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Results for Bauhaus (Watch Design)

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Hands-On: Santos de Cartier Chronograph XL SJX Watches
Cartier Chronograph XL Cartier gave Jun 12, 2020

Hands-On: Santos de Cartier Chronograph XL

Cartier gave the Santos a thorough overhaul two years ago, revamping the case design (and incorporating a practical, easy-to-adjust bracelet) and equipping the line with an in-house movement, resulting in a successful new look for a watch first designed in 1904. That was followed by the introduction of the Santos de Cartier Chronograph XL last year, which boasts a smartly-designed case and dial, as well as an in-house movement. Initial thoughts The new Santos chronograph is one of the best value proposition amongst sporty chronographs in its price range; the base model in steel starts just under US$9,000. It combines a sharply-finished case with a solidly-constructed in-house movement, along with the historical lineage of the Santos design. Beyond that, the Santos chronograph also appeals for the thoughtful design, like the subtly-positioned chronograph button at nine o’clock. But it is a little large at over 43 mm in diameter, and feels chunky, though not as much as its predecessor. Inevitably, the Santos chronograph, regardless of design, will lose some of the elegance possessed by the time-only Santos. Variants of the Santos chronograph. Photo – Cartier Of the variants available, the two-tone model in steel and yellow gold feels the most complete. It’s a little 1980s in style, but in a good way, and the distinctive Santos bracelet is a must have (and it’s also delivered with an additional rubber strap moulded to resemble the metal links). But the downside is t...

Gerald Charles Introduces the Maestro Anniversary SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak May 27, 2020

Gerald Charles Introduces the Maestro Anniversary

Gerald Genta is enjoying something of a renaissance now, with the frenzied demand for his most famous designs. And now one of his more obscure designs is making a comeback. One of the most acclaimed and prolific watch designers, Genta’s heyday in the 1970s and 1980s saw him design a host of iconic watches, including the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus. After his eponymous brand was acquired by Bulgari in the year 2000, Genta founded another brand named after his first and middle names – Gerald Charles. Though Gerald Charles went dormant after Genta’s death in 2011, the brand has been revived on its 20th anniversary by Genta’s former business partner. The inaugural launch is its first stainless steel watch – the Maestro Anniversary, which is distinctive, eccentric, and very much reflective of Genta’s late-career style. And 30% of the proceeds from each Maestro sold will to donated to the COVID-19 fund set up by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Initial thoughts I like Genta’s designs, and I like the Maestro. It is a unique case that manages to draw a balance between being sporty and elegant – an endearing trait that I find common amongst Genta’s designs. The new Maestro keeps the dial functional and simple, and adds a pattern rubber strap to the mix, giving it a casual yet distinctive look. But at over US$9,600, the price is too steep, especially in light of the Soprod-based movement inside. The hefty, 30% donation to the WHO’s C...

Seiko Introduces the Prospex Street Series “Urban Safari” SJX Watches
Seiko Introduces May 19, 2020

Seiko Introduces the Prospex Street Series “Urban Safari”

Released in 2018, the Seiko Prospex Street Series is essentially a modern twist on the iconic Seiko “Tuna” dive watch, retaining the signature case design of the “Tuna”, but with the addition of more colours as well as affordable pricing. With colours inspired by an African safari, the new Prospex Street Series “Urban Safari” is a four-strong collection made up of two basic models, each inspired by famous historical models with nicknames – the automatic “Tuna” and analogue-digital “Arnie” . Initial thoughts Strong, monochromatic colours give the watches an eye-catching and sporty look. Add to that the matching silicone straps and the result is something that goes well with streetwear, fulfilling the purpose of the collection. The khaki versions are very much safari in theme, but the others are more reminiscent of the concrete jungle. But regardless of model, the fundamentals of the watch are very much Seiko’s strength – casual, sporty design and very accessible pricing. “Tuna” and “Arnie” Historically a feature found on Seiko’s top-of-the-line dive watches, the shrouded case features prominently in Seiko’s current line-up collection, with the most recent addition being the historical remake of the ref. 6159-7010 of 1975 that’s part of the Diver’s Watch 55th Anniversary Trilogy. The “Tuna” inspiration of the Urban Safari is immediately evident from the protective shroud around the case, giving the watch a resemblance to a t...

