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Original Sinn - A close encounter with the legendary U1 dive watch Time+Tide
Sinn Oct 11, 2021

Original Sinn - A close encounter with the legendary U1 dive watch

What is probably the most important and significant Sinn U1 dive watch has surfaced in Wellington, New Zealand. The Sinn U1 is one of the most recognisable and respected dive watches available today.  With its almost Bauhaus utilitarian dial, iconic syringe hands and bead-blasted Tegiment Submarine Steel case, this watch is no pretender, flexing in … ContinuedThe post Original Sinn – A close encounter with the legendary U1 dive watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Omega Introduces the Speedmaster Chronoscope SJX Watches
Omega Introduces Sep 24, 2021

Omega Introduces the Speedmaster Chronoscope

The latest from Omega is a surprise: a Speedmaster powered by a new, manual-wind calibre but fitted with a retro-inspired, multi-scale dial. Equipped with the full-spec cal. 9908, the Speedmaster Chronoscope is a 43 mm chronograph with a dial bearing three sets of measurement scales: tachymeter, telemeter, and pulsometer. While the multi-scale dial is modelled on vintage Omega chronographs of the 1940s, the case is classic Speedmaster with its characteristic “twisted” or “lyre” lugs. Initial thoughts The Chronoscope is essentially combines well-known chronographs from two disparate periods in Omega’s history: the multi-scale dial typically associated with the vintage CK 2393 powered by the cal. 33.3 from the 1940s, plus the Speeedmaster case that is a 1960s design. But it is distinctly 21st century in mechanics with the new cal. 9908 inside. While any one of those might be appeal on their own, together they don’t work well. The Speedmaster case design is about three decades older than the multi-scale so it feels incongruent. To be fair, the dial looks to be well executed with good detail and design. The portions of the dial look good and the applied numerals are a nice touch. And pricing is fair as well. But despite the appeal of the individual elements, the whole is less than the sum of the parts. Still, the design makes sense from a broader, commercial perspective since it adds a new look to the stable of designs for the Speedmaster, which is one of Omega...

Audemars Piguet Introduces the Royal Oak Supersonnerie in Titanium SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Introduces Sep 14, 2021

Audemars Piguet Introduces the Royal Oak Supersonnerie in Titanium

First introduced as a handful of limited editions (including for Japanese retailer Yoshida), the minute repeating, luxury-sports watch has finally become a permanent addition to the Audemars Piguet catalogue with the Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie in Titanium. Despite its low-key looks, a tone-on-tone palette of a smoked, grey dial and brushed titanium case, the Royal Oak repeater  is loud – literally – thanks to the patented Supersonnerie system within, which produces chimes that are clearer and louder than those of a traditional striking wristwatch. Initial thoughts The superb acoustics are unquestionably the focal point of the latest from Audemars Piguet (AP) – it is undeniably a successful striking complication thanks to the clever case (we explained the Supersonnerie in an earlier story). But the design of the Royal Oak repeater is arguably near perfect and worth a leading mention. At a glance the repeater looks very much like a typical Royal Oak, but the dial layout gives it perhaps the most classical face amongst its siblings. It has no date, and instead a small seconds at six to replace the central seconds found on most Royal Oak models. The seconds-at-six layout is typical of a dress watch, and it isn’t special per se, but it is unique for a Royal Oak, which was after all designed as a sports watch. By way of its thinness (at least in its original ref. 5402 “Jumbo” guise), the Royal Oak has always retained an elegant air that resonates wit...

Panerai Debuts a Smartly Minimalist Perpetual Calendar SJX Watches
Panerai Debuts Sep 7, 2021

Panerai Debuts a Smartly Minimalist Perpetual Calendar

Following the recent return of platinum to Panerai’s line up, the brand is continuing with precious metals, but this time with a far more elaborate movement boasting a perpetual calendar and GMT. Despite its complications, the Luminor Perpetual Calendar – available as the Goldtech PAM 742 or Platinumtech PAM 715 – is smartly designed, with a clean dial that’s typical of Panerai, clean enough it resembles as a day-date Panerai at a glance. Initial thoughts Arriving in a Panerai wristwatch for the very first time (though there was the co-branded Panerai-Ferrari FER015 of 2007), the perpetual calendar was only incorporated in one other Panerai timepiece, the uber-complicated planetarium clock made in 2014 to commemorate Gallileo Galilei. While simpler, the perpetual calendar wristwatch doesn’t disappoint, with its concise calendar display. While the complication is now common, few brands can boast calendar displays that are both distinctive and legible – Moser being one of the few. Perhaps more important for Panerai than any other brand, given the simplicity of its trademark design, the streamlined display means the Luminor Perpetual Calendar still looks very much like a typical Panerai. Unlike the recent time-only Platinumtech Luminor with blue hands, the Perpetual Calendar has pink gold hands that blend into the olive background better As the dial being the familiar Panerai design, it falls to the case materials to distinguish Luminor Perpetual from the...

