Deployant
Deployant favourites: Six of the best lots from Only Watch 2023
Only Watch revealed 62 lots for the 2023 season, This is the 10th edition of this biennial charity auction. We pick six of the best.
Results for ISO 6425 (Diver's Watch Standard)
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Deployant
Time+Tide
We asked you for your controversial watch opinions - here are some standouts…
Will Patek Philippe ever introduce a Nautilus ref. 5811/1A? Will Rolex ever debut a Submariner in RLX titanium? These are questions with uncertain answers. But one thing that is certain is #watchfam having strong opinions. Nothing gets by watch enthusiasts and, with each new release, a flurry of passionate comments on Instagram is inevitable. So, … ContinuedThe post We asked you for your controversial watch opinions – here are some standouts… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition - Stephen Damico
Editor’s note: In this 3 Watch Collection for $5,000, reader Stephen Damico of strapsense breaks down a brilliant three watch collection that covers a fair amount of bases, and takes advantage of new releases to maximum effect. This is a great use of the entire budget and represents a safe bet on long term enjoyment. You can make your submission to the Three Watch Collection – Reader Edition by filling out the form right here. We watch lovers really enjoy a good hypothetical watch challenge. It usually involves a seemingly sparse number of watches and a ‘realistic’ budget of some kind. The origins of these subjective limits vary depending on present company and how much alcohol has been consumed but they are a necessary evil to bookend the discussion and prevent the conversation into devolving into how you will pull off the perfect bank robbery to fund your purchase. There are very few singular purpose watches in the world (think PolProf or Calatrava) as most timepieces comfortably fit in two or more categories making three watches a fitting number for a collection without being exceptionally strict. The total of 5,000 dollars is completely arbitrary but is large enough to make buying 3 cool watches possible, while simultaneously small enough that it is approachable to a wider audience and forces one to shop away from some of the major well known big dollar favorites. I have a website called strapsense. As a fun hobby, I love to buy and review watch straps and giv...
SJX Watches
Omega’s Novel Take on the Seamaster Diver 300M for Paris 2024 Olympics
As the Summer Olympics in Paris approach, Omega introduces a special edition of the Seamaster Diver 300M. Limited editions for the event are a given, but this latest Olympic edition is dressed in unusual livery for a Seamaster. The brand’s Moonshine Gold alloy is used for bezel, while the dial is bright white ceramic. Initial thoughts Considering Omega’s long association with the Olympics stretches back 91 years, the number of limited editions for the games is numerous. Many were regrettably rather mundane in design, featuring the customary dial colour changes and Olympic markings. However, this particular edition stands out with its lighter tones, a departure from the typically dark hues of Omega’s dive watches, which was also the usual look of previous Olympic editions. And because this is an Omega, the colours are as much about aesthetics as materials. One aspect that particularly appeals in this release is the Moonshine Gold bezel. The golden insert complements the white ceramic dial and the stainless steel case and bracelet. This gives the watch a sense of visual luxury, making it different from the typical diver special edition without being gimmicky, which arguably gives it more longevity in terms of style. The price of this special edition stands at US$8,700, notably higher than the standard steel model, which is rationalised by the gold bezel no doubt. It will only be available, for the moment, at Omega boutiques in Paris. That said, the brand has not yet ...
![[VIDEO] Tudor’s Latest Divers Flex Serious Sub 40mm Muscle](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2023/02/Rolex14060TudorPelagos39_7.webp)
Worn & Wound
[VIDEO] Tudor’s Latest Divers Flex Serious Sub 40mm Muscle
It’s no secret that enthusiasts are spoiled for choice when it comes to great dive watches these days, especially in the sub 40mm category. There are options both vintage (literally and aesthetically) and modern across the price spectrum offering some creative (and some less creative) takes on this ever evolving genre being released with increasing pace. One of the brands responsible for this resurgence is of course Tudor, who released the Black Bay over a decade ago, which is partly responsible for the golden age we’re currently enjoying. The modern Black Bay is still recognizable as such, though it’s undergone some subtle renovations in recent generations, most recently welcoming a 37mm variant called the Black Bay 54, which we reviewed in-depth right here. With the Black Bay 54 in hand, we took the opportunity to compare it to a few other Tudor divers that have recently been released, each under 40mm in size, and each with its own unique personality (well, as far as divers go, at least). The Black Bay Pro and the Pelagos 39 are well understood at this point, and viewing them alongside the new Black Bay 54 begins to paint a clearer picture of Tudor’s potential game plan, or at least their philosophy of evolutionary branches. In this video, Zach and Blake take a step back to view these watches through a different lens, and explore the differences between designations and families within Tudor’s gameplan. How is the Black Bay Pro holding up after its first year? ...
