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Ladies and gentlemen, please (mystery) watch closely.

It’s fair to say that the watchmaking industry is often pretty uptight as a whole. Companies like Swatch and Hublot try to inject some fun into the hobby, but what if you want something with luxury build quality that won’t cost tens of thousands? Louis Erard’s manifesto of bringing artwork into mechanical watchmaking for an … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Le Diptyque Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein collab is colourful, playful and fun appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Louis Erard announces yet another collaboration with Alain Silberstein. This time a Diptyque. This time Le Régulateur and Le Semaine.

Van Cleef & Arpels’ intricate new collection of technical timepieces draw inspiration from the life and whimsy of nature.

It’s easy to understand the dangerous appeal of online auction platform, Loupe This. For a start, it’s co-owned by internationally renowned watch dealer / super-collector, Eric Ku (read this story about his crazy life here). As a result of his know-how and connections, the product on offer is always intriguing. “What we want to do, is … ContinuedThe post Cartier fanatics rejoice! Loupe This is auctioning a treasure trove of vintage rarities this week appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Launched in January 2022 to kick off the 50th anniversary year of Audemars Piguet’s most famous watch, the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin ref. 16202 is the latest generation – or the third generation specifically – of the quintessential Royal Oak design. Design-wise the new “Jumbo” doesn’t depart from its predecessor, the ref. 15202, or even the original ref. 5402 of 1972. Audemars Piguet (AP) has smartly kept the design unchanged, but the watch has been thoroughly and smartly upgraded in many respects, especially in terms of ergonomics and mechanics. The new “Jumbo” is undoubtedly a “hype” watch of today, but it has considerable intrinsic qualities that mark it out as a thoughtfully constructed timepiece, most notably the cal. 7121 within that’s entirely new and the replacement for the long-in-tooth cal. 2120/2121 that has powered every generation of the “Jumbo” since 1972. Developed from the ground up to fit the slim dimensions of the “Jumbo” case, the cal. 7121 still manages to incorporate various amenities and advancements expected in a 21st century construction by a respected manufacture. We explain the movement in depth below. Initial thoughts Famously penned by Gerald Genta in 1972, the original Royal Oak ref. 5402 has near perfect proportions. Wide but flat, angular yet graceful, the “Jumbo” is easily distinguishable from other Royal Oak models. Most other Royal Oak models tend to be thicker regardless of diameter, making the ...

Sotheby’s just concluded the first sale of the spring auction season, which now moves to Geneva with a series of auctions in the Swiss city starting the first weekend of May. The season opened strongly with several records set at Sotheby’s, most notably with The Nevadian Collector, a sale of Patek Philippe timepieces all owned by an American collector. Made up of 38 watches and one lot of vintage Gay Freres bracelets, the auction was led by an unsurprising favourite that sold for a record price – the possibly unique ref. 2499 in pink gold with a dial signed “Gobbi Milano”. Sotheby’s consultant Sam Hines bringing the hammer down on the ref. 2499 “Gobbi” Four telephone bidders competed for the watch, with bidding swift and aggressive. One of the bidders went big early on, taking the bid from HK$19 million to HK$30 million with one bid – an increment of about US$1.4 million. Eventually one of the phone bidders triumphed and set the record for the most expensive ref. 2499 ever sold at auction. The pink ref. 2499 “Gobbi” hammered for HK$50 million, resulting in a total of HK$60.265 million including the buyer’s premium. That’s equivalent to about US$7.68 million, making it the most expensive ref. 2499 ever sold at auction by some margin. The last record holder was the ref. 2499 “Asprey” that sold in 2018 for about US$ 4 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva – which was also sold by the Nevadian. While the ref. 2499 “Gobbi” was the headline lot,...

It's not exactly a GMT, or a rattrapante, but it is a fantastic watch, nonetheless.

The Louis Moinet Memoris Spirit chronograph is an aesthetic and mechanical update to the classic Memoris chronograph that may end up being the most sought-after model yet. Joshua Munchow takes a closer look at how it arrived here.

We’re a couple of weeks removed from Watches and Wonders and I’ve had enough time to recover from all the spicy salami and new watch releases. I’ve thought about the 100+ watches that I spent a few minutes with, in the hope of identifying those that left a lasting impression. And truly, there were some … ContinuedThe post MEET THE TEAM: Ricardo’s top five from Watches & Wonders appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Bell & Ross presents 2 new watches in their Vintage style. Introducing the BR V2-92 Full Lum and BR V2-92 Orange. Release details with additional notes.

Two historically important watches from George Daniels and Francois-Paul Journe come to auction this spring.

In May 2021, Ineichen sold the world’s most-expensive NFT token for a watch. With a final hammer price of CHF 52,080, Konstantin Chaykin’s Joker NFT, which depicts all the possible combinations of a Joker watch, became a world record-holder. On April 30, in their first-ever timed auction, Ineichen looks to once again appeal to bidders … ContinuedThe post Ineichen to auction unique Konstantin Chaykin Joker, Porsche 911 and NFT set on April 30 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The raging hype over the MoonSwatch has provoked a maelstrom of opinions. Some people believe it’s a bold collaboration that has reinvigorated the appeal of both Swatch and Omega. Others dismiss the MoonSwatch as little more than a marketing stunt that cheapens Omega’s iconic Speedmaster and even risks diminishing its long-term appeal. As the discussion … ContinuedThe post Ed Sheeran shows hardcore watch collectors are also on the MoonSwatch hype train appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Here Elizabeth Doerr brings you the results of Ineichen's Precious Blues auction on April 23, 2022, including eight less mainstream picks.

