Latest watch news · Page 1202

Gérald Genta’s spirit and legacy live on at Bulgari.

Perhaps the quintessential Blancpain dress watch, the Villeret is simple yet distinctive in style. Named after the own where Blancpain was founded, the Villeret collection has existed since the resurrection of the brand in the 1980s, but almost always with a white dial. So the latest to join the line up is unusual: the Villeret Extraplate Boutique Edition, a richly coloured watch in yellow gold and metallic olive green. Initial thoughts While exceedingly simple in design, the Villeret is made up of several subtle elements that make its instantly recognisable. The Roman numerals, for instance, have an unusual, geometric font that give them a slightly modern look. Add to that leaf hands with an open centre, and the narrow, double-stepped, bezel, and it is a Villeret. The design is easily defined, but the Villeret line up is mostly made up of watches that resemble each other – most commonly a solemn white dial matched with a rose gold case. The highlight of the new model is its colour, which makes a big difference. A first for Blancpain, the combination of a yellow gold case with a green dial is starkly different from the typical Villeret iterations. The colours are more contemporary and less old fashioned, resulting in a dress watch that stands out. Because both the case and dial colours are warm, the watch has a rich, saturated look that is striking, but perhaps not for everyone. That said, it is only 40 mm wide and 8.7 mm high, compact dimension that give it a discree...

The Omega Speedmaster is one of the most celebrated watches of the last half-century, in part because of the countless different versions the brand has released. But in a world where a limited-edition Speedmaster isn’t a new thing anymore, is the watch community still interested in another new release? This watch has put it beyond … ContinuedThe post The Omega Speedmaster ‘Silver Snoopy Award’ 50th Anniversary will spark joy in even the coldest heart appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Just as IWC overhauled their Pilot’s collection in 2019, this year is all about the Portugieser collection for the Schaffhausen-based brand. While there are more than a dozen new references within the 2020 lineup, there’s one particular piece that not only captures the new direction of the collection but also encapsulates what IWC does so … ContinuedThe post Complexity made simple with the IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 Boutique Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Watch consumers are always looking for a fresh new face to add to their wrists and collections. The irony, however, is we also tend to flock to familiar designs – references we believe are iconic. So how do we solve this problem? As per usual, Bamford has the answer. The Bamford Watch Department is known … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Bamford Limited Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The new Omega Speedmaster ‘Silver Snoopy Award’ 50th Anniversary is many things, but limited in numbers it is not. That’s right, for the first time ever, the brand has released a non-limited edition Snoopy Speedy. For many collectors who missed out on the other two references – released in 2003 and 2015 – this is an … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The feel-good watch of the year? The uplifting power of the Omega Speedmaster ‘Silver Snoopy Award’ appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

He grabbed life (and big-ticket timepieces) with both hands.

It got knocked down, and it might be getting up again.

From pioneering the dive watch to mastering Grand Complications, this house has it all.

Five video stories from HODINKEE readers.

We're feeling grateful for the watchmaking on display in this pre-Thanksgiving lineup.

Protecting the bearers of time from the ravages of time has been WOLF’s noble cause for almost two centuries. Aptly, for a family company whose stock in trade is posterity, its expertise becomes more abundant with each new generation.

“The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Marking the 15th anniversary of the brand’s most robust and distinctive collection, Ball launches the new Engineer Hydrocarbon Original. We had the watch as a daily beater for about a week, and here is our in-depth review, and explore the technical features. Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Original Ref. DM2118B-SCJ-BK Retail price: SGD 4,250 inclusive of GSTRead More

More than 50 years ago, an aviation team led by pilot Tom Lecky-Thompson embarked on what they referred to as codename “Blue Nylon”. So, what was the top-secret project? The group was making preparations for Lecky-Thompson’s attempt to enter the Transatlantic Air Race in 1969, which involved pilots flying from London all the way to … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The AVI-8 Hawker Harrier Blue Nylon is a tempting sub-$500 throwdown for aviation fans appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

