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Results for Quartz Crisis

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Quartz Crisis

1969-1985 industry collapse triggered by the Seiko Astron. Cost Swiss watchmaking two-thirds of its workforce; rebounded via Swatch Group consolidation and Biver's Blancpain.
INTRODUCING: The new Cartier Santos-Dumont XL gets a mechanical upgrade and adds just 0.2mm in thickness Time+Tide
Cartier Santos-Dumont XL gets Apr 18, 2020

INTRODUCING: The new Cartier Santos-Dumont XL gets a mechanical upgrade and adds just 0.2mm in thickness

At SIHH in 2019, Cartier released something very special, and oddly, it was powered by stock standard quartz. The Cartier Santos-Dumont was met with a standing ovation, not just because it was remarkably faithful to some of the earliest watch designs from Cartier, but it was also slim and relatively affordable thanks to that humble … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The new Cartier Santos-Dumont XL gets a mechanical upgrade and adds just 0.2mm in thickness appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Sinn U1 Phantom Review WatchAdvice
Breitling during Apr 18, 2020

Sinn U1 Phantom Review

The German watch manufacturer Sinn is a well-known brand for creating aviation watches. Sinn was founded in 1961 by a flight instructor and pilot, Helmut Sinn. The brand has quite an aviation history, including securing the rights and design plans from Breitling during the Quartz era, to their iconic Navitimer timepiece. With these plans, Sinn produced an inexpensive and a reliable equivalent to the Navitimer – the Sinn 903.  What many people may not know is that Sinn has also got quite a reputable collection of diving watches, made from some of the highest tech materials. Sinn was also one of the first companies in the watchmaking industry to produce diving watches in compliance with European diving equipment standards, while also being the first to test and certify the watches for resistance to pressure and fogging.  We have our hands on Sinn’s U1 Phantom. The Phantom edition is part of Sinn’s diving watch U1 collection. These are robust timepieces made to endure some of the most extreme conditions. The U1 collection is known as the “diving watch made of German submarine steel” and can be taken diving to a depth of 1000m. The U1 does come in several limited edition and special versions, with the U1 Phantom being one of them.  The U1 Phantom is exclusive to Define Watches only, making it even more special . It features much of the same characteristics as the standard U1 model, with the variances coming in the form of materials and appearance changes.  Much l...

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A month in iso with the Timex Q, a watch that reconnected me with the fun in collecting Time+Tide
Timex Q Apr 17, 2020

A month in iso with the Timex Q, a watch that reconnected me with the fun in collecting

Watch collecting is fun. At least it should be, which means that from time to time, you have to get back to basics and enjoy the roots of the hobby. Even though a lot of us turn a blind eye to it, one of the staples of the watch industry is inexpensive quartz-powered timepieces. For … ContinuedThe post A month in iso with the Timex Q, a watch that reconnected me with the fun in collecting appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Pandemic Truths – Edouard Meylan of H. Moser & Cie. SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie Apr 17, 2020

Pandemic Truths – Edouard Meylan of H. Moser & Cie.

A time of crisis is always a good moment to reflect – especially when confined to the home – so we spoke with key personalities in watchmaking to see what they’re doing. As the pandemic-inflected reality faced by major brands and independents are necessarily different, here are the views from one of the big “small” brands, H. Moser & Cie. Its young and straight-forward chief executive, Edouard Meylan, answers our questions, in part one of Pandemic Truths. Like almost everyone at the moment, Edouard is working from home, which is just a few minutes away from the H. Moser & Cie. factory in Schaffhausen. Edouard’s work-from-home desk. Photo – Edouard Meylan How does this crisis impacted your business, in productions, distribution, or people? Obviously, this crisis has a global impact as it creates uncertainty in both supply and demand. How can I produce watches when my suppliers are closed and I want to make sure my employees are safe? And even if I were able to produce, where do I sell when all my stores and distributors are closed? Today only four of my retailers are still open. But it is probably easier for us as we can easily ship directly to consumers. We have been very lucky to exhibit during the Dubai watch exhibitions [primarily LVMH Watch Week] early in January. We were able to introduce our novelties and get pre-orders. We are delivering them today, so business is almost as usual for the moment. We have launched our certified pre-owned platform last m...

