Deployant
Omega’s new heritage Speedmaster Caliber 321 Chronograph
Omega opens the year with a new Speedmaster Calibre 321, complete with vintage details and a beautiful design in 18K Canopus Gold.
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Deployant
Omega opens the year with a new Speedmaster Calibre 321, complete with vintage details and a beautiful design in 18K Canopus Gold.
Time+Tide
The global pandemic has changed many of our approaches to “unnecessary purchases”. With mounting financial uncertainty, the idea of spending multiple thousands on a piece of jewellery can be hard to stomach, while the opposite thought process may be something like “treat yourself while you can”. Thankfully, there is a median option, by snapping up … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Top 5 watches of 2021 under $1000 (Part 1) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
The new Blancpain Air Command rides the waves of its predecessor but somehow lacks the finesse of the black dial model. Limited to 500 pieces, the 2019 model is mostly sold out if not completely sold out in stores. The new model benefits from it being a lighter and stronger material - titanium, and for those who prefer a subtler look, has a mostly matte finished case. In and of itself, the watch design is nicely executed and has a great movement behind it. And for those who prefer a blue dial over a black dial, a contemporary look over a homage, the new blue dial variant might be a better choice. But for those who prefer a more historically reminiscent timepiece, the 2019 homage would still be the leader of the pack.
SJX Watches
Originally launched with a quartz movement in early 2021, the Tissot PRX really caught on when it got an automatic movement a few months later. Equipped with a cost-efficient yet high tech ETA calibre, the PRX Powermatic 80 costs just US$650 – making it an easily affordable iteration of the integrated-bracelet sports watch. Initial thoughts Modelled on the Seastar ref. 40205 launched in 1978 – it’s practically a remake in fact – the PRX Powermatic 80 doesn’t try to do too much. Instead it focuses on doing just a few things right, just enough to look good while maintaining its affordability. Its modest price tag is evident up close, but the PRX still looks good enough on the wrist. The PRX Powermatic 80 successfully reproduces the feel of the 1978 original. It’s a little bit bigger, but still compact by modern standards. More importantly, the PRX retains the right proportions in terms of case, bracelet, and dial. One of its best features is its size. At 40 mm wide and 10.9 mm high, the PRX is just right. The case middle is fairly thin and matched with an equally thin bracelet – that has a solid double-fold clasp – giving it a refined feel on the wrist. As for the design, it’s a good look – and certainly a popular one today – but derivative. That’s because the 1978 original itself was fairly generic. The 1978 Seastar was just one of many watches that shared a style that was popular in the late 1970s and well into the 1980s. One of the most obvio...
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...
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WatchAdvice
What we love: Split Second Complication with 100m WR- Yes please!Open caseback displaying manual winding movement Beautifully laid out dial What we don’t love: Thickness, some may find this hard to wear under the cuff Could do without cutout numbers on the dial (2,4,8 and 10)Due to the design of the top sapphire crystal glass, cannot see the tachymeter scale properly when looking directly at the dial Overall rating: 8.125/10 Value for money: 8/10 Wearability: 7.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 It’s not often you get a watch for a review and fall in love with it straight away! Well, for me this was the case with the new Breitling Premier B15 Duograph. Released a day earlier than the Watches of Wonders in 2021, Duograph is a part of the Premier heritage line. Originally released in 1943, Duograph is a spilt second complication that pays tribute to three generations of inventors – Léon, Gaston & Willy Breitling. Breitling used the term ‘Duograph’ in 1940 which refer to the complication “Chronograph Rattrappante”. Design: Breitling Duograph is offered in stainless steel or an 18K Red Gold case. The case size is 42mm with a thickness of 15.3mm and lug to lug measurement of 50mm. The variant we are reviewing today is the stainless steel model with the sunray blue dial. Duograph had a fixed bezel and the Cambered sapphire (glareproofed both sides) acts as a bezel on its own. This Sapphire crystal top glass has a thickness of 3mm which adds to the o...
