Results for Tool Watch vs Dress Watch

Daniel Roth: A Retrospective

New: Arnold & Son Globetrotter Platinum

Arnold & Son adds a platinum case edition to their Globetrotter collection. Details from the Press Release and commentary in italics.

Hands On: IWC Portofino Complete Calendar

Last year, IWC reinvigorated the underrated Portofino line that’s long been overshadowed by the bestselling Pilot’s Watch and Portugieser. Historically one of the brand’s most classical offerings, the Portofino is best summarised as clean, almost minimalist, with the occasional Roman numerals.  While recent Portofino complications have been somewhat plain, the Portofino perpetual calendar made things a little more interesting. Now IWC is continuing with the theme in a more affordable manner with the Portofino Complete Calendar. Taking its design cues from the more complex perpetual, the Complete Calendar is slightly larger but mechanically simpler. And as a result of the entry-level pricing, it is is powered by the no-frills ValFleurier movement widely used by watch brands owned by Swiss luxury group Richemont, which naturally includes IWC.  The symmetrical dial The ValFleurier movement has been dressed up for the display back Initial thoughts For the longest time, IWC has emphasised two lines, Pilot’s Watches and Portugieser, simply because they sell the best. At the same time, it has tried  to rejuvenate its other collections like the Ingenieuir and Aquatimer with little success. Last year it made tentative steps in reviving the Portofino collection with an all-new perpetual calendar. Simple in design, the Portofino perpetual doesn’t try to do too much – and for that reason it found some success as the brand’s entry-level perpetual calendar. Now IWC is ...

It’s Sydney’s time to shine with the Vacheron Constantin Villes Lumières

Sleep deprivation, hunger and having to pull a suitcase behind you while trying not to collapse are the usual symptoms of flying into a new city late at night, however one of the few saving graces is the view you can get looking over the illuminated cityscape. Witnessing the streets and landscapes glowing with life … ContinuedThe post It’s Sydney’s time to shine with the Vacheron Constantin Villes Lumières appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Meet the world’s smallest travel watch winder – the WOLF Rocket

When you think of a watch winder, you typically think of a big and boxy thing that you have to carve out desk or tabletop space for. And, ultimately, these winders are things you do not really ever transport – a strictly at-home solution. WOLF, however, has now developed a portable watch winder that upholds … ContinuedThe post Meet the world’s smallest travel watch winder – the WOLF Rocket appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: The Méraud Antigua is a yachting watch that bobs along on a delightfully retro wave

Having previously owned two vintage watches powered by Landeron movements, I’ve always believed they were unsung heroes in the world of Swiss chronographs. One of the watches I had was a Rotary that dated all the way back to 1937, and the Landeron 47 inside it still worked perfectly and intuitively. Méraud have made my … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Méraud Antigua is a yachting watch that bobs along on a delightfully retro wave appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Review: the new Ultramarine Beluga

The independent watchmaking maison of Ultramarine expands their collection and goes upmarket with their new Beluga, now sporting the Kenissi movement.

INTRODUCING: The Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide Mahindra

The Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide Mahindra teams up with the popular Formula E racing team. The Mahindra Racing logo can be seen etched into the dial pattern. The red and black case is made from upcycled ocean plastic. The conversation of recycled plastic cases has been by and large overshadowed by the popularity of the … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide Mahindra appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Agenhor, and the many movements of the Genevan complication masters (Part 3, Finale)

In the final instalment of this LOTR-rivalling three-part epic, we cover even more movements and complication modules developed by Jean-Marc and Catherine Wiederrecht’s Agenhor. Old faces like Harry Winston and MB&F; feature again, with the likes of Chaumet and Romain Jerome the newcomers. You can check out part 1 and part 2 here, should you … ContinuedThe post Agenhor, and the many movements of the Genevan complication masters (Part 3, Finale) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

New: Louis Erard Colours of Time

Louis Erard extends the range of one of the flagship models of its Excellence collection, the Petite Seconde, with three colours dial options.

The Spec Sheet: The Grand Seiko 'Soko' Special Edition Sees The Forest For The Trees

The arboreal-inspired SBGA429 is Grand Seiko at its dial-driven best.

