Chronograph Watches · Page 158

Ep. #216: All About Meca-Quartz Chronographs!

This week Baird and Kaz sit down to talk all things meca-quartz chronographs - how they work, models they like, and much more. Tune in and enjoy!

Auctions: Forget Jeff Bezos, This Billionaire's Mission To Space – And The Watches That Went With It – Are Doing Nothing But Good For Society

The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Inspiration4”

TAG Heuer for Only Watch 2021, the Carbon Monaco

Vintage Watches: A 1974 Rolex 'Daytona' Sigma Dial Ref. 6263, A 1967 Omega Seamaster Chronograph, And A 1970s Vacheron Constantin

An incognito Daytona, complete with sigma symbols surrounding the six o'clock lume plot, headlines the week's vintage selection.

Hands-On: TAG Heuer Only Watch Carbon Monaco

A homage to famed Monaco “Dark Lord”, the TAG Heuer Only Watch Carbon Monaco is unique for utilising carbon, or more specifically carbon composites, in almost every aspect of the watch – dial, case, and even the hairspring is carbon. Plus it has a specially finished movement that’s visible through the an extra-wide sapphire case back. Initial thoughts The vintage “Dark Lord” is all-black version of the Monaco that’s one of the most desirable of vintage Heuers. It was something of an experimental creation with only a few dozen were made, or perhaps even a hundred depending on the source. One of the first all-black watches, the “Dark Lord” had a powder-coated case like many early black-coated watches. Consequently, the “Dark Lord” case was fragile and few have survived in pristine condition, explaining its rarity and value, as well as why it’s the inspiration for the Carbon Monaco. A vintage “Dark Lord” ref. 740.303N The pleasing black, orange, and cream palette of the Carbon Monaco instantly evoke the “Dark Lord”. And at a distance, the Carbon Monaco even has something of a vintage flavour. But up close it is evidently a modern watch in both style and substance. Unlike the “Dark Lord”, the Carbon Monaco is fabricated from a material that’s naturally black, or at least a dark grey. The carbon composite case has an indelible finish, while also being extremely lightweight. The modern material, along with the geometrically open-worked ...

In-Depth: F.P. Journe FFC Blue “Francis Ford Coppola”

Francois-Paul Journe’s creation for Only Watch 2021, the F.P. Journe FFC Blue, sticks to a familiar template. Like prior watches conceived for the biennial charity auction – the tourbillon of 2015, split-seconds chronograph of 2017, and the Astronomic of 2019 – this year’s timepiece has a tantalum case and blue dial. But FFC Blue is a strikingly unique watch – the five-fingered time display is a first in watchmaking. Though it has a conventional round case, the FFC Blue is conceptually closer to the unconventional Vagabondage watches than the brand’s round watches. Short for Francis Ford Coppola, the FFC Blue originated with a question posed to Mr Journe by the director of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now in 2012. Mr Coppola suggested a watch that indicated the time with human hand. Over the following years Mr Journe worked on the concept, with Mr Coppola suggesting the finger positions to indicate each hour. And now the filmmaker’s idea has been realised as a one-off creation for the charity auction. Though entirely unique compared with F.P. Journe’s other creations, the FFC is powered by the workhorse cal. 1300 of the Octa series Initial thoughts I found the hand-display concept intensely compelling when Mr Journe described it during my visit to Geneva in 2017. In the metal the FFC is equally compelling. It is inventive and appealing. It’s rather large at 42 mm in diameter, though like nearly all F.P. Journe watches it is unusually thin given the c...

