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Revolution
Wei Koh speaks with Armand Billard of Sartory Billard, about his brand and the collaborative and creative relationship with his clients and suppliers in his custom watchmaking.
SJX Watches
Launched just earlier in the year, the Longines Avigation BigEye in titanium is a follow up to the original, which was historically faithful in terms of the design. The new titanium version, however, is more compelling. The titanium BigEye retains the same design, but gets a new look with the blue dial and titanium case. Both substantially change its look and feel for the better, while retaining the usual affordability of Longines’ many remakes. Initial thoughts The new Avigation BigEye departs from the typical Longines formula for remakes, which to faithfully reproduce as far as possible, right down to the spotting on old dials. In contrast, the Avigation BigEye in titanium preserves the design of the remake, but renders the dial in a clearly modern texture and colour. And of course the case is titanium. Notably, the new Avigation BigEye, along with other recent remakes like the Legend Diver in bronze, appear to mark a shift in Longines’ strategy for its historically-inspired watches. Instead of concentrating merely on one-for-one replicas, Longines is making them more interesting with modern colours and materials. That’s a good thing, especially given the obvious fact that Longines’ designers have shown themselves to possess a good eye. They manage to tweak existing designs while preserving the spirit of the original, as demonstrated by the BigEye in titanium. The result is a lightweight, and good looking watch. It does have the shortcomings of the steel versio...
Revolution
Wei Koh runs us through the new Submersible Bronzo by Panerai as well as new additions of chronographs made to the Luminor family.
Time+Tide
Last Thursday, Christies sold Picasso’s Woman Sitting by a Window in New York for USD$103.4M, the bidding lasting a full 19 minutes. This was the fifth Picasso to sell for more than USD$100M and a sign that the Málaga-born artist is as popular as ever. But while demand for his artwork is white-hot, a Picasso watch … ContinuedThe post Can’t afford a $100m Picasso painting? What about his watch instead? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Back in March, we covered the story of a horrific watch theft in Beverly Hills California where a Richard Mille robbery occurred leaving an undisclosed women wounded by a firearm. Shay Belhassen was targeted for his RM-11-03 Flyback Chronograph in rose gold, a watch worth $500,000, while dining with a female companion at celebrity hotspot … ContinuedThe post Three men apprehended for robbery of a Richard Mille RM 11-03 in Beverly Hills appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Launched just last year, the Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph is the flagship model in Audemars Piguet’s oft-discussed line of run watches. Executed well in almost every way, the Code 11.59 Tourbillon Chronograph underscores the potential of the family. But more importantly, the watch encapsulates AP’s strengths. Despite being known largely for the Royal Oak, and widely criticised for the Code 11.59 and then the Royal Oak Concept Black Panther, AP remains AP. The brand is a long-established, top-tier watchmaker that knows how to make fine watches. That is amply evident in the Code 11.59 Tourbillon Chronograph. Initial thoughts The Code 11.59 was widely panned online at launch, though the virtual mob’s rage was overdone, taking the weakness of specific models and generalising it across the entire line. The dials on the three-hander and chronograph were bland, but the other models were more appealing. But the Code is in fact an impressive collection in terms of finish and construction – though some dials still can be improved – especially the octagon-within-a-circle case that’s difficult to appreciate in photos. But the Code 11.59 has gained traction since, especially with the subsequent facelifts that combined smoked, lacquered dials and two-tone cases that immediately made the watch more attractive. At the same time, highly complicated models have joined the line up, including the open-worked tourbillon and Grande Sonnerie, which add to...
Time+Tide
For anyone who collects vintage watches, Antiques Roadshow is like whale song, or the sound of rain on a tin roof – ASMR for those with an undiagnosed hoarding condition. Don’t worry, I’m describing myself too. It’s the public sharing of an almost entirely forgotten history of rare and beautiful objects, the knowledge of which … ContinuedThe post Antiques Roadshow guest tears up after discovering value of dad’s vintage Rolex “Red” Submariner appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
There is, quite simply, no other wine in the world quite like Seppeltsfield's 1918 100-Year-Old Para Vintage Tawny Port-style wine. Where else could you hope to find a wine whose current release is the 1918? It exists, but only thanks to the extraordinary vision of one man.
Quill & Pad
Geneva’s second round of pandemic-era May auctions brought some fascinating offerings out of the woodwork. And people are buying watches at auction like there is no tomorrow. While Rolex and Patek Philippe models brought in most of the high-roller results, the three main houses with auctions running over the second weekend in May 2021 – Phillips, Christie’s, and Antiquorum – also generated fantastic results for watches by many other brands, including the independents.
