Results for Plasma High-Tech Ceramic

S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Richard Mille Mar 18, 2023

Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Sotheby’s Hong Kong

Beginning in early April, Sotheby’s spring sale season in Hong Kong also marks the auctioneer’s 50th anniversary in Asia. One of the headline sales is Important Watches I, a 210-lot sale that spans notable complications, artisanal decoration, and of course, independent watchmaking. The indie line up includes heavy hitters from the likes of F.P. Journe, Richard Mille, and Philippe Dufour, but also a few potential value buys such as the Christophe Claret Blackjack 21. And in the mix are some surprises, like the FVF Tourbillon Superligero. The auction takes place on April 5, 2023. Registration for bidding and the full catalogue can be accessed here. Lot 2101: Gérald Genta Fantasy Retro Mickey Mouse in 18k white gold Gérald Genta was the first watch brand to place cartoon character in high-end watches, well before it became a fad amongst luxury watchmakers. The Fantasy collection depicted various Disney characters, usually combined with retrograde complications. Such watches are common enough that a few appear every auction season, but almost always in steel or occasionally yellow gold. This example, surprisingly, is entirely in 18k white gold, case and bracelet, making it very uncommon. While it will pass for steel at a distance, the heft of the case and bracelet is a giveaway.  The case is 36 mm, compact by today’s standards but the typical size for a men’s watch in the 1990s and early 2000s. And the dial is mother of pearl – Genta was a pioneer in exotic dia...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Mar 17, 2023

Pocket Watches: From Historical Icons to Modern Collectibles

Before wristwatches, there were pocket watches, and while pocket watches have long been eclipsed in the market, and in the hearts of many collectors, by their wrist-worn brethren, they never went away entirely. In the 21st century, a pocket watch is a rarity that can represent many things: for a watch aficionado, it can be a proudly retrograde style statement to complement a boldly chosen ensemble, or a Holy Grail piece to proudly display at the center of a collection of wristwatches. For a watchmaker, the pocket watch’s larger dimensions can provide a playground for the most ambitious high-horological inventions and decorative artistry. As I explore in more detail in this article, the historical figure most often credited as the inventor of the pocket watch is German clockmaker and locksmith Peter Henlein (1485-1542), who cobbled together the first so-called “clock-watches,” i.e., compact timekeepers designed to be worn on a person’s body, in his shop in Nuremberg in 1510. Essentially drum-shaped, ornamental brass boxes, with primitive, single-handed movements made of iron or steel inside, and suspended on chains draped around one’s neck, these devices were more regarded as ornamental jewelry than reliable timepieces. The drum-shaped cases eventually gave way to more smoothly rounded oval shaped ones, aka the so-called “Nuremberg eggs,” which were also worn as pendants. King Charles II of England ushered in the next major step in the evolution of watches wit...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Omega Mar 1, 2023

Introducing: The Omega Globemaster

What is the Omega Globemaster? That's a good question, because it's not a name one might be familiar with like the releases from Omega in years past. It does, technically, belong to the Omega Constellation family, though little is being done to tie the two together beyond the historical nod in the form of a pie-pan dial. But what the Globemaster does have is what Omega is claims to be its most advanced mechanical movement, ever.

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Q Quill & Pad

Quill & Pad

Feb 28, 2023

How Watches are Made – the Engineering of Watchmaking by John McGonigle (Video)

Master Watchmaker John McGonigle of Oileán Watches, in the first of two presentations, gives a brief history of the development of watches and how they were initially made, their progression to precision instruments, the industrialisation of watchmaking, how modern techniques and materials have been adapted and how current hand-crafted watches fit into all of this.

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Q Quill & Pad

Quill & Pad

Feb 24, 2023

Victor Monnin And Alexander Hazemann’s School Watches: Two Talented Next Generation Watchmakers To Look Out For

One of the most important things for the watchmaking industry is to ensure that today's watchmakers have successors that can repair old watches, make new watches, and develop the next generation of watches. Fortunately, the next generation is coming on and is coming in hot, as Victor Monnin and Alexander Hazemann, two young watchmaking students, highlight as they take things to the next level with their school watches. 