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As of today, you can buy Patek Philippe online. Will COVID-19 force more brands into e-commerce?  Time+Tide
Patek Philippe online Will COVID-19 force Mar 29, 2020

As of today, you can buy Patek Philippe online. Will COVID-19 force more brands into e-commerce? 

A crisis can often prove the catalyst for change. Amid the chaos, we’re forced to rethink how we do things - often with positive results. The First World War, for example, had a radical impact in redefining civil liberties, race relations and women’s rights. It’s way too early to untangle the full impact of the coronavirus … ContinuedThe post As of today, you can buy Patek Philippe online. Will COVID-19 force more brands into e-commerce?  appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Why We Will Keep Writing About Watches You Can’t Afford, And Why You (Hopefully) Will Continue To Read This Under The COVID-19 Cloud Quill & Pad
Mar 27, 2020

Why We Will Keep Writing About Watches You Can’t Afford, And Why You (Hopefully) Will Continue To Read This Under The COVID-19 Cloud

Have you seen the prices of high-end (and not so high-end) wristwatches? Crazy! None of us can afford the watches that we want, and the world economy is tanking. So in the middle of the coronavirus crisis why are we still publishing pointless stories about watches and why are you still reading them? Ian Skellern shares his theory here.

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Grand Seiko ups the ante – on itself – with the SLGH002, where classic meets cutting edge Time+Tide
Grand Seiko ups Mar 23, 2020

Grand Seiko ups the ante – on itself – with the SLGH002, where classic meets cutting edge

Seiko is a brand that is well accustomed to competing with itself. Both to raise the bar for the brand’s watches, and for the betterment of the global watch industry. From the revolution of bringing quartz-powered movements to the masses, to embarrassing the Swiss at their own Chronometer Trials, the intrepid Japanese pioneers can seem … ContinuedThe post Grand Seiko ups the ante – on itself – with the SLGH002, where classic meets cutting edge appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Up Close: Cartier Santos-Dumont XL Hand-Wind SJX Watches
Cartier Santos-Dumont XL Hand-Wind Though Mar 23, 2020

Up Close: Cartier Santos-Dumont XL Hand-Wind

Though Cartier has a huge range of watch case styles, many are iterations from a handful of original designs that were usually created in the early 20th century. Only a handful stick closely to the design of the vintage originals, most notably the Tank Cintree and Crash, and now the new Santos-Dumont XL, newly launched at Watches & Wonders 2020. Originally (re)launched in last year in two sizes – both with quartz movements only – the Santos-Dumont is now available with a hand-wind, mechanical movement in a larger, but not too large, case. The elegant design that channels the spirit of the vintage original remains, with only the dimensions and movement changed. And the new hand-wind Santos Dumont XL is also well priced enough that it would be a value proposition in more ordinary times. Not only is the new model available in steel, which was absent before, the 18k gold version is almost 30% cheaper than the equivalent from the earlier generation. The Santos-Dumont XL in steel And in two-tone steel and 18k pink gold, which is a very 1980s look Since 1904… The watch gets its name from Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian inventor and aviator who spent his adult life in Paris. A minor celebrity in France for exploits in planes and airships, Santos-Dumont was a larger than life character: in the family history recently published by Francesca Cartier Brickell, The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire, Santos-Dumont is described as travelling betw...

