Revolution
Zooming In With Michael Friedman, Head of Complications at Audemars Piguet
With the Audemars Piguet 20th Century Complicated Wristwatches book as our map, Michael Friedman brings us through maison’s rich perpetual calendar lineage
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Revolution
Time+Tide
Great ‘Grams: No vintage to see here
Great ’Grams has had a couple of weeks off recently, but that’s only given me more time to search for the best of the best on Instagram. This edition will be slightly different in that there isn’t a vintage watch in sight. If you’ve read Great ’Grams before, you’ll know I have a penchant for … ContinuedThe post Great ‘Grams: No vintage to see here appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
New: Chopard 2020 Novelties with Editorial Commentary
Though nor participating in Watches & Wonders 2020, Chopard releases two horology novelties for 2020: the L.U.C Perpetual Twin and two Mille Miglia watches.
Time+Tide
Andrew’s 5 early favourites from Watches & Wonders 2020, inc. Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin and a watch named for us!
It was all a bit mad, really. Trying to film an hour-long video that recaps 30-ish new watches, with research consisting of poring over various screens to take in the details of each watch ahead of the shoot. Then wrangling assets, and ringing in friends on Zoom (thank you Sandra, Nick and Christoph!), and achieving … ContinuedThe post Andrew’s 5 early favourites from Watches & Wonders 2020, inc. Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin and a watch named for us! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
The Panerai Luminor Turns 70 With a Lit-Up Series
Panerai’s Luminor turns 70, and it’s redefining how its dials are illuminated and how long it’ll guarantee them.
SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Introduces Les Cabinotiers “The Singing Birds”
Continuing with the musical theme that begun last year with Les Cabinotiers ‘”La Musique Du Temps”, an assortment of one-off, chiming watches, Vacheron Constantin unveils Les Cabinotiers “The Singing Birds” at Watches & Wonders 2020, the first time-only watches of the line that showcase the brand’s dexterity in traditional decorative crafts. The “Singing Birds” watches interpret the overmatching musical motif artistically with songbirds, rather than literally with striking watches as most of last year’s watches were. Available in four different unique executions, the watches feature dials that combine an engine-turned time display with champleve enamelling, each depicting a different bird – hummingbird, blue jay, blue tit, and robin. From left: Blue Tit, Blue Jay, Hummingbird, and Robin But the watch is more than brightly-feathered aesthetics, it also features a wandering hours display. Though the complication originated 17th century clocks, it remains relatively rare, with the most famous modern-day examples being the Audemars Piguet Star Wheel and Urwerk. Vacheron Constantin has only ever utilised the wandering hours on limited edition or unique timepieces, like the Métiers d’Art Savoirs Enluminés of 2016. The current hour is displayed across an arc marked out in minutes – as the hour “wanders”, it simultaneously indicates the minutes. It takes an hour for the number to cover the arc, and as it disappears on the far right, the next hour...
SJX Watches
Cartier Introduces the Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique
Cartier has made it an annual tradition to revive one of its iconic case shapes as part of the compact and focused Cartier Privé line, having started with the Tank Cintrée in 2018, followed by the Tonneau last year. Now at Watches & Wonders 2020, the jeweller has recreated one of its most divergent Tank models with the Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique, in the classic time-only format as well as a contemporary skeleton version. The Tank Asymetrique Skeleton Introduced in 1936, the Asymétrique was not conceived as a Tank wristwatch at the time of its launch, and was known as the Parallélogramme or Losange after its case shape. It deviated from a conventional rectangular case literally, with the case brancards offset in opposite directions, transforming the rectangle into a diamond, while the dial was rotated by 30 degrees to the right. A distinctive feature of the dial on the vintage Parallélogramme watches were the alternating Arabic numeral and baton hour markers, probably conceived to improve legibility of the skewed dial. In the modern day, the Asymétrique was incorporated into the Tank wristwatch line-up when it was reproduced as a limited edition. That happened first in 1996 with a limited edition with a small case size, with 300 examples in yellow gold and another 100 in platinum, both having the same dial style as the vintage originals. (And in 1999 a tiny run of watches was made to commemorate the handover of Macau to China.) The CPCP Tank Asymetrique of ...