WHAT TWEAKS MY TOURB: Enough with the digital renders – brands need decent photography

One of the most common tips given to watch shoppers is to go and see their potential purchases in the metal before buying them. Not only is it beneficial to feel how they fit on your wrist, but also how they interact with real-world lighting and real-life eyeballs. In the online age, and especially post-COVID, … ContinuedThe post WHAT TWEAKS MY TOURB: Enough with the digital renders – brands need decent photography appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Patria Brigadier Flyback Chronograph: Run, Don’t Walk, It Was The Best Value Swiss Made Automatic Chronograph Available Today (Until Sold Out)- Reprise

Every time Ian Skellern writes the words “relatively affordable” here on Quill & Pad, he braces himself for the stream of comments reminding him that he must live in an alternative reality to most of the world. So he doesn't describe the Patria Brigadier Flyback Chrono as relatively affordable (though compared to most of the watches we review on Quill & Pad he thinks it well merits that description), but he does think that it’s fantastic value and the bargain of the year. And here he explains why.

HBO’s The Last of Us illustrates the potent meaning watches can carry (as well as a great gift idea)

Editor’s note: If you have never played The Last of Us video games, or have yet to start HBO’s adaption for television (get on it!), please beware there are small spoilers for the beginning of episode one below. HBO always seems to have the hit show of each season. Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon dominated … ContinuedThe post HBO’s The Last of Us illustrates the potent meaning watches can carry (as well as a great gift idea) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Bargain alert: How you could snag 4 vintage Seikos for $44

In the internet age it’s become almost impossible to find a real bargain. People who don’t know what they have, can easily find out an item’s value with a quick search, and then throw their ads online with a firm price. On one hand, it’s hard to be angry about sellers getting fair value for … ContinuedThe post Bargain alert: How you could snag 4 vintage Seikos for $44 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

How About a Big Bronze Skull for the Wrist? Bell & Ross Has You Covered

Ah yes, the skull watch. While not exactly what I’d call a “staple,” watches featuring skulls have been ever present in modern watch collecting for years. Most notably, we can look to independent watchmaker Fiona Kruger as something of a skull watch specialist, but other brands are in on the skull action as well. From Invicta (of course, Invicta) to Richard Mille, there are skull watches out there for every taste and budget. Indeed, one of my favorite watches from last year features a skull in a nontraditional way. But we can’t talk about skull watches without talking about Bell & Ross, who have released a variety of these watches in their relatively short history. Their latest release, the BR 01 Cyber Skull Bronze, is one of the strangest yet.  First, let’s answer the question many are likely asking themselves right now: why? While different brands might have varying rationales for creating skull watches, we can at least identify that the skull itself as a symbol is recognized somewhat universally as dealing with the idea of mortality. A memento mori, a reminder that every living thing dies, is a theme that exists in art going back centuries. This is a natural thematic playing field for a watch, dealing as it does with the passing of time. Also, they just kind of look cool. I’m reminded of a heavily tattooed friend being asked about the symbolism behind the artwork on his body (including, you guessed it, skulls) and his curt response, indicating that he just ...

There’s Something Very Strange About the New Timex Collaboration with Pop Trading Co.

When you were a kid, did you ever attempt that prank where you’d move the clock in the classroom ahead in an effort to trick the teacher into letting you out of class early? I feel like that’s a thing that almost every kid has tried, or at least it feels that way. It’s one of those activities that’s burned into our collective consciousness from sitcoms, comic strips, and stories told in the school cafeteria whether or not you were an active participant. This is what the latest release from Timex immediately made me think of. It’s playful and almost subversive in the way it taps into your inner juvenile delinquent.  The new watch is a collaboration with Pop Trading Co., a Dutch apparel company I was heretofore unfamiliar with that is deeply rooted in skateboarding culture. The watch, dubbed simply the Timex MK1 x Pop Trading Co. takes the familiar 36mm Timex field watch design and shifts the hours such that the “1” is at the 12:00 position, “2” is at 1:00, and so on around the dial. Pop’s unique wordmark, a grouping of the letter “P” in a square with an “O” at the center, is recreated on the dial with the hand stack standing in for the “O.” A black resin case matches the tone of the dial and keeps the focus on the unusual layout.  There’s no other way to say this, but looking at the dial of the Timex x Pop collab is an immediately disorienting and disconcerting experience. It really reminds you, if you look at watches everyday, like we do...

M.A.D.1 Red Owner’s Review: The Spirit Of Something Greater And The Most Affordable Horological Machine By Maximilian Büsser - Plus Videos

Joshua Munchow is the fortunate owner on a M.A.D.1 Red. Here he explains how he came to have a M.A.D.1 Red and what he thinks of it after a few months on his wrist.