"We become what we behold. We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us." ― Marshall McLuhan

Online-only watch auctioneer Loupe This has just announced a week of Cartier watches, with two watches being listed daily from April 25 to 29. The lineup is headlined by an original Crash made by Cartier London in 1969 that comes direct from the original owner no less. It has an appropriate hefty estimate of US$500,000-800,000. London Crash Some of the other highlights in the sale include a trio of white-metal Tanks, including a Tank Asymetrique in platinum, one of a hundred made in 1996. Estimated at US$30,000-50,000, it’s smaller than the recent Prive Tank Asymetrique, with dimensions comparable to the classic Tank LC, which is the next watch. Tank Asymétrique This is a rare variant of an otherwise common watch. Produced for several decades in a range of iterations, the Tank Louis Cartier, or “LC”, is commonly found in yellow gold, but less often in white gold, and rarely with a period-correct bracelet. Dating to the 1970s, this has an estimate of US$20,000-30,000. Tank LC Another Tank from the 1970s is this Tank Cintree “Jumbo”, also in white gold and once again with a matching gold bracelet. This is the largest size of arguably the most desirable Tank model, but made slightly more affordable by the fact that it was made in the 1970s instead of the first decades of the 20th century. The estimate is US$50,000-80,000. Tank Cintree The first pair go live on Monday, April 25, Los Angeles time (GMT-7), which will be April 26 for most of the world. You can see them...

A brand that went defunct during the Quartz Crisis like many of its peers, Nivada Grenchen was resurrected in 2020, again like many of its peers. While the historical brand was perhaps best known as one of the earliest makers of the automatic wristwatch, Nivada Grenchen now offers affordable, vintage-inspired watches that seem straight out of its old catalogue. The brand’s signature product is a 38 mm hand-wind chronograph modelled on a 1960s original, which now gets an Eastern Arabic makeover with the Chronomaster “Perpétuel” Limited Edition Set. Made for the eponymous Dubai watch store, the watch is packaged in a box that includes a leather watch case and Chronomaster Only, a reference book detailing the history of Nivada. Initial thoughts If you like vintage-style chronographs, Chronomaster is an appealing proposition in its original form, thanks to the restrained case size that’s identical to the vintage original. And the Sellita movement inside means the Chonomaster is an affordable entry into the world of retro, hand-wind chronographs, which is admittedly crowded with many, many comparable options. But this version is slightly different. Typical of Perpétuel editions – and reflecting the store’s regional focus – the Chronomaster gets Eastern Arabic numerals for he dial and bezel. Though such numerals have become relatively common and predictable on Middle East editions, this is noteworthy for two reasons. One is the fact that all the numerals on ...

Hublot is all about material innovation and each year they continue to step it up. This Watches & Wonders, for example, they expanded their sapphire portfolio by adding the colour purple. But while it seems Hublot can bring something new each release cycle with ease, each effort is, of course, the fruit of extensive labour … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Hublot debuts the first-ever 100% ceramic-cased minute repeater appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Watch That Changed My Mind On TAG! What we love: Comfortable and easy to wear, light for its size and specsBang for buck in finish, movement and specsGood looking design with vintage ques What we don’t love: Wears on the larger size for a 42mm mainly due to its heightNoisy movement and winding rotor (some may like this though)Some wearers may find the dial harder to read at a glance with the lack of contrast in the numerals Overall rating: 8/10 Value for money: 7.5/10 Wearability: 7.5 / 10 Design: 8.5/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 Tag Heuer has always been one of those brands that never grabbed my attention. I always saw it as a watch brand that was a little overpriced, and like a lot of brands, you’re paying for more marketing than the watch itself. Now, I have owned a Tag Heuer Carrera Heuer01 in the past, so I’m not adverse to TAG at all, but it has since moved on to make way for others in my collection. So when I had the opportunity to get my hands on the new 60th Anniversary limited edition Autavia Flyback Chronograph, I was looking forward to road testing the latest iteration of the distinguished Autavia line. A Short History Lesson Before we go any further, let’s take a step back and in case you’re not familiar with the Autavia model and its history, here’s a quick refresh. The Autavia wristwatch collection, the first product launched under the leadership of Jack Heuer 60 years ago, got its name from two pillars of TAG Heuer’s history: Automobile and Av...

Hublot unveils the sequel to the Big Bang Integral, the brand's first watch with integrated bracelet. We take a look at the new Big Bang Integral Time Only.

The popularity of microbrands is predominantly down to two main reasons. Firstly, there is the fact that they’re often far more affordable than established watch brands, but of equal importance is their relative freedom to create fresh ideas without the pressure that a century-long history brings. Instead of re-hashing old designs with slight updates every … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Makina Gabriel delivers singular looks at a bargain price appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

A couple of years ago, when I first started @timepeacelove, my Instagram page dedicated to my passion for watches, I made a joke to my wife saying, “Hey, maybe one day I’ll get the chance to experience Watches and Wonders in Geneva.” I would have never thought that day would come, but my experience last month … ContinuedThe post MEET THE TEAM: Jeremy’s 5 favourite steel sports watches from Watches & Wonders appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Back in December 2020 a teaser trailer was released for a then-upcoming feature documentary called 'Keeper of Time.' Elizabeth Doerr was quite excited by the trailer and couldn’t wait for its final release. Well, that release has finally come, and she has had the chance to preview it. She shares her (very positive) thoughts about the film here.

Years ago, when I watched the documentary The Watchmaker’s Apprentice, which details the journey of George Daniels and the path of watchmaker Roger W. Smith becoming his sole apprentice, I remember being awe-struck at the meticulous art of watchmaking and  the perseverance required to achieve mastery in the field. Since that documentary, however, there have not … ContinuedThe post Long-awaited film “Keeper of Time” premieres worldwide this week appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Coping with COVID, firsthand experiences, and expecting the unexpected.