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Business News: The Magnifique Rebirth of the French Watch Industry
It never went away, but it definitely slumped. And now, suddenly, the French watch industry is showing the green shoots of recovery.
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It never went away, but it definitely slumped. And now, suddenly, the French watch industry is showing the green shoots of recovery.
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Click here for more photos of vintage watches, coffee, and cameras sitting on a table.
Hodinkee
A new color for an already vibrant line of dive watches.
Deployant
Lange also released new variants to the Langematic Perpetual Calendar and the Saxonia Thin as part of their Summer novelty releases. Details with prices.
Revolution
Deep Diving with the Rolex Sea-Dweller
Revolution
Patek Philippe’s president talks about the most important lessons from his father, the brand’s secrets to success, and how it will continue to stay relevant in the coming years.
SJX Watches
Announced by Seiko almost a year ago, the Custom Watch Beatmaker was an online contest to design the brand’s next sports watch. Seiko just unveiled the winner – which has been brought to life as a limited edition – the Seiko 5 Sports Custom Watch Beatmaker 2021. A surprisingly clean design, the winner has a gold dial circled by a “Pepsi” bezel. It was one of about 50,000 submissions, but it won by a surprisingly large margin of 8.5 million votes out of a 16 million-vote total – possibly due to a group effort by a forum dedicated to Seiko. Initial thoughts The Custom Watch Beatmaker contest was in many ways an official acknowledgment of the Seiko “mods” community that pursue aftermarket customisation of Seiko watches. It’s uncommon for a big brand to do so, though the contest was centred on the Seiko 5 Sports, the brand’s entry-level mechanical watch. But Seiko itself has changed the landscape since the contest was announced in October 2020. The brand has since launched numerous Seiko 5 Sports “crossover” editions featuring Japanese pop-culture themes, resulting in watches far from the average Seiko 5. In comparison, the contest edition seems less special, at least from an aesthetic perspective, since it’s basically rearranged the colours of a few elements instead of being an all-new design. Still, compared to the regular-production Seiko 5 Sports, the Beatmaker edition stands out. The gold, sunburst dial on a dive-style watch is uncommon, not to...
SJX Watches
Bell & Ross has long supplied timekeepers to various French military and police units, ranging from the bomb disposal team of the national civil defence agency to the tactical unit of the National Gendarmerie, GIGN. The brand was recently tapped to become the official watchmaker to the Patrouille de France, the famed aeronautics team of the Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace, the French Air and Space Force. To inaugurate the partnership, Bell & Ross has unveiled the BR 03-94 Patrouille de France, a limited edition designed in collaboration with the nine pilots of the aerobatics team. Cased in matte black ceramic, the chronograph has a dial in the colours of the French flag, along with the team logo at six o’clock. It is a 500-piece limited edition available to the public, while team members of the Patrouille de France will be issued with the same watch, but powered by a quartz movement. Initial thoughts Bell & Ross has made a variety of air force-unit watches in the past, as have other brands. Breitling, for instance, recently debuted an edition dedicated to the Red Arrows, the aerobatics team of the Royal Air Force. The Patrouille de France edition, however, stands apart in an important aspect: the members of the Patrouille de France – nine pilots and 35 engineers – are actually kitted out with an almost-identical watch. Produced in a run of 100 watches, the official-issue team watch is identical to the civilian version featured here, but it has a quartz movement ...
Revolution
Available in the Shop: Our Favourite Cartiers from Watchfinder & Co
Time+Tide
Since Euro 2020 begun, I’ve found myself actively modelling myself on Gareth Southgate even more than I have been over the past few years. The England manager has proven himself to be an elite leader in all respects: his kind demeanour, his quiet confidence, his ability to take responsibility and the way that he inspires … ContinuedThe post Watching the Euro 2020 final with the Hublot Big Bang e UEFA EURO 2020 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
I still clearly and plainly remember the day I first saw a Tudor Black Bay. It happened to be my first ever Basel. The year was 2012, and I should really paint a picture of the minutes leading up to the discovery. Because these were also quite memorable. They were the first moments ever spent … ContinuedThe post The Tudor Black Bay Bronze 58 is the first Tudor I’ve bought in over 5 years, these are the reasons why… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Whether you’re keeping a close eye on the stockmarkets, laying girders at a construction site or swapping stacks in a server room, your love for watches (which I’m just going to assume because, well, you’re reading this) means you’ll want a timepiece on your wrist. And not just any timepiece; you’ll want something that both … ContinuedThe post Let’s go to work: The best watches for every job from white collar to tech appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Vacheron Constantin is one of the oldest manufacturers still producing watches today. A known member of the holy trinity, their timepieces have captured the eyes, hearts, and wrists of the world’s foremost collectors due to their distinct designs and exquisite finishings. Many brands have a tagline that sums up their manufacture, but Vacheron’s motto “one … ContinuedThe post Vacheron Constantin celebrates their creativity with Melbourne exhibition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
I’m not sure it’s possible to experience a Spike Lee film without being changed in some profound way. Lee loves writing with a pen, and Montblanc's new fountain pen in his honor is crafted in classic black resin with a sleek cap and decorated with Lee’s signature eyeglasses. Purple, the artist’s favorite color, also figures prominently.
Hodinkee
For a certain generation, the surf-style Shark was the ultimate starter watch. Here, a onetime owner explores the history of his childhood favorite.
Hodinkee
The Nintendo legend leaps into the world of smartwatches.
Deployant
Presenting the new A. Lange & Söhne Cabaret Tourbillon Handwerkskundst. Exclusive photographs with press release info and commentary.
