Hodinkee
Vintage Watches: Freddie Mercury's Seiko, '90s Breguet, And Have High-End Indies Gone Too High?
From neo-vintage Breguet to Abercrombie and Roger Smith, we whip around the latest watch auctions as the falls season heats up.
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Hodinkee
From neo-vintage Breguet to Abercrombie and Roger Smith, we whip around the latest watch auctions as the falls season heats up.
Hodinkee
Plus, a modern-day sports watch from Cartier and a touch of California from Panerai.
Worn & Wound
While of course we are often used to a few new references here and there, Swiss brand Breitling has made an astonishing bet on their new additions to the Navitimer line-up, with a staggering 20 references released last week. Each slightly more unique than the last, the Navitimer 32 and 36 collections showcase not just the delicate beauty of these models, but the overall confidence that Breitling has on this historic design. The Navitimer has come a long way from its utility roots to now be an object of affection for Hollywood stars like Charlize Theron, who heads the campaign for this release. First introduced in 1952 as an aviation watch, the beaded darling of Breitling has since become a mainstay in the brand’s repertoire. Now, with the 32 and 36 releases, we see a softer side to the potential that exists with such a timeless design. From pale pinks to blues, greens and grays, each watch is deeply embedded in the natural world while being elevated by the artistry of Breitling’s design team. Decorated in a combination of mother-of-pearl, lab-grown diamond, and traceable gold, we see a balance between functionality and design that softens the edges a bit for an otherwise bold model. The Navitimer 36 is, no surprise here, a 36mm stainless steel case that fits handsomely on either a man or woman’s wrist. The dial of the Navitimer 36 is circumscribed with the standard beaded bezel and additional slide rule (a throwback to the aviation history of this watch). One has the...
SJX Watches
Very few will have missed the news of Rolex buying Bucherer, and all of the reactions to it. Given the big change this poses to the world of watch retail, when we were recently given the chance to speak with Wilhelm Schmid, chief executive of A. Lange & Söhne, we thought it the perfect opportunity to get his insight on the current retail landscape. We sat down with the seasoned leader – now the longest-serving brand boss in Richemont – at this year’s Concours of Elegance, the classic car show at Hampton Court Palace, surrounded by the sounds of vintage V8s revving in the distance. Now that the world has exited the pandemic for good, the way we shop seems to be going back to normal and the shifts that brands made during those turbulent years are either being undone or slowly wound down in the hope that customers are willing to go back to the old ways of doing things and getting out to physical stores. Mr Schmid is certainly of the mindset that a face-to-face connection is the only way to sell one of their watches, as we discovered in our discussion below. Not only did we talk about how the German brand plans to change their retail strategy moving forward, we also queried him on the Bucherer takeover and how Lange is adapting the to rising tide of brands developing certified pre-owned (CPO) offerings. The following interview has been edited for clarity and length. Wilhelm Schmid (left) with the best-in-show winner at the Concours of Elegance 2023 RPS: Perhaps...
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We're live from Cupertino and ready to talk "Double Tap."
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SJX Watches
As a gifted and passionate watchmaker, Marco Lang is committed to preserving his legacy for future generations. This extraordinary commitment involves providing unrestricted access to all the construction data related to every component of his Zweigesicht-1 timepiece on his website. This open-source initiative aims to assist future watchmakers in servicing Marco’s watches for generations to come. The beginning of independence When a watchmaker, especially an independent one, makes the commitment to ensure that his creations will remain fully functional and cherished by generations to come, it truly demonstrates the depth of his devotion and altruism toward both his present and future clientele. Marco Lang embarked on his journey as an independent watchmaker when he founded his modest workshop in Dresden in 2003, in collaboration with Mirko Heyne and Lothar Zieger, which eventually became known as Lang & Heyne. In 2019, he once again chose the path of an independent watchmaker, this time working entirely on his own. He found a delicate balance between idealism and art, a topic he delves into in this article he penned for us during the year he decided to embark on this new chapter. Marco Lang in his workshop, located within his home. Photo – Marco Lang The subsequent year marked the introduction of his inaugural creation under the “Marco Lang” signature, the double-faced Zweigesicht-1, housing the remarkable calibre ml-01. The calibre ml-01 With all 18 pieces of the ...
SJX Watches
Abraham-Louis Breguet: The English Connection opens today at the Clockmakers Museum, part of The Science Museum in South Kensington, displaying an array of vintage Breguet clocks that illustrate the master watchmaker’s connection to the United Kingdom. Marking the 200th anniversary of Breguet’s death, the display cases are full of pieces brought together from private and public collections, with some pieces being shown in a museum setting for the very first time. The poster for the exhibition. Image – The Clockmakers’ Museum. The headline exhibit is the four-minute tourbillon, no. 1297, made for King George III that sold at Sotheby’s in 2020 for £1.6 million (roughly $2 million) that many thought would never be seen in the country again after it crossed the auction block. However, thanks to the efforts of those at the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers and the Clockmaking Museum, it will be on display for an entire year alongside other rarely seen creations from Breguet. The story behind this watch is worth digging into a bit, as it was bought at a time when England and France were at war with each other and so there was a ban on French goods entering the country. This is why you won’t see the name Breguet anywhere visible on the watch. Instead you have the name of the retailer the King went through inscribed in large lettering on the movement bridge. But if you pay close attention, Breguet signed his name in small letters on the tourbillon carriage, in the...
