Integrated-Bracelet Sport Watches · Page 49

Experts and Collectors Weigh in on the Return of Universal Genève

Early yesterday morning, news broke in the watch world that was both surprising, and felt inevitable. Universal Genève, the highly regarded and historic Swiss brand that has been effectively dormant for years, will be revived and relaunched by the same ownership team currently steering the ship at Breitling. While the news of Universal finally getting a high profile relaunch isn’t exactly shocking (reviving heritage brands shuttered during the Quartz Crisis has been a favorite pastime in the watch industry over the last decade), we weren’t expecting the Breitling connection. The news (and reaction to it) speaks both to the great affection the community feels for the Universal Genève brand, and to the strength and financial turnaround of Breitling under Georges Kern’s tenure.  Universal Genève has a long and rich history, and has grown significantly in esteem in recent years. They were part of an explosion of interest in vintage watches that began more than ten years ago, but unlike other brands that benefited from increased attention on historic vintage pieces (Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet among them), Universal Genève doesn’t exist as a modern watchmaker in a meaningful way. For that reason, there’s always been a mystique to the brand that can’t really be replicated. We can, and do, compare vintage versions of Submariners, Daytonas, and Royal Oaks to their modern equivalents, and can thus relate to these watches through a modern context or l...

Chopard presents the Alpine Eagle Sunburnt Limited Edition

Rado Brings Back the Anatom, a Lost Classic from the 1980s

Over the weekend, Rado dipped into their archives to bring back a lost classic from the 1980s. If you can recall the early 80s (or just have a penchant for watches of this era) you might remember the Anatom. This square cased watch with a dramatically curved case and sapphire crystal has been ripe for repurposing for the last few years – it certainly has some integrated bracelet sports watch notes to it. What Rado has done with this release is take the premise of the watch from the 80s and modernize it using Rado’s contemporary design language. The result is an Anatom that doesn’t look much like the original, but clearly shares some DNA and is unmistakably a Rado.  The most significant difference between the original Anatom and the new version is the more prominent use of ceramic in the present day model. Rado has always been keen to experiment with materials, especially ceramic, but they’ve really leaned into this as part of their brand identity quite heavily in the last few years. Most of the key models in their lineup are either full ceramic, or ceramic in all the important places. That’s where the Anatom fits in. The new version has a PVD coated steel midcase, but the ceramic bezel leaves a large visual impression, and we also get a ceramic crown and a ceramic overlay on the integrated rubber strap’s clasp. The case measures 32.5mm x 46.3mm and is 11.3mm tall. As with the vintage versions of this watch, the case is curved, which in turn means the dial and ...

Introducing - The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery

With the festive season just around the corner, Vacheron Constantin lights up its Overseas Tourbillon with a blaze of baguette-set diamonds. First introduced to the brand’s successful luxury sports Overseas collection in 2019, the Tourbillon model boasts a slim profile thanks to the incorporation of Vacheron Constantin’s ultra-thin tourbillon calibre 2160. The latest Overseas Tourbillon […]

Vacheron Constantin applies subtle bling to the Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery

Thought that diamonds on a watch cannot be tasteful? Think again.The post Vacheron Constantin applies subtle bling to the Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon is its Most Luxurious Sports Watch Yet

Pre-Owned Picks: An IWC Ingenieur Ref. IW3506 From The ‘80s, A Solid Gold Blue Dial Rolex Submariner Ref. 16618, And An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 15510ST

Plus a killer complicated JLC Master Control and a read-to-dive Omega Ploprof.

First Look - The New Alpina Alpiner Extreme Chronograph

The Alpiner Extreme collection is Alpina’s take on the hyper-popular category of sports watches with integrated bracelets. Relaunched in 2022 with a robust cushion-shaped case and a textured dial, the first model took many by surprise with its regulator dial, a throwback to a popular and massive 48mm Alpina model known as the Avalanche Regulator […]

REVIEW: Hands On With The Baume & Mercier Riviera GMT Travel Time

We’ve gone hands on with the new Riviera GMT launched at the start of the year, and we must say that it’s been a bit of a surprise package! What We Love Wave motif silver dialQuick change strap systemComfortable bracelet What We Don’t No secondary strap to utilise the quick change systemNo GMT bezel, limiting true GMT functionalityLack of a screw-down crown Overall Rating: 8/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 8/10Design: 7.5/10Build quality: 8.5/10 Baume & Mercier has had its ups and downs over the years, and more recently, I feel they’ve been relegated to the bottom of the Richemont stable of brands. However, this year, with the 50th Anniversary of the Riviera, Baume & Mercier have breathed some new life into their steel sports diver and designed it for a new wave of watch lovers. For those not very familiar with Baume & Mercier, first a very quick history lesson… The new Baume & Mercier Riviera GMT Travel Time Launched in 1973, the Riviera immediately made a splash with its dodecagonal case and its slimline metal strap. At this time, very few brands had really ventured into the luxury integrated steel bracelet models, with maybe the exception of Rolex and Audemars Piguet, making the Baume & Mercier Riviera one of the first brands to do this. Interestingly, the original design was done by Jean-Claude Gueit, the father of Emmanuel Gueit who designed the Royal Oak Offshore, so the Riviera has some design provenance and links back to that era as well. The Riviera...

