439 articles · 17 videos found · page 12 of 16
Quill & Pad
Whisky needs time. A great blender might be able to create magic by incorporating some younger components, but in general, nothing replaces time. It doesn’t have to be decades, but this is not overnight stuff. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of chairman, John Grant, first joining the industry, Glenfarclas have released a very special, limited edition 50-Year-Old Highland single malt.
Deployant
Grand Seiko introduces their first mechanical self-winding chronograph - the Tentagraph. In a 43mm titanium case with 3 day power reserve.
Hodinkee
A self-winding steel chronograph like only Lange would make.
Time+Tide
The Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni is a modern take on a 1936 reissue. The recycled eSteel case is decorated with a Brunito PVD coating, emulating tarnish. The 8-day power reserve is advertised on the dial, and provided by the hand-winding calibre P.5000. With a lot of focus put onto the Radiomir series this Watches & … ContinuedThe post The Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni is a prototype-inspired novelty appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
In the quest for precision chronometry in a mechanical watch, perhaps no other component is as crucial as the escapement – often consisting of an escape wheel and lever that engage with the oscillating organ. The history of watchmaking recounts many an attempt at inventing a better-performing escapement, with some attempts naturally more successful than others. By the 20th century, the watch industry had settled upon the Swiss lever escapement, which has proven itself to be a reasonably solid performer and crucially, one fit for mass production. However, in the latter decades of the century, one English watchmaker attempted to challenge the industry status quo. In 1974, George Daniels invented the “co-axial escapement”, a seemingly novel and practical escapement of his own design that was conceived as an functionally superior alternative to the Swiss lever escapement. Daniels’ invention fulfilled his ambition, at least in part, when it was sold to Omega and then successfully industrialised starting in 1999; today it is found in hundreds of thousands of movements that Omega produces each year. The latest iteration of the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch is kitted out with the co-axial escapement With the merits of the co-axial escapement having been proven in part by its large-scale adoption, my aim here is not to examine its intrinsic qualities, but rather delve into its development. Specifically I will explore the fact that the co-axial escapement might not be an ent...
Revolution
Grail Watch returns with its fifth collaboration, a coalescence of two key chapters: the revival of a past icon reimagined with an incandescent luminous signature. We took the world’s first serially-produced self-winding skeletonized chronograph, the Chronoswiss Opus, and modernized its officer-style case in grade 5 titanium with an electric blue CVD-treatment. The translucency created by […]
Deployant
Audemars Piguet introduces its new models for the first half of 2023, with 6 new CODE 11.59 models, a new Royal Oak "Jumbo" Extra-thin, a yellow gold and turquoise Royal Oak self-winding, and a full ceramic Royal Oak Offshore.
SJX Watches
Amongst the wave of new Royal Oaks just unveiled by Audemars Piguet (AP) is a new “Concept”, the Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT. Historically a platform to showcase novel materials and aggressive design, the new Royal Oak Concept (ROC) continues down that route – but more notably contains an all-new and cleverly-constructed rattrapante chronograph movement with automatic winding. Initial thoughts Much like previous models in the ROC line, the new split-seconds chronograph is a bold statement with a chunky, aggressive case, albeit one refined to become more wearable, especially in light of its size – it is the most wearing Concept to date. Paradoxically, the movement within the large-format case was clearly designed with thinness in mind. For a split-seconds chronograph with a big date, second time zone, and automatic winding, the movement measures a modest 8.92 mm high, svelte by the standards of the complications mix. And in contrast to the design (which brings to mind the Richard Mille RM 11), the movement is unusually refined and clever. An example of is the rotor that’s supported by a large central hub, which provides enough space in the middle to house the entire split-seconds mechanism. This serves to both reduce thickness, while simultaneously offering a view of the rattrapante mechanism without being obstructed by the rotor. Deceptively oversized As with most of its counterparts in the collection, the new ROC has a geometrically-shape...
Deployant
Nomos releases a 33mm manual winding Ludwig in black. The smaller case model is designed as a ladies watch with petite secondes.