Hands-On: Breguet Type XX Only Watch 2021

The upcoming Only Watch auction is an impressive catalogue of 53 one-off timepieces, a good number of which – more than a quarter of the total – are chronographs. Among the dozen chronographs, a couple caught my eye. One is the Breguet Type XX Only Watch 2021. It’s essentially an evolution of the Breguet Type 20 created for Only Watch 2019, simple in design and execution but attractive in that simplicity. The Breguet Type XX Only Watch 2021 Initial thoughts Like another notable chronograph in the sale, the TAG Heuer Monaco, the Type XX is reinterpretation of an iconic model of the brand. But the Type XX Only Watch 2021 is a nostalgic reinterpretation with a chocolate-brown dial that evokes the aged, “tropical” effect found on vintage examples. That said, the vintage styling is its only weakness. The Type XX is almost identical to the Type 20 Only Watch 2019 – right down to the strap – though the point can be made that the two make a perfect pair. The Type XX (left), and Type 20 They are each inspired by historical aviator’s watches made for the military and civilian markets respectively (the vintage Type XX was marketed to civilians, while the Type 20 was supplied to the French military). So this year’s Type XX should go home with the owner of the Type 20 from 2019. Almost a doppelgänger – the Type 20 Only Watch 2019 Notably, the Type XX is powered by a vintage movement, though one that is from a later period from an actual vintage Type XX. Still, giv...

Quick takes: new Breitling Premier B15 Duograph 42

The Breitling Premier B15 Duograph is Breitling’s take on a split second chronograph with a center monopusher. Featuring rectangular chronograph pushers and Arabic numerals, the heritage-revived Premier Duograph displays a variety of details such as grooves on the case-sides, open sapphire casebacks and syringe hands. The Duograph comes in stainless steel with a blue dial or in 18k red gold with a black dial.

In-Depth: The Longines Observatory Chronometer Cal. 360

In the field of precision timekeeping, one inevitably encounters Longines with its multi-facetted and remarkably rich history. The unwavering persistence of the firm’s celebrated régleurs and its long lineage of in-house chronometer calibres fostered Longines’ reputation for excellence in precision timekeeping, far beyond the borders of Switzerland. The Saint Imier-based manufacturer ventured into precision chronometry as early as 1888, amidst the dawn of observatory chronometer competitions in Switzerland, when its cal. 21.59/60-based chronometer obtained an observatory-issued Bulletin de Marche, or rate certificate. And after almost a century of steadfast participation in prestigious chronometry trials, the last Longines timepiece subject to observatory-governed testing, a cal. 262 based chronograph (movement no. 14’701’394), received its certificate in 1972. The Neuchâtel observatory announced its first chronometer contest on December 5, 1865. Eight decades later this Longines advertisement portrayed the observatory chronometer contests as an uphill battle, referencing the record of N=5.00 obtained by the wristwatch-sized cal. 15.68Z in 1945 at Neuchâtel. Towards the end of the 1950s, a pure-bred competition calibre named the cal. 360 became Longines’ final masterpiece in the hard-fought race for glory in precision. A proven workhorse that won countless prizes and accolades at both the Neuchâtel and Geneva observatory competitions, the cal. 360 was a pu...

INTRODUCING: The Girard Perregaux Aston Martin Laureato Chronograph has a dial that dazzles

It’s one thing to salivate over pictures and Instagram posts, but hands up who remembers the first time they were fortunate enough to set eyes on a Laureato in real life? I do, and it was love at first sight. The month was January, the year was 2017, the time zone was Swiss and the … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Girard Perregaux Aston Martin Laureato Chronograph has a dial that dazzles appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

VIDEO: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Limited Edition collection celebrates the real Top Guns

IWC rarely shy away from a limited edition, especially not when it’s in celebration of military icons. New to the IWC catalogues is a batch of Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Editions that celebrate three F/A-18 Super Hornet flying squadrons of the US Navy - the Royal Maces, the Tophatters, and the Blue Angels.  The dial As … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Limited Edition collection celebrates the real Top Guns appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

INTRODUCING: The Farer Cobb Pulsometer Monopusher is a colourful masterclass in dial construction

As names for a timepiece go, Farer’s latest Chronograph Monopusher is as badass as it is to the point. Indeed, when someone asks what watch you are wearing and your retort is “the Farer Cobb Pulsometer Monopusher” you’d be hard pushed not to want to be a) intrigued and keen to take a closer look, … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Farer Cobb Pulsometer Monopusher is a colourful masterclass in dial construction appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Buying, Selling, & Collecting: The Heuer Black-Coated Monaco Captures The Darkness and Mystery Of The 1970s

Back in February, Jeff Stein wrote about the rise of the Heuer Skipperrera. Today he traces the history (and mystery) of another legendary Heuer chronograph.

