Results for Co-Axial vs Swiss Lever Escapement

In-Depth: The Bexei ‘Vox Vinum’ Grande Sonnerie Wristwatch

The only independent watchmaker in Hungary, Aaron Becsei, or more properly Becsei Áron, has created a distinctive style for his eponymous brand, Bexei – ornate, Gothic engraving; a double-ellipse case; and top-class movement finishing. His latest creation, a custom and unique grande and petite sonnerie wristwatch named Vox Vinum, is all of the above, except in a more conventional round case. Created at the behest of an important, Asian collector of independent watchmaking, the grande sonnerie took more than a year to complete. It is the first, and so far only, striking watch ever produced by Bexei. The Vox Vinum The grand sonnerie A grande et petite sonnerie – French for “large and small strike” – is widely regarded as the pinnacle of mechanical watchmaking. Also known as a clockwatch, it strikes the hours and quarters en passant, as they pass. And it is also a minute repeater, being able to chime the time on demand. Modern day grande sonnerie wristwatches are exceedingly rare – the number of watchmakers having produced one can be counted on both hands. The most notable makers of grande sonnerie wristwatches are Patek Philippe with its Grandmaster Chime, F.P. Journe with the recently discontinued Sonnerie Souverain, and Greubel Forsey as well as Vacheron Constantin, both of which use the same base movement in their respective grande sonnerie wristwatches. But the pioneers in the field were Philippe Dufour in 1992, and followed shortly after by Gerald Gen...

Introducing: The Oris Movember Edition 2019

A watch with vintage style that makes a positive impact.

 ‘Made In Glashütte’ Vs. ‘Made In Germany’: What Puts Them Together, What Sets Them Apart

What qualifies a watch to be "made in Glashütte" or "made in Germany"? Sabine Zwettler explains exactly that right here.

Rapport: Reasons to get wound up

There are only a handful of brands who specialise in such items, one of which is Rapport, founded in 1898 by an ambitious 20-year-old watchmaker by the name of Maurice A. Rapport.

Chillout TGIF: Taking macros with your phone

We take a look at the Loupe System macro attachment for smart phones, and compare it with a brandless macro attachment, and give you our thoughts.

Breaking News: SIHH Will Now Become Watches & Wonders Geneva

From 2020 onwards, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) will be known as Watches & Wonders Geneva, adopting the name of an event that first started in Hong Kong before migrating to Miami in the wake of the slowdown in the Chinese territory. Last year’s shock announcement by industry giant Swatch Group that it would depart Baselworld permanently set up off chain of events: a botched response that led to the resignation of the chief executive of the fair’s organiser MCH Group, and then a full-year loss for MCH. Some prominent brands like Breitling also decided to leave Baselworld, though the giants, like LVMH and Rolex, have opted to stay. Since then Baselworld’s new management has announced a flurry of new initiatives and programmes, starting with Baselworld announcing it would unite with SIHH after a decade’s separation. It’s also revealed an unimpressive hotel deal and more recently, a concierge service for visitors. All of that seems to have compelled the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), the organiser of SIHH – a watch fair in healthy condition compared to Baselworld – to do something as well. And so they have, with the goal of making the event more consumer centric. Rebranded but pretty much unchanged Palexpo forever Despite the name change, the format of the event appears pretty much the same. The Salon with its 30 exhibiting brands will take place as it always has, at the Palexpo conventional hall beside Geneva airport, loca...

Event Invite: JeweLuxe 2019

On its third year running JeweLuxe expands the Independent Watchmaking section. We continue as the Official Watch Media. And you are invited to attend!

The Cartier Santos-Dumont is a lesson in distilled elegance

Cartier is a brand that doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but instead gradually evolves their designs over decades, refining and purifying their core look with each year that goes by. For their latest collection, released at SIHH 2019, the focus was the Cartier Santos-Dumont, a dress watch that is both classically sized and slim, offering one … ContinuedThe post The Cartier Santos-Dumont is a lesson in distilled elegance appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Review and Watchscapes: Breitling Premier B01 42 Bentley Centenary Limited Edition Red Gold

We take a close look at the Breitling Premier B01 42 Bentley Centenary Limited Edition in Red Gold, with our large format Watchscape wallpapers.

INTRODUCING: The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Barakuda Limited Edition

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms looks like a lot of other watches out there, and there’s a reason for that. The Fifty Fathoms was first. It was one of the first watches ever designed for diving and, as a result, has become almost the Universal Man of dive watches, where all watches that follow are derivative. … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Barakuda Limited Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

No Secret: The Journe Society Chronometer From F.P. Journe

While these days community building in the enthusiast realm seems increasingly the domain of brand-agnostic organizations, there remain old-school organizations whose members are devoted to the watches of a single maker. One such example is the Journe Society: a small, low-profile group of enthusiast collectors. GaryG sheds some light on the group and its specially commissioned group watch.

