Latest watch news · Page 1488

The Swiss maisons are at it again, bringing their entire arsenal of craftsmanship to celebrate the Chinese New Year. As we all know, the Chinese market is huge and a great reason for watch brands to bring out the big guns. By big guns, however, we really mean the opposite here, as tiny instruments and … ContinuedThe post Ox-fresh: Celebrate Chinese New Year with wristworn art from Blancpain to Swatch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

With Seiko marking its 140th anniversary in 2021, a slew of commemorative editions are expected – the brand already got the ball rolling last year with a King Seiko and Grand Seiko. Now the anniversary line up gets something more affordable, the Presage Sharp Edged Series 140th Anniversary (SPB205). Limited to 4,000 pieces, the SPB205 is inspired by dawn in Tokyo, explaining the gold highlights on the dial set against an all-black case and bracelet, a first for the Presage series, which typically sticks to more traditional polished steel. Initial thoughts The Presage line is well liked for its variety of intriguing dial finishes at affordable prices. One of its sub-lines, the Sharp Edged Series, features a motif known as asanoha – which translates as “hemp leaf” – a geometric pattern traditionally found on clothing, that shimmers in the light thanks to its textured surface. The SPB205 might just be the most striking of the series to date. The gold indices and hands contrast beautifully against the graduated, brown-black dial, which adds a layer of subtlety to the asanoha texture, unlike earlier models featuring more obvious renditions in brighter colours. With its wide lugs and contrast finish on the bracelet, the SPB205 bears more than a passing resemblance to pricier Grand Seiko models. But it has a price tag of US$1,150, making the SPB205 compelling as a package – the dial, finishing, and blacked-out case. Though priced US$150 higher than the earlier vers...

Back in November, we were treated to two new releases from Grand Seiko to honour the founding of the Seiko brand. As we covered, 2021 marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of founder Kintaro Hattori and the 140th anniversary of the birth of the Seiko Corporation. Hattori, at the age of 21, would create … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Seiko get their 140th birthday party started with the Seiko SSH083 & SPB205 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Fine watches and fine whisky, for many the two go together like single malt birds of a feather. Urwerk founders Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei have been known to enjoy a smooth amber tipple or two, and as discerning gentlemen with discerning taste in haute horlogerie it's perhaps not surprising that Baumgartner and Frei also have discerning taste when it comes to whisky: single malt by The Macallan.

One of my favourite traits of the Octo catalogue from Bulgari is its matte, smooth and very quiet elegance. While the endlessly creative Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Bulgari’s chief watch designer, continually sets the bar ever higher, it’s mostly done without the flash and bang of complications. But this week we saw the debut of the … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: If Darth Vader wore a watch it’d be this Bulgari Octo Roma Carillon Tourbillon appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Martin Green doesn't usually like large-diameter watches, but he felt that the 44 mm Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono looked (and more importantly felt) profoundly better than he expected. Martin thought it large but not overly so, and that wearing comfort was exceptional for a watch this size. See for yourself right here!

Joe Rogan has one of the most popular voices in the world. His podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, gets close to 200 million monthly downloads and you can understand why. He’s had everyone who is anyone on the show, including a wide variety of celebrities, sports stars, scientists, politicians and more. Names like Mike Tyson, … ContinuedThe post Joe Rogan gave his podcast guest a watch and it’s way cooler than you’d expect… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

It isn’t often that the brands we review are homegrown right here in Melbourne, but that’s exactly the case with John Robert Wristwatches. Melbourne is a really, really long way from Switzerland (just ask Andrew about the long-haul flights to Baselworld over the years). But despite the tyranny of distance, the first John Robert Wristwatches … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Melbourne born and bred John Robert Wristwatches Archetype collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Peter Nievaart explores how you can use your iPhone to improve your watch photography with flash by using the Profoto App and the C1 Plus pocket flash.

Originally slated to be the ultimate watch fair that would also include the major brands that departed Baselworld, Watches & Wonders (W&W;) did not take place in 2020 due to the pandemic and instead became a virtual show online, before being transported to China as an actual, physical fair. The event is returning in 2021 in exactly the same format, but with a far larger number of brands taking part. W&W; will happen online from April 7-13, where 38 brands will introduce their latest watches. The participants include nearly all of watchmaking’s major brands and conglomerates. All of Richemont’s brands will be present, including A. Lange & Söhne, Cartier, and Vacheron Constantin, as will the brands owned by LVMH – TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith. The list of exhibitors also includes a handful of independent brands, but few are significant, save for Greubel Forsey. Most crucially, the twin giants of Geneva watchmaking will be taking part, giving the event far greater influence and a wider audience – Rolex and its sister brand Tudor, as well as Patek Philippe. Much like the traditional watch fair in Geneva, the online version of W&W; will be open to retailers, journalists, and select clients of the participating brands. W&W; Shanghai in 2020. Photo – Watches & Wonders And a few days later… With strong demand for luxury watches in China – where social and economic life is largely back to normal – W&W; will then take place as a physical fair in Shanghai once again, b...