In-Depth: Inspiration and Creation of the Grand Seiko Thin Dress Series SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Thin Dress Series Earlier May 15, 2020

In-Depth: Inspiration and Creation of the Grand Seiko Thin Dress Series

Earlier this year, I paid a visit to Seiko’s headquarters in Ginza, Tokyo. I was there for two reasons. One was to present my Ideal Watch Size Survey to their design, product and development teams. The other was to find out more about a particular Grand Seiko I had recently purchased, the SBGZ001. Launched in 2019 to celebrate the Spring Drive’s 20th Anniversary, the SBGZ001 is an extraordinarily finished version of the Grand Seiko Thin Dress Series from the Elegance collection. What started as a few questions from a collector ended up being a dive into how a significant new line of watches at Grand Seiko was born. In the interest of full disclosure: The Armoury, which I own, has been a retailer of Grand Seiko in Hong Kong for about six years now. I have been collecting Grand Seiko for about nine years. Neither the SBGZ001 nor the SBGY003 detailed in this article are available for sale at the store. But they are special so I wanted to delve further into their creation. The Credor Eichi I, 2013 First some background. Back in 2013, I bought a Credor Eichi I, a well-known watch in certain circles for its exceptional finishing. It was made in the Micro Artist Studio (MAS), a division within the Seiko-Epson Shiojiri plant where all the cutting-edge high horology – namely Spring Drive movements – is designed and made. That includes things like the Credor Minute Repeater, the Grand Seiko 8 Day Power Reserve and the Credor Eichi II. I toured the facility in 2014 and visite...

F.P. Journe Introduces the Quantième Perpétuel with Gold Numerals SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Introduces May 12, 2020

F.P. Journe Introduces the Quantième Perpétuel with Gold Numerals

Introduced in 2013, the original Quantième Perpétuel was a concise perpetual calendar with useful features, as well as a peculiar, egg-shaped steel ring around the centre of the dial. Now the design has been refined – but all functionality retained – to create the new F.P. Journe Quantième Perpétuel with gold numerals. And though this was officially announced only recently, the watch has already been available at boutiques for several months. Initial thoughts Compared to the earlier F.P. Journe calendar watches, the Quantième Perpétuel was a big improvement with its highly legible display and improved user friendliness. But the first generation dial was odd because of the steel ring around the centre. That’s been changed with the new model, and the improvement is substantial. The new dial appeals because it doesn’t try too hard to be different. Instead, it differentiates itself in more subtle ways. And the boutique-only blue-dial version is unusual, which is a plus if you’re looking for something different. F.P. Journe has rarely used matte, dark blue dials on standard-production watches; historically only limited editions and custom watches had such dials. Silver and gold Borrowing the clous de Paris engine-turned centre from the Chronometre Souverain, the dial is made of solid silver, while the applied numerals and calendar window frames are solid gold. The addition of gold frames for the calendar do make the positions of the windows more obvious, whic...

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Reverso One Red Wine SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces May 10, 2020

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Reverso One Red Wine

The most affordable watch of any kind offered by Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Reverso One is an elegant watch for ladies with a modest amount of diamonds and a quartz movement. Originally available only with a silver dial, the new Reverso One Red Wine adds a more lively colour to the range of options. Initial thoughts While the quartz movement won’t appeal to a watch aficionado, it makes sense for someone who wants a good-looking, classic design without the hassle of a mechanical movement. Seen from that perspective – especially when combined with the affordable price – the Reverso One is a fuss-free, sensible buy. Red guilloche The launch version of the Reverso One was plain, with an ordinary silver dial dial. The Red Wine livens things up, and does it with more detail than would be expected on an entry-level quartz watch. The dial has a stamped sun-ray guilloche motif that’s covered in translucent red lacquer, creating the rich finish. As with many Reverso models, the flip side of the case is polished and left empty for personalisation. The options for personalisation includes a set of initials that Jaeger-LeCoultre can engrave for a small fee. And the steel case is set with 27 diamonds for a bit of sparkle. Key Facts and Price Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso One Red Wine Ref. Q3288560 Diameter: 40 mm by 20 mm Height: 7.9 mm Material: Stainless steel Water resistance: 30 m Movement: Cal. 657 Functions: Hours and minutes Frequency: Quartz Strap: Alligator strap Availability...

