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Quill & Pad
GaryG turns his attention and camera to three watches developed by collector and industry veteran William Massena, two of which are co-branded collaborations and the third a piece with origins in a conversation among a bunch of friends.
SJX Watches
Invented in 1860, the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges is synonymous with Girard-Perregaux, a design unique and impressive enough it remains the watchmaker’s flagship movement after some one and a half centuries. Since its modern-day revival in 1981, the triple-bridge tourbillon has evolved to keep up with contemporary tastes, leading to variants like the Neo Bridges, which has sleek, arched bridges. Earlier this year, Girard-Perregaux unveiled the latest form of the Three Bridges, which does away with the base plate altogether, resulting in a floating, see-through movement. Now the brand has finally unveiled the luxe version of the watch, made even more striking in pink gold and black – the Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges. Initial thoughts My opinion of the most recent iterations of the Three Bridges have been lukewarm, as I find the reworked designs tend to blur the original identity of the movement – the designs attempt modernity but don’t quite make it – but latest version changed my mind. The Flying Bridges is clean and streamlined, creating in a magnificent, unobscured view of its mechanics, one that’s enhanced with the right choice of colour and architecture. And the Flying Bridges is an interesting watch from a technical standpoint. The parts that make up the timekeeping train – barrel, gear train, and tourbillon-regulator – are arranged linearly and vertically, as the historical Three Bridges was. But now they supported by three horizon...
Time+Tide
Forget the ties, the socks and all those “gifts” you had lined up for this coming Father’s Day (which is this Sunday in Australia). Bulgari is mixing things up a bit by way of their newly released Father’s Day Gift Guide (which can be found here). Highlighted in the guide is a mixture of jewellery … ContinuedThe post Bet on black with the Bulgari Bulgari ref. 103540 for Father’s Day appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
When I spoke with Parmigiani chief executive Guido Terreni earlier this year, he described his plans for the brand’s product as having a “new direction for design, which is less ostentatious”, adding that Parmigiani will ” go back to the craft and excellence of the early days… with an eye on the world of today.” With the new Tonda PF collection launched to mark Parmigiani’s 25th anniversary, Mr Terreni appears to have pulled it off. Made up of four watches – ranging from a time-only to a pricey split-seconds – the Tonda PF is a synthesis of Parmigiani’s recent integrated-bracelet sports watch and its earlier Toric timepieces that were classical and Breguet inspired. The result is a sleek case and integrated bracelet matched with a refined yet minimalist guilloche dial featuring solid-gold hands and indices. Initial thoughts In a review two months ago, I wrote that liked the Tonda GT sports watch, though I thought the dial could be done better in several ways. The new Tonda PF does exactly that. It keeps everything that was good with the Tonda GT and enhances the rest. The dial has been stripped of superfluous elements while gaining a barleycorn engine turning. In fact, the dial is almost Moser-ish in its restraint, with the only marking being a small “PF” logo, which is made of solid 18k gold. And the upgrades in materials continue with the case, with all the steel model getting a knurled platinum bezel. And the movements have been enhanced. The...
SJX Watches
The GMT and tourbillon have long been a favourite combination at Greubel Forsey, but the watchmaker is bringing the combo to an end – at least in its current form – with the GMT Earth Final Edition. Greubel Forsey (GF) is closing the model’s run with a version in titanium, matched with an all-black palette, giving it a look and feel that’s sportier than the earlier GMT Earth models, which were primarily cased in precious metals. Initial thoughts GF has offered a variety of models with a GMT complication, with each having being iterated several times in small runs. But the GMT Earth has always stood out for its simplicity – compared with the model boasting twin double-axis tourbillons for instance – yet it packs in all the defining features of the brand’s travel-time watch, such as a fully-visible rotating globe that indicates day or night around the world and of course the 24-second, inclined tourbillon. That makes it ideal for someone who wants the essence of a GF travel watch in a simple (relatively speaking) package. And the GMT Earth Final Edition the coolest looking of the bunch, with a dark dial that goes well with the greyish titanium case. It’s a good look that’s gives the watch a more edgy, futuristic design, setting it apart from the typical GF. And the darker colours should leave the 45.5 mm case appearing smaller. Unlike other ultra high-end sport(y) watches, such as those from Richard Mille, GF is slightly restrained in terms of aesthetic...