SJX Watches
Shortly after launching the last of the 17-series, at least under its own label, Ming is rolling out a tie up with Massena Lab – the 17.09 Ming X Massena Lab Limited Edition. Having got its start by collaborating with brands like Habring2 before introducing its eponymous brand, Massena Lab puts its own twist on the 17.09 with a honeycomb dial in either honey or black, which will be limited to 50 and 150 pieces respectively. The 17.09 Ming X Massena Lab in black Initial thoughts I loved the 17.09, so much, in fact that I placed an order for one. It’s a well-executed watch at an extremely appealing price point. Likewise, I find the 17.09 Massena Lab attractive. The two models retain the best aspects of the 17.09, such as the floating minute track, skeletonised hands, as well as Ming’s signature flared lugs. But the 17.09 Massena Lab adds a bit more intricacy to the design. When the 17.09 was announced last month, I wrote “the clous de Paris guilloché in the center is less unique than the spiral motif found on the dials of the 17.06″. The dial and its “floating” numerals By doing away with the clous de Paris in favour of honeycomb, the Massena Lab editions become eminently more striking than the standard versions. Between the two, my pick would be the honey dial – the black dial comes a tad too close to triggering my trypophobia. Priced at US$2,595 in black (and US$200 more in honey), the collaborative 17.09s are 20-30% more expensive than the standard...
Time+Tide
Whenever Ming introduces a new watch, the brand’s followers immediately mark their calendars and ensure they set aside time to race to the checkout for one of these highly coveted watches. The designs of this independent watch brand are absolutely distinctive, with every component meticulously crafted to reflect the design language of Ming Thein. Ming … ContinuedThe post Making a buzz: Ming x Massena Lab collaborate to create honeycomb hotness appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
It was the week of events for Time+Tide, even if they were nearly 4000 kilometres apart. Andrew changed timezones flying to Perth for the second Time+Tide Club event of the year so far, spotting a few very nice watches on the wrists of our Western Australian club members. At the same time, I was in … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Events in Sydney, Perth and going hands-on with a funky new ’70s Tissot appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Bvlgari introduces a new collaboration with producer, DJ and fashion designer Steve Aoki to introduce the new: Bvlgari Aluminium Steve Aoki Special Edition.
SJX Watches
Oblong in shape and entirely resin, the original G-Shock has evolved in recent years into something altogether more fancy, while retaining the signature 5000-series design. While the traditional resin models remain in the line up, the Full Metal collection has rapidly grown to include models in steel, titanium, as well as in ridiculous-but-cool 18k yellow gold. Taking things to the next level is the G-Shock Full Metal GMW-B5000TR. Made of a newly-developed titanium alloy that’s twice as hard as pure titanium, the latest Full Metal model has an unapologetically bold “rainbow” bracelet with links in four different colours. Initial thoughts I was shocked when I first saw the multicolour bracelet – it seemed too much. But I let it sit for a day, and the look started to grow on me. The Full Metal “Rainbow” is a G-Shock that truly caters to the enthusiasts, because it is so different and so unexpected, yet executed to a high standard – attributes that mark it out as a serious G-Shock for the collector who is willing to pay a premium for such things. Echoing the bracelet, the digital display is also multicolour The foundations of the watch are strong. Now almost 40 years old, the design remains durable – the square case is the iconic G-Shock – and looks as good as it did in 1983 when the DW-5000 made its debut. Rendering the design in rainbow colours and a new titanium alloy only adds to the appeal. That said, this is the latest of many, many Full Metal mode...
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Sitting in the Time+Tide office, the wrists of certain staff members at times resemble a veritable revolving door of watches. Their passion for new watches leads them to constantly haggle and trade, navigating all manner of financial contortions to acquire the next watch on their hit-list. At times, this can look slightly exhausting … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Why I traded a Patek Philippe and a panda dial Omega Speedmaster for a Rolex Submariner appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
For 2021, #ShootYourWatches2, Casio Singapore is offering the Edifice ECB-20D as the grand prize. Details of the prize and photo contest rules within.
SJX Watches
Unveiled during Watches & Wonders 2021, Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem Automaton made its debut alongside highly complicated watches from mainstream watchmakers – but it holds its own in mechanical complexity and metiers d’art decoration against the best of them. Initial thoughts Louis Vuitton’s mechanical watches are impressive, and often don’t get enough respect from watch enthusiasts because of the often ostentatious design. But I respect the quality of concept and execution, and like several of the watches (and own one of them). The flagship complication for 2021 is typical Louis Vuitton in terms of design, but creative in its mechanics and polished in its artisanal decoration. The Carpe Diem is essentially a modern day vanitas – a work of art symbolising the transience of material goods and fragility of life. At the same time, it encapsulates many of the favoured themes in modern-day watchmaking – complex movements, artisanal decoration, and over-the-top style. Although the Carpe Diem is massive and extreme, the craftsmanship evident on the dial is delicate and refined. The engraving on the skull is fine, and even more intricate on the snake, which is enamelled in exceptional detail. All of the metiers d’art on the dial is as good as that on watches from mainstream watchmakers. At the same time, the movement is technically competent and properly finished, given its La Fabrique du Temps provenance. But the watch is a lot of watch, in terms of size an...