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

Richard Mille emphasises women tantalising new Feb 24, 2023

FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Sinn debuts Goldbronze, Richard Mille emphasises women, tantalising new Moser

Any fun plans for the weekend? Well, before you get to it, here are the highlights of the week you may have missed and that we have yet to cover ourselves! Sinn goes for Gold(bronze) New T50 watches with new in-house Goldbronze 125 alloy comprised of 12.5% solid gold (Omega’s bronze gold is 37.5% for … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Sinn debuts Goldbronze, Richard Mille emphasises women, tantalising new Moser appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Feb 10, 2023

G-SHOCK’s Latest Titanium Release Combines the Aesthetics of a Circuit Board with Camouflage to Great Effect

G-SHOCK has had a string of successful releases over the past few years with full metal watches that incorporate some type of interesting, laser engraved design. It turns out that the G-SHOCK case and bracelet is a surprisingly versatile canvas for compelling camo designs, sci-fi influenced schematics, and the touch of an actual artist. With this latest release, the design influence is actually G-SHOCK itself, using the design of their own circuit board as a jumping off point for a very contemporary watch that pays tribute to the brand’s roots.  The G-SHOCK Circuit Camouflage, reference GMWB5000TCC1, is billed as a titanium version of the very first G-SHOCK, the famed DW-5000C. You’ll note that the new watch shares the same iconic case lines as that early G-SHOCK release, just in titanium, rather than resin. The camo-like design that has been laser etched on the case and bracelet is a real G-SHOCK insider’s treat. The pattern is lifted from the 3459 circuit board found in the GMWB5000 series watches, and has been meticulously recreated using some fairly high end manufacturing techniques.  The base of the watch is a coating of black IP. This ion plating technique has been the go-to process for G-SHOCK in virtually all of their recent coated metal watches. The circuit board pattern is drawn twice using a laser irradiation process, once prior to the black IP coating, and then again after. According to G-SHOCK, this process gives the pattern a depth that would not othe...

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

Norqain goes wild Feb 10, 2023

FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Piaget goes PC, Norqain goes wild with NHL, and FC is living the highlife

Another Friday, another Wind Down, another recap of some highlight releases you may have missed this week. Let’s get into them. Piaget presents a perpetual calendar Polo Perpetual calendar complication makes its debut in modern Polo line Features dark iridescent green dial, interchangeable straps, and a slender 8.65mm thickness Priced approximately 4.5x more than the … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Piaget goes PC, Norqain goes wild with NHL, and FC is living the highlife appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Audemars Piguet Novelties Audemars Piguet recently Feb 8, 2023

The Worn & Wound Team Picks Their Favorite New Audemars Piguet Novelties

Audemars Piguet recently unveiled their first (very large) batch of new releases for 2023, and if your Instagram feeds are anything like ours, they absolutely took over. As expected, there were plenty of new Royal Oaks on display, and in a variety of materials and platforms. We also saw an expansion of the Code 11.59 collection, including an entirely new dial motif and a metal that many collectors have been waiting for. Now that the Worn & Wound editorial team has had a chance to wade through all the new watches, we thought we’d pick our favorites among the latest novelties.  Blake Buettner I’ll admit I have a slight soft spot for so-called ‘Jumbo’ Royal Oaks. That is, Royal Oaks that follow the original template of the 5402ST put forth back in 1972: a slim 39mm case with the “AP” at 6 o’clock where it belongs. I also have a penchant for steel sport watches (well documented in these pages) and the Royal Oak arguably opened the door for the high-end category of the genre. It’s a watch I had been enormously enamored with upon my entry to the hobby, though that enthusiasm has waned in recent years as the watch found itself on a moon-bound trajectory in the market, and an ever increasing variety of precious metal variants that, while handsome, deviate a bit too far from the simple, approachable(ish) nature of the original (for my taste, at least).  That said, the soft spot remains. When a new generation of the watch was announced last year, the 16202, in cele...

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

Breguet s Mudges Feb 1, 2023

Demystifying the mystery dial

Many times, a horological invention is credited to a household watchmaking name. I bet that most of you won’t have heard of Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin, however. Among Breguets, Mudges and Danielses, his invention was less technically impressive, yet no less astonishing, which may partly explain his amazingly successful career as a magician. Following in the footsteps … ContinuedThe post Demystifying the mystery dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Ulysse Nardin Freak X Reviewed Ulysse Jan 30, 2023