Time+Tide
Michael Jordan famously said that “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. But the risk/reward ratio on his latest investment looks promising. The basketball legend joined a list of athletes to invest in WatchBox, the trading site, which bills itself as “the world’s leading e-commerce platform to buy, sell, and trade luxury watches”. Yesterday Watchbox said that … ContinuedThe post Michael Jordan invests to lift WatchBox valuation to almost $1 billion appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Soon to open in London and then in other countries in 2022, the OAK Collection is perhaps the first time a private collector is staging an exhibition that’s open to the public. Taking place at the Design Museum with free entry, the OAK Collection exhibition is made up of just the highlights from the owner’s collection, but already numbers over 160 watches. [Edit December 1, 2021: The exhibition in London has been postponed to spring 2022.] Organised into thematic sections, the OAK Collection – short for “one of a kind” – is dominated by Patek Philippe. Most of the watchmaker’s most important historical timepieces are represented in the collection, including a ref. 2523 world time with a blue enamel dial, as well as exceptionally rare variants of the refs. 1518 and 2499. And the collection naturally includes modern-day, special-order Patek Philippe watches commissioned by the owner. One of the exhibition’s highlights is the Patek Philippe ref. 2523 world time with a blue enamel dial that also takes centre stage on the event poster And the collection includes five pocket watches that once belonged to Henry Graves Jr, the American banker who was one of Patek Philippe’s most important clients in the first half of the 20th century. Outside of the Patek Philippe Museum, the OAK Collection contains the largest number of watches that once belonged to Graves. Amongst the former Graves watches in the OAK Collection is the 1935 observatory tourbillon pocket watch ...
Revolution
Small things make perfection in design, and Parmigiani Fleurier’s much-talked-about new collection is a sign that the brand has hit a design milestone.
Time+Tide
They say that fashion trends move in cycles, but when a design remains attractive for over a century, you’ve got to admit that it goes beyond mere stylistic whims. The Vacheron Constaintin Historiques American 1921 is unashamedly a period piece, but that’s not to say it belongs to a bygone era. It might look strange … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 36.5mm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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WatchAdvice
Pros: Two watches in oneBurgundy Red dial and Rose gold case is a fantastic comboGood size Reverso may suit most wrists Cons: Some may find it to be expensiveLimited edition and boutique only – can be difficult to come byThe rectangular case may not suit all wrists Over All Rating: 8.6/10 Value for money – 7.5/10Wearability – 9/10Design – 9/10Build Quality – 9/10 I’m quite sure that we all know the story of how the Reverso came about quite well by now. If not, where have you been the last couple of decades? Even though it has been around since 1931, the watch did disappear from the range for a little while, before being resurrected in 1972 by an Italian watch dealer, Giorgio Corvo, who bought up the remaining Reverso cases (around 200) and sold them all in Italy after fitting them with a movement. Convinced that the range will sell, he persuaded Jaeger-LeCoultre to revive the range in the 80s. Fast forward to 1991, on the 60th anniversary of the Reverso, various complications were introduced in the watch. This was no small feat as there is a lot less room inside the rectangular case, and therefore being able to squeeze in complications meant that Jaeger-LeCoultre has had to overcome many obstacles. We may take a two-faced Reverso for granted these days, but even that requires years of development to achieve. This brings us to the watch today, one of the 90th-anniversary models, and quite possibly one of the prettiest, most elegant and stunning Reverso ever to g...
Quill & Pad
Our pals at The Watches TV went hands on with three of the unique timepieces on offer at the upcoming Only Watch 2021, which takes place on November 6, 2021. The unique watches featured are the F.P. Journe x Francis Ford Coppola FFC Blue, the Moser Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Only Watch, and the Urwerk UR-102 Gaïa. Enjoy this rare treat!
SJX Watches
Most familiar with its metallic, forest-green dial, the modern-day Seiko Alpinist is a mid-range model that’s long been a crowd-favourite for its distinctive design and affordability. But today’s Alpinist with its distinctive twin crowns, a design introduced in 1998, couldn’t be further from the original Laurel Alpinist that debuted over half a century ago as a sports watch catered to mountaineers. The original Alpinist of 1959. Photo – Seiko Seiko has successful grown the current Alpinist line up to encompass a diversity of models – all of which feature alternating Arabic and arrowhead hour markers – but finally returned to the original design of 1959 with a quartet of vintage-inspired reissues that were launched earlier in the year. Amongst the four, the standout is the Prospex 1959 Alpinist Re-creation (ref. SJE085 or SBEN001), which is almost a like-for-like reissue (the other remakes are more loosely based on the original and officially known “Re-interpretations”). Most closely resembling the vintage original, the Alpinist Re-creation is the flagship model of the remakes, having a more elaborate execution as well as a higher-end movement. A cool “Bund” style strap with zigzag stitching evokes the strap on the 1959 original Initial thoughts The Alpinist Re-creation is an appealing little watch that’s almost straight out of a 1950s watch catalogue – save for the date window – thanks to the smallish 36.6 mm case and retro-style dial. It certa...
