42,147 articles · 277 videos found · page 653 of 1415
Quill & Pad
One of the most incredible timepieces François-Paul Journe has ever created is the Sonnerie Souveraine. This chiming masterpiece took six years to develop and warranted ten patents. Joshua Munchow revisits the reasons why this masterpiece and its maker are legends in their own time, while Ian Skellern provides original photography and video of the stainless steel-encased grande sonnerie.
Time+Tide
Within seven years of its debut in 2017, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo is already a modern-day classic, its slender and aggressively architectural shape transforming the finesse of the O.G Octo from 2012. Every Octo Finissimo with its paper-thin movement is a feat of engineering, akin to the art of building a scale model galleon in … ContinuedThe post #Kixntix: The casual luxury of the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Titanium GMT Chronograph with Louis Vuitton high tops appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
The watch is classically Cartier, and has a novel case shape which its Prive line is known for. It is priced at S$39,400 in gold and S$44,600 in platinum and is limited to 100 pieces per model. The small production number and the novel case shape is the biggest sell point of the watch, but in comparison, a gold Tank Louis Cartier with the same movement is approximately 40% less expensive.
Quill & Pad
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds with green dial capitalizes on the 2021 green trend and is one of the special watches celebrating the 90-year anniversary of the Reverso. It’s a stunning timepiece with a vintage-inspired dial featuring a lacquered green sunray pattern, faceted hour markers, dauphine-style hands, and a large subsidiary seconds counter at 6 o’clock. Here Bhanu Chopra runs through the reasons for considering a purchase.
Deployant
We managed to get our hands on with a sample of the Petermann Bedat 1967 Chapter 1 Jumping Seconds watch in pink gold recently. Here is the Watchscapes.
SJX Watches
Zodiac has in recent years revived most of its best-known sports watches, namely the Sea Wolf divers produced from the 1950s to the 1970s. Appealing because they are reassuringly retro and eminently affordable, the Sea Wolf remakes are mostly offered in the same colours as the vintage originals were. But now Zodiac has just debuted the Super Sea Wolf Aquamarine Dream, a special edition conceived in collaboration with Ariel Adams, the founder of American watch magazine aBlogtoWatch. Inspired by the marine colours of Nassau during a 2019 trip to the Bahamas, Ariel’s creation is rendered in several shades of green-blue, right down to the hue of Super-Luminova and the “tropic” style rubber strap. Initial thoughts Ariel founded aBlogtoWatch (ABTW) in 2007, making him a watch-blog pioneer. I’ve known Ariel for about a decade or so and respect him for his frank, accessible approaching to covering watches. Granted, I don’t always agree with his opinion, but certainly appreciate the unpretentious style of ABTW, especially Ariel’s editorials and podcasts. Priced at just under US$1,500, the Aquamarine Dream combines cheerful and vintage-inspired looks along with an accessible price tag – an honest product I would expect from Ariel. It reminds me of another recent remake that I like, the Longines BigEye in titanium, which also preserves the design of the vintage original but adds a healthy dose of modern colour and texture. Notably, it is not a limited edition, and al...
SJX Watches
Having rounded up some of the interesting and probably overlooked at Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong watch auction, we now take a look at some of the independent watchmaking highlights in the sale. The auction includes big ticket headline lots like a F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain, and of course the F.P. Journe tourbillon disguised as Harry Winston. But it also encompasses the less obvious, including a Alain Silberstein Tourbillon Marine, Singer Reimagined Track 1, a Bulgari-era Gerald Genta perpetual calendar in gold and tantalum, and an early-generation H. Moser & Cie. Perpetual 1 that’s excellent value. The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XII takes place in the evening of June 5 (lots 801-852), and on June 6 (lots 853-1112). The full catalogue and registration for bidding are available online. Lot 809 – Alain Silberstein Tourbillon Marine Black Sea Cheerful and eminently affordable, the Tourbillon Marine is typical Alain Silberstein. Mr Silberstein’s once explained his approach was to create unique, personalised wristwatches that arouse the emotion. By that measure, the Tourbillon Marine succeeds – it sets itself apart from every diving watch. In his 1990s heyday, Alain Silberstein was rebellious and avant-garde, standing in stark contrast to the strictly conservative style that dominated high horology at the time. This watch is from the early 2000s, but still very much a quintessential Alain Silberstein creation. The dial is quirky and playful – the deep sea ren...