Ulysse Nardin Debuts the Marine Torpilleur 175 Years Collection SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Debuts Sep 1, 2021

Ulysse Nardin Debuts the Marine Torpilleur 175 Years Collection

Historically a major producer of marine chronometers, Ulysse Nardin has repurposed the concept in the modern day for its bestselling line of wristwatches that retain the face of a marine chronometer while having in-house movements and eminently reasonable prices. For its 175th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin has unveiled the Marine Torpilleur 175 Years collection, a suite of limited-edition watches starting with an affordable base model and ending with a range-topping tourbillon featuring a fired-enamel dial. Initial thoughts Originally introduced as an entry-level Marine model – it was named after a torpedo boat – the Marine Torpilleur has been successful enough that it’s now an entire anniversary line up. The expansion of the line is a good thing, because the Torpilleur is classically handsome and generally good value. All the Torpilleur models are largish at 42 mm in diameter, but most are slim, with heights of about 11 mm, though the chronograph is understandably wider and thicker. As a result, they appear relatively thin on the wrist, especially for a sporty watch. The tourbillon with a black enamel dial, and next to it a vintage Ulysse Nardin chronometer pocket watch with tourbillon regulator And the watches are all equipped with high-spec in-house movements, which is a big factor in their value propositions. Even the base model, which costs US$8,200 in its simplest version, is equipped with the UN-118, a movement that has a silicon hairspring and escapement, along...

Czapek Introduces the Antarctique Rattrapante SJX Watches
Czapek Introduces Sep 1, 2021

Czapek Introduces the Antarctique Rattrapante

Czapek & Cie unveiled the Antarctique a year ago, its first foray into the popular category of luxury-sports watches. While the Antarctique had many of the elements synonymous with a luxury-sports watch, namely a steel case, blue dial, and integrated bracelet, it lacked what is arguably the signature element of Czapek’s design DNA – a pair of sub-dials at five and seven. Just unveiled at Geneva Watch Days, the followup to the original model combines a light touch of high horology with styling more faithful to the brand’s origins – the Antarctique Rattrapante, which is also the brand’s first split-seconds chronograph. Initial thoughts At a glance, the Antarctique Rattrapante is a noble effort in fusing the brand’s signature look with a modern, open-worked dial. Aesthetically, the design works well. The concept of having the entire split-seconds chronograph module visible on the dial creates an intricate view of the mechanics that would normally be hidden. And the mechanics are interesting, as the look is the result of substantial contortions to lower the sub-dials while ensuring they do not run into the gear train for the central hands. Notably, the repositioning was done with extra wheels – the chronograph mechanism actually has the registers in their traditional three and nine positions. At its core however, the chronograph remains a traditional, mono-pusher mechanism, albeit one that’s modular. The split-seconds mechanism does lack a key feature found ...

H. Moser & Cie. Introduces the Streamliner Perpetual Calendar SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie Introduces Aug 30, 2021

H. Moser & Cie. Introduces the Streamliner Perpetual Calendar

After the Streamliner made its debut in chronograph form last year, H. Moser & Cie. has just grown the line of luxury-sports watches to include the Streamliner Perpetual Calendar. As is typical of Moser’s house style, the new perpetual calendar is streamlined in design and presentation, with the dial indicating the date and month while remaining minimalist, avoiding sub-dials entirely. The inaugural version of the Streamliner Perpetual Calendar gets a black fumè dial, giving the watch a subtle palette that’s fitting for its minimalist aesthetic. Notably, the monochromatic, shades-of-grey livery also harks back to the limited edition chronograph that was the opening model of the collection. Initial thoughts Compared to the two earlier Streamliner models – chronograph and time-only respectively – the latest is the most representative of Moser because of the ingenious movement within. A movement that made Moser’s reputation when it was resurrected in 2005, the calibre is one of the few that truly reimagines the perpetual calendar. While the Streamliner chronograph has an equally ingenious movement, the perpetual calendar movement is Moser’s own, which makes it that much more special. While appearing similar to the other versions of the Streamliner, the Perpetual Calendar differs in a few respects, which makes it stand out against its siblings in the Streamliner range, and more appealing for that reason. The design is slightly more nuanced, possessing details l...

