3,073 articles · 483 videos found · page 108 of 119
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: There were a lot of watches released in 2021 and the Time+Tide team endeavoured to review as many of them as we possibly could. Here we count down the Top 30 reviews of the year by web traffic in our best radio DJ voice: at number 29, it’s the Seiko SPB217J. It’s always hard to … ContinuedThe post THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 – The Seiko SPB217J (#29) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Rainbow watches are possibly the most divisive sub-genre around. They’re loud, they’re blingy, and the word ostentatious barely even begins to cover them. Yet no matter how many people swear they would never be caught dead wearing one, I would bet that there’s a nagging voice in the back of everyone’s minds just wishing to … ContinuedThe post The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang King Gold Rainbow is drenched in multicoloured gems appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: There were a lot of watches released in 2021 and the Time+Tide team endeavoured to review as many of them as we possibly could. Here we count down the Top 30 reviews of the year by traffic in our best radio DJ voice. At number 30, it’s the Norqain Neverest Night Sight… In my … ContinuedThe post THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 – The Norqain Neverest Night Sight (#30) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Taste is subjective, we all have our individual preferences – therefore what irks me may not necessarily irk you. But What Tweaks My Tourb is all about the horological features and quirks that make me shudder. You may well totally disagree with my views in this series and I wholeheartedly welcome that too. In a marketplace … ContinuedThe post WHAT TWEAKS MY TOURB: Why asymmetrical running seconds drive me crazy appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Warning: low-consequence, strong views ahead.
Quill & Pad
J.N. Shapiro is the eponymous brand of Josh Shapiro, an educator turned watchmaker who specializes in guilloche. His latest watch, the Infinity Tantalum, is a classic three-hander with a small seconds dial designed in the spirit of George Daniels, Breguet, and other greats. The palladium dial is completely hand-guilloche and sports tantalum chapter rings. And, oh, that gorgeous style!
SJX Watches
Widely regarded as the best “pink on pink” 1518 ever to emerge, the ref. 1518 once owned by Prince Mohammed Tewfik A. “T.A.” Toussoun of Egypt lived up to expectations and then some, having just sold at Sotheby’s in New York for US$9.57 million including fees. While almost 300 ref. 1518s were produced, only about fifth of them were in pink gold, with the majority in yellow gold. And just 14 are “pink on pink” with salmon-toned dials matched with a pink gold case. The 14th “pink on pink” ref. 1518 known, this was consigned by the heirs of the late prince, who passed away earlier this year aged 95. He was a first cousin to the the last King of Egypt, Farouk I. The prince pictured in the 1970s The prince was the original owner of this ref. 1518, which he bought on July 25, 1951 according to the certificate that accompanied the watch – which makes it the only “pink on pink” ref. 1518 with its original certificate. The watch remained in his possession since then, seemingly hardly worn, explaining its near-pristine condition. All those factors combined to create a tremendous interest from bidders, almost a dozen of them, all on the phones with Sotheby’s representatives. Bidding was easy and enthusiastic at the start, with one bidder making a million-dollar jump from two to three million, presumably in an attempt to deter the competition. It didn’t work and though there were just a handful of bidders past the five-million mark, the proceedings contin...
Time+Tide
How do you communicate true quality? It’s a question that many brands face as they try to capture the attention of collectors today. For big brands, the difficulty of such a task gets alleviated by the pull of history and immense marketing budgets. Yet, for a small brand, trying to make its mark in the … ContinuedThe post Minase Watches’ first American tour exposes the craftsmanship of the cult Japanese brand appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Independent watchmaking is trending not only among seasoned collectors, but even in the broader, hobbyist community – something that was hardly imaginable not too long ago. But what is independent watchmaking really? An independent watchmaker can be loosely defined as one who creates – not merely produces – watches for each client on an individual basis, at least during his or her start-up period. This individuality and personalisation is crucial, as these qualities result in the sort of watches that convey the magic of watchmaking, allowing the owners of such watches to touch the soul of their creator. Just like any form of art, the spirit of an independent watchmaker is forever embodied in his or her work – though the second half of the life of the watch is bestowed upon it by the owner. Russian watchmaking The development of this niche segment of the watchmaking is nevertheless globe spanning, and it is present in one of the most scenic cities in Russia, Saint Petersburg. Perhaps led by Konstantin Chaykin, now well-known internationally with his inventive and quirky creations, interesting independent watchmakers have begun to rise in the city, with the most recent examples being Maxim Sushkov and HoD Russia. But today we profile Alexander Nesterenko. Like many extraordinary independent watchmakers of our time – including the acclaimed George Daniels and the lesser-known Thomas Engels – Mr Nesterenko learned watchmaking by himself. Through reading, practicing...