More often then not, when we take a deep dive into a watch release, we explore creations billed for men. The idea of gendered watches is becoming more and more contested and, quite frankly, when it comes to spending your hard-earned money you should be able to wear whatever you want. The Bulgari Serpenti, however, … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Bulgari slithers into 2021 with a trio of Serpenti Spiga watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

It seems only appropriate that such a fascinating champagne Grower as Ulysse Collin has an even more fascinating backstory. David heading toward toppling a sparkling Goliath. For well over 200 years, since 1812, the Collin family had worked vineyards in the region and for a century of that time also worked as coopers. The family vineyards were first lost, then recovered, and now the firm goes from strength to strength, slowly but surely building the crown as king of the Grower movement.

Happy New Year (better late than never)! We’re nearly at the end of January, so hopefully any ill-advised resolutions to buy fewer watches have already been abandoned. After all, there have already been a number of pretty exciting new releases to lead you astray thanks to LVMH Watch Week. But forgetting watches for just a … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: The FWD is back in 2021 and so are heaps of new watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

To update an icon, Omega have always understood that the path must be evolution rather than revolution. So what did they do on the first Speedy Tuesday of 2021? They showed the world what the next step was down the path of the Speedmaster Moonwatch. Eight new references were announced, including options in Sedna gold … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Master Chronometer Collection is updated and ready for 21st century space flight appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introduced in 2018 and now endowed with a waitlist several years long, the Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer is perhaps the most notable English wristwatch of recent times. Equipped with twin escape wheels, each powered by its own going train, the Frodsham movement was the first to successfully miniaturise the invention of Abraham-Louis Breguet that was then perfected by George Daniels and Derek Pratt, but only in pocket watches. Now the first Double Impulse Chronometer to be offered on the secondary market has emerged at Phillips Perpetual, the auction house’s boutique in London (which now sells online, as brick-and-mortar retail is wont to do today). The example on offer features the trademark white-ceramic dial with Arabic numerals, but matched with an uncommon white-gold case. Most examples of the Double Impulse Chronometer are to be found in steel or yellow gold, with only two white gold specimens having been made so far according to Richard Stenning of Charles Frodsham. The bright-white ceramic dial has an unusual pair of hands that are both equal length, a quirk inspired by a Frodsham tourbillon pocket watch from the early 1900s Like the other versions of the Double Impulse Chronometer, this example has prominent English assay marks on the reverse of the lugs, which include a crown that indicates gold, and a leopard’s head for the Goldsmiths’ Company in London, which has been using the hallmark since 1300. The back reveals the movement, as well as ...

Breguet celebrates the ladies watch with a special complication, a hand in the shape of an ever changing heart. We explain the Reine de Naples Cœur.

Essentially a slimmed down and pared back version of its flagship watch, the Octo Finissimo has gained more fans than the first-generation model, thanks to a sleek profile along with newly-developed ultra-thin movements. Though the Octo Finissimo lineup is as wide as the watch is thin, the base model remains the most compelling, being an original take on the integrated-bracelet sports watch – a crowded and fashionable segment. Now Bulgari adds a brushed, silvered dial to the Octo Finissimo S, creating a tone-on-tone aesthetic defined by subtle contrasts in textures but looks surprisingly casual. Initial thoughts The just-released watch isn’t entirely new, so it has all the appeal of the earlier variants, most notably a slim, elegant profile on the wrist. But it does incorporate many incremental changes that set it apart from the original Octo Finissimo that was entirely matte titanium, before also being offered in sand-blasted steel, and finally in polished- and satin- finished steel. The original Octo Finissimo models in (from left) rose gold, steel, and titanium The brushed-silver dial on the newest variant, however, has given the watch a less formal style that is appealingly industrial with its expanse of brushed and polished steel. And the monochromatic palette is also unusual, distinguishing it from peers that tend to have darker dials that are almost always blue. Price-wise, the new dial costs US$100 over the earlier version, a modest hike that leaves the watc...