Patek Philippe Introduces the World Time Minute Repeater Singapore 2019 Ref. 5531R

Originally introduced in 2017 for the Grand Exhibition in New York, the Patek Philippe World Time Minute Repeater Ref. 5531R was the first minute repeater that could chime the local time, as opposed to a conventional world-time repeater that would only strike the home time. The reference then entered regular production in 2018 with a cloisonné enamel of Lake Geneva, or the lac Léman as locals know it, a recurring motif on Patek Philippe enamel watches. Patek Philippe has now unveiled a special-edition version for the Watch Art Grand Exhibition 2019 in Singapore, featuring a cloisonné enamel dial depicting the city centre of Singapore, along with the country’s name listed on the city disc in place of Beijing. It joins the Minute Repeater Tourbillon Singapore 2019 Ref. 5303R as one of the grand complications created especially for the event. As was always the case, the watch is in red gold and measures 40.2mm wide. it features hand-guillochéd, hobnail pattern on the case band as well as on the repeater slide on the left. In it is the self-winding cal. R 27 HU which features the patented repeater mechanism that chimes the time of the city at the 12 o’clock position on the world time mechanism. While a minute repeater usually operates independently from the world time and thus chimes only the home time, the two mechanisms in this case are mechanically coupled. The hour snail of the repeater is continuously driven by the time zone wheel of the world time mechanism. ...

Why this Longines is the best watch I’ve ever owned

Back at the beginning of 2013, as a result of kissing goodbye to a couple of watches (mistakes) from my collection, I found myself in the rather fortunate position of needing a new daily timepiece. The buying criteria was fairly simple and straightforward: the new watch needed to be a diver, automatic, Swiss made and … ContinuedThe post Why this Longines is the best watch I’ve ever owned appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

TAG Heuer Monaco 50th Anniversary Watch Unveiled in Tokyo, We Have Photos

The fourth of five limited editions celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Heuer Monaco was unveiled in Tokyo today; Revolution.watch has photos.

Looking back at Bulgari’s Gérald Genta 50th Anniversary Watch

Editor’s note: I think it’s fairly safe to say that Gérald Charles Genta is the 20th century’s most notable designer of wristwatches. Many know the list of his accomplishments, but the sheer scope and impact of his unique and inspired design language is still sometimes difficult to grasp. Royal Oak, Nautilus, Constellation, Ingenieur, Golden Ellipse … ContinuedThe post Looking back at Bulgari’s Gérald Genta 50th Anniversary Watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

In Conversation with All Blacks Playmaker Beauden Barrett

As the Rugby World Cup kicks off in Japan, All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett talks about his journey to sports superstar and Tudor ambassador.

G-Shock and Gorillaz’s latest collaboration is out Now Now!

Following the successful first collaboration between British virtual band Gorillaz and Japan’s G-Shock, the dynamic duo has once again teamed up for their latest and final collaboration together. Their two newest limited-edition creations, the GA2000GZ-3A and GW-B5600GZ-1, aim to pay homage to the iconic music group’s first album, Gorillaz, and their latest album, The Now … ContinuedThe post G-Shock and Gorillaz’s latest collaboration is out Now Now! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Hands-On: Nomos Tangente Neomatik “Red Dot” Limited Editions

Singapore watch retailer The Hour Glass has just unveiled yet another limited edition to mark the its 40th year – the Nomos Tangente Neomatik 39 Red Dot. It’s the most affordable anniversary edition yet, and also also the third in the annual “Red Dot” series of watches made for Singapore. Available in four iterations, each limited to just 50 pieces, the limited edition is based on the bestselling Tangente automatic, arguably the quintessential Nomos. It screams, or rather quietly declares, Nomos’ design philosophy of Deutscher Werkbund, the predecessor of Bauhaus, and is characterised by a clean dial with large, alternating hour numerals and a case with thin, angular lugs. While most limited-edition watches from Nomos vary in colour, with subtle, yet profound tweaks to the palette, the new Red Dot quartet departs from the norm in one drastic way: the first pair features Eastern Arabic numerals, while the second has its hours in Chinese oracle bone script. According to The Hour Glass, the use of both scripts is a nod to Singapore’s history as an entrepot where traders from both the Near East and Far East often stopped. All four watches also pay tribute to the country with a small in-joke, with a little red dot at six o’clock – a reference to the city state’s frequent depiction on maps. The Eastern Arabic duo Bone oracle script and the “little red dot” Essentialism First conceived in 1992 by Nomos founder Roland Schwertner, the Tangente...

“I was born with a pencil in my hand” - Sunflowerman

In the age of mighty megapixel macros, it sometimes takes the inspired flourish of fine art to help us see even precious things in a different light.