Teddy Baldassarre
Richard Mille Watch Prices Explained
Barely more than two decades in existence, Richard Mille is one of the luxury watch industry’s most compelling modern success stories and one of the most popular and recognizable brands out there - despite the fact that it makes timepieces that are wildly inaccessible to all but the most deep-pocketed and well-connected aficionados. To many who follow the industry, the brand’s stratospheric prices are the story: In 2022, for example, Richard Mille did $487 million in sales, despite the fact that it only made 5,400 watches that year. Yes, that averages out to more than $90,000 per watch, and even that rather stunning stat doesn’t represent the big picture, as many of Richard Mille’s most coveted models come in at an MSRP in the neighborhood of half a million dollars or more. In its 2023 analysis of the Swiss watch market, Morgan Stanley reports that Richard Mille is now the sixth largest Swiss watch brand in the world in terms of sales, right behind Rolex, Cartier, Omega, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe. So why are Richard Mille watches so expensive and what factors set them apart from every other watchmaker in the highest echelons of horology? Read on. Origins: The Man Behind Richard Mille Watches The foundations of the Richard Mille watch brand reach back to 1988, when its namesake, Richard Mille, Head of Watchmaking and CEO of Jewellery at Paris-based jewelry house Mauboussin, met Dominique Guenat, owner of Guenat SA Montres Valgine, a watchmaker in the S...
Quill & Pad
Martin Green’s Top Ten Favorite Watches of Only Watch 2023
By auctioning off unique pieces explicitly made for Only Watch, Luc Pettavino has given the brands a platform to go all in and all out. Many brands seize this opportunity to take their work to an even higher level, while collectors lust over the opportunity to own a unique watch from their favorite brands. Here are Martin Green’s Top Ten, and the last one, which is his absolute favorite!
Time+Tide
Daniel Arsham x Hublot: The watch ambassador without a watch - yet…
As Disney CEO Bob Iger has suggested due to the onslaught of Marvel films and series, the resulting saturation of watch brand collaborations has created a sense of collaboration-fatique for watch consumers. With each new collaborative piece, the novelty perhaps weans a tad. Of course, if a collaboration is solid, people get very excited – … ContinuedThe post Daniel Arsham x Hublot: The watch ambassador without a watch – yet… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Roger Dubuis Combines the Inclined Balance and Flyback Chronograph
One of the latest releases from Roger Dubuis, the Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph, makes the most of its openworked dial to show off a newly-developed calibre, the RD780, which combines an inclined balance wheel with an integrated chronograph. A complex movement with two patents pending, the RD780 is notably elaborate with unusual features like a digital minute counter and twin barrels. And technically-minded enthusiasts will also note the RD780 boasts diamond-coated silicon escapement parts, which are both wear- and magnetism-resistant. Initial thoughts Roger Dubuis’ current chronographs distinguish themselves through bold design and flashy technical features. While the style is outlandish, it is refreshing to see this unique approach to a chronograph design, particularly since the technical features are novel and interesting, such as the inclined balance wheel and column wheel, visible through the openworked dial. But the Excalibur chronograph’s technical merits are perhaps overshadowed by the design, which is excessive in a hyper-mechanical style. The chronograph’s dial is busy, even for an openworked dial. It is not easy to read, even when compared to what is being offered by the likes of Richard Mille, which is perhaps the closest comparison to the Excalibur chronograph. The Excalibur chronograph is priced at US$101,500, making it more affordable than the equivalent from Richard Mille, the RM 72-01. In fact, the Excalibur is half as expensive as the Richar...
