Latest watch news · Page 1146

Innovations and complications are what makes A. Lange & Söhne watches tick. Here, Anthony de Haas, head of product development at A. Lange & Söhne, discusses pushing limits and taking watchmaking to the next level with journalist Gisbert Brunner and SJX, founder of Watches by SJX, in a conversation presented by Dr. Carl Naughton.

Grand Seiko are loved for lots of different reasons from the Spring Drive movement to Zaratsu polishing and the impressive value that they offer collectors and enthusiasts. They are also the brand that comes to mind when you think of quality quartz watchmaking and this year Grand Seiko are celebrating the 140th anniversary of the … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Grand Seiko SBGN019 and SBGN021 are “go-anywhere, do anything” watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Unveiled yesterday, controversial watch brand H. Moser & Cie. has taken cheeky clichés to the next level with their latest release, a tribute to ABC’s beloved sitcom Happy Days.

For 2021, #ShootYourWatches2, Casio Singapore is offering the Edifice ECB-20D as the grand prize. Details of the prize and photo contest rules within.

Unveiled during Watches & Wonders 2021, Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem Automaton made its debut alongside highly complicated watches from mainstream watchmakers – but it holds its own in mechanical complexity and metiers d’art decoration against the best of them. Initial thoughts Louis Vuitton’s mechanical watches are impressive, and often don’t get enough respect from watch enthusiasts because of the often ostentatious design. But I respect the quality of concept and execution, and like several of the watches (and own one of them). The flagship complication for 2021 is typical Louis Vuitton in terms of design, but creative in its mechanics and polished in its artisanal decoration. The Carpe Diem is essentially a modern day vanitas – a work of art symbolising the transience of material goods and fragility of life. At the same time, it encapsulates many of the favoured themes in modern-day watchmaking – complex movements, artisanal decoration, and over-the-top style. Although the Carpe Diem is massive and extreme, the craftsmanship evident on the dial is delicate and refined. The engraving on the skull is fine, and even more intricate on the snake, which is enamelled in exceptional detail. All of the metiers d’art on the dial is as good as that on watches from mainstream watchmakers. At the same time, the movement is technically competent and properly finished, given its La Fabrique du Temps provenance. But the watch is a lot of watch, in terms of size an...

One of the few worldly possessions of Mahatma Gandhi was his beloved Zenith alarm pocket watch that the social visionary used to make sure he didn’t miss prayer times. Being reminded of this merely underscored the intrinsic value of my newly arrived, perfectly smooth and deeply unfashionable piece of stress relief. What happened was this: … ContinuedThe post Why I bought a Zenith pocket watch that’s 106 years old appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Established in 1948,  Yema was once a French watchmaking giant, having equipped the French Air Force and the first French astronaut, Jean-Loup Chrétien. It entered a long decline in the aftermath of the Quartz Crisis, but was revived under its current French owners who took over in 2009. Now Yema is once again making tool watches for professionals in a tie up with the French Navy, or Marine Nationale. A collection of dive watches “jointly designed with French Navy personnel for marine professionals”, the Navygraf X Marine Nationale is led by a time-only, automatic dive watch, as well as a variant with a GMT function. It also includes a less expensive quartz model and a ladies version, though they will not be covered here. The Navygraf Marine Nationale Automatic (left), and GMT Initial thoughts Along with fellow French brand Baltic, Yema is one of my favourite brands at the US$1,000 price point. Its watches are well designed and executed for the price, often offering strong value. Given Yema’s historical relationship with the French military – the brand supplied watches to French air force helicopter pilots in the 1970s – Yema has legitimacy in military watches, and its collaboration with the navy makes sense. The white and blue combination – a nautical palette modelled on the emblem of the French Navy – is familiar but stands out on the wrist, being immediately reminiscent of the oceans. The maritime theme of the symmetrical and legible dial is reinforc...

Defined by its refined and occasionally whimsical style, Hermès emphasises whimsy with the new Arceau Space Derby, which reinterprets the Space Derby scarves, repurposing the sci-fi motif as miniature paintings for the wrist. The Arceau Space Derby will be available in two sizes: the smaller 38 mm with a diamond bezel and pink opaline glass dial, as well as two larger 41 mm models with dials in aventurine glass. The small model is limited to 24 pieces, while only 12 each will be made of the large models. The smaller version with a pink opaline glass dial Initial thoughts I absolutely love the Arceau Space Derby. Hermès makes a diversity of goods, from leather to clothing to high-end homeware, but often sharing the same motifs that are typically appealing and original. So its habit of looking into its past designs for its wristwatches is brilliant. The illustrator of Space Derby, French comic artist Ugo Bienvenu, drew inspiration from 20th-century American comics for the derby set amongst the stars. Depicting a robot horse yet so sci-fi it’s not immediately obvious, the painting is both overt and subtle in its reference to the longstanding equestrian history of Hermès, which was was founded as a saddle maker. And that also explains the signature Arceau watch case, which has an asymmetrical outline inspired by a stirrup. Detail rendered spectacularly by hand The diamond-set, 38 mm variant is clearly for women, while the 41 mm versions are unisex. Between the two lar...

Throughout history, hundreds of talented watchmakers have left their mark on the science and industry of timekeeping. For the inaugural edition of WOHS (Watchmakers of Historical Significance), Joshua Munchow highlights an engineer that has used technology to push forward since his beginnings, creating a company that is not only a leading brand among independents, but also a supplier to many established brands: the incredible yet humble Romain Gauthier.