SJX Watches
After Bernhard Lederer unveiled his impressive double-wheel escapement wristwatch last year, it was radio silence until now. As it turns out, Mr Lederer was working on refining the Central Impulse Chronometer, which is now being launched in its final, serial-production form. The new watch is essentially the same watch, but with a new and improved dial. The movement remains the same: equipped with a double-wheel escapement featuring twin going trains, each equipped with a remontoir d’egalité constant force mechanism – making it one of the serious chronometers in modern horology. Entirely revised is the dial, which now has more elegant design, with slim hour markers framing a chequerboard guilloche centre. And the dial now incorporates gains a symmetrical, figure-of-eight aperture that showcases the twin escapements and remontoirs, with each having its own seconds hand – both turning in the opposite direction. Initial thoughts The CIC is one of the relatively rare wristwatches to incorporate a double-wheel escapement. But what makes the CIC uncommon is its execution – its escapement is powered by twin individual going trains – a construction famously conceived by George Daniels for his pocket watches, most notably the Space Traveller’s Watch. Bernhard Lederer at his bench The degree of miniaturisation to fit such a construction into a watch puts the CIC amongst an exclusive class of timepieces that can be counted on one hand – made by George Daniels, Derek ...
SJX Watches
Slated to be the first space flight with an entirely civilian crew, Inspiration4 take off in September 2021 for a three-day orbit of Earth. Operated by SpaceX, the space travel company founded by Elon Musk, the mission will keep time with the help of IWC, which has created the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Inspiration4” for the four-person crew. Featuring white ceramic cases and blue-lacquered dials, the four watches will be sold at auction after the space flight, with proceeds going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a paediatric hospital funded by donations that treats severely ill children and teenagers for free. Initial thoughts Being four watches that will be sold to benefit a good cause, the Inspiration4 chronographs are certainly a good thing. It helps that the design is appealing. Though the overarching elements of the watch are familiar – white ceramic and blue – they are combined in a novel manner for IWC. Both the star-speckled dial and white ceramic case are unique in the IWC line up. But the fact that these four are the first-ever Pilot’s watches in white ceramic (aside from prototypes from two decades ago) probably hints at something similar in the pipeline. If, and when, such a watch does emerge, I hope the production version will be smaller than the 44.5 mm that the Inspiration4 is, though that’s unlikely since the ceramic chronographs are all that size. Four travellers The four watches have been made for the crew of Inspiratio...
Hodinkee
M-I-See which one came out on top.
Quill & Pad
The “great lockdown of 2020” gifted us with something outstanding: from the depths of an anxiety-inducing existence arose an online exhibition called “The Persistence of Memory,” which can be described as an !online museum" honoring some of the most influential and important independent watchmakers of the modern era. Here Elizabeth Doerr speaks with its creator Michael Tay for an inside view on what this "exhibition" surveying 50 years of independent watchmaking is. And what it isn't.
Time+Tide
The Big Bang range of watches isn’t just about what consumers want, it’s also Hublot’s love letter to watchmaking. Whether it’s a new material, movement, or even digital technology, the Big Bang is a platform from which Hublot can experiment incrementally, and the Big Bang Integral is the latest variant to be given a full … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Integral Ceramic shows a brand intent on innovation appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
“Classic with a Twist” is the year’s theme for Vacheron Constantin. The “twist” is obvious in several of the brand’s new releases, including the 1921 Collection Excellence Platine and Égérie for ladies, which were launched at the virtual watch fair Watches & Wonders. Interestingly, the launch also provided a glimpse of a few equally quirky watches from Vacheron Constantin’s vast archive. Now those historical gems have been transformed from virtual to tangible with an exhibition in Singapore that delves into the form watches that Vacheron Constantin produced in the early- to mid-20th century. Intriguing, unorthodox, and pretty, the dozen or so watches are on show from now until August 26 2021. Here’s a roundup of highlights from the Singapore exhibition. Show and service The Singapore event is one of several Classic with a Twist exhibitions taking place around the world over the year. Another is happening simultaneously in Vacheron Constantin’s recently-opened boutique in New York City, where it’ll run until November 2021. But unique to the Singapore event is a complimentary servicing for any American 1921, the distinctive wristwatch that’s celebrating its centenary this year – Vacheron Constantin even created a near-exact replica created with vintage parts for the occasion. The overhaul offer is open to any American 1921 wristwatch owned locally, including examples with expired warranties. The ref. 11677 from 1921 that serves as the inspira...
Deployant
Singapore, which is our home and host, celebrates her 56th National Day today. We interrupt regular programming today to bring Singaporeans and friends National Day greetings. Majulah Singapura! As usual, we take a break from watches and all things horological today. Singapore 56th National Day
Deployant
In this week's article, we travel to Japan and take a look at six incredible Japanese watches, some of which are hidden gems within the scene.
