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Quill & Pad
Ken Gargett reports that the sensational Bollinger RD 2008 is a deep golden bronze colour. The immediate impression was two things. First, an impressive array of nutty notes. Hazelnuts certainly, but also walnuts and a touch of almond. Fuller than many, as one expects from Bolly, but the balance never wavers. It shows just how much time on lees can bring about changes in a wine.
Worn & Wound
A dynamic duo is a way to describe a harmonious connection between two people that tend to create positive results when their unique traits are aligned together. Think Kobe and Shaq, Rick and Morty, or Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, aka Daft Punk. This phenomenon can also be found by way of successful collaborations between brands across different industries. Kith and New Balance, as well as The James Brand and Topo Designs come to mind. One ongoing collaboration in particular that happens to intersect our horological universe is none other than the one between Seiko and Rowing Blazers. Since their initial collaborative release in 2021, they’ve consistently found a way to combine the witty design personality of Rowing Blazers and everything we adore about a steel Seiko sports watch. In timely fashion with Summer just around the corner, Seiko and Rowing Blazers have teamed up once again to deliver a new set of dial colors to their Rowing Blazers x Seiko 5 Sports collection. This new release adds a fresh palette of colors to the entire collection. Like the previous release, the Rowing Blazers x Seiko 5 Sports is supported by three vibrant colors – a pastel pink, deep purple and canary yellow. The three dial colors host a set of black hour markers with T-shaped silver accents. From above, the hour markers look one dimensional, but a side profile reveals an angular quality that slopes towards the center of the dial. The remaining reference in this set is...
Time+Tide
Breguet’s new Classique Quantième Perpétuel 7327 is based on their automatic pocket watches from the 1780s The perpetual calendar display is arranged with strength and balance It’s a great size at 39mm in diameter and 46mm lug-to-lug The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed, so the idea that … ContinuedThe post The Breguet Classique Quantième Perpétuel 7327 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
TAG Heuer’s super avant-garde Plasma is back with even more diamonds The entire dial is a one-piece diamond plate with two smaller polycrystalline diamonds used for the sub-dials Powered by a tourbillon calibre with a carbon nanotube balance spring, its anti-magnetic properties are excellent Upon its initial release in 2022, the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma … ContinuedThe post TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma Diamant d’Avant-Garde Chronograph Tourbillon adds more diamonds appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
The "good ol’ days” aren’t over yet – at least in the world of mechanical watches, where the appreciation of traditions and the creation of lasting values are as essential as the balance wheel and the escapement. Here, Sabine Zwettler takes a look at five of her favorite modern retro-styled watches from Blancpain, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Breitling, and Seiko.
Worn & Wound
Seiko ventures into new (and much requested) territory this week with the release of a new collection of GMT divers within their Prospex family. Using their modern 6159 design language seen in watches like the SPB187 with MM200 roots, the new watches strike a fine balance between their roots, and a strong contemporary vision for the range. Seiko has proven quite adept at this in recent years with their restructuring of their dive watch collections, but these latest examples bring something new to the table: a GMT complication within a new 3 day automatic movement, the 6R54. The new Prospex GMT diver range welcomes two new references in the SPB381 and 383, and in true Seiko fashion, a single limited edition in the SPB385. Each welcomes the new 6R35 within a steel 42mm case that measures 12.8mm in thickness, and should wear quite similarly to this SPB187 we went hands-on with right here. The angular case gets the distinctive deep chamfer along the lug which has a relatively short overhang to make for a perfectly manageable experience on the wrist. These watches mark the first time a mechanical GMT movement has made its way into the Prospex dive watch, as the GMT diver is something of a niche genre, and may, to some extent, excuse the fact that this is a caller style GMT execution. The GMT hand can be set independently in one-hour increments, making it a better option for those who work with or communicate with other time zones more than for those who travel between them fr...
Time+Tide
Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Blue & Gold’s faceted case is inspired by the lines of stealth aircraft design 45mm in diameter, 18K rose gold and PVD blue titanium case. Flying Tourbillon. Hours and minutes. Escapement wheel, anchor and balance spring in silicium. When delving into the romanticism of traditional high-end watchmaking, we often discuss hand-craftsmanship. But, … ContinuedThe post The Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Blue & Gold offers exemplary in-house machined mastery appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
After years of reviewing watches, these are the best ones we recommend under $1000 that perfectly balance design, comfort, and reliability.