A History of the Dive Watch

In the unforgiving depths under the sea, the dive watch has but one function: to determine when you must turn back, or never at all.

Introducing the Tudor Black Bay Chrono Dark Reference 79360DK

Chill out TGIF: Portraits with the Leica SL + Summilux-SL 50MM F/1.4 ASPH

We took the Leica SL + Summilux SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH out for a spin at two events we attended, and present the portraits. Also a mini-interveiw with Moser.

New fashion watches: Fossil Georgia Mini and Fossil Defender

Fossil releases two watches in very limited edition, 5 of one and 6 of the other, from their archival series: New - The Fossil Georgia Mini and Defender.

Introducing: The Apple Watch Series 5 (Live Pics & Pricing)

Titanium, ceramic, and an always-on display!

A. Lange & Söhne Introduces the Little Lange 1 Moon Phase “25th Anniversary”

With one watch unveiled each month since the start of the year, the A. Lange & Söhne “25th Anniversary” series is coming to a completion. The ninth watch has just been announced – the Little Lange 1 Moon Phase. Of the 10 piece anniversary set, this is arguably the most esoteric and least known Lange 1, being an elegantly conceived complication inside a case that was originally devised as a smaller men’s watch, but is now a ladies’ watch. Measuring a compact 36.8mm in width, the Little Lange 1 Moon Phase was first unveiled in 2009 – seven years after the launch of the full-size, 38.5mm Lange 1 Moon Phase. Subsequently in 2017, it evolved to incorporate a new caliber based on the second-generation Lange 1 movement. Though the original Little Lange 1 was introduced as a watch for men in the late 1990s, the Little Lange 1 Moon Phase was a ladies’ watch from the get-go and decorated as such, with mother-of-pearl dials, diamond bezels and most recently a guilloche dial. But with the subdued anniversary colours of blue and silver, the latest Little Lange 1 Moon Phase is the first instance where it could be for men wanting a smaller watch. The dial of the watch is solid silver, with blued steel hands and printed blue markings. As with the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase “25thAnniversary” unveiled earlier in the year, the white-gold lunar disc in the seconds sub-dial is hand-engraved with stars that vary in size and shape, creating a detailed depiction of the ni...

Now in Singapore: Vacheron Constantin Les Collectionneurs & Nicknames Exhibition

You are invited! Vacheron Constantin at MBS to view and experience the incredible heritage pieces from Les Collectionneurs and the Nickname Collection..

NEWS: The GPHG has announced the full list of finalists for 2019, and we’re pretty excited by these 5 contenders 

Overnight, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève dropped the list of their 84 pre-selected watches, which will be judged within an inch of their lives and presented to an adoring crowd of industry professionals.  You can check the full list over at the GPHG site. There’s a lot to dive into, and quite a few … ContinuedThe post NEWS: The GPHG has announced the full list of finalists for 2019, and we’re pretty excited by these 5 contenders  appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

In-Depth: The Microscopic Magic of H4, Harrison’s First Sea Watch

One can understand the opacity of the first published analysis of John Harrison’s first sea watch, colloquially known as H4 and the forerunner of the marine chronometer, in The Principles of Mr Harrison’s Time-keeper. Edited by the British Astronomer Royal Nevil Maskelyne, it was published by the British government in 1767; and hereafter referred to as Principles. Principles was both incomplete of enough information to allow the duplication of the watch, which Harrison (1693-1776) started in 1755 and finished in 1759, and contained somewhat incoherent description that only makes sense a posteriori after examination of the watch. ‘Principles of Mr. Harrison’s Time-keeper’ Amazingly, it was one hundred years later the next review took place. I can echo Harrison M. Frodsham’s comments in his review in Horological Journal of May 1878 when he said, “Former explanations taken from Harrison’s description are necessarily unsatisfactory, as his was very obscure, probably purposely so.”  Although this may be dismissed as 19th Century gossip by some scholars, this may have arisen in part to protect any military advantage, given the importance of H4 to maritime navigation. Considering H4’s historical performance, it is odd that the otherwise comprehensive A Treatise on Modern Horology in Theory and Practice (2ndedition) by Claudius Saunier, published in 1887, barely mentions Harrison and certainly not H4’s technical content. Perhaps it was because it was so quic...

In-depth Review: Hanhart PRIMUS Nautic Pilot Bronze

We take a detailed look at the the Hanhart Nautic Pilot Bronze chronograph launched recently in Munich. We had the watch over a fortnight for our analysis.

Citizen Watch To Fabricate Super Titanium for the Moon

The watchmaking business is a frequent borrower in the library of aerospace engineering. Citizen’s Super Titanium sets the gear on reverse.