Results for Field Watch

Swatch or Patek, what would you wear if you were President? USA vs Australian Presidents and PMs decide…

It’s a surprisingly vexed question. You get voted into office as a Prime Minister or President, and suddenly the public’s attention turns to your wrist. Do you continue to wear the watches you’ve worked so hard to acquire? Or do you suddenly downgrade your wrist to what you were wearing when you were in short … ContinuedThe post Swatch or Patek, what would you wear if you were President? USA vs Australian Presidents and PMs decide… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Swatch Sistem51 Petite Seconde

After its release in 2013, the Swatch Sistem51 collection has proven itself as a fun, geeky, and affordable option for the mechanically-obsessed collector looking for more out of the Swatch brand.

New and reviewed: Swatch Q Watch and six other 007 watches

Swatch released 7 watches the Bond franchise. The first 6 after 6 of the movie icons. And the 7th for Q. Here is our detailed review for Swatch Q.

What are these Swatch X 007 watches I’m seeing and can I still buy them?

Swatch just dropped their latest James Bond collaboration – the Swatch X 007 Tribute Collection – and the big question on everyone’s lips is … can you still buy these exclusive models? And the answer is: sort of. A quick peruse of Swatch Australia’s ecommerce page shows that some models are still available, while others … ContinuedThe post What are these Swatch X 007 watches I’m seeing and can I still buy them? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

‘Arm’s Length Architecture’: Building Blocks To Watchmaking As Exemplified By Some Of Today’s Wristwatches Including Urwerk, Nomos, Mido And Girard-Perregaux – Reprise

SIHH 2019 provided an instructive example to Tim Mosso of architecture’s low-key role in watch design relative to well-worn tropes. For him it was the third year in a row that parts of Geneva’s Palexpo felt like a Southern California cars-and-coffee event. But there are a few watch brands that do architecture well, and Tim takes a closer look at some of them here.

Business News: Swatch Group Takes Legal Action Against COMCO

Just before the new year, Swiss competition regulator COMCO, also known by its German acronym Weko, announced a provisional suspension of ETA’s right to sell movements to third-party brands. Once the dominant supplier of mechanical movements in Switzerland, ETA and its parent Swatch Group have been embroiled in a decades-long dispute with COMCO over the movement maker’s allegedly anticompetitive practices. Now the dispute between Switzerland’s largest watchmaking group and COMCO has taken a fresh turn with the Swatch Group filing a complaint with the Swiss federal court on January 20, demanding a repeal of COMCO’s decision to suspend sales, a move first reported by Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ). An example of an ETA movement with upgraded features that ETA only supplies to sister brands; seen here inside a Hamilton According to the competition agency, the suspension of sales is meant to further weaken ETA’s market power as a major movement supplier, while allowing space for other movement suppliers to ramp up production and build their order books. The suspension remains in force until summer 2020, when COMCO will reach a final verdict on ETA’s rights and obligations. COMCO did allow a narrow exception to the ban, allowing ETA to sell its movements to small- and medium-sized watch brands that are existing clients. But the exception came a stipulation: Swatch Group has to treat all clients equally, which means selling movements to one small brand...

The Exclusive Roger Dubuis Excalibur Pirelli Ice Zero 2 – Mr Porter Edition

For its second one-off for Mr Porter, Roger Dubuis’ CEO himself will hand deliver watch to buyer along with an exclusive trip to the Italian Alps to test drive Lamborghini’s entire fleet.

Swatch Introduces the James Bond 007 Collection

Ahead of the upcoming James Bond film No Time to Die, Swatch has unveiled the Swatch X 007 capsule collection. Each of the watches in the line-up are inspired by the elaborate title credits and artwork that have become a signature of the James Bond film franchise. The collection takes inspiration from films across the decades, ranging from classics like Dr No, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Moonraker, and Licence to Kill, to recent instalments like The World is Not Enough and Casino Royale. Swatch is no stranger to the British super spy, having launched several 007 collections over the years, some of which have gone on to collectors’ items. Amongst the most successful editions is the James Bond 40th anniversary set of watches presented in a briefcase of 2002, the 22-piece collection of watches modelled on notable Bond villains of 2008. The 007 Villains collection (left), and the anniversary briefcase. Photo – Sotheby’s From Connery to Craig Each packaged in a box resembling a VHS cassette tape – something consumers below a certain age will probably not recognise – the watches in the Swatch X 007 collection are offered in two sizes, depending on the model. The watches inspired by Licence to Kill and Casino Royale are in the original, 34 mm “Gent” case, while the Moonraker, Dr No, The World is Not Enough, and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service editions are a more modern 41 mm and presented in the “New Gent” case style. Licence to Kill and Cas...

