Latest watch news · Page 1155

Earlier this year Grand Seiko announced a watch that was an instant hit within collectors’ circles. The new Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 9SA5 Series 9 “White Birch” SLGH005 had everything you might expect from a Grand Seiko. It had a well-proportioned 40mm steel case, contained the brand-new 9SA5 automatic hi-beat movement and also featured a … ContinuedThe post A photographer explains why the Grand Seiko SLGH005 White Birch is so great to shoot appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Among panels discussions that took place Watches & Wonders 2021 was the session about the familiar buzzword – innovation. As wth the rest of the event’s broadcasts, the panel happened with all of the participants taking part remotely from around the world, but it still  managed to be efficient, relevant, and lively. What did we learn from it?  As a starting point, a quick overview of watchmaking’s history was essential. William Rohr, a long-time collector who’s behind startup Massena Lab, summed it up: “There is a tradition of innovation in watchmaking, whether for the precision of timekeeping, improved legibility or other aspects, it is still very much alive in the industry.” “Horology today is much more about passion and emotions than functionality per se,” added Patrick Tacq, a Belgian collector with diverse tastes, “Nonetheless, innovation is key to the industry for its survival in the 21st century and to keep the next generation involved in mechanical watchmaking.” The studio with moderator Mélanie Freymond (far right), Pascal Ravessoud of the FHH (far left), and author Benjamin Teisseire Stay relevant Precision timekeeping obviously does not need a mechanical watch, but many other aspects of the timekeeping experience can be improved through innovation. “Our goal at Ressence is to use technology to bring better ergonomics to our mechanical watches in order to create an even deeper relation between the customer and his watch,” emphasised...

As the resident gentleman of Quill & Pad, Martin Green feels that the time is soon approaching to write an obituary announcing the death of the dress watch. He thinks that its passing is coming and it's not an isolated event. But it still hurts.

Marking its 90th anniversary this year, the Reverso is the only truly successful reversible wristwatch. Jaeger-LeCoultre has long utilised the twin sides of the Reverso case for complications, and now for the first time equips the flip side with a digital hour display. The Reverso Tribute Nonantième – nonantième is French for “ninetieth” – has a conventional front, but an unusual reverse decorated in blue lacquer that features a “semi-jumping hour”, disc minutes, along with a day and night display. Front and back Initial thoughts From the front the Nonantième is hard to distinguish from other Reversos, but from the back it is immediately interesting with its digital hour and disc-type minutes. The reverse face is attractive and certainly unique, but the movement inside is more familiar. Though the cal. 826 is new, it is evidently derived from the cal. 853/854 in the various Reverso Duoface models, being similar in principle but different in indications. It’s mechanically novel, though the fact that the hour display is “semi jumping” rather than actual jumping is regrettable. The reverse display with digital hours Rectangular (or even tonneau) watches usually lose their elegance beyond a certain size, and the Nonantième is close to the limit. At 49.4 mm by 29.9 mm, the Nonantième is a big watch, identical in size to other extra-large models in the Reverso line up, making it suited for larger wrists. At a bit over US$40,000, the Nonantième feels p...

Presenting the complicated Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso to celebrate the 90th Anniversary - the Reverso Tribute Nonantième, the maison's first jumping hour.

As a community, we watch lovers can forget there is a larger world beyond our obsession, and that the overwhelming majority of watch buyers are not plugged in, in any way, to our commentary. Not every luxury watch buyer, even of popular models we all desire, has dived down the #watchfam rabbit hole. Consequently, they … ContinuedThe post ANALYSIS: How is the $5.2m Audemars Piguet Black Panther different to the $160k version? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Aside from the flurry of novelties unveiled during the purely-digital Watches & Wonders 2021 (W&W;), discussion panels took place every day, each conceived to tackle some of the most salient issues facing the luxury-watch industry. We bring you a roundup of the panel that took place on April 10 on a key topic for brands and customers alike: the client experience. Despite the predominantly digital set up, W&W; managed to create a truly interactive debate with a mix of participants on site in Geneva, as well as speakers dialling in remotely, all converging to discuss the same topic. Here are the key findings that emerged. The panel with Beatrice Goasglas of TAG Heuer on site with moderator Mélanie Freymond, and the other panellists on screen Client experience in the digital era The client experience is a central theme for luxury brands, which are all trying to go above and beyond to create an encounter that matches the quality embodies by the products that they make. Watchmakers already started down that path several years ago with increasingly elaborate boutiques, but the development of digital tools and now the pandemic have overturned how brands conceive the whole of the client experience. As Beatrice Goasglas, Vice-President for Digital & Customer Experience at TAG Heuer, noted, “Digitalisation is an opportunity, even a blessing, for brands and maisons to engage even more with their final customers.” Indeed, especially within the context of the pandemic, digital too...