Time+Tide
The Brellum Pilot LE.1 GMT Chronometer is their latest pilot’s watch. It features both GMT and chronograph complications. It’s a nice balance between sporty and dressy. We’ve shown a lot of love to Brellum’s Pandial series of watches in the past, but it’s been far too long since we’ve showcased their other capabilities. The new … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Brellum Pilot LE.1 GMT Chronometer wants to become your frequent flyer appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
A decade after its first release, the MB&F; LM2 is back in a special palladium case Symmetrically opposed balance wheels connected by a planetary differential Movement developed by Jean-François Mojon of Chronode and finished by Kari Voutilainen By this point, it should be no surprise that whatever comes out of the fun factory in the … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: MB&F; LM2 Palladium celebrates its 10-year anniversary appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Editor’s note: In our first Three Watch Collection for $5,000 of 2023, reader and fellow watch writer, Vincent Deschamps of Mainspring.Watch brings us a trio of classics from some of our favorite small independent brands. There’s a lovely and unique balance to these three watches and it’s one of the most creative we’ve come across yet. You can make your submission to the Three Watch Collection – Reader Edition by filling out the form right here. It wasn’t until I thought of submitting my ideas for a three-watch collection for $5,000 that I imagined myself as someone who could have a three-watch collection. While I tend to only wear the same watch everyday (the Lorier Falcon III,) I do see the massive benefit of having other watches for different purposes. As an enthusiastic support of independent watchmaking, below you will find my selection for a three-watch collection below. Each watch fulfills a particular need and use case and I believe each one does it quite well. Lorier Falcon Mark III – $499 At the top of my list is the Lorier Falcon Mark III released in late 2022, the archetype everyday sports watch. I’m a sucker for watches that can do 100% of what I need 95% of the time, and that’s what the Falcon is to me. It comes with a solid build, good specs, and an elegant figure that makes it work in most situations I find myself in. And it’s quite affordable coming in at $499. There are two things about this watch that make it work so well for me: it...
Time+Tide
Motosports get a lot of love from the world of watches, from the smallest microbrand homage to Rolex sponsoring almost all of the Formula 1 Grands Prix. Sadly, one side of automotive expression that doesn’t get anywhere nearly as much recognition is motorcycling. Doing their bit to redress the balance, the Depancel Serie-R Cruiser taps … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Depancel Serie-R Cruiser draws high-octane inspiration from the world of motorcycling appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
The petite seconde configuration and flat case with stepped bezel is a stylistic homage to vintage timepieces. It echoes the era of fixed lugs monobloc cases that were once made from nickel plated brass. The spade hands and arabic numerals are flanked by a railroad minutes track which matches the classic look. While this may have to do with branding, a simpler logo without the large POLO font could have added more balance to the dial which favors the more subdued look. Otherwise, we welcome Polo Ralph Lauren's new Vintage 67 which acts as an avenue to initiate fashion lovers to the world of watchmaking, starting with the fine handwinding La Joux Perret movement. The watch is priced at US$2,700.
SJX Watches
A “concept” store for high-end watches when it first opened in 2005, Sincere Haute Horlogerie (SHH) closed its original location in the now-closed Hilton hotel in 2019. Three years on, Singapore retailer Sincere is reviving SHH at the city state’s landmark casino resort. To commemorate the event, SHH has unveiled several limited editions created in collaboration with independent watchmakers led by the Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Convexe SHH Edition. A watch with twin balance wheels linked by a differential, the SHH edition is housed in the streamlined “Convexe” case that defines the Greubel Forsey’s sports watches. But unlike the brand’s sports watches to date, this is striking in an ultra-contemporary purple livery that’s uncommon for such a complicated watch. The rationale behind the juxtaposition of bold colours and refined complications is straightforward according to Sincere chief executive Ong Ban. “For the new generation, watches go with their dress and the younger ones want… [watches] that go with sneakers or hoodies,” explains Mr Ong, “But while the cosmetics evolve over the years, but the essence of finely executed movements remains the same.” Even the titanium main plate of the movement is finished in purple Initial thoughts The new Double Balancier is a haute horlogerie sports watch in an eye-catching colour and the requisite integrated strap that will no doubt draw a new audience to the brand. While Greubel Forsey (GF) wat...
