Latest watch news · Page 1636

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...

This week we wax poetic on the profundity of the “one watch collection”… and debate whether such a thing is even possible anymore.

Undone are a brand whose ubiquity on social media is so successful as to be counterproductive. The sheer unavoidability of their ads – once you click on one, which I must have done at some point – trigger in me a sceptical reaction. And it’s not just the persistence of the ads. It’s the price. … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: Undone Watches, featuring their three bestselling models, Vintage Killy, Basecamp Original and Batman Titanium appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

For those unaware of the work of clockmaker Eric Freitas, Joshua Munchow describes his aesthetics as a combination of the styles of Guillermo Del Toro, Tim Burton, Salvador Dalí, and the entire production design of Jim Henson’s 'The Dark Crystal' if they were combined into an intense mechanical wall clock. Who wouldn't want to have a look at this?

... Read more

Anyone remember H. Moser & Cie.’s “April Fools” prank from last year? We just revisited it on our Instagram stories. If you missed it, allow me to explain. The @moserwatches Insta post from April 1, 2019, displayed what looked like a brand new model of the Swiss watchmaker’s popular Venturer range. But it was immediately … ContinuedThe post H. Moser & Cie started a joke that started the whole world wanting, now it’s ready for your wrist, for real appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Six Independent Watchmakers who you may not know: Ch. Frodsham, McGonigle, Petermann-Bédat, Sylvian Pinaud, Tulloch and James C. Pellaton.

Modern watchmaking meets old-school fabric strap production.  

When it comes to celebrity endorsements, Patrick Swayze’s sixth cousin once removed John Cameron Swayze is simply not modern watch brand ambassador material. A news anchor and game show host during the ’40s and ’50s, Chris Hemsworth he wasn’t. The 1960s, however, was the perfect era for Swayze to take to timepiece advertisements. Whether being … ContinuedThe post The pointy end of the Timex revival, a short history of the breakout Marlin collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

New Tissot Seastar with a locking bezel, ceramic insert, automatic chronograph movement, beautiful blue dial... why aren't these on people's radar..?

In the old, pre-COVID-19 watch world, the far-too-prevalent low standard of press material supplied by brands to journalists was amply counterbalanced by the sheer number of journalists and collectors around the world supplying lots of hands-on, third-party information, opinion, and photography. Now that's gone, so it’s time for brand marketing and communication teams to lift their games. Ian Skellern shares three easy ways how.

INTRODUCTION There is a story that is Bremont. One of hardship and loss. One of innovation and perseverance. A young brand, perhaps, in an industry filled with centuries-old maisons, but perhaps by virtue of this very fact, Bremont is not burdened by legacy approaches and is boldly pushing forward to create timepieces of exceptional character and quality in house, at their own workshop in Henley-on-Thames. Aviation is the defining theme for the company, and it shows in their watches, their partnerships, and in the love of flight of brothers-founders Nick and Giles English. I’ve had the pleasure of recently acquiring the distinctive MBII watch, and today I am glad to be sharing some words about my experience, feelings, and thoughts on it with you. Nick and Giles love for aviation has heavily influenced Bremont’s direction, from it’s branding to partnerships. And, although Bremont has since expanded beyond the category, Pilots watches are still very much the essence of the brand, remaining its core focus since launch. Over a decade ago, Bremont was approached by aviation company Martin-Baker, who supply over 70% of the world’s air forces with ejection seats for their fighter jets, with collaboration in mind. In 2010 these discussions led to the development of the Martin-Baker (MB) range, which included the MBI, a model reserved solely for Martin-Baker ejectees. Now a decade into production, the  MB range is quintessentially Bremont, and their most popular collection...

To my longtime friends in the watch hobby, and perhaps to regular readers here as well, the mention of my name may conjure up a number of connotations: patron of the independents, fan of A. Lange & Söhne, admirer of Patek Philippe grand complications, and longtime customer of Jaeger-LeCoultre, among other characterizations more or less favorable. But vintage?

We’ve tallied up the results from last week’s CELEBRITY WATCH DEATH MATCH: John Mayer Vs. Ed Sheeran … there’s been an upset, and it’s a big one. I declared the bout, which was mostly a Patek vs Patek punch-up, a win for the longer in the tooth collector that is John Mayer. I marked him … ContinuedThe post CELEBRITY WATCH DEATH MATCH: John Mayer Vs. Ed Sheeran – the results appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.