Latest watch news · Page 835

They've bought the name, so how can Breitling honour the Universal Genève legacy?The post Breitling just bought Universal Genève. Now what? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Now the signature watch of Roger Dubuis’ modern-day offerings, the Knights of the Round Table “Titanium Damascus” is inspired by the Arthurian fable. The latest edition is centred on the theme of “ice and fire” – the reference to Game of Thrones is unmissable – and is surprisingly artisanal despite the ultra-contemporary aesthetic. Decorated with blue Murano glass and Limoges porcelain, the dial has 12 knights around a frozen lake – a miniature diorama depicting the knights confronting imminent peril emerging from the waters’ depths – and a case made of a pattern-welded titanium alloy. Initial thoughts The “ice and fire” edition is no doubt catered for a niche audience – and at 45 mm few can wear it easily – but still has a unique appeal. Moreover, it departs from the modern, skeletonised style that’s characteristic of the brand’s automotive-inspired timepieces. It merges artisanal decoration and modern watchmaking – it is big and bold but boasts unexpectedly intricate detailing. The watch encapsulates the Roger Dubuis “hyper horology” ethos in both design and construction, while the dial and movement (which is hallmarked with the Poincon de Geneve) stay faithful to traditional watchmaking and decoration. This Knights of the Round Table is priced at approximately US$374,000, putting it in the same price range as other editions in the series. It is also priced similarly to comparably extravagant watches from the likes of Jacob & Co., bu...

Over the weekend, Rado dipped into their archives to bring back a lost classic from the 1980s. If you can recall the early 80s (or just have a penchant for watches of this era) you might remember the Anatom. This square cased watch with a dramatically curved case and sapphire crystal has been ripe for repurposing for the last few years – it certainly has some integrated bracelet sports watch notes to it. What Rado has done with this release is take the premise of the watch from the 80s and modernize it using Rado’s contemporary design language. The result is an Anatom that doesn’t look much like the original, but clearly shares some DNA and is unmistakably a Rado.  The most significant difference between the original Anatom and the new version is the more prominent use of ceramic in the present day model. Rado has always been keen to experiment with materials, especially ceramic, but they’ve really leaned into this as part of their brand identity quite heavily in the last few years. Most of the key models in their lineup are either full ceramic, or ceramic in all the important places. That’s where the Anatom fits in. The new version has a PVD coated steel midcase, but the ceramic bezel leaves a large visual impression, and we also get a ceramic crown and a ceramic overlay on the integrated rubber strap’s clasp. The case measures 32.5mm x 46.3mm and is 11.3mm tall. As with the vintage versions of this watch, the case is curved, which in turn means the dial and ...

From the old-school to the sharply modern, these are our favorite sport watches of the year.

In the vast realm of heavenly wonders, a timepiece exists tailored for every cosmic inquiry. Whether you yearn to unravel the Earth’s speed at the equator, comprehend its orbital dance around the Sun, or learn the angles at which sunrays caress your corner of the world throughout the year, rest assured. There’s a watch designed […]

I’ve had an admiration for IWC’s watches for a long time, and have owned multiple Pilot’s Chronographs and an Aquatimer over the years, but until recently I’d never spent a significant amount of time with a watch in their storied Mark series. These simple pilot’s watches are core to IWC’s history and the perception of the brand, and historically represent an entry point into the catalog for collectors. Die hard IWC fans have long debated the “best” of the Mark watches. Head over to any internet forum or comments section where watches are discussed amongst enthusiasts, and you’re certain to find people debating the finer points of date window placement, case thickness, and diameter across the breadth of Mark watches over the years.  I acquired a Mark XVII from a local collector friend recently. This is a watch I’ve experienced on a nearly monthly basis at watch meetups over the last few years, and I’ve always said to this friend: Let me know if you ever decide to sell it. We all have a watch like this in our orbit, right? There might be an actual commandment against coveting, but in this hobby it’s fairly normal to stake a claim for something you want that a friend has in their possession. Well, we reap what we sow. Said friend decided to let his Mark go, and after some (internal) deliberation, a deal was struck, and I quite unexpectedly owned one of the objectively strangest watches IWC has made in the last few decades.  The thing is, the Mark wat...