SJX Watches
Pandemic Truths – Jean-Claude Biver
Who better than Jean-Claude Biver to reflect on the current crisis? He is an emblematic figure in watchmaking, with a career that’s spanned half a century, one that started in another, long-ago crisis caused by quartz watches. Always passionate and frank, Jean-Claude played a major role in the rise of mechanical watchmaking, contributing a large part to the boom of the 1990s. Working from his chalet in the ski town of Crans-Montana in Switzerland, Jean-Claude spoke to me over the phone. Here is our conversation. Jean-Claude’s selfie from his study This crisis sheds light on the weaknesses of our current economic systems. How has it impacted your business? Obviously it impacts us like everyone else, because no matter how good your sales team is, or how many stores you have, or how well situated they are – if there is nobody out there, it hurts your business. But we have developed a few ideas to keep business going. We are always trying to implement strategies to combat the situation. And all crisis create opportunities as well. When China was closed, we organised limousine services to bring one customer at a time to our boutiques that were open just for them. It created a sense of security, ease and comfort, so we actually managed to do some business, even during that time. This is going to be a long [crisis]. By the time it gets back to normal, we will have to be ready. Now is the time to bring in innovation again, in distribution and equally, in sales. How do you e...
Revolution
The Great Innovator – The Incredible Six-Year History of Bvlgari’s Octo Finissimo
Revolution traces the evolution of the increadible feat of 21st century watchmaking that is the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo.
SJX Watches
Up Close: Louis Vuitton Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon
Since Louis Vuitton acquired complications specialist La Fabrique du Temps (LFDT) in 2012, the trunk maker has made impressive strides in its haute horlogerie. The newly launched Tambour Curve Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève encapsulates Louis Vuitton’s complicated watchmaking – confident, modern styling combined with a first-rate calibre. Granted, the Tambour Curve is pricey – US$250,000 pricey – but it is clearly catered for a specific consumer. That buyer wants an ultra-high end, contemporary, and slightly sporty watch, the type of watch found in the segment dominated by Richard Mille and Hublot. But Louis Vuitton has executed the Tambour Curve extremely well, creating an appealing – and importantly, cohesively designed – wristwatch that is more than just looks. The LV 108 movement inside was developed and made by LFDT, which is led by veteran watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, both of whom I hold in very high regard. Louis Vuitton long-term strategy in developing its watchmaking – essentially do it well and expensively – is demonstrated by the quality of the Tambour Curve. The brand could have gotten away with building a so-so watch, just because it is Louis Vuitton. But it didn’t, and the Tambour Curve exhibits a notable level of attention to detail in styling and craft. CarboStratum The Tambour Curve is a big watch with a streamlined, rounded form that is almost organic. Not only is the case round, its flanks are concave, whil...
SJX Watches
Watches & Wonders to Debut Online Starting April 25
Cancelled because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Watches & Wonders (W&W;) was due to take place in Geneva but will now go online starting April 25, 2020 at 12:00 pm CET (or 6:00 am in New York, 6:00 pm in Hong Kong and Singapore), where most of the year’s new watches will be revealed. Once known as SIHH, W&W; was meant to take place in the Palexpo convention centre in Geneva. Now the 30 brands that would have taken part in the event will be presenting their wares on a brand-new W&W; website, a project that has been completed in barely a month. Amongst the exhibiting brands are A. Lange & Söhne, Cartier, Hermes, IWC and Panerai, as well as independent brands like Ressence and H. Moser & Cie. Three cheers for a long, long time ago, when W&W; was actually real The virtual fair will showcase most of the year’s new launches, accompanied by videos, articles and other content. And the April 25 opening is just part one of W&W;, with the second part slated to arrive in summer 2020, where additional products will be launch, along with “strategic e-commerce partnerships”. Ambitious as it is, being the first large-scale virtual “fair”, this may be the first and final instalment of W&W;, given that Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chopard and Chanel have withdrawn from Baselworld and will be joining the new, as-yet unnamed fair in Geneva in April next year that will substitute W&W;. The virtual W&W; will go live on April 25 at Watchesandwonders.com. You’ll find all of the new la...