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The Longines Conquest V.H.P. Collection now comes on a leather strap, here’s a collection review from the Sydney QVB Longines Boutique Time+Tide
Longines Conquest V.H.P Collection now Mar 22, 2020

The Longines Conquest V.H.P. Collection now comes on a leather strap, here’s a collection review from the Sydney QVB Longines Boutique

What a difference two years makes. In 2018, I introduced this until now unpublished video by saying that - shock, horror - we were reviewing a collection of watches with quartz movements: the new Longines V.H.P. Collection. I’d go as far as to say it makes me grimace a little to watch in 2020. Because … ContinuedThe post The Longines Conquest V.H.P. Collection now comes on a leather strap, here’s a collection review from the Sydney QVB Longines Boutique appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Ikepod Introduces the Megapod Automatic SJX Watches
Mar 20, 2020

Ikepod Introduces the Megapod Automatic

After the successful launch of its debut line of quartz watches in 2018, the resurrected Ikepod has now unveiled the Megapod, a remake of the quintessential Ikepod design, but now with an automatic movement. As with its earlier quartz offerings, the Megapod is an affordable, crowdfunded project. Originally founded by Swiss businessman Oliver Ike and legendary industrial designer Marc Newson in 1994, Ikepod gained a cult following for its incredibly distinctive, organic-UFO design. But hindered by high prices and artsy marketing, the brand’s watches never really sold widely, leading it to struggle financially. Ikepod folded in 2006, before being revived shortly after and then going under again in 2012, when Mr Newson finally parted ways with the brand. The Megapod M001 with a blue, sunray-brushed dial In contrast, today’s Ikepod is all about the same signature aesthetic, but matched with affordability. Led by a three-man investor group that includes Christian-Louis Col, an old hand in the luxury goods business who was most recently sales director at glassmaker Lalique. Recognising that the main draw of Ikepod’s watches lay in the inimitable design, and not finishing or movements, the brand now relies on low-cost production: it assembles the watches in Hong Kong, using dials and hands from Taiwan and cases made in China. As with the initial quartz-powered models, the Megapod has a stainless-steel case in the original Ikepod shape. It is a tad larger than the quartz mo...

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Business News: Swiss Watch Exports to Hong Kong Post Biggest Fall in 20 Years SJX Watches
Mar 19, 2020

Business News: Swiss Watch Exports to Hong Kong Post Biggest Fall in 20 Years

Trade body Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH) just released its monthly export figures for Swiss watches – a proxy for the broader luxury watch market since Swiss timepieces dominate – and the February numbers are bleak. The month’s statistics illustrate two obvious trends that have shaped in the industry recently: the COVID-19 coronavirus is having a massive impact, and low-cost Swiss watches are being trounced by low-cost smartwatches. An Asian crisis, for now Compared with February last year, the value of exports globally declined by 9.2% – with export volume plunging 22.2% – but as the report notes darkly, the drop “does not yet fully reflect the actual situation in certain markets.” Unsurprisingly, the steepest declines were in the biggest Asian markets – China and Hong Kong – which suffered the worst period of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in the first two months of the year. The biggest fall was in Hong Kong, where exports fell 42% – the largest monthly decline in 20 years. The city imported just CHF143m of Swiss watches, compared to CHF246m for the same month last year. Exports to China fell 51.5% to CHF73m, from CHF151m for February 2019. February was merely an acceleration of a months-long decline. For the first three months of the year, exports to Hong Kong have fallen 33% compared to the same period last year, while exports to China are down 22%. Though exports to other large markets like the United States, Singapore, and Germa...

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Up Close: Grand Seiko Elegance Collection ‘Thin Dress’ SBGK007 SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Elegance Collection ‘Thin Dress’ Mar 4, 2020

