Two Broke Watch Snobs
Synchron Military Diver Reissue
For Synchron's 25th anniversary year, the group decided to release a special tribute - and the very first Synchron-badged dive watch.
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Two Broke Watch Snobs
For Synchron's 25th anniversary year, the group decided to release a special tribute - and the very first Synchron-badged dive watch.
SJX Watches
The sixth variant of Urwerk’s entry-level model, the UR-100V T-Rex is classical Urwerk in form and complication. But the UR-100 in general is simpler and smaller than the average Urwerk, although the T-Rex is more extreme than the average Urwerk in terms of aesthetics. The heavy patina on the pronounced hobnail-milled case is primeval and lives up to its name. Urwerk lent me an example to wear for a couple of days – I was grateful especially since I got to compare it with the brand’s earlier, and heavier, models – and here’s how it went. The T-Rex of 2021 (left), next to the UR-103 of two decades ago Initial thoughts Reasonably compact, thin, and lightweight, the UR-100 is probably the most easily wearable Urwerk wristwatch to date. It’s also the closest to being a conventional watch – though it is still far from a conventional watch – which perhaps explains some of its wearability. And it is very wearable, particularly compared to precious-metal models. Not only is it light and manageable in size, the shape of the case back helps it sit better on the wrist. Being essentially the same watch, the T-Rex wears just as well as the other versions of the UR-100. Compared to most other Urwerk models, the UR-100 feels almost like an ordinary watch on the wrist. The recent UR-220 comes close because it is surprisingly lightweight, but it’s still a noticeably larger watch. And the T-Rex is equally as functional as other Urwerk watches with the satellite-disc time...
Revolution
One of Zenith’s best collaborations so far, the DEFY 21 Felipe Pantone is a wearable work of kinetic art where time and light converge into a single object.
Quill & Pad
In case you needed another reason for watch shopping (and Sabine doesn’t), a watch certainly would help you navigate that feeling of being lost in time. Here are five wallet-friendly suggestions that might just be the ultimate pick-me-up right now.
SJX Watches
Although the most classic – and simple – of Cartier wristwatches designs have lately enjoyed resurgent popularity, the jeweller still makes exceptionally complicated watches. Its latest is not one but is a three-part set, the Fine Watchmaking Rotonde de Cartier Precious “Icons Set”. All three watches are amongst the brand’s flagship complications that go beyond design and into the realm of ingenious and unusual watchmaking. And the trio share a common theme of the mysterious display and tourbillon, fusing an optic illusion that is synonymous with Cartier and the rotating regulator. The Skeleton Mysterious Double Tourbillon with a jade cabochon on the crown Initial thoughts Each of the watches in the set is special for how it combines Cartier’s traditional design with intriguing technical details. Although the movements are modern in style – the skeleton bridges have a dark grey finish – the designs remain classical. And the streamlined, “mysterious” construction of the movements belie the complexity of their construction. But the movements are unquestionably appealing, both in concept and execution. A curious mind might ponder how the mechanics seemingly float within the case. It’s an old trick that makes it seem like there is no connection between the movement and the case, but a good one that still has visual impact. While the details of the watches are elegant, all of them are huge. The smallest of the trio is 43.5 mm in diameter, and the larges...
Time+Tide
Unfortunately, yet another theft has shaken the watch world. As luxury items, it’s no secret these coveted and pricey items can become targets for thieves with criminals standing to make a lot of money if they quickly offload the stolen items. The New York Post, among a host of other news outlets, reported that jewellery … ContinuedThe post Rare $500K Richard Mille RM 11-03 stolen at gunpoint in Beverly Hills, owner offering $50K reward for its return appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Every woman – nay, every person – is different. Which means their needs and wants will be different. All Elizabeth Doerr can do is tell you about her own experience with watches. But perhaps the most important thing of all to know is that any watch is a woman’s watch if a woman is wearing it.
Deployant
Casio G-SHOCK releases a series of mixed media documentary in 5 parts on the iconic series of watches - "From the Begining to GMW-B5000".