Revolution
In Part 2 of our inside look at De Bethune, Wei traces the manufacture’s history of balance wheel development with founder and master watchmaker, Denis Flageollet. Very few watchmakers have been as singularly focused like Denis has; his being a 20-year relentless pursuit of chronometric performance of the most important component of a wristwatch, the […]
Hodinkee
Striking the perfect balance between refined elegance and real-world toughness
SJX Watches
For me, watches are and always have been about people – those that make them, those that design them, and those that buy them. And while many of you reading this will do your utmost (likely on a daily basis) to keep your interest in watches in check with your bank balance, every so often you meet a collector, an enthusiast, who takes things to a whole other level. Somebody who has gone all in, a collector who takes it to a level that even insiders like Thierry Stern of Patek Philippe rank them amongst the greatest collectors of all time. Patrick Getreide is that individual. Having spent the past four decades quietly building one of the world’s greatest privately-owned collections of wrist and pocket watches, he has now put all of his timepieces on show for the world to enjoy and admire. The show I feel hugely privileged and excited having visited the exhibition on its opening day in London. Privileged because there were only a few press invited; excited because I believe it will open up our passion to more and more, aligning watchmaking with art, where it belongs. The exhibition comprises 168 best-of-the-best vintage and contemporary museum-quality watches, among which are unrepeatable special orders, ultra-rare, limited editions, the most valuable examples of their type, and the largest number of Patek Philippe pieces once owned by the celebrated American collector Henry Graves Jr. now in private hands. It is also the first curated exhibition of a private collection ...
SJX Watches
Just after the curtain fell on Watches & Wonders 2022 – on the day after the fair closed in fact – Patek Philippe unveils one of its technical highlights for the year, the 1/10th of a Second Monopusher Chronograph ref. 5470P-001. In a first for the Geneva watchmaker, the chronograph is equipped with a high-frequency balance that beats at 36,000 vibrations per hour, or 5 Hz. The high-beat movement results in a lighting seconds hand that completes one revolution around the dial every 12 seconds, allowing the chronograph to precisely record elapsed times with a resolution of 1/10ths of a second (barring user error). This lightning seconds hand runs in tandem with the regular chronograph seconds hand, resulting in an unusual sight on the dial when the chronograph is running. Initial thoughts While lightning seconds chronographs have been done before, it’s surprising to see a traditionalist brand such as Patek Philippe have a go at the complication. The function is often associated with brands with a sporty, contemporary aesthetic like TAG Heuer and Zenith. In terms of aesthetics, the ref. 5470P is another example of the brand continuing to move towards a more modern, striking style, even for otherwise classical models. But under the hood is where it shines. Despite the seemingly simple idea of tacking on an additional gear train for the 1/10th of a second hand, the movement inside underwent a deceptively complex modification. And in typical Patek Philippe fashion, the co...
SJX Watches
Perhaps a sleeper hit of Watches & Wonders 2022, the Ulysse Nardin Freak S is an intriguing evolution of the brand’s trademark watch that makes its debut just as Ulysse Nardin has become an independent brand. The Freak S is equipped with twin balance wheels, but mounted on a central carousel as is de rigueur for a Freak. Initial thoughts The first twin-balance watch from Ulysse Nardin, the Freak S is perhaps the coolest iteration of the model since its inception in 2001. It has come a long way since the original, having been obviously enhanced in both style and performance. While its most obvious feature are the double balances, the Freak S also includes several details that enthusiasts will appreciate. For starters, it is a purebred Freak. Like the original, it does without a conventional dial, hands, and crown. In comparison, some of the more recent Freaks are more conventional in their execution. Thanks to double balances linked by a differential, the carousel is more striking than ever, while promising improved timekeeping. At the same time, the brand’s proprietary “Grinder” system means the Freak S is self-winding, eliminating the hassle of manually winding the huge mainspring via the notched back. Twin balances with a differential The overarching theme of a Freak is a movement that stands out, literally. The movement sits on three levels – carousel, barrel, and winding system, all arranged one over the other. Most of the movement, including the oscillat...
Revolution
Roger Dubuis debuts a Knights of the Round Table watch with tourbillon and a new Excalibur with a massive balance wheel
Hodinkee
A double-balance hyperwatch for the great outdoors.
Time+Tide
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
Cartier's top executive in North America on work-life balance, confidence and humility, and making sure things don't get lost in the shuffle.
