Revolution
The Early Visionaries of Independent Watchmaking
In a cry for recognition, independent watchmakers found strength in unity through the formation of L’Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants.
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Revolution
In a cry for recognition, independent watchmakers found strength in unity through the formation of L’Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants.
SJX Watches
A Spanish brand that got its start in 2016, Ophion has refined its offerings substantially since then. Two years ago Ophion debuted its third and most accomplished model, the OPH 786 Vélos. Though based on the original OPH 786 that has a hand-wind movement with a five-day power reserve, the Vélos does everything better. While the design relies on familiar elements like Breguet numerals and teardrop lugs, the Vélos boasts notably fine details. The Breguet numerals, for instance, are applied and elegantly formed, while the guilloche is tidily engraved. But the Vélos gets there almost entirely by machine, mostly CNC milling, which means it is more affordable than it looks, with the guilloche version priced at about US$3,700. Initial thoughts The Vélos is a good looking watch. Admittedly, the look is fairly generic in its classical design, but it has charm, especially considering the quality of execution relative to the price. A strong value proposition is the best way to describe the Vélos. Even though it is made entirely by machine, the dial is the best feature of the watch. It boasts a strongly three-dimensional appearance, thanks to the substantially-sized appliqués. And because the dial parts are made by machine, they are precisely shaped, which gives it an expensive look. The movement is also a key factor behind the value proposition. It’s a solid calibre with useful features, including a five-day power reserve. And it has been extensively customised for ...
Time+Tide
I love vintage reissues, especially smaller sizes truer to the originals, but do you know what? When you appreciate the delights of 36-38mm watches, you’ll also find that the joy is threefold. There are real bargains to be found on the pre-loved market, the comfort is sublime, plus you also have a better chance of … ContinuedThe post Downsizing to 36mm opens up a world of value – this TAG Heuer Chronograph is the solid-gold proof appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Editor’s note: Melbourne is known for a few things. It’s been voted the Most Livable City in the World, it does a lot of great cultural events, but it’s also a serious foodie destination. One of the most popular restaurants is Chin Chin, a city joint that offers an Aussie take on bold Asian flavours. … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Cooking with Chin Chin and Hublot, with Head Chef Ben Cooper appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Editor’s note: It’s Father’s Day in the northern hemisphere this weekend. Frankly, that’s a good enough excuse for us to relive this glorious yarn from Matthew McConaughey about his dad’s love for “shady deals” that led him to make a regrettable purchase from the back of a van belonging to a man called Chicago John… … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Matthew McConaughey and the tale of his dad’s fake Rolex appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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We’ve grown used to seeing jaw-dropping auction results for two brands: Rolex and Patek Philippe. But recently, the prices of one French-founded jewellery and watchmaking house have begun to climb. That’s right, Cartier is hot, with prices rising not only across the more common models, but also the top lots in auction catalogues. But what … ContinuedThe post Is the vintage Cartier boom here to stay? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Divers are among the most popular watches on the market, if not the most popular, due to their highly robust builds and familiar aesthetic. As a result, the segment is highly competitive and brands now have to find fresh ways to draw interest to their references. Fully aware of this trend, Oris has really begun … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
First introduced exactly a decade ago, the BR 01-92 Red Radar was one of the brand’s first wristwatches to reproduce a fighter jet’s instrument display, using a red-tinted sapphire crystal and rotating discs to create a dial resembling a flight radar display. A striking and clever idea, the flight-radar time display was unique even amongst the numerous aviation-instrument watches of Bell & Ross (B&R;). Now B&R; is revisiting the concept with the BR 03-92 Red Radar Ceramic, which once again features a radar display but now in the more wearable BR 03 case. Initial thoughts On the surface, the new BR 03-92 Red Radar Ceramic isn’t especially novel. The ceramic case is essentially the same used for last year’s BR 03-92 HUD, while the radar display is modelled on the 2011 original. However, the new Red Radar is a clever rendition of the idea, and a substantial improvement over the earlier version. For one, the case is now 42 mm, making it significantly more wearable than the 46 mm original. And the original also had a black-coated steel case – which typically shows wear and tear as the coating separates from the metal below – while the new model has a ceramic case also that’s scratch-resistant and generally more durable, meaning it will seem pristine even after years of use (though hard knocks or drops can chip or crack ceramic). And the new Red Radar has a more practical dial design than its predecessor, which had hands printed to mimic the sweep of a radar scan, ...
SJX Watches
Andersen Genève turned 40 in 2020 – making the brand one of the longest-established independent watchmakers in Switzerland. The brand is, in fact, a pioneer in the field. Founder Svend Andersen, an octogenarian who was born in Denmark but moved to Switzerland in 1963, set up the AHCI in 1985 alongside Vincent Calabrese. Andersen Genève is best known for inventive and novel complications, often built as a module to be added onto a base movement, such as the secular perpetual calendar that needs no adjustment even after centuries – but on an ETA base calibre. Many of the brand’s creations are hand-made, bespoke timepieces built to the client’s specifications. The brand commemorated its 40th anniversary with four models that encapsulate its historical specialties, a diamond-set, Louis Cattier-style world time, a collaboration with Konstantin Chaykin that combines the Russian watchmaker’s Joker display with an automaton on the back, and a jumping hours. The final watch in the anniversary quartet is the first in platinum, the Jumping Hours 40th Anniversary with a 21k-gold dial engine turned by hand. Initial thoughts The Jumping Hours is charming in both design and construction, but for the fact that it is the brainchild of a pioneer independent watchmaker. Save for the case material, the new Jumping Hours is identical to its rose gold predecessor, so it’s not particularly novel. But the guilloche blue dial works exceptionally well with the white-metal case, mak...
