Hodinkee
The Spec Sheet: The Omega Speedmaster Automatic Is A Speedy For The Rest Of Us
A smaller, automatic Omega Speedmaster for the people.
Hodinkee
A smaller, automatic Omega Speedmaster for the people.
Time+Tide
Omega have been at the forefront of vintage-inspired sports watches for quite some time, and the latest revamp of the Omega Speedmaster ‘57 shows what a great place watchmaking is in right now. We seem to have made it through the onslaught of strait-laced vintage reissues, and now their evolutions featuring daring and creative dials … ContinuedThe post George Clooney and Hyun Bin showcase the Omega Speedmaster ’57 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Let's be Sinn-cere, Patek Philippe might read clunky but it really Rolex-es off the tongue.
SJX Watches
While it isn’t common knowledge, Longines now 190 years old, making it the longest-established of the seven biggest brands in Swiss watchmaking, besting even its sister company Omega. Historically known for its top-quality chronographs and time-only chronometers, Longines has unsurprisingly delved into its archives to mark the anniversary. The brand has just taken the wraps off the Master Collection 190th Anniversary, a three-hand wristwatch with an unusually elaborate dial for a Longines. And as expected for a commemorative model, it is available not only as a regular production model in steel, but also also a pricier limited edition in yellow or rose gold. The steel version with blued steel hands is an affordable US$2,400 Initial thoughts With compact proportions and an elegantly detailed dial, the Master 190th Anniversary blends various elements drawn from watches of the mid 20th century, giving it an easy appeal. That said, the aesthetics of the Master anniversary are not exactly original – it does bring to mind a variety of other watches. While it’s definitely a vintage-style watch, the Master anniversary is not a reissue – a feat for Longines, a brand that already has several dozen reissues in its catalogue. I find the dial of the new Master more attractive than most of the actual remakes in Longines’ Heritage collection. Those watches typically have good fit and finish, but the anniversary Master is a marked improvement and enhanced by flourishes lik...
Hodinkee
This updated take on the brand's classic chronograph offers vintage vibes in a modern package.
SJX Watches
Pilot’s watches, and specifically military-inspired pilot’s watches, are a pillar of the modern, luxury watch industry. Dozens of brands, notably IWC, Breitling, Bell & Ross, Bremont, and Yema, have made military aviation a core theme of their image. So it’s somewhat ironic that today’s elite military pilots don’t wear mechanical watches in the cockpit. A recent survey of pilots at MCAS Miramar, the airbase once home to the prestigious “Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor” programme – better known as TOPGUN – revealed that not a single pilot was wearing a mechanical watch. Instead, military pilots increasingly wear smartwatches designed specifically for aviators like the Garmin D2 that can monitor oxygen levels and act as a backup navigation system. Modern pilot’s watches made by luxury brands are more like “fan fiction”; a designer’s dream of what might have been. But this wasn’t always the case. Mechanical watches were once state-of-the-art technology and vital instruments for navigators and pilots before being rendered obsolete by quartz technology. This is the story of how the urgency of the Cold War gave the humble balance wheel one last chance to patrol the skies. The jet-shaped counterweight on the IWC Top Gun SFTI calls to mind the airplane-tipped chronograph minutes hand of Cold War-era pilot’s watches like the Tutima 798 A brief history of the pilot’s watch Pilot’s watches have been around for almost as long as there have been p...
Hodinkee
Highlighting the newest ten additions to the Vintage Watches section of the H Shop.
Quill & Pad
Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne, thinks that the Hampton Court Concours of Elegance is a perfect fit for his brand. Here Martin Green explains why and looks at the unique piece 1815 Chronograph created in its honor that will be auctioned for charity.
Hodinkee
There's a reason the El Primero movement is so good, and this watch proves that it's still getting better.
Time+Tide
A common argument against mechanical watches is that they don’t actually have much practical function in a 21st century society. The time can be read with atomic accuracy on a smartphone, and professional divers will almost always choose a modern dive computer over an analogue watch when their life is on the line. The Ball … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Ball Roadmaster Rescue Chronograph in Ice Blue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
It was given to me by one of my mentors, Ludwig Oechslin.
SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton is now in its 20th year as a watchmaker. In that time it has gone from basic, ETA-powered watches to a variety of impressive complications, including its signature Spin Time, and even a minute repeater with automaton. To mark the occasion, Louis Vuitton (LV) has just announced the Tambour Twenty Chronograph, a remake modelled on the brand’s first serious mechanical timepiece. The two-decade journey has seen LV’s watchmaking division evolve from a shared space inside TAG Heuer’s factory to its own expansive facility in Geneva that includes not only a complications workshop but also its own dial-making facility. While LV does make some of its own movements now, the Tambour Twenty is a nod to its origins as a watchmaker. The 200-piece limited edition is modelled on the Tambour LV277 of 2003, the brand’s first chronograph that was powered by the Zenith El Primero. Initial thoughts Despite its odd proportions – a big case with tall, sloping sides and narrow lugs – the Tambour case is attractive in my eyes. And it’s distinctive and recognisable although its form is fairly simple. In short, it’s a successful design. The Tambour works especially well with complications since that gives its size – especially its thickness – a sense of purpose. Ordinarily I am not a fan of brown dials, but this is one of the few dials in the colour that looks good. LV executes its dials well – most of them are made in-house – and the reflective metallic brown o...
Hodinkee
Drum roll, please.
Hodinkee
And they tapped nature photographer Hannes Becker for help.