Revolution
Lange unveils the seventh Handwerkskunst watch, the Cabaret Tourbillon Handwerkskunst, along with new executions of the Langematik Perpetual & Saxonia Thin
SJX Watches
One of the biggest surprises amongst A. Lange & Söhne’s mid-year launches is the return of the Langematik Perpetual (the other being a Handwerkskunst in an unusual rectangular case). Launched two decades ago, the Langematik Perpetual is the brand’s longest-lived model – powered by the same movement from the start – though it’s been gradually phased out. Having discontinued the gold and platinum versions, Lange then introduced a limited edition in Honey Gold in 2019, and nothing else – until now. The Langematik Perpetual returns back in style as a pair – with a dark blue dial in either a white or pink gold case. Initial thoughts The reintroduction of the Langematik Perpetual is unexpected, especially given the two-year gap between this and the last version. In fact, that already seemed like a farewell model – it was a limited edition in Honey Gold, the proprietary alloy Lange usually reserved for special occasions, like the recent 175th Anniversary “Homage to F.A. Lange”. But the revival of Langematik Perpetual makes sense from a historical perspective, since 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the model, which was the brand’s first perpetual calendar and a special one at the time of its launch, being the first perpetual calendar wristwatch with an oversized date display. At the same time, it’s heartening to see the return of an exceptionally fine, automatic movement. The cal. L922.1 “Sax-O-Mat” has an off-centre, almost-micro rotor that is in...
SJX Watches
Three months after Watches & Wonders 2021 (where it debuted the Triple Split in pink gold amongst others), A. Lange & Söhne is now back with more new releases, as is now the norm with watch fairs having gone online. Of the trio of new launches, the Saxonia Thin is the simplest, but no less striking. Clad in lively, blue aventurine glass and pink gold, the watch has a rich, sparkly aesthetic quite antithetical to the fuss-free style usually associated with the German watchmaker. Initial thoughts While flourishes like the aventurine-glass dial are uncommon for Lange in general, the sparkly glass dial is not new. In fact, the material was first used in the white gold Saxonia Thin back in 2017. The brand followed up with the same but with a black aventurine-glass dial last December, and then the pair of Little Lange 1 Moon Phase earlier this year. That’s four models with aventurine glass dials in as many years. The new model is a first, in that it matches the blue aventurine-glass dial with a pink gold case, giving the watch a warm aesthetic not found in earlier versions, or even the broader catalogue where the combination of pink gold and blue is found only on the recent Triple Split. This is no doubt a good news for collectors that already have everything from the brand and want something different. Still, the frequency of aventurine-glass inevitably chips away at its uniqueness. One nitpick I have about the watch is personal – I find the Saxonia Thin too wide and f...
SJX Watches
Easily the most surprising of the three recent releases by A. Lange & Söhne is something unconventional but familiar – the brand’s flagship rectangular watch that was first released in 2008, but now dressed up in artisanal finery. The Cabaret Tourbillon Handwerkskunst is seventh in the eponymous line characterised by artisanal decoration – handwerkskunst translates as “craftsmanship” – and features a hand-engraved lozenge pattern on the front and back, along with a fired enamel dial. Initial Impressions The Cabaret Tourbillon was quite a statement at its launch, being the first wristwatch with a hacking tourbillon – pull the crown and the entire tourbillon assembly stopped – which allowed for more precise setting of the time. But despite its merits, the original Cabaret Tourbillon was never a hot seller, so its revival is likely a one-off. The return of the model is certainly unexpected, since the Cabaret left the catalogue several years ago. The Cabaret quietly faded into obscurity, and the current Lange lineup is focused on round watches. Largely similar in style, but far more elaborate in decoration, the new Handwerkskunst edition is a fitting tribute to the discontinued model. Unlike earlier Handwerkskunst editions that were flashier, the Cabaret is executed more conservatively, with the decorative flourishes typical of Handwerkskunst less apparent. The watch is clearly meant to be appreciated close-up, with the knowledge that the geometric pattern ...
Revolution
Introducing the TAG Heuer Connected x Super Mario Limited Edition
Time+Tide
Grand Seiko has continually dazzled us this past year with a variety of strong releases. Each reference upholds the brand’s grammar of design, a winning formula to produce highly technical and aesthetic timepieces. One of the most well-known designs is the Grand Seiko SBGA211 Snowflake, a modern classic within the catalogue. But while revered, some … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The mesmerising dial of the icy blue Grand Seiko SBGY007 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The SUB 200 is the most contemporary diver’s watch in the retro-tastic arsenal of DOXA. It was already a strong contender to be the ideal summer watch, but such claims are further strengthened by this all-white remix. While the DOXA SUB 200 Whitepearl may be colourless, it’s far from insipid – the feeling it evokes … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The DOXA SUB 200 Whitepearl is as fresh as an arctic breeze appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
At the top levels, the Grand Crus, Faiveley is making some wonderful Burgundy wines and the very best are yet to come. This is a domaine that must be considered among the region’s top producers. After tasting quite a few at a themed lunch, Ken Gargett advises that older Faiveleys benefit from time in the cellar and that early decanting seems wise. And much more!
Time+Tide
WA-HOO! TAG Heuer teams up with Nintendo to present the TAG Heuer Connected x Super Mario Limited Edition of 2000 pcs.The post WA-HOO! TAG Heuer teams up with Nintendo to present the TAG Heuer Connected x Super Mario Limited Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Last month, we sent intrepid beginner Sarah Miller shopping for a Rolex. Today, she gets her hands on a legit collection – and she has some questions.
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