Worn & Wound
This year, TAG Heuer’s new release strategy has largely centered around a rethinking of the classic Carrera. The introduction of the new “Glassbox” references at Watches & Wonders were a show favorite, and they’ve lingered with us in the months since as tasteful, wearable chronographs that make us think of all the things we like about vintage Carreras, but in a great contemporary package. Our meeting with TAG featured a bunch of Carreras that weren’t quite ready for mass consumption back in March, embargoed until later in the year. One was the Skipper that Blake reviewed here, and another is a new reference that dropped last week, made as part of the brand’s partnership with Porsche, that is among the most interesting (and strange) new chronographs I’ve encountered. It was perhaps the watch at Watches & Wonders that I wanted to talk about the most, but couldn’t, so I’m glad that it’s finally here, ready for its proverbial closeup. At first glance, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche appears to be just another effort in co-branding. We’ve seen this before, of course – there was a very different Carrera introduced earlier this year with the Porsche treatment. But this isn’t your run of the mill Carrera – the movement has a party trick up its sleeve that I wasn’t expecting, and I don’t think has ever been done on a watch in quite this way. When you start the chronograph, the seconds hand jumps out of the gate very quickly, getting ab...
Time+Tide
Now in their tenth year, the brand with Transylvanian ancestry has released the Peren Regia with more tasteful details.The post Peren Regia and Peren Regia X appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: We have finally reached the end of the Grand Seiko Manufacture Tour series. In part one I detailed my visit to Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, the home of all things 9S mechanical, in Morioka. Part two detailed my return to Ginza and my visit to the incredible Seiko Museum Ginza. After leaving the … ContinuedThe post Grand Seiko Manufacture Tour Part 5: Seiko/Epson Shiojiri Studio Shinshu – home of all Spring Drive, 9F quartz, and the Micro Artist Studio appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Deployant
TAG Heuer presents their Motorsports Experience in a popup outside of Ion Orchard. And you are invited to visit! From now till Sept 17 at Ion.
Hodinkee
Plus, a stand-out Grand Seiko Sport and a lesson in restraint from Jaquet-Droz.
Time+Tide
The new Uruga collection is a shift from the Japanese brand's angular designs. It features a unique sandwiched case design with Sallaz-polished elements.The post Minase Uruga 42 and Uruga 31 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
The Irish independent watchmaker Stephen McGonigle have created a new brand which they call Magon and releases a new collection - the Fórsa
Deployant
Peren releases two new watches reflecting their Transylvanian roots in the form of the new Regia and Regia X. Availalble for pre-order, delivery Q4, 23.
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Hodinkee
RM has released an upgrade to the 2011 RM 030 and the tech specs are much improved.
Worn & Wound
Ever see a watch and just can’t get it out of your head? Of course you have – it’s a common side effect of the hobby. Sometimes, for reasons we can’t quite wrap our arms around, a watch becomes something we fixate on. It could be uncommonly beautiful, or genuinely unique, or some combination of the two. Or it could be for an entirely different reason altogether. The point is: some watches have a way of lingering in our brains long after we’ve first seen them, and like a pop song that gets stuck in your head, sometimes you just have to give yourself over to it. For Blake Buettner and Zach Kazan, few watches have come along in recent years that are more emblematic of this idea than the Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Multimeter. It made its debut, somewhat under the radar, during Watches & Wonders 2022, and ever since then has been an object of obsession, mystery, and genuine fascination. It’s come up on the podcast, inspired editorials, and has taken up space in our brains rent free for months. Recently, we finally were able to see one in the metal (actually, ceramic), so of course we wanted to document the experience on video. This strange watch, with a dial featuring a total of five timing scales in a layout that seems designed to intentionally make you think about “closing the rings” is without a doubt one of the weirdest new watches we’ve seen from a major brand in recent years. Is it a pilot’s watch? A doctor’s watch? A very manual health and fitness tra...
Time+Tide
As we predicted last week, the amount of releases these past seven days was massive. Geneva Watch Days is one of the key events in the watch world and it was definitely a blast. We introduced a ton of watches this week on the site, and there is still more to come! But, for now … ContinuedThe post New releases from HYT, Citizen, Bulgari and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Corum’s latest creation is the Concept Watch, a one-off timepiece that departs from the brand’s current offerings in its futuristic style. For a brand better known for the Golden Bridge and Admiral’s Cup, the Concept Watch is bold, different, and not for everyone. Made of recycled titanium, the case contains a movement with a flying tourbillon and sapphire crystal bridges set against an aventurine base. The movement, however, is a La Joux-Perret calibre that’s been found in Corum watches for several years. Initial thoughts With most of its sports watches being large and ostentatious, it’s good to see the brand shifting towards something more elegant. The Concept Watch is compact at under 40 mm in diameter and relatively restrained in design. While it is more appealing than most of Corum’s recent watches, there are caveats. I am not fond of the case design, which is too reminiscent of the Patek Philippe Nautilus. A round case with apertures that maximises the view of the movement, one similar to that of the Franc Villa FVF1 C2 Tourbillon Superligero, would have made this less derivative. Also, the strap attachment appears awkward, and will probably not make its way into other ways. At the same time, even though the design is a break from the past, the CO374 movement has been employed by Corum for more than a decade now. It is a La Joux-Perret calibre found in various forms across several brands, including the Arnold & Son TES Tourbillon. Notably, Corum debuted a...