[VIDEO] The Freak Gets an Edit, The Curious Ulysse Nardin Freak X Reviewed

Ulysse Nardin is a peculiar brand. They have long been at the forefront of horological innovation, from marine chronometers in the 19th century, to creating stuff like DIAMonSIL in the 21st. However, they lack a singular, cohesive aesthetic that’s coalesced in broader culture in the same way watches like the Speedmaster, Submariner, or Royal Oak have. Except for a watch called the Freak, that is. A concept first released upon the world in 2001, the Freak was as impressive technologically as it was shocking to behold. With a movement that pivoted on itself to display the time, it was (and remains) daring, innovative, and downright novel. But, it never quite enjoyed a ‘hip status’ in the same way other exotic watches from the likes of MB&F; or Urwerk have since. This is likely due to a few reasons, but with the release of the Freak X in 2019, Ulysse Nardin is a whole lot closer. The Freak is a watch that has always commanded attention, both technically and visually speaking. The concept placed the gear train atop the mainspring, within a carousel that itself served as the minute hand. There was no dial to speak of, but rather a rotating plate containing the hour hand underpinning the structure. Winding and setting was managed via the deeply scalloped, somewhat steampunk-ish bezel unit. The launch of the Freak also marked the very first appearance of silicon within a watch movement, something the brand has been a pioneer of developing. This is a dramatic watch to behold ...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Vulcain Diver Jan 24, 2023

On-Wrist Reaction: The Oris Big Crown Calibre 473, BOLDR’s Odyssey Freediver GMT, & an Unexpected Vulcain Diver

In this episode of On-Wrist Reaction, we have dig into three watches that bring a lot of newness to their respective brands. To kick things off, Zach and Thomas take a look at the Oris Calibre 473 that houses Oris’ brand new in-house movement. The Calibre 473 marks the tenth in-house movement since the Hölstein based brand started the Oris Movement Creation Program and visibly highlights the 5 day power capacity on the backside of the movement via a 120 hour reserve indicator. Next up, the duo checks out the Vulcain Skindiver. Now the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Vulcain is their alarm-equipped Cricket, so naturally a diver from the brand in a tidy 38mm case was interesting to have in hand. A conversation about the BOLDR Odyssey Freediver GMT, its Miyota 9075 movement, and how the gang uses a GMT complication rounds out the episode. Check out the on-wrist reaction for all three watches in the video below, and stay tuned to this space for a more in-depth look at each watch within this week’s OWR selection. Big Crown Calibre 473 Celebrates a Decade of Oris Movement Creation Program The latest release from Oris uses a familiar design in their point date dial layout and a cotton candy blue dial color similar to that of a previous Oris limited edition collaboration with Cervo Volante. But the main draw here is Oris’ new hand wound Calibre 473 movement with a power reserve indicator on the backside of the movement. Check out Thomas Calara’s initial co...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Timex Take Jan 23, 2023

Todd Snyder and Timex Take a Crack at the Chronograph with the MK-1 Sky King

Todd Snyder and Timex have this long standing partnership that dates back to 2016 with the release of the MOD watch. Like many of their collaborative pieces, the designs lean strongly on military field watches, vintage cues, and design-forward decisions that are clearly being made by Mr. Todd Snyder himself. The latest collaboration from the two established American brands marks the first time they step into chronograph territory. The new release is dubbed the MK-1 Sky King and comes in two different variations – a coated steel case with a matching black dial and a traditional steel case with what Todd Snyder x Timex is calling a ‘blaze orange’ dial. The MK-1 Sky King has all the hallmarks of a tried and true pilot’s watch. The main one being legibility, and that is highlighted by a bold upright triangle marker at twelve o’clock and accompanying circular hour plots of the same magnitude. Looking closely, you’ll notice that the hour plots get shifted in closer to the center of the dial, and do not reside on the same track as the triangular marker. This decision compresses the dial visually and also offers a bit of a distinctive dial trait. What does reside on the same track as the twelve marker is a fully indexed minute track that encircles the dial with corresponding Arabic numerals at intervals of five. The addition of hash marks between each minute marker gives the appearance of a solid line around the dial at glance and tightens up the dial aesthetically. Th...

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

Jan 22, 2023

Why three guys decided to blast a MoonSwatch into space

Space may have been the final frontier for the Starship Enterprise. But for watch brands it’s become a pretty well-travelled destination. Last year’s biggest watch release, Swatch’s BioCeramic MoonSwatch, was a playful homage to the original Moonwatch, and resulted in nine watches each connected to nine planets in the solar system. Yet beyond that, the … ContinuedThe post Why three guys decided to blast a MoonSwatch into space appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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R Revolution

Revolution

Jacob & Co. Jan 19, 2023

Unveiling Jacob & Co: The Epic X & Epic X Chrono

We are starting a brand new series to take a peek behind the curtain of the watch brand that has probably the most maximalist design language in the entire Swiss watch industry, Jacob & Co. Beyond the strikingly luxurious presentation of its watches, each product family is underpinned by highly technical competencies that have elevated […]