If you, like many others, stumbled across the watch collecting hobby entirely by yourself, you know that feeling of loneliness. You may spend hours perfecting a wrist shot to show off your grail purchases, incredible bargains, or vintage eBay snipes, only to have friends and family snub you by exclaiming, “You bought another watch?” Well, … ContinuedThe post Do your friends think watch collecting is strange? These are the best watches to get your friends into watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The quintessential Bell & Ross aviation-instrument wristwatch has been given a winter camouflage outfit – the BR 03-92 White Camo has a black ceramic case with a high-contrast, winter-camo pattern dial. And in keeping with B&R;’s frequent iteration of military themes, this is also the third BR 03-92 dressed in camouflage, having been preceded by black and green variants. Initial thoughts Though popular in streetwear, white camouflage is unusual in watches. Compared with the preceding versions, the White Camo model has a more lively look that is distinctly less military looking. It is perhaps the most striking watch in the current BR 03 line-up, alongside the Full Lum. In typical Bell & Ross style, the dial, and especially the case, are well executed. The dial, for instance, has a sandwich construction: the upper dial has cut-outs for the numerals, allowing the lower disc clad in luminescent material to shine through. And the case is neatly-machined black ceramic, secured by four screws in a, well, sandwich-like construction. Arguably the only average bit is the Sellita SW300 inside. A clone of the tried-and-tested ETA 2892, the movement is perfectly appropriate for the US$3,800 price tag, which also makes this one of the more affordable ceramic-case watches. Added to that a simple but recognisable design, and the White Camo is a rather appealing proposition for an accessibly-priced sports watch. White and black Being black ceramic, the case recedes into the backgroun...

The Speedmaster Professional is so well known, so in command of its hallowed place in the history of watchmaking, how could you possibly find an alternative? Given that it is a watch that has actually been to the moon (conspiracy theories about the Mojave Desert aside), any comparisons will have to be approximate at best. … ContinuedThe post Attention space cowboys: 5 alternatives to the Omega Speedmaster that you probably haven’t considered appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

OK, let’s start by remembering the SBDC007, the legendary Seiko Shogun. Now I might be slightly biased because, at one point, I had two of them - after reading reviews saying the watch was so good it’d make you forget your other wrist-worn beauties. Well, believe the hype. The watch was that good and pretty … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The new Shogun is finally here in the form of the Seiko Prospex SPB189 and SPB191 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Founded by a pair of Japanese watchmakers, Kikuchi Nakagawa got its start in 2018 with the launch of the Murakumo, a time-only wristwatch inspired by the Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 96 of the 1930s. Now the duo once again look to Swiss watchmaking of the same period for the Ichimonji. Kikuchi Nakagawa’s newest watch sticks to the elegantly focused formula that defined the Murakumo – a black-polished steel case, along with hand-made hands, and a Vaucher movement. The emphasis is recreating the vintage aesthetic as well as honing the case finishing to the highest level. Initial thoughts The appeal of the Ichimonji is very much like that of its predecessor. It looks and feels like a vintage watch, but not quite, because it is clearly finished to a far higher level, a quality that is discernible in how the surfaces catch the light. Design wise the watch faithfully recreates the sensation of a vintage watch, but elevates it to another level of refinement thanks to a keen attention to detail. Take for instance the hour numerals for five and seven, which have been replaced with dots in order to avoid cutaway numerals. And the external finishing of the watch is similarly elevated. In fact, there is likely no other watch in this price segment with a similarly finished case. The case is polished by hand as a movement component would be, as are the hands. While the baton-shaped hands appear similar at a glance, but are actually three dimensional and hand finished to create br...

With eBay being one of the largest marketplaces in the world, the go-to platform for sellers looking to find buyers for their goods, it can be home to some of the most desired and in-demand products worldwide – including watches. While some have hesitated to take the plunge on a watch purchase via the site, … ContinuedThe post The most expensive watches sold on eBay in 2020 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Champagne is not a wine that most people enjoy at home or by themselves as they might a good red or a top spirit. Champagne is for occasions and for sharing and enjoying with friends. If times have been tough for the large Champagne-based houses, they have been even worse for many of the small growers and their champagnes. Here Ken Gargett take a look at two up-and-coming growers for your consideration.

Rolling out the red ceramic.

Two weeks ago, MB&F; celebrated 10 years of our HM3 Frog by announcing the “FrogX” anniversary editions. The Frog was one of the two crazy watches debuted by MB&F; in 2010. The same year also saw the release of the radical HM4 Thunderbolt. To celebrate the 10th Anniversary, MB&F; transforms the original HM4 prototype intoRead More

MB&F; marks the 10th anniversary of the HM4 with a pièce unique made from the very prototype that was used to launch the watch in 2010, meet the HM4 Kittyhawk.

In an unprecedented year, Zenith has given us some of their best watches yet, deeply rooted in heritage but forward looking. How did the brand mange this?

Christie’s in Hong Kong is offering eight extraordinary Patek Philippe watches which all feature rubies.