Latest watch news · Page 829

Just when we thought we'd seen it all, these babies pulled us back in.

It takes guts to release just one watch at Watches & Wonders, but Lange didn't disappoint.

In the midst of what can only be described as Ingenieur Mania at Watches & Wonders a few weeks ago, IWC quietly unveiled a pair of watches in their Pilot collection that would have certainly been the headline grabbing highlights in almost any other year. It’s interesting in terms of strategy (they clearly wanted to focus heavily on the new Ingenieur, a watch that has been long requested by collectors and clearly represents years of fine tuning) and because, well, the new Pilot’s Chronographs on display were kind of awesome, and show that even in an off year, IWC is completely committed to maintaining their King of the Pilot Watch status.  What we have here are two 41mm Pilot’s Chronographs in ceramic, which represents the first time the brand has gone ceramic in this particular size. You’ll recall that last year the marquee releases were two colored ceramic Pilot’s Chronos (in “Tahoe” white and “Woodland” green), but both were in a somewhat unwieldy 44.5mm case. The 41mm size was introduced in steel in 2021, a welcome downsize from the 43mm case IWC had been using immediately prior, and has since seen versions in titanium and Ceratanium. IWC has demonstrated a fondness for variety when it comes to materials, so it was only a matter of time before the smaller pilot chrono got the ceramic treatment.  First up, the Pilot’s Chronograph in “Oceana,” a shade of blue developed with Pantone, and inspired by the color of overalls worn by members of the Uni...

The Sinn U50 is one of those watches that watch enthusiasts collectively knew would be a huge hit when it launched in 2020. Though essentially a shrunken-down U1 (with half the water resistance), it was Sinn doing what they do best. Humbly making incredibly rugged, high-spec, modern tool-watches, and making it seem easy. Thin at 11.3mm, well-sized at 41mm x 47mm for a modern, but not oversized fit, and built to withstand 500 bar of pressure, it demonstrated that good engineering prevails over scale. The only problem has been a lack of new versions since launch. There was a blackout LE with a dark MOP dial, which was cool, if not for everyone (Sinn’s head of marketing, Sabine Kleiter wears this watch, and it always looks striking). And then the U50 Pro, which was a date-free remix, with the crown up at 10. Another great-looking version, it was sadly limited to 150 pieces and to the North American market. Both are great, but neither a true addition to the line. And then, in 2023, we got what we wanted. Well, sort of. Rather than building on the U50, Sinn launched a sibling watch called the T50. At a glance, they seemed a lot alike, but there are quite a few differences as well making them a slightly different beast. If I were to liken it to something, it would be the higher-priced sport trim of the same base model car. They have the same dimensions and general design, particularly regarding the case, but are made out of hardened titanium, gold bronze (a patent-pending allo...

Watch theft has unfortunately become a dark cloud over the watch world of late. There’s been a noticeable rise in these robberies in recent years and, due to rising concerns, it has definitely had an impact on how and where people wear their watches.  One such victim of this crime was Andy Richter – the … ContinuedThe post Andy Richter shares the painful story of how his Rolex, gifted to him by Conan O’Brien, was stolen appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Early March – Tissot released its new look line up of a revived model line, the Chemin des Tourelles, named after the location of the brands first headquarters in Le Locle. I had the pleasure of going hands on with several of its key pieces, and in particular the 39 mm version, with sunburst blue dial and brown leather strap. What we like Beautifully finished deep blue sunburst dialCase wears comfortably on the wristSmart, classic design What we don’t like Crystal reflects the light a lot, detracting from the dialClasp isn’t as sturdy as you would expectMovement could be finished better with the see-through case back Overall rating: 7.125/10 Value for money: 7/10 Wearability: 7/10 Design: 8/10 Build quality: 6.5/10 Now I should start out by stating that this watch retails for AUD $1,175, which by many people’s standard in the crazy world of watches we live in, could be considered quite cheap. However, this is a great entry level price point for a Swiss watch, and as such, I’m reviewing it with this in mind, and to be honest, I’ve worn plenty of watched that are 3x or more in price that are probably on par if not a little less appealing or well built! So, here we go… Tissot holds a fond place in my heart. It was the first ever Swiss watch I bought. I had my first ever job in Sydney, and even though I wasn’t earning much, being a junior sales co-ordinator at a major radio network, I wanted to reward myself. So one lunch time I went to one of the local watch d...

With every component hand-crafted by Smith, the English watchmaker says Pocket Watch Number Two is "without a doubt, the most important watch I've ever made."