Girard-Perregaux introduces the Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition

Girard-Perregaux marks the forging of its partnership with Aston Martin with a second time limited edition timepiece, the Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition

Vintage Watches: A 1941 Longines 'Tre Tacche,' A 1960s Omega Speedmaster Ref. 2998-6, And A 1970s Audemars Piguet 'AP Steel' Automatic

Hot on the heels of the Longines Heritage Classic Limited Edition for HODINKEE, a vintage Longines headlines this week's collection from the vintage desk.

The Hamilton Khaki Aviation Takeoff Automatic Chronograph celebrates racing pilot Dario Costa’s latest jaw-dropping feat

Nerves of hardened titanium. Glacial water in his veins. What would cause the rest of us mortals to cry, lose control of bodily functions, and then pass out from sheer, white-knuckled terror is just another average commute to the office for record-breaking aerobatic and racing pilot Dario Costa. And he’s just done the incredible, again.  … ContinuedThe post The Hamilton Khaki Aviation Takeoff Automatic Chronograph celebrates racing pilot Dario Costa’s latest jaw-dropping feat appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Review: The New Patek Philippe Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph Ref. 5990/1R

Seven years after its initial debut, Patek Philippe introduces a new variant of the Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph Ref. 5990 in rose gold.

What the Patek Phillipe 5095/1A potentially suggests about the future of the brand in steel

Recently Patek Philippe introduced three new chronographs with complications: the 5905/1A, 5204-011, and 5930P-001. Standing out amongst the trio, to many, was the ref. 5905/1A – the first ever 5905 Annual Calendar Flyback Chronograph to be released in stainless steel. Not only does the watch have a stainless-steel case, but also a matching stainless-steel bracelet … ContinuedThe post What the Patek Phillipe 5095/1A potentially suggests about the future of the brand in steel appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Available in the Shop: 4 IWC Pilot’s Watches Ready for Flight

IWC’s Pilot’s Watch family has a long, rich tradition of precision military timekeepers dating back to 1936. From the iconic Mark XI to the revival in the 90s, aviation watches are defined by their legibility and reliability. That’s something that holds true today, whether you’re talking about a modern Top Gun chronograph or a hit limited edition like the Mark XVIII ‘Tribute to Mark XI’.

INTRODUCING: The IWC x Hot Wheels Racing Works Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition

While many people around the world are passionate about watches, they are generally not their sole obsessions. Within our community, many are also enamoured with all manner of other things ranging from whiskey to baseball. But one area of interest that that seems to overlap with watches a great deal is that of motorsports. While … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The IWC x Hot Wheels Racing Works Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Just in: First impressions and Live pictures of the new Patek Philippe Ref. 5204R

Review of the new Patek Philippe Ref. 5204R-011 Split-seconds Chronograph Perpetual Calendar, and present our quick impressions and live photographs.

Vintage Watches: 1970s Zenith El Primero 'Cover Girl,' A 1970s Heuer Carrera In Gold Plate With Papers, And A 1952 Rolex Precision 18k Pink Gold

Easy, breezy, beautiful. And more.

Our Predictions In The Chronograph Category Of The 2021 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Five Panelists, Four Different Favorites To Win

Timepieces entered into the Chronograph category are mechanical watches comprising at least one chronograph indication, and here only two of the entries are brand-new models. Our panel has very differing opinions as to which of these six chronographs will (or should) win. Follow the discussion here!

Quick takes: Zenith DEFY Extreme new for 2021

We like the look and feel of the watch; in particular for its larger size as compared to the DEFY 21. While it takes a larger wrist to pull off, the DEFY Extreme offers a compelling alternative in the skeleton sports watch category. As with the DEFY 21, the movement is ahead of most of its competitors, in technical feat and animation. The Extreme also offers multiple looks in one watch with a bracelet, rubber and velcro option interchangeable with a button quick release mechanism. Priced from US$18,000, the DEFY Extreme is a muscled up DEFY 21 for those who like a sporty chronograph with an extra heft.