SJX Watches
Sylvain Pinaud entered the independent watchmaking stage in 2019 when he revealed his monopoussoir chronograph that had an unusual dial-side mechanism and a high level of decoration. But he was working on something both more concise and more elaborate all along, the Origine. Launched earlier in 2022, the Origine is a wristwatch that pursues a familiar formula in independent watchmaking – a time-only movement finished extremely well and mostly made by the watchmaker himself, except for the dial and case that are the work of an industry favourite. But Mr Pinaud does it better than most with an original movement construction and gorgeous decoration, though he is clearly still perfecting his brand’s defining aesthetic. NB: The watch pictured is the prototype of the Origine so it is slightly imperfect in terms of cleanliness and detailing. Initial thoughts At first glance, the Origine might seem like one of many time-only rolled out by watchmakers who recently set up their own brands. But it stands apart in several aspects. For one, Mr Pinaud is an experienced watchmaker unlike many nascent independent watchmakers. Now in his forties, he graduated from watchmaking school in 1998 before embarking on a career that took him to Franck Muller as well as Carl F. Bucherer. And then there’s the quality of execution, which is extremely high. Not only is the movement an original construction by Mr Pinaud himself, the decoration is top class. In fact, a major part of the Origine’...
Time+Tide
While the last few releases from Dan Henry have focused on the post-WWI era of military chronographs, the micro-turned-major brand return to a more lighthearted spirit with their most “modern” watch so far - the Dan Henry 1975. While the concept of a diving watch rose throughout the 1950s and was popularised in the 1960s, … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Dan Henry 1975 is a diver that’s playful yet refined and costs under $300 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Teddy Baldassarre
Baume & Mercier is a watch brand that prides itself in its pursuit of classical watchmaking mixed with timelessly elegant style and in offering its timepieces at a price point that defines "affordable luxury." If you're new to Baume & Mercier watches, there's likely a lot about this nearly two-century-old watchmaker that you don't know. Here we explore the history and watchmaking milestones of Baume & Mercier, from its origins in 1830 to today. 1830: The Brothers Baume Baume & Mercier is the sixth-oldest watchmaker* currently in operation, having begun its existence in 1830, founded by Louis-Victor Baume and his brother Pierre-Joseph Celestine Baume. In the beginning, the company, at the time known as “Frères Baume" (“Baume Brothers”), sold its pocket watches out of a shop in the Swiss Jura village of Les Bois. By the 1850s, Frères Baume had built its business, and its reputation for quality watchmaking, enough to set up a branch in London, a major market and an important center for international expansion - first throughout the United Kingdom, then into India, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and other nations that at the time were part of the British Empire. The watches the Baume brothers produced toward the end of the 19th Century included high complications like chronographs, calendars, tourbillons, and minute repeaters. They were also renowned for their precision and accuracy, winning 10 Grand Prix awards and seven gold medals for time measurement ...
WatchAdvice
What we like: Dial design is a real head turner Beautiful bracelet with mirror finishGreat price point for a Swiss chronograph What we don’t like: Some may not like the thickness of the watch Scatches will show up easily on the bracelet The watch can wear big for wrist sizes smaller than 6.5 inches Overall rating: 8.5/10 Value for money: 9/10 Wearability: 8/ 10 Design: 8.5/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 One of the most anticipated watches in 2022 has just been released, and Watchadvice has been given a chance to do a full in-depth review of it. The Tissot PRX Chronograph is the latest addition to the ever-popular Tissot PRX collection released last year. The Tissot PRX was a revamp of the original PRX created in 1978. Back then, Tissot released the PRX in an emblematic design with an integrated case and bracelet. The model stood out for its timeless design and sleek slender appearance. Unlike this modern reinterpretation, the original model came in various dial colours and different case shapes. The original Tissot PRX never had a chance to be in the limelight, as the model was released when Audemars Piguet released the Royal Oak in 1972 and Patek Philippe released the Nautilus in 1976. Now, however, I feel like the Tissot PRX (40 205) is getting the undivided attention it deserves. The latest Tissot PRX is a much-loved timepiece upon its release, with watch fanatics jumping on the bandwagon to get their hands on this piece. While the Tissot PRX is a fantastic watch an...
SJX Watches
Having launched a “panda” version earlier this year, Nivada Grenchen has unveiled another customised chronograph for its Dubai retailer. Clad in a striking olive-green, the Chronomaster Automatic “Perpétuel” Second Edition once again features Eastern Arabic numerals on the dial and bezel. Initial thoughts While the Second Edition is a repetition of the first in a different colour, it is undoubtedly more striking. Olive green is a fashionable colour today but it works well with the faux-vintage lume and retro style of the watch. More broadly, the vintage-inspired design also suits the calligraphic style of the Eastern Arabic numerals. Like the first edition, the new model costs almost double the standard Chronomaster. It’s a steep premium for a new dial, but the Eastern-Arabic numerals have a unique appeal, particularly in the Middle East. The only downside to the Second Edition is arguably the fact that it came second – some who bought the “panda” without knowing this was in the pipeline might have wanted to wait for this one instead. A sixties design The Second Edition is based on the Chronomaster Automatic, a sports chronograph produced by Nivada in the 1960s. Conceived as a multi-purpose chronograph for both divers and aviators, the Chronomaster is rated to 200 m but also has a countdown bezel and tachymeter scale – this also explains the text above six o’clock. Besides the olive green dial, the key feature of the Chronomaster Perpétuel are the Ea...
Hodinkee
Nothing says party like a pink gold Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT
Time+Tide
Neil Armstrong's watch of choice is widely known to be the Omega Speedmaster Professional.The post The hunt for unsung vintage treasure: Neil Armstrong’s watch, but not the one you think appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
We chat with Tissot CEO Sylvain Dolla, and find out exactly how the PRX Chronograph came to be.The post A deep dive into the Tissot PRX Chronograph with the man who made it happen appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
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