SJX Watches
Tudor just debuted the Black Bay Ceramic, an appealing watch that is compelling value. I like it, but it is a well-executed dive watch in black ceramic – not majorly significant in the grander scheme of things. But actually it is significant – shrewd and strategic in its concept, and a neat illustration of Tudor’s clever and patent strategy. Why? The answer lies in the industry landscape. Tudor’s parent is Rolex, the biggest luxury-watch brand in the world. According to Morgan Stanley estimates published in March 2021, Rolex sold almost CHF8 billion of watches at retail value in 2020. The equivalent number at Omega was a little under CHF3 billion, making it the second-largest luxury-watch brand. In the same report, Morgan Stanley pegged the retail-value sales for Tudor at CHF633 million, the result of having enjoyed double-digit growth for several years. Though it’s a modest number relative to Rolex and Omega, it is substantial. The figure puts Tudor a hair below Jaeger-LeCoultre’s CHF681 million, and bigger than Panerai’s CHF520 million. Tudor’s solid growth is attributable to many factors, most of which are encapsulated in the Black Bay Ceramic. Most obvious are the historically-inspired and thoughtful design, and of course the strong value proposition it represents. But more than that it is a masterstroke. Specifically, the METAS certification that makes the Black Bay Ceramic a Master Chronometer is a brilliant move. To be clear, Tudor officially has no...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
As a "veteran of dive watch reviews for over three years," the Kansas-City native and part-time blogger is no slouch when it comes to immortalizing his opinions for his thirty-six subscribers.
Deployant
The Patek Philippe Aquanaut 2021 lineup gets a fresh set of novelties. A new men's chronograph in white gold, and 5 new ladies Luce watches are released.
Revolution
Patek Philippe introduces its first complicated quartz watch, the Aquanaut Luce Travel Time, and new extensions for the time-only Aquanaut Luce & Chronograph
SJX Watches
First introduced in 2018 in the lively colours of grey and orange, the Aquanaut Chronograph ref. 5968A was a surprising execution from a brand typically conservative in style. Patek Philippe now expands the model line with the Aquanaut Chronograph Ref. 5968G in white gold, available in either midnight blue (ref. 5968G-001) or khaki green (ref. 5968G-010). Initial thoughts The new Aquanaut Chronograph iterates an existing model by drawing on elements from other Aquanauts. The midnight blue and khaki green dials are familiar because they are found on the time-only Aquanaut Ref. 5168G that’s also in white gold. Dial and case metal aside, the new chronographs are identical to the ref. 5968A of three years ago. Although the colourways aren’t novel, they are good looking, conveying a contemporary aesthetic that complements the sporty nature of the Aquanaut Chronograph. The bright colours, juxtaposed against the case of white gold – traditionally a metal for formal occasions – exemplifies the modern concept of a sports watch where it’s more luxury than sport. Between the two, my pick would be the midnight blue: its gradient finish is striking, and better reflects the elegance and historical style that are quintessentially Patek Philippe. My pick out of the two The retail price of the new chronograph is a hefty US$69,190, which is about 50% more than the steel version. Though steep, the increment is conventional for a precious metal case relative to steel. But given th...
