Results for WOSTEP (Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program)

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Time+Tide

Feb 3, 2020

‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction results: Over $200K raised!

We’re very proud to announce that the ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction in aid of the Australian bushfire crisis has raised more than $200,000 Australian dollars, with 100 per cent of the funds going directly to the charities that need it most. This has been a monumental effort from everyone involved and we’re incredibly … ContinuedThe post ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction results: Over $200K raised! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Q Quill & Pad

Quill & Pad

Chopard Partners Feb 1, 2020

Diamonds Are Forever: Chopard Partners With James Bond In ‘No Time To Die’

Bond girls often dazzle us with their brains and beauty, but for the upcoming twenty-fifth James Bond movie, 'No Time to Die,' Chopard jewels are also set to do some dazzling. The Swiss brand will have some of its most stunning creations worn in the movie by Cuban-Spanish actress Ana de Armas playing Paloma, this film’s Bond girl. Martin Green fills us in on which diamonds will grace her character.

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Time+Tide

Omega Speedmaster I have been Feb 1, 2020

Why it’s difficult to buy an Omega Speedmaster

I have been trying to buy an Omega Speedmaster for a couple of years now. I have to admit I’m finding it nearly impossible to purchase one. Yes, I know they are readily available. That isn’t the problem. In fact, one of the problems is that the Speedmaster universe is infinite and daunting. First, let’s … ContinuedThe post Why it’s difficult to buy an Omega Speedmaster appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Time+Tide

Seiko Jan 31, 2020

Fingerpickin’ good: Queen’s Brian May teams up with Seiko to make a watch inspired by his guitar

Poodle-haired rock god Brian May is world famous as the lead guitarist in Queen who shaped their sound with his nimble-fingered picking and razor-sharp melodies. What’s less well known is that he’s also a die-hard Seiko fan. For years, May has worn one of the brand’s iconic dive watches on his wrist. He’s regularly spotted … ContinuedThe post Fingerpickin’ good: Queen’s Brian May teams up with Seiko to make a watch inspired by his guitar appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Q Quill & Pad

Quill & Pad

Jan 31, 2020

Romeo Y Julieta Maravillas 8 Cuban Cigars: Large Size, Medium Flavor, Small Value

If a friend dropped by for a chat and a drink and pulled out a couple of these whopper Romeo & Julieta Maravillas 8 Cuban cigars, Ken Gargett thinks you would have an enjoyable afternoon, but probably not think a lot about the cigars. He thought the one he smoked was fine, pleasant and consistent, but no fireworks. And then there's the elephant in the room: the price.

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Deployant

Voutilainen Jan 31, 2020

Review: Tulloch T-01 First Edition

Detailed, hands-on review with Live Photo's of the Tulloch T-01 First Edition Regulator - interesting collab project with Voutilainen and Giroud.

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SJX Watches

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Jan 31, 2020

Hands-On: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste

Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled a trio of grand complications last year, a substantial number given how complex each watch is, although two of the three are powered by existing movements. The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle (the only one equipped with a new calibre) and the Gyrotourbillon 3 Meteorite were launched first, and late in the year came the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste to mark 15 years of partnership with the Venice International Film Festival. Among the brand’s grand complications, the Tourbillon Celeste is one of the most interesting, boasting a quirky combinations of functions – an orbital, flying tourbillon calibrated for sidereal time as well as a star chart, and sidereal annual calendar. And it is also unusually high tech for a Jaeger-LeCoultre, with the movement being equipped with a silicon escape wheel and pallet fork. A simpler complication As with most of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s recent grand complications, the movement in the Tourbillon Céleste is an iteration of an earlier calibre – something the brand has made a habit of in recent years, which is a bit of a shame given its rich history in movement development. Specifically, the movement inside is a streamlined and simplified version of the more complicated Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication, which was launched in 2010 and also included a minute repeater. Being a separate module mounted on the case-back side of the movement, the repeater was s...