With 40 brands presenting at Watches & Wonders, there are a lot of novelties to like – and many you may have missed. It was no secret most consumers were heavily awaiting releases from Rolex, Tudor, and Patek Philippe, but some of the most interesting watches came from brands you may not be as familiar … ContinuedThe post Five sleeper hits you may have missed during Watches & Wonders appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Other than the green dial 5711/1A, Patek Philippe has been busy with a furry of excellent novelties for 2021. Here are our picks for the best.

The Negroni Bear goes barefoot to the Maldives dressed in the epitome of tropical black-tie chic.

Having notched up records for the thinnest watch in several categories – including tourbillon, chronograph as well as minute repeater – Bulgari is continuing with the perpetual calendar. The Italian jeweller now claims another record for thinness – its seventh – with the Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar. Taking the mantle from the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, the new Octo perpetual calendar is just 5.8 mm in its entirety – with a movement only 2.75 mm high. It’ll be offered in the traditional livery of the Octo Finissimo of sandblasted titanium, but unusually also in platinum with an alligator strap. Platinum (left), and titanium Initial thoughts There’s no doubt that Bulgari is perhaps the best at ultra-thin watches – its titles for the thinnest watch in seven categories are testament to that. Yet the brand doesn’t simply rely on its record-setting thinness as a gimmick. Most of its ultra-thin watches are interesting beyond the slimness. The Octo design in its own right is striking. And the perpetual calendar has been executed in a symmetrical, sensible manner. Though the dial is somewhat crowded, it remains legible thanks to the large sub-dials and minimalist aesthetic. It’s a well-designed watch and perhaps the most stylish perpetual calendar on the market. The calendar includes a retrograde date in an arc on the upper half of the dial, with the day and month just below, and the leap year in a tiny display at the base Be...

Developed in consultation with astronauts, the new Fortis AMADEE-20 chronograph comes with a 44mm sandblasted titanium case and custom titanium Mission Control Bezel (MCBT).

Unisex watches are the future. As watches continue the trend to smaller sizes, unisex styles are a natural progression allowing brands to market their watches to more people. Martin Green highlights 5 sensibly sized watches from Watches & Wonders 2021 that he thinks will look good on the wrists of all genders.

Recently I published my thoughts on the new Tudor Black Bay 58 18K in yellow gold. Tudor really surprised us all this year at Watches & Wonders, throwing their hat in the ring for the higher price tier of precious-metal watches. Personally I think the watch is stunning, but nothing is perfect. I would have … ContinuedThe post Top collectors react to the leftfield Tudor Black Bay 58 in 18K gold. Would they buy it? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Though now often overlooked in favour of a luxury-sports watch, the Calatrava is perhaps the quintessential Patek Philippe – it was introduced in 1932 and named after the brand’s emblem – possessing a diversity of designs that all share an elegant simplicity. Patek Philippe’s second instalment of new watches at Watches & Wonders 2021 focus on fine, sophisticated wristwatches – it also just announced a striking new perpetual calendar – and naturally encompasses the Calatrava, which sees the addition of the Calatrava “Clous de Paris” ref. 6119. A tribute to well-known Calatrava models such as the ref. 3919 and its successor, the ref. 5119, the ref. 6119 blends several signature elements of past designs in a larger case to create a more contemporary guise that’s available in rose or white gold. Importantly, the ref. 6119 is powered by the newly-developed, hand-wind cal. 30-255 PS, a large, thin movement with twin barrels – and an impressively high moment of inertia for the balance wheel. The cal. 30-255 PS Initial thoughts I’ve always been a fan of the Calatrava, especially variants with a hinged, “hunter” back like the ref. 5227. Best described as fine watches for gentlemen, they typify Patek Philippe’s traditional and refined approach to watchmaking. But the cases of previous generations of the Calatrava were relatively small – the ref. 3919 was 33 mm, while the ref. 5119 had a 36 mm case. And more recent models, like the 40 mm ref. 6007 int...