Breguet Introduces the Reine de Naples 8918 ‘Grand Feu’ Enamel SJX Watches
Breguet Introduces May 5, 2020

Breguet Introduces the Reine de Naples 8918 ‘Grand Feu’ Enamel

Breguet’s Reine de Naples has an unusual distinction in modern watchmaking, being an iconic ladies’ watch design of the 21st century. Characterised by an egg-shaped case, the Reine de Naples was inspired by a long-lost watch made for the Queen of Naples in 1810. The watch has long been available with a variety of dials, from carved seashell cameo to guilloche gold, but not enamel – perhaps a surprise given the frequent use of enamel dials on Breguet’s watches for men. But now enamel is no longer the exception with the debut of the Reine de Naples 8918 with grand feu enamel dial. Initial thoughts The Reine de Naples – named after Napoleon’s sister Caroline Bonaparte, who ordered the long-lost watch while she was Queen of Naples – is available in a bewildering variety of guises covering the entire price spectrum. While the entry-level models tend to look, well, entry-level, the high-end models can be quite exquisite. Going by photos, the new version with an enamel dial falls into the latter category. The enamel dial is simple but distinguished by elegant details like the graceful serifs on the numerals and the quirky minute track inspired by 19th century pocket watches. And the quality promises to be excellent, from dial to movement, going by everything else that Breguet does. It costs a bit under US$40,000, which is mid-range for a Reine de Naples, but reasonable as far as diamond-set ladies’ watches go, especially with a grand feu enamel dial. Diamonds an...

Girard-Perregaux Introduces the Laureato Absolute Light SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux Introduces May 4, 2020

Girard-Perregaux Introduces the Laureato Absolute Light

Girard-Perregaux’s luxury-sports watch is available in the usual range of materials, as well as some unusual carbon-glass composites, and now sapphire with the Laureato Absolute Light. At first glance it appears to adhere to a common formula – executing a well-known case design in sapphire – but Girard-Perregaux has tweaked a few elements to make it a little more interesting, while maintaining transparent-mechanical look prized in such watches. Initial thoughts Ultra-luxe sports watches with sapphire cases are surprisingly common, despite the accompanying price tag. Typically the design can be varied little, since what most brands do is produce their signature style in sapphire. So the way to stand out is to make the details a little bit more interesting, and the price tag a little less high. Girard-Perregaux has succeeded in the former – amongst the interesting details here are the movement and hours chapter ring – while doing so-so on the latter. At 85,000 Swiss francs, the Laureato Absolute Light is a lot of money, but amongst sapphire-case sports watches, the price is middle of the road. Framed by lugs The 44 mm case is typical Laureato, which is a circle within an octagon within a tonneau-shaped case. Admittedly the standard Laureato does bear a strong resemblance to a handful of famous Gerald Genta case designs, but when rendered in sapphire the Laureato does look quite original. The case construction is unusual in that the titanium lugs bookend each side ...

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...

Hands-On: Brivet-Naudot Eccentricity SJX Watches
Mar 30, 2020

Hands-On: Brivet-Naudot Eccentricity

French watchmaker Cyril Brivet-Naudot made his debut two years ago with the Eccentricity, a time-only watch that’s fascinating and impressive on many fronts. Not only is it almost entirely made by hand, the Eccentricity is intriguing in design and mechanics – from the overall architecture to details like the key-winding mechanism and regulator-style time display with a twist, and above all, the proprietary escapement. Just 29 years old, Mr Brivet-Naudot began working on the Eccentricity after graduating from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), one of Switzerland’s best technical universities. Prior to that, he earned a diploma in watchmaking from the Lycée Edgar Faure in Morteau, a small town in eastern France that borders Switzerland. The school has gained a reputation for producing imaginative watchmakers, many pursuing a similar style that’s inspired by 19th century pocket watch movements, including Theo Auffret, a peer of Mr Brivet-Naudot. The result of three years of development, the Eccentricity is very much in the same vein as the watches produced by Mr Brivet-Naudot’s fellow graduates. It artfully combines a 19th century aesthetic sensibility with exotic features, including a novel, free-eccentric escapement, for which the watch was named. And it is built by hand: with the exception of the mainspring, hairspring, jewels and crystals, every component of the watch was made from scratch by Mr Brivet-Naudot, without the aid of CNC machine...