SJX Watches
Twenty-twenty marked 55 years since Seiko’s first foray into dive watches, which was the ref. 6217 “62MAS” of 1965. Naturally, it introduced myriad vintage remakes to mark the occasion – not only of the “62MAS” but also other dive watches of the era like the ref. 6105 “Turtle”. A year on, Seiko continues with a pair of remakes: the 1965 Diver’s Modern Re-Interpretations “62MAS” (ref. SPB239) and the 1970 Diver’s Modern Re-Interpretation “Turtle” (ref. SPB237), both powered by the mid-range 6R35 movement, making them affordable. The “6105” remake with a textured grey dial Initial thoughts There have been numerous remakes of Seiko dive watches, including several limited editions – but all are practical, affordable watches, so more isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The result is a variety of iterated case and dial combinations with something for almost everyone. The new models are as good looking as their immediate predecessors, since they are essentially alike save for minor tweaks, namely the woven-fabric strap and dial colour. The “62MAS” remake with a brown “sunburst” dial Each model is delivered with a pair of NATO-style fabric straps that add a bit of vintage charm to the look, especially compared to the rubber straps usually found on dive watches. Although the fabric straps are merely, well, fabric straps, they are special. The straps are braided with the technique known as seichu, traditionally used to weave obijime, the co...
Quill & Pad
In 2019 Bovet made a wonderful catch when the Swiss brand announced that it had signed then world number five tennis player Daniil Medvedev. Since then Medvedev has risen to number two in the rankings and is happily wearing a Bovet Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two. Elizabeth Doerr shares his story here.
Deployant
We caught up with Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne to discuss his last decade in office as the chief, and what his future plans are for the maison.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Venus 170 was mass-produced out of the need for supplying a chronograph capable of being dressed-up or dressed down and across all markets.
Revolution
URWERK announces the end of series edition of their UR-105 CT, with the UR-105 TTH “Tantalum Hull”
SJX Watches
Launched in 2014 as a successor to the foundational UR-103, the UR-105 was a more elaborate version of Urwerk’s satellite-disc, wandering-hours watch. After a seven-year run – it’s been replaced by the entry-level UR-100 – the UR-105 series will now be retired. Urwerk is giving the model a grand send-off with the UR-105 TTH, which has the front plate and lid of its case made of tantalum, the bluish-grey metal that Urwerk has only used in one other instance with the UR-110 TTH. Based the UR-105 CT Streamliner with its characteristic hinged lid, the UR-105 TTH is all about its case material. A dense metal with a distinctive colour that’s used for surgical implants, turbine blades, and even artillery shells, tantalum is difficult to machine and finish due to its hardness. Consequently, while tantalum has been used for watch cases since the 1990s, but it is uncommon. Urwerk is one of a handful of brands, alongside Omega and F.P. Journe, to use the metal for a watch case. Initial thoughts All good things must come to an end, and Urwerk is closing the chapter with aplomb. With the distinctive hue of tantalum, the case fits the sci-fi industrial spirit of the brand well. Striking and futuristic, the UR-105 is sleek in tantalum. The metal will make it substantially heavier than the standard steel version of the UR-105, which would make it less easily wearable. Priced at CHF77,000, or about US$86,000, the UR-105 TTH is 20% more expensive the base-model UR-105 CT i...
SJX Watches
Tudor hit it out of the park at Watches & Wonders 2021 with the surprising pair of precious-metal Fifty Eights (in 18k gold as well as sterling silver), but it’s clear the brand is not done with the year yet. Tudor has just taken the covers off the Black Bay Ceramic. The new 41 mm diver is the brand’s first regular-production dive watch with a ceramic case, but more significant is the fact that this is Tudor’s first watch to obtain METAS certification, making it a Master Chronometer. Initial thoughts The Black Bay Ceramic is a surprise. Tudor hinted at a new launch recently, but given it just announced a partnership with French Navy, or Marine Nationale, I was expecting an “MN” dive watch with blue dial. That said, it was inevitable a ceramic dive watch was in the pipeline after. For one, the brand already had a ceramic case chronograph in the catalogue with the usually overlooked the Fastrider Black Shield. And more importantly, the unique Black Bay Ceramic One – essentially the forerunner of the Black Bay Ceramic – sold for CHF350,000 at charity auction Only Watch 2019. The Black Bay Ceramic One from 2019 The Black Bay Ceramic While inevitable, the Black Bay Ceramic is still very much welcome. Its aesthetic is a good one, managing to feel contemporary despite the all-black aesthetic having had its heyday about decade ago. I would have hoped for a 39 mm Fifty-Eight case, instead of the 41 mm that it is, but its dark colours will make the case appear sma...
