Hodinkee
Introducing: Audemars Piguet Quietly Releases A Pair Of Royal Oak Flying Tourbillons With New 'Dimpled' Dial
A new dial pattern gives the Royal Oak a fresh face.
6,785 articles · 635 videos found · page 31 of 248
Hodinkee
A new dial pattern gives the Royal Oak a fresh face.
SJX Watches
Arguably the most significant Audemars Piguet timepiece ever, the Royal Oak celebrated its 50th anniversary last year with a host of new models, including the all-new Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 16202 and even a skeletonised, selfwinding flying tourbillon. And just before entering the New Year, Audemars Piguet (AP) dropped the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon “Dimpled Dial”. Essentially identical to the standard model, the new version – which is available in either white or pink gold – is distinguished by its surface finishing: dimples on the dial and frosting on the bezel. Limited to 33 pieces each, the pair are primarily for Japan, with only a handful of watches available outside the country. According to our sources, the unusual combination of finishes were proposed by Japanese watch influencer Chronopeace, explaining why most of the run will be sold only in Japan – though this has neither been confirmed nor denied by AP. Initial thoughts I first heard about this discreet release when images were shared with me. As AP occasionally won’t say what drops, the watch was not announced officially, but instead quietly added to its online catalogue, perhaps because it is only available in Japan. Despite being low key, this new release will surely appeal to anyone who likes the Royal Oak but wants the added oomph of a special dial. At a glance, the watch easily reveals itself to be stunning. The layout and style are familiar, but the few tweaks to the dial an...
Deployant
Bovet continues to strengthen their Virtoso V lineup with a new model with salmon dial. Not a totally new model, but a refresh in titanium with a new dial.
Quill & Pad
Most will agree that re-painting a dial is a big no-no. Vintage pieces with re-painted dials can be had for a steal as they are difficult to shift and mostly unwanted. But not all dial restorations are created equal, and we do encounter varying degrees of “upgrades.” Some of these upgrades are purposeful deception, while others are not. Here is what one watchmaker feels about the subject.
Time+Tide
Although I am a self-confessed lover of weird things, I could never really put my finger on why I hadn’t fallen for Meistersinger. I’ve always enjoyed their single-handed quirk and charm, and I’ve definitely recommended them to people who are looking for something different in the past, but it wasn’t until the new Meistersinger Singularis … ContinuedThe post How the Meistersinger Singularis Enamel Edition finally won me over appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Time+Tide
The watch community may be more familiar with their Adventure, Independent, and Wild One collections, but a top-seller for the Norqain brand is their Freedom 60 Chrono 40mm. Today, a new limited-edition installment has just entered the chat, with a handsome bronze panda vibe, that appears to be a worthy successor to one of their … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Norqain Freedom 60 Chrono 40mm Bronze – Black Dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Hanhart releases 4 new versions of the 417 ES in 2 different sizes of 42mm and 39mm with two dial options in either an Panda or Reverse Panda look.
Time+Tide
After the wildly successful launch of Atelier Wen’s first batch of their handmade guilloché-dialled Perception, the brand is collaborating with Austen Chu of Wristcheck and @horoloupe fame. Cased in a grade 5 titanium case and sporting a gorgeous jade green dial, the Atelier Wen Perception Wristcheck edition carries the “传承” name, which stands for “New … ContinuedThe post Does the Atelier Wen Perception Wristcheck 传承 offer the most hypnotising dial of the year? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Having produced watches under the names Felca and Felco throughout the 1920s to ‘50s, the brand morphed into the more modern-sounding Titoni in the slick age of the 1960s and ‘70s. Although it’s extremely difficult to find original examples of them that haven’t been refurbished or frankensteined into other parts, the first generations of the … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Titoni Airmaster delivers classic vibes and a dial in ‘glacier turquoise’ appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
Among the many decisions facing a prospective watch buyer before pulling the trigger on a new timepiece is choosing which type of strap or bracelet it should have. Watch straps vary widely in their materials, construction, finishing, and even in their original intended usage, with some straps projecting a sense of genteel refinement and others possessing military ruggedness or everyday sportiness. Here is a look at five watch strap types, their origins, and their attributes. Dress Leather Strap The practice of attaching watches to leather straps goes all the way back to the Boer Wars of the late 19th Century, which were fought in South Africa. British soldiers began wearing their pocket watches on crude leather attachments rather than in their jacket pockets because they often needed to doff their jackets and waistcoats in the extreme African heat. By the early 1900s, pioneers like London saddlemaker Alfred Pearson and Swiss watch importers the Dimier brothers were converting pocket watches into wristwatches by soldering wire lugs onto the cases and slipping such leather wristlets through them to secure them to wrists. The style became widespread after World War I, during which military men wore these wristwatches on the battlefield, and entered the realm of high fashion in subsequent years. Leather straps are usually made from calfskin, alligator, or crocodile leather (the latter two generally being associated with a higher level of luxury), but other, more exotic types...