Time+Tide
Wear and tear often bolsters the appeal of a vintage watch. Picture a chronograph dial aged to a warm tropical hue, or a diver’s watch shadowed with caramel patina. Rather than signs of decay, such well-worn details are celebrated as adding character and authenticity. Like the laughter lines on an old man’s face, they’re testimony … ContinuedThe post The worst thing I’ve ever done to a watch (or why you shouldn’t dunk an Omega Seamaster in Berocca) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Breitling salutes the aviation history with the new Super AVI collection with watches inspired by the original 1953 “Co-Pilot” Ref. 765 AVI aviator’s watch and four legendary planes: the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, the Vought F4U Corsair, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and the de Havilland Mosquito. Press Release info with live photographs. We haveRead More
Time+Tide
Three years ago, on a sultry November evening in Melbourne, we threw a launch party for our first Issue of NOW Magazine. It was in a world – if you can put your best movie-trailer voice on for me – that knew nothing of pandemics, or social distancing. My memories of the night are crowded. … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: The new issue of NOW Magazine is available now (which is fitting…) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Some of you will not be pleased with this episode. Several of the watches that you've come to love - courtesy of the TBWS Wristwatch Museum - are about to be let go.
SJX Watches
One of the most anticipated sales during Geneva’s watch auction week just concluded with a big number – the Philippe Dufour Grande Sonnerie wristwatch sold for CHF4.749 million, or about US$5.2 million, including fees. While bidding was steady, it was restrained. Three bidders were the key movers behind the result – a phone bidders represented by Yong Ho and Alex Ghotbi of Phillips in Hong Kong and Geneva respectively, as well as an online bidder in Singapore. At the end it was down to the Singaporean buyer and Mr Ghotbi’s phone bidder, who clinched the watch with a hammer of CHF3.9 million. I wrote just earlier this week that I expected the Grande Sonnerie to sell for between US$4.0-5.0 million, so the result was well within my expectation. While there was talk of a far higher number prior to the sale, a variety of factors led me to that range, including the number of known potential buyers as well as the values of comparable watches. And that was how it turned out.
SJX Watches
Inspired by German “rolling eye” clocks of the mid 20th century, the Joker is now Konstantin Chaykin’s trademark wristwatch. But the Russian watchmaker’s repertoire is far more diverse than the googly-eyed face – watches that tell the time on Mars are another of his specialties. For Only Watch 2021, Mr Chaykin has combined the two concepts in the Martian Tourbillon. The robotic clown face indicates the time and calendar on Mars, while the back reveals a one-minute tourbillon that makes one revolution every Martian minute. Initial thoughts The Joker Selfie Mr Chaykin created for Only Watch 2019 was not merely a simple variation of the standard model, illustrating both Mr Chaykin’s creativity and his desire to put together something genuinely special for the event. With most watches at Only Watch 2019 being variations of existing models, the Joker Selfie was notable for being unique in a technical sense. The watch had a built-from-scratch complication, a new base movement, and even a novel case material (which is being used once again for this year’s creation). The case is Bulat, a high-carbon, patterned steel alloy Once again Mr Chaykin has put together a truly one-off watch for the biennial charity auction. It is impressive and ingenious, with a Martian complication that’s synonymous with Mr Chaykin. Despite all its novelty, it is easily recognisable as a Chaykin wristwatch. Like its predecessor, the Martian Tourbillon has a unique complication, albeit o...
SJX Watches
Romain Gauthier’s latest watch is a surprise (sort of, since a one-off version was revealed for Only Watch 2021). Instead of being a successor to the mechanically and artistically impressive Logical One, the Continuum is a simple, time-only watch that transforms one of the brand’s first models into a modern, sporty watch. Fabricated entirely of titanium, including the muted dial and hand-wind movement, the Continuum is notably lightweight at just 55 grams including the strap and buckle. Initial thoughts While high-end watches across the board are enjoying a boom in demand, luxury-sports watches stand out for being the hottest genre. For that reason, even brands that have long focused on classical, complicated watchmaking have entered the sports watch arena. So sports watches are increasingly mundane, with every new release almost feeling like one too many. That chips away at the appeal of the Continuum, though it’s clearly executed to a high level, as is expected of Romain Gauthier. The red lines radiating from the small seconds smartly fill up the bottom half of the dial, which is larger than usual with the off-center hours and minutes hands The Continuum does look like a Romain Gauthier, despite an all-new design. It has enough elements from the brand’s past models that it feels like an evolved version of classical offerings such as the Insight Micro Rotor. That said, its bezel with wide machined notches does appear derivative, especially because it doesn’t ...