Why I Love It: The Vacheron Constantin Metiers d’Art Lunar New Year Watches, Plus a Brief Survey of “Year of the Rabbit” Limited Editions

January 22 of this year marks the Lunar New Year, which is a massively important celebration across many east Asian countries. For as long as I’ve been interested in watches, we’ve seen many large brands release a selection of limited edition watches tied to the Lunar New Year celebration, often exclusively for the Chinese market. The occasion is a natural fit for a limited edition watch on a number of fronts. First, it reinforces the importance of the Chinese and east Asian market to high end, global, luxury watch brands. And it also offers these brands an opportunity to produce watches that are extravagant while also being somewhat playful. Lunar New Year watches are almost tied to the Chinese Zodiac, so as we close in on the year of the rabbit, don’t be surprised if watches fit for Bugs Bunny start to take over your Instagram feed.  This year, among a handful of Lunar New Year watches, one that stands out for its sheer opulence is a new release from Vacheron Constantin, through their Metiers d’Art line. The Metiers d’Art Legend of the Chinese Zodiac – Year of the Rabbit (a mouthful of a name) finds a rabbit sitting in the center of a dial that displays the time, day, and date within a series of four separate apertures. The rabbit here is very much center stage, which is the whole point of Metiers d’Art watches.  While handcraft and exceptional finishing are foundational to the Vacheron Constantin story, the Metiers d’Art watches are laser focused on de...

Review: The new Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon White Gold

The Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon draws inspiration from the eponymous supercar and the sixteen-cylinder piston engine that powers it.

Red Alert: Six Red Watches for the Lunar New Year

As the Lunar New Year is around the corner, we are recommending six red watches that we reckon are great for the festivities.

First Look: TAG Heuer at LVMH Watch Week 2023 with Frédéric Arnault

2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the TAG Heuer Carrera and CEO Frédéric Arnault gives Wei the first look at a 600-piece anniversary limited edition that pays homage to the very rare 2447SN with a ‘panda’ dial. Meanwhile, the Monza makes a comeback in the most futuristic fashion with a 42mm carbon case and a […]

Auction Watch: A Single-Owner Collection of F.P. Journe at Phillips

Le Concours de Complexité is probably the smallest watch auction ever conducted by Phillips. Taking place online from January 13-20, the sale comprises just 11 watches. But all 11 are F.P. Journe watches, including important models like a Sonnerie Souveraine, Chronomètre à Résonance Ruthenium, and Centigraphe Anniversaire. So while the quantity is modest, the quality and value are high. And the watches all come with impeccable provenance. The former owner is a prominent businessman from Southeast Asia who is active real estate development. He purchased most of them brand new and has clearly kept them in immaculate condition. Le Concours de Complexité begins on January 13 and will run until January 20. Bidding and the catalogue can be accessed on Phillips.com. Below we round up a trio of highlights from the sale. The Sonnerie Souveraine Lot 8001 – Chronomètre à Résonance Ruthenium Synonymous with the independent watchmaker, the Resonance is correctly regarded as one of the most ingenious creations in contemporary watchmaking. Francois-Paul Journe was the first to implement the concept in a wristwatch, having been inspired by 18th century clocks operating on the principle of resonance. This example is one of the Ruthenium series that was launched in 2001. The name comes from the fact that the dial and brass movement bridges are plated in ruthenium, giving them a dark grey finish. Notably, the Ruthenium editions are the last F.P. Journe models to utilise brass m...

5 Times a Watch Surprised Me After the Fact

Watches can be tricky things to judge without getting some real world wrist time. Details like their scale or finishing details can be lost in even the best of images, and that’s to say nothing of more intangible things, like their heft or the way the bracelet wraps around your wrist. Try as we might, we still sometimes end up writing a watch off, or worse still, prematurely lauding it, before allowing enough hands-on time to appropriately confront our biases. These watches have a way of coming back to us, and like many things in life, a way of surprising us after the fact. With each example, we hope to learn a bit more about our blind spots, and take a bit more pause when scouting the landscape ahead.  These are some examples of watches that surprised me after their initial launch, and what I learned from the experience. Jump into the comments below to share your thoughts and experiences. The IWC Tribute to 3705: Learning to Ignore the Numbers IWC has ridden their Pilot and Big Pilot ranges heavily in recent years, and while I enjoy the aesthetic of these watches, I’ve never been fond of the on-wrist experience with any of them. When I first saw the Tribute to 3705, I was quick to dismiss it based on some of the numbers, predominantly the thickness measurement north of 15mm. But then I got my hands on one, and it was the watch that triggered a reassessment of how I think about the numbers around watches. I even wrote an article implying you to do the same. The Tribut...

Introducing: Seeing Double With Two New Hublot Rainbow Big Bangs

It's a double rainbow all the way, yeah.