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The Swatch Group

Largest Swiss watch employer (~17,000 staff). 18 brands from Breguet/Blancpain at the top to Swatch at entry. ETA SA + Nivarox-FAR. Hayek family controls.

Up Close: Breguet Reine de Naples 9835 and 9838 “Expanding Hands” SJX Watches
Breguet Reine de Naples 9835 Jan 11, 2023

Up Close: Breguet Reine de Naples 9835 and 9838 “Expanding Hands”

Even though Breguet is not a name that instantly comes to mind when it comes to ladies’ watches, the brand makes one of the most distinctive female watches on the market today. Late last year Breguet debuted perhaps its most ladies watch in some time: the Reine de Naples 9835 and 9838 that both possess a quirky yet graceful complication inspired by “expanding hands” pocket watches from the 18th century. Immediately recognisable thanks to its distinctive egg-shaped case, the Reine de Naples was inspired by similarly-ovoid bracelet watch delivered in 1812 to Caroline Bonaparte, Queen of Naples and the younger sister of Napoleon. Reine de Naples – literally “Queen of Naples” – remains the brand’s signature watch for ladies, though the line-up has grown to encompass many iterations over the years. Admittedly, the models are numerous enough that few leave a lasting impression, but the “expanding hands” allow the new duo to easily stand out. Initial thoughts I was impressed when I first laid eyes on the new Reine de Naples. Neither is a typical ladies’ timepieces that lazily relies only on a bejewelled case to stand out. Both models have a striking, elegant aesthetic that’s slightly more modern than expected from Breguet but still possessed of enough intricate detail. Though seemingly simple at the glance, the new Reine de Naples has a clever and unusual hour display with “expanding hands”. The simplicity of the time display combined with the n...

Junghans Max Bill Guide Teddy Baldassarre
Junghans Jan 8, 2023

Junghans Max Bill Guide

Watches with a sparse, minimalist aesthetic have a faithful following in the modern era, and a number of watchmakers, both Swiss and German, offer timepieces born of those design principles, which are most directly descended from Germany’s hugely influential Bauhaus school of design in the early 20th Century. The Junghans Max Bill series, however, is one of the undisputed trailblazers of the Bauhaus style of watch design, tracing its origins all the way back to 1861 and boasting a time-tested design from one of the movement’s leading legends, Max Bill himself. Here we offer a brief history of the Junghans Max Bill watch collection, some insight into its namesake, and an overview of the modern collection, one of the few to contain mechanical, automatic, quartz, and radio-controlled solar movements as well as an array of sizes and materials. HOROLOGY IN THE BLACK FOREST Junghans Uhren GmbH was founded in 1861 in Schramberg, in Germany’s eastern Black Forest, by Erhard Junghans and his brother-in-law Jakob Zeller-Tobler. Initially a producer of clock parts, the company began making its own complete clocks and pocket watches in 1866 and by 1903 had become the largest watch and clock manufacturer in the world, employing 3,000 people. In 1927, Junghans began making wristwatches as well as clocks and supplied both over the subsequent decades to clients in the German military as well as the commercial market. A watershed moment for the company arrived in the 1950s with the...

30 Best Mechanical Watches Under $500 Teddy Baldassarre
Jan 6, 2023

30 Best Mechanical Watches Under $500

As new enthusiasts dip their toes in the waters of the watch world, it’s easy for them to become mired in watch-specific terminology that, while second nature to seasoned nerds, can prove challenging for anyone less experienced. Understanding the specific nature of the type of movement powering a watch is an excellent example of an area in which a little bit of research goes a long way in elevating your knowledge base and helping you to make an informed purchasing decision. Terms like quartz, mechanical, automatic, manual, and hand-winding are essential basic knowledge for anyone looking to bring their understanding of watches to the next level or purchase a new piece. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most prominent types of mechanical movement types on the market. First, we’ll create a high-level primer on how the most popular types of watch movements operate before digging into a list of some of the best options on the more attainable end of the spectrum for each respective movement type. To begin, let’s tackle the term “mechanical” as it relates to watches. In the modern watch world, the vast majority of watches fall into two major subsets. The first is quartz, which utilizes power from an installed battery to power a small circuit that measures timekeeping by way of an oscillating quartz crystal, shaped like a tiny tuning fork, which vibrates at exactly 32,768 per second, allowing for an impressively high level of accuracy. Quartz calibe...

Audemars Piguet Introduces Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon “Dimpled Dial” SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Introduces Royal Oak Selfwinding Jan 6, 2023

Audemars Piguet Introduces Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon “Dimpled Dial”

Arguably the most significant Audemars Piguet timepiece ever, the Royal Oak celebrated its 50th anniversary last year with a host of new models, including the all-new Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 16202 and even a skeletonised, selfwinding flying tourbillon. And just before entering the New Year, Audemars Piguet (AP) dropped the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon “Dimpled Dial”. Essentially identical to the standard model, the new version – which is available in either white or pink gold – is distinguished by its surface finishing: dimples on the dial and frosting on the bezel. Limited to 33 pieces each, the pair are primarily for Japan, with only a handful of watches available outside the country. According to our sources, the unusual combination of finishes were proposed by Japanese watch influencer Chronopeace, explaining why most of the run will be sold only in Japan – though this has neither been confirmed nor denied by AP. Initial thoughts I first heard about this discreet release when images were shared with me. As AP occasionally won’t say what drops, the watch was not announced officially, but instead quietly added to its online catalogue, perhaps because it is only available in Japan. Despite being low key, this new release will surely appeal to anyone who likes the Royal Oak but wants the added oomph of a special dial. At a glance, the watch easily reveals itself to be stunning. The layout and style are familiar, but the few tweaks to the dial an...

