Hodinkee
Auctions: A Patek Philippe Collection Unlike Any Other Heads To Auction At Sotheby's Hong Kong – Here Are Our Highlights
The "Nevadian Collector" sale is absolutely mind-blowing in its diversity and quality.
Results for Monta
1,599 articles · 115 videos found · page 46 of 58
Hodinkee
Time+Tide
Five sleeper picks from the upcoming “Precious Blues” Ineichen auction
A core component of being an auction house is curation, often under the scope of a particular theme. But, even with a theme in mind, we often see an abundance of the usual suspects: Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille. Swiss auction house Ineichen, however, loves to work outside the norm. Sure, they … ContinuedThe post Five sleeper picks from the upcoming “Precious Blues” Ineichen auction appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Japanese Deities in Miniature Enamel on Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers Repeater
Taking place every two years in Venice, Homo Faber is an exhibition dedicated to craftsmanship of all forms, ranging from glass to porcelain to fabric. Because its organiser is the Michelangelo Foundation established by Johann Rupert, the plain-speaking chairman of Richemont, several of the Swiss group’s watchmakers are taking part. One of them is Vacheron Constantin, which is presenting a pair of one-off striking watches at Homo Faber – the Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeaters Ultra-Thin “Thunder God” and “Wind God”. The watches each recreate one half of Wind God and Thunder God, a pair of folding screens made by 16th century Japanese painter Tawaraya Sōtatsu that depicts the titular gods of Japanese mythology. Initial thoughts Owned by a temple in Kyoto, the folding screen is a National Treasure of Japan, a cultural object deemed so important by the Japanese government that it cannot be exported. The screen is certainly a worthy subject for a high-quality miniature, and Vacheron Constantin appears to have done justice to it. The dial decoration is perfect for a repeater, since the brand’s cal. 1731 minute repeater movement is relatively large, resulting in an expansive dial that is usually blank. It’s an ideal canvas for artisanal decoration. Vacheron Constantin’s enamel work, whether in house or done by independent artisans like Anita Porchet, is usually impeccable. The repeater dials definitely look the part. In fact, the miniatures of the gods are im...
Time+Tide
The Watches and Wonders Wind Down Social Diary (to cool all our heads after so much news)
We know, we know, this is meant to be a Friday thing. Blame it on the jetlag, but this week we have a special Wind Down for you all – one with a firm view that pictures speak as loudly as words after a few weeks as big as these. Now, you might assume a … ContinuedThe post The Watches and Wonders Wind Down Social Diary (to cool all our heads after so much news) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Otto Hutt Writing Instruments: Bauhaus Style For Your Writing Pleasure
When contemplating German pen making, if your mind immediately turns to such brands as Pelikan, Lamy, Montblanc, Faber-Castell, and other storied companies, it’s time to add Otto Hutt to the list. Nancy Olson takes a look at the brand's design c and and design 08 writing instruments, which set a new course for the traditional German pen maker.
Hodinkee
Introducing: Say Hello To The M.A.D. 1 RED, The Maximilian Büsser Watch You Might Actually Be Able To Get
The latest democratic creation from the mind-melting magician of the avant-garde.
SJX Watches
Bulgari Marks 10 Years of the Bulgari Octo Finissimo with “Pencil Sketch” Dials
Perhaps Bulgari’s signature men’s wristwatch, the Octo Finissimo is an ultra-thin wristwatch that has spawned a range of watches and variety of complications, including a perpetual calendar and minute repeater. Now the Italian jeweller marks a decade of its bestseller with a pair of limited editions that pay tribute to the original design – literally. The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic 10th Anniversary and Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic 10th Anniversary both feature “pencil sketch” dials that essentially reproduce the initial drawings of both models penned by Fabrizio Buonamass Stigliani, the design chief at Bulgari’s watch division. Initial thoughts The twin anniversary editions are only modest tweaks on the standard design, but accompanied by equally modest price differences, which makes them appealing alternatives for someone who likes the monochromatic look of the standard models but wants a little extra. The “sketch” dials are clever and amusing, though not entirely new since similar drawing-inspired dials have been done in the past by Nomos and Fortis. Still, they have a whimsical appeal. Price-wise, the two anniversary editions aren’t much more than the standard models. The automatic is €800 extra, while the chronograph actually costs the same as the standard version. Being identical to the standard models in size and material, both anniversary editions will feel the same on the wrist, light and sleek. I fin...