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Jan 18, 2023

Hands-On with the Vario Versa

Vario is a Singapore-based watch brand founded in 2016. Over the years, they have launched several watches with varying aesthetics though mostly drawing on historical watches as inspiration, such as their rugged 1918 Trench model. Their most recent model, the Versa, also pulls from the past, taking its inspirations from the Streamline/Art Deco era, but mixes in a reversible design for a watch that is both dual-time and dual-faced. A first, to our recollection, in the micro-brand space, the Versa is a surprising release that manages to be clever, while also quite affordable. Apart from the functionality, the Versa is also a rare, small-scale rectangular dress offering from a micro brand. Launched in three versions, the Versa is $428 and powered by not one, but two quartz calibers. For this hands-on, we’ll be taking a look at the blue variety. $428 Hands-On with the Vario Versa Case Stainless Steel Movement 2 x Ronda Slimtech 1062 Dial Silver/Blue Lume NA Lens 2 x Flat Sapphire Strap Black Leather Water Resistance 5 ATM Dimensions 26 x 40mm Thickness 18mm Lug Width 20mm Crown 2 x Push-pull Warranty Yes Price $428 Notable Specs and Features The Versa is a watch defined by a novel and enjoyable feature: it’s essentially two watches in one. The watch head consists of two main components, a frame, and a watch module. The module is created with two slim, small quartz watches mounted back to back, dials facing out, and crowns at twelve. The module is attached to the frame via ...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition Jan 13, 2023

The F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition is Now Open

An annual award that seeks to recognise and support promising watchmakers, the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition (YTC) is open for submissions until February 1, 2023. The entry criteria is straightforward: watchmakers aged between 18 and 30 from any country who have “independently designed and created a timepiece and/or technical construction”, but professional qualifications or training are not necessary. The prize is a CHF20,000 grant meant to finance tools or a watchmaking project. The contest will be judged by a panel including Francois-Paul Journe himself and Giulio Papi, who will select the winner based on originality, technical complexity, aesthetics and finishing, as well as quality of make. Candidates can submit their entries on Fpjourne.com from now until February 1, 2023.  

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Q Quill & Pad

Quill & Pad

Jan 9, 2023

Bolivar Gigantes: Fantastic Cuban Cigars: Unfortunately, they are also Hard to Find

Bolivar, Gigantes cigars might be strong and powerful, but they always seem balanced. Sadly, this will be an experience that becomes rarer and rarer in the coming years as they have been discontinued and are harder to find. Ken Gargett highly recommends that If you ever come across any, grab them fast!

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Louis Vuitton Announces Prize Jan 3, 2023

Louis Vuitton Announces Prize for Independent Watchmakers

Independent watchmaking has been gaining rapid momentum in the last three years. Young and talented watchmakers have emerged to seek recognition (and sometimes riches) in the mould of Philippe Dufour, Kari Voutilainen, and François-Paul Journe. Now the field is about to get the nod of approval from the luxury-goods establishment, with Louis Vuitton having announced the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. Conceived to promote “horological creativity”, the award begins in 2023 with a broad remit. It is open to anyone in watchmaking and watch design, and even from fields related to horology. Initial thoughts As the world’s largest luxury brand, Louis Vuitton has unsurprisingly been making high-end watches for some time – last year was the 20th anniversary of its first mechanical wristwatch. Following its acquisition of Geneva movement maker La Fabrique du Temps in 2012, the brand’s ambitions have grown, resulting in impressively complicated watches like the Tambour Carpe Diem, a minute repeater with automaton. From that perspective, the Louis Vuitton prize is a natural extension of the brand’s progress as a watchmaker, a way for Louis Vuitton to make known its commitment to high-end watchmaking.  The fact that Louis Vuitton is using its considerable resources – the brand’s 2021 revenue was in the region of €15 billion – to support independent watchmakers is a welcome development. The prize money is substantial, reputedly in the low six ...