INTRODUCING: The Grand Seiko SLGA007 140th Anniversary Limited Edition Time+Tide
Grand Seiko SLGA007 140th Anniversary Limited Aug 24, 2021

INTRODUCING: The Grand Seiko SLGA007 140th Anniversary Limited Edition

Recently we covered the Grand Seiko SBGY007, its icy blue dial inspired by the frozen waters of Lake Suwa. Its blue hue could only be described as subtle, the blue only emboldening itself under the right light. Today, however, the brand has introduced yet another limited-edition novelty in honour of the 140th Anniversary of Seiko’s … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Grand Seiko SLGA007 140th Anniversary Limited Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Crossing the threshold: The first time I bought a watch over $1000 Time+Tide
Aug 21, 2021

Crossing the threshold: The first time I bought a watch over $1000

Many of us within the watch community can remember the moment we fell in love with a piece. Whether it was a textured dial or a complication that caught our interest, that moment creates a sense of euphoria that’s impossible to forget. Immediately following that high, we come back down to earth and commence “The … ContinuedThe post Crossing the threshold: The first time I bought a watch over $1000 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

In-Depth: The New Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Cal. 3861 SJX Watches
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Cal Aug 19, 2021

In-Depth: The New Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Cal. 3861

Having finally retired the decades-old version of the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch powered by the cal. 1861, Omega announced its successor at the start of the year. Equipped with the new cal. 3861, the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph 42 mm is the result of a thorough makeover, with all its parts – from the case and bracelet to the dial and movement – reworked in nearly every respect. The latest version (left) and its predecessor While that seems to imply a radical change, it’s near impossible to tell the new and old versions apart. Despite being all encompassing, the improvements are subtle. From an aesthetic perspective, the Moonwatch remains as it was in the mid 1960s, when the straight lugs of the earlier generations were replaced with the twisted, “lyre” lugs that are now a defining feature of the model. That leads to the obvious question:  if the two generations are nearly identical, is the new version any better? Briefly put, yes. Two upgrades elevate the new Moonwatch in a tangible and substantial manner. One lies in the detail of its design: the face has a bit more flair thanks to greater distinction between the different levels of the dial. And the other lies on the inside: the new cal. 3861 gets most of Omega’s state-of-the-art innovations, resulting in improved timekeeping, as well as a useful level of magnetism resistance. The new cal. 3861 (left) and the cal. 1863 (the dressed-up version of the ...

INTRODUCING: The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Okavango Air Rescue Limited Edition Time+Tide
Oris Big Crown ProPilot Okavango Aug 17, 2021

INTRODUCING: The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Okavango Air Rescue Limited Edition

If you have been plugged into the watch world this year, then you are likely well aware of the fact that this is the year of green. It is the hot colour, with every manufacturer taking their own swing at the previously lesser seen dial tone. As a result, the colour has lost a little … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Okavango Air Rescue Limited Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Skelet-One Tourbillon: Clean Design, Subtle Finishing, And Exquisite Restraint Quill & Pad
Jaquet Droz Aug 8, 2021

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Skelet-One Tourbillon: Clean Design, Subtle Finishing, And Exquisite Restraint

The Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Skelet-One Tourbillon is a more complicated version of the original Grande Seconde Skelet-One in which an inverted dial and streamlined skeleton architecture made for an impressive watch. This even more impressive version has also spawned a one-off piece for the 2021 Only Watch charity auction beautified by artistic plique-à-jour enamel.