Up Close: Grand Seiko Elegance Collection ‘Thin Dress’ SBGK007

Grand Seiko’s newest design style – the “Thin Dress” – combines a slightly retro case and dial with the signature hallmarks of the brand like diamond-cut hour markers, while being original in that is not obviously based on a vintage Grand Seiko model. Launched in early 2019 as part of the Elegance Collection, first with quartz and then mechanical models, the new design is used for the flagship Spring Drive SBGZ001 and SBGZ003 – magnificently-crafted watches that unfortunately start at US$57,000. Fortunately, the line-up is diverse enough that it includes an entry-level, mechanical model with a robust price-to-performance ratio, the Elegance Collection “Thin Dress” SBGK007. The SBGK007 is a compact, hand-wound wristwatch with a fairly minimalist design along with a handful of retro elements – in short, it is handsome and slightly vintage in feel. And the SBGK007, along with the rest of the Elegance Collection, was designed after Grand Seiko was spun off from Seiko to create an independent brand. As a result, the watch was designed from the ground up as a Grand Seiko, and perhaps for that reason the dial feels more visually balanced than earlier models that had “Seiko” removed from the dial. Elegant retro The SBGK007 is a compact watch, but sized very well, neither too big nor too small, measuring 39 mm in diameter and 11.6 mm high. Because of the case style and construction, it feels thinner than it measures, while also having a strong vintage vibe i...

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Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Égérie Ladies’ Collection SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Introduces Feb 17, 2020

Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Égérie Ladies’ Collection

Reviving a name once used for a line of tonneau-shaped women’s watches, Vacheron Constantin has just unveiled the Égérie, now a round watch with an unusually positioned crown. Translating as “muse”, Égérie is a slightly larger and more casual automatic watch for ladies, setting it apart from Vacheron Constantin’s current offerings for ladies, which are mostly downsized or quartz versions of men’s watches, as well as pricey, high-jewellery timepieces. That also sets it apart from its namesake, introduced in 2003 with a tonneau case, which lasted several years in the catalogue but never quite took off. Inspired by haute couture according to Vacheron Constantin, the new Égérie line is centred on two models, with either a moon phase or date. Each is offered in pink gold or steel, as well as a fully diamond-set version in white gold, for a total of five models. Égérie Self-Winding (top row), and Égérie Moonphase All models share a fully polished case with a diamond-set bezel, with a silver opaline dial featuring an offset sub-dial at two o’clock that sits just beside the crown, topped with a moonstone cabochon. The dials are decorated with a pleated, radial guilloche done the traditional way, with a hand-operated rose engine. The engine-turning is intersected up by a chapter ring with spherical markings for the minutes and applied gold hour numerals. Specially designed for the collection, the numerals are a modern take on traditional Breguet numerals...

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Hands-On: Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Powermatic 80 GMT SJX Watches
Montblanc Feb 13, 2020

Hands-On: Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Powermatic 80 GMT

With an annual output of just over four million watches, Tissot is Switzerland’s largest watchmaker by volume, with the bulk of its watches being affordable and quartz. But it has also carved out a niche with equally affordable mechanical watches starting at a bit under US$400 for the Swissmatic (a close relative of the Swatch Sistem51 movement). One step up is the Powermatic 80, an automatic movement that more closely resembles a traditional calibre – with more metal components and less plastic bits. A complicated model within the family, if it can be called that, is the Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Powermatic 80 GMT. It’s a dual time zone automatic starting at just US$875 – a value proposition that is also unusual in being one of the few GMT watches price below US$1,000. Chemin des Tourelles is the street in Le Locle where Tissot has had its factory since 1907 (though the brand was founded in 1853), sitting beside the facilities of Mido, Montblanc, and Vulcain. Unsurprisingly, the Chemin des Tourelles GMT is traditionally styled, though surprisingly large; the collection also includes a similarly affordable time-only automatic as well as a chronograph. The case is simple in form but appealing, with a surprising degree of detailing. The look is enhanced by the polished bevel on the outside edge of the lugs, which also have a notch where they join the case. And the case and bezel also have contrasting brushes and polished surfaces, making the whole more visually in...

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Watch & Act! World Watch Auction Wrap Party to be held in Melbourne, limited tickets and a T-shirt now available here Time+Tide
Feb 11, 2020

Watch & Act! World Watch Auction Wrap Party to be held in Melbourne, limited tickets and a T-shirt now available here

Life moves pretty fast, but before it can get away from us, and the stunning generosity shown towards Australia is forgotten – when one crisis is replaced by the inevitable next one, which is already sadly happening – we want to pause and celebrate the moment. With a party. Buy tickets here. Because just one … ContinuedThe post Watch & Act! World Watch Auction Wrap Party to be held in Melbourne, limited tickets and a T-shirt now available here appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction results: Over $200K raised! Time+Tide
Feb 3, 2020

‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction results: Over $200K raised!