It isn’t everyday that Longines launch an entirely new collection, but back in the middle of 2020 they did exactly that, announcing the all new Spirit collection. Taking cues from the pilot’s watches of the 20th century, but modernising the designs for the 21st, the Longines Spirit collection was a balanced blend of the old … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Longines Spirit green dial offers a fresh look for the new collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Having buttressed their online fashion offering with an impressive collection of fine watches, Mr Porter has become a real force to be reckoned with over the last decade. To celebrate their 10th birthday, they’ve collaborated with IWC on a damn tempting version of their Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41, a piece that delivers superb legibility at … ContinuedThe post #Kixntix: A limited edition IWC Pilot’s Watch 41 from Mr Porter meets Puma’s street-tough suede appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Watch enthusiasts love Grand Seiko. But the question of whether top-tier bidders would paddle up for the brand at a Phillips auction remained uncertain – until this weekend at least. The reason? Unfortunately some narrow-minded collectors have been known to shun anything that is not Swiss made, with a clear inclination for Patek Phillipe and … ContinuedThe post Growing status of Grand Seiko reflected by results at the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XIII appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

We take a look at one of the newest kids on the block today: Timeless HMS 001. Will it stand the test of time, as the name suggests?

For 2021 MB&F; is launching a new series of its Legacy Machine 101 with a trio of new dial colours and, for the first time, a watch in stainless steel.

A new deep hue of green arrives in the ever-cool-looking and most classic of the Carrera chronographs.

It’s tough to find a watch that does everything that you want. The checklist of things you’d ideally have can be pretty long sometimes, whether it’s water resistance, functionality, size, material or the type of strap that it arrives on. But when you do find a watch that ticks most, if not all, of the … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Everything you need in a watch from the Grand Seiko SBGN019 and SBGN021 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Having introduced the oversized Big Bold in bright, funky iterations such as the Jelly Fish Neon, Swatch is now going minimalist – and green – with the Big Bold Bioceramic. Clad in solid, pastel colours, the Big Bold Bioceramic is clean and coherent. Though simple, it manages to be interesting in both style and materials. The open-worked dial reveals some of its mechanics, while the case is composite of ceramic and plastic made from plant matter. Initial thoughts For those who appreciate the bold presence of large watches like the Royal Oak Offshore, the Big Bold is a lot of fun at a far more accessible price. So when the Big Bold was launched a few years ago, I very much liked the idea of a 47 mm plastic watch. But I found the earlier iterations to be at either extreme – too funky or too plain. The latest version, however, lands in the sweet spot for me. Vibrant in colour – especially in “power pink” or sky blue – but pared back in design, the new Big Bold also has an open-worked movement that’s intriguing despite being quartz. And the new “bio-sourced” material also adds to the appeal, as does the fact that it only costs a bit over US$100. The Big Bold is ergonomic, despite the seemingly massive diameter. With almost non-existent lugs, its lug-to-lug span is a mere 44.8 mm, a length more commonly found on watches with a diameter of around 36 mm. Despite the wide case, it wears well on most wrists, without a significant overhang on either side of the w...

Green. We all know it’s become the colour of the year, dominating the novelties across brands at Watches & Wonders last month. If 2020 was a sea of blue dials, it is now looking like a field of green. But with TAG Heuer’s latest release they have strategically presented a new novelty that offers consumers … ContinuedThe post The TAG Heuer Green Carrera Special Edition is the teal deal appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

“Dress watches” were initially just “watches.” While their popularity may have dwindled over the years as more casual and sporty watches have taken off, many brands have stayed faithful to the concept of the dress watch as Martin Green highlights here with five beautiful new examples.

I still remember the morning that the Zenith brand manager for Australia stepped into the T+T HQ, excited to show us what he’d brought with him on that summer day. The watch roll unfurled and we all saw it for the first time – the Zenith Chronomaster – a watch that we all knew would … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Zenith Chronomaster Sport Rose Gold brings warmth to a winning design appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Patek Philippe unveils the Ref. 5236P-001 In-Line Perpetual Calendar, the brand's first wristwatch with a linear calendar display.

Introduced just earlier this year, the Chronomaster Sport is the first regular-production model equipped with the El Primero 3600, the latest iteration of Zenith’s storied chronograph movement. Having debuted the line with versions in steel, Zenith now unveils the rose gold Chronomaster Sport, adding a touch of luxe to the sports chronograph. Initial thoughts While not the most novel, the new Chronomaster Sport is a sensible addition to the line. Flagship sports chronographs – Daytona, Speedmaster, Big Bang et al – are offered in solid gold, so it makes sense that Zenith would take the same approach with the Chronomaster Sport. I’ve handled the watch in the metal, and it is eminently striking in gold and black. Admittedly, it does have a passing resemblance to the Daytona in the same livery, but I would say that the Chronomaster Sport more than holds its own, especially considering its movement. The dial is recognisably Zenith with its signature tri-colour registers, as well as the date at 4:30. More crucial is the inscription on the bezel that hints at the movement within. The calibre has a 1/10th second resolution for the chronograph, surpassing most chronographs in its price segment. Funnily enough, one of my favourite aspects of the watch is actually the gold flange with the minute track that circles the white dial – the colour pops and works wonderfully against the precious metal case. Priced at US$21,300, the rose gold Chronomaster Sport is substantially m...