SJX Watches
Launched earlier this year, the Calatrava Ref. 6119 “Clous de Paris” is significant amongst Patek Philippe’s recent releases, despite being a simple, time-only watch. That’s because it’s powered by the all-new cal. 30-255 PS, a large, thin movement that is the new workhorse calibre for the brand’s entry-level, hand-wind watches. Visually, the ref. 6119 takes its cues from past Calatrava models, but the overall design is contemporary and elevated by details like the facetted hour markers and textured dial. But the crucial feature of the ref. 6119 remains the new movement inside. The cal. 30-255, with its large, twin barrels and Gyromax balance The historical context Named after the Patek Philippe emblem, the Calatrava was introduced in 1932, the same year the Stern family took over the watchmaker as it struggled amidst the Great Depression. The original Calatrava was the ref. 96, a handsome but minuscule watch just 31 mm in diameter. While the Calatrava family has multiplied and grown in diversity since its launch, the ref. 96 remains the definitive Calatrava design. Its widely-spaced lugs, baton markers, and dauphine hands are instantly recognisable together, despite being relatively generic in themselves. In fact, the ref. 96 was influential in defining Patek Philippe’s house style for decades; the ref. 130, for instance, was essentially a ref. 96 with a chronograph. A ref. 570 from 1943, essentially an enlarged ref. 96 One of the longest-lived references ...
Quill & Pad
For the Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Sapphire, Armin Strom teamed up with Kari Voutilainen to give the backplate a refined guilloche motif. We clearly see the hand of the master in this: while the design of the guilloche is not particularly outgoing, it shows its refinement in the way that it is draped around the other parts of the watch. It gently directs the eye to all the right places, allowing admiration for this technical-looking piece to grow.
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Hodinkee
From new takes on the Royal Oak Offshore Diver and Chronograph to a thorough refresh of the Seamaster 300, two watchmaking titans are updating the tried and true.
SJX Watches
I was impressed by the Caliber 0200 that Citizen unveiled earlier in the year. A new design with an integrated bracelet and an automatic movement developed from scratch, the Caliber 0200 costs US$6,000 – more than the typical Citizen – it is unquestionably a value proposition. The level of fit and finish, especially on the case and bracelet, surpasses practically everything else at that price. Still, US$6,000 is not affordable for everyone. Citizen soon followed up with the Series 8, a line of watches similar to the Caliber 0200 in style but far more accessible price-wise, with the base model starting at US$1,200. Like the Caliber 0200, the Series 8 outperforms in its far lower price segment. The Series 8 is made up of three models – 830, 831, and 870 – but the standout is the 870, the watch pictured below. Citizen loaned me one for a few days, an experience that confirmed my initial impressions. Initial thoughts The Series 8 watches are all excellent at their respective price points, but the 870 impressed me the most – it’s the most expensive but paradoxically the best value. Admittedly, the 870 is yet another sports watch with an integrated bracelet. The familiarity of the concept makes it more difficult for a new entrant to succeed. One benchmark for success in this category is design – the watch has to look good while avoiding being derivative. And another is competitive pricing, since most fresh arrivals in the space can’t compete with the establishm...
Time+Tide
EDITOR’S NOTE: The old excuse that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” doesn’t always cut it (just ask any convicted counterfeiter). But perhaps we shouldn’t be too hasty to judge. As James explains here, sometimes a watch may look like a knock-off but actually hold its horological own. Few things in watch world conjure … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: 4 watches that look like rip-offs that are actually legitimate appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
I remember my plane ride back from Baselworld 2019. I was still coming off the high of my first show and all the beautiful new pieces I was fortunate enough to handle. (Which was a good thing because I needed to stay up if I wanted to avoid the jet-lag) As I tried my hardest … ContinuedThe post OPINION: Why I just can’t do vintage watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
We talked to Lincoln’s Design Director Kemal Curic about the project.