We’re very proud to announce that the ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction in aid of the Australian bushfire crisis has raised more than $200,000 Australian dollars, with 100 per cent of the funds going directly to the charities that need it most. This has been a monumental effort from everyone involved and we’re incredibly … ContinuedThe post ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction results: Over $200K raised! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Grand Seiko Introduces the 60th Anniversary Limited Editions SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Introduces Jan 30, 2020

Grand Seiko Introduces the 60th Anniversary Limited Editions

Originally unveiled as a sub-brand of Seiko in 1960 dedicated entirely to high-precision wristwatches – and only sold in Japan for most of that time – Grand Seiko has now become an independent brand. This year is the 60th anniversary of its founding, and the occasion is being commemorated with a quartet of limited editions (with perhaps more to come later in the year), including two quartz watches powered by the 9F85, a new, top-of-the-line quartz movement. All of the anniversary editions feature a dial in dark blue, one of Grand Seiko’s signature colours, albeit executed in different materials or finishes, ranging from a stamped pattern to mother of pearl. All of the men’s models also have a red seconds hand, creating a red and blue aesthetic that’s uncommon for Grand Seiko. The flagship 60th anniversary watch is the Heritage Collection Hi-Beat 36000 Limited Edition (SBGH281), a variant of the 44GS “modern reinterpretation” that features broad, mirror-polished case flanks that are steeply sloped, a distinguishing characteristic of the 44GS case style. It’s powered by the 9S85, an automatic movement operated at 36,000 beats per hour, hence the “Hi-Beat” label.  Only 1,500 will be made. The Hi-Beat limited edition also features a gold “GS” logo on the dial The other mechanical model in the anniversary line-up is the Elegance Collection Women’s Automatic Limited Edition (STGK015), powered by the 9S27 automatic movement. Its dial is dark-blue mother...

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The ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction for the Australian bushfires is live! See and bid on all 16 watches now… Time+Tide
Jan 20, 2020

The ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction for the Australian bushfires is live! See and bid on all 16 watches now…

I am excited – after a couple of furiously busy weeks of behind-the-scenes planning – to announce the launch of the ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction in aid of the Australian bushfire crisis. The auction, launched today on the Invaluable online auction platform at 9am AEST, will run for 10 days, until 9am AEST … ContinuedThe post The ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction for the Australian bushfires is live! See and bid on all 16 watches now… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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The Most Notable Watches of 2019 SJX Watches
Citizen Caliber 0100 slightly plain but Dec 30, 2019

The Most Notable Watches of 2019

Oddly enough, one of the year’s highlights is a quartz watch that costs almost US$17,000 – but it is the most accurate wristwatch ever, rated to run within a second a year and probably less in practice. The Citizen Caliber 0100 slightly plain but the technology within is mighty impressive. Also impressive is the thought and effort put into developing the movement; that is extremely Japanese. It feels slightly anachronistic given the alternatives that can sync with GPS or radio waves and keep just as good time, but it is still mighty impressive. The top of the line model is in 18k white gold, explaining the price tag, but fortunately there’s a titanium model with the same movement for half the price. The Citizen Caliber 0100 The 0100S movement Sporty-ish and value For almost exactly the same price, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph scores high in terms of value for money. It’s an ultra-thin – really, really thin – chronograph with a second time zone function that continues Bulgari’s streak of extra-flat Octo watches. Though the design is thoroughly modern, its slimness and proportions give it a graceful air. But at 42mm the case is verges on looking like a biscuit because it is flat and wide. And the thinness of the movement, combined with a rather small balance wheel, inevitably invite questions about its robustness. The Octo chronograph That is very flat More expensive but also strong value for money is the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus. Looks-wise, it...