Time+Tide
From CR7 to C24: Cristiano Ronaldo invests in Chrono24 watch marketplace platform
Usually when we write a story involving an athlete or celebrity, it involves watch spotting. But last week the worlds of popular culture and horology intersected in a more significant and meaningful way. We have previously documented how football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is a fully fledged watch collector, but now he takes on the role … ContinuedThe post From CR7 to C24: Cristiano Ronaldo invests in Chrono24 watch marketplace platform appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Monta Announces a Triumph with a Military Green Dial, and the End (For Now) of their Beloved Field Watch
Monta surprised Windup Chicago attendees this weekend with the surprise unveiling of a new colorway for their popular Triumph model. The Triumph is the brand’s take on a classic military field watch, so the new green dial feels like a natural choice for the way it evokes uniforms and other military iconography, and brings an even more tool-like feel to the Triumph. The Triumph has been around since 2017 and is one of the longest standing Monta references. When it was introduced at Baselworld that year, a sunburst green dial was among the variants on display. This new version is a very different take on the color, however, with a more pronounced olive tone and a lacquer finish. Hands, hour markers, and Arabic numerals are all in a crisp, high contrast white, with the hands and markers at 12, 3, 6, and 9 given a rhodium plating for increased legibility. Aside from the new dial, this is the same Triumph that Monta fans have come to love over the years. It features the same top notch finishing that Monta has always been known for, which in the case of the Triumph means a case that’s entirely brushed, except for thin chamfers on the bracelet, bezel, and lugs. The case measures 38.5mm in diameter and is just 9.7mm thick, but still has a full 150 meters of water resistance thanks to its robust construction and screw down crown. The military green dialed Triumph is a limited edition of 95 pieces, and is now available for pre-order at a price of $1,700. It’s also worth ...
Worn & Wound
Formex Gets in on the Summer Watch Act with the New Essence Splash Collection
Windup Watch Fair Chicago is officially in the rearview mirror, and as we come up for air from another successful event in the Windy City, it’s time to take stock of some of the new releases that saw their debut at the show. Windup is increasingly becoming a venue for brands to unveil new releases to a captive audience, and this year’s Chicago show saw a handful of both completely new and iterative drops that had watch enthusiasts buzzing all weekend. Formex is just one example, bringing a new collection of Essence references in 39mm and 43mm case sizes with bold colors that make an already fun sports watch just a little more vibrant. The new Essence Splash Chronometer Limited Collection feature dials that are hand-sprayed with bright and bold colors in the brand’s Swiss dial manufacture. The colors range from pastel shades to bold neon, with the full lineup including Sunflower Yellow, Jungle Green, Sunset Orange, Baby Blue, and Lavender Purple. The distinctive feature of the Essence dial, the CNC machined horizontal lines that are run across it, remain in this collection. These dials have a matte finish, which makes the colors pop and appear more uniform, and stands in contrast to other Essence dials that are a bit more reflective. The Splash collection appears across both the 39mm Essence in stainless steel as well as the 43mm Essence Leggera with a case made from carbon and ceramic components. Seeing them in person at Windup, the larger Essence Leggera dials r...
Time+Tide
Buffy’s 5 favourite Only Watch 2023 lots
Picking out my favourite references for this year’s Only Watch auctions, I was pretty shocked to realise how much my tastes have changed over the last handful of years. Some of these brands I even used to hate, although I won’t be admitting which ones. Only Watch is the perfect chance for brands to change … ContinuedThe post Buffy’s 5 favourite Only Watch 2023 lots appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Breguet Bestows a Luxe Touch on the Marine Hora Mundi for Only Watch
Breguet has unveiled a unique version of its world time wristwatch for Only Watch, the highly anticipated charity auction. The Marine Hora Mundi 5555 “Only Watch 2023” is dressed in striking, rich colours that are unusual for Breguet, bringing a new face to the jumping display, dual time sports watch with a dial that’s a twist on the traditional world map motif. The dial features a gilded globe that’s a representation of the lighted areas of the world at night. Initial thoughts Since its debut last year, the Marine Hora Mundi has remained a hidden gem. The watch boasts a clever jumping dual-time complication and it is also a luxury-sports watch, the most popular segment of watchmaking in recent years. While the production version of the Hora Mundi has a dial that feels relatively flat, the Only Watch edition is far more striking. The dial motif is a clever concept that has not been used before in watchmaking, where gilded accents are used to represent the world’s population. Moreover, the dial does away with the latitude and longitude lines found on the original, making the map and guilloche more prominent. Given the aesthetic appeal of this dial design, we hope that a similar design will be introduced for the regular production model following Only Watch. But for now, the charity auction will be the only chance to land this Hora Mundi. It carries an estimate of CHF70,000 to CHF80,000, a modest price estimate. It anticipated that this will be readily exceeded dur...
Quill & Pad
How To (And Not To) Buy Into A Watch Bubble - Reprise
Some think that a rapidly soaring price is proof of a watch bubble. They could be right. Or not. Financial bubbles are tough to identify when they’re forming. They’re even more difficult to declare finished as prices collapse. Financial expert Chris Malburg shares a few tips about recognizing and navigating a watch bubble, especially if you feel the need to buy during it.