Introducing: Swatch X 007 Collection Captures The Spirit Of Iconic Bond Imagery

These films have been formatted to fit your wrist.

Swatch Group Cancels Time to Move 2020

Interview: Benoît Mintiens, Founder of Ressence

The left field of watchmaking has yielded many unusual and exotic time displays, but few have the same sense of function and purpose as Ressence. In fact, the essence of the brand is its name, which is short for the “Renaissance of the Essential”. Perhaps a key ingredient of the renaissance is the fact that its founder is not a watchmaker. Ressence was founded a decade ago by Benoît Mintiens, a Belgian industrial designer whose past work included trains, newsstands, and luggage. From the start, the identity of Ressence was crystal clear. The brand’s debut line of watches had dials that relied on a planetary gear mechanism to indicate the time (as well as a crown, which has since been removed from all its watches). Akin to a 21st century regulator-style display, it was an avant-garde way of displaying time, while still surprisingly intuitive. Benoit Mintiens Even more surprising was the longevity of the planetary time display, which has since spawned various iterations, often accompanied by novel innovations ranging from the oil-filled time display in the Type 3, to the more recent Type 2 that’s a mechanical watch that can set itself thanks to an electronic module. When Benoît visited Singapore in late 2019, I got a chance to explore his design philosophy, especially on how his background in industrial design helped inform his unique approach to watchmaking. He also delved into the subtleties of a Ressence wristwatch, and dropped a few hints about a new time ...

Bulgari Introduces the Octo Finissimo Automatic Satin-Polished

Continuing with the sleek and successful Octo Finissimo, Bulgari has just unveiled two new variants of the extra-flat wristwatch at LVMH Watch Week, a pre-Baselworld launch event for the luxury group’s three watch brands, which include Hublot and Zenith. The new Octo Finissimo Automatic Satin-Polished – in either steel or rose gold – is an iteration of earlier models, and is distinguished by its case finish, which is mostly brushed, but highlighted with mirror polished edges and flanks. With alternating brushed and polished surfaces, the new case finish catches the light nicely. In contrast, current versions of the Octo Finissimo Automatic have a uniformly matte, sandblasted finish that is more muted. While the finishing is new, the case is exactly the same size – 40mm by 5.25mm, giving it an incredibly slim profile on the wrist. The new case finishing is paired with a glossy, black-lacquered dial that has markings and hands to match the case material – either 18k rose gold with a leather strap, or in stainless steel with a matching bracelet. The bracelet is an integral part of the Octo Finissimo, so price and material aside, the steel model is more compelling from a design perspective. Both are powered by the BVL138, the ultra-thin automatic movement that’s standard for the Octo Finissimo. The movement is just 2.23mm high, and relies on a platinum micro rotor for winding. Key facts and price Octo Finissimo Automatic Satin-Polished Steel Ref. 103297 Octo Finiss...

Letter from the Deputy Editor: 2019 in review

As we float about in the liminal space between Christmas and the new year, it’s a great chance to reflect on the year that the watch world was in 2019. Andrew mentioned in his Letter from the Editor that 2019 could be defined by the hysterical focus on SSR (stainless steel Rolex), as well as … ContinuedThe post Letter from the Deputy Editor: 2019 in review appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Swatch Group Furious Over Antitrust Agency’s Impending Movement Sale Ban

The Swiss Competition Commission will ban ETA from supplying movements to all third-party customers in 2020, starting 1st January; Swatch Group calls foul.

Jaquet Droz’s Charming Bird Deconstruction By The Naked Watchmaker (Plus Video)

Ian Skellern still remembers the sense of awe he felt when he had the opportunity to watch and listen to a recently restored centuries-old Jaquet Droz singing bird. The animation was compelling, and the quality of the birdsong sound was incredible. But as impressive a feat he thought that full-sized eighteenth-century Jaquet Droz singing bird clock was, shrinking that mechanical technology to wristwatch size is just mind-blowing. As The Naked Watchmaker, Peter Speake-Marin, highlights here.

Photo Report: The SWATCH SISTEM51 HODINKEE GENERATION 1986 Launch Party In Times Square

Bright lights, big city.

Minase Introduces the Divido with Dégradé Dial

Having been established by Kyowa Co., Ltd, a precision toolmaker that also produces watch cases and bracelets, Minase is a brand that excels in, well, cases and bracelets. Its specialty is the high degree of surface finishing of the case and bracelet using the Zaratsu, or Sallaz, polishing technique that creates a remarkably flat, mirrored surface. Minase just gave its flagship Divido a new dégradé dial, which has a dark grey finish that darkens to black around the edges. Though similar looking dials are offered by Swiss watchmakers, and sometimes known as fumè or smoked dials, the new Divido dial is distinctly Japanese. Inspired by Japanese sumi-e paintings – that rely on different concentrations of black ink for shading and depth – the dégradé dial starts as a copper disc that is the hand-painted with several layers of black Japanese lacquer, each layer with a different concentration of black, creating the graduated finish and leaving each dial unique. The dégradé lacquer dial costs about 10% more than the standard model, which is reasonable. The rest of the watch is identical to the standard Divido, which is to say extremely sharply finished. All components of the case and bracelet are produced and finished in house. Every surface of the case is finished, with contrasting brushed and polished surfaces employed throughout. Even the folding clasp sports with a mix of surfaces finishes. The polished surfaces are finished with the Zaratsu technique – that...