Time+Tide
Unlike my erudite and learned colleagues on this website, those who have read this column in the past will know my horological lusts aren’t governed by the usual parameters. Which is my way of saying that a bargain is where I’m at. To paraphrase the great Billy Connolly: “My dad was so tight he’d wake … ContinuedThe post Cheap Bastard: The Undone Urban 34 Killy Black Rose is a $300 tangerine dream appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie. is quietly marking the 15th anniversary of its flagship complication with the Heritage Perpetual Calendar Midnight Blue Enamel. It was, in fact, this very simple and smart perpetual calendar that helped put the brand on the map when it was revived in 2005 (while the original brand was established in 1828). Like the commemorative edition made for its 10th anniversary – which was essentially a fancy pocket watch with a strap – the new perpetual calendar is a departure from the brand’s typical design and instead relies on more classical flourishes, most notably an enamelled dial and case band. But true to the brand’s inclinations, the design remains relatively clean, largely to the concise calendar display. A subtle perpetual calendar Initial thoughts Moser’s perpetual calendar has long been applauded – for good reason. For one, the display is an elegant alternative to the typical, in-your-face layout made up of multiple sub-dials. Despite being less, the Moser perpetual manages to do more, being eminently legible. And the calendar is also convenient in a tactile sense – it can be set forwards as well as backwards. But being introduced 15 years ago, the complication is now familiar, familiar enough that it might be forgotten. The presentation then becomes important. And here the new edition is successful. Being part of the Heritage collection, the new model is quite different the brand’s usual offerings, like the Pioneer and Endeavour. In...
Time+Tide
On the poster for the classic rom-com Groundhog Day, Bill Murray is depicted pointing at a clock. This, of course, is to signify the film’s basic premise in which (spoiler alert) the central character finds himself stuck living the same day over and over again. But after hearing from the Time+Tide community about the watches … ContinuedThe post You told us about the watches you bought and sold, then bought again (and again…) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Whether you’re keeping a close eye on the stockmarkets, laying girders at a construction site or swapping stacks in a server room, your love for watches (which I’m just going to assume because, well, you’re reading this) means you’ll want a timepiece on your wrist. And not just any timepiece; you’ll want something that both … ContinuedThe post Let’s go to work: The best watches for every job from white collar to tech appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Sotheby’s latest online sale is in a quirky combination of luxury watches and high-end sneakers – some of which cost more than the watches. Fortunately the large majority of the 164 lots are horological, with a selection of watches that’s diverse and interesting, led by a couple of heavyweight top lots. The heavyweights are quite literal, both complicated watches in platinum from brands widely regarded as benchmarks in contemporary watchmaking: an F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain with a platinum case and bracelet, along with the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Luminous “Phantom”. The sale also includes more esoteric watches that might be overlooked, including as a retailer-edition Patek Philippe Calatrava with ruby markers, and a Grand Seiko “First” remake in platinum. The Fine Watches and Rare Sneakers auction is live online from now until June 8, 2021. The full catalogue and registration for bidding are available here. Lot 8201 – F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Platinum Introduced in 2004, the F. P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain was the successor to the original Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite. Like the original, the Tourbillon Souverain combined both a tourbillon regulator and constant force mechanism in a quest for accuracy. Its most obvious distinction against its predecessor was the small seconds at six linked to the remontoir mechanism. The Tourbillon Souverain itself was replaced in 2019 by something bigger and vertical, making it increasingly uncomm...
Quill & Pad
Late in 2015 the news came through that A.H.C.I. co-founder Svend Andersen had sold his company. But how did Andersen get here? Let's take a quick tour of more than half a century's worth of independent horology the Danish way to find out, which includes an extravaganza of worldtimers, unusual erotic watches, and even poker-playing dogs.
Revolution
Wei Koh gives his initial takes on the new Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze, which takes its lead from the first iteration of the Bronze watch, with a brown dial and bezel insert. He walks us through the creation process of the bronze-aluminium alloy they use, also demonstrating the new clasp on the bracelet called T-Fit, which allows the wearer to alter the length by 8mm quickly and without the need for any tools.