Quill & Pad
Breguet Classique Ref. 7137 And Ref. 7337: Small Changes Can Make A Big Difference
The Breguet Classique 7337 and 7337 take the brand's historic "DNA" and upgrades that with new guilloche and blue dials. But what's that got to do with Joshua Munchow's nose? You'll learn the answer to that here.
Time+Tide
Nick’s 5 favourite new watches from the first quarter of 2020, including Audemars Piguet, Bulgari and H. Moser & Cie
For anyone reading this in April 2020, you’ll agree that it’s a strange time to be alive. Somehow, we have already seen three months of 2020, a point that has felt both incredibly fast and agonisingly slow to pass. As the interconnected health and economic crises continue to unfold around the world, the news cycle … ContinuedThe post Nick’s 5 favourite new watches from the first quarter of 2020, including Audemars Piguet, Bulgari and H. Moser & Cie appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Hunting (and catching) the epic and rare Seiko SBWA001 from 1999, the first-ever Spring Drive watch
The turn of the century gave us Y2K hysteria, the first use of the Euro as currency and the Spring Drive movement. That’s right, in 1999 we saw one of the most remarkable innovations in watchmaking of the last half-century, with the release of the first-ever Spring Drive powered watch, the Seiko SBWA001. This is … ContinuedThe post Hunting (and catching) the epic and rare Seiko SBWA001 from 1999, the first-ever Spring Drive watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Emile Chouriet Introduces the Héritier à Guichet
A brand specialising in affordable watches priced under US$2,000, Emile Chouriet has a fairly generic line-up, but with one obvious exception, the Héritier à Guichets. Showing the time and calendar in windows, the watch is inspired by timepieces of the 1920s, while having a titanium case with fancy lugs. Named after a 17th century French watchmaker, the brand was founded in 1998 by a Swiss businessman but acquired a decade later by Fiyta, a Shenzhen-based watchmaker best known for producing the chronograph issued to Chinese astronauts. Consequently, Emile Chouriet now focuses its efforts on the Chinese market, but the Héritier à Guichet combines an Art Deco style and novel time display that doubtlessly has wider appeal. Digital time displays became fashionable during the Art Deco period, with pocket watches sporting jumping or wandering hours, or even full calendar displays in an elongated window. The Héritier à Guichet takes inspiration from that early 20th century style, reproducing it in an affordable manner. A pale metallic grey with a radial-brushed finish, the dial consists of four windows, with the two closest to the centre showing the hours and minutes, while the outer apertures with wider bevels displaying the day and date. The hours and minutes, however, are not instantaneously jumping displays, instead they are “dragging” indicators that continually move just as conventional hands would. Also unusual is the case: though it has a moderate 40 mm di...
Quill & Pad
Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chanel, Chopard, And Tudor Leave Baselworld: History In The Making
Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chanel, Chopard and Tudor have just announced leaving Baselworld to create a new watch show in Geneva with the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie's Watches & Wonders. The show will be held in early April 2021 at Geneva's Palexpo. This is going to be one interesting year full of new thoughts and ideas. Get out the popcorn!
Hodinkee
Breaking News: Rolex, Tudor, Patek Philippe, Chanel, And Chopard Leave Baselworld
They'll be teaming up with the FHH to launch a totally new watch show in 2021.
SJX Watches
Up Close: Purnell Escape II Double Tourbillon
Given that the tourbillon was invented for the pocket watch, adapting Abraham-Louis Breguet’s invention for the wristwatch opened the floodgate for tourbillon innovations in the beginning of the 21st century – the golden age of the tourbillon, perhaps technically but surely commercially. In fact, many watchmakers have gone far beyond the traditional concept of a tourbillon since English watchmaker Anthony G. Randall invented the double-axis tourbillon in 1978. But as the years passed, tourbillons evolved into elaborate constructions seemingly just for the sake of visual complexity. And there have been so many of them. For this reason, exotic tourbillons now seem dated, with sophisticated or truly interesting technical solutions being hard to come by. Potter and Purnell But the latest development in tourbillons is one of the most intriguing of recent times: maximising the visual effect of a tourbillon regulator not just by multiplying the axes of rotation, but speeding them up with the use of a specialised escapement invented two centuries ago by Albert H. Potter, a highly regarded American watchmaker based Geneva. The full potential of the Potter escapement was recently realised when it was combined with a carrousel outer cage in the MB&F; LM Thunderdome, the world’s fastest rotating triple-axis tourbillon. But the concept was first applied, arguably in a more elaborate manner, in the Spherion tourbillon of Purnell – which was developed by the same watchmaker behin...