Revolution
Bulgari’s Eighth Record-Breaker: The Octo Finissimo Ultra
At an incredible, mind-blowing 1.8mm thick, Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo Ultra breaks the world record for the thinnest mechanical watch of all time.
Time+Tide
MICRO MONDAYS: MW Timepieces and the musically inspired Legatodiver
Music is one of my many passions. Zoning out on a couch, listening to songs that got me through life, to me, is a Saturday well spent. With that in mind, finding out a microbrand is creating a musically inspired watch, a diver no less, left me intrigued. Could the Legatodiver from MW Timepiece, based … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: MW Timepieces and the musically inspired Legatodiver appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Why The 2022 Watches And Wonders Geneva Might Be The Last Of Its Kind
As GaryG prepares for his trip to Switzerland for Watches and Wonders 2022, the demise of Baselworld is very much on his mind. It seems to him that the era of all-inclusive mega watch shows is rapidly coming to an end. The natural implication is that Watches and Wonders Geneva will be the next exhibition to change radically or that it will even cease to exist. Here he explains why.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The tiny modification to the Longines Spirit 37 collection that make the watches even better
When the Longines Spirit collection originally dropped, perfection was on everybody’s mind. The design was fresh enough to be exciting, yet familiar enough to feel as though we’d all been thinking about these watches for years already. The details were impeccable, the specifications were all there, and they just looked fantastic, but there was one … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The tiny modification to the Longines Spirit 37 collection that make the watches even better appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Weekend Edition: Charting The Course Of Iconic Watches, One Reference At A Time
All the minute details fit to print – and view.
Quill & Pad
A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split Chronograph: The World’s Only Watch That Can Time Two Separate Events For 12 Hours
In the annals of A. Lange & Söhne history, the Double Split was one of the most widely celebrated releases. It introduced the idea of a split-second and split-minute chronograph allowing the wearer to time at least two events lasting up to an hour. The Triple Split is the inevitable progression of it, adding a split-hour function to allow timing two multi-hour events up to 12 hours.
SJX Watches
In-Depth: An Engineer’s Technical and Personal Perspectives on Quartz Timekeeping
For an uncompromising mechanical watch enthusiast, one of the most dreaded words in the specifications of a watch is surely “quartz”. Oftentimes that dread is followed by the thought, if only it was mechanical… I must admit this went through my mind when I discovered the lovely Cartier Santos Dumont in 2019. And that was despite Cartier’s best efforts in communicating that the movement inside was a long-autonomy quartz calibre with a six-year battery life. The Cartier Santos Dumont trio, with only the XL variant (extreme left) being mechanical In the time since, I began to ponder the question: why do I seek the latest electronic gadgets, but am dismissive towards quartz watches? Just because quartz movements are often cheap and easily available, does that leave them uniformly uninteresting? The Quartz Crisis On Monday, December 29, 1969, tucked somewhere in the The New York Times was an eight-line paragraph that ended with “[the] world’s first electronic wrist watch with a crystal oscillator.” That electronic watch, as you may have guessed, was the Seiko Quartz-Astron. It was barely obvious at the time, but the announcement, innocuous as it was, would be the harbinger of a crisis for Swiss watchmaking. The father of all quartz watches, the Seiko Quartz-Astron 35SQ in 18K yellow gold The Quartz-Astron cost as much as a Toyota Corolla at the time of of its release – its price was equivalent to about US$1,200 – and was without a doubt a luxury product. Ov...
Hodinkee
To Be Precise: A Song Of Time And Temperature
A tale of a time when running hot or cold meant running too fast or slow.