Time+Tide
Zach’s 5 favourite Only Watch 2023 lots
Only Watch is probably my favourite endeavour within the watch industry. It is the ultimate horological win-win-win scenario. First and foremost, the charity auction raises a ton of money for a great cause. Only Watch was founded in 2005 by Luc Pettavino to raise funds for research on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (a genetic disease that … ContinuedThe post Zach’s 5 favourite Only Watch 2023 lots appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Introducing: Seiko Announces A Limited Edition Prospex Diver Collab With MLB Star Shohei Ohtani: The SBDC191
We don't often get excited about athlete-watch LEs – but like Ohtani, this one is different.
Hodinkee
Introducing: How Vintage Bulovas Engraved With Messages From Frank Sinatra Inspired This New Watch
The Bulova Rat Pack is a modern dress watch with a backstory.
Time+Tide
Days of future past: How a hacker resurrected a first-gen Apple Watch into a mechanical timepiece
E-waste. It’s an ever-growing problem, and one without easy solutions. Clearly, innovative thinking is needed, including new methods of manufacturing, recycling, and even upcycling when an electronic product reaches the end of its useful life. And while this example isn’t the answer, it is a showcase for some truly innovative thinking, as well as a … ContinuedThe post Days of future past: How a hacker resurrected a first-gen Apple Watch into a mechanical timepiece appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
It’s The Chicago Windup Watch Fair 2023 Product Preview!
Windup Watch Fair Chicago is closer than ever! If you’ve been following along, you know Windup is growing fast. This year, we are returning to the same venue in the West Loop and adding more watches, more live events, more accessories, and a whole lot more in general. You don’t want to miss it. As a reminder, here are the key event details: Venue West – 221 N Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60612 Friday, July 14: 12PM – 6PM Saturday, July 15: 12PM – 6PM Sunday, July 16: 12PM – 5PM Free and open to the public Here’s a sneak preview of just some of the watches from our Lead Sponsors you’ll be able to get your hands on at Windup this year. For a full roster of presenting brands, scheduled events, and a product showcase, head to windupwatchfair.com and join our email community. Citizen Citizen, a trusted name and brand leader in the watch industry for over 100 years, is known the world over for its uncompromising values: technical precision, innovative mindset, quality craftsmanship and design excellence. The first to create quartz crystal and titanium timepieces, Citizen was also an early pioneer in advocating for the environment, launching the first light-powered watches with proprietary Eco-Drive technology in 1976, thus adding eco-mindful as a core value. Citizen’s diverse portfolio of high-performance and eco-mindful watches is accessibly priced and ranges from professional-grade, sport-inspired designs with advanced functions to sophisticated, timeless silhouet...
SJX Watches
Hublot Introduces the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Only Watch Sapphire
Hublot has once again partnered with its favourite contemporary artist for Only Watch 2023: the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Only Watch Sapphire is a one-of-a-kind creation for the biennial charity auction that is entirely unique from case to movement. Not only it is the brand’s first-ever central tourbillon, the watch has a sapphire crystal case in the shape of a flower with a bezel set with rainbow gemstones. Initial thoughts While Hublot is sometimes made fun of for its often repetitive limited editions that are colour facelifts, the creation for Only Watch is entirely new and entirely unique. Hublot and the Japanese artist have collaborated in the past, but on watches that were variants of standard models. In contrast, the Murakami Only Watch pushes boundaries even by Hublot’s extravagant standards with a case entirely in sapphire, and flower-shaped no less. The Murakami Only Watch is also interesting mechanically. The calibre inside has a 150-hour power reserve along with a large, central tourbillon on the front. And the movement is unique to the Murakami Only Watch, at least for now. The aesthetic and mechanical novelty of the Murakami Only Watch are impressive and certainly makes this one of the highlights of Only Watch 2023. While Hublot will almost certainly create variations of this in the future, the effort expended in creating Murakami Only Watch is commendable. The Murakami Only Watch has an estimate of CHF350,000 to CHF400,000, with the high estimate being a ...
SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux Introduces the Neo Constant Escapement for Only Watch
A regular participant at Only Watch, Girard-Perregaux’s latest contribution to the charity auction, the Neo Constant Escapement Only Watch 2023, revisits its innovation constant-force escapement. Girard-Perregaux (GP) first unveiled the Constant Escapement in 2013 as a wristwatch with a unique, dual-wheel escapement with an integral constant-force silicon buckling spring. Ten years on, the Neo Constant Escapement is a revamp of the original concept with incremental upgrades to the mechanism. Initial thoughts The Neo Constant Escapement (NCE) is not merely a rehash of the original. It is a technical evolution, which is at the very minimum an academically interesting take on an already exotic escapement. The Only Watch edition is dressed in predominantly monochromatic livery with a pink gold case and movement bridges – even the mainspring barrels are pink gold. The generous use of pink gold might be polarising, which arguably makes it perfectly suited as a one-off piece that will inevitably find an eager buyer at the auction. In the grander scheme of things however, the NCE Only Watch edition marks the beginning of GP reviving the Constant Escapement. Even by today’s standards of advanced tech in watchmaking, the Constant Escapement is an integrated design comprised of a double-wheel escapement with a remontoir spring, making it an escapement unlike any other. It is admirable that the escapement has been updated for better reliability, while preserving its original ide...
Quill & Pad
Only Watch 2023: Lots 33-48. All the Colors of the Rainbow (This Year’s Auction Theme)
Held every two years, the Only Watch charity auction of exclusively unique pieces has grown into THE most anticipated watch auction worldwide and features some of the most creative and innovative horology on the planet. This year the theme is rainbows: some brands ran with that superbly, while others took a different path. Here Ian Skellern highlights Lots 33-48.
![[VIDEO] Hands-On With The Oris Divers Sixty-Five ‘Cotton Candy’ in Steel](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2023/07/Oris_cottoncandy_editorial_001.jpg)
Worn & Wound
[VIDEO] Hands-On With The Oris Divers Sixty-Five ‘Cotton Candy’ in Steel
Last month, Oris introduced a followup collection to their incredibly popular Divers Sixty-Five Cotton Candy collection, this time rendered in 38mm steel cases. The bright dials and steel bezel works just as well here as they did in the bronze case variants from last year. These new dial colors feel right at home in the 38mm steel case, which is a first for a regular production Divers Sixty-Five watch. It should come as no surprise that the watches retain their big personality in person, which we discover in this first look at the new summer ready batch of Diver Sixty-Five Cotton Candy collection. We haven’t been shy about our preference for this case size in the Diver Sixty-Five range, and we’re happy to see it make its way into a steel configuration. The bright dials feel fresh and modern, creating some potential conflict with the riveted three link bracelet that’s on offer. Thankfully that’s an easy opportunity to create a vibe of your own with a different strap, or even the perlon fabric strap that’s also offered by Oris for these watches. It’s a look that could take a number of forms depending on the strap choice. As fun as the Cotton Candy collection is, seeing this case size take hold in the regular production range of the Diver Sixty-Five offers an exciting prospect of seeing other variations take shape in the same size. It feels like only a matter of time before we see a regular black or blue dial or even a complication make its way over. Either way, t...
Quill & Pad
Only Watch 2023: Lots 17 - 32, Including My Favorite Watch of Them All
The theme for Only Watch 2023 is rainbows: some brands ran with that superbly, while others took a different path. One brand that nailed the theme created Ian Skellern's favorite watch of the whole auction: Lot 27. The Grönefeld 1941 Principia Mandala
Worn & Wound
Dumoreau Follows Up their Debut with an Attractive Contemporary Dress Watch
The DM02 is the sophomore release from California-based micro brand Dumoreau, following the DM01 we touched on here. Designed by architect and designer Carlo Aiello, this dress watch takes his expertise in architecture and product design into the realm of the dress watch, while drawing on basic principles of proportion to create a compelling new release that slots in nicely with his debut. The dial features a two-piece construction with recessed concentric circles at the center, complemented by a brushed circular section for numerals and minute track. The indexes maintain their orientation as they encircle the dial, while the only branding present is the hand-applied Dumoreau name, seamlessly integrated into the concentric circles. The curvaceous all-polished 39mm case directs works to draw the eye to the dial, with lyre lugs providing additional visual interest. The stated goal of the design was to create a “dynamic organic geometry,” and the end result is a case with both gentle and dramatic curves that cohere nicely with the details of the dial. The screw-in sapphire caseback exposes the manually wound Sellita SW 210-1 movement, decorated with Geneva stripes and circular graining. With dimensions of 39mm wide, 46mm lug to lug, and a slim profile of 9.5mm thanks to the hand wound caliber, the DM02 is designed to fit comfortably on wrists of all sizes. Conveniently, it boasts a water resistance rating of 100 meters, uncommon for a manually wound dress watch. The DM02 ...
