Latest watch news · Page 1296

There are few brands that can make modern-day reissues of historical watches powered by the same movement as the vintage original. Zenith, as it happens, is easily able to, thanks to its long-lived El Primero. The chronograph movement celebrated its 50th anniversary last year with several commemorative A386 limited editions, including a one-off in platinum for charity, but most were in gold and thus pricey. On the other hand, the El Primero A384 Revival is a faithful remake – including a “ladder” bracelet – that’s part of the regular collection, and also affordable. Since 1969 While the A386 is the iconic El Primero chronograph – and today the most valuable – the A384 was introduced at the same time (along with the A385), making it part of the debut range of El Primero watches. One reason the A384 doesn’t quite have the stature of the round and relatively-ageless A386 is also one of its most distinctive qualities: a tonneau- or cushion-shaped case that instantly identifies it as a watch of the late 1960s and 1970s. The easily recognisable design has made the tonneau-shaped A384 a popular base for a variety of limited editions, including one based on a fictitious watch featured in the Japanese manga Lupin III. Romain Marietta, the brand’s chief of products, also indicated during a recent conversation that the A384 will continue to be the base for limited editions, while the A386 will not be reproduced again except in exceptional instances since it is syno...

Just when we thought the situation at Baselworld would be returning to a certain normalcy, things took a sharp turn after some official announcements… and apparent ultimatums.

Revolution catches up with Felix and Martin of URWERK on Zoom video chat on their involvement with the Time Æon Foundation and the Naissance d’une Montre 2.

The COVID-19 crisis has had an immense effect on nearly every facet of our day-to-day lives - from global economics to modernized healthcare, and the trivial hobbies we indulge in.

Some platinum-on-platinum Wizardry on display

The Parmigiani Tonda 1950 Double Rainbow Flying Tourbillon pleases the heart and the eye with its complex and well-finished movement, but Martin Green thinks that it also tantalizes with its unique design and innovative use of colored gemstones.

Last week’s Celebrity Watch Death Match pushed it to the limit, as John Mayer and Ed Sheeran, according to you guys, ended in a white-knuckle draw. I called it 3-1 for Mayer, but you begged to differ. We had ourselves a 2-2 deadlock. So we were forced to clarify the rules. What happens when it’s a hung … ContinuedThe post Celebrity Watch Death Match – John Mayer Vs. Ed Sheeran … the rematch! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

I mean, just look at them!

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It looks like this year's hottest watches are last year's hottest watches.

From the Carolina Watch Club to a 160-year-old business across the sea in Glasgow.

Revolution’s Wei Koh tells you five reasons why the Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy is a must-have as a major long term investment.

Writing in a manner graceful yet irate, the president of the exhibitors committee of Baselworld – mostly made up of brands that exhibit that the event – has penned a quietly scathing letter to the organisers of Baselworld. [The fair’s response to the letter can be found in the addendum at the end of the article.] The letter, which I received a copy of, expresses the exhibitors’ dissatisfaction at well, everything, from the new date for the event to the proposed refunds for the “postponed” fair, while asking for a refund of fees paid for the cancelled event. Significantly, the letter ends with: “we fear that this will be the end, pure and simple, of Baselworld…”. While on the surface this might seem to be a group of exhibitors pushing back, it is a more nuanced – and perhaps more uplifting – picture. The president of the exhibitors committee, Hubert J. du Plessix, has a day job: head of investments and logistics at Rolex, in addition to being the president of the watchmaker’s pension fund. If there was ever a sterling example of the philosophy “speak softly and carry a big stick” in watchmaking, this is it. Seen in that light, Mr du Plessix, and by extension his employer, are standing up for the little guy: defending the interests of exhibitors who can ill-afford Baselworld even in the best of times, in an attempt to help the wider watch industry that is now on the edge of the precipice. The central atrium of Messe Basel, the convention hall des...

Jaquet Droz extends the Grande Seconde Skelet-One line with two new additions - one in traditional red gold, and the other in an ultra modern plasma ceramic.

New technology emerges in Jaquet Droz’s modern skeleton interpretation of the Grande Seconde.

A contemporary take on the brand’s iconic watch – itself based on a 18th century pocket watch – the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Skelet-One Plasma Ceramic is a sleek and modern open-worked wristwatch, now in a new, high-tech case material. Originally available in ordinary ceramic, the watch has now been given a case of “plasma ceramic”, an unusual material that’s best described as a ceramic that resembles metal. The material begins are white ceramic that’s treated with a plasma gas, essentially ionised gas created at 20,000°C. The process of plasma carburising transforms the surface layer of the white ceramic into a metal oxide, giving the ceramic a grey, metallic finish while retaining all of the desirable properties of ceramic including hardness, low density and scratch resistance. Though plasma ceramic has been a hallmark of the Swatch Group and its many brands, including Rado, Omega and Blancpain, it is being used for the first time by Jaquet Droz. The case measures 41.5 mm across and 12.48 mm high, making it a tad larger than its gold counterparts, which is typically the case for ceramic cases due to the necessities of construction in an ultra-hard, but potentially brittle, material. Unusually for ceramic that is typically mirror-polished all round, the case is finished with contrasting surfaces – the bezel and top surfaces of the lugs are brushed while the case band has a polished finish. A clear sapphire disc forms the Grande Seconde dial, wit...