Bulgari’s Aluminium Chronograph Gets a Gran Turismo Makeover

Bulgari recently joined forces with the publisher of Gran Turismo, the bestselling video game known for its realistic portrayal of motor racing, in a pop-culture collaboration that diverges from its past partnerships with artists or architects. The result is the Bulgari Aluminium x Gran Turismo Special Edition that’s based on the brand’s signature rubber-and-aluminium chronograph. And alongside the watches, the collaboration has also spawned the Bulgari Aluminium Vision GT concept car, which is fully playable in the game.  Initial thoughts  Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Bulgari’s Creative Director, has made known his admiration for Japanese arts and culture. This inclination is evident in the brand’s Octo Finissimo collaborations, several of which were collaboration with notable creative personalities from Japan, including architect Tadao Ando. So it’s not a surprise that he has extended the exploration of Japanese culture by calling on the Sony division that created one of the world’s bestselling video game franchises. Bulgari’s creative director Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani with Japanese gaming designer and Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi. Image – Bulgari The choice of the Aluminium collection as the platform for the special edition is logical, given the sporty nature of the model and the use of aluminium in motor racing. Though the two models retain the same case and bracelet as the standard version, the distinctive feature lies in their racin...

The Travis Scott x Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Is a Watch Collab Done Right

Review: Christopher Ward’s The Twelve 36MM (and 40MM)

Last month, I had the opportunity to put together a list of the three watches I would choose for a collection if I had a budget of $5,000. Though I stand by my choices, selected through detailed research and great care, I have one small confession to make: none of those watches had ever graced my wrist. Fearing the imaginary cries of “j’accuse!” lest my secret be discovered, I tried on one of the three at a local authorized dealer within the week. This second opportunity was graciously made possible by the editors at Worn & Wound. I’m two for three now, so thus begins a personal journey predetermined by the Horological Fates. For this review, I lived a full day in the life with The Twelve. Two of these were the highly anticipated 36mm reference – one on the classic integrated bracelet, and the other on the rubber strap option. I also sampled the 40mm stainless steel reference on the bracelet in order to properly compare them. My wrist circumference, for reference, is about 5.75 inches. Christopher Ward’s goal in this 36mm launch was greater inclusivity towards women and other smaller-wristed folks, and I’m uniquely situated to consider both sizing options from this perspective. Each watch spent a day (or more) on wrist, so I was able to assess my true feelings towards them after the immediate New Watch Glee wore off. As a newbie reviewer, one helpful piece of advice I received was to pay attention to first impressions, and run with that if it felt right. Whil...

Introducing: Travis Scott Presents The AP Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked ‘Cactus Jack’ LE

Houston-born rapper Travis Scott partners with AP on a new chocolate brown ceramic QP.

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas 35mm untweaks my tourb for this reason…

Zach's prayers have been answered with a new, smaller Overseas.The post The Vacheron Constantin Overseas 35mm untweaks my tourb for this reason… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

G-Shock Goes Lightweight with the Carbon Edition

G-Shock commemorates the 40th anniversary of its shock-resistant digital timepiece, two new models inspired by the original 1983 design penned by Kikuo Ibe, but in an all-new material for the brand. Made entirely from carbon composite – case and bracelet – the Carbon Edition is significantly lighter than its Full Metal counterparts. Available in shades of marbled purple or classic black, the Carbon Edition weighs just 65 g including the bracelet. Initial thoughts G-Shock successfully evolved its iconic digital timepiece into a fashion accessory with a prominent presence in popular culture. Collaborators that have designed their take on the G-Shock range from artist Takashi Murakami to streetwear label Supreme. And in 2018, the brand introduced the G-Shock Full Metal, a modern take on original G-Shock DW-5000 of 1983 that added an integrated bracelet to the original design. Dozens of Full Metal variants have been introduced in a relatively short span – including an extraordinary all-18k gold version – diminishing the novelty and appeal the concept.  The Carbon Edition is essentially a Full Metal but fortunately not metal, instead it is entirely in carbon composite. Though the use of a carbon composite is not revolutionary, this iteration sets itself apart, both in tactile feel and appearance. Both versions are lightweight, and the purple version is striking. The material does bring with it questions of longevity as carbon composites are not as robust as metal allo...