Time+Tide
The Collector’s Crossroads: My watch resolutions for 2022
Since I started collecting, every January 1st, after kissing my loved ones and drinking champagne, I give my watches a onceover. It’s something I didn’t realise I did until this year, when I almost dropped my Grand Seiko GMT (side note: a great way to sear an event into your mind). In that moment, I … ContinuedThe post The Collector’s Crossroads: My watch resolutions for 2022 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Montblanc Flexes With The New Meisterstück Calligraphy Solitaire Burgundy
A fountain pen’s nib is the source of its magic. Yes, there are many beautiful pens out there but without a great nib a pretty pen is just a pretty pen. A good pen point can transform an ordinary writing experience into a memorable melding of mind and hand. Montblanc’s new Meisterstück Calligraphy Solitaire Burgundy Lacquer is a desirable pen by any measure, not the least of which is contributed to by its 18-karat gold flexible nib.
Time+Tide
WATCH ANALYTICS WEDNESDAYS: The Girard-Perregaux Laureato going for nearly twice its retail price
Editor’s Note: We recently partnered with @watchanalytics to crunch the numbers and dig into the horological market trends and value fluctuations for the references that matter. Last time, we delved into the Rolex 2022 price hikes to see which models were most affected and what that meant for buyers worldwide. Today we are going to dive … ContinuedThe post WATCH ANALYTICS WEDNESDAYS: The Girard-Perregaux Laureato going for nearly twice its retail price appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Parmigiani La Rose Carrée: A Perfect Symbiosis Of Geometry, Nature, And Horology
The Fibonacci number sequence is a discovery of mathematics and nature that has both amazed and confounded the scientific community for centuries. And it is the inspiration for the stunning engravings on the unique La Rose Carrée, a masterfully restored grande sonnerie minute repeater pocket watch made to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Parmigiani and launched to mark the seventieth birthday of the brand’s founder and master restorer, Michel Parmigiani.
Time+Tide
Why I fell for two-tone and bought the Rolex Submariner 126613LB
Allow me to preface this piece with some full disclosure. I purchased this watch with my own money. It isn’t on loan from anyone and I can assure you the credit-card balance is very real and on my mind every month. For those who are interested in such things, I purchased it new from my … ContinuedThe post Why I fell for two-tone and bought the Rolex Submariner 126613LB appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Weekend Edition: Great Watches Don't Have To Empty Your Piggy Bank
Keep your money on your mind with these value-packed timekeepers.
SJX Watches
Up Close: Baltic Micro-Rotor MR01
A French micro-brand that specialises in watches with retro style, Baltic unveiled its smallest – and perhaps most classical – offering in October last year, the Micro-Rotor MR01. Coming in at just 36 mm in diameter, the MR01 is no doubt a surprising size for a modern watch. Despite its compact size, the MR01 manages to squeeze in a lot relative to the price. Most obvious is a tasteful design that brings to mind gentlemen’s watches from the 1930s – the Calatrava ref. 96 easily comes to mind. But equally interesting is the slim automatic movement with a micro-rotor that is responsible for the elegant proportions (and affordability). Its combination of aesthetics and price meant the initial run of 200 pieces in each colour – “salmon”, blue, and a no-nonsense silver – quickly sold out. Of the three, the “salmon” dial immediately stands out, just because it’s the flavour of the dial for vintage-inspired dress watches. But when the opportunity for review came along, I opted for the silver dial, as I found the clean palette attractive. As pleasing as the MR01 seemed in photos, there were a few details I wasn’t convinced by, such as the wide bezel and applied Breguet numerals, so I was looking forward to wearing one for a few days. The all-silver is a good look and one often found on more expensive Calatrava-inspired watches such as the Naoya Hida NH Type 1B Initial thoughts After handling the MR01 for the first time, it seemed to be a thoughtful, comple...
Hodinkee
Steal Vs. Splurge: High-Climbing White-Dial Sport Watches From Rolex And Timex
Grab your mitts, I'm in a polar state of mind.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: A Quartz Crisis Casualty Revived! Say Hello To Excelsior Park
And this first release is knocked squarely out of the … oh, never mind.
