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Quill & Pad
GaryG finds the process involved in selecting a suitable gift for MrsGaryG fairly torturous. Nonetheless, he continues to do it. This time Gary focuses on two watches that he has happily added to MrsG’s collection as gifts: a pair of Élégantes from F.P. Journe. Find out why (times two!) right here.
SJX Watches
Citizen is one of the world’s biggest watchmakers, with its timepiece division generating about US$1 billion in sales each year – an output of several hundred million watches and movements annually. That vast manufacturing expertise means Citizen knows how to produce a fine mechanical movement. Now Citizen has finally accomplished it, and installed the movement inside a brilliant new watch. Launched earlier this month, The Citizen Caliber 0200 is equipped with the brand’s first mechanical movement developed from scratch as a high-end calibre (“The Citizen” is the name of the collection, while Caliber 0200 refers to movement as well as this specific model). Although the brand did launch a version of The Citizen with an automatic movement in 2010, the new Caliber 0200 is radically different, and tremendously superior. While the highlight is the new Caliber 0200, the entire watch is executed extremely well. The case and bracelet are outstanding, fabricated and finished so well there is nothing else that comes close in the same price segment. The quality of the watch was apparent in the press photos, which made me want to see it in the metal. I got my hands on a prototype for a couple of days earlier this month, an experience that left me substantially impressed. [Editor’s note: The watch pictured is a prototype, so it does contain a handful of hard-to-spot imperfections.] Initial thoughts On paper, the Caliber 0200 might seem uninteresting, being yet another sp...
Time+Tide
Our European Editor, Mike Christensen, tested out the new Tissot PRX, a throwback to a classic design from 1978. After a week on the wrist, here is what he made of one of the most accessibly priced integrated bracelet watches around. What was your first impression? Hear me out here, but… surely I’m not the … ContinuedThe post A WEEK ON THE WRIST: The Tissot PRX is a bargain-priced utility player on an integrated bracelet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
We all know the “Holy Trinity” manufacturers can be called out at times for being on the slower side when it comes to product evolution. To be honest, that’s for a good reason, too. The pursuit towards perfection has to be careful and calculated, and each of the brands have to ensure their watches live … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Audemars Piguet 2021 Royal Oak Chronographs powered by in-house AP caliber 4401 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Now, please don’t take this title the wrong way: this list is not definitive. Which is why it is not entitled “The 5 Most Innovative Wristwatches Ever Made." This list could have encompassed 15 or even 20 innovative wristwatches! And there are surely differing opinions. However, for Elizabeth Doerr these five timepieces encompass comprehensive parts of what is great about the modern world of wristwatches.
Time+Tide
If variety is the spice of life, then whoever who signs off on the G-Shock limited-editions must have some extremely tingly tastebuds. The staggering range of influences that inform these pieces is like something out of a Dr Seuss fever dream, happily jumping from Borneo rainbow toads to NASA space travel. The sheer number of … ContinuedThe post Seven of the best G-Shock limited editions from the last 12 months appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
As we’ve previously reported, eBay are raising their game in the watch marketplace. One huge stride in the right direction came with their new eBay Authenticity Guarantee – a service where watches costing $2000 and above are eligible to be substantiated by an independent verification service before being shipped to the end consumer (currently only … ContinuedThe post eBay joins the Instagram world with new @eBaywatches account appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Conceived as a home-like atmosphere – and located in more discreet locations than traditional boutiques – AP Houses are key to Audemars Piguet’s retail strategy. And now the handful of AP Houses around the world have their own exclusive edition, the Royal Oak “Jumbo” in platinum with a smoked green dial. Initial thoughts The Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 15202 is an iconic design, and one of the genuine instances where the label is applied correctly. It’s also thin and elegant, while having a substantial presence. And the cal. 2121 inside is an old but impressively sophisticated calibre. But the Jumbo is also one of the hottest watches today, and its desirability has long become disconnected with its intrinsic qualities. Being platinum, the latest version is extremely expensive, but also extremely attractive. The weight and lustre of the metal – especially combined with the fine case finishing of the Royal Oak – gives it tremendous tangible appeal. And the green dial, while not novel (it isn’t a modern-day invention but H. Moser is today’s best practitioner of the smoked finish), looks good. The new Jumbo is, in short, a beautiful watch that’s going to be rather hard to obtain. House exclusive There are seven AP Houses around the world, including in New York, London, Hong Kong, and Bangkok, which will be the only venues to obtain the new Jumbo. Production will be limited to 100 watches in the first year, which means each AP House should get about two a...