Time+Tide
One of the few worldly possessions of Mahatma Gandhi was his beloved Zenith alarm pocket watch that the social visionary used to make sure he didn’t miss prayer times. Being reminded of this merely underscored the intrinsic value of my newly arrived, perfectly smooth and deeply unfashionable piece of stress relief. What happened was this: … ContinuedThe post Why I bought a Zenith pocket watch that’s 106 years old appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Established in 1948, Yema was once a French watchmaking giant, having equipped the French Air Force and the first French astronaut, Jean-Loup Chrétien. It entered a long decline in the aftermath of the Quartz Crisis, but was revived under its current French owners who took over in 2009. Now Yema is once again making tool watches for professionals in a tie up with the French Navy, or Marine Nationale. A collection of dive watches “jointly designed with French Navy personnel for marine professionals”, the Navygraf X Marine Nationale is led by a time-only, automatic dive watch, as well as a variant with a GMT function. It also includes a less expensive quartz model and a ladies version, though they will not be covered here. The Navygraf Marine Nationale Automatic (left), and GMT Initial thoughts Along with fellow French brand Baltic, Yema is one of my favourite brands at the US$1,000 price point. Its watches are well designed and executed for the price, often offering strong value. Given Yema’s historical relationship with the French military – the brand supplied watches to French air force helicopter pilots in the 1970s – Yema has legitimacy in military watches, and its collaboration with the navy makes sense. The white and blue combination – a nautical palette modelled on the emblem of the French Navy – is familiar but stands out on the wrist, being immediately reminiscent of the oceans. The maritime theme of the symmetrical and legible dial is reinforc...
SJX Watches
Defined by its refined and occasionally whimsical style, Hermès emphasises whimsy with the new Arceau Space Derby, which reinterprets the Space Derby scarves, repurposing the sci-fi motif as miniature paintings for the wrist. The Arceau Space Derby will be available in two sizes: the smaller 38 mm with a diamond bezel and pink opaline glass dial, as well as two larger 41 mm models with dials in aventurine glass. The small model is limited to 24 pieces, while only 12 each will be made of the large models. The smaller version with a pink opaline glass dial Initial thoughts I absolutely love the Arceau Space Derby. Hermès makes a diversity of goods, from leather to clothing to high-end homeware, but often sharing the same motifs that are typically appealing and original. So its habit of looking into its past designs for its wristwatches is brilliant. The illustrator of Space Derby, French comic artist Ugo Bienvenu, drew inspiration from 20th-century American comics for the derby set amongst the stars. Depicting a robot horse yet so sci-fi it’s not immediately obvious, the painting is both overt and subtle in its reference to the longstanding equestrian history of Hermès, which was was founded as a saddle maker. And that also explains the signature Arceau watch case, which has an asymmetrical outline inspired by a stirrup. Detail rendered spectacularly by hand The diamond-set, 38 mm variant is clearly for women, while the 41 mm versions are unisex. Between the two lar...
Quill & Pad
Throughout history, hundreds of talented watchmakers have left their mark on the science and industry of timekeeping. For the inaugural edition of WOHS (Watchmakers of Historical Significance), Joshua Munchow highlights an engineer that has used technology to push forward since his beginnings, creating a company that is not only a leading brand among independents, but also a supplier to many established brands: the incredible yet humble Romain Gauthier.
Time+Tide
Having buttressed their online fashion offering with an impressive collection of fine watches, Mr Porter has become a real force to be reckoned with over the last decade. To celebrate their 10th birthday, they’ve collaborated with IWC on a damn tempting version of their Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41, a piece that delivers superb legibility at … ContinuedThe post #Kixntix: A limited edition IWC Pilot’s Watch 41 from Mr Porter meets Puma’s street-tough suede appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
We take a look at one of the newest kids on the block today: Timeless HMS 001. Will it stand the test of time, as the name suggests?
