Latest watch news · Page 1468

Konstantin Chaykin's Moscow Comptus Easter Clock masterpiece isn’t designed for the wrist but for the mantel. And it presents further evidence that the man Joshua Munchow dubs the “Wonderboy Russian Watchmaker” is one of the greatest watch- and clockmakers in the game today.

While all the rage in the ’80s, many consumers have deviated away from two-tone designs in today’s marketplace. Historically two tone is comprised of stainless steel and a precious metal in a contrasting tone (such as yellow or pink gold). But forward-thinking manufacturers have realised there is possibly a better combination of tones that will … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Modernising two-tone with the 2021 Audemars Piguet Code 11:59 Collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Nick Gould recently saw a post on the official 007 Instagram account introducing a new deck of Top Trumps cards featuring gadgets from Q Branch for the next James Bond film 'No Time to Die' and of course spotted the secret gadget in the famous spy's special edition Omega Seamaster. Spoiler alert!

DOXA has enjoyed a notable resurgence over the last few years, the famed diver’s watch brand coming in strong in 2021 with a standard production line of carbon SUB 300 divers to follow up the 2020 GPHG-nominated limited edition. While DOXA watches have a cult following within the watch community, their modern timepieces are typically … ContinuedThe post DOXA expands their US retail presence in partnership with Watches of Switzerland appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Black Black is possibly the best looking modern Seamaster in today's lineup. It is in the larger size variant at 43.5 mm, but benefits from an all black case, dial and hands combination. By virtue of this matte black color, the watch is stealthy and unpretentious. The reliability of the co-axial movement with tested accuracy and anti-magnetism makes it ideal for a daily beater. Water proof to 300m, and fitted with a rubber strap, the watch is definitely versatile and sporty. It is priced at US$8650.

A watchmaker with many excellent movements – and some exceptional calibres – Chopard is instead better known for its jewellery watches or auto-racing chronographs. Now Chopard keeps at its, and has just added to its list of excellent movements with the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25. Conceived to mark the 25th anniversary of the L.U.C line – made up of the brand’s high horology offerings and named after Louis-Ulysse Chopard – the Quattro Spirit is its first jump hour. Dressed up with a fired enamel dial, it is powered by an impressive and refined eight-day movement. Initial thoughts An instinctively appealing watch, the Quattro Spirit is good looking and size well; most notably, the movement is interesting. While jumping hours isn’t particularly complicated, the leap of the digital display on a mechanical watch is still an intriguing sight. Add to that four barrels that supply a run time of eight days, the cal. L.U.C 98.06-L becomes even more compelling. Assembling one stack of twin barrels Notably, even with the long power reserve, the watch remains relatively compact, just 40 mm wide and 10.3 mm tall. That’s thanks to a clever optimisation of space, with the movement relying on twin stacked barrels, with each stack containing two mainsprings connected in series. Priced at a bit under US$45,000, the Quattro Spirit costs substantially more than other L.U.C watches with the same eight-day base movement without the jumping hours. In fact, the addition of the jump ...

When they hear the name Fabergé, most people immediately think of imperial Easter eggs. This is logical because even today the breathtaking craftsmanship and detailed execution of these objets d’art are the stuff of legends. Here is a brief history of them.

A young company founded just two years ago, Genus is all about exotic expressions of time. Though the brand is young, Genus cofounder Sébastien Billières is an industry veteran, having established a workshop that specialises in producing complicated movements for major brands exactly a decade ago. The brand made its debut with the GNS1 – essentially a time-only watch made ultra complicated by virtue of its unique time display – a snaking procession of pointers travelling in a figure of eight that create a dynamic tension unlike anything else. Genus has now taken the concept further with the GNS Dragon, which layers a miniature sculpture over the original in the form of a segmented gold dragon. Initial thoughts The rise of independent watchmakers with atypical time displays started two decades ago – personified by brands like Urwerk – so Genus is rather late to the game, but it still made an impressive entrance. The original GNS1 was a fresh perspective in a crowded arena, the very sort of diversity that makes this hobby fun. And the GNS1 is a serious watch in terms of quality and construction – it also did win the Mechanical Exception award at the 2019 GPHG. While the focal point is the intriguing time display, the movement finishing is excellent; not quite artisanal haute horlogerie like Akrivia, for instance, but nevertheless done by hand and done well, particularly in the genre of avant-garde watches. Made of solid 18k gold, the bridges have wide, polish...

The Omega Speedmaster Professional is an icon for one reason: the three astronauts of Apollo 11 each worn one during the Moon landing of 1969. And five decades later, Speedmaster remains the only mechanical watch that’s part of NASA’s official kit for astronauts. After many Speedmaster limited editions marking its longstanding relationship with the American space agency, Omega now unveils a set of NASA Velcro straps for the Speedmaster Moonwatch. Initial thoughts From memorable advertisement starring George Clooney and Buzz Aldrin to the paraphernalia and accessories that accompany the multitude of Moonwatch iterations, Omega relentlessly reminds us about the provenance of the Moonwatch, and doubles down on the NASA association with the new straps. The NASA-themed straps are a first, but also a logical and expected extension of the Moonwatch franchise, especially since independent strap makers have offered similar aftermarket straps in the past. The new straps are cool and affordable, making them something of a perk for Speedmaster enthusiasts. As an owner of a Moonwatch myself, I’m a fan of the new straps. Not only are they a nod to the history of the Speedmaster Professional, but they also inject a bit of fun into the no-nonsense Speedmaster design. And they also bring to mind the extra-long velcro straps that actual astronauts use in order to wear the Speedmaster on a space suit. Who doesn’t want to feel like an astronaut? If Omega’s earlier velcro straps ar...