Hodinkee
It's the first self-winding Patek Philippe ladies' chrono ever made – but at 39mm, we think it's equally suited for the boys.
SJX Watches
Once a London institution that’s been in business for over two centuries, Asprey was a storied retailer of all manner of luxury goods in its heyday. Now owned by an American private outfit, Asprey has lost its lustre, but on vintage watches the name still carries magic – a 1950s Patek Philippe ref. 2499 bearing the Asprey logo on the dial sold for a record sum in 2018. Now Andersen Genève is trying to recapture some of that magic with a double-crown world time wristwatch made made specifically for the London retailer: the Heures du Monde “Asprey” with a blue-gold guilloche dial bearing the Asprey signature at six. The engine-turned pattern on the dial is inspired by the bottles of perfume once sold by Asprey Initial thoughts The Asprey world time has a look of Andersen, an old-school, classical style that brings to mind the 1980s and 1990s. For anyone who likes that retro style, it’s a good thing since there are not many modern-day watches with such aesthetics. Still, being a special edition, the Asprey world time has to set itself apart. It does so only modestly, first with the flared lugs that were previously only used for other Andersen models, and second with the hand-made guilloche dial with a unique lozenge pattern in Andersen’s signature “blue gold”. But arguably the most important element is the signature at six o’clock, one that echoes vintage, retailer-signed world time watches from the likes of Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. With ...
SJX Watches
Already a prolific maker of wristwatches with tiny, intricate automatons – with tropical birds and magic lotus being part of its repertoire – Jaquet Droz has turned to the realm of Middle Earth for its latest creation. Featuring an automaton with nine mechanical animations, the Jaquet Droz Dragon Automaton was designed by Canadian illustrator John Howe. When it comes to dragons and fantasy lands, Mr Howe’s credentials are impeccable. Amongst his past roles was one of the two chief designers of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. And aside from the Dragon Automaton, another of Mr Howe’s most recent works was designing The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the Amazon production that’s the most expensive television series in history. Initial thoughts Dragons are a common theme on watches, but usually of the East Asian kind and typically in the Year of the Dragon of the Chinese Zodiac – a simple reflection of where most demand for luxury watches originates. A dragon of the European fantasy genre is less common; in fact, I cannot recall another watch that depicts themes from the fantasy genre. This makes the Dragon Automaton unique, both figuratively and literally. The motif is usual and esoteric so its appeal will certainly be niche at best. This version has an onyx dial with a hand-engraved dragon sculpture set against a similarly engraved mountain backdrop – the aesthetic is entirely The Lord of the Rings But that is exactly the point, since each Dragon Automa...
Quill & Pad
Nineteenth-century French horologist Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin, a man now famous as the father of modern magic, inspired Cartier to begin dabbling in mystery clocks in 1912. And the famous brand has never stopped as an exhibition showing 19 historical mystery clocks so richly illustrated.
Time+Tide
Chewing on an ice cube on the stern of the Reef Magic, I contemplated my life choices covered in cold sweat, my breakfast coming back up to visit. In the last few minutes, I realised that I am, in fact, susceptible to seasickness, and quite violently so. I thought that the nerve-racking highlight of this … ContinuedThe post Blancpain and Biopixel team up to push the importance of ocean conservation appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
The Watch That Changed My Mind On TAG! What we love: Comfortable and easy to wear, light for its size and specsBang for buck in finish, movement and specsGood looking design with vintage ques What we don’t love: Wears on the larger size for a 42mm mainly due to its heightNoisy movement and winding rotor (some may like this though)Some wearers may find the dial harder to read at a glance with the lack of contrast in the numerals Overall rating: 8/10 Value for money: 7.5/10 Wearability: 7.5 / 10 Design: 8.5/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 Tag Heuer has always been one of those brands that never grabbed my attention. I always saw it as a watch brand that was a little overpriced, and like a lot of brands, you’re paying for more marketing than the watch itself. Now, I have owned a Tag Heuer Carrera Heuer01 in the past, so I’m not adverse to TAG at all, but it has since moved on to make way for others in my collection. So when I had the opportunity to get my hands on the new 60th Anniversary limited edition Autavia Flyback Chronograph, I was looking forward to road testing the latest iteration of the distinguished Autavia line. A Short History Lesson Before we go any further, let’s take a step back and in case you’re not familiar with the Autavia model and its history, here’s a quick refresh. The Autavia wristwatch collection, the first product launched under the leadership of Jack Heuer 60 years ago, got its name from two pillars of TAG Heuer’s history: Automobile and Av...
