Chronograph Watches · Page 127

De Bethune Introduces the DB Eight

While De Bethune is best known for its avant-garde designs and signature spring-loaded floating lugs, the brand’s early years were characterised by more traditional styling. Fresh off the press, the DB Eight calls to mind the brand’s early products, most notably the DB1 mono-pusher chronograph from 2002, but adds many of the technical refinements that De Bethune has become known for.  Dressed in a polished titanium case and guilloché dial, the DB Eight fills a hole in the brand’s current line-up by offering collectors a simple, manually wound mono-pusher chronograph, albeit one that lacks the technical and decorative refinement collectors expect at this price point. Thanks to its wide but slim case and narrow bezel, the DB Eight will likely wear larger than its 42.4 mm diameter would suggest Initial thoughts I’m probably in the minority when it comes to my preference for De Bethune’s more classically styled models like the original DB1. Given this preference, I naturally I gravitated towards the new DB Eight more than I have to some of the brand’s other recent offerings like the DB28XP. But while I like the design of the DB Eight, the substance does not meet my expectations for the brand. Let’s start with the good news. De Bethune has addressed the cross-eyed look of the DB1 with a new movement that offers an instantaneous 60-minute counter for the elapsed time at six o’clock. This creates a balanced look that at first glance might even pass for a time-...

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut adds some delectable new chocolates and blue-greys to the line-up

Patek Philippe adds three tasty new rose gold models to their Aquanaut sporting line for Watches & Wonders 2023 A flyback chronograph and diamond-bezelled time/date model both get warm dial colours In a first for the Aquanaut, the Luce presents an annual calendar paired with a blue-grey dial With no new Nautilus models for Watches … ContinuedThe post The Patek Philippe Aquanaut adds some delectable new chocolates and blue-greys to the line-up appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Watches & Wonders: Day 2 Recap

Day 2 of Watches & Wonders is history, and the Worn & Wound team is back to recap the day’s events once again. Today saw more meetings, more video shoots, and more frantically checking our calendars to make sure we don’t miss a key appointment. There were also plenty of surprises, from brands that we have known and loved for years, and also some that we all want to learn more about. Check our reactions to day 2 below. Zach Kazan Watches and Wonders Day 2 started, thankfully, after a good night’s sleep. To this point, the effects of jetlag have been mostly pretty minimal, and waking up early, having a real breakfast, and starting the day on Swiss time in mind and body was certainly a positive development. Some people come to these shows, put in a full day of work, and party hard well into the evening, and frankly I’m not sure how those people survive the week while meeting deadlines.  I’ve learned that a nice thing that happens at an event like this is that a brand will inevitably surprise you, either with the watches they’re exhibiting, the presentation, or both. That happened today with TAG Heuer, who have introduced new Carreras that are more appealing than just about chronograph I’ve seen them release in the last three or four years. And that’s a lot of chronographs. Zach Weiss will have more on these tomorrow, but they’re an early favorite of the show for me. In person, they were so much stronger than I expected based on the brand supplied images. No...

Grand Seiko Unveils the Tentagraph, a New Sports Chronograph with a Three Day Power Reserve and High Frequency Movement

This year’s marquee release from Grand Seiko is the all new Tentagraph, an imposing and technically impressive chronograph that makes use of a new high beat caliber and a case shape derived from previous watches in the Evolution 9 Collection. It’s kind of hard to believe, but up until now, Grand Seiko didn’t have a purely mechanical chronograph in their collection. Spring Drive has ruled the day if you need a watch for timing laps, steaks, or anything else, but that changes this year.  With the Tentagraph, which carries reference SLGC001, Grand Seiko introduces a new movement, Caliber 9SC5. This movement is notable for its shared architecture and essential technical features with the next-gen 9SA5, the double-impulse escapement caliber introduced by the brand a few years ago. We’ve seen that basic time and date caliber adopted in a variety of excellent watches in the relatively short time it’s been in production, but this is where the fun really starts: we now have a new caliber derived from the 9SA5, which of course would lead anyone following the brand to think that a) we’ll see more chronographs coming from Grand Seiko within the Evolution 9 Collection and b) we’re likely to see more complications. The 9SA5 now takes its place as a halo caliber, with many possibilities ahead when it comes to variations large and small.  Like the 9SA5, the 9SC5 beats ten times per second and is powered by two barrels giving it a three day power reserve. That’s with the ...

