4,969 articles · 39 videos found · page 55 of 167
Quill & Pad
In the world of fine Swiss watchmaking, the name Breitling is synonymous with top-notch chronographs. And in the 2021 Premier Heritage collection, Breitling commemorates its technical pioneers Léon, Gaston, and Willy Breitling with three new very attractive vintage-style chronographs.
Revolution
As its parent company Seiko Watch Corporation celebrates 140 years in the watchmaking business, Grand Seiko, itself now over 60 years old, joins in the family celebrations with a unique take on nature’s elements surrounding its watchmaking studios .Trees, water, the sky and the subtle shifts between seasons all have been used as inspiration for the year ahead for the undisputed king of Japanese horology…
SJX Watches
Having introduced the ultra-advanced quartz Caliber 0100 in 2019, Citizen is now turning to mechanical movements. Making its debut in the flagship The Citizen collection, the Caliber 0200 is a newly-developed automatic with all the technical features expected of a high-end modern movement, along with more elaborate decoration thanks to the input of Swiss movement specialist La Joux-Perret. Citizen’s first new mechanical since 2010, the Caliber 0200 elevates its mechanical watchmaking to a new level in both construction and aesthetics. Similarly, the first wristwatch equipped with the Caliber 0200 boasts a more sophisticated degree of finishing on its complex case and integrated bracelet. The Caliber 0200 Initial thoughts Going by the images, the Calibre 0200-equipped The Citizen is an impressive watch. And going by Citizen’s other high-end watches, this will almost surely look as good in real life as it does in photos. Measuring an elegant 40 mm by 10.9 mm, the case has complex surfaces and impeccable finishing, and also a distinctive look. Though some of the design elements do bring to mind other watches, it is original enough, which is a feat given the proliferation of integrated-bracelet designs today. But the highlight is the movement, which is perhaps best described as a high-end workhorse calibre. The construction and specs tick all the right boxes, and so does the finishing, which is superior to many watches – Swiss and Japanese – in the same price range. Th...
Quill & Pad
For less than €2,500 you can get a pretty cool watch with an interesting story to tell. But which one: Japanese, German, or Swiss? Jan Lidmaňský highlights three possibilities from Seiko, Union Glashütte, and Oris, each of which might find a home on your wrist, but which would you choose? And why?
Time+Tide
Grand Seiko gets a lot of attention from collectors that’s well-deserved for the incredible artistry it delivers. If the Swiss were even capable of paralleling this Japanese craft and philosophy, the resulting products would likely be far more expensive. Grand Seiko continually brings high craftsmanship and value to the table, the brand name truly built … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Grand Seiko SBGW264 has one of the best green dials in the industry appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Is this the perfect everyday tool watch from the Zaratsu wizards? I am seriously baffled by the Grand Seiko SBGX343. This seems to be nothing less than a dynamic amalgamation of our favourite design traits from Grand Seiko and a prominent Swiss crowned supplier of largely unavailable cyclopsed divers’ watches. Our Japanese friends have managed … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Grand Seiko SBGX343 is like a kick-ass Milgauss / Explorer hybrid with a killer quartz movement appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
Chronoswiss is a Lucern based Swiss watchmaking company that was founded in 1983. Created during a time where quartz timepieces were the popular choice for wristwear, Gerd-Rüdiger Lang founded Chronoswiss, as he believed in the timeless fascination of mechanical timepieces. Chronoswiss was a brand made for visionaries, pioneers, and nonconformists. They were the first brand to miniaturize the regulator into a wristwatch, and then build a whole collection of watches around this design. Chronoswiss is also a specialist when it comes to skeletonised watches. They have been practicing this craft in watchmaking for more than 30 years, while also giving the skeletonised timepieces a modern twist. For Chronoswiss, the process of skeletonising a watch isn’t just simply removing pieces of the dial to see the movement underneath. For this Swiss brand, skeletonisation of a watch is to “highlight the key points such as open-gear trains to cutting away as much as possible to create extremely see-through timepieces”. The Opus Chronograph is a watch born from Chronoswiss’s expertise in creating aesthetic skeleton timepieces. Introduced in 1995, the Opus Chronograph advanced the skeletonising chapter at Chronoswiss. The latest 2020 version of the Opus Chronograph has been thoroughly updated. This exceptionally complex 300-part masterpiece has been modernised with new geometric features that fit better on the wrist while also making it more comfortable for everyday wear. The...
Hodinkee
The low-key peak of Japanese watchmaking.