Just Because: My Top Picks From The Upcoming 'Swatch, The All It Takes Is The Will To Do It Exhibition'

Phillips smashes it out of the park with a killer collection of ready-to-buy vintage Swatch watches.

Bring a Loupe: A Platinum Swatch, An Oversized Eberhard, And A Gold Heuer Carrera

Our weekly picks of watches from around the web.

WATCHSPOTTING: NFL star Odell Beckham gives a masterclass on flexing wearing Richard Mille in his debut match with the Cleveland Browns

As a category, highly paid athletes are known for the occasional BIG flex. Bespoke cars, planes and all the rest are de rigueur for these guys. And, of course, the wristwatch, being both highly visible and highly valuable, is a great example of this. Now, wearing those factory diamonds on your downtime is one thing, … ContinuedThe post WATCHSPOTTING: NFL star Odell Beckham gives a masterclass on flexing wearing Richard Mille in his debut match with the Cleveland Browns appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Business News: Richemont and Swatch Results; Massive Inventories at Swatch

Swiss watchmaking groups Richemont and Swatch Group just announced their first quarter and six-month results for 2019 respectively, with each going in opposite directions. Owner of brands like Cartier, IWC and Panerai, Richemont saw growth across most segments and regions. Overall sales were up 12% at constant exchange rates, with every region growing in the low teens save for the Middle East and Africa. Sales in Asia grew 10%, led by China, where demand is up due to lower taxes locally on luxury goods and more stringent checks on travellers importing items bought overseas. Most notable was the performance of its online channels, namely luxury fashion mall Yoox Net-a-Porter (YNAP), pre-owned watch merchant Watchfinder, and to a lesser extent. That growth is from a low base of comparison: last year’s first quarter for each platform was only two and one month respectively. That being said, online sales are still substantial, rising to 50% to €648m, almost equal to the €698m of sales in the Americas as a whole. The group’s watchmaking brands, which include A. Lange & Söhne and Vacheron Constantin, saw overall sales dip 2%. This was attributed to a reduction in the number of sales channels as well as reduced orders of new product by retailers. Up in Biel, where the Swatch Group has its headquarters, half-year sales were down 3.7% at constant exchange rates, to 4.07 billion Swiss francs. Net profit followed suit, shrinking 11.3% to 415m francs. For the full year, howe...

Don’t stare into the Ming 18.01 Abyss Concept

Like all good stories filled with plot and intrigue, this one involves acquiring a pressure testing machine, and the decision to design a dive watch with it. Just like that, the Ming 18.01 Abyss Concept was born. In case you’re not familiar with Ming, they’re a relatively young brand that’s been making a lot of … ContinuedThe post Don’t stare into the Ming 18.01 Abyss Concept appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

In-Depth: Taking The Swatch Group Manufacture Tour

Two hundred reporters, three days, six towns, six brands, zero Baselworld.

The Value Proposition: The Swatch Skin Classic

Slim, plastic, and tons of fun.

Time to Move: This week is Swatch Week!

Next week is Swatch Week. We will be focussing on the top 6 Swatch brands as we go live from Switzerland with "Time to Move"

News: Swatch Group says it will NEVER return to mega exhibitions like Baselworld

The Swatch Group's Nick Hayek announces increased turnover and profits for 2018, and that it will never return to Baselworld or any other mega exhibitions.

Report Cards: Snapshot of Swatch, LVMH, Richemont and a Peek into 2019

A sampling of financial information from the financial reports/releases of Swatch, LVMH, Richemont helps us take stock of 2018, and peek into 2019.

Introducing the Swatch Flymagic with Titanium-Based Nivachron Hairspring

Swatch Watches unveils the Swatch Flymagic featuring the Swatch Group’s latest innovation in watchmaking: the titanium-based Nivachron hairspring.

Swatch: The Mighty Engine that Could

When the Swiss watchmaking industry found itself in the pits, it took a visionary man and a most improbable Swatch to lift it to new heights.

Swatch Piú Nero SUOB157: The Poor Man’s Ressence?

The Swatch Swatch Piú Nero ref. SUOB157 with pricing, images, and quick look at this very affordable Ressence alternative.