SJX Watches
Anton Suhanov is best known for impressive desk clocks – the most recent of which features a triple-axis tourbillon within a metallic flower – but he has just unveiled his first timekeeper for the wrist. Inspired by automotive gauges, the Racer Jumping Hour GMT is an inventive take on the dual time zone wristwatch and boasts a double retrograde display along with a jumping hour. Initial thoughts His talents were already evident in his desk clocks, but Mr Suhanov now proves he can be equally imaginative with wristwatches. He once worked in Konstantin Chaykin’s workshop, which perhaps contributed to the novel design. Automotive-inspired watches rarely capture the style of a dashboard without looking silly, but the Racer manages to do so successfully. The design instantly evokes the dashboard of a vintage automobile thanks to several clever design elements, including the tiny canopies over each retrograde display as well as the arched guilloche and tiny jump hour winds that gives the dial a sense of perspective. The Racer is more complex than it looks – the time-display module has as many parts as an entire chronograph movement – although the base movement is a tried and true, but no-frills ETA 2824. Still, with a price of a bit over US$17,000, the Racer offers good value given the original design and mechanical complexity, most of which is accomplished in-house by Mr Suhanov. Inventive design and mechanics The slightly retro dial indicates the hours and minutes o...
Hodinkee
Mega Cool – which is the Swiss way of saying 'the coolest of the cool.'
Hodinkee
Which is the top seed and which is the Cinderella?
SJX Watches
While Breguet is associated with classical timepieces – and a history laden with gems that continue to inspire watchmakers today – it does have a significant history with military watches. In the mid-20th century, Breguet, along with a few other watchmakers, supplied the French military with the “Type 20” aviator’s chronograph. Breguet has referenced that military history since the military-inspired Type XX of 1994, which was succeeded by the more complex Type XXI and Type XXII. And now Breguet has just unveiled the Type XXI 3815, which has a titanium case and strikingly peculiar dials in two colours. The version with orange “lume” is especially striking Initial thoughts Breguet has been iterating the Type 20 for almost 30 years – rumour has it a replacement for the base model is due next year – and the Type XXI was an upgrade to the original that never gained the popularity of the original. The new Type XXI 3815 is the third variant of the model to date, and perhaps a missed opportunity. Most elements on the watch are taken from historical models, each correct on its own way – including faux-radium lume and a “big eye” register – but combined haphazardly. The result is an aesthetic that tries to be bold but ends up looking odd. The combination of elements on the dial leaves it off balance. The “big eye” counter feels too big, creating the impression it is far off centre, while the text under 12 o’clock leaves the dial top heavy. Add to t...
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe went big at its annual Rare Handcrafts Exhibition that just opened at its Geneva Salon. The watchmaker unveiled the 75 timepieces of this year’s Rare Handcrafts collection, along with as many more from last year’s line up that is on show for the first time, since the 2020 exhibition was cancelled. The most accessible watches of the collection, relatively speaking, are the complicated watches that will join the regular catalogue, which include a trio of chiming watches, from the graceful minute repeater for ladies to the new Sky Moon Tourbillon in rose gold. The Sky Moon Tourbillon ref. 6002R But it is the rest of the Rare Handcrafts collection that capture the creativity and diversity the brand’s metiers d’art. Each unique, the watches and clocks are mechanically uncomplicated, and instead use the dial and case as a canvas to showcase exquisite, vivid depictions of animals, landscapes, and art with a variety of artisanal techniques. Here’s a selection of a few standouts from this year’s collection, all one-off creations that are expensive but usually sold in advance, so most will be dispatched to their owners after the exhibition. Dome clocks One of Patek Philippe’s most distinctive timepieces is not a watch, but the round-topped table clock. A fixture in its catalogue for decades, the Dome Clock is produced in small numbers every year, typically with its exterior panels decorated in enamel. This year’s Rare Handcrafts catalogue includes...
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe keeps up the pace with the fourth instalment of new releases for the year, which were just announced at its annual Rare Handcrafts Exhibition in Geneva. While most of the watches at the exhibition are one-offs bestowed with colourful, artisanal decoration, the line up includes an ensemble of repeating watches, led by the flamboyant Sky Moon Tourbillon in pink gold and brown. Simpler, at least relatively speaking, is the Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5374G that packs a pair of high-end complications fronted by a blue, grand feu enamel dial. Initial thoughts Today’s launches stand in stark contrast to the brand’s hottest watches of the moment – the sports watches that are arguably its most recognisable products now – that were its opening act for the year. Patek Philippe launched a slew of exquisite, highly decorated timepieces today, affirming its twin strengths – haute horlogerie and metiers d’art. The generous array of Rare Handcrafts, along with the fact that several are chiming watches, is a reminder that Patek Philippe is more than a faddish, integrated-bracelet sports watch. That said, the ref. 5374 is not entirely new (neither is the flagship Sky Moon Tourbillon ref. 6002R). In fact, the only truly new reference amongst the Rare Handcrafts complications is the Ladies Minute Repeater ref. 7040/250G. The ref. 5374 was first introduced in 2016 with a platinum case and black enamel dial – a formal, classical package. Now it ge...