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet just announced many of the year’s new launches during Inside AP, a virtual presentation anchored by chief executive François-Henry Bennahmias and head of complications Michael Friedman, which also included something more intriguing – a partnership with Marvel and its band of superheroes. Hinted at when I interviewed Mr Bennahmias in 2019 – the announcement originally slated for a June 2020 – the tie up was decades in the making. According to Mr Bennahmias, he had envisioned a tie up with Marvel, the film studio and comic-book publisher that owns characters like Spider-Man, Iron Man, as well as the Avengers and X-Men, some 15 years ago. He only managed to set it in motion in 2017, thanks to American actor Don Cheadle, best known for playing War Machine in the Iron Man and Avengers film series. Friends with Mr Bennahmias for a decade, Mr Cheadle set up a meeting with Marvel executives that year, and also took part in today’s Inside AP presentation. Francois-Henry Bennahmias (left) and Don Cheadle Coming soon to a watch near you. Image – Marvel Studios Mr Bennahmias noted the Marvel partnership was inspired in part by the Fantasy watches of Gerald Genta that featured Disney characters like Mickey Mouse. Coincidentally, Marvel is now owned by The Walt Disney Company, making it a realisation of his ambition in more ways than one. More details about this tie up will be revealed in April during an event in Los Angeles. Stay tuned.
Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet is coming in hot for 2021, and AP is not pulling any punches. It is clear the plan is to usher in a new era of timepieces, and in particular the Audemars Piguet 2021 Royal Oak Offshore collection is home to two brand new innovations: an all new in-house caliber and the first-ever … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Audemars Piguet 2021 Royal Oak Offshore 42mm Collection with a new movement and interchangeable strap system appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Cohiba has that mythical aura about it, but is that always a good thing? For many, Cohiba Robustos are the ultimate robusto and among the very best from the Cohiba stable. As with every cigar, this is not necessarily a unanimous opinion, but they have been described as the benchmark against which all other cigars must be judged. Ken Gargett enlists some unexpected help in Cuba to track down a box of the best and shares the story and how they taste here.
Quill & Pad
If you’re like GaryG, you’ve been spending some time during the current pandemic-driven lockdown monitoring online watch publications, including Quill & Pad, and you’ve likely seen at least a few comments in response to posts that go something like this, “How in the world can you possibly be focused on something like watches at such a terrible time?” Well, Gary is here to tell you.
Time+Tide
You’ll have heard this about vintage watches before: tread carefully when you have these pieces serviced and who you allow to work on them. With Rolex, in particular, you’ll be aware of the dangers of having the factory service their vintage watches and the horror stories of these coveted watches losing the elements that make … ContinuedThe post Why servicing a vintage Rolex will only get harder and more expensive appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
A legendary watch long known to the market – and widely expected to reemerge – is finally coming to market. The one-off Patek Philippe ref. 3448 without a moon phase will be offered by Christie’s during its upcoming Hong Kong watch auction on May 22, 2021. This unique ref. 3448 was custom made for Alan Banbery, and is distinguished by the red leap-year indicator that replaces the conventional moon phase display. Though there are a few other known examples of the ref. 3448 without a moon phase – nicknamed “Senza Luna”, Italian for “without moon” – the Banbery watch is the only one with robust provenance, detailed documentation, and crucially, the under-dial mechanism for the leap-year display. An Englishman who was the longtime head of sales at Patek Philippe until his retirement in 2001. Still living near Geneva, Mr Banbery is probably best known as having helped Philippe Stern assemble the magnificent collection of clocks and watches that make up the Patek Philippe Museum, while also being one of the coauthors of the Patek Philippe, Geneve reference books alongside the late Munich watch retailer Martin Huber. During a 2017 meeting with Mr Banbery at the La Reserve hotel in Geneva, he recounted the origins of his ref. 3448. According to Mr Banbery, he had the idea of a ref. 3448 without a moon phase and took it to Patek Philippe watchmaker Max Berney, who then modified a standard ref. 3448, replacing the moon phase with a leap year display. He was gifted...