SJX Watches
Popular globally but especially in Commonwealth countries, cricket is the biggest sport in India, which accounts for over 90% of the one billion cricket fans globally according to the sport’s governing body. During the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the India-Pakistan match was seen by by 545 million people in India alone. So if there was ever an appropriate sport for an Indian watchmaker, it certainly is cricket. Bangalore Watch Company (BWC) does exactly that with the Cover Drive, a wristwatch with a cricket score-counting bezel. Initial thoughts Sport-themed watches are common, but a cricket watch is definitely a first. While I’m not a fan of the game, I can see how the Cover Drive would appeal to cricket enthusiasts. For one, the watch is catered to cricket in terms of function, with a bezel that’s graduated to “track elapsed overs in a 50-overs or T20 cricket match” according to the BWC. And its aesthetics are also gently inspired by the game. The hour indices, for instance, are modelled on a stump, the wooden pole used in cricket that make up a wicket. And the triple marker at 12 o’clock resembles a wicket, which made up of three stumps and protected by the batsman. However, all of that also means the Cover Drive – itself is named after a particular shot in cricket – is very much a niche product, albeit one with a billion-strong audience. While the cricket references will only resonate with fans of the sport, the Cover Drive is designed well. It’s legi...
Time+Tide
When one of your non-watch friends asks how much your watch cost, they’ll probably be shocked or straight up appalled that anyone could spend thousands, never mind tens of thousands of dollars on something that tells the time “just like your phone”. So how do you explain the reason why watches are so horribly expensive? … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED WATCHING: 3 reasons why watches are so horribly expensive appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
If ever a movement from MB&F; deserved to be on display it is that in the HM9 SV, which is decorated and colored in four different variations to create even more visual interest. The mechanical structure inside directs the almost organic sapphire crystal bubble case surrounding it, too. Which brings Joshua Munchow to the Hurst Hemi Under Glass.
Time+Tide
The 1940s were peak years for twin register chronographs with some notable greats from Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Lemania. As the functional sports watches of that era, the typical twin register layout was balanced with a delicate design language and an often whimsical art-deco flourish to the graphics. In 2021, their intricate detail and … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: Furlan Marri deliver retro chronographs at a great price in their assured debut collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
In this week's column, we take a leaf out of the book of designs and focus on watches with beautiful integrated bracelets.
Quill & Pad
Here’s a prediction by Ian Skellern: the relatively nondescript AMC movement Urwerk presented at the 2018 SIHH will not only become one of the horological highlights of the decade, but will take its place among history’s most significant timepieces ever. That’s a bold statement. Here Ian explains why he thinks AMC is so important.
Quill & Pad
In early February, expert spotter Nick Gould noticed that Vanessa Redgrave was wearing a special watch during the filming of the movie 'Blowup': a very rare Rolex Submariner Reference 5513 with so-called Explorer dial. We felt that the topic deserved more discussion, though, so the team turned to the latest form of social media: Clubhouse. You can hear the recorded conversation about that and the general nicknaming of vintage watches here.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: In some kind of cosmic coincidence, Edouard Meylan from H. Moser & Cie just announced that the Cosmic Green Pioneer will be discontinued on the same day that our Dutch broers at Monochrome Watches published an interview with me about my discontinued Pioneer Midnight Blue as part of their Collector’s Series. Weird. “Following @moserwatches strategy … ContinuedThe post Moser to discontinue Pioneer Cosmic Green, while Andrew talks about his Pioneer Midnight Blue on Monochrome appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Your invite to the Open Dial Event: Roger Smith takes you behind the scenes into his workshops and answers your questions.
Time+Tide
Almost a year to the day since Dave made headlines at the annual Brit Awards for his heartfelt performance of hit single Black, Britain’s hottest rapper has got the watch world excited about his wristwear once again. At the Brits, he was wearing head to toe Louis Vuitton by Virgil Abloh with a rose-gold Audemars … ContinuedThe post UK rapper Dave adds a Patek Phillipe Aquanaut 5168G in “khaki green” to his stellar collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Continuing with a tradition established by its founder Hans Wilsdorf – who famously equipped Mercedes Gleitze with a Rolex Oyster when she became the first Englishwoman to swim the Channel – Tudor has cultivated partnerships with many sportsmen and women, brand ambassadors who prove the durability of its watches. The brand’s latest endeavour took it to Spildra, a remote island off Norway, where it supported the production of a documentary that delves into the lives of orcas and whales. The brainchild of underwater film director Jean-Charles Granjon, The Quest for Nature stars Morgan Bourc’his, a world-champion freediver who’s long been a Tudor ambassador. Mr Bourc’his sporting a Pelagos Despite being in the sea his entire professional life, Mr Bourc’his professes a regrettable lack of experience with large marine mammals. He both yearns to meet them and bemoans their declining reducing populations. The film marks Mr Bourc’his’ first extensive experience with these marine creatures, something he describes as a “human and technical adventure in collaboration with nature and subject to nature’s desires.” An orca – better known as a killer whale but belonging to the dolphin family Searching for giant mammals The team started shooting in January 2019, but the environment turned out to be less than ideal, resulting in little useable footage. Learning that inauspicious start, they made a comeback 10 months later, armed with more personnel and equipme...