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

Jan 30, 2020

OPINION: Why thick watches are no good

I’m rather fortunate in my role here at Time+Tide - I get to wear a lot of different watches. In fact, in 2019 alone I tried on and wore more than 200 different timepieces. Getting to experience this many different watches is a privilege, and while each and every one had both positives and negatives, they … ContinuedThe post OPINION: Why thick watches are no good appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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SJX Watches

Grand Seiko Introduces Jan 30, 2020

Grand Seiko Introduces the 60th Anniversary Limited Editions

Originally unveiled as a sub-brand of Seiko in 1960 dedicated entirely to high-precision wristwatches – and only sold in Japan for most of that time – Grand Seiko has now become an independent brand. This year is the 60th anniversary of its founding, and the occasion is being commemorated with a quartet of limited editions (with perhaps more to come later in the year), including two quartz watches powered by the 9F85, a new, top-of-the-line quartz movement. All of the anniversary editions feature a dial in dark blue, one of Grand Seiko’s signature colours, albeit executed in different materials or finishes, ranging from a stamped pattern to mother of pearl. All of the men’s models also have a red seconds hand, creating a red and blue aesthetic that’s uncommon for Grand Seiko. The flagship 60th anniversary watch is the Heritage Collection Hi-Beat 36000 Limited Edition (SBGH281), a variant of the 44GS “modern reinterpretation” that features broad, mirror-polished case flanks that are steeply sloped, a distinguishing characteristic of the 44GS case style. It’s powered by the 9S85, an automatic movement operated at 36,000 beats per hour, hence the “Hi-Beat” label.  Only 1,500 will be made. The Hi-Beat limited edition also features a gold “GS” logo on the dial The other mechanical model in the anniversary line-up is the Elegance Collection Women’s Automatic Limited Edition (STGK015), powered by the 9S27 automatic movement. Its dial is dark-blue mother...

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Time+Tide

TAG Heuer Unique Piece Autavia Caliber Jan 30, 2020

“Watch & Act!” Auction - The Final Additions #2

Finally, we have the last additions to the “Watch & Act!” Auction. Lot 22: TAG Heuer – Unique Piece, Autavia Caliber 5 ‘Watch & Act!’ Edition First released in 2019, this collection represented the first time the name Autavia had been given to a time-only watch, which is originally a portmanteau of automobile and aviation … ContinuedThe post “Watch & Act!” Auction – The Final Additions #2 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Time+Tide

Hublot Big Bang Integral just Jan 29, 2020

How could a humble watch bracelet win a watch fair? The Hublot Big Bang Integral just did exactly that, but why? How?

OK, let’s dispense with any hype and get down to it. Sixty per cent of watches are sold on a bracelet and this is a fact that Hublot are finally set to take advantage of with the Hublot Big Bang Integral, a new collection, freshly launched at the LVMH fair in Dubai in early January. … ContinuedThe post How could a humble watch bracelet win a watch fair? The Hublot Big Bang Integral just did exactly that, but why? How? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Quill & Pad

Cartier Jan 29, 2020

Van Cleef & Arpels Pierre Arpels: An Intertwined History - Reprise

Many of the great marques in the history of watchmaking were driven by prominent figures who ended up with a watch named after them. Such was the case for both Louis Cartier and Pierre Arpels. Both were born into jewelry and watch dynasties and both made prominent marks on the histories of their respective houses. How else are they intertwined? Martin Green explains here.

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Time+Tide

Jan 29, 2020

Crime or Sublime: Dive watches on leather straps

It’s Thursday, and that can mean only one thing - it’s time for Nicholas Kenyon & James Robinson to engage in another jousting of words over a watch-related point of contention. In this week’s office argument, the two pontificate whether or not it’s OK to wear dive watches on leather straps. James Robinson – The For … ContinuedThe post Crime or Sublime: Dive watches on leather straps appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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SJX Watches