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R Revolution

Revolution

Urwerk Jan 3, 2023

Legends of Independent Watchmaking: Felix Baumgartner

Wei speaks one-on-one with Felix Baumgartner, a panelist from our Legends of Independent Watchmaking Horological Symposium at Geneva Watch Days 2022, to look back at the highs and the lows of the last 25 years of URWERK. Felix, a master watchmaker, co-founded URWERK with designer Martin Frei in 1997 and the duo have been upending […]

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Jan 3, 2023

The 15 Best Watches Under $200 for New Collectors

Seeking out the best watches under $200 is not, it’s fair to say, a pastime for many serious, seasoned watch collectors, most of whom have access to a fairly large checkbook and are armed with a wealth of knowledge about all the most coveted brands and models out there. But every watch collection starts somewhere and every watch collector starts out as someone who’s new to the timepiece game, often also young and yet to embark on the accumulation of resources that would enable them to play at the higher echelons of timepiece collecting. With that in mind, we gave ourselves a challenging price limit of $200 and sought out 15 watches worth a look - whether you’re a newbie or one of those deep-pocketed watch veterans who can’t resist a bargain. Orient Bambino V4 Blue Dial Price: $200, Reference: FAC08004D0, Case Size: 42 mm, Case Height: 11.8 mm, Lug To Lug: 48.2 mm, Lug Width: 22 mm, Crystal: Domed Mineral, Water Resistance: 30 meters, Movement: Automatic Often under the radar of American watch consumers and overshadowed by its much larger Japanese brethren, Citizen and Seiko (which with it shares a corporate connection through Epson), Orient has been making value-oriented watches in Japan since 1950. The Bambino is Orient’s dressy gents’ model, fairly large in diameter at 42 mm with a domed crystal. The dial’s gradation sweeps from a bright blue center to black at the edges. Inside is an in-house movement, the automatic Orient F6724, with a hacking seconds f...

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Jan 2, 2023

What is so special about the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 1?

Two dive watches have long battled for the title of the original diver’s watch: the Rolex Submariner and the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Technicalities can drag this debate into murky deep waters, but irrefutably the pair are the founding blueprints of what we all expect from a dive watch. Born in 1953, the Fifty Fathoms has … ContinuedThe post What is so special about the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 1? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

F.P. Journe FFC Blue Dec 30, 2022

Takeaways from Attending My First Live Watch Auction

I have always been fascinated by the drama that unfolds at a live watch auction – the excitement, the applause that accompanies a record hammer price, and the occasional silence when there are no bids to be found made. As a collector, the drama that unfolds adds colour to the hobby and adds another dimension to the business.  I had long tuned in for the livestream of auctions since I purchased my first vintage timepiece almost a decade ago. I followed the blockbuster results in the salerooms of the three leading auction houses, Phillips, Sotheby’s and Christie’s, but I had yet to experience being in the room until my outing to the recent fall sales in Hong Kong.  Watching the gavel fall on screen I knew I had to attend a live auction after watching the Sotheby’s Geneva auction that took place in December 2014. On my laptop I saw the sale of the Henry Graves Supercomplication unfold, when the man with the red tie, whom I later discovered to be Aurel Bacs, won the watch for US$24 million.  A few years later, while commuting to my first job out of college, I caught the exact moment when Paul Newman’s “Paul Newman” Rolex Daytona sold for a record at Phillips’ in New York. More recently, I tuned in for the sale of the F.P. Journe FFC Blue at Only Watch last year. Even though I only watched these sales on a screen, it is clear that watch auctions at the highest level are almost a competitive sport, with bidders from across the world or the aisle locked in a ...

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R Revolution

Revolution

Dec 25, 2022

Seven Watches That You Can Wear This Christmas and Not Get Robbed

If you have travel plans this holiday season and you are a keen watch enthusiast, then a travel timepiece is probably high up on your list of things to prepare. Unfortunately, in certain parts of the world, it is getting increasingly difficult to feel safe if you choose to rock that heavy hitting watch to […]

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar IWC Nov 30, 2022

Hands On: IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar

IWC has a suite of instantly recognisable models synonymous with the brand, namely the Pilot’s Watches and of course, the Portugieser. But one collection does get as much recognition as its peers, despite being almost 40 years old. Named after the famous seaside city in Italy, the Portofino was introduced in 1984 (though the inaugural model didn’t yet have the Portofino name at the time) as an oversized pocket watch-style wristwatch, something of a clarion call to persist with mechanical watchmaking after the Quartz Crisis. Now the brand has revived one of the classics from the line with the Portofino Perpetual Calendar. At 40 mm in diameter, it’s the most compact of IWC’s perpetual calendars and is equipped with an in-house movement from the 82000 family. Initial thoughts The perpetual calendar is a sought-after complication for its utility but also its aesthetics, especially when it includes a moon phase, which adds a touch of romanticism to the design. IWC’s latest take on the complication is straightforward, practical, and priced reasonably enough. In fact, it’s essentially a visually-simplified version of the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42, which uses the same movement but inside a larger case. While not revolutionary in technical terms, the Portofino Perpetual Calendar is a solid performer with a concise design. It retains all the features that made the 1990s original appealing but adds a few contemporary touches in both design and the in-house base m...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Piaget Nov 23, 2022

