Deployant
The Watch Whisperer: Terence Low on The Collector’s View
We caught up with Terence Low, a Deployant friend and Singaporean watch collector and lover of all things related to horology.
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6,614 articles · 83 videos found · page 198 of 224
Deployant
Time+Tide
How I changed my mind about the Rolex Explorer II (and why it now rarely leaves my wrist…)
A long time ago in a land far away (2012 / Canada), I embarked on the journey of watch collecting. I had saved enough to confidently go into the local Rolex authorised dealer and strike up a deal. Ten years ago, you could actually negotiate a discount on some of these watches, which was the … ContinuedThe post How I changed my mind about the Rolex Explorer II (and why it now rarely leaves my wrist…) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates 90th anniversary of the Reverso with the retrospective “Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931” in their Sydney Boutique
Many watch enthusiasts believe that the terms “icon” is overused by watch media. Fair play. But when a collection that has been consistently beloved for decades, celebrates its 90th birthday, I believe this is one of the sure moments where it is safe to label it so. Any watch lover worth their salt has heard … ContinuedThe post Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates 90th anniversary of the Reverso with the retrospective “Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931” in their Sydney Boutique appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Michael Caine’s Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date sells for £125,000 at auction
As Michael Caine went from strength to strength in the 1970s, he was frequently pictured with a gold Rolex. I’ve written before about my love for the Day-Date on a leather strap that he wore in Get Carter. But Caine also showed his forward-thinking mindset by also snapping up this 18K gold Oysterquartz Day-Date, which … ContinuedThe post Michael Caine’s Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date sells for £125,000 at auction appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Time flies: The best travel watches from the last 12 months
What’s travel, I hear you ask? Believe it or not, there’s an activity which means you can leave your home, and go somewhere else! Sadly, that’s an opportunity that many of us have been denied over the last couple of years due to Covid, but now the world is open again, it’s time to dust … ContinuedThe post Time flies: The best travel watches from the last 12 months appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
MICRO MONDAYS: The Cyberpunk 2077 x Błonie watch
There’s no shortage of watches that divide opinion and create controversy, but such polarising views are by no means exclusive to the watch world. Polish video-game developers CD Projekt Red became somewhat infamous when their blockbuster RPG shooter Cyberpunk 2077 was delayed three times over a year, all in the spirit of making sure it … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Cyberpunk 2077 x Błonie watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
WHO TO FOLLOW: The horologically centered art of @dianaevansillustration
Imagine flipping a switch and entering a cartoon world where you were the main character. Any limitations that you would normally place on yourself would disappear. One day you’d go skydiving while the next, you’d kayak the Nile. However, even in this fantasy world, your passions would still shine through (I would make sure my … ContinuedThe post WHO TO FOLLOW: The horologically centered art of @dianaevansillustration appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Molnar Fabry Transforms a 19th Century Minute Repeater into a Wristwatch
Founded by a Slovakian duo who are both trained jewellers, Molnar Fabry specialises in elaborately decorated watches built on existing movements. Last year the pair reworked a Vaucher automatic calibre, but the brand’s latest project started life over a century ago. Echoing one of Molnar Fabry’s creations from 2018, the Grand Master Minute Repeater is essentially a pocket watch converted into a wristwatch. Starting out as a C.H. Meylan minute repeating pocket watch from 1901, the Grand Master features a hand-made case containing the pocket watch movement, which has been entirely refinished and extensively engraved. A close-up of the heavily decorated movement Initial thoughts Molnar Fabry does high quality work especially in terms of decoration, both for movement components and engraving. Their style is usual ornate, which might not be to everyone’s taste, but the brand has shown versatility in its past work, which has included more streamlined designs. The Grand Master is definitely ornate with its fully engraved case and movement. The quality and thoroughness of the work is impressive. And relatively to its ballpark price, the Grand Master is priced reasonably compared to what better-known makers in Switzerland would charge. But as with many pocket watch conversions, the Grand Master is a huge watch. The case is 47 mm by 14 mm. For anyone who likes their watches on this scale – and appreciates the skill that went into the decoration – the Grand Master is off t...
SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie. Introduces the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar “Tutorial”
Already “fool-proof” as complicated watches go, the H. Moser & Cie. perpetual calendar has just been given a stylish facelift, resulting in a pair of watches bearing the signature smoked blue dial. The first of the two is the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Funky Blue that is almost identical to its predecessor but even more minimalist with a barely-there logo in transparent lacquer. But the headline model is surely the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tutorial, which has a whimsical user guide on the dial. The Tutorial (left) and the Funky Blue Initial thoughts I like the Tutorial because it has an ingenious movement and a sense of humour. Though the dial is the only element that’s different with the Tutorial, it is certainly an improved watch than its predecessor, simply because it perfectly encapsulates the quirkiness that defines H. Moser & Cie. The dial is so obvious that the watch really does stand out – it is certainly s a conversation piece. But it is the juxtaposition of the tongue-in-cheek schematics on the dial and the serious mechanics underneath gives the watch an amusing, original character. Perhaps only the Schaffhausen-based watchmaker that can pull this off without looking silly, given its technical competence and humorous spirit. That said, the “cheat sheet” dial is entirely practical, as it helps with both adjusting and reading the calendar – somewhat ironically since the Moser perpetual calendar mechanism is one of the most fuss free on the ma...
Time+Tide
VIDEO: The 5 best gold watches of the last 12 months
Warm, glowing, and oozing a charming luxury, who doesn’t love a cracking gold watch? Regardless of the tone or colour, whether it’s red, pink or even white, there’s just something special about its heft and lustre. Here are 5 of the best gold watches from this year. 1. Tudor Black Bay 58 in 18K Gold … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The 5 best gold watches of the last 12 months appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
FRIDAY WIND DOWN: TAG launches new Connected Watches, 2022 looks promising for Longines
A lot has happened over the last seven days, but earlier today TAG Heuer ushered in their next generation of Connected Watch: the Calibre E4. Some collectors scoff at the idea of a smartwatch, claiming that such a digital device does not have the artistic essence of a traditional mechanical timepiece. But let’s face it, … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: TAG launches new Connected Watches, 2022 looks promising for Longines appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Baume & Mercier Finally Debuts an Interesting Watch
After several years of drift – and a low-priced, Kickstarter-type watch – Baume & Mercier has finally returned with something surprisingly interesting. Based on the brand’s trademark oblong watch, the Hampton “Hommage à Pierre Soulages” is based on reproduces a work by the titular French artist on its dial in textured, three-dimensional relief. With the dial pattern apparent only up close and the case entirely in matte black, the aesthetic is strikingly low key. Like Mr Soulages’ best known works, the dial relies on texture, direction, and the absence of colour, although concessions are made for branding and time telling. Initial thoughts Though some of its ladies’ watches do well in certain markets, Baume & Mercier (B&M;) has had a difficult recent history. While cycling through several chief executives, the brand also launched a great variety of products over the period, but none of them really caught on. But now it has created something unexpected. The concept is straightforward – a dial that recreates a work of art – but it still manages to be original and unusual. Despite its simplicity, the watch manages to capture the artist’s spirit on a tiny canvas. The monochrome finish and emphasis on texture is exactly what Mr Soulages himself is famous for. The retail price of a bit under US$6,000 is pretty steep for a time-only watch powered by a stock ETA 2892, but several factors count in its favour. One is the intrinsic appeal of the watch, and another...
SJX Watches
In-Depth: Philippe Dufour Grande Sonnerie Pocket Watch No. 1
A quartet representing the entirety of Philippe Dufour’s repertoire went under the hammer last year, with the Grande Sonnerie wristwatch no. 1 setting the record for any Dufour sold publicly when it achieved the equivalent of US$5.2 million including fees. Sold at the same auction, but for substantially less, was the Grande Sonnerie pocket watch no. 1. Despite the relative values, the pocket watch is arguably a more significant timepiece within Mr Dufour’s work. Why? Initial thoughts In today’s wristwatch-centric era, the fact that it is a pocket watch counts against it. That was also the verdict of the market – the pocket watch sold for half as much as the wristwatch in November 2021. But the Grande Sonnerie pocket watch is the ultimate distillation of Philippe Dufour’s philosophy, the ideal synthesis of the inspiration and impetus behind his creations. He has long stated, both publicly and to me in past conversations, that his watches are a reverential homage to the haute horlogerie produced in the Vallée de Joux during its heyday before the Quartz Crisis, the period between the late 19th to the mid 20th centuries. Timepieces of that era, especially those with ebauches made by the valley’s best specialists like Louis-Elisee Piguet and Ami LeCoutre, are the best watches ever made in Switzerland in his view. And the Grande Sonnerie pocket watch can pass for a timepiece from the late 19th century, perhaps even one made by Mr Dufour’s favourite historical w...
Quill & Pad
Tool Watch Revolution: Utilitarian Goes Upmarket; There’s More Than Rolex! - Reprise
Tool watches continue their evolution among the watch industry’s most luxurious and coveted brands. Here Chris Malburg explores where their evolution has gone and might still go.
Revolution
Dial R For Rolex
Revolution takes a look through the sapphire glass at the face of Rolex watches and the brand’s commitment to producing some of the most iconic and beautifully executed dials in the world.