Time+Tide
Imagine walking into a building and coming face to face with some of the biggest brands and independent watchmakers in horology. Well, that’s exactly what I was lucky enough to do last weekend while attending WatchTime New York. It’s an annual event located within the vast Grand Ballroom of New York City’s Gotham Hall. It … ContinuedThe post My top five watches from WatchTime New York 2021 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The thrum of the horizontally opposed twin engine spins into a whine when the traffic lights go green. It’s a beautiful spring day in Sydney and the old BMW motorbike is in its element as I wind along a coastal road, with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean flanking the cliffs. I look down and … ContinuedThe post A WEEK ON THE WRIST: Inspired by a classic motorbike, the Ollech & Wajs OW350CI is the wheel deal appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
With Sotheby’s Hong Kong sale just around the corner, we’re rounding up a half-dozen notable vintage watches from the auction, primarily big-ticket Patek Philippe complications. Amongst them a few oddities, one a Patek Philippe ref. 3448 “Senza Luna”, a perpetual calendar with the moon phase omitted, and the other the Rolex Day-Date with a “Submariner” dial. With the preview exhibition open daily from now till October 12, the auction will take place on October 13. The catalogue and registration for bidding are available on Sothebys.com. Lot 2265: Patek Philippe ref. 130 The oldest watch of the selection is a Patek Philippe ref. 130, the brand’s first serially-produced wristwatch chronograph that remained in the catalogue for over three decades. The model’s longevity makes it an inevitability that a good number of ref. 130 variants exist. Indeed, the model varies greatly in terms case material and dial design, with some combinations being rarer than others. One such rare combination is a steel case with “sector” dial, like the present example. Made by Wenger, the steel cases of the ref. 130 have shorter and wider-spaced lugs compared to the gold cases that made by Vichet, giving the 33 mm case a more imposing appearance Chronograph wristwatches from that era typically feature tiny counters that sit close to the edge of the dial, leaving the dial clean and distinctly vintage. But the “sector” dial here is an entirely different animal – the sect...
Quill & Pad
Complication abounds in the 2021 GPHG Calendar and Astronomy category: two perpetual calendars – one of which is of world record-holding thinness – a complete calendar with chronograph, a clever day-date that you can’t help but smile at, a mind-blowingly beautiful moon phase watch, and the world’s smallest planetarium. And our panel members all (well, nearly all) have different favorites to win!
Hodinkee
eSteel your face – and case.
Hodinkee
The Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver was formally introduced at Baselworld back in 2013, where it won over crowds of journalists with a vintage inspired design just too simple to pass up. As difficult as it is to stand out in the vintage dive watch market, Maruice Lacroix seems to have struck a chord with the Pontos S Diver. Now that the watch has had a chance to settle into the market, we’ve decided to see just how well it’s held up by giving it a week on our wrist.
Hodinkee
A deep dive into one of the greats of modern watchmaking.
Time+Tide
In recent years, there’s been a noticeable trend for watch cases returning to the smaller and more classical sizes of old. Robbie Jones (@robbiethepainter) takes it to a whole other level. The artist creates impeccably detailed models of miniature watches. How tiny? They have diameters under 5mm wide. “When I was five-years-old, my grandmother used … ContinuedThe post From Patek to Omega, the artist creating the tiniest watches in the world appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
I remember a time when many within the watch community spoke of microbrands like they were some passing phase – an unfortunate result of someone with too much time on their hands and not enough sense. To these pundits, the watches that microbrands were offering would always be lesser-than anything a major, established brand could … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: Three things collectors still get wrong about microbrands appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
We take the off-beaten path with something different in this week's article - courtesy of a slew of quirky and more unusual watches.
Quill & Pad
Celebrating its 175th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin unveils several new models in the Marine Torpilleur collection during Geneva Watch Days 2021: two timepieces with date and power reserve, a moon phase models offered in two dial colors, a chronograph with an annual calendar, and a rather special flying tourbillon with a lustrous enamel dial.
SJX Watches
Historically a major producer of marine chronometers, Ulysse Nardin has repurposed the concept in the modern day for its bestselling line of wristwatches that retain the face of a marine chronometer while having in-house movements and eminently reasonable prices. For its 175th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin has unveiled the Marine Torpilleur 175 Years collection, a suite of limited-edition watches starting with an affordable base model and ending with a range-topping tourbillon featuring a fired-enamel dial. Initial thoughts Originally introduced as an entry-level Marine model – it was named after a torpedo boat – the Marine Torpilleur has been successful enough that it’s now an entire anniversary line up. The expansion of the line is a good thing, because the Torpilleur is classically handsome and generally good value. All the Torpilleur models are largish at 42 mm in diameter, but most are slim, with heights of about 11 mm, though the chronograph is understandably wider and thicker. As a result, they appear relatively thin on the wrist, especially for a sporty watch. The tourbillon with a black enamel dial, and next to it a vintage Ulysse Nardin chronometer pocket watch with tourbillon regulator And the watches are all equipped with high-spec in-house movements, which is a big factor in their value propositions. Even the base model, which costs US$8,200 in its simplest version, is equipped with the UN-118, a movement that has a silicon hairspring and escapement, along...
Quill & Pad
The now nearly iconic HM Perpetual Moon with a nearly full-dial moon phase display was previously Joshua Munchow's personal favorite moon phase watch from this brand until the Luna Magna came along (he is a sucker for three-dimensional moon phases). What makes the new Luna Magna that spectacular?
Quill & Pad
Mumm Champagne has wonderful history, but then for a period it seemed to descend into little more than a discount producer. More recently, there appeared to be a serious intent to return to the glory days when this house was seen as one of the greats. Ken Gargett thinks that Mumm's RSRV R. Lalou 2006 is a revelation. Rich and complex with honeycomb notes and some butterscotch. Great length. Finely balanced.
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