A Week On The Wrist: How the DOXA Sub 300 Divingstar inspired me to buy SCUBA gear Time+Tide
Doxa Sub 300 Divingstar inspired Aug 5, 2021

A Week On The Wrist: How the DOXA Sub 300 Divingstar inspired me to buy SCUBA gear

On my wrist is something that embodies many a daydream. Jaques-Yves Costeau, Dirk Pitt, sixties cool and the carefree life of mid-century Europe in the summer. Can the tasty lemon of the DOXA Sub 300 Divingstar serve up all this in its compact dial, and make it come to life? It might seem a tall … ContinuedThe post A Week On The Wrist: How the DOXA Sub 300 Divingstar inspired me to buy SCUBA gear appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Konstantin Chaykin Introduces the Wristmon Minotaur SJX Watches
Zodiac edition Jul 28, 2021

Konstantin Chaykin Introduces the Wristmon Minotaur

Four years after the debut of the Joker – and its myriad subsequent iterations – Russian independent watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin still manages to surprise and impress. The latest version of Chaykin’s googly-eyed wristwatch is the Wristmon Minotaur. The third instalment in the watchmaker’s annual Chinese zodiac edition, the Minotaur has a case and dial that mimics the head of a bull, since 2021 is the Year of the Ox. Although its hour and minute display are identical to the early versions of the Joker, the Minotaur has been upgraded in several ways, including with a dual-letter day display and a Vaucher base movement. Initial thoughts The Minotaur is another excellent design by Mr Chaykin, and one of his more amusing creations since the original Joker. Not only does the dial form a face, but the case has been reworked to resemble a bull’s head with asymmetric lugs where the upper pair resemble a pair of horns. More importantly, the Minotaur is not merely a tweak of colour or design. Its functionality has been revamped, namely with the nostril display that shows the first two letters of the day. In fact, the novel day display is another example of Mr Chaykin’s ingenious realisation of function following form, but done well enough that it feels just right. And the price of the Minotaur is in line with recent watches in the Wristmon collection, which is around US$22,000. While significantly pricier than the original Joker that cost around about US$7,500, the new ...

Chanel Introduces the Monsieur Marble Edition SJX Watches
Chanel Introduces Jul 26, 2021

Chanel Introduces the Monsieur Marble Edition

While Chanel started the year with the J12 in rainbow colours inspired by electronic dance music, its latest is sleek and stark in black and white. The Monsieur Marble Edition is a variation of the Monsieur Edition Noire from 2019, retaining the same steel and ceramic case – and the in-house Caliber 1 movement – but matched with a dial in glossy black marble with white veining. Initial thoughts I liked the original Monsieur de Chanel when it was launched in 2016. Even though Chanel is a primarily fashion house, the Monsieur was proof it made excellent watches for men. Its design was thoughtful, and the movement attractively executed in both style and construction. The subsequent Monsieur in black ceramic had all the same qualities, but an monochromatic look that made it more appealing. And the new version is even more appealing, because the marble dial looks good. Even though the only change is the marble dial, its natural grain goes well with the design of the Monsieur, so the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Price wise, however, the new Monsieur is harder to digest. At just under US$37,000, it costs almost US$10,000 more than the original version in ceramic, which was a reasonable-enough proposition considering the design and movement. The Marble Edition is unquestionably beautiful – I’d want one – but the price is steep. Black and white Each dial is made of one piece of marble carefully cut into three to form each section of the dial, allowing the ...

MICRO MONDAYS: The Makina Raum is a statement piece that dares to be different Time+Tide
Jul 25, 2021

MICRO MONDAYS: The Makina Raum is a statement piece that dares to be different

In some ways, the boom of microbrands in the past few years has reignited the golden age of suppliers from the 1950s. Leaf through a catalogue, pick out your parts, print your logo on the dial, and with a bit of luck you can have a successful Kickstarter project to launch your watch. But that … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Makina Raum is a statement piece that dares to be different appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: The Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional Powermatic 80 combines great value with hardcore performance Time+Tide
Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional Powermatic Jul 24, 2021

HANDS-ON: The Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional Powermatic 80 combines great value with hardcore performance

With the barrage of vintage reissue divers on the market, it can be a relief to see a watch that isn’t afraid to play it bold. The Tissot Seastar 200 Professional is exactly that - a bold 600m dive watch without any pretension that’s fantastic value for money. The dial Neither the wave dial nor … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional Powermatic 80 combines great value with hardcore performance appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

INTRODUCING: The Seiko Custom Watch Beatmaker SRPH19K Time+Tide
Seiko Custom Watch Beatmaker SRPH19K Jul 20, 2021

INTRODUCING: The Seiko Custom Watch Beatmaker SRPH19K

When it comes to evaluating a new watch, many of us play the “what if” game. What if the watch had a blue dial? What if it had a grey bezel? The new Seiko Custom Watch Beatmaker SRPH19K puts that idea into action with a new limited-edition design chosen by fans of the brand worldwide. … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Seiko Custom Watch Beatmaker SRPH19K appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Gorilla Debuts First Chronograph, a Skeleton in Ceramic and Titanium SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Jul 15, 2021