Rolex Introduces the Daytona Ref. 126500

For the 60th anniversary of the Cosmograph Daytona, Rolex has given the collection a subtle refresh with both technical and aesthetic improvements. The upgrades are fairly significant considering the outgoing 116500 was only seven years old, having debuted at Baselworld in 2016, and is still one of the most sought-after watches on the market. At launch, there are five key references and 11 total variations. Topping the range is a new platinum model that offers a transparent case back – a first for a Daytona. The platinum model benefits from a transparent caseback and a gold oscillating weight Initial thoughts The outgoing Daytona ref. 116500 was arguably the best chronograph in its category, and inarguably difficult to buy at retail price. Not content with this success, Rolex has made a great watch even better. The upgrades are subtle, but there are numerous changes inside and out. Starting with the dial, the sub-dial rings and dial markers have grown thinner, as has the ceramic bezel which now features a protective outer ring crafted from the same material as the middle case. The new Daytona has a slimmer case, under 12 mm for the first time. Note the gold ring around the edge of the ceramic bezel. Reduced thickness seems to be something of a theme for Rolex this year, and the Daytona is no exception, shedding 0.5 mm for a new total thickness of 11.9 mm. The outgoing Daytona was already quite thin relative to its peers, and the sleeker dimensions of the new model only m...

Introducing: The Redesigned TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph: Meet The 39mm 'Glassbox' (Live Pics)

The Carrera enters its seventh decade with a midsized case and cool, modern confidence.

Rolex Reveals New Formal Collection With 1908

Among the bevy of new Rolex watches released this year were a few unexpected watches, which isn’t a phrase we often mutter about the brand. We saw some unusually colorful dials (more on those later), and the launch of an entirely new formal collection called the Perpetual 1908, a reference to the brand’s name coinage by Wans Wilsdorf. With its introduction, the existing Cellini line has come to a close. The 1908 lives within the ‘classic’ range alongside the likes of the Oyster Perpetual and Sky-Dweller, but feels distinctly different from any existing line. Coming from a brand that’s been at the center of the sport watch craze over the past decade, the 1908 feels like a breath of fresh air. The Perpetual 1908 is a three hand time only watch offered only in 18k white or yellow gold. The trim case measures 39mm in diameter with a divided, partially fluted bezel framing the austere dial. Within resides the Rolex automatic caliber 7140, which gets a healthy amount of decoration worthy of being presented through an exhibition caseback. This is a new move from Rolex this year, appearing on both this watch, and the 60th anniversary platinum Daytona. The bridges of the 7140 receive a finish that the brand is calling “Rolex Côtes de Genève”, a re-interpretation of the classic technique seen often in Swiss movements. It differs from traditional Côtes de Genève in that it places a narrow polished groove between each of the parallel bands. Being a Rolex, there’s a...

Zenith Relaunches the Pilot with Two New Aviation Themed Watches

It’s the year of the Pilot for Zenith. After shoring up their Chronomaster collection and injecting new life into the Defy over the last few years, Zenith has returned to the Pilot collection and given it a complete revamp. The Pilot is a historic line for Zenith, having trademarked the word “Pilote” all the way back in 1888 (and “Pilot” in 1904). In the early days of the company, the brand focused largely on the manufacture of flight instruments and watches for pilots. They of course weren’t the only brand to cut their manufacturing teeth on the burgeoning need for these types of devices, but were (and still are) the only brand to trademark the word “Pilot,” which allows them the opportunity to use it on the dial in a way other brand’s can’t. The new collection is a stab at bringing something very old in Zenith’s history and making it new in a very explicit way. In other words, these aren’t vintage inspired pilot’s watches, but something far more contemporary. There are two new watches making their debut this week, each in two different materials, for a total of four new Pilots flying their way into boutiques soon enough. The Pilot Automatic is a three hander running on the El Primero 3620, the same chrono-less EP movement found in the Defy Skyline collection. We get a date at 6:00, right below a horizontal line that is meant to recall indicators on a pilot’s instrument panel to refer them back to the horizon line. The Arabic numerals are large...

The new Odysseus Chronograph is the first-ever automatic chronograph from A. Lange & Söhne

Four years after its introduction, the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus is now presented in a chronograph format First-ever automatic chronograph calibre for A. Lange & Söhne – the new L156.1 DATOMATIC® calibre Boutique exclusive limited edition of 100 pcs. I hesitate to use the phrase ‘alternative’ here. Upon its introduction four years ago, the A. Lange … ContinuedThe post The new Odysseus Chronograph is the first-ever automatic chronograph from A. Lange & Söhne appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

IWC’s Pilot’s Watch line-up gets four new additions

For Watches & Wonders 2023, IWC have introduced three new references of IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41. Among the new trio are new cases in Oceana blue ceramic and 18k 5N gold. The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar is also now available with a racing green dial. IWC releasing more variety of Pilot’s Watches should … ContinuedThe post IWC’s Pilot’s Watch line-up gets four new additions appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

VIDEO: New TAG Heuer Plasma timepieces presented at Watches and Wonders 2023

Frédéric Arnault, CEO of TAG Heuer, and Wei Koh, Founder of Revolution, discuss TAG Heuer’s new Plasma timepieces. The star timepiece is the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma Diamant d’Avant-Garde Chronograph Tourbillon, which is 44mm in case size and has 124 lab-grown diamonds. Alongside a few other Carrera timepieces launched at Watches and Wonders 2023 such […]