At this point, I think we all have a fairly solid understanding of the appeal of a gold watch. The heft, the rarity, and the luster of gold all appeal to our reptile brains in ways that are almost innate. Zach Weiss broke it down here back in 2021, and in the nearly two years since that article was conceived, we’ve only grown more gold-curious as a team. But as much as we talk about a growing appreciation for gold, there’s another tangentially related segment of watchmaking that doesn’t get nearly the same level of attention, at least from enthusiasts. But a new watch from Oris made me rethink my relationship to these watches.  No, I’m not talking about watches with Muppet-clad date displays. I’m talking about diamonds, an entirely different level of opulence. In a modern context, watches that have been set with diamonds most frequently fall into one of two categories: watches marketed exclusively toward women, or the completely iced out custom jobs that you sometimes see on red carpets, music videos, and in New York City’s diamond district. With the new Aquis Date Diamonds, Oris is asking us to rethink the stone by incorporating them into a watch that’s truly sporty, and also by making them accessible.  Oris goes about this by using lab-grown, as opposed to mined, diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds have increased in popularity in recent years as manufacturing techniques have gotten better and better, delivering stones that are identical optically and chemically ...

Hautlence releases their latest in a collaboration with Lume Master James Thomson - the Vagabonde X Black Badger collaboration.

The response to the new Tudor Black Bay 54 has been massive, with many on our Instagram dubbing it the release of the fair and, on my end, making it onto my top five favourite releases of Watches & Wonders 23. But that was not the only fan-certified win from Tudor this year. The slimmer … ContinuedThe post With the new Tudor Black Bay 41 and Black Bay 54, is the BB58 in danger of becoming obsolete? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard, has always had a deep appreciation for the art, science and history of horology. This passion drove him to revive a long forgotten name from the annals of watchmaking, the 18th-century Clockmaker-Mechanic to King Louis XV and the French Navy, Ferdinand Berthoud. Berthoud’s extraordinarily precise marine chronometers built his reputation […]

Czapek has expanded their best-selling integrated Antarctique line with the stunning open-worked Révélation The new in-house SXH7 auto-winding movement is an evolution of their SXH5, completely reworked for maximum visual impact on both sides The Révélation is also the first non-chrono Antarctique with a skeletonised dial Open-worked dials can be one of the most thrilling … ContinuedThe post The Czapek Antarctique Révélation opens its heart to watch aficionados appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Titled Chanel Interstellar, the 2023 watch collection debuted by Chanel was inspired by “science fiction, space and time travel”. The line-up naturally included exotic variations on the J12, but the most impressive timekeeper wasn’t a wristwatch but a desk clock, the Lion Astroclock. Anchored by a lion, the Astroclock is typical Chanel in style. Almost entirely matte black, it has discreet touches of extravagance in the form of brilliant-cut diamonds on the hands, which form the unusual, planetarium-style time display. The lion is a reference to Leo, Coco Chanel’s zodiac sign Initial thoughts Monochromatic, sculptural timekeepers with the occasion gemstone setting, Chanel’s top-of-the-line clocks possess an easy, intrinsic appeal. The Astroclock is no different. At a distance, it probably won’t look particularly interesting on a desk, but up close the refined execution is visible. All the details within the glass sphere – the three-dimensional time display, polished surfaces, and brilliant-cut diamonds – need to be admired up close. With its US$350,000-ish price tag, the Astroclock is probably more expensive than it should be considering the relatively simple L’Epee movement, but it is impressive. Symbolism Clean and entirely in matte black, the Lion Astroclock echoes the styling of the Chronosphere clock of 2018, but with added astronomical elements that reference Coco Chanel. Standing about 35 cm high, the Lion Astroclock is comprised of a base enclosin...

Over the last few years, the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf has generated a head of steam in the collector community, becoming an unlikely talking point among enthusiasts as new iterations have been released at a fast clip. These watches have a common thread in that they all pay a certain amount of respect to classic vintage designs, but Zodiac has been extremely willing to play with color, and that’s been a large part of their success with this line in the recent past. Across both limited editions and releases in the permanent collection, Zodiac has proven that they aren’t afraid to experiment, and that exclusively creating sober dive watches without much of a personality is of little interest to them. This new release, then, feels like the culmination of what we’ve seen in Zodiac’s recent strategy, with what might be their most colorful watch yet, which ironically doesn’t even have a traditional dial.  The new Super Sea Wolf Compression Skeleton prominently features the STP 6-15 automatic movement, plainly visible from the dial side. This is the first time we can recall Zodiac using a skeleton design in a modern context, and certainly within their dive watch line, so it speaks to their confidence in and pride in the STP caliber that they’d be willing to show it off in such a way. STP, of course, is Fossil owned movement manufacture that is a sister brand to Zodiac, and has played a large role in outfitting their recent releases with high quality, competitively priced...

Behind the scenes at one of the world's most unique and comprehensive archives of horology.