Franck Muller Introduces #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard SJX Watches
Franck Muller Jan 6, 2023

Franck Muller Introduces #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard

Franck Muller pushed the boundaries of the possible in high-end watchmaking in its earlier years, particularly with its whimsical complications like the Crazy Hours. Now, the brand has gone in the direction of edgy and provocative with its collaboration with Tokyo streetwear brand #FR2. Bearing the clothing label’s emblem of two naughty rabbits, the #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard is a limited edition available only in Southeast Asia and Australia. Initial thoughts  When I first saw the #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard, I was conflicted about the aesthetics. This type of pop-culture collaboration has been done before and often. Various watch brands have tied up with well-known streetwear labels. And Franck Muller itself recently launched a Vanguard customised by Bamford Watch Department to feature Popeye on the dial. But upon closer examination, the #FR2NCK MULLER feels like a more interesting collaboration because of the striking black-and-white livery – and the irreverent logo on the dial. The rabbit emblem is fairly discrete at a distance, making it something of a in-joke. Beyond the design, the case is notable for being a composite of carbon fibre and glass, which gives the material a banded pattern that is slightly glossy. The composite case perfectly complements the black-and-white palette of the watch. And inside the composite case is an in-house automatic movement, making it slightly more interesting than the Franck Muller watches powered by stock third-party movements. As i...

FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Portnoy trolls Crash, Omega teases tiny yet massive update Time+Tide
Omega teases tiny yet massive Jan 6, 2023

FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Portnoy trolls Crash, Omega teases tiny yet massive update

Davey boy, oh Davey boy. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has already found himself in hot water with, what he refers to, as “watch geeks”. The launch of his watch brand Brick Watch Company was absolutely ridiculed by watch enthusiasts online, the recurring theme being that his designs were unimaginative, generic, ugly and overpriced. In … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Portnoy trolls Crash, Omega teases tiny yet massive update appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Blancpain Introduces Fifty Fathoms “70th Anniversary Act 1” SJX Watches
Blancpain Introduces Fifty Fathoms “70th Jan 4, 2023

Blancpain Introduces Fifty Fathoms “70th Anniversary Act 1”

Twenty twenty-three marks the 70th anniversary of Blancpain’s landmark dive watch, the Fifty Fathoms. Introduced in 1953, the diver was revived in 2003. Kicking off the commemorative editions is the Fifty Fathoms “70th Anniversary Act 1”, the first instalment in a year’s worth of anniversary models. Like the current model, the “Act 1” is inspired by the vintage model, but sports dimensions patterned after the original from seven decades ago, with a reduced case diameter of just over 42 mm. Initial thoughts  The familiar form of the modern dive watch is due in part to the Fifty Fathoms – whether that or the Rolex Submariner was launched first is an endless debate – so it is unsurprising that Blancpain’s current catalogue includes a vast array of Fifty Fathoms-inspired timepieces. Thankfully, Blancpain has done something to cater to watch enthusiasts with the anniversary model that has a smaller diameter, perhaps in response to criticism that the closest equivalent in the line-up is 45 mm wide (Blancpain does offer dive watches with smaller cases, but they are either limited editions or the Bathyscaphe). Even though the anniversary watch is broadly similar to the standard Fifty Fathoms in terms of design, it has been refined and arguably improved, especially on the dial. Blancpain skipped the easy route of copying the earlier model and scaling it down. Instead the designers commendably captured the spirit of the original with the vintage typography un...

Louis Vuitton Announces Prize for Independent Watchmakers 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 ...

Up Close: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Starwheel SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Starwheel Jan 2, 2023

Up Close: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Starwheel

In an unexpected, end-of-year announcement, Audemars Piguet unveiled the Code 11.59 Starwheel, reviving the wandering hours complication that had been absent from its catalogue since 2003. Inspired by a 17th century clock, the wandering hours made its way into wristwatches thanks to Audemars Piguet (AP), which debuted the first wristwatch with the display in 1991. Retaining the familiar three-disc hour display, the new Starwheel is nonetheless an entirely different watch from the compact original. Powered by an in-house movement contained in the Code 11.59 case, the Starwheel has physical presence by virtue of its size, but also a surprising degree of refinement thanks to the excellent finishing of the dial and case. Initial thoughts With a modern look defined by dark colours and instrument-like numerals, the Code 11.59 Starwheel looks pretty much the same as it does in photos – but it is far more appealing than expected. In the metal the watch has an impressive degree of visual detail, particularly the polished bevels on the dial components, and a reassuringly solid feel, all of which give it a great deal of tactile appeal. The refinement in terms of visual detail also translates into the movement, which is in-house both in terms of the base and module. Although it functions identically to the original Star Wheel, the Code 11.59 model has an improved display mechanism. Instead of the periodic rotation found in the original model, the discs rotate continually throughout ...

Our favourite Micro Mondays from 2022: Part 2 Time+Tide
Jan 2, 2023

Our favourite Micro Mondays from 2022: Part 2

We’ve already counted down our top 5  from our Micro-Mondays series in 2022, but the independent goodness just keeps on coming. Each passing year sees these nimble microbrands continuing to innovate where larger companies can’t, driving trends and keeping prices attainable. If someone is looking to get into the watch hobby without spending a heap of … ContinuedThe post Our favourite Micro Mondays from 2022: Part 2 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.