SJX Watches
For their joint contribution to this November’s Only Watch charity auction, H. Moser & Cie and MB&F; have released the Streamliner Pandamonium. Made up of a Moser Streamliner case, fume dial, and minute repeating movement, the Pandamonium gets the MB&F; exposed, oversized balance wheel construction along with a panda DJ miniature sculpture. Initial thoughts These two brands are not strangers to each other, having collaborated many times before, this joint effort however, seems to be much more Moser than MB&F;, given this is essentially a Streamliner with a hint of MB&F;. Though it is an appealing watch if you like the Streamliner design, I expected the whole to be greater than the sum of the parts with such creative companies combining their powers. While the panda figure looms large in the marketing for this watch, in reality, it is easy to miss on the dial since it just under the flying balance wheel. MB&F; has employed a tiny sculpture as a power reserve indicator in the past, but here the panda is no more than a nice piece of miniature art. It would have been great if there was more of a mechanical aspect to this character, which would have transformed it into a modern take on old-school automaton repeaters – which is not too much of a stretch given the price tag. This watch is undoubtedly whimsical, but it has credible horological backing. The estimate of CHF300,000-400,000 is entirely expected for a minute repeater, and will likely be surpassed, albeit not by mult...
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Time+Tide
The new Citizen Eco-Drive Black Washi Paper Dial is limited to 350 pieces It sports a 100m water-resistant Duratect Gold Super Titanium case that’s more than five times harder than standard steel Black washi paper dials are sprinkled with gold leaf through Sunago-maki – no two are the same When I personally define the characteristics … ContinuedThe post The new Citizen Black Washi Paper Dial maximises aesthetics and function appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
What makes watches so expensive? It’s a question enthusiasts ask themselves at the beginning of their horological journeys, and later on, a question we find ourselves answering from curious friends and family. The answer comes down to options. Not all watches are powered by in-house movements, but some are. And if that’s what you’re into, companies will ask you to chip in for the research and development required to develop a new caliber. Likewise, not all watches go through extra testing to confirm accuracy to a few seconds per day. But if that level of reliability is a priority for you, plenty of brands are willing to provide that service for a fee. With enough rationalizing, it’s easy to see how even six digit price tags offer fair value. On the other end of the spectrum, if those options that increase MSRP don’t excite you, then maybe a one watch collection of a single $15 Casio F91W makes the most sense…but where’s the fun in that? For most of us, myself included, the sweet spot lies somewhere between the Casios and the Urwerks of the world. In the previous installment of Selling Point that Don’t Sell Me I explored what options excite me on my personal quest for quality on a budget. But enjoying watches at modest price points doesn’t mean I can’t still be picky. And so, for this installment of Selling Points that Don’t Sell Me, I’ve compiled my personal list of deal breakers and pet peeves. This list is less focused on keeping costs low, and mo...
Hodinkee
Plus a 43mm IWC Big Pilot in green and a TAG Heuer Autavia reissued for a legendary racecar driver.
Hodinkee
Two different sides of Alpina's past and future.
Worn & Wound
This past weekend, the cycling world turned its attention to Spain for the start of the Vuelta a España. One the most prestigious Grand Tours, the Vuelta takes riders through the Pyrenees as they race towards Madrid over the course of 23 days. At the end of the race, which consists of 21 day-long stages, the rider with the lowest aggregate time is crowned the winner and wears the famous red jersey. While the watch world is often linked to motorsports, we have seen meaningful partnerships with cycling as of late. To commemorate the start of this year’s Vuelta, Sweden-based Bravur Watches has released its third and final addition to the Grand Tour chronograph series, the La Vuelta III. Housed in a 38.2mm (46.3mm lug-to-lug) PVD-coated stainless steel case, the new Vuelta III really leans into using red accents to both pay homage to the Vuelta lead jersey and establish a distinct aesthetic. The subdials – seconds at nine, hours at six, and minutes at three o-clock – are framed in red and recessed in a lower layer, as is the triangle at twelve o-clock (which Bravur says represents the flag at 1 km remaining). In another nod to cycling, the red band around the edge of the dial is subtly textured to resemble racing tires. Inside beats the Sellita SW511, an automatic chronograph movement that features Côte de Genéve and perlé decoration, rhodium plating, and heated blue screws. Owners can full-send on the red theme by pairing the watch with a red rubber strap or pare ...
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