Time+Tide
WHO TO FOLLOW: Gain a new perspective with @bui.watches
There has been a common theme in the watch community as of late. The professional photographer, turned watch lover, turned watch photographer. It’s a progression that leads to amazing watch shots being blasted all over social media and one that I am all for. Because as more and more great photos are shared, the perspective … ContinuedThe post WHO TO FOLLOW: Gain a new perspective with @bui.watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Second Opinions: A $27,500 Cloisonné-Dialed Oris Aquis Makes More Sense Than You Might Think
"We do our work quietly without all that needless fuss." –Sun Wukong, in Chapter 23 of Journey to the West, by Wu Cheng'en
SJX Watches
HYT Returns with the Hastroid
Having been the first – and still the only – watchmaker to use liquid to display the time, HYT went bust last year, having struggled for several years after its 2012 debut. But now the brand is making a comeback with Davide Cerrato at the helm. The inaugural watch of the reborn HYT is the Hastroid Green Nebula that is dressed in brand’s familiar livery of lime green and black. Best known for being the design chief at first Tudor and then Montblanc, Mr Cerrato has applied his brand of Italian aesthetics to HYT, preserving its signature style while streamlining and downsizing the watches. Still large, but slightly thinner and definitely sleeker, the Hastroid continues the familiar formula found on most previous HYT watches – hours are indicated by a retrograde fluid indicator within a glass tube, while two large bellows are responsible for pumping the fluid indicator back and forth. Initial thoughts I was sceptical when I first heard that HYT was back from the dead, but knowing that Mr Cerrato is leading the charge certainly increases the odds of success. He did a stellar job shaping the visual identities of both Tudor and Montblanc – both of which still have the same house style today – and has certainly refined the HYT wristwatch while retaining its familiar feel. The Having seen a resin mockup of the Hastroid, I can attest to the fact that the watch is more compact and slightly more wearable than a first-generation HYT. At the same time, Mr Cerrato has given...
Revolution
Introducing the Ulysse Nardin Blast Moonstruck
Astronomical complications to track sun, moon and earth are given an ultra-modern and edgy face in Ulysse Nardin’s Blast Moonstruck.
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy 21 Chroma Limited Edition brings rainbow vibes to 2022
Unless you’ve been marooned on a desert island for the past several years, you’re probably all too aware of the rainbow colourway boom in the horological world. And let’s face it, some of these timepieces are, shall we say, aesthetically more harmonious than others. For every rainbow Daytona out there, there are twice as many … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy 21 Chroma Limited Edition brings rainbow vibes to 2022 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Hublot Unveils the Big Bang Integral Time Only
While a pioneer in luxury-sports watches with its gold-meets-rubber models of the 1980s, Hublot is a relatively new arrival to the world of luxury-sports watches with an integrated bracelet – with its opening act being the flyback chronograph of 2020. Now a simple, fuss-free version joins the line up. At LVMH Watch Week 2022 the brand has taken the covers off the Big Bang Integral Time Only, which has an integrated bracelet naturally, but also is the most compact men’s Big Bang to date at 40 mm wide. And in typical Hublot style, the new Time Only is available in a trio of materials, none of which is steel but instead titanium, ceramic, or yellow gold. Initial thoughts It’s great to see Hublot adapt its products to accommodate demand for small(er) watches, especially since the Big Bang has always been, well, big. The trimmer size of the Time Only brings it closer to the dimensions of the traditional luxury-sports watches, which are essentially elaborate bracelets that tell time. Despite its uncharacteristically smaller proportions, the new Time Only is still very much a Hublot. It manages to capture the Hublot style in both design and materials, while avoiding some of the cliches of the integrated-sports watch category, namely a patterned dial or a case and bracelet in steel. The most obvious difference between the Time Only and the typical integrated-bracelet sport watch is the dial. Doing away with the dial altogether and exposing the movement underneath leaves it ...