Breitling and Partners Group acquire the historic watchmaking brand, say it will relaunch "fully aware of the task at hand and the profound heritage we are set to uphold."

Breitling has just announced the acquisition of Universal Genève, a once-storied brand famous for its Polerouter and Compax chronographs but that was dormant for years. Breitling will pay CHF60 million for the brand, but in tranches with CHF20 million upfront and the balance over the next five years. The acquisition marks the first step in chief executive Georges Kern’s ambitions of building a watchmaking group, which will presumably go public. According to Mr Kern, Universal will be revived by a new team and run independently of Breitling, though it is almost a certainty Breitling will bestow upon its sister company some of its in-house movement know-how. A sleeping beauty Since 1989, Universal Genève has been owned Stelux, a Hong Kong watchmaking group focused on the affordable end of the market. The company’s primary business is the lucrative distribution of Seiko in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, while its City Chain stores specialised in low-priced watches. Stelux owns a handful of other Swiss brands, including Solvil et Titus and Catena, none of which are premium brands as Universal might possibly be. Although Universal attempted several halfhearted comebacks, particularly in the 1990s, the brand has gone nowhere for some time, making it a relatively easy turnaround given the starting point. Commenting in the takeover announcement, Breitling chief executive Georges Kern says, “Rebuilding a brand with such a rich narrative is not a quick endeavor-it is a meti...

When it comes to setting the standard for British elegance, does anyone do it better than Farer? The London-based watchmaker, whose timepieces are produced in Switzerland, recently launched their latest in the Cushion Case collection: The Durham Pullman. Evoking a bygone era, this latest from Farer takes inspiration from the Pullman Company, manufacturer of train cars throughout the United Kingdom. With this, the mixture of greens and silver balances a bit of sophistication with everyday wear. The dial is the real selling point of this watch, so we’ll talk about that first. The dial boasts a luxurious dark green hue with a metallic brushed finish, lending it a dynamic tone under varying lights. Atop this base, a raised ring with a radial brushed finish creates the distinctive sector dial effect of the Cushion Case collection. Resting on this ring are highly polished silver markers- a blend of batons and Roman numerals-accompanied by a refined dauphine handset. Complementing these silver elements is the seconds sub-dial, featuring a sunken silver channel with an engine-turned finish. These meticulous details converge to establish the seasonal release of the Durham Pullman as an exceptionally refined timepiece suitable for both formal occasions and weekend outings alike. As part of the Cushion Collection, the Durham Pullman is bound to have presence when worn due to its shape and easy-to-style size that complements a variety of wearers. Sitting at 38.5 mm with a 43.8mm...

While being strongly driven by the release of new models in recent years, Grand Seiko does carry a few emblematic models in its collection; watches that have barely changed over the last 10 to 20 years. We can immediately think about the cream-dial Elegance GMT reference SBGM221. Another important model for Grand Seiko is a […]

In 2023 you can still get a lot for under $1,500.

Despite being barely existent anymore or now a memory from the past, some brands continue to live within the collecting community, benefitting from a certain aura. One of these brands is Universal Genève, a once-prominent manufacturer known for its innovative designs (the Polerouter or the Tri-Compax, to name a few) and technically advanced movements (the […]

These modern pilot's watches nevertheless still pay homage to the history of flight and pilot’s watches with subtle touches.The post A subtle flight of fancy: Zenith’s revamped Pilot collection flies high appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

With the festive season just around the corner, Vacheron Constantin lights up its Overseas Tourbillon with a blaze of baguette-set diamonds. First introduced to the brand’s successful luxury sports Overseas collection in 2019, the Tourbillon model boasts a slim profile thanks to the incorporation of Vacheron Constantin’s ultra-thin tourbillon calibre 2160. The latest Overseas Tourbillon […]

Thought that diamonds on a watch cannot be tasteful? Think again.The post Vacheron Constantin applies subtle bling to the Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Fire has captivated everybody with the mesmerizing appearance of its twin balances and the unusual, long, sinuous, grey spring gently oscillating along the middle of the watch. 'The Horological Journal' editor and watchmaker Justin Koullapis asks the question, "Does it live up to the hyperbole?"