SJX Watches
David Candaux established his eponymous brand with the 1740 Half Hunter, a watch with several exotic features that made it decidedly unconventional, especially for a watchmaker located in the traditional heart of Swiss watchmaking, the village of Le Solliat in the Vallee de Joux. Now Mr Candaux is following up with something more concise, the DC7 Genesis. The DC7 still preserves many of the novel elements of the original model – like the inclined-balance tourbillon – but presents them in a streamlined manner. Initial thoughts For someone who appreciated the technical merits of David Candaux’s first wristwatch, but found it too fancy, the DC7 is ideal. The DC7 remains unusual in both design and construction, but inches closer to the conventional end of the scale. The cleaner and simpler design make the DC7 easier to digest. Though streamlined, the DC7 still retains the watchmaker’s signature features, including the vertically-symmetrical case, telescopic crown, and inclined-balance tourbillon. More broadly, the watch is composed of inclined surfaces – the dial and movement bridges are both inclined, making it instantly recognisable as a David Candaux creation. At the same time, the movement is finished differently from the original model, and slightly less intricate, but still appears to be done to a similarly high standard. Importantly, the simpler mechanics make it more affordable. At about US$150,000 in titanium, the DC7 is not quite a value buy, but it’...
Time+Tide
Longines have made a strong move to increase customer loyalty, while also underlining the inherent value of their Swiss craftsmanship. From next month, the brand has announced that it’s extending their warranty on all models equipped with a silicon balance-spring. The new five-year warranty will be valid for all automatic models purchased (not produced) after … ContinuedThe post Longines steps up their customer care with an increased five year warranty appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Founded in 2013 by veteran movement constructor Rémi Maillat, Krayon made its debut with the impressive, enormously complex mechanical computer that calculates sunrise and sunset times in any location. It followed up with the more affordable Anywhere, which strikes a better balance between complexity and user friendliness. And now for Only Watch 2021, Krayon is taking the Anywhere to the next level with a metiers d’art dial. The Krayon Anywhere Only Watch 2021 features a lacquer dial inspired by Monet’s Impression, Sunrise. Initial thoughts The standard Anywhere is compelling to begin with, complex but executed in thoughtful manner. Despite being ultra complicated – the movement is made up of over 430 components, rivalling a split-seconds chronograph – the Anywhere is rather easy to read and operate, as well as being wearable at just 39 mm wide and 9.5 mm high. But the original design arguably left room for improvement. The hour markers, for instance, seem to interrupt the styling of the dial. And it appears that the Only Watch edition has picked up where the original left off by refining the dial design. The highlight is the dial centre that’s a reinterpretation of Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet, a thematically-congruent decoration since both the watch and painting are centred on the Sun. Like the painting, the dial is Impressionist in its execution: the Sun rising over water is only visible at a distance. Also notable is the movement inside, which is...
Time+Tide
Although it hasn’t even reached its 15th birthday, Cartier’s Ballon Bleu already holds an incredibly firm standing in the world of fine watchmaking, and amongst the litany of iconic designs stemming from the jeweller of kings. Its universal appeal, holding a perfect balance between masculinity and femininity, combined with the quintessential elements that make it … ContinuedThe post The new and improved Cartier Ballon Bleu deserves to blow up appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
One of the most interesting new releases from Montblanc at Watches & Wonders 2021 is the Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon, a technically impressive movement fused with a sparkly aventurine-glass dial. It’s equipped with a larger-than-usual balance wheel positioned above the dial, seemingly suspended but actually part of the tourbillon regulator. Initial thoughts Introduced at SIHH 2018, the Suspended Exo Tourbillon movement was most recently seen in an open-worked variant unveiled last year. Despite not being new in terms of mechanics, the new Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon is different enough from its predecessors – and still powered by the same fine movement. Very much living up to the Star Legacy model name, the aventurine-glass is restrained and modern, especially when combined with the white gold case, giving it a different look from the earlier models that were in rose gold. Typical of Montblanc’s higher-end watches made at the former Minerva manufacture in Villeret – as opposed to its more affordable timepieces, manufactured at the main facility in Le Locle – the Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon is remarkably well-finished. Worlds apart from Montblanc’s entry-level tourbillon in terms of movement decoration, the movement is also more traditionally finished than comparably priced alternatives such as the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon. However, because the movement was derived from the pocket watch calibres developed by M...
Time+Tide
When you think of art in watchmaking, your mind probably turns to the painstaking creation of a cloisonné enamel dial for a Patek Philippe World Time, or the engraving of an A.Lange & Söhne balance cock. But art in watchmaking suddenly got a whole lot more accessible thanks to the Swatch x MoMA collection that … ContinuedThe post The new Swatch x MoMA releases offer fresh proof that watches can be a work of art appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
All the delicious details of this mechanical birthday cake of horology base upon the concept of acoustic resonance: Vianney Halter's Deep Space Resonance comprises a triple-axis tourbillon paired with resonating balance wheels and a far-out look. Joshua Munchow digs into the nitty-gritty of this brand-new timepiece by the independent watchmaker and reports back from somewhere in the furthest reaches of the galaxy.
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