SJX Watches
Blancpain’s iconic dive watch introduced in 1953, the Fifty Fathoms was named after the maximum depth then considered to be safe for divers, about 91 m. The Fifty Fathoms also claims the title of being the first purpose-built dive watch, though Rolex contends that its Submariner came first. Produced in a great many iterations, the Fifty Fathoms has become highly collectible in good number of variations, including those bearing the “No Radiations” logo – used in the early 1960s to indicate that radioactive radium was no longer used for the luminescence of the dial. That watch has now been revived by Blancpain as the Tribute to Fifty Fathoms No Rad, a limited edition that channels the spirit of the 1960s original, but executed in modern-day Blancpain quality. An example of the vintage Fifty Fathoms “No Radiations” Initial thoughts A staple of Blancpain’s line up, the Fifty Fathoms has been revived in various guises over the last few years, with the latest “No Rad” being the latest of several vintage remakes. The abundance of Fifty Fathoms limited editions – all similar but slightly different – have diminished its uniqueness somewhat, but the “No Rad” is nonetheless compelling. For one, the design has some provenance: the vintage “No Radiations” is a rare watch that’s exploded in value on the secondary market. And the “No Radiations” dial is quaint and quirky, but also historically significant in the transition from radium to tritium, c...
SJX Watches
The subscription model – where customers pay for access, but not necessarily ownership – is familiar, and increasingly prevalent. Spotify and Netflix are amongst the best known examples, but subscriptions are now found in fashion – a new wardrobe weekly – and even automobiles, with Porsche Drive that offers a new car every month. And now also in watches: Breitling becomes the first major watch brand to offer a subscription with BreitlingSelect. More accurately, BreitlingSelect is a combination of a subscription and instalment payment plan. It starts with the wearer rotating amongst a handful of trial watches over a year, while paying a monthly fee. But at the end of the year, the total fee paid can be put towards buying one of the watches worn during the trial. Initial thoughts Watch subscription isn’t novel. New York-based ElevenJames launched with much fanfare in 2013, before shutting down quietly five years later. There have been plenty more similar services offered in several of the world’s major watch markets, but few have been sustainable. Consumers quickly realise it makes more sense to save for a watch, rather than paying subscription fees, which are by nature hefty since the timepieces being subscribed to are luxury watches. Breitling clearly believes that its subscription service can buck that trend. The crucial difference between BreitlingSelect and everything that has come before is the brand – BreitlingSelect is being offered by the watch manufa...
SJX Watches
A longtime fan favourite, the modern-day Alpinist is synonymous with a forest-green dial and inner rotating bezel. But the origins of the model date to 1959, when Seiko introduced the first Alpinist as part of the Laurel brand. Today’s Alpinist has evolved a long way from the original, but now Seiko has returned the watch to its roots with a “re-creation” of the 1959 design. The 1959 Alpinist Re-creation is a somewhat faithful remake of the first Alpinist that was conceived as no-frills watch for mountaineers. At the same time, Seiko is also unveiling the simpler and more affordable The 1959 Alpinist Modern Re-interpretation. The vintage original of 1959 Initial thoughts Because it’s very much a mid-20th century design, the Alpinist reissues have a good blend of sportiness and elegance. The round cases are compact, giving them a slightly a dressy feel, but the dials are simple and legible, along with a more-than-capable watch case with substantial water resistance. The best thing about the watch is its design, which is minimalist but not plain. The markers are oversized and slightly decorative, and matched with a minute track that evokes a sector dial. Just 36.6 mm wide, the Re-creation is particularly good looking with its symmetrical layout and deep, glossy black finish. It also avoids the faux-vintage colour palette, resulting in a look that is retro but refreshingly modern. That said, its date window is squeezed between four and five o’clock, which is a l...