Quill & Pad
As part of its classy offering at the world’s remaining trade fair for luxury watches, A. Lange & Söhne revisited the Grand Lange 1 with a successful refresh in which the brand managed to shave close to a millimeter off the height of the watch. How did the team do it? Technical director Anthony de Haas lets us in on the magic in this video.
Deployant
Laurent Ferrier adds a fumé blue dial to their Classic Origin collection. The watch remains in titanium case, and the Manual-winding calibre LF116.01
Time+Tide
When we see watches in action films, the usual suspects are Rolex, Omega, IWC and Panerai. But in the newly released movie The Lost City, we spotted a daily wearer make its cinematic debut, at least to our knowledge, on the wrist of Mr Magic Mike himself: Channing Tatum. While the watch may not be the … ContinuedThe post Channing Tatum sports a Bulgari Aluminum alongside Sandra Bullock and Brad Pitt in new film “The Lost City” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
With a marketplace that thrives on the emotional connection between consumer and brand heritage, anniversary milestones have become a prominent moment for manufacturers to celebrate their creations. Typically we see a storied reference executed in limited numbers, with a new special dial, and, perhaps, a precious case metal, with a commemorative caseback or winding rotor. … ContinuedThe post LIVE PICS: The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra is the new thinnest mechanical watch in the world at 1.8mm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Piaget continues to extend its Limelight Gala collection with a dark-dialled model with a self-winding movement.
Quill & Pad
A fountain pen’s nib is the source of its magic. Yes, there are many beautiful pens out there but without a great nib a pretty pen is just a pretty pen. A good pen point can transform an ordinary writing experience into a memorable melding of mind and hand. Montblanc’s new Meisterstück Calligraphy Solitaire Burgundy Lacquer is a desirable pen by any measure, not the least of which is contributed to by its 18-karat gold flexible nib.
Hodinkee
Magic Gold and two ceramic options.
SJX Watches
When Vacheron Constantin celebrated its 260th anniversary in 2015 with the Harmony collection of cushion-shaped watches, the standout was easily the split-seconds chronograph. Seemingly ordinary on its face, the Harmony split-seconds was powered by the cal. 3500, an all-new rattrapante chronograph calibre with a novel automatic winding mechanism. The movement was gorgeous, but disappeared from the catalogue – until last year. The cal. 3500 made its comeback with the Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph Ultra-Thin Collection Excellence Platine. Like the other Collection Excellence Platine (CEP) watches, the Traditionnelle split-seconds is a limited edition – only 15 pieces in fact – that utilises platinum generously throughout the watch, but it is unique as there is no standard production equivalent in the catalogue. In short, it is a special watch. The cal. 3500 with its intricate chronograph mechanism and novel peripheral rotor Initial thoughts On its face, the Traditionnelle split-seconds is an elegant watch with a restrained, almost simple style. Its proportions are wide and slim, creating a graceful profile. The thinness exaggerates the case diameter slightly, so it does seem a bit wider than it is, especially with the longish lugs. In typical CEP style, the dial is nearly monochromatic, rendered in grey and silver, with the only colour coming from the indicator hands for the chronograph and power reserve. It’s a simple combination, but a good one. The pla...