VIDEO: Discover the 60th anniversary TAG Heuer Carrera with Frédéric Arnault

Frédéric Arnault, CEO of TAG Heuer, showed Wei Koh, Founder of Revolution, the new 60th anniversary Carrera. Mr Arnault explains that the “Glassbox” Carrera sports many vintage details that pay tribute to the original Carrera, and he also hints at what might be up next for TAG Heuer.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph mixes business and pleasure

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph unites a chronograph with a double-sided display Draws inspiration from the first Reverso Chronograph of 1996 To showcase the chronograph movement, the dial is entirely skeletonised There’s a strong argument to be made that the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso should really be classified as sports watch. It was, after all, specifically developed … ContinuedThe post Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph mixes business and pleasure appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Patek Philippe Introduces the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Chronograph Ref. 5924G

A. Lange & Söhne’s Latest at Watches and Wonders 2023

Revolution Founder Wei Koh and Revolution Editor-at-large Eleonor Picciotto got to see a truly special chronograph. They had the privilege of experiencing the 100-piece limited edition Odysseus Chronograph. They discussed this new novelty with Wilhelm Schmid, who is the CEO of A. Lange & Söhne, one of the most desirable brands in luxury. The 42.5mm […]

Celebrating 60 years of the Rolex Daytona

A Lange & Sohne Odysseus Gets Trick Automatic Chronograph

A Lange & Sohne came to Watches & Wonders with just a single release this year, and that’s all they needed to make a big impression. The watch is a new member of the Odysseus family, and it welcomes the brand’s first automatic chronograph. Like all of Lange chronograph movements, the new L156.1 within this watch is quite special, both mechanically and aesthetically. It should come as no surprise that the Odysseus platform accepts a chronograph compilation with ease, given the existing set of pushers that are integrated into the case, which are normally used to adjust the day and date. They still are, however their main function has been shifted to operating the chronograph. The Odysseus Chronograph retains the outsized day and date apertures at 9 and 3 o’clock respectively, as well as a running seconds hand nested at 6 o’clock. There are no other sub dials present. The timing seconds and minute hands are stacked together and centrally mounted, just like the equally fabulous Sinn EZM1. When started, the red anodized aluminum timing seconds hand kicks into action, and the second timing hand records each minute that passes, up to 60 minutes. One unique detail here worth noting is that, when reset, that seconds hand will retrace every lap it’s taken around the dial. So if you’ve timed something for 15 minutes before resetting, the seconds hand will make 15 laps in quick succession back to its starting place. These operations are routed through the integrated pusher...

Introducing: The TAG Heuer Carrera 36mm In Hot New Colors – And With A Movement Upgrade

The line represents TAG Heuer's answer to the colorful Rolex Oyster Perpetuals and Omega Aqua Terras.

VIDEO: TAG Heuer’s new anniversary Carrera models launched at Watches and Wonders 2023

Revolution Founder Wei Koh introduces the new Carrera timepieces by TAG Heuer. These tribute timepieces pay homage to the early Carrera models, their motor racing-inspired vintage details and the rich history of TAG Heuer.

Introducing: Grand Seiko's First Mechanical Chronograph, The Tentagraph (Live Pics)

The high-beat watch is the latest edition to the Evolution 9 Collection.

Rolex Redesigns the Daytona for 60th Anniversary

Rolex has given the Daytona its first proper redesign since the 116520 was released in 2000. With it comes an updated movement, and a few nods to older references that we’ve been asking for, as well a surprise or two along the way. The new Daytona design replaces all existing references with a new base collection that spans from steel; yellow Rolesor; yellow, white, and Everose gold; and of course, platinum. Each receives an updated 4131 automatic movement which finally brings stuff like the Chronergy escapement to the collection. It also gets an openworked oscillating weight, which, for the first time ever on a Daytona, is visible through an exhibition caseback on the platinum anniversary reference.  At a glance, the new Daytona doesn’t look all that different from the outgoing references. This is very much an iteration of the same concept that’s been evolving since 1953. The most immediately apparent departure from the prior generation is the thickness of the rings surrounding the sub dials, the shape of the hour markers, and the bezel construction. They add up to a notably different vibe that presents a slightly jarring take on the dial design thanks to the altered proportions. The thinner sub dial surrounds in particular highlight this difference, and it’s a detail most noticeable on the steel examples as they are contrasted against the dial color alone. The precious metal references get those sub dials filled in, which work well here. One of the most welcomed...

Introducing the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph

Introducing: The New Rolex Daytona With Redesigned Case And New Caliber 4131

With a slightly redesigned case and bezel, too.

TAG Heuer’s Carrera Watches Live Up to their Legacy