Video
Time+Tide
Evolution 9 was born to usher in a new era and tier of Grand Seiko watchmaking. It brought forth their most faceted case yet, with the most alternating hairline-brushed and Zaratsu distortion-free, mirror-polished surfaces. There were broader and sportier hands and indices, plus notably next-gen movements like the high-beat 9SA5 calibre. But while we have … ContinuedThe post Enough Birch: The Grand Seiko SLGH019 proves there is far more dial-ground to cover in Evolution 9 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
IWC goes early to welcome the new Year of the Water Rabbit (22 Jan 2023) with a magnificent new Portugieser Automatic 40 with a burgundy dial.
Time+Tide
When an anniversary comes along for a brand, it is almost obligatory for them to release a special-edition watch – which is great news for us. The Speake-Marin Ripples watch made waves upon its debut as the brand’s first entry into the steel-sports category. In celebration of their 20th anniversary, we now have 50 pieces … ContinuedThe post Speake-Marin celebrates their 20th anniversary with a gold dial Ripples Anniversary Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Introducing the Nodus Retrospect III now available with two new dial colors. Read for photos, full specs, analysis, and more.
SJX Watches
Singapore watch retailer Cortina continues with its roll-out of special watches to mark its golden jubilee. Following limited editions from Blancpain, Patek Philippe, and H. Moser & Cie. comes the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Cortina Watch. While it might sound like yet another vintage-inspired chronograph, the latest Carrera is unlike anything TAG Heuer has done before. Instead of the usual steel, the case is 18k yellow gold, while the dial is made of maw sit sit, a little-known green gemstone found only in the northern parts of Myanmar. And the hour markers and hands are of course 18k yellow gold to match. Initial thoughts The base-model Carrera powered by the in-house Heuer 02 calibre is an appealing watch to begin with, especially in steel where it’s an affordable proposition with a historical design. But it is primarily a practical, everyday watch, which is arguably what it should be given its history as a motorsports chronograph. The Cortina edition, however, is the opposite. It is pricey, very much so in fact, but it is special. Green is the fashionable colour in watchmaking now, so you might be forgiven for feeling weary when faced with yet another dial in the colour. But green dials certainly capture the zeitgeist of today, and perhaps personify the “hype” watch culture exemplified by the famous olive-dial sports watch. The new Carrera, in contrast, runs counter to that. It is definitely green, but the natural stone dial means it is a intrinsically v...
Video
Time+Tide
“Saddam’s chandelier was the size of a two-car garage,” wrote the late P.J. O’Rourke in a piece on Saddam Hussein’s taste in interior design. “If a reason to invade Iraq was wanted – felony decorating would have done.” It’s this sort of dictator chic that springs to mind when confronted by the maniacal excess of … ContinuedThe post Modified with the dial of a Rolex Daytona, this iPhone is the ideal gift for a lunatic despot. Here’s why… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Tutima adds to their rather beautiful Patria collection with a new model in rose gold and a deep blue dial with their C.617 movement.