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...

Grand Seiko Introduces the 60th Anniversary Diver 600M SLGA001 SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Introduces Mar 5, 2020

Grand Seiko Introduces the 60th Anniversary Diver 600M SLGA001

Having just unveiled the impressive 9SA5 automatic movement in the Hi-Beat 80 Hours SLGH002 as part of its 60th anniversary line-up, Grand Seiko is also rolling out a newly-developed Spring Drive movement – the first with a five-day power reserve and thermocompensation. Unusually, the new calibre is making its debut in a dive watch, the Grand Seiko 600M Professional Diver’s watch (ref. SLGA001). Characterised by large, angular lugs, case design of the new diver is familiar, borrowing from the current Grand Seiko high-frequency dive watches. In short, it’s the typical Grand Seiko diver look, meaning big, bold and chunky, measuring 46.9 mm in diameter and 16 mm high. Both the case and bracelet are made of Seiko’s proprietary “high-intensity” titanium, which 30% lighter than steel and more resistant to scratches, so the size of the SLGA001 does not translate into substantial weight. Likewise, the dark blue dial retains the usual Grand Seiko dive watch styling. Legibility is maximised with large hands and hour markers – both with generous amounts of luminous paint. The date display on the new diver is at four o’clock, instead of the usual three o’clock. But the date is not just a relocation – thanks to the new 9RA5 movement, the date disc jumps at a “greatly increased” speed for a crisper changeover. The 9RA5 While the design of the watch contains no surprises, the Spring Drive movement inside is brand new and incorporates several features originally...

Grand Seiko Introduces the Spring Drive 8 Days Jewelry SBGD205 SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Introduces Mar 5, 2020

Grand Seiko Introduces the Spring Drive 8 Days Jewelry SBGD205

For its 60th anniversary, Grand Seiko has just unveiled one of the most extravagant, and expensive, watches ever – the Grand Seiko Masterpiece Collection Spring Drive 8 Days Jewelry Watch (ref. SBGD205). Combining the flagship Spring Drive model – made at the artisanal Micro Artist Studio – with a lavish setting of diamonds and sapphires, the Spring Drive 8 Days Jewelry Watch is a departure from the typical, subtle formality of Grand Seiko design. The base of the Spring Drive 8 Days Jewelry Watch is the SBGD201, an immense, heavy and refined wristwatch powered by the impressive 9R01 movement. Equipped with three barrels that give it a 192-hour power reserve, the 9R01 is finished to the same level as the much-vaunted Credor Eichi II, thought the massive full bridge means there are few details visible on the back. The dial of the watch is unusual. Though Grand Seiko (and Seiko) have always produced jewelled watches for women, this is probably the first heavily gem-set men’s model in a long time. The centre of the dial has a granular, slightly sparkly “dial dust” finish that is identical to the dial finish on the standard Grand Seiko 8 Days. But it has a subtle constellation of Leo – the Grand Seiko emblem is a lion – incorporated into the surface of the dial and visible only up close. Around the diamond-dust centre are two white gold chapter rings, one set with large, baguette-cut stones and the other with smaller, brilliant-cut stone. Each of the hours and ...

Why getting your Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso engraved is worth the wait Time+Tide
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso engraved Feb 25, 2020

Why getting your Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso engraved is worth the wait

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is a paragon of the Art Deco dress watch style, delivering a clean and classic design that has remained the same for the best part of a hundred years. While most watches with a solid caseback offer ample space for an engraving, the Reverso offers more than most thanks to its beautifully … ContinuedThe post Why getting your Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso engraved is worth the wait 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 Quill & Pad
Girard-Perregaux Reprise SIHH 2019 provided Feb 22, 2020

‘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.