SJX Watches
Having introduced the oversized Big Bold in bright, funky iterations such as the Jelly Fish Neon, Swatch is now going minimalist – and green – with the Big Bold Bioceramic. Clad in solid, pastel colours, the Big Bold Bioceramic is clean and coherent. Though simple, it manages to be interesting in both style and materials. The open-worked dial reveals some of its mechanics, while the case is composite of ceramic and plastic made from plant matter. Initial thoughts For those who appreciate the bold presence of large watches like the Royal Oak Offshore, the Big Bold is a lot of fun at a far more accessible price. So when the Big Bold was launched a few years ago, I very much liked the idea of a 47 mm plastic watch. But I found the earlier iterations to be at either extreme – too funky or too plain. The latest version, however, lands in the sweet spot for me. Vibrant in colour – especially in “power pink” or sky blue – but pared back in design, the new Big Bold also has an open-worked movement that’s intriguing despite being quartz. And the new “bio-sourced” material also adds to the appeal, as does the fact that it only costs a bit over US$100. The Big Bold is ergonomic, despite the seemingly massive diameter. With almost non-existent lugs, its lug-to-lug span is a mere 44.8 mm, a length more commonly found on watches with a diameter of around 36 mm. Despite the wide case, it wears well on most wrists, without a significant overhang on either side of the w...
Deployant
Patek Philippe unveils the Ref. 5236P-001 In-Line Perpetual Calendar, the brand's first wristwatch with a linear calendar display.
SJX Watches
As the Geneva auctions are almost concluded – with the Patek Philippe ref. 2523 cloisonné world time having sold for US$7.83 million – it’s on to the Hong Kong sales that’ll take place in a few weeks. At Phillips’ Hong Kong auction, the top lot is, unsurprisingly, a complicated Patek Philippe. Specifically, a first-series ref. 2499 in yellow gold, which is not exceptionally uncommon in itself, but this example has a rare Wenger case and a valuable piece of paper – the original certificate from 1956. The sale also encompasses another ref. 2499 with its original certificate, a third series in yellow gold that’s more accessibly priced, along with an interesting selection of independent watchmaking. Notably, the line up includes a Harry Winston Opus 1 Tourbillon by F.P. Journe, along with an Opus V by Urwerk. The Phillips Hong Kong watch auction will happen on June 5 and 6, and the full catalogue is available online at Phillips.com. 2499 duo Most of the first-series ref. 2499s had cases made by Emile Vichet, a Geneva case maker that supplied the cases for the first two years of the model’s production, making about 10 cases in yellow gold and about four in pink. Patek Philippe then turned to Ed. Wenger, another Geneva case maker run by brothers Edouard and Andre, for the rest of the first-series, as well as all subsequent series until 1982 when Patek Philippe starting making its own cases. Only about 30 yellow gold cases were made by Wenger for the first-serie...
SJX Watches
Though taking the form of its signature aviation-instrument watch, the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Military is the latest in a lineage of dive watches that started in 1997. Pilot’s watches are its bread and butter, but Bell & Ross (B&R;) has been making high-spec dive watches almost since its founding in 1992. Five years later it launched the Hydromax, which was created in collaboration with Sinn. Featuring a case filled with incompressible synthetic oil, the Hydromax boasted a staggering water-resistance rating of 11,100 m. Two decades later, B&R; launched the BR 03-92 Diver, which transformed the aviation-instrument case into a diving tool with a 300 m depth rating. First unveiled in steel, and subsequently also in either bronze or ceramic, the newest iteration of the BR 03-92 Diver has a functional olive-green dial that evokes the military inspiration behind many of the brand’s watches. Initial thoughts On the surface, the BR 03-92 Diver Military is seemingly a mere facelift, a new dial for the BR 03-92 Diver Black of 2019. Only the olive-green dial is new – but it makes a difference. While green seems to be the colour du jour for 2021, the olive-drab dial colour underscores the B&R; spirit perfectly. The brand often looks to the military for inspiration – and has made watches for both police and military units in France – while being inclined towards a vintage style, particularly in its round watches. Best described as a retro-military colour that evokes unif...
Quill & Pad
The main focus of the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL is the technology behind the shock absorber, so the watch itself is a simple, three-hand, time-only piece with an ultra-clean dial and generally restrained aesthetic minimizing unnecessary distraction. Joshua Munchow dives in to take a closer look at the progressive compliant technology.
Time+Tide
Like I say in this video, separating what’s “actually” new versus what a brand tells you is new, and what’s truly innovative from the marketing spin is practically a daily task in watch media. Do. Not. Believe. The. Press. Releases. So, when you ask four hardened hacks from the field for four watches that were … ContinuedThe post RJ from Fratello is offering a Limited Edition Speedmaster Fountain Pen for your vote on 2021’s most innovative watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s Note: I put this list together last August in the hope that I could help people avoid the sort of costly mistakes I’ve made during my watch collecting journey. Ten years ago there were fairly minimal digital resources for watch enthusiasts to dig into, but today the problem, if anything, is that there is … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Five mistakes I made along my watch collecting journey appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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