The Two Watch Collection: A Modern Rolex Submariner 14060 And A Vintage Piaget 12103

When thinking about assembling this two watch collection, I chose to interpret the idea in the most straightforward and practical way possible: Which pair of watches would have me covered anywhere, anytime? While the previous two columns from Jack and Ben each looked at a pair of watches with some similarities that revealed the respective brands’ idiosyncrasies, I'm going for two totally different timepieces here. The dichotomy is obvious, yet it is highly revealing of the distinctive benefits different types of wristwatches can bring. To the right you probably recognized a modern Rolex Submariner, and to the left we have a vintage ultra-thin Piaget. It'd be hard to think of two less-similar watches.

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Patek Philippe ref 1463 “Tasti Tondi” Nov 18, 2022

Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Phillips Hong Kong Auction

With the curtain having just come down on the Geneva sale season, auction houses are migrating to Hong Kong for the second half of the autumn auctions. Going on the block at Phillips’ The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XV are 270 lots that encompass heavy-hitters and “hype” watches, but as usual we’ll take a look instead at a few interesting watches, starting with a selection of independent watchmaking. We round up nine notable creations from the independents, mainly time-only watches with high-quality construction and unique design, such as a Voutilainen Vingt-8 with a skeletonised dial and the Ludovic Ballouard Upside Down. The auction takes place on November 28 (lots 801-938) and November 29 (lots 939-1070). The full catalogue and sale registration can be accessed on Phillips.com. Lot 829: Roger Dubuis Hommage H37 A modern-day chronometer heavily inspired by traditional watchmaker – the aesthetics are a practically a revival of styling from the good old days – the Hommage H37 is an easy watch to like. Living up to its name, the Hommage pays tribute to classical gentlemen’s watches. It’s a three-hander in a classically-sized 37 mm case that contains a Lemania-based self-winding movement certified as a chronometer by the Besançon Observatory. The Hommage case was modelled on the Patek Philippe ref. 1463 “Tasti Tondi” chrongraph, though the resemblance is less obvious on the time-only model. But the simple lines are undeniably appealing despite their sim...

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R Revolution

Revolution

Franck Muller Nov 16, 2022

Up Close with Grail Watch 2: Franck Muller 30th Anniversary ‘Tribute’ Double-sided Chronograph

Our very first collaboration with Franck Muller is a revival of three iconic 1990s chronographs; the brainchildren of one of the greatest creative minds to have ever worked in the watch industry. This double-sided chronograph is powered by the historically significant, Valjoux-based Caliber 7000, one of Franck’s most highly lauded creations. It features a second […]

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 15, 2022

7 Watch Strap Types and the Pros and Cons of Each

Among the many decisions facing a prospective watch buyer before pulling the trigger on a new timepiece is choosing which type of strap or bracelet it should have. Watch straps vary widely in their materials, construction, finishing, and even in their original intended usage, with some straps projecting a sense of genteel refinement and others possessing military ruggedness or everyday sportiness. Here is a look at five watch strap types, their origins, and their attributes. Dress Leather Strap The practice of attaching watches to leather straps goes all the way back to the Boer Wars of the late 19th Century, which were fought in South Africa. British soldiers began wearing their pocket watches on crude leather attachments rather than in their jacket pockets because they often needed to doff their jackets and waistcoats in the extreme African heat. By the early 1900s, pioneers like London saddlemaker Alfred Pearson and Swiss watch importers the Dimier brothers were converting pocket watches into wristwatches by soldering wire lugs onto the cases and slipping such leather wristlets through them to secure them to wrists. The style became widespread after World War I, during which military men wore these wristwatches on the battlefield, and entered the realm of high fashion in subsequent years. Leather straps are usually made from calfskin, alligator, or crocodile leather (the latter two generally being associated with a higher level of luxury), but other, more exotic types...

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin Trilogy If Nov 10, 2022

VIDEO: The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin Trilogy

If you’ve been following Time+Tide closely, you’ll have noticed that Andrew has had some pretty special moments in Switzerland recently. As much as a visit to any Holy Trinity watch manufacturer is going to be a highlight, there seems to be something about the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin collection which just makes his eyes glaze … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin Trilogy appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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