Time+Tide
A few weeks back, I wrote about my own Casio G-Shock GA2100-1A (AKA the CasiOak) that I had modified and received a lot of positive feedback about. Many people expressed interest in how different the watch looked after the modification. While I did note that the bracelet wasn’t particularly comfortable on the wrist, I agreed … ContinuedThe post 11 photos that show the boundless creativity in the best CasiOak mods appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Thanks to the vintage looks of its steel case, the DOXA SUB 300 is a cult diver’s watch. But ever since the SUB 300 Aqualung US Divers in carbon fibre came out, its dark presence has haunted the dreams of DOXA fans (in a good way). Sleek and moody, the DOXA SUB 300 Carbon turns up … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Bright candy dials meet carbon fibre in the new DOXA SUB 300 Carbon range appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Prospex is the largest growing Seiko line-up with buyers flocking to add pieces from the collection to their wrist. Highly robust and value-driven, these watches can be more affordable than their competitors with little to no sacrifice in the quality of fabrication. While many will refer to this watch as a new entry into the … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Seiko Prospex SLA051J1 and SLA049J1 Limited Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Reverso Classic Medium Duoface Small Seconds In a world dominated by round wristwatches, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso stands out as among the most recognisable non-round timepieces in the market. Deemed by many connoisseurs as a must-have watch in any collection, the success of this reversible, rectangular watch is not just down to its timeless design, butRead More
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It’s no secret we are rather enamoured with the Bulgari Octo Finissimo and calling it a micro-technological marvel of the new century would not be overselling it. Following our article on Bulgari’s latest chapter of one-upmanship – where they managed to somehow engineer a tourbillon to fit the already infinitessimally optimised space inside the angular … ContinuedThe post RECOMMEND READING: The insane craftsmanship in the Bulgari Octo Finissimo revealed by The Naked Watchmaker appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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While Panerai was founded way back in 1860, its rise to prominence came on the back of a very specific type of celebrity: the action hero. It was thanks to the likes of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger that brand awareness soared following wrist-bound cameos in films like Daylight, Eraser, Rambo IV and The Expendables … ContinuedThe post Jason Statham shows that action heroes still wear Panerai appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
We venture into different waters today with watches that do not conform to the norms and feature an unusually-shaped case.
Time+Tide
You don’t always have to look to the usual suspects or pay a hefty price to get a quality watch. There is a wide spectrum of manufacturers in this industry and, with so many releases each year, it can be a bit of a challenge to follow every reference introduced. While the below list of … ContinuedThe post Hiding in plain sight – 6 sleeper hit watches you might have missed appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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The tide seems to be shifting in the auction world towards scarcity and craftsmanship, rather than scratched-up provenance and movie-star affiliations. We could see results of this theory already in our story on the latest Antiquorum auction here. In Monaco, the auction darlings of the last five years, steel sports Rolex, did OK, whereas the … ContinuedThe post Recommended Reading: Dufour and Journe are basically the Patek and Rolex of the Indies, and they are on a tear appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
I have made it no secret that I felt the DOXA SUB 300 Carbon Aqua Lung US Divers watch was snubbed in the Divers prize at the 2020 GPHG awards. I have nothing against Breitling, let me be 100% clear on that fact, but I personally felt that if the vote were left to the watch … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The DOXA SUB 300 Carbon Aqua Lung US Divers that should have won the GPHG appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
That is if I ever really had one. When it was released in 2018, the Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi Ref. 126710 BLRO quickly cemented itself at the top of my wish list, grail list, things-I’d-kill-for-to-own list (you get the picture). It remained firmly in the realm of dreams until recently when I decided to bite the bullet … ContinuedThe post A month on the wrist with the Rolex “Pepsi”, the watch that has completely derailed my collecting strategy… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Paw prints, Celtic bands, bows on thighs, pretty much anything inked on the face… There’s no shortage of tattoo choices that are questionable at best and watch tattoos represent yet another baffling sub-category. After all, if you want to visibly declare your passion for a particular brand or model, there’s a straight-forward way to do … ContinuedThe post Watch tattoos have become a bizarre new trend. What is wrong with people? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
When Seiko launched their new, vintage-inspired sub range of the Alpinist, we shared the three standard models in our story here, but we’ve kept the star under wraps. Here’s the fourth smaller sibling, the limited edition SJE085 Alpinist 1959 recreation, vintage purity on a surprising bund strap. While it might look like mere tweaks to … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The first Seiko we’ve seen on a bund strap – the Limited Edition SJE085 Alpinist is a killer version of their first sports watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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