Time+Tide
In Scandinavia, our long dark winters should be a fertile breeding ground for horology. Just as the oppressive gloom sent the Swiss inside to tinker about with watchmaking tools and lathes, you might expect a similar tradition to have developed in these parts – Scandinavian design and Nordic minimalism are, after all, deeply engrained in … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Bravur x Wingårdh delivers Nordic modernism at its most clean and serene appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
Rado’s Captain Cook collection is by far one of the brands most iconic lines, a watch, as they say, designed to stand the test of time. Back when Rado released the first Captain Cook model, the Swiss Brand wasn’t known or associated with dive watches. Many of the watch brands back in the day attempted to delve into the different categories of watchmaking to expand their horizons, and Rado was no different. Typically being a dress watchmaker, Rado designed and released their first dive watch, the Captain Cook timepiece, in 1962. Captain Cook Green dial reference R32105313 The name Captain Cook was of course given to honour the explorer Captain Cook. The original 1962 Captain Cook was a serious dive watch, with a case built to survive approximately 220m of watch depth. Back in 2017, Rado re-released the 1962 Captain Cook model with a 1:1 recreation of the original, all with updated movement and materials. The design of the 2017 watch was kept the same as the original, as they retained the 37mm case sizing, red numeral on date wheel, shape of hour indices and hands, down to the spinning anchor at 12’clock position. The watch community loved this re-edition of what is a classic dive watch upon its release. With the watch becoming popular, Rado decided to make multiple iterations of the Captain Cook, with many different versions with different coloured dials being released. Earlier this year, Rado released a new variation of the Captain Cook, with the new timepiece now ...
Deployant
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Selfwinding Chronograph with Smoked Dial When it comes to marketing gaffes in the watchmaking scene, few come close to being as memorable as the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 launch back in 2019. Long story short, the illustrious Swiss brand hyped the line so far up the stratosphere only to go outRead More
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Grand Seiko turned heads at the start of 2020 with the announcement of a brand new in-house movement – the Grand Seiko 9SA5 caliber. It was first launched in the Grand Seiko SLGH002 60th Anniversary Limited Edition, a quintessential yellow gold dress watch from the Japanese watchmaking firm, and it left jaws on … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: An independent watchmaker explains why the new Grand Seiko 9SA5 caliber is so remarkable appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Well, things haven’t exactly slowed down at G-Shock in the months since this story was published – the Japanese firebrand has been churning out more awesome and absurd watches than the rest of the Swiss watch industry combined, and it’s left us all thinking, “What will they come up with next?” Most recently, … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: 2020 is the year G-Shock went completely rogue, from KITH to Dragon Ball Z appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
A round watch case like few others, sharp angles, quirky Japanese design and a Swiss movement? Surely that can grab your attention, even in these weeks of big stories from Switzerland. At a time when just as many gravitate towards the well known, we have the ones that turn towards another path, a path less … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Minase Divido appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
It cannot be refuted how much Switzerland has influenced horology and the luxury watch industry at large. As a result, designs across brands can seem familiar when they all draw from the same well of inspiration and technique. Bulgari, however, continues to stand out from the pack, blending its Swiss watchmaking know-how with its Italian … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Bulgari High-End Watch 2020 Novelties show the “jeweller of time” in absolutely top form appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Now almost two decades into its foray into watchmaking, Louis Vuitton has progressively introduced more complicated timepieces, an evolution that accelerated after its takeover of Geneva complications specialist La Fabrique du Temps (LFDT). Now Louis Vuitton’s signature complication, the Spin Time that tells the time with jumping cubes was LFDT’s earliest contributions to the trunk maker’s offerings. The latest variant of the complication is the Spin Time Air Japan Limited Edition. Drawing inspiration from the Japanese culture, the edition is made up of both a men’s and women’s model, each decorated with a motif that is distinctly Japanese. Initial thoughts With both versions having the same 42.5 mm Tambour case – tambour is French for drum and the very first case design of the brand – they are largish watches with great wrist presence, but they sit high on the wrist due to the case thickness (which is a consequence of the complication). But thanks to the relatively short lugs the case wears quite well. The case, however, is well proportioned – the large size suits the unique time display, with sufficient empty space to showcase the floating Spin Time complication. Reminiscent of the work of independent watchmakers like Urwerk and Ludovic Ballouard, the Spin Time display is inventive and different, but also easy to read, illustrating Louis Vuitton’s investment in making watches. But it is expensive, starting at US$80,000 for the men’s version. Japanese...