Gorilla Debuts First Chronograph, a Skeleton in Ceramic and Titanium

Founded just five years ago, Gorilla has already established a distinct house style, born of the its two founders’ eye for design. Notably, one of the founders, Octavio Garcia, was design chief at Audemars Piguet for over a decade. The latest from the brand is reassuringly familiar, channeling the style of its inaugural model, but a major step up in terms of form, function, and price – the Fastback Thunderbolt Chronograph. Equipped with a smartly skeletonised dial, it’s the brand’s first chronograph but retains with Gorilla’s recognisable case style. The case is multi-material: a ceramic bezel, followed by an anodised aluminium ring, and then a black-coated titanium case middle and back Initial thoughts Gorilla’s past offerings have been appealing for several reasons. Though evocative of some other well-known designs, its watches are original and handsome – a rare sight at the US$800 price range – and they are usually executed in unusual combinations of materials like titanium and ceramic. At the same time, the brand managed to make uncommon complication relatively affordable, namely the wandering hours display that’s most famously associated with Urwerk and Audemars Piguet in modern watchmaking. The latest offering is an extension of the brand’s strengths. Despite being its first chronograph, the Fastback Thunderbolt Chronograph is well put together, having a skeletonised front that’s intricate in detail and rich in colour that manages to pres...

Seiko 5 Contest Winner Makes it into Production SJX Watches
Seiko 5 Contest Winner Makes Jul 14, 2021

Seiko 5 Contest Winner Makes it into Production

Announced by Seiko almost a year ago, the Custom Watch Beatmaker was an online contest to design the brand’s next sports watch. Seiko just unveiled the winner – which has been brought to life as a limited edition – the Seiko 5 Sports Custom Watch Beatmaker 2021. A surprisingly clean design, the winner has a gold dial circled by a “Pepsi” bezel. It was one of about 50,000 submissions, but it won by a surprisingly large margin of 8.5 million votes out of a 16 million-vote total – possibly due to a group effort by a forum dedicated to Seiko. Initial thoughts The Custom Watch Beatmaker contest was in many ways an official acknowledgment of the Seiko “mods” community that pursue aftermarket customisation of Seiko watches. It’s uncommon for a big brand to do so, though the contest was centred on the Seiko 5 Sports, the brand’s entry-level mechanical watch. But Seiko itself has changed the landscape since the contest was announced in October 2020. The brand has since launched numerous Seiko 5 Sports “crossover” editions featuring Japanese pop-culture themes, resulting in watches far from the average Seiko 5. In comparison, the contest edition seems less special, at least from an aesthetic perspective, since it’s basically rearranged the colours of a few elements instead of being an all-new design. Still, compared to the regular-production Seiko 5 Sports, the Beatmaker edition stands out. The gold, sunburst dial on a dive-style watch is uncommon, not to...

A. Lange & Söhne Revives the Cabaret Tourbillon in Handwerkskunst Style SJX Watches
A. Lange & Sohne Jul 13, 2021

A. Lange & Söhne Revives the Cabaret Tourbillon in Handwerkskunst Style

Easily the most surprising of the three recent releases by A. Lange & Söhne is something unconventional but familiar – the brand’s flagship rectangular watch that was first released in 2008, but now dressed up in artisanal finery. The Cabaret Tourbillon Handwerkskunst is seventh in the eponymous line characterised by artisanal decoration – handwerkskunst translates as “craftsmanship” – and features a hand-engraved lozenge pattern on the front and back, along with a fired enamel dial. Initial Impressions The Cabaret Tourbillon was quite a statement at its launch, being the first wristwatch with a hacking tourbillon – pull the crown and the entire tourbillon assembly stopped – which allowed for more precise setting of the time. But despite its merits, the original Cabaret Tourbillon was never a hot seller, so its revival is likely a one-off. The return of the model is certainly unexpected, since the Cabaret left the catalogue several years ago. The Cabaret quietly faded into obscurity, and the current Lange lineup is focused on round watches. Largely similar in style, but far more elaborate in decoration, the new Handwerkskunst edition is a fitting tribute to the discontinued model. Unlike earlier Handwerkskunst editions that were flashier, the Cabaret is executed more conservatively, with the decorative flourishes typical of Handwerkskunst less apparent. The watch is clearly meant to be appreciated close-up, with the knowledge that the geometric pattern ...