Audemars Piguet team up with Travis Scott, M.A.D.1 lucky losers, and the biggest DWW yet

The new Travis Scott x Audemars Piguet collaboration marks the first-ever brown ceramic Royal Oak watch.The post Audemars Piguet team up with Travis Scott, M.A.D.1 lucky losers, and the biggest DWW yet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Audemars Piguet & Travis Scott Introduce the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar “Cactus Jack”

Rumours of a brown ceramic Royal Oak began circulating several months ago, and the latest launch from Audemars Piguet (AP) has proven them true. However, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked “Cactus Jack” 41 mm is more than a new colour, and instead it’s a 200-piece limited edition collaboration with American Rapper Travis Scott and his streetwear label Cactus Jack. The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar “Cactus Jack” is interesting for being more than just a change of dial colour, which is usually the route taken for limited editions. While it is based on the standard model, the “Cactus Jack” gets a brown ceramic case as well as typography based on the musician’s handwriting on the dial, along with Cactus Jack’s smiley emblem for the moons. Notably, the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar “Cactus Jack” is just one part of AP’s collaboration with Mr Scott. Their tie-up also includes a line of clothing, including hoodies, t-shirts, and caps, that will be available on Cactus Jack’s own retail site. Initial thoughts Although the “Cactus Jack” is fundamentally identical to the regular production skeleton perpetual in ceramic, it looks strikingly different because of the case. Typically I am not a fan of brown ceramic, but here the material sets the watch apart instantly. This differentiation is a good thing since there are many, many version of the Royal Oak perpetual calendar – the non-skeleton ceramic model is already available in b...

First Look - The Travis Scott x AP Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked “Cactus Jack” Brown Ceramic

Collaborations and watches inspired by pop and street culture are, without a doubt, an important part of Audemars Piguet‘s recent history. No other brand on the haute horlogerie scene has fostered such creative synergies with different universes. Sport, pop culture, art, fashion and entertainment… It looks at things from a different perspective, like it or […]

Luxury Sports: The Patek Philippe Nautilus and Aquanaut Luce Haute Joaillerie

Introducing - The Gerald Charles Maestro 3.0 Chronograph Seddiqi Special, With Meteorite Dial

Gerald Charles has pulled off something quite extraordinary in the watch world: all its collections revolve exclusively around one case design. And what a case design that is! Created by legendary designer Gérald Genta in 2006, the flamboyant Maestro case design is the backbone of Gerald Charles. Ranging from time-and-date models to skeletonised versions and […]

A New and Very Limited Atelier Wen Perception Puts a Spotlight on Craft by Highlighting Errors

In the year since Atelier Wen and Wristcheck collaborated on their first limited edition Perception, Atelier Wen’s stature in the burgeoning affordable independent scene has only grown. This has largely been on the strength of a series of smartly timed and well executed limited editions, all of which provide a gorgeous showcase for some excellent guilloche work, and serve as a reminder that well made, integrated bracelet sports watches need not drift into five figure retail prices, and that they can come from places other than Switzerland. Now, in a turn of events that is anything but surprising given the attention this team received a year ago, Wristcheck and Atelier Wen have partnered once again, but this time they’ve added a third collaborator: Paris-based artist Seconde/Seconde, who I feel like has been part of virtually every LE launch over the last several months (only a slight exaggeration). The new piece, officially dubbed the Wristcheck x Seconde/Seconde/ x Atelier Wen Perception “锔瓷” Special Edition, calls attention to the high level of craft in this watch in a unique way: by highlighting the inevitable mistakes that are made in its production.  The concept here originates with the production of the first Atelier Wen x Wristcheck collaboration last year. During the making of that LE, 36 dials in total were rejected for various imperfections in the guilloche. Not wanting to put them to waste, those dials have now been “healed” (with Seconde/Second...

Chopard’s fiery first Australian limited edition is an Alpine Eagle designed by must-know First Nations artist Shal

Inspired by the beauty of Australian landscapes, this "Sunburnt Red" Alpine Eagle is unlike any other.The post Chopard’s fiery first Australian limited edition is an Alpine Eagle designed by must-know First Nations artist Shal appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Why is the Alpine Eagle not an L.U.C watch? We ask Chopard president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele all the tough questions

The smoothest brand president of them all sits down with Andrew to chats all things Chopard and L.U.C.The post Why is the Alpine Eagle not an L.U.C watch? We ask Chopard president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele all the tough questions appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

IWC Debuts the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph

Just in time for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, IWC reveals another rendition of a racing chronograph, the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph. Available in two guises either titanium or Ceratanium, the new model retains the familiar visage of the standard Pilot’s Chronograph but with racetrack-inspired tweaks. Initial thoughts IWC has never quite had a bona fide racing chronograph with the gravitas of the Rolex Daytona or Heuer Carrera. Its past racing timepieces included the little loved and now discontinued Ingenieur and the more successful Pilot’s Chronograph Mercedes-AMG.  With the success of the Pilot’s Chronograph Mercedes-AMG with its Tiffany blue-esque colour, it’s unsurprising that another iteration has come along. The new chronograph has a distinctive racing aesthetic despite being a Pilot’s Chronograph, thanks to the tachymeter scale and more pronounced dial markings. The Formula 1 feel is particularly evident in the Ceratanium model that’s distinguished by its predominantly black design embellished with white and mint green accents.  That said, the paradox of a Formula 1-inspired aviator’s watch is hard to understand – the two themes don’t go together at all, although it is an appealing sports watch. IWC is relying on the strength of its bestselling Pilot’s line to build a racing offering, in part due to the Ingenieur’s historical lack of success. The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team model The model starts at US$9,800 in ...