Quill & Pad
"The watch industry today would be nothing without women," Elizabeth Doerr notes as the majority of watchmaker benches in watch factories are “manned” by women. Women were also responsible for the very first wristwatches; the world's first doctorate in horology went to a woman (Dr. Rebecca Struthers); and the now-safe lume glowing on your watch came about thanks to the dangerous (and deadly) work of both Marie Curie and the Radium Girls.
SJX Watches
Best known recently for its collaborations with independent watchmakers – the Le Régulateur Vianney Halter sold out in a matter of hours – Louis Erard has been gaining recognition for making the style of high-end watchmaking affordable. Continuing with that focus, the brand has just announced the Excellence Email Grand Feu, a time-only wristwatch with a traditional enamel dial in a striking ivory hue. The grand feu, or fired-in-an-oven, enamel dial is fairly difficult to manufacture, resulting in a rejection rate that’s often over half. As a result, such dials are usually only found in high-end watches. It’s Louis Erard’s first use of a fired enamel dial, but true to form, the brand has retained its usual pricing positioning with a retail price of under 4,000 Swiss francs. Initial thoughts Given the frequent enthusiast gripe that watch prices (or values) border on the absurd, it would seem that true value propositions are hard to come by. There are a few exceptions – Tudor, Longines, and a few independents for instance – with Louis Erard increasingly being one of them. The brand offers an honest product, often with one or two elements historically found only in haute horlogerie, for not so much money. The Excellence Email Grand Feu is exactly that. And the dial is particularly appealing in ivory, instead of the usual bright white that is the favoured colour for fired enamel. Notably, the dial is made by Donzé Cadrans, the well-known enamel dial maker ...
SJX Watches
Having introduced the ultra-advanced quartz Caliber 0100 in 2019, Citizen is now turning to mechanical movements. Making its debut in the flagship The Citizen collection, the Caliber 0200 is a newly-developed automatic with all the technical features expected of a high-end modern movement, along with more elaborate decoration thanks to the input of Swiss movement specialist La Joux-Perret. Citizen’s first new mechanical since 2010, the Caliber 0200 elevates its mechanical watchmaking to a new level in both construction and aesthetics. Similarly, the first wristwatch equipped with the Caliber 0200 boasts a more sophisticated degree of finishing on its complex case and integrated bracelet. The Caliber 0200 Initial thoughts Going by the images, the Calibre 0200-equipped The Citizen is an impressive watch. And going by Citizen’s other high-end watches, this will almost surely look as good in real life as it does in photos. Measuring an elegant 40 mm by 10.9 mm, the case has complex surfaces and impeccable finishing, and also a distinctive look. Though some of the design elements do bring to mind other watches, it is original enough, which is a feat given the proliferation of integrated-bracelet designs today. But the highlight is the movement, which is perhaps best described as a high-end workhorse calibre. The construction and specs tick all the right boxes, and so does the finishing, which is superior to many watches – Swiss and Japanese – in the same price range. Th...
Time+Tide
As far as ubiquitous movements go, the SW200 and its variants is one to make your eyes light up when you see it on a specification sheet. Originally a clone of the ever-loved ETA 2824, once the patent had expired, Sellita’s version remains just as reliable, affordable and well-performing as its ETA twin. The 4Hz … ContinuedThe post Watches by movement: 5 watches powered with an SW200 from divers to dress appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
The world’s leading expert on Heuer chronographs talks about how he got started as a watch collector and, in particular, why he became enamoured with vintage Heuers.
Revolution
The evolution Jaquet Droz’s skeletonized watch continues with three new colorful and limited editions, ready for springtime.