The project is called Deep Time. Right now, 15 people are sealed in a pitch-black cave in the south of France. They have zero access to watches, phones or any other means to monitor the passing of time.  Forcibly cut off from the outside world, the volunteers have signed up for what will no doubt … ContinuedThe post Why not knowing the time is a form of psychological torture used by the military appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

When people think back to the beginning of smartwatches, they invariably think of the first Apple Watch back in 2015, but what isn’t well known is that TAG Heuer released their first Connected watch in the very same year. Yep, TAG Heuer have had skin in the smartwatch game for almost as long as anyone, … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: TAG Heuer doubles down on smartwatch tech with the 2021 TAG Heuer Connected collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The future is electric, let’s face it. For me it’s inescapable, my wife’s hybrid Audi A3 is plugged in outside, and I live in a country (Norway) where the most sold new car last year was the all-electric Tesla Model 3. So yes, there’s an unstoppable shift and it will also soon be coming through … ContinuedThe post Hamilton partners with the hybrid-electric Smartflyer that aims to change the face of air travel appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

We got up-close and hands-on with the new AP Royal Oak Offshore Diver, now in three dial options, a new caliber 4308, and an interchangeable strap system.

Having made its debut 15 years ago, the Ballon Bleu de Cartier is an upstart by the Parisian jeweller’s standards – the Santos and Tank, for example, are both over a century old. But the Ballon Bleu was an instant hit, thanks to its classically round case with a quirky and captivating crown, making it one of the brand’s best sellers. Now a new size has joined the line up, the Ballon Bleu 40 mm powered by the in-house 1847 MC automatic movement. It sits in between the 36 mm medium and 42 mm large automatic models, neither too big nor too small for current tastes (Cartier already has a 40 mm that is hand-wind). The new 40 mm automatic also incorporates a practical upgrade: the brand’s proprietary quick-release system for the bracelet and strap. And finally, the new size also includes new dials in a simpler, metallic finish – in either blue and grey – giving it a more contemporary look. The most traditional of the Ballon Bleu variants with a silver guilloche dial Initial thoughts The Ballon Bleu is over a decade old but still attractive in a timeless manner that Cartier’s classic designs always manage to be. But it’s unusual among the brand’s best-known watch designs. While the signature Tank and Santos watches are characterised by straight, hard lines, the Ballon is a made up of spheres and domes of varied sizes – the crown, case, crystal and even the case back are all lightly rounded, giving it a pebble-like feel that’s a little organic. Given the B...

Chopard introduces L.U.C jumping-hour complication with Grand Feu enamel dial in rose gold case, limited to 100 pieces.

I was 35,000ft over the Atlantic when I first freaked someone out about his watch. It was in the line for the airplane toilet. A guy was ahead of me, wrestling a full-bladdered toddler. This, I reasoned, is exactly the moment he’ll want a stranger to ask about his Panerai. He’ll tell me the story … ContinuedThe post How not to talk to total strangers about their watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Tudor Black Bay Chrono S&G; has somewhat been left in the shadows of the oh-so-perfect-but-slightly-over-hyped 58. The original Black Bay 58 in black is actually part of my own collection, and while it does sit on my wrist with a calm, quiet confidence, I have toyed with the idea of flipping it for this … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Tudor Black Bay Chrono S&G; is a two-tone bruiser with winning charm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

A watch doesn’t become a classic if designers keep radically altering the way that it looks. A classic design needs consistency and slow, gradual tweaks if it’s to make its mark in the history books. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was the Rado Captain Cook. But even a classic design can do … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic collection looks to the future, not the past appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Gerald Genta-inspired? Perhaps, but still very much its own style and formal elegance. The Batavi Architect is the latest upcoming release from the Dutch microbrand behind the popping fresh Kosmopoliet GMT, a colourful take on a vintage skin diver with a GMT function. This time the influence is from the laid-back cool of the 70s, … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Is the Batavi Architect the sharpest microbrand take on the integrated bracelet sports watch? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Demystifying chronograph movements, along with a balanced view on the horizontal vs vertical clutch debate.

Sharon Tan reviews her own Habring² Foudroyante Felix in Salmon after owning and living with the watch for some time. Here are her candid thoughts.

Whilst many brands shout from the rooftops about their ceramic innovations, Rado has been quietly going about its ceramic business since the launch of its Integral in 1986, with its scratch-resistant high-tech ceramic bracelet. This year, Rado has taken its ceramic technology and created a 43mm high-tech ceramic cased Captain Cook in four versions.

Bell & Ross adds to their multi-time zone instruments with the BR 03-93 GMT now with a bi-directional bezel with two-color anodized aluminum insert

Apple now sells more watches than the entire Swiss watch industry. But not satisfied with its extraordinary dominance, the brand is now reportedly looking to expand its watch portfolio. The company has explored many materials, including aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, ceramics, and even 18K gold. Throughout these designs their case profile has remained largely unchanged, … ContinuedThe post Apple set to release a more rugged Apple Watch Explorer Edition to compete with G-Shock appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The original DB28 has recently lost its place for Martin Green as the ideal watch for the wrist of Star Trek's Captain Jean-Luc Picard on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. It’s now been replaced by another De Bethune: the out-of-this-world DB28XP Meteorite.

How do you update a classic? It’s a problem that many designers face, whether they work in the watch industry, automotives or product design. How do you retain the original idea behind a design and still bring it forward into the here and now? This is a question that the Rado Captain Cook designers must … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic collection delivers a skeletonised update appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

It’s fair to say that most people have probably put on a couple of COVID kilos during the rolling lockdowns we’ve all gone through over the last 12 months. I know I have. But now that things are slowly returning to a semblance of normality and confidence is growing that our future plans won’t be … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The TAG Heuer Connected collection for 2021 will make you leaner, fitter and better at golf appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.