Quill & Pad
8 Favorite Fun Facts From 2021 On Quill & Pad
In no particular order, Elizabeth Doerr shares eight random facts that she found interesting, entertaining, and/or educational that are mined from Quill & Pad articles published in 2021. Enjoy!
SJX Watches
In-Depth: Patek Philippe Ref. 5236P In-line Perpetual Calendar
Patek Philippe introduced a bunch of notable new models this year, including the recent “Advanced Research” Minute Repeater Ref. 5750P. The most notable amongst its accessible complications – accessible in a relative sense – is unquestionably the In-line Perpetual Calendar ref. 5236P, an all-new model with a movement developed from the ground up. The ref. 5236P takes its cues from the “linear” perpetual calendar pocket watches of the 1950s and 1960s, namely the ref. 725 with perpetual calendar only, and the refs. 699, 843, and 844 that also included a minute repeater. The nickname stems from the calendar display within a single, horizontal window under 12 o’clock, which instantly sets such watches apart from conventional calendar displays that rely on multiple sub-dials. A ref. 699 from 1956 with linear calendar and minute repeater This same straight-line calendar display has been reproduced on the ref. 5236P – a substantial feat considering its compact size and relatively large calendar window. It was realised with an all-new calendar mechanism with a cleverly designed display, but one still constructed as a traditional, “grand lever” calendar. Initial thoughts Despite its vintage inspiration, the ref. 5236P looks and feels like a contemporary watch, especially because of its colours and size. In the hand the ref. 5236P is substantial, both in diameter and weight. At 41.3 mm it’s one of the biggest perpetual calendar watches Patek Philippe makes. In...
Time+Tide
WHO TO FOLLOW: @tyalexanderphotography and his amazing watch shots
Crisp. Clean. Accurate colours. These are all the things that come to mind when I think of this week’s Who To Follow. This gentleman posts some of the best watch photos on Instagram. On every shot, he perfectly highlights the aspect of each watch that makes it special. His Instagram handle is @tyalexanderphotography and here … ContinuedThe post WHO TO FOLLOW: @tyalexanderphotography and his amazing watch shots appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Introducing: Audemars Piguet Just Dropped Two High-Complications, Out Of The Blue
A titanium Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie and a two-tone CODE 11:59 Openworked Tourbillon.
SJX Watches
In-Depth: Parmigiani Revives a Louis-Elisée Piguet Grande Sonnerie
A grand old name in highly complicated movements, Louis-Elisée Piguet was active in the second half of the 19th century and most famous for his grande sonnerie and perpetual calendar calibres. Amongst his clients for ebauches, or movement blanks, were famous names like Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin – and his work was perhaps an inspiration for Philippe Dufour in the 20th century. A prime example of one such ebauche – featuring a grande sonnerie and minute repeater no less – was acquired by Michel Parmigiani in the late 1990s. A watchmaker and restorer extraordinaire, Mr Parmigiani and his daughter, Anne-Laure, recently led a project to finish and enhance the movement, resulting in La Rose Carrée, a spectacular pocket watch to mark his namesake brand’s 25th anniversary. Initial thoughts Like the recent Vacheron Constantin Tribute to Johannes Vermeer pocket watch, La Rose Carrée is a masterpiece catered to a narrow audience. There are few collectors of pocket watches nowadays, at least relative to wristwatches, especially pocket watches with seven figure price tags. But inaccessible as it may be, La Rose Carrée is certainly worthy of admiration. The quality of craft and decoration is par excellence – an all-star team of artisans was recruited to complete it – and the ebauche was a masterpiece even unfinished. Stylistically, La Rose Carrée is also unusual in being more contemporary than the average grand complication pocket watch. The geometric f...
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT offers a sportier take on a modern classic
For many, myself included, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo has been a consistent benchmark for craftsmanship, artfulness, and bravery in watchmaking. Off the top of my head, I can’t even count how many records have been broken with these watches, including all the mind-boggling complications in wafer-thin movements that still maintain that Roman design foundation. In … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT offers a sportier take on a modern classic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.