Up Close: Girard-Perregaux Classic Bridges 45 mm SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux Classic Bridges 45 mm Feb 20, 2020

Up Close: Girard-Perregaux Classic Bridges 45 mm

Girard-Perregaux is best known for the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges, one of the most distinctive and beautiful movements in watchmaking – even 160 years after it was first designed. Characterised by its symmetry and arrow-shaped bridges, the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges is one of the few movements has an irrefutably iconic design. Some of the three-bridges magic has democratised with the Girard-Perregaux Classic Bridges 45 mm, a time-only watch that’s a more affordable take on the 19th century design. Constant Girard’s movement French watchmaker Jean-Antoine Lépine revolutionised the construction of the watch movement around 1770 when he invented the Lépine calibre, which used bridges and cocks to secure the moving parts on the base plate, replacing the prevailing pillar construction where the parts were held between two full plates. Almost a century later, Girard-Perregaux founder Constant Girard took Lépine’s idea a step further by rethinking the layout of the movement, with an eye towards not just mechanical function, but also beauty. A Girard-Perregaux pocket watch with nickel-plated parallel bridges, c. 1875. Photo – Antiquorum Starting in the mid 1850s, Girard began working on a caliber with its barrel, gear train, and regulator arranged vertically in a straight line. They were secured by identical, parallel bridges shaped like an elongated rhombus, creating an incredibly elegant equilibrium in the movement layout. Eventually the large, par...

HANDS-ON: Vacheron Constantin Égérie Self-winding with Date, and Égérie Moon Phase Time+Tide
Vacheron Constantin Égérie Self-winding Feb 17, 2020

HANDS-ON: Vacheron Constantin Égérie Self-winding with Date, and Égérie Moon Phase

Launching a completely new watch collection (starting-from-a-blank-page new, not variations on an existing line) is a high-risk game that involves huge costs: the cost of design and development – and if it’s not a resounding success (heaven forbid), the cost to both brand equity and bottom line. No wonder it’s a rare event. Even rarer … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Vacheron Constantin Égérie Self-winding with Date, and Égérie Moon Phase appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Business News: Swatch Group Annual Profit Falls with Hong Kong Slowdown SJX Watches
Longines just announced Jan 30, 2020

Business News: Swatch Group Annual Profit Falls with Hong Kong Slowdown

Hong Kong’s political unrest has resulted in the first fall in annual profits at the Swatch Group since 2018. The world’s biggest watchmaking group, which owns brands like Omega and Longines, just announced its 2019 results, showing declines in both sales and profits. Net profit fell 13.7%, while sales declined 1.8% at constant exchange rates, or 2.7% at current rates, to 8.24 billion francs. The drops in profit and sales were primarily due to a drastic contraction of its business in Hong Kong – a city with a population of just 7.4 million – where Swatch Group owns over 90 retail stores, largely catering to shoppers from the China. Sales in Hong Kong for the second half of 2019 fell by 200 million francs. While Hong Kong was the key driver of the decline, it was not the only one. The luxury watch business in general is suffering from anaemic growth, which is also evidenced by the watch division results at diversified luxury groups like LVMH and Kering. On a more positive note, Swatch Group has managed to fulfil its stated aims of reducing operating expenditure and thinning inventory. Operating expenses dipped about 6%, while operating cash flow rose 30% in 2019. And after several consecutive years of growth, the group’s inventories declined by 1% in 2019, to a still-substantial 6.85 billion francs at cost. It’ll be a slow 2020… With Swatch Group predicting the situation in Hong Kong will continue to be “challenging” in 2020, it is in a weaker positio...

Omega Introduces the Constellation Co‑Axial Master Chronometer 39 mm SJX Watches
Omega Introduces Jan 17, 2020