Jan 29, 2020

Business News: De Grisogono Declares Bankruptcy

Swiss jeweller De Grisogono, which in its prime was one of the most extravagant brands on the planet, has just filed for bankruptcy in Geneva, as a result of Luanda Leaks, the financial scandal that has engulfed Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of Angola’s former president, reports Swiss newspapers Tribune de Geneve and Le Temps. Luanda Leaks, a trove of leaked documents published by investigative news organisation ICIJ, revealed Angolan state funds were allegedly channeled to Ms dos Santos, helping make her the richest woman in Africa. Even before the leaked documents, Ms dos Santos and her family were already under pressure from her father’s successor, who has vowed to root out corruption in the oil-rich African nation. According to the documents, a portion of went to fund De Grisogono, which was acquired by a Angolan investors in 2012. The investment was led by Ms dos Santos’ husband, Sindika Dokolo, but allegedly funded by Sodiam, Angola’s state-owned diamond company. With De Grisogono continuing to lose money since 2012, the brand’s owners had been hawking De Grisogono for some time with no luck, and Luanda Leaks were the final nail in the coffin – the brand declared bankruptcy on Tuesday, January 28, 2020. The King of Black Diamonds Founded by Fawaz Gruosi in 1993, De Grisogono was perhaps most famous for its incredibly lavish annual party at the Cannes Film Festival – reputedly costing as much as 3 million francs in some years – that everyone who ...

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Time+Tide

Bulgari Editor’s note Jan 29, 2020

Why the serpent is so important to Bulgari

Editor’s note: The serpent is a central part of Bulgari’s iconography, and has been for the last eight decades since it first entwined women’s wrists in the 1940s. While the design has refined over years, shedding old aesthetics in favour of a newer expression of the same feminine elegance, its power as a symbol of … ContinuedThe post Why the serpent is so important to Bulgari appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Time+Tide

Rolex Daytona Jan 29, 2020

Forget the Rolex Daytona on Antiques Roadshow, here are three watches to stash in your safe now

If you’re reading this, then chances are you’ve already seen the amazing video on America’s Antiques Roadshow of a US Air Force veteran and his mint Rolex Daytona Ref.6263. If not, stop reading this and watch the below video right now: I think we can all agree … this is a pretty staggering video. And it … ContinuedThe post Forget the Rolex Daytona on Antiques Roadshow, here are three watches to stash in your safe now appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Q Quill & Pad

Quill & Pad

Jan 28, 2020

Carl Suchy & Söhne Waltz N°1 Review: A Month On The Wrist

Jan Lidmaňský thinks that his white shirt and jacket went just fine with the Carl Suchy Waltz N°1, but that it's not for universal use. Forget t-shirts and jeans and don’t even think about shorts and flip-flops. It suits the elegant look of a businessman – so suit up when you wear it! What else did he learn?

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Deployant

Jan 28, 2020

Enamel dial atelier in Singapore - Travailler et Jouer Watches

We visited the atelier of Travailler Watches in Singapore, possibly the only enamel dial maker in the island. Jeremy Moi showed us around and demonstrates.

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Time+Tide

Frederique Constant Classic Moonphase Manufacture Jan 27, 2020

“Watch & Act!” Auction Item - Lot 15: A moon dance with Frederique Constant Classic Moonphase Manufacture

The Frederique Constant Classic Moonphase Manufacture Fratello Exclusive is produced in a limited run of 29 pieces, and are all individually numbered on the caseback. The 42mm 3 parts-case holds a convex sapphire crystal and clear caseback revealing the inner workings of the FC-712 caliber. The two counters of the moonphase and date are respectively … ContinuedThe post “Watch & Act!” Auction Item – Lot 15: A moon dance with Frederique Constant Classic Moonphase Manufacture appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Quill & Pad

Hermes Jan 27, 2020

Hermès Arceau Squelette: How A ‘Smokescreen’ Achieves Ultimate Elegance

Martin Green doesn't like skeleton watches despite adoring the craftsmanship that goes into making them because he isn't fond of seeing a stunning movement with a backdrop of skin and pressed hair. Hermès solved that problem with the Arceau Squelette, which showcases the beauty of the movement without any "hairy" backdrop by using a "smokescreen."

