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Results for The Royal Oak Launch Story

41,766 articles · 254 videos found · page 919 of 1401

New: Kurono Calendrier Type 1 is already sold out! We explore why. Deployant
Kurono Tokyo s latest drop Aug 13, 2022

New: Kurono Calendrier Type 1 is already sold out! We explore why.

The new release marks Kurono's success once again in textbook execution of a product launch. It begins with a great design, good pricing and finishes with great marketing. Riding on Hajime's popularity, the brand story benefits from the watchmaker's credibility. The design is classic and accessible, with finishing that is a bar above most in its segment. It also benefits from finding a niche in the USD1-4k segment, in a non-mass production vertical. Its limited production possibly limited by assembly and manufacturing capacity works ironically in its favor, to create scarcity.

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Hands-On: F.P. Journe Zodiaque “Children Action” Piece Unique SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Zodiaque “Children Action” Piece May 5, 2022

Hands-On: F.P. Journe Zodiaque “Children Action” Piece Unique

François-Paul Journe is perhaps the most successful living independent watchmaker – so successful that some of his watches have entered the same “hype” territory occupied by watches like the Nautilus and Royal Oak – which might mean that casting about for an overlooked F.P. Journe watch is a fool’s errand. But the brand does have a few hidden gems in amongst its past offerings, with the Zodiaque being one such watch. And Phillips’ upcoming Geneva sale has a one-off version that I had never seen in person until recently, the Zodiaque “Children Action” – which will be sold to benefit the titular children’s charity. The original Zodiaque. Image – Phillips The original Zodiaque debuted in 2004, just five years after the brand was founded, in a limited edition of 150 pieces. Despite its distinctive aesthetic and esoteric complication, the Zodiaque never enjoyed the success of its peers at the time, perhaps because of that very complication, which indicates the signs of zodiac with an annual calendar ring. Remember that in the years after the brand’s founding in 1999, F.P. Journe was merely a startup founded by a talented watchmaker with a peculiar personality; his watches weren’t exactly flying off the shelves. Yet Mr Journe still created this one-off watch for a good cause, which eventually became a yearly affair with the brand contributing unique watches to several charities, including subsequent timepieces for Children Action and of course the rec...

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Actively Black x Teleport ‘Obama’ Watch: Hands On! Quill & Pad
Jan 25, 2022

Actively Black x Teleport ‘Obama’ Watch: Hands On!

On January 1, 2022, watch spotters were flummoxed by a photograph of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama in their New Year's Eve party dress. The former POTUS appeared to be wearing a black Royal Oak-style chronograph on a rubber strap. The watch in question turned out to be a collaboration between Teleport, a little-known U.S.-based fashion watch producer, and Actively Black, a U.S.-owned leisurewear company. Colin Alexander Smith managed to get his hands on one for a closer look, which he shares here.

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You Can’t Ask That: A new conversation series with Audemars Piguet exploring all kinds of topics Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet exploring all kinds Sep 21, 2021

You Can’t Ask That: A new conversation series with Audemars Piguet exploring all kinds of topics

You Can’t Ask That, Part 1: Why are AP collections always so controversial when they launch? Introducing a conversation series on YouTube… This is the first video in a series of more conversational, and less directly watch-focused, videos that aim to provide richer telling of the Audemars Piguet story. The title refers to how direct … ContinuedThe post You Can’t Ask That: A new conversation series with Audemars Piguet exploring all kinds of topics appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Up Close: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying May 17, 2021

Up Close: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph

Launched just last year, the Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph is the flagship model in Audemars Piguet’s oft-discussed line of run watches. Executed well in almost every way, the Code 11.59 Tourbillon Chronograph underscores the potential of the family. But more importantly, the watch encapsulates AP’s strengths. Despite being known largely for the Royal Oak, and widely criticised for the Code 11.59 and then the Royal Oak Concept Black Panther, AP remains AP. The brand is a long-established, top-tier watchmaker that knows how to make fine watches. That is amply evident in the Code 11.59 Tourbillon Chronograph. Initial thoughts The Code 11.59 was widely panned online at launch, though the virtual mob’s rage was overdone, taking the weakness of specific models and generalising it across the entire line. The dials on the three-hander and chronograph were bland, but the other models were more appealing. But the Code is in fact an impressive collection in terms of finish and construction – though some dials still can be improved – especially the octagon-within-a-circle case that’s difficult to appreciate in photos. But the Code 11.59 has gained traction since, especially with the subsequent facelifts that combined smoked, lacquered dials and two-tone cases that immediately made the watch more attractive. At the same time, highly complicated models have joined the line up, including the open-worked tourbillon and Grande Sonnerie, which add to...