Jewellery and watches have always been interlinked, but there is a quantum leap from a gem-set bezel to the intricate wrist-worn jewellery of Bulgari. Set deep within their Roman DNA, the pure exuberance of the Italian Dolce Vita comes alive in the Bulgari Allegra. This is dazzling joie de vivre on a strap that willfully … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Supersized gem-set bezels bring the dazzle with the Bulgari Allegra appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The new Égérie collection from Vacheron Constantin presents the beguiling combination of Haute Horlogerie with Haute Couture. Merely seeing the photos makes me jealous of my wife, as this is something I surely cannot classify as unisex. But maybe for once, that’s a good thing. While citing inspiration from the world of high fashion, there … ContinuedThe post Vacheron Constantin delivers the dazzle of diamonds in the Égérie collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Nomos Metro Neomatik 41 Update was introduced at Watches & Wonders 2021. As Nomos enthusiasts might conclude from the name, it sees the brand’s latest interesting date complication, first seen in 2018, introduced into the progressive Metro line.

For Watches & Wonders 2021, A. Lange & Söhne presents the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar, and new variations of the Little Lange 1 Moon Phase and Triple Split.

Shortly after launching the Nautilus ref. 5711/1A in green, Patek Philippe is taking the covers off something far more serious in terms of mechanics – the Ref. 5236P In-line Perpetual Calendar. Clearly inspired by vintage perpetual calendar watches like the refs. 3448 and 3450 (and a dial that’s modelled on a vintage Calatrava), the ref. 5236P is ranks as amongst the most notable Patek Philippe calendar watches of recent years – both in terms of design as well as its newly-developed movement. Bearing a close resemblance to the ref. 5235 Annual Calendar – an under-appreciated watch that I regard highly – the new ref. 5236P is equipped with a built-from-scratch calendar module that’s as complicated as some entire perpetual calendar movements. And it is powered by a refined and improved version of the uncommon cal. 31-260 micro-rotor movement that was so far only found in the ref. 5235. The cal. 31-260 PS QL in the new ref. 5236 An under-dial view of the calendar mechanism with the four co-planar discs at top Initial thoughts While clearly inspired by historical designs, the ref. 5236P manages to be different – and the most compelling perpetual calendar in Patek Philippe’s catalogue. The design heritage is clear: the ref. 5236P shares the same case style as the ref. 5235 annual calendar (which I like). Admittedly the ref. 5236P perhaps a bit too big to be as elegant as Patek Philippe’s most refined cases, but the size combined with the distinctive design m...

When Ming made its debut, it started with the 17-series, which embodies the raison d’etre of Ming in many ways, offering interesting, thoughtful design that represents good value. After four eventful years – which included the 17.03 GMT and the 17.06 – Ming is closing the 17-series with one final model, the 17.09, a time-only wristwatch in blue or burgundy with an independently-adjustable hour hand. Initial thoughts I’ve always loved the 17-series, which always represented great bang-for-the-buck. Despite each model looking slightly different, the watches in the series all share the brand’s trademark aesthetic, despite being affordably priced. Between the two, my pick is the blue 17.09. It’s more striking, with the colour bringing out the guilloché better. I think the new 17.09 looks great, especially with the “floating” minute track previously only seen on Ming’s higher-end models. The dual-layer dial is attractive, though the clous de Paris guilloché in the center is less unique than the spiral motif found on the dials of the 17.06. All good things must come to an end, and Ming is closing its 17-series with a bang. At 1,950 Swiss francs, or about US$2,100, the 17.09 remains a value proposition and I’ll definitely be getting in line for one. My pick is the blue model A fitting farewell The 17.09 retains several aesthetic elements of the earlier 17-series models, namely the “0” marker at 12 o’clock, flared lugs, and a 38 mm case that’s p...

Wei Koh brings us through a small selection of his collection of integrated-bracelet, ultra-thin watches and tells us why the Piaget Polo Skeleton would be a worthy addition.