WatchAdvice
Innovation is a word that is symbolic of the famous Swiss watch brand Ulysse Nardin. The brand has created some fantastic movements as well as designs that defy belief. A true testament to this is Ulysse Nardin’s Skeleton X model. Released back in 2019, the Skeleton X model belongs to Ulysse Nardin’s Executive collection. A collection which has been disrupting the watchmaking industry, with timepieces inspired by the sea. The Ulysse Nardin Skeleton X comes in Titanium, Titanium Black, Rose Gold, and Carbonium case design, with all of them having the same skeleton dial design and movement. It does also come in two sizes; a 42mm and 43mm case size. Ulysse Nardin Skeleton X – 42mm Case We have our hands on the 42mm Skeleton X in titanium black DLC. Ulysse Nardin has drawn inspiration from the letter X for the design of the skeleton dial. As the brand put it themselves “more than a means, exploring has become Ulysse Nardin’s motivation. The X-factor is the answer: X like an adventure, X like our deepest desires, X for the unknown, X for what’s forbidden, bold and exciting.” The hour indices at 1 o’clock, 5 o’clock, 7 o’clock and 11 o’clock are partially connected to form the “X” shape. The hour indices at 1 o’clock, 5 o’clock, 7 o’clock and 11 o’clock are partially connected to form the “X” shape The open-worked dial on the Ulysse Nardin Skeleton X takes skeletonisation to new heights. Only the bare necessities are left on the moveme...
SJX Watches
One of the world’s most venerable retailers of vintage timepieces and independent watchmaking, Shellman in Ginza (pictured above) has long been a destination for horologically-inclined visitors to Tokyo. Shellman was founded in 1971 by Yoshi Isogai – the company name is a play on his last name, which loosely translates as “beach shellfish” – and is probably best known as the Japanese agent for Philippe Dufour and selling over half of the 200 first-run Simplicity watches. Two years ago Shellman was acquired by Komehyo, a publicly-listed merchant that has taken the business of selling pre-owned luxury goods to a whole new level with spacious, sharply-appointed stores offering items in stellar condition. Shellman is now the specialist-watch retail division of Komehyo, with six stores in Tokyo – including outposts in the city’s most prestigious department stores – and a diverse stable of independent watch brands, including Atelier de Chronometrie, Habring2, and Kudoke. It’s run by Yasuhiro Kojima, a 15-year veteran of Komehyo’s watch department who joined Shellman shortly after the acquisition. We caught up with Mr Kojima recently to discuss the state of the business, especially in light of the pandemic. Yasuhiro Kojima. Photo – Shellman The interview has been edited for clarity and length. What does your reopening look like? We take basic measures such as hand sanitisation before entering the store, measuring body temperature when entering the store, i...
SJX Watches
Swiss watchmaking conglomerate Swatch Group just announced its half-year 2020 results and unsurprisingly, it took a huge hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the group, which owns brands like Omega and Longines, had a good start in January with an operating margin of 17.3% – with the watch and jewellery brands performing a bit better than movement- and component-production division – the lockdown progressively imposed across the world since February severely impacted sales, leading to a steep declines in revenue and half-year operating loss, a first for the group. Group sales for the first half plunged 43.4% at constant exchange rates from a year earlier, resulting in an operating loss of CHF327m, compared to a profit of CHF547m for the same period in 2019. Most of the drop in sales was attributed to the lockdowns in most countries, resulting in widespread store closures. The Swatch Group saw up to 80% of both its own boutiques and third-party retailers close, meaning it had to rely on partially “partially feasible” e-commerce. And even after lockdowns were lifted, the group permanently vacated some of its retail space, as evidenced by disputes with its former landlord in Hong Kong, which has sued the Swatch Group for several million in allegedly unpaid rent. Due to its swiftly-streamlining retail network, the group’s employee count was trimmed by 6.5% since December 2019 to approximately 33,700 employees. This was also confirmed by anecdotal evidence fro...
SJX Watches
Born in Holland but now based in Geneva, Kees Engelbarts is one of the most prominent and established engravers in Swiss watchmaking. He moved to Geneva in 1994, and began a career as an independent engraving not long after. Amongst the brands he has worked for are major names like Jaeger-LeCoultre and Hublot, but also independent watchmakers like Philippe Dufour and Svend Andersen. Mr Engelbarts also makes watches under his own name, focusing on elaborately engraved or open-worked movements. His latest creation is the Argentium Tourbillon, an incredibly airy yet organic tourbillon that’s been skeletonised entirely by hand. Initial thoughts Mr Engelbarts is one of the oldest names in movement skeletonisation, so whether or not you like the aesthetic, the work is always excellent. His engraved creations are mostly figurative, often depicting a mythological creature, while his skeletonisation is usually organic and extremely striking. Though the look of the Argentium Tourbillon is too alien for me, the work is impressive. The bridges are refined and organic, and looking almost soft, but they are metal. Going from a full bridge made of German silver to an extraterrestrial life form is tedious work made up of cutting and filing. The craft is both delicate and physical, and similar to the craft of a high-end jeweller. A reductive process The Argentium Tourbillon starts with a CH016 movement made by Le Cercle des Horlogers, a movement specialist in Neuchatel that specialise...