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The Swatch Sistem51 receives an elegance upgrade with the Petite Seconde
The Swatch Sistem51 collection centres its value proposition around two things the rest of the Swiss watch industry finds very much at odds - technical innovation and affordability. With the new Swatch Sistem51 Petite Seconde, we get both of those things in a classically dressed-up package, with the centre seconds of previous models moved to a … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Swatch Sistem51 receives an elegance upgrade with the Petite Seconde appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Auctions: Pocket Watches Recovered From Steamship 'Pulaski' Auctioning At Skinner
The watches tell the tale of a famous 19th-century American tragedy.
Hodinkee
Watch Madness: The 2020 HODINKEE Talking Watches Tournament, Day 8
The king of watch marketing meets the King of LA.
SJX Watches
Jaquet Droz Introduces the Grande Seconde Skelet-One Plasma Ceramic
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...
Quill & Pad
Main Ridge Estate: Great Value In Small Quantities From Australia’s Mornington Peninsula
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.
Quill & Pad
Watch Brand Marketing And Communication Teams: Here Are 3 Relatively Easy Steps That You Can Start Taking Right Now To Maximize Your Efficiency (And Sales)
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.
Time+Tide
“If you don’t have a Rolex by the time you reach 50, then you have clearly failed in your life.” Remembering Sarkozy, the ‘Bling-Bling’ president
In the lead-up to the 2012 presidential election, France’s leader Nicolas Sarkozy, was preparing to deliver a campaign speech in Paris. Striding through the heaving crowd in Place de la Concorde, Sarkozy grinned and shook the hands of his cheering supporters. But halfway along, a realisation flashed through his mind. Without stopping, he whipped off … ContinuedThe post “If you don’t have a Rolex by the time you reach 50, then you have clearly failed in your life.” Remembering Sarkozy, the ‘Bling-Bling’ president appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Cartier Introduces Maillon de Cartier
Cartier was a maker of fine jewelry long before it became a significant watchmaker in the 20th century when it unveiled the Santos-Dumont in 1904, which was the first wristwatch designed specifically for men. Today it continues to straddle both horology and watchmaking, having just unveiled the latest generation of the Santos-Dumont, and now, the Maillon de Cartier. French for “link”, maillon, is already used for a line of Panthère de Cartier jewelry that is characterized by, well, links. It is an apt description – the rings, bracelets, and necklaces are characterized by the use of tightly interlocking links as a central design motif. This very design language is carried over – with a twist, literally – to the new line of wristwatches, Maillon de Cartier. The new line is defined by a juxtaposition of curves and angular faces – essentially twisted links. The seamlessly integrated bracelet is composed of offset links that echo the shape of the bezel. The case, measuring 16 mm by 17 mm and standing 6.8 mm, is entirely mirror polished and framed by a hexagonal bezel that is integrated into the bracelet, accentuating the slimness of the watch while also emphasizing its sculptural quality. The dial is typical Cartier style: a silvered finish, blued steel sword hands, and stylized Roman numerals. Because of the small size of the dial, the Cartier “secret signature” is not incorporated in “VII” as is tradition. Maillon de Cartier is made up of six references i...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Batavi Amsterdam Kosmopoliet GMT
If we’re considering new brands coming onto the scene, this watch is pretty atypical compared to the wave of 1000m divers you’ll find on Kickstarter.
Deployant
Review: Tranquility on a Dial – The Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGW264
We bring you the low-down and our thoughts on the Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGW264, inspired by the white birch trees of Shizukuishi.
Quill & Pad
To Mr. Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari: Geneva Watch Days In August 2020 Isn’t Optimistic, It’s Delusional!
"Dear Mr. Babin, I’m speaking as a fan, but you are sure making it difficult. It gives me no pleasure to take shots at you like this, but if you keep standing up and saying these things, I’ll keep rebutting you," Ian Skellern begins his second open letter on this subject . . .
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Nodus Duality Watch Review
A sleek, sexy sports watch with all the typical design cues we've been enjoying from the LA-based brand.