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Vacheron Constantin Introduces Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin in White Gold SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Introduces Overseas Perpetual Calendar Apr 11, 2021

Vacheron Constantin Introduces Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin in White Gold

The style du jour in luxury watches today, the integrated-bracelet sports watch – exemplified by the Nautilus and Royal Oak – describes many of the most desirable watches today. Though a newcomer relative to its peers, it would be remiss to look past the Overseas, which is as thin, distinctive, and finely finished. Now Vacheron Constantin has unveiled perhaps the best versions of the model yet – the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin and the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton – both in white gold with dials in blue. Initial thoughts Both watches aren’t new – the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin was first introduced in 2016, while the skeleton variant was launched last year. The novelty is merely the new colour, as well as the white gold case for the skeleton model (which was previously only available in pink gold). Compared to the previous iterations, the new blue-and-white-gold combinations give the two watches a modern, understated aesthetic that makes them perhaps the most attractive models in the entire Overseas line. My pick of the pair is the skeleton model, which eminently striking, with its open-worked aesthetic – with all the intricate mechanics on display – elevating the look to another level. My pick would be the skeleton model Both new models are priced about 10% more than their predecessors in pink gold, which is more or less in keeping with the industry norm of pricing white gold slightly high (due to ostensibly hi...

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Highlights: Phillips ‘Refresh:Reload’ Online-Only Auction SJX Watches
De Bethune DB12 chronograph May 19, 2020

Highlights: Phillips ‘Refresh:Reload’ Online-Only Auction

Phillips’ first-ever online watch auction, Refresh:Reload is a cross-category affair, encompassing watches, jewellery, and contemporary art. The week-long sale includes over 50 watches, ranging from the usual suspects like Royal Oak, Nautilus, and Submariner, but also a selection of more interesting, unconventional watches, like a De Bethune DB12 chronograph with oversized date and month, and an extra-thin, skeletonised Seiko Credor. Here are a couple of highlights from the sale, which is online from now till 6 pm (GMT+8) on May 28. The entire catalogue is available here. Lot 5 – Bronze Hourglass by Daniel Arsham One of the earliest lots in the auction is a sculpture with a horological element. The Bronze Hourglass was an edition of 100 examples commissioned by watch retailer The Hour Glass to mark its 40th anniversary in 2019. It’s the work of Daniel Arsham, one of today’s hottest contemporary artists. Mr Arsham is best known for his “eroded” works, objects made to appear heavily aged. Some of his work sits the crossroads between art and luxury goods – he’s applied his unique aesthetic to Rimowa luggage, Dior bags, and also a Porsche 911. The Bronze Hourglass has an estimate of HK$35,000-45,000, or about US$4,500-6,000. Lot 92 – Seiko Credor 40th Anniversary Signo Cherry Blossoms A limited edition made to mark the 40th anniversary of Seiko’s Credor collection, the Signo Cherry Blossoms encapsulates the key specialties of mechanical watchmaking at S...

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Business News: Stefanie Ng Appointed CEO of Audemars Piguet SE Asia SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet SE Asia Audemars Piguet Dec 7, 2019

Business News: Stefanie Ng Appointed CEO of Audemars Piguet SE Asia

Audemars Piguet (AP) recently named Stefanie Ng to lead its operations in Southeast Asia, India and Australia. She succeeds Jonathan King, who departed the brand in April 2019. Having started her career at Swatch Group, Ms Ng joined AP in 2012 as marketing manager for the region, where she helped execute projects like the Royal Oak 40th anniversary exhibition and a giant floral clock at Gardens by the Bay. The past two years have been formative for the brand, both in Asia and the wider world, as it has steadily trimmed its third-party distribution while growing sales within its own stores, making the marketing efforts of Ms Ng and her team vital, particularly with the launch of the all-new Code 11.59 collection earlier this year. As chief executive, Ms Ng will work alongside two board members of AP, which is unusual amongst Swiss watchmakers in having shareholders resident in Singapore: Oliviero Bottinelli, whose family inherited its stake from former AP chief executive Georges Golay (1921-1987), and Sunil Amarasuriya, who was once the distributor for AP in the region and acquired a minority stake in 1990. The Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 tourbillon made for Only Watch, which sold for a record 1m Swiss francs at the charity auction in November Though the watch industry in the region, like that back home in Switzerland, is dominated by men, it’s noteworthy that two of the most important brands – coincidentally both family owned – are now run by women. The Patek Philipp...

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RECOMMENDED WATCHING: Jean-Claude Biver’s unbelievable watch collection Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet Nov 19, 2019

RECOMMENDED WATCHING: Jean-Claude Biver’s unbelievable watch collection

There’s a pretty strong case to be made that Mr Jean-Claude Biver is one of, if not the most influential individual in the horological industry of the last half-a-century. Here is a man who cut his teeth at Audemars Piguet and witnessed first-hand the development of the now legendary Royal Oak. A man who would … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED WATCHING: Jean-Claude Biver’s unbelievable watch collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Hands-On: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Tourbillon Openworked “Only Watch” SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Tourbillon Openworked Nov 7, 2019

Hands-On: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Tourbillon Openworked “Only Watch”