Time+Tide
As an ex-pat who’s lived in Australia for the past 20 years, watching British politics unfold of late has been like watching one of your ex-girlfriends self-harm. Things have rapidly got even more disastrous under the new Prime Minister Liz Truss – barely a month into the role, one newspaper is already describing her as … ContinuedThe post Inside man: Why would you wear your watch dial down? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Here is our hands-on comprehensive review of the new (2021) Bovet 19Thirty in red gold case and a brilliant dark green dial.
Quill & Pad
Osmium is so rare and dense, has such a high melting point, and is so hard to form or compress that it has very few practical uses. But earlier this year Czapek & Cie released the limited edition Antarctique Frozen Star S with an absolutely mind-blowing dial made of pure osmium crystals.
Video
Time+Tide
It’s one of the most lamentable watch trends of the moment. No, I’m not talking about purple dials, but the horrific rise in watch robberies. There’s no doubt that consumers are more knowledgeable about their watch’s value than ever before. Sadly, that also means that criminals are becoming equally savvy, too. Watch theft has become … ContinuedThe post From hooker heists to drive-by thefts: 5 types of watch robbery and how to protect yourself appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
A venerable retailer of vintage timepieces and independent watchmaking, Shellman marks its 50th year in business. Still in its landmark Ginza store that curiously sits slightly below street level, the Tokyo retailer has announced a series of one-off and limited edition watches to mark the occasion. The latest commemorative edition is a pair from Habring², the Felix Shellman 50th Anniversary and Chrono-Felix Shellman 50th Anniversary, both featuring a discreet champagne-tone sector dial with thoughtful details. The flagship Shellman store in Tokyo’s Ginza district Initial thoughts Habring² offers honest quality and solid engineering, which makes it tangible qualities impeachable, especially in its price segment. So the appeal of a specific Habring² watch boils down to its specific design. While sector dials are common today, perhaps too common, Shellman was a pioneer in this type of design, having debuted its first Habring² with a sector dial in 2017, well before the style became a fad. For that reason, these anniversary watches have a stronger resonance than the average sector dial. The time-only And the two are also intrinsically appealing because of their careful design. At a distance both appear to be typical “sector” dials – attractive but more of the same. Up close, however, the dial designs are both smartly executed with strong attention to detail. The leaf-shape hands, for instance, are a familiar shape, but here they are heavier than usual, giving the ...
Time+Tide
The King Seiko era is an often overlooked piece of Seiko’s long and bountiful history. But, as last year marked the 60th anniversary of the King Seiko range’s appearance, there’s been a push to honour it in the best way Seiko know how - with a selection of gorgeous reissues. The latest off the block … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The King Seiko SJE087 gets sexed up with gilt features and a champagne dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The Minase Divido Shibo-Urushi takes the rare concept of an urushi lacquer dial and expands it with a blast of colour.The post The hypnotic dial of the Minase Divido Shibo-Urushi appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Launched in 2021, the Little Lange 1 Moon Phase was one of the simpler models in last year’s lineup but easily appealing. It is the first Lange 1 to have a dial made of aventurine glass, or “gold flux” as Lange labels it, a material rarely found on the brand’s watches but always popular when it makes an appearance. Conceived as a mens’ watch in 1998 – the average dress watch was still about 35 mm then – the Little Lange 1 has since evolved into a feminine watch. It’s basically the Lange 1 for ladies and the base model for a variety of female watches, often in pastel colours accented with mother-of-pearl or diamonds. The new Little Lange 1 continues the theme with its sparkly dial, but it stands apart from recent models in several ways; it feels different, perhaps even masculine. We take a close look at the Little Lange 1 to weight its appeal. Initial thoughts Thanks to off-centred yet logical displays, the Lange 1 is one of the most distinctive offerings from the German watchmaker. And the starry, aventurine glass dial, along with the moon phase, create a charming, slightly whimsical appeal that isn’t present on the standard models, which are formal and serious looking. Despite the shimmering, reflective dial, the new model is understated on the wrist, thanks to its dark colours and white metal case. These tone down the sparkle of the dial, which comes from the metallic inclusions in the glass. More appealing but equally understated are the star-shaped ...
Video
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.