royal of Havana that was the island’s premiere retailer before the Communist revolution. Here’s part one of the roundup of highlights from the sale. (And part II is here.) Lot 11 – Vacheron Constantin tourbillon pocket watch ref. 92244 “Asprey” One of the most proper examples of haute horlogerie in the sale is this Vacheron Constantin pocket watch that contains an observatory-certified tourbillon movement from the 1940s, though the watch was only finished and sold in 1992. It’s believed that in the 1990s, Vacheron Constantin discovered a small number of tourbillon movements that had been tested and certified as chronomet...
Quill & Pad
The GPHG Challenge category should probably more accurately be called the “Bang For Your Buck” category because this really is where you can see just how much watch you can get for your hard-earned dollar. But our panel is quite split on which watch delivers the most for the least.
Hodinkee
A master tailor from Italy and a collection of interesting timepieces made for quite a night.
Time+Tide
The handful of BIG Rolex collectors meet-ups around the world represent the sanctum sanctorum of the vintage watch world, secretive affairs (which is sensible, given the dollar value of watches on the table) that offer a glimpse not just into the ultra-rarefied, and slightly odd, world of very high-end watch collecting, but also where the … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: The World Economic Forum of the vintage watch market appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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The battle for Bauhaus supremacy!
Time+Tide
There was a lot going on in the middle of the 1960s. The space race was in full swing, the Australian dollar was introduced, and the launch of the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Collection. This collection was launched alongside a number of other projects that Girard-Perregaux were working on, including being aggressively competitive in the Neuchâtel Observatory … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Mid-Century Magic with the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The Swatch Group have published their 2019 Half-Year Report, revealing some interesting information. The group has reported an increase in their inventory levels, which include components, movements and watches, to a total of 7.1 billion Swiss francs (up 2.6 per cent from 2018). More broadly, the group, which owns brands such as Tissot, Longines and … ContinuedThe post BUSINESS NEWS: Why the Swatch Group has millions of watches sitting in warehouses appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
When most watch collectors hear the word quartz they think cheap, mass-produced and soulless. If a watch isn’t mechanical, it isn’t worth talking about, thinking about, and definitely not buying, which are sentiments I broadly agree with. As I wrote here, mechanical watches have a combination of nostalgic charm and independent reliability that I love … ContinuedThe post MY 6 MONTHS WITH: The Grand Seiko SBGN007 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Much has been written about the growth of the pre-owned watch market in recent years, but just how long has this been happening, and will watches hold their value during a recession? With consecutive seasons of watch auctions breaking all-time records, luxury conglomerate Richemont spending an estimated €200m to acquire second-hand dealer Watchfinder & Co … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Do watches hold their value during a downturn? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
In case you haven’t watched our videos and heard our brutal mangling of Swiss brand names with broad Australian accents, you might not realise that Time+Tide is an Australian-based company. So it makes sense that we’re a little proud of our homegrown heroes, and even those we’ve adopted (hello Rusty). So, in the spirit of mateship, … ContinuedThe post 3 of Australia’s finest … watch brand ambassadors appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Time+Tide
Skeleton dials are interesting, not because they offer a garish look at something exposed but because they showcase the sheer level of complexity involved in modern watchmaking. Without searching for photos of the movement of your watch online, or doing a John Goldberger (and opening your million dollar Rolex 4113 with a cheese knife), the … ContinuedThe post The 10 best skeleton dials from 2018 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
This July’s ‘Exclusive Timepieces & Jewels’ sale at Monaco Legend Group’s purpose-built space in Monaco is the first under the new ownership of renowned dealer Davide Parmegiani.
Time+Tide
Broadly speaking, microbrand is a term used to describe smaller watch brands - typically with few staff, outsourced production and a direct-to-consumer business model. The other thing to note is that there is a lot of them, typically waxing and waning in terms of favour. But sometimes these brands gain a critical momentum that starts to … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Farer’s growth begs the question – when does a microbrand stop being micro? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
When Hublot announced its partnership with French contemporary artist Richard Orlinski back in 2017, I guess you could say I was intrigued. Until then, I hadn’t heard of Orlinski or his Pop Art-style beasts. But after seeing his brightly coloured “Wild Kong” gorilla sculpture, with its multiple diamond-like facets, I knew that a Hublot and … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Hublot Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph Orlinski Green Ceramic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Blancpain’s Bathyscaphe is one of those rare, chameleonic watch designs. A watch that, broadly speaking, owes great fidelity to its primogenitor, but a watch that doesn’t look dated. It’s a neutral watch - something that gives the Bathyscaphe broad appeal and great versatility. In steel, it’s a classic, traditional dive watch, but here, in black … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: An ideal daily diver, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe in black ceramic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Time+Tide
A Swiss watch is a near-universally recognised symbol for quality, precision and tradition. And while that’s all well and good, there’s another thing that fine Swiss watches tend to be synonymous with - and that’s high sticker prices. And broadly speaking that perception is true - I constantly find myself uttering phrases like “this $60,000 … ContinuedThe post LIST: The budget list – 5 great new Swiss mechanical watches from brands you’ve heard of that cost less than $1500 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
So what's the deal with brightly colored dive watches and the design manufacturers pursue for the sake of legibility under water? Are these models more desirable or functional than others? Why are some brightly colored Seikos so difficult to find?
Time+Tide
So, you’re interested in a TAG Heuer Carrera? Great! But I’m afraid I’m going to need a lot more information. Are you into modern, larger watches? Do you prefer time-only or complications? Ceramic or steel? Do you like Pandas? Because where once ‘Carrera’ was code for sporty, broadly classic-looking chronographs, it can now encompass some … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Confused by the ever-expanding TAG Heuer Carrera collection? Chris Hemsworth is here to help appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Strapped onto the wrist of tennis world number one Rafael Nadal as he demolishes his on-court opponents, the RM 027 has survived the most brutal of hard knocks, deservedly attaining cult status as the ultimate high-performance mechanical wristwatch.
Time+Tide
Welcome to February or, as we like to call it, ‘that spacer between SIHH and Baselworld’. The T+T team is taking a quick breather to digest exactly what happened at SIHH, as we brace ourselves for a hectic upcoming trip to Basel. I kicked off this month with a trip to my tailor, Carl Navè, … ContinuedThe post SPOTTED! BY AG: Dispatch 17, February 2018 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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