From a robust profit of CHF748m the year prior, Swatch Group ended 2020 with a net loss of CHF53m – the first in decades for the Swiss watch conglomerate that owns brands like Omega, Longines, and Tissot. This reversal of fortune was attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many of its retail stores to close while putting a halt to international travel. On an operating level, Swatch Group eked out a tiny CHF52m profit – compared to CHF1.02 billion the year before. The year’s results were mitigated by an improvement in the second half of 2020, with sales in the second half of the year rose 54.7% compared to the previous six months, as economic activity resumed in Asia with pandemic restrictions lifted, particularly in China, which experience double-digit growth for the full year. And the Swatch Group also had to face a virus of the digital kind in the second half of the year. Reported in information-technology news but not in the mainstream press, the group suffered a cyber attack in September, leading to a mention of “a 10-day production interruption” at Omega in the results announcement. Hit harder than most With jewellery selling better than luxury watches, fellow Swiss rival Richemont was buoyed by its pair of jewellery brands that helped plug the hole caused by its faltering watch division. Although Swatch Group owns American jeweller Harry Winston, the bulk of its revenue is generated by watches and watch components. Net sales fell to CHF5.59 bil...

Earlier this week, it was reported that Patek Philippe had discontinued the hottest luxury watch on the market after 15 years: the Nautilus 5711/A. The news was rather shocking when you consider the fact the watch commanded a speculated eight year waitlist – and that is assuming you had earned the privilege of being added … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 discontinued, market price climbs 50% within a week! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Vintage-inspired watches have been selling like hotcakes for a few years now, and there’s no sign of their popularity slowing down. And to be honest, I can understand why. Design from the golden age of watchmaking in the middle of last century, blended with all of the perks of modern watchmaking – what’s not to … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Farer Field Watch Collection lets you have your cake and eat it too (Mmmm…cake) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Britain has a long history of horological greatness, having lead the way in innovation thanks to the likes of  Thomas Tompion and John Harrison. Today, Farer is a brand that continues to fly the flag for passionate UK watchmakers. Established in 2015, Farer has released a number of heritage-inspired collections. Their philosophy is underpinned by … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Farer Field Watch Collection combines the best of British design with Swiss watchmaking appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

I did choose to be very optimistic in my story last week about the astounding Vacheron Constantin Tour de L’Ile reaching a cool record $3 million to kick off a healthy 2021. The estimate was set at Antiquorum’s Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces in Monaco to a spread of $1.8 – $3 million. But the watch … ContinuedThe post AUCTION NEWS: This Vacheron Constantin sold for just 40 per cent of its $3 million prediction. Is 2021 off to a catastrophically slow start? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Garrick is a newish independent watch brand based in Norfolk, England. Founded in 2014, it specialises in watches inspired by historical English watchmaking, exemplified by the S1, an elaborately-conceived, but pricey, timepiece. Now the brand has launched its most compelling buy to date, the Garrick S4. Like its earlier model, the S4 still possesses many elements drawn from English watches of yore, but is executed more simply. The S4 still boasts an unusual level of hand-finished details – including a barrel and crown wheel cover decorated with floral engraving and hand-finished bevelling – but is priced far more accessibly, with a retail price that starts under US$6,000 before taxes. Initial thoughts While independent-watchmaking startups are proliferating, most don’t diverge too far from each other; many focus on dial and case designs that are modern looking, think Ming and Sartory Billard. The Garrick S4 is unusual, particularly in two attributes that set it apart – traditional, pocket watch-inspired design and hand-finished details – which bring to mind an earlier generation of independent watchmakers like D. Dornblüth & Sohn. The most discernible feature of the S4 is the dial, which is unabashedly classical in style. But like the pocket watches that inspire it, the dial has depth, thanks to a multiple-part construction and varied surface finishes, including an engine-turned seconds register. Over on the back, the view is necessarily simpler than that ...

Five new watches from the Prospex, Presage and Astron lines are released to celebrate the 140th Anniversary of Seiko. Press Release information with prices.

Let me start by saying the headline is paraphrasing master watchmaker, and OBE, Roger Smith, and a contraction of two statements. The first is that Britain “had a great history [in watchmaking], and we squandered it.” The second is his statement that “for a couple of hundred years, we had world dominance.” Assuming that you … ContinuedThe post INTERVIEW: “We squandered world domination.” Roger Smith says British watchmaking deserves a new dawn appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Hublot CEO, Ricardo Guadalupe walks us through all of their new watches being launched at LVMH Watch Week 2021.