Quill & Pad
Meet the Spaceman: A Popular Fashion Watch of the 1960s and 1970s that was Almost Forgotten in a Drawer - Reprise
Launched in 1969, the Catena/Zeno Spaceman is special thanks to its funky design as well as its its fiberglass and chrome case. The Spaceman’s blend of ovals, curves, and straight lines was just right for that groovy time in fashion, touching a nerve in a hip watch-buying public. It was a polarizing watch: people generally either hated it or loved it at first sight, and remains so today. Here is the brief history of this fun vintage watch.
Worn & Wound
The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition - Chris Antzoulis
Editor’s note: This 3 watch collection for $5,000 is brought to us by Chris Antzoulis, who you may know on Instagram as @PoppingCrowns, who gives us a well reasoned, and well diversified trio of watches that aren’t short on personality. We love the mix of tones and colors, as well as the subtle details that remain to be discovered. You can make your submission to the Three Watch Collection – Reader Edition by filling out the form right here. What was the most embarrassing phase of your life? Think about it…but, I’ll go first. I was (and still am on the inside) an emo kid. I listened to Yellowcard and Saves the Day, played in a band called Autumn’s Disaster (a disaster indeed), wore all black all the time and applied my mom’s eyeliner before playing shows. I wanted to highlight the heartbreak. Adult Chris has gained some perspective. In order to see color we have to embody it in a purposeful way. I view watches as an extension of my personality, and an intentional piece of an outfit’s design (my favorite piece). I’m no outdoorsman. My dive watches are lucky to see a pool, field watches would be perplexed by a hike up a mountain, and if you tell me you use your chronograph for more than just timing things in the kitchen for funsies, then I dub you a liar and a scoundrel! I don’t NEED tools; I am capable of being enough of one on my own, to then also have to wear one on the wrist. Joke’s aside, my choices for a three-watch collection under $5000 are...
SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Introduces the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph for Only Watch
Continuing from the unique piece made for the previous edition of Only Watch, TAG Heuer again experiments with its racing model for the upcoming charity auction. The Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph for Only Watch is the brand’s first-ever mechanical split-seconds chronograph, and channels strong avant-garde styling. Initial thoughts Finally adding a mechanical split second chronograph to the brand’s capabilities is a significant step for a TAG Heuer, who stand on their history of producing sporting chronographs. In contrast to the Monaco Carbon from 2021, the watch exhibits a significantly bolder aesthetic, aligning more closely with what one would expect from Richard Mille. However, unlike its counterpart, TAG Heuer’s approach to skeletonisation is tastefully restrained, focusing on a minimalist display rather than an overtly flashy appearance. One potential drawback of this release is the auction estimate, which ranges from CHF150,000 to CHF300,000. The inclusion of the new calibre and the utilisation of premium materials can justify the higher price. However, it is worth noting that the price point is consistent with what last year’s model achieved, which was CHF290,000, despite only having an estimate of between CHF50,000 to CHF100,000. The winning bidder of this watch will also get a VIP experience of the Monaco Grand Prix next year, with access to the TAG Heuer hospitality suite, among other experiences over the weekend. Avant-garde design Expertly mergi...
SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Introduces the Chronomètre Furtif Bleu “Only Watch 2023”
The Chronomètre Bleu has taken on somewhat of a cult status among the followers of F.P. Journe. So much so that it has leaked out beyond the brand’s group of core supporters to become one of the most sought after watches on the primary and secondary market today. This year, for Only Watch, F.P. Journe has decided to revisit this popular design and reimagine it as the Chronomètre Bleu Furtif Bleu, which is also a debut for an entirely new calibre. Initial thoughts While the Chronomètre Bleu is known for being popular among the wider watch community, F.P. Journe’s LineSport models still divide opinion, so combining the sport watch case with the eye-catching dial of the Chronomètre Bleu is a bold choice. Of course, as with everything that F.P. Journe does it is never completely straight forward, the dial on the Furtif Bleu is not a copy of what you see in the Chronomètre Bleu, instead it is translucent enamel with the numbers laser engraved for a matte finish. The one fault I can see with the design of these numerals is the oddly small “6” so as to accommodate “émail”. This feels like it throws the balance off ever so slightly. The aim of this watch appears to be to make it hard to read, with the very name of it making reference to it being difficult to read unless the dial is directly facing you. While the romantic view of this being that it makes telling time an entirely personal activity, it could also just lead to difficulty whenever in low light set...