Omega Introduces the Constellation Co‑Axial Master Chronometer 39 mm

After having modernised the Constellation for ladies two years ago, Omega has just done the same for the men’s model, revamping the watch inside and out. Now the full range of Omega’s bestselling model line – the Constellation is likely the most popular watch model in China – has been facelifted. The new gents’ Constellation Co‑Axial Master Chronometer line-up is 26 models strong, all of which share the same basic specs. While the signature Constellation design has been retained, the case and bracelet has been sharpened with subtle improvements that given it a substantially different look. And the case is also larger, at 39 mm instead of the 38 mm of the earlier generation. But most importantly, the new model is equipped with a Master Chronometer movement containing all of Omega’s latest tech. Nip and tuck Available in steel, yellow gold, Sedna gold as well as two-tone combinations, the new Constellation retains the classic barrel shape with concave facets at the top and bottom lugs, as well as the four bezel “claws” at three and nine o’clock. The overall design is, in short, fundamentally the same, but it has been improved in finishing and style, inside and out. The lines and surfaces of the case and bracelet are now cleaner and more pronounced, at the same time accentuated with improved finishing. While the bezel claws keep their traditional polished finish, most of the other surfaces are now brushed, with the case and bracelet featuring polished be...

Up Close: Chanel Monsieur Édition Noire SJX Watches
Chanel Monsieur Édition Noire Chanel’s Jan 11, 2020

Up Close: Chanel Monsieur Édition Noire

Chanel’s best known watch is unquestionably the all-ceramic J12, now in its refined and upgraded second generation. But its most interesting watch – from a mechanic and design perspective – is the Monsieur de Chanel. Originally offered only in precious metals, the watch was last year given a stylish makeover with the Monsieur Édition Noire that’s clad entirely in matte black ceramic. A jumping hour with retrograde minutes, the Édition Noire is powered by the Calibre 1, an original, integrated movement produced with help from independent watchmaker Romain Gauthier. But equally important is its design, which is discreetly brilliant. The watch has the sort of thoughtful aesthetic that pays attention to the whole but also the details – the typeface used on the dial was designed expressly for the watch – that is expected from the grand Parisian fashion house. In fact, the design is more coherent and informed than many watches created by traditional watchmakers. The Chanel elements of the watch are subtle, like the octagonal frame for the hours inspired by the Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle The long road Like other luxury fashion houses, Chanel has been working hard to make proper timepieces, watches that are well made and equipped with respectable movements. Earlier this year it took a 20% stake in movement maker Kenissi, in a joint venture with Tudor, which now produces calibres for the face-lifted J12. Kenissi is merely the latest investment in Chanel’s gradual...

Breguet Introduces the Classique Dame 9065 Tahitian Mother-of-Pearl SJX Watches
Breguet Introduces Jan 6, 2020

Breguet Introduces the Classique Dame 9065 Tahitian Mother-of-Pearl

Following the launch of the Classique 5177 in blue enamel last year, Breguet has now unveiled its feminine equivalent, the Classique Dame 9065. It’s dressed up in feminine style with a Tahitian black mother-of-pearl dial and brilliant-cut diamonds, but still bears Breguet’s trademark design with pomme hands and Breguet-style numerals. A limited edition of 28 pieces, the watch has a dainty rose-gold case measuring 33.5mm wide and just 7.55mm high thanks to the ultra-thin movement inside. The case is classical Breguet, featuring slim, straight lugs and a finely fluted case band. The bezel and lugs are set with 88 brilliant-cut diamonds, totalling approximately 0.606 carats, while the crown is set with a ruby. They frame a dial covered with a thin slice of black mother-of-pearl. Derived from black-lipped oysters found in and around Tahiti and the French Polynesian islands, Tahitian mother-of-pearl is prized for its naturally dark colour as well as its visual complexity. Apart from being much rarer than white mother-of-pearl, it also has vivid undertones accented with overtones of marine colours like violet and green. The dial features Breguet-style Arabic numerals printed on the mother of pearl, and classic Breguet hands with a slight – and unfortunately kitschy – twist: the seconds hand has a heart-shaped counterweight. To match the heart-shaped seconds and ruby cabochon, the date features a red disc printed with off-white numerals. Visible through the sapphire case...

Why you should always buy your watches on a bracelet when you have the chance Time+Tide
Casio ns Jan 1, 2020

Why you should always buy your watches on a bracelet when you have the chance

Very few watch straps are as integral to the overall look and feel of a watch as a bracelet can be. On occasions, the bracelet is as essential to the watch DNA as the watch head – a continuation of the same concept, snaking around the wrist. The most famous bracelet design of all time … ContinuedThe post Why you should always buy your watches on a bracelet when you have the chance appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.