Quill & Pad
Martin Green had the pleasure of participating in the Cartier #TankTalk with George Cramer, which saw Cartier's Amsterdam boutique staff sharing experiences selling these watches on a daily basis and George and Martin sharing how they perceive the different models. This gave everyone more in-depth insights, strengthened by the presence of historic Tank models as well as the entire new Must collection.
SJX Watches
Announced last year and finally complete, Vacheron Constantin’s flagship boutique in the United States just opened today in Manhattan on 57th Street, just as New York City is coming back to life post-pandemic with summer around the corner. Replacing its former location uptown at the corner of East 64th Street and Madison Avenue – which was the brand’s first boutique in the country – the new store is quite literally bigger and better. The brand’s former space was a one-story location in a quieter neighbourhood, but now its home is a two-storey building with an interior spanning 4,500 square feet, and neighbours that include several notable watchmakers and retailers, including Richard Mille and Audemars Piguet. The new boutique is also the opening act for Alexander Schmiedt, who was recently tapped to lead Vacheron Constantin in the Americas. A watch-industry lifer whose family has roots in the business, Mr Schmiedt was formerly head of Vacheron Constantin in the Middle East, and prior to that the chief of Montblanc’s watch division. Open plan and welcoming The relocated store is kitted out with a new-look interior that slightly more contemporary than the outgoing decor that was heavy on dark wood. Characterised by golden hues and geometric shapes, the store has airy, floor-to-ceiling windows that reveal the rich colours inside, along with a selection of watches that are dangerously inviting. In a nod to the brand’s long presence in the United States, the bouti...
SJX Watches
While known for unorthodox designs such as the Coin, Bubble and Admiral’s Cup, Corum’s piece de resistance is the Golden Bridge. Devised by independent watchmaker and ACHI co-founder Vincent Calabrese in 1980, the delicate, elongated movement remains a watchmaking feat. In 2011, Corum debuted the automatic Golden Bridge movement that was wound by an innovative weight that slid on rails. To celebrate the decade since that milestone, Corum has created the 10th Anniversary Golden Bridge Automatic, which puts the movement within a larger case with a wraparound sapphire crystal. Initial thoughts I’m not the biggest fan of Corum’s better known designs, which are often oversized and ostentatious. The exception is the Golden Bridge, which is to Corum what the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges is to Girard-Perregaux – a movement defined by its construction and aesthetics. I’ve always liked the Golden Bridge – the baguette shape is not only unique, but also a mechanical marvel. The automatic Golden Bridge further stands out for its vertical winding mass, instead of a traditional rotor. My pick of the collection Starting at about US$35,000 in titanium, the 10th Anniversary Golden Bridge Automatic is actually rather well-priced, considering the movement. In fact, the new anniversary models are priced lower than their 2011 counterparts. The watch is available in either titanium or titanium and rose gold, along with diamond-set variants Smoked Sapphire Like the original...
SJX Watches
Perhaps the epitome of formal, classical style, Breguet took a more modern direction when it revamped the Marine in 2018, giving its line of sports watches a sportier and cleaner aesthetic. The overhauled Marine was launched in three models: the entry-level Marine 5517 (which we did a hands-on review of), the Marine Chronographe 5527, and the top-of-the-line Marine Alarme Musicale 5547. Three years on, Breguet is gently facelifting the Marine Collection with new variants in titanium or rose gold – blue dials for the titanium models and slate-grey for rose gold. Initial thoughts Although not the most novel – these are just new case and dial combinations – the facelifted Marine watches are nevertheless noteworthy simply because they look substantially better. For one, the blue dials on the titanium models are eminently more striking than the mid-grey of the 2018 models, which gave them a more industrial feel. At the same time, the sunburst finishing is more obvious in blue. And pairing of blue and titanium is also unusual, as Breguet usually reserves blue dials for its white gold watches. The Marine in titanium and blue Similarly, the new slate-grey dials for the rose gold models give them more character than the original versions in silver that lacked contrast. The juxtaposition between the warm case metal and the cool dial is intriguing and eye-catching. And the colour and brings out the wave guilloché better. Starting at US$17,300 for the ref. 5517 in titaniu...
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