SJX Watches
Unquestionably the preeminent maker of exotic – and ultra-luxury – sports watches, Richard Mille has just taken the covers off a simple but intriguing watch, the RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal. Like earlier watches made for the Spanish tennis player, the RM 35-03 incorporates technical features to cater to the intense nature of the game – at least the way Mr Nadal plays tennis. And in this instance it’s a rotor with variable winding modes. As a result, winding can be halted during a game, preventing excess wear on the winding mechanism. Initial thoughts The RM 35-03 is a time-only watch – it lacks a tourbillon unlike the better-known RM 27 Nadal – but it has all the qualities that makes it a Richard Mille, most notably the lightweight, tonneau-shaped case in brightly coloured carbon composite along with a skeletonised dial. It’s a look that screams Richard Mille, and also a signifier of wealth and status, since the watch is hard to get and also extremely expensive for a time-only. But fortunately the RM 35 does possess technical qualities that make it interesting despite being a “hype” watch. This version has the front and back case plates in white Quartz TPT and Carbon TPT, with a case middle in Carbon TPT A second variant with the entire case in Quartz TPT The highlight of the RM 35-03 is the patented, “butterfly” rotor, which is essentially comprised of two halves that can be rearranged – thanks to a smartly simple mechanism – in order to v...
Hodinkee
The lever escapement works great. So why did one stubborn man decide to fix what wasn't broken?
WatchAdvice
What we love: Split Second Complication with 100m WR- Yes please!Open caseback displaying manual winding movement Beautifully laid out dial What we don’t love: Thickness, some may find this hard to wear under the cuff Could do without cutout numbers on the dial (2,4,8 and 10)Due to the design of the top sapphire crystal glass, cannot see the tachymeter scale properly when looking directly at the dial Overall rating: 8.125/10 Value for money: 8/10 Wearability: 7.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 It’s not often you get a watch for a review and fall in love with it straight away! Well, for me this was the case with the new Breitling Premier B15 Duograph. Released a day earlier than the Watches of Wonders in 2021, Duograph is a part of the Premier heritage line. Originally released in 1943, Duograph is a spilt second complication that pays tribute to three generations of inventors – Léon, Gaston & Willy Breitling. Breitling used the term ‘Duograph’ in 1940 which refer to the complication “Chronograph Rattrappante”. Design: Breitling Duograph is offered in stainless steel or an 18K Red Gold case. The case size is 42mm with a thickness of 15.3mm and lug to lug measurement of 50mm. The variant we are reviewing today is the stainless steel model with the sunray blue dial. Duograph had a fixed bezel and the Cambered sapphire (glareproofed both sides) acts as a bezel on its own. This Sapphire crystal top glass has a thickness of 3mm which adds to the o...
Deployant
Introducing the new Luminox Master Carbon SEALs Automatic 3860 Series - now equipped with a Sellita automatic winding movement in a carbon case.
Hodinkee
An airline-branded watch restores some of the magic of travel.
SJX Watches
Seiko has long incorporated Japan’s unique pop culture into its watches – from Gundam to Street Fighter – and now it’s turned to the legendary anime film studio behind hits like Spirited Away. The Presage Studio Ghibli Castle In The Sky is inspired by the 1986 anime film about a pair of children protecting a magic crystal from government agents. Despite the cartoon inspiration, the new Presage has a classical design with Breguet hands, a fired-enamel dial – and no date window. Initial thoughts The Castle in the Sky edition gets a few things right. It combines a few specialties of Seiko – the fired enamel dial, Japanese pop culture, and a modern, workhorse movement – all for under US$1,500. That said, the mid-range price is novel for a collaborative model in this vein, since the brand’s earlier crossover editions were either priced substantially higher (as a Grand Seiko) or lower (a Seiko 5). Also notable is the no-date dial. While Seiko has long offered enamel dials in affordable watches, it usually installs a date function on the three-hand models, perhaps a concession to the brand’s focus on fuss-free practicality for its watches. Leaving out the date is not only significant from a philosophical standpoint – perhaps it’s an admission the design matters more than its utility – but the omission of a date aperture makes for a higher quality look. The date window never looked good, especially since the aperture revealed the relatively rough edges...
Quill & Pad
The new Carl F. Bucherer Manero Minute Repeater Symphony features a very cool peripheral winding rotor, but it also has a few more tricks up its sleeve including a tourbillon and a minute repeater. There's also much more here than meets the eye as Joshua Munchow explains.
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