Hodinkee
A high complication from the best-kept secret in Swiss watchmaking.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Watchmaking is founded on incremental progress. The slow accumulation of applied knowledge that produces a better and better product with each passing year. That is exactly what TAG Heuer have achieved with their latest generation Connected Watch, offering the most optimised blend of Swiss luxury and Silicon Valley tech that we have seen … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The TAG Heuer Connected Watch Generation 3, the first smart watch that feels – and looks – like a real watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Akrivia, and by extension its founder Rexhep Rexhepi, became a star in independent watchmaking with the launch of the Chronometre Contemporain in 2018, a unique version of which went on to sell for 360,000 Swiss francs at charity auction Only Watch. While its success was recent, the brand was actually founded in 2012, having made its debut with the AK series, characterised by a wholly-different aesthetic, one that Rexhep himself describes as a startup’s attempt to make an impression. The bridge between the twin collections of Akrivia – the contemporary AK series and the classical Chronometre Contemporain – is the AK-06. It’s powered by a variant of the movement found in the Chronometre Contemporain, but enhanced by doing away with the dial to reveal the under-dial mechanics, but installed inside an AK-style case, albeit one that’s been redesigned and streamlined. The AK-06 in titanium (left) and steel Beyond being a blend of both Akrivia styles – the best of both worlds if you like the case design – the AK-06 is perhaps historically significant, being the last of the first-generation Akrivia models, since Rexhep has indicated the AK series will eventually feature a wholly new case design. But whatever you think of the case, the movement of the AK-06 is absolutely marvellous. In fact, it is arguably more compelling than the similar calibre in the Chronometre Contemporain, because with the AK-06 all of its engaging mechanics are revealed on the front. AK case...
Time+Tide
Seiko is a brand that is well accustomed to competing with itself. Both to raise the bar for the brand’s watches, and for the betterment of the global watch industry. From the revolution of bringing quartz-powered movements to the masses, to embarrassing the Swiss at their own Chronometer Trials, the intrepid Japanese pioneers can seem … ContinuedThe post Grand Seiko ups the ante – on itself – with the SLGH002, where classic meets cutting edge appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Bulgari, Breitling and other high-end brands will show their watches in the Swiss capital of watchmaking April 26-29.
SJX Watches
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...
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Ever wanted to know why Grand Seiko is so revered in the horological hemisphere? Well, this video perfectly sums up why the doyen of Japanese watchmaking is considered the crème de la crème on so many levels. So, if you’ve got the time, sit back and enjoy an explanation as to why Grand … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED WATCHING: A beginner’s guide to Grand Seiko appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
François-Henry Bennahmias is one of the most successful chief executives in Swiss watchmaking: since taking the top job at Audemars Piguet in 2012, revenues at the watchmaker have more than doubled, to well over a billion Swiss francs. He took some flak earlier this year with the high profile launch of an entirely new line, the Code 11.59, which was widely panned at the time. But Mr Bennahmias appears to have been partially vindicated after the unique Code 11.59 skeleton tourbillon (which I was surprisingly drawn to) sold for a million francs – more than four times its presale high estimate. But Mr Bennahmias does not seem to be the sort to look back reflectively, he is forging ahead full speed with rolling out new iterations of the Code 11.59, while also working on “huge” and “very cool” collaboration that will be announced in mid 2020. During a recent visit to Singapore a month ago, Mr Bennahmias discussed the Code 11.59, while dropping a few hints about an upcoming vintage remake, as well as the upcoming partnership. The interview was edited for clarity and length. I really like what you have done recently with the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Skeleton in black ceramic. At the same time, I hear that there are some updates and extensions planned for the Code 11.59 in 2020. Can you talk anything about that? No. [With a smile] Can you say anything about the Code 11.59 for Only Watch, which is a two-tone skeleton of sorts? I saw the watch in Geneva; two-tone doe...
Time+Tide
Much as it pains me to admit it, these days, haute horology is usually reserved for the rarified and uber-expensive micro-brands of the Swiss watchmaking world. It’s not that the heavyweights of the industry have completely given up on the idea of innovation – far from it – but it does seem as though there’s … ContinuedThe post 3 reasons why the TAG Heuer Monaco V4 Platinum is still amazing appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
One of the best things about TAG Heuer is the Swiss marque’s remarkable history with motorsport - few other watchmakers, if any, have such a rich back catalogue of timekeeping devices purpose-built for the ultimate expression of man vs machine. And while many will immediately associate the angular Monaco as the most iconic wristwatch associated with … ContinuedThe post We take a look at 5 seriously cool vintage TAG Heuer Autavias appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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