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Time+Tide
“This is a golden age of sports watch design,” Rob Nudds says over the phone from Germany. “We’ve seen some absolute classics being made before us. And just like in the ’70s when there was this rush of novelty and competition that stirred this creativity twixt the brands, I believe we have that again now.” … ContinuedThe post What’s it really like to make a watch with your favourite brand? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
The Patek Philippe Calatrava Reference 6007A marks a physical and spiritual shift for the brand and may be one of the most un-Calatrava Calatravas of recent memory. Joshua Munchow takes a look at what makes this model an outlier and also why it simultaneously doesn't come from left field.
SJX Watches
Founded just five years ago, Gorilla has already established a distinct house style, born of the its two founders’ eye for design. Notably, one of the founders, Octavio Garcia, was design chief at Audemars Piguet for over a decade. The latest from the brand is reassuringly familiar, channeling the style of its inaugural model, but a major step up in terms of form, function, and price – the Fastback Thunderbolt Chronograph. Equipped with a smartly skeletonised dial, it’s the brand’s first chronograph but retains with Gorilla’s recognisable case style. The case is multi-material: a ceramic bezel, followed by an anodised aluminium ring, and then a black-coated titanium case middle and back Initial thoughts Gorilla’s past offerings have been appealing for several reasons. Though evocative of some other well-known designs, its watches are original and handsome – a rare sight at the US$800 price range – and they are usually executed in unusual combinations of materials like titanium and ceramic. At the same time, the brand managed to make uncommon complication relatively affordable, namely the wandering hours display that’s most famously associated with Urwerk and Audemars Piguet in modern watchmaking. The latest offering is an extension of the brand’s strengths. Despite being its first chronograph, the Fastback Thunderbolt Chronograph is well put together, having a skeletonised front that’s intricate in detail and rich in colour that manages to pres...
SJX Watches
Announced by Seiko almost a year ago, the Custom Watch Beatmaker was an online contest to design the brand’s next sports watch. Seiko just unveiled the winner – which has been brought to life as a limited edition – the Seiko 5 Sports Custom Watch Beatmaker 2021. A surprisingly clean design, the winner has a gold dial circled by a “Pepsi” bezel. It was one of about 50,000 submissions, but it won by a surprisingly large margin of 8.5 million votes out of a 16 million-vote total – possibly due to a group effort by a forum dedicated to Seiko. Initial thoughts The Custom Watch Beatmaker contest was in many ways an official acknowledgment of the Seiko “mods” community that pursue aftermarket customisation of Seiko watches. It’s uncommon for a big brand to do so, though the contest was centred on the Seiko 5 Sports, the brand’s entry-level mechanical watch. But Seiko itself has changed the landscape since the contest was announced in October 2020. The brand has since launched numerous Seiko 5 Sports “crossover” editions featuring Japanese pop-culture themes, resulting in watches far from the average Seiko 5. In comparison, the contest edition seems less special, at least from an aesthetic perspective, since it’s basically rearranged the colours of a few elements instead of being an all-new design. Still, compared to the regular-production Seiko 5 Sports, the Beatmaker edition stands out. The gold, sunburst dial on a dive-style watch is uncommon, not to...
SJX Watches
One-off timepieces are very much the stock-in-trade of Svend Andersen, who has spent over 40 years creating bespoke or custom complicated watches at his eponymous brand, Andersen Genève. A longtime supporter of Only Watch – the brand created a Montre a Tact for the 2019 event – Andersen did something different this year for the charity auction. A collaborative partnership with the Savile Row tailor Edward Sexton, the Andersen Genève Quotidiana is a one-off wristwatch accompanied by a made-to-measure suit for the buyer, along with a visit the workshops of both companies. Initial thoughts While the tie up with a tailor is odd, the watch itself is intrinsically interesting. Unlike the more esoteric “tactful” watch made for Only Watch 2019, the Quotidiana is a classical timepiece in form and function, but done with the watchmaker’s typical decorative flair. The quintessential Andersen Genève watch consists of elaborate efforts in constructing the various elements – from the case, dial, and hands, to custom complication modules, usually built upon an off-the-shelf base movement. These parts are made manually with hand-operated tools, a charming characteristic that makes for a genuinely personalised timepiece, even though the Quotidiana has been made for Only Watch without a client’s input (though the buyer will get to specify every detail of the suit that goes along with the watch). Hand made Undoubtedly, the highlight of the Quotidiana is the guilloche dia...
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