It’s hard for a brand to stand out in the halls of Watches and Wonders. After all, the place is literally filled with some of the newest and finest horological creations. Yet Ressence manages to, even if they maintain a relatively low profile overall. Their booth isn’t elaborate, nor is there loud music or flashy lights to draw you in. Instead, their evenly lit room invites you in with a seat at a bar that doesn’t serve drinks, but rather a unique vision of watchmaking. And, naturally, it’s the watches themselves that make the booth stand out. While certainly in the realm of the high-end, their watches aren’t ornate or fussy. They aren’t traditional. There are no tourbillons or minute repeaters to ooh and awe at, nor gold or platinum to catch your eye with a glint. Instead, they are a reprieve from such things. Their watches look like precision technology from a future utopian world. And, well, that’s half true. Meeting with Ressence is a combination of seeing novelties and talking about manufacturing. A color change and how that affects tolerances. Years of R&D; to make already incredibly fine gaps between the moving components even finer. The word “micron” gets used with some frequency. They are a brand about precision technology, cleverly executed for a seemingly effortless result. This year, the focus was on two novelties: the Type 8S, and the Type 1 Round. The former was a new version of last year’s big announcement presented in a soothing sage gree...

Vacheron Constantin drops an incredible one-of-one reference from its Les Cabinotiers collection for Watches & Wonders 2023 The Les Cabinotiers Dual Moon Grand Complication is a two-dialled expression of the pinnacle of Vacheron’s craft No less than 774 components make up the elaborate movement that boasts 11 complications It’s hard to overstate the level of … ContinuedThe post The mind-blowing majesty of the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Dual Moon Grand Complication appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

If you’ve been interested in Farer’s Lander GMT (which they tell us is their most popular watch…ever) but felt it was just a bit too big, you’ll want to check out the brand’s latest release. The new 36mm GMT collection takes the Lander aesthetic and shrinks it, making for some of the most compact automatic GMTs on the market. It was only a few months ago that the Lorca GMT had us wondering why there weren’t more smaller GMT equipped watches on the market, and now we have a sudden influx. It’s a good time to be a GMT fan, and now there are a selection of colorful options from across the pond.  The premise here is fairly simple. These new watches share the same basic design as the Lander, with a trio of distinct colorways. Unlike most Farer releases, which frequently have dramatic differences in hand-sets, hour markers, and dial textures within a single collection, these three watches are all very much “Landers” with the same numeral and hand design.  The three colors include the much admired sea green, seen in what Farer is calling the Lander IV, or the Lander Classic, This watch has the same sunburst blue/green color that caught the attention of many watch enthusiasts in Farer’s early days, and set a tone for what to expect in terms of creative color combinations. The sea green dial is offset with a bright red GMT hand and an orange seconds hand, along with a white outer minute track.  The next color in the new collection is Sea Coast, with a dial th...

The Lange Odysseus luxury sports watch collection gets a complication. Here is our detailed review of the new A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph.

Talented titanium, tactile and teutonic.

Although the 2020s is a young decade so far, we’ve already been treated to a wealth of dial enrichment from textures, colours, and even shapes from plenty of big-name brands who traditionally don’t take risks. While that demonstrates a growing trend towards watch enthusiasts enjoying more characterful watches, that doesn’t mean that it’s anything new. … ContinuedThe post The most hypnotising telemeter dials you can buy now appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

There’s no shortage of vintage-inspired divers in the independent and microbrand market. While many brands have got this formula wrong and wheeled out bland homages, some have also got it right and today’s brand, Fleux, is a prime example. The two models that we’ll dig into below – the FLX001 and FLX002 – are launching … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: Fleux Watches revives the 1960s with two vintage-throwback divers for less than $500 each appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Louis Vuitton has been steadily growing its presence in the realm of serious watchmaking, an endeavour that began with its purchase of movement specialist La Fabrique de Temps (LFT) a decade ago. While its recent launches have been extravagant in typical Louis Vuitton style – ranging from a gothic automaton to the casino-inspired jump hours – the brand’s latest is contemporary and low key. Enter the Voyager Skeleton, an open-worked timepiece that incorporates Louis Vuitton’s design language in an unexpectedly minimalist design.  Initial thoughts While Louis Vuitton’s top-of-the-line complications are certainly showstoppers, its simpler, regular production watches have historically been a mixed bag. But with a clear change in direction at its watch division, changes seem to be afoot, beginning with the Voyager Skeleton. Granted, it is hardly an affordable watch at over US$50,000, but it is a good looking time-only watch. The highlight is the styling of the open-worked LV60 movement that is both striking and restrained. The bridges possesses a distinctive, geometric style that is decidedly architectural. Although the automatic-winding bridge clearly forms a large “LV”, the branding is surprisingly discreet. In fact, the face of the watch has no overt branding, save for the open-worked barrel. Overall, the execution of the movement is appealing and lives up to expectations, save for one detail – the Etachron regulator looks out of place considering the ...

TAG Heuer introduced a facelifted Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon with new box-dome crystal Colours are inspired by the piece’s racing heritage and fit into the new Chronograph 42mm line-up as well New and reduced 42mm size for a Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon As part of the 60th anniversary of the iconic Carrera model, TAG Heuer is launching … ContinuedThe post A new, sleeker TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Glassbox appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.