Time+Tide
It’s tennis season and we have a handful of the “Stan Smith Signature Watch” Limited Edition by Maurice de Mauriac for sale at a great price
Editor’s note: One of the great things about dropping in on a brand’s HQ is that you invariably learn things you never would normally. On a recent visit, I discovered a lot about Maurice de Mauriac and the Dreifuss family, Daniel, the father, and Leonard and Massimo, the sons. And mostly it is this: they are completely crazy. Like … ContinuedThe post It’s tennis season and we have a handful of the “Stan Smith Signature Watch” Limited Edition by Maurice de Mauriac for sale at a great price appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Up Close: Omega Seamaster 300 Bronze Gold
A surprise launch that was part of last year’s revamp of its retro diver, the Omega Seamaster 300 Bronze Gold is marked the debut of a new gold alloy, joining the brand’s ever-growing stable of proprietary metals like as Moonshine and Sedna golds. The unusual nature of the gold alloy – with a good proportion of copper, it is only 9k in terms of purity – immediately makes the new Seamaster 300 interesting. It stands out amongst the sea of vintage-inspired dive watches thanks to the unique physical properties of the case metal, which will develop a patina, but in a slow, barely discernible manner. The alloy is 37.5% gold, which is 9k But because the Seamaster 300 Bronze Gold is still gold, even if it is low caratage, it is not especially affordable, being twice that of its steel counterpart. That said, from the perspective of conventional gold, it’s much more accessible compared to a typical dive watch with an 18k gold case. With that contradiction in mind, is the Seamaster 300 Bronze Gold a value proposition? Omega was kind enough to lend one for a week, so I endeavoured to find out. Initial thoughts First things first, the aesthetics. The watch is handsome in the metal, with an appealing style that is evidently vintage-inspired despite the thick case. And it definitely feels more luxurious than the steel versions, in part due to the case metal but also the seemingly finer details. Overall, the design feels complete and cohesive – the brown colourway is appea...
SJX Watches
In-Depth: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph ‘Collection Excellence Platine’
When Vacheron Constantin celebrated its 260th anniversary in 2015 with the Harmony collection of cushion-shaped watches, the standout was easily the split-seconds chronograph. Seemingly ordinary on its face, the Harmony split-seconds was powered by the cal. 3500, an all-new rattrapante chronograph calibre with a novel automatic winding mechanism. The movement was gorgeous, but disappeared from the catalogue – until last year. The cal. 3500 made its comeback with the Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph Ultra-Thin Collection Excellence Platine. Like the other Collection Excellence Platine (CEP) watches, the Traditionnelle split-seconds is a limited edition – only 15 pieces in fact – that utilises platinum generously throughout the watch, but it is unique as there is no standard production equivalent in the catalogue. In short, it is a special watch. The cal. 3500 with its intricate chronograph mechanism and novel peripheral rotor Initial thoughts On its face, the Traditionnelle split-seconds is an elegant watch with a restrained, almost simple style. Its proportions are wide and slim, creating a graceful profile. The thinness exaggerates the case diameter slightly, so it does seem a bit wider than it is, especially with the longish lugs. In typical CEP style, the dial is nearly monochromatic, rendered in grey and silver, with the only colour coming from the indicator hands for the chronograph and power reserve. It’s a simple combination, but a good one. The pla...
Time+Tide
THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 - The Bremont Broadsword Jet (#19)
Editor’s note: There were a lot of watches released in 2021 and the Time+Tide team endeavoured to review as many of them as we possibly could. Here we count down the Top 30 reviews of the year by traffic in our best radio DJ voice. At number 19, it’s the Bremont Broadsword Jet… While there are … ContinuedThe post THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 – The Bremont Broadsword Jet (#19) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Omega’s new heritage Speedmaster Caliber 321 Chronograph
Omega opens the year with a new Speedmaster Calibre 321, complete with vintage details and a beautiful design in 18K Canopus Gold.
Deployant
Review: The New Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface
The complete calendar is a complication that is, in itself, a sum of other complications, namely the day, date, month, and moon phase. Not to be confused with the triple calendar (which does without the moon phase), the complete calendar is one of horology’s most practical and poetic displays. In the realm of luxury watchmaking,Read More
Quill & Pad
In Memoriam: People Who Left Us In 2021
Every year people working in the watch industry pass away, and brands come and go. Here Elizabeth Doerr highlights a special few of the people we lost in 2021.
Time+Tide
THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 - The Hublot Big Bang UNICO Full Magic Gold (#26)
Editor’s note: There were a lot of watches released in 2021 and the Time+Tide team endeavoured to review as many of them as we possibly could. Here we count down the Top 30 reviews of the year by traffic in our best radio DJ voice. At number 26, it’s the Hublot Big Bang UNICO Full Magic … ContinuedThe post THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 – The Hublot Big Bang UNICO Full Magic Gold (#26) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 - The Seiko Presage Studio Ghibli Castle in The Sky (#27)
Editor’s note: There were a lot of watches released in 2021 and the Time+Tide team endeavoured to review as many of them as we possibly could. Here we count down the Top 30 reviews of the year by traffic in our best radio DJ voice: at number 27, it’s the Seiko Presage Studio Ghibli Castle in … ContinuedThe post THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 – The Seiko Presage Studio Ghibli Castle in The Sky (#27) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.