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Time+Tide

Alpina Manufacture Flyback Chronograph Jan 27, 2020

“Watch & Act!” Auction Item - Lot 14: The striking Alpina Manufacture Flyback Chronograph

With its striking appearance, the ‘Full Black’ Alpina 4 Manufacture Flyback Chronograph demonstrates an aggressive and distinctive personality. The model features an intense black PVD-coated case made out of stainless steel. The black dial with beige luminous pearl black applied indexes, matching the luminous beige hands, provides a stealthy, slightly vintage look. Note the ergonomically … ContinuedThe post “Watch & Act!” Auction Item – Lot 14: The striking Alpina Manufacture Flyback Chronograph appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Frederique Constant Jan 27, 2020

“Watch & Act!” Auction Item - Lot 12: A crisp classic from Frederique Constant

This classic three-handed model from Frederique Constant, with gloss black dial, is a dress watch par excellence. It is presented here with high-polished baton indices, razor-sharp sword hands and an elegant crocodile strap. It is generously donated by Sydney’s Wamada Jewellery, Watchfest and the Sydney Chinese Community. The Classics Index Automatic is a symphony of … ContinuedThe post “Watch & Act!” Auction Item – Lot 12: A crisp classic from Frederique Constant appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Time+Tide

Jan 27, 2020

Weekend watch spotting with JR: the vintage edition

As is always the way on Australia Day weekends, I went to an endless succession of parties and barbecues. These shindigs are a great opportunity to go watch spotting and I was fortunate to stumble across a few exciting timepieces that had one thing in common - they were all vintage. So without further ado, … ContinuedThe post Weekend watch spotting with JR: the vintage edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Time+Tide

Oris from Jan 27, 2020

“Watch & Act!” Auction Item - Lot 9: An Oris from the jazz man James Morrison

This Oris jazz watch is an homage to the Australian jazz musician James Morrison. It features a gradient ‘dégradé’ blue dial and a caseback engraved with the Academy of Music logo, with contrasting Arabic numerals marking the hours. The golden seconds hand counterbalance is shaped like a trumpet hook, inspired by James’ favourite instrument. This … ContinuedThe post “Watch & Act!” Auction Item – Lot 9: An Oris from the jazz man James Morrison appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Time+Tide

Jan 26, 2020

“Watch & Act!” Auction Item - Lot 6: A limited edition Nick Hacko born in Sydney

This watch comes with a moving personal story. The first of a run of 200 ‘Mark 1’ models that are keenly being awaited by their future owners, it was actually a present from Sydney watchmaker Nicholas Hacko to his wife: “It is a very special watch for her, and she is parting with it in … ContinuedThe post “Watch & Act!” Auction Item – Lot 6: A limited edition Nick Hacko born in Sydney appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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SJX Watches

Longines Heritage Military 1938 Longines Jan 26, 2020

Hands-On: Longines Heritage Military 1938

Longines has been cranking out vintage remakes at a furious pace over the last year, most notably the Heritage Classic “sector” dial and Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946. All of them share the appealing qualities of being well-priced and fairly authentic remakes. The latest to be released is the Heritage Military 1938, a remake of an oversized watch Longines produced in the 1930s, often for Eastern European markets. It’s as good as the other remakes in terms of value – Longines excel at making value-for-money watches – but falls a bit flat with the dial. The ref. 4092 The inspiration for the new remake is the ref. 4092, a wristwatch that is exceptionally large for its time, with its steel case measuring 43 mm in diameter. Such extra-large watches with military-style dials appear to have mostly been sold to Eastern Europe; Zipper, the Longines agent in Poland at the time is often named as the recipient in archive extracts. A vintage ref. 4092 from the Longines Museum (left) next to the Heritage Military 1938 The rarity and remarkable size of the ref. 4092, along with its appealing military-style dial, makes it a fairly valuable watch today. Even an example with a severely-aged dial sold for 23,750 Swiss francs at Phillips in 2017. So unlike other modern-day remakes that are enlarged versions of vintage originals, the Heritage Military 1938 is just right; it is exactly the same size as the original, but priced at just a tenth of the auction result. The remake Th...