WatchAdvice
Pros: Smaller wrist sizes can now enjoy Panerai Adjusting time on the go is super easyThe rubber strap is comfortable on the wrist Cons: Some may appreciate an open case-backNo in-house movement Some may find the pricing to be expensive Overall Rating: 7.8/10 Value for money – 7.5/10Wearability – 8/10Design – 8/10Build Quality – 8/10 Released back in 2019 during the SIHH convention, the Panerai Luminor Submersible 42 was a breath of fresh air for dive watch enthusiasts and watch lovers who didn’t want to wear oversized watches. Panerai’s flagship diver model is arguably the PAM1389, which measures at a staggering 47mm case size. PAM00683 In 2016, however, the brand decided to release their first small divers watch, the Panerai Submersible 682. This was a very simplistic timepiece with a date and sub-counter on a black dial featuring a stainless steel bezel. More importantly, the watch came in a much more wearable 42mm case size. Fast-forward to 2019, Panerai released two different colourways for the Panerai Submersible 682, one of which is what we have for review today. The PAM00683 features much of the same characteristics that the 2016 Submersible 682 had, with the exception being new bezel colour, and more colour on the dial. PAM00683 Case: The case that the PAM00683, or better known as Luminor Submersible 42 Black Ceramic, comes in is a 42mm stainless steel case with a steel bezel with ceramic black insert. It should be noted that the giant crown gua...
SJX Watches
Every time you read a story about the ocean, there’s a good chance you’ll see that it is “95% unexplored”, or “we know more about the surface of the moon than of the seafloor”. As most tropes go, they are as annoying as they are true, and in this case they’re also an apt metaphor for vintage watch knowledge. While the details of vintage Patek Philippe and Rolex have been mapped down to their going trains, numerous brands remain relatively uncharted – a Marianas Trench’s of knowledge awaiting exploration. Midcentury Movado chronographs lie squarely at those depths; let’s dive in. As we arrive at the door of our submersible, we must first acknowledge those who have assembled taxonomies of this scantly-explored abyss: the late Fritz van Osterhausen, author of The Movado History, and the excellent M95 chronograph reference the e-newsletter Rescapement published a few years ago. Using their ballast - no, I haven’t run out of nautical metaphors yet - we hope to fathom yet further. Today, we’ll peer into with what many consider the pinnacle of Movado collecting, its exceptionally-cased midcentury chronographs. History Until the 21st century, Swiss watch production was predominantly a cottage industry. Specialists manufactured the case, dial, or ebauche (movement blank), and peddled their wares to as many brands as possible. While final products were modified to brand specifications, family traits are easily discernible across marques that shared sup...
SJX Watches
Yachting’s most prestigious race, the America’s Cup once again has Omega as its official timekeeper, for the first time since 2003. Omega is inaugurating its partnership with a special-edition Seamaster chronograph for the 36th America’s Cup, which will take place off the coast of New Zealand in March 2021. The Seamaster Diver 300M America’s Cup Chronograph is the second edition made for the 2021 America’s Cup; the first was a Seamaster Planet Ocean. Initial thoughts Omega loves special editions; some are appealing in theme and execution, while others are unimaginative. The new Seamaster chronograph falls squarely in the former category – it’s definitely more exciting than last year’s America’s Cup Planet Ocean, thanks to a few novel technical features. While the America’s Cup edition retains the basic specs of the standard Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph, it incorporates functions catered specifically for yachting, including a regatta countdown on the minute register. Most unusual is the “Chrono Lock”, a slide on the case side that prevents activation of the chronograph. However, at US$10,700 (or 15,050 Singapore dollars), this costs almost 40% more than the standard Seamaster 300M Chronograph. That’s hard to swallow even for the most ardent of yachting fans, and considering the additional features. For the America’s Cup The America’s Cup edition has both its dial and bezel in blue ceramic, while the bezel markings are in white enamel ...
Time+Tide
As the 2021 season of Formula 1 revs up to get started, the drama and speculation around the 10 teams continues to grow with each passing day. With a newly introduced cost cap regulation, the way in which F1 teams spend their fat stacks of cash is under a harsh spotlight. But the way they … ContinuedThe post How Richard Mille’s new partnership with Ferrari is shaking up Formula One sponsorship appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
More than a century of history of Baselworld, the world’s biggest and most comprehensive watch fair, is virtually impossible to sum up in just a few lines. However, that is what Elizabeth Doerr does here as she looks back over 102 years of Baselworld history and reflects on what happens next. Hopefully that is, "Pack your bags for Houruniverse 2021."
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