At Only Watch 2017, Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in black ceramic – but with a one-off blue dial – sold for a whopping 800,000 Swiss francs, with two phone bidders driving it to nearly seven times the high estimate. It was the third most expensive watch in the sale. This year’s contribution is no Royal Oak – far from it – but it’s surprisingly worthy of a second look. In fact, it’s probably the best-looking watch to emerge from the brand’s often criticised Code 11.59 line. Amidst the flak heaped upon it, the Code 11.59 range had a couple of standouts, including the Tourbillon Openworked. And that’s where AP started for Only Watch 2019. The Tourbillon Openworked Only Watch retains the slim, beautifully finished skeleton movement, eschewing the contentious Code 11.59 dial altogether. And the movement has a two-tone finish that smartly highlights the most important mechanical components. To match the movement, the Only Watch edition features a two-tone case that does justice to the Code 11.59 construction in a way the uniform colour of the standard models simply couldn’t. Superbly constructed In terms of size, the case is identical to the standard model – 41mm by 10.7mm. Beyond immediate impressions, the case is wonderfully constructed with a subtle and intriguing mix of shapes and finishing made obvious by the two-tone materials. The octagonal case middle is pink gold, while the rest of the case, including the lugs, are white gold,...

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Looking back at Bulgari’s Gérald Genta 50th Anniversary Watch Time+Tide
Bulgari s Gérald Genta 50th Sep 23, 2019

Looking back at Bulgari’s Gérald Genta 50th Anniversary Watch

Editor’s note: I think it’s fairly safe to say that Gérald Charles Genta is the 20th century’s most notable designer of wristwatches. Many know the list of his accomplishments, but the sheer scope and impact of his unique and inspired design language is still sometimes difficult to grasp. Royal Oak, Nautilus, Constellation, Ingenieur, Golden Ellipse … ContinuedThe post Looking back at Bulgari’s Gérald Genta 50th Anniversary Watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Hands-On: Bell & Ross BR 05 SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Piaget Polo S Sep 4, 2019

Hands-On: Bell & Ross BR 05

Luxury sports watches in steel with distinctive case shapes and integrated bracelets have been an unstoppable trend of late. Though the segment was born in the 1970s with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and then Patek Philippe Nautilus, it’s arguably at the high-water mark now. Several brands have joined the party with their own luxury sport watches, each designed with a different impetus, but often met with a certain degree of controversy. Recent examples include the Vacheron Constantin Overseas, Piaget Polo S, and Girard-Perregaux Laureato. And now, it’s the turn of Bell & Ross (B&R;) with the BR 05. Unsurprisingly, the BR 05 is a riff on the most iconic Bell & Ross design – the circle-within-a-square case. The BR 05 enters a crowded segment in both an affordable manner; it’s kitted out with a well-constructed case and customised movement for under US$5000. An unmistakable form At first glance, the rounded-square case and bezel with visible screws inevitably brings to mind Gerald Genta’s classics. But on its own, the BR 05 is a logical derivative of the signature B&R; case. The BR 05 is a compact watch, with a wide bezel making it look slightly smaller than it actually is. The case measures 40mm across and 10.4mm in height, which is relatively slim and within the general ballpark of such watches. That being said, a case below 10mm would have given it more elegant and classical proportions. And in contrast to the merely adequate depth rating of the ...

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New Release: More Audemars Piguet novelties from SIHH 2018 Deployant
Audemars Piguet novelties from SIHH 2018 Jan 20, 2018

New Release: More Audemars Piguet novelties from SIHH 2018

With the newly announced RD#2 Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin (the thinnest self-winding Quantième Perpétuel on the market today), the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak collection has proven itself once again that it is more than just a pretty face. Audemars Piguet’s latest novelties at SIHH 2018 is bursting with colour and contrast, vibrant with new ideas, material combinations and design features.

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Czapek Unleashes a Purple Storm Worn & Wound
Czapek Unleashes Nov 27, 2024

Czapek Unleashes a Purple Storm

I feel like every time I look at Czapek, they’re doing something great. This time, they’ve released a new limited variant of the Antarctique, the Antarctique Purple Storm, with an otherworldly purple dial produced by Swiss dial maker Metalem. The Antarctique has been one of the great success stories of the indie watch world in recent years, and Czapek has managed to iterate on the watch beautifully, offering up a consistent stream of new and interesting executions on the model without losing any of what makes it so compelling. This latest release pairs a familiar steel execution of the independent brand’s signature integrated bracelet sports watch, with a new version of the hand-varnished dial first seen in the 10-piece limited edition Antarctique Orion Nebula. While that watch was meant to evoke very specifically the look of galactic bodies in astral photography, almost looking like it could have come straight from the Webb telescope, more recent implementations of the technique have had a more lava-lamp-like quality; ethereal and non-corporeal. The Purple Storm fits into the latter group presenting onlookers with colors ranging from dark blacks to vibrant purples and every shade in between. Each of the 18 dials in this series is completely unique, and the celestial-inspired dials are entirely sterile - though the Czapek logo is present, it looks to be printed on the underside of the sapphire crystal (an increasingly common, but nonetheless appealing technique). ...

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