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Swatch Introduces the Big Bold Jelly SJX Watches
Swatch Dec 27, 2019

Swatch Introduces the Big Bold Jelly

One of the iconic Swatch watches from its 1980s heyday was the Jelly Fish (ref. GZ010), which was unveiled in 1983, the same year Swatch itself was launched. A quartz movement entirely exposed in a clear plastic case – accented with brightly coloured hands – the Jelly Fish was a bestseller that encapsulated what Swatch was all about: no-frills but fun watchmaking. The Jelly Fish remained in production, in one form or another – there was even a COSC-certified chronometer limited edition (GK124) in 1990 – for over two decades. Now the spirit of the Jelly Fish returns as the Big Bold Jelly, essentially the same idea but in a larger watch case. The Big Bold Jelly features a quartz movement inside a Big Bold case, just like the recent limited editions created in collaboration with fashion label A Bathing Ape (BAPE). The case is a large 47mm in diameter, with the crown unusually positioned at two o’clock. But just as with the original Jelly Fish, the case is clear plastic, while the band is translucent silicone. And the hands are rendered in bright colours – red, yellow and blue – with a bit more colour provided by the gilded wheels within the movement. Key facts and price Big Bold Jelly Ref. SO27E100 Diameter: 47mm Height: 11.75mm Material: Clear plastic Water resistance: 30m Movement: Quartz Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds Strap: Silicone with aluminium pin buckle Availability: At Swatch stores Price: US$110 For more information, visit Swatch.co...

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Introducing the Klo & Co. Alpesailer SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux Laureato. While Oct 3, 2019

Introducing the Klo & Co. Alpesailer

Having made its debut two years ago with a dual-dial watch that combined an automatic and quartz movement, Klo & Co. is an unusual “microbrand”, having been started by a trio of young Filipino watch enthusiasts. The Manila-based brand has just unveiled the Alpesailer, a steel sports watch with an internal rotating bezel and an integrated bracelet. Head-on, the Alpesailer clearly derived from Gerald Genta’s famous octagonal design – think of it as a “Super Compressor” style homage to the Royal Oak. That being said, the bezel is actually brushed and round on top, with a polished octagonal base, bringing to mind the Girard-Perregaux Laureato. While the watch wins no prizes for ingenious design, it’s well spec’ed and only US$400. Depth rated to 100m, the case measures 41mm wide and 12.5mm in height. It features a “Super Compressor” style design with an internal rotating bezel and twin crowns – one for winding and setting, the other for rotating the bezel. However, like most modern watches inspired by actual Super Compressor dive watches from the 1960s, this does not have the same, Super Compressor sealing technology pioneered by case maker Ervin Piquerez, which relied on a spring-loaded back that press against the case as external water pressure increased. While the twin-crown design remains attractive even today, advancements in the fabrication of cases, crystals and gaskets have made such sealing technology superfluous in a modern watch. The A...

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5 affordable vintage watch options Time+Tide
Aug 4, 2019

5 affordable vintage watch options

Watch collecting has never been more present in the public consciousness. Before the quartz revolution of the 1970s, the idea of collecting watches was probably akin to collecting modern vacuum cleaners. It just didn’t make much sense. An old watch wasn’t vintage; it was just old. And a watch that was still ticking, and keeping … ContinuedThe post 5 affordable vintage watch options appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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HANDS-ON: Cartier’s Santos-Dumont is guaranteed to add class to your daily wear  Time+Tide
Cartier s Santos-Dumont Jul 31, 2019

HANDS-ON: Cartier’s Santos-Dumont is guaranteed to add class to your daily wear 

Now that we’re more than halfway through, I think we can all admit that 2019 has been a bit of an odd one, as far as years go. If you had told past Felix that a slender steel quartz Cartier would be one of the best watches of the year, he would have scoffed.  But … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Cartier’s Santos-Dumont is guaranteed to add class to your daily wear  appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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