The Maillon de Cartier is Cartier’s latest debut, a part-watch, part-jewellery design that takes its famous chain-link bracelet style to new heights.

A yearly tradition starting two years ago, the Sixties annual edition is a limited-production run of Glashütte Original’s well-liked, retro Sixties. In contrast to the sedate, Teutonic colours of the regular models, the Sixties annual editions are characterised by dials in bold colours and elaborate patterns, all produced the traditional way at its sister company located just several hours away. The annual edition began in 2015 as an experimental collection of watches with dials in over-the-top colours, before becoming an annual edition, first with a green dial patterned after water droplets, followed by an orange version of the same motif last year. Now Glashütte Original has gone in the opposite direction with the Sixties and Sixties Chronograph featuring pale-blue, dégradé dials finished with a simple, radial brushing. Decidedly more restrained than the earlier editions, the new “glacier blue” dials are still nuanced and striking. Subtle blue As with all of the dials found on the Sixties annual editions, the new “glacier blue” dials are produced by the what was once the Th. Muller dial factory in Pforzheim, historically the heart of the German jewellery and clockmaking industry, and now owned by Glashütte Original’s parent company, Swatch Group. The blue dials are finished in a dégradé, or graduated, colour that darkens towards the edges – an effect that requires multiple steps to achieve. It starts with a dial blank made of German silver that is...

In what we hope will be the first of many watches to be unveiled in these dark times, Audemars Piguet has recently released their latest model. Called the Audemars Piguet [Re]master01 Selfwinding Chronograph, this new piece is actually a reinterpretation of one of the Le Brassus firm’s early 20th-century watches. In no way is this … ContinuedThe post The Audemars Piguet [Re]master01 Selfwinding Chronograph is like a remastered classic on vinyl, played on crystal clear modern speakers and turned up to 11 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Main Ridge Estate has been considered as producing not only some of the Mornington Peninsula’s best Pinot and Chardonnay, but some of the best anywhere in Australia, pretty much from day one. Small quantities of its wines do manage to make their way to international markets, but you’ll need to search for them. Ken Gargett explains why you might want to do just that.

Or, the story of my grandfather's forgotten Submariner.

The enthusiast site invites readers to submit watch shots.

It’s the clash of the titans that every boxing fan wants to see: Tyson “the Gypsy King” Fury, the WBC champion, taking on Anthony Joshua, the WBA, WBO and IBF title holder. The super-fight would be a historic decider to confirm who really is the undisputed world heavyweight champ. Will it ever happen? Unfortunately, given … ContinuedThe post “Knock me out and you’ll get my Rolex” – what happened when Tyson Fury fought Anthony Joshua appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

From a World Series victory to a world-class watch collection, this guy has got it all figured out.

Hublot is today quietly making waves with its R&D; innovations which have even attracted the attention of the European Space Agency.

The Girard-Perregaux Quasar Light leaves little to the imagination.

Swiss private bank Vontobel has just published its highly-regarded annual report on the luxury watch industry – the news for 2020 is grim. Put together by a team led by managing director Rene Weber, the Vontobel Luxury Goods Shop predicts a 25% fall in Swiss watch exports in 2020 – the biggest drop in 50 years as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. A proxy for the global luxury watch market, Swiss watch exports declined 22% during the 2008 financial crisis, and recovered swiftly the year after. But during the financial crisis there were no store or factory closures, and no halt to international travel. Since mid-March most watch brands, including giants Rolex and Patek Philippe, have shut their factories, or introduced short-time work, with between 60-70% of employees at Swatch Group working reduced hours. File photo of the Rolex factory in Bienne that’s gone quiet for now. Photo – Rolex At the peak of the pandemic in China, when practically the entire country was in lockdown, Vontobel estimated February sales fell 80%, something it expects will be repeated throughout the rest of the world. And even e-commerce is not enough to alleviate the situation substantially, because of logistical challenges. The report notes that as of mid-March,”the Swiss watch industry has come to an almost global standstill.” Unsurprisingly, the bank expects the pandemic to result in a steeper fall and slower recovery for the Swiss watch industry. The bank expects a s...