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SJX Watches

Hublot Introduces Jan 25, 2020

Hublot Introduces the Big Bang Sang Bleu II

One of Hublot’s most enduring artistic collaborations has been its relationship with Sang Bleu, a Swiss creative agency and tattoo studio. Founded by Swiss tattoo artist Maxime Plescia-Büchi – who happens to be a bona fide watch aficionado himself – one of Sang Bleu’s signature tattoos is a symmetrical, geometric pattern made up of triangles, which was converted into an unusual time display for the Sang Bleu wristwatch. While the original Sang Bleu watch was time only, the Big Bang Sang Bleu II is a chronograph – with triple Sang Bleu indications, for the time, as well as the two chronograph registers. Clad in blue and available in titanium or 18k gold, the Sang Bleu tells the time via two large, latticework hands – the classic Sang Bleu motif – that have luminous paint on their tips. Similarly, the chronograph hands are rendered as open-worked octagons. Reminiscent of a kinetic sculpture as the hands move, the look is striking and unique, although it doesn’t help with legibility. Sang Bleu finishing The triangular Sang Bleu motif continues onto the bezel and case, which is essentially a geometrically-shaped variation of the tradition Hublot Big Bang. Notably, because of the alternating brushed and polished surfaces that cover the case, the brushed surface is actually a laser engraved linear pattern, because of the impossibility of creating alternating finishes on the same plane. Because the Sang Bleu II is a chronograph, it’s a large watch that’s 4...

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Quill & Pad

Zenith El Primero A384 Revival Jan 24, 2020

Zenith El Primero A384 Revival: Cool Never Changes

Martin Green thinks that the El Primero A384 Revival is a powerful thing on the wrist. With a diameter of 37 mm it is small by today's standards, but compensates well with its cushion-shaped case. Its particular brand of cool makes him want to get a leather jacket and a muscle car. How about you?

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Time+Tide

Seiko Astron Editor’s note Jan 24, 2020

Novac Djokovic loves the Seiko Astron

Editor’s note: With all the action of the Australian Open now well and truly underway, and following on from news that Seiko and tennis ace Novak Djokovic have just unveiled their latest limited edition timepiece, we thought we’d take another look at their 2019 collaborative special – the Seiko Astron Novak Djokovic Limited Edition SSE174J.  … ContinuedThe post Novac Djokovic loves the Seiko Astron appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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SJX Watches

Breguet Marine 5517 Jan 23, 2020

Up Close: Breguet Marine 5517 in Titanium

Breguet today is highly regarded for its watches that classically designed but often powered by innovative, high-tech movements, like the Classique Chronométrie 7727 with magnetic balance pivots, or the recent, elaborately finished skeleton tourbillon 5395. The brand is not, however, known for its luxury-sports watches (its line of Type XX aviator’s chronographs are entry-level and not quite sports watches). But last year Breguet unveiled the latest – and best – version of its luxury-sports watch, the Marine 5517. An under-appreciated contender in the category, the new Marine more conservative in style than its competition, but built to an admirably high standard. The Marine 5517 in titanium with a matching bracelet Horloger de la Marine Unlike its competitors, Breguet was relatively late to the luxury-sports watch segment (though not as late as A. Lange & Söhne, which launched the Odysseus last year); the original Marine only made its debut in 1990. The model name was inspired by Breguet’s appointment in 1815 as Horloger de la Marine – clockmaker to the French navy, an appointment it held for over 150 years. Designed by Jorg Hysek, perhaps the most famous watch designers of the 1990s, the first-generation Marine was distinguished by its fluted, domed crown, but otherwise looked pretty much like any other Breguet. That was replaced in 2005 by the second generation, a major redesign that gave it a more distinctive style. The practical robustness of the Marine...

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