Check out our favorite bronze watch models of the year - get the unmatched look of bronze patina and love what's on your wrist!

For about a year and a half, basically since the launch of the 5 Sports Style GMT collection, it seems that the dual-time complication has become the main focus of Seiko, applying this convenient feature across most of its ranges. We’ve seen it in the SPB381, SPB383 and SPB385, the first mechanical GMT divers of […]

With roots in 1950s French military-issue chronographs, the modern-day Type XX Chronographe was originally released in the mid-1990s and is now’s trademark pilot’s chronograph – and also the brand’s entry-level complication. Originally utilising Lemania-based movement in prior generations, the Type XX was entirely revamped, inside and out, with the unveiling of the Type XX Chronograph 2057 and 2067 earlier this year. While the aesthetics have been revised, the most notable upgrade in the new-generation Type XX is a brand-new movement, the cal. 728. The cal. 728 is a high-frequency movement running at 36,000 beats per hour that employs a novel patent-pending flying mechanism as well as an inventive reset system. The release of a completely new, in-house chronograph movement is uncommon, especially one with novel innovations that went under the radar. In fact, the cal. 728 is arguably one of the most sophisticated and advanced modern-day chronograph movements, putting it alongside the Audemars Piguet cal. 4401/4409 and Rolex cal. 4131. As a result, the cal. 728 deserves a closer look. Controlled return The cal. 728 is actually two related movements: the cal. 728 is an automatic, flyback-chronograph movement with three registers for elapsed seconds, minutes, and hours that is inside the three-counter Type XX ref. 2067, while the cal. 7281 is a two-counter version of the calibre found in the military-inspired Type XX ref. 2057. The most novel component of the cal. 728 ...

Worn & Wound is built on community, so we love it when the people and brands we like decide to get together to make something cool. The latest release from Los Angeles based Nodus is a fun version of their Sector Dive GMT made in partnership with Watch Clicker and the 40&20 podcast. The Sector line has really become a signature product for Nodus, proving to be amenable to wide range of colors and tweaks in functionality, so it’s a great canvas for a limited edition. The fun thing about this LE though is how organic it feels. Many limited editions come to us via press releases that take on an almost solemn tone. It’s clear, though, that this watch is simply the product of friends who wanted to make something cool together, and the unpretentious nature of it all is a huge part of the appeal.  For this limited edition, Nodus has effectively combined features of their Sector Dive and Sector GMT. The basic “sector” dial format remains, of course, with an inner 24 hour scale and an outer ring where you’ll find big Arabic numerals at 12, 3, and 9 (with a date at 6) and big lumed markers elsewhere. Unlike the standard Sector GMT, however, this edition features a 120 click unidirectional bezel (in either black DLC or standard steel) for some additional functionality as a diver. In true skin diver fashion (a dive watch format that was a key point of inspiration for all involved) the water resistance here is a respectable but not over the top 150 meters, which keeps case s...

Plus a killer complicated JLC Master Control and a read-to-dive Omega Ploprof.

An idea that we return to frequently around here is the ability of Zenith, moreso than just about any other Swiss brand with a lengthy, complex history, to straddle the line between heritage and pushing forward with daring, contemporary designs. Think of almost any other brand with roots dating to the late 19th or early 20th century that is still making watches, and chances are they focus largely on paying respect to the past, or they have moved on and iterated in some way. Zenith, on parallel tracks, does both, and I think one of the reasons they’re able to do that so successfully is that pushing the envelope aesthetically is part of their heritage. The Defy line is the most obvious example of this, and with this new Defy Extreme reference, Zenith continues to define what it means to be a Defy in the first place with a bold new take on their high spec chronograph that is as much sculpture as it is horology.  The Defy Extreme Mirror, as the of the watch would imply, is all mirrored surfaces, creating a unique and highly reflective effect that is actually almost the antithesis of what we’ve previously seen from the Extreme line. This, after all, is Zenith’s most hardcore sports watch, and is frequently seen in rugged, blacked out cases made from tech forward materials. The Defy Extreme Mirror, however, is stainless steel, and has been given a mirror polish on every surface that is meant to evoke the appearance of chrome. It’s objectively decorative, but the highly ...