Revolution
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the iconic American 1921, Vacheron Constantin faithfully recreates the watch as if in 1921
SJX Watches
As one of Vacheron Constantin’s most distinctive timepieces marks its 100th anniversary, the watchmaker rolled out a handful of jubilee models during Watches & Wonders 2021 for the occasion, most notably the extremely good looking American 1921 Collection Excellence Platine. But Vacheron Constantin had something else up its sleeve for the 1921’s century – something really special – a near-exact recreation of the vintage original from 1921. Christened the American 1921 Pièce Unique, the watch is a one-off created as a joint project by the brand’s Restoration Workshop and Heritage Department, overseen by Style & Heritage Director Christian Selmoni, whose long tenure at Vacheron Constantin means he is practically the brand’s institutional memory. The watch is more than just a visual replica – an identical case and movement is a given – but even the most minor of details have been reproduced faithfully, right down to the gold alloy of the case and period-correct vintage parts from its archives. Initial thoughts While the modern-day American 1921 is a fan-favourite, it necessarily omits some of the finer details of the vintage original, in order to cater to current tastes as well as production methods. As such, even the most-delicious Collection Excellence Platine edition can be critiqued, for the mismatch in hand colours or the seemingly misaligned seconds register. In contrast, the recreation is satisfyingly spot on, which give it an attractive, bona fi...
Deployant
We take a look at the new Rado True Square Tej Chauhan collaboration in bold, vibrant and brilliant yellow after a week on our wrist.
Revolution
The Tudor Black Bay Ceramic Master Chronometer is the brand’s first dive watch with a 41mm ceramic case with sandblasted finish, ceramic bezel insert, black dial and a display caseback. It comes with a manufacture calibre and a Master Chronometer certification from METAS.
Quill & Pad
Enzo Ferrari liked watches. And as Ferrari became more successful, merchandising became a thing. To protect both the name and reputation of his brand, Enzo struck a deal with Cartier that led to the Ferrari Formula collection by Cartier. Here Martin Green goes quite in-depth with the subject, even raising a holy ghost.
Time+Tide
It started, like so many admirable ideas, in a pub garden over a few pints on a sunny day. Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, the Managing Director of the British watch brand Fears, found himself chatting about the effects of COVID on unemployment and how there were suddenly a growing number of people looking for work. “I started … ContinuedThe post Got a big job interview? Meet the brand loaning people free watches to help them to seal the deal appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Keaton Time Co. is another new brand from Singapore, that’s fast becoming a veritable hotbed of horological innovation with the likes of Zelos and BOLDR already making waves. Keaton’s debut watch Keris is unlike anything I’ve seen in a long time. You can forget about slim vintage, forget about creamy lume, hell, forget about the … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Keris from Keaton Time Co. is a futuristic diver with a hypnotic dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Since January of 2016, secondary market prices of stainless steel Patek Philippe Nautilus models have surged in a fashion rarely seen. This phenomenon – and it is that – is exceptional for reasons including the relative age of the models involved, the magnitude of the surge, and the speed with which it struck. Here Tim Mosso takes a closer look at the current secondary market insanity of the Nautilus.
Deployant
Possibly the most iconic design created by Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Reverso was first created in 1931. It was birthed from a practical need by British officers, to have a wristwatch that could survive the harrowing effects of a game of polo. The latest iteration in 2021, the 90th anniversary of the Reverso, comes in a green dial, set to the simple sub-seconds time only wrist watch.
Quill & Pad
Ken's search for the greatest rum in the world started nearly two decades ago, although he didn’t know it at the time. He was on one of his early visits to Cuba with a few friends to chase the "silver ghost," a bonefish, when Fidel Castro's personal cigar roller told him the story of the Isla del Tesoro ("Treasure Island") rum.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
I know I’m not the only one who looked at a skeleton watch in the early days because I thought they were cool. But honestly what actually attracted me to skeletonized dials back in the day? Are they actually cool or are they maybe misunderstood?
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