SJX Watches
Digital time displays might seem like a modern invention but they have been found in watches since the early 1800s. Digital displays are found in clocks from even farther back – Lange’s trademark oversized date was inspired by the five-minute, digital clock built by Ferdinand-Adolph Lange for Dresden’s Semper opera house that opened in 1841. But the biggest advances in mechanical digital time displays – with jumping indications – all arrived soon after the turn of the millennium. And the most important are just three – the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk, F.P. Journe Vagabondage III, and Harry Winston Opus 3 – and now we’re going to put them side by side. The five-minute clock that sits just above the stage in the Semperoper, showing 07:30 pm. Photo – A. Lange & Söhne An new, old idea Watches with a single digital display, namely a jumping hours, date as far back as the early 19th century. Enough of them were made that such pocket watches appear regularly at auction. But a single digital display does not a digital watch make. The watch with a jumping, double-digital time display – and hence a true digital watch – was invented in 1883 when Austrian engineer Josef Pallweber patented a mechanism that indicated the time with discs, read through two windows, one for the hours and other, the minutes. He licensed the patent to a handful of watch brands, though it is IWC that is most closely associated with the Pallweber display. At the same time, it is importa...
Quill & Pad
In this non-chronological multipart series called “History of Ferrari Watches,” Elizabeth Doerr takes us through a comprehensive look into the Girard-Perregaux Pour Ferrari collaboration, which took place between 1993 and 2004 and culminated in the Girard-Perregaux Pour Ferrari Tribute to Enzo Ferrari Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges perpetual calendar chronograph.
Time+Tide
Imagine you’re walking down the street, minding your own business, when someone stops you and asks if you have time to sign a petition to support a good cause. You think: “Sure, this will only take a few seconds,” so you agree and sign your name at the bottom of a very long list of … ContinuedThe post Fake charity muggers steal Rolex watches using David Blaine trick appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe has made it a tradition to stage an annual exhibition of the year’s unique and limited edition watches decorated using fine artisanal techniques, some of which are distinctive to the brand. This year’s Rare Handcrafts Exhibition will take place June 16 to July 3 at its usual venue, the historical Patek Philippe Salon along the ritzy Rue du Rhone, just at the edge of Lake Geneva. The year’s Rare Handcrafts lineup is made up of 75 timepieces, encompassing pocket- and wristwatches as well as clocks – all of which will be on display. But the exhibition will be twice as large, thanks to the 70 timepieces of the 2020 collection that were never showcased as last year’s exhibition was cancelled. And the exhibition will also include some of this year’s newly launched wristwatches. One of this year’s Rare Handcrafts, the pocket watch ref. 995/122J “Panda” decorated with wood marquetry on the back, engraving on the case, and flinqué enamel on the dial Visitors can expect to see a wide-ranging array of traditional decorative techniques on the watches and clocks, including a variety of enamelling methods, such as cloisonné, paillonné, flinqué, fauré, miniature and Limoges painting, as well as unusual Longwy enamelling that’s named after the French town where it was invented. Gem-setting and wood marquetry will also be on show. And there will be also be artisans on hand to demonstrate their craft – including enamelling, engraving, marquetry an...
Quill & Pad
While display backs and open dials are commonplace now, the Corum Golden Bridge was one of the first watches not to just reveal its mechanics but to enthusiastically and joyously celebrate them. Peter Speake, aka The Naked Watchmaker, recently deconstructed a Corum Golden Bridge Automatic to reveal all of its secrets.
Time+Tide
Rolex is a brand that some collectors love to hate. No one is disputing they are a brand that makes some of the best watches in the world, but frustration can arise in enthusiast circles around lack of supply and exorbitant prices on the secondary market. Over the last nine months or so, eBay has … ContinuedThe post Keen to get a discount on Rolex? With the help of eBay, it’s possible appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
A variant of the fourth-generation F.P. Journe Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite, the Opus 1 Tourbillon was part of the inaugural project of the Opus series, the annual independent-watchmaker collaboration invented by Max Büsser of MB&F; fame. Named after the Opus One vineyard that’s also a joint venture between Americans and Europeans, Opus established Harry Winston as a bona fide watchmaker. Though Harry Winston has now put more emphasis on its primary jewellery business, its past Opus projects are mostly interesting and important examples of contemporary watchmaking. Ironically, despite being the opening act, the Opus 1 models were amongst the least novel, because they were essentially F.P. Journe movements dressed in Harry Winston attire. But that also makes the Opus 1 interesting simply because they were F.P. Journe. The Opus 1 was made up of three models – the Tourbillon, Resonance, and Reserve de Marche – each based on the equivalent F.P. Journe model, meaning an identical movement but a platinum case in the trademark Harry Winston style. Phillip’s Hong Kong watch auction this weekend includes an Opus 1 Tourbillon, which is worth a closer look, if for no other reason than the fact that it’s one of the rarest variants of the early F.P. Journe tourbillon. Initial thoughts The Opus 1 – any one of the three versions – is a peculiar watch. It is fundamentally an F.P. Journe, yet feels nothing like an F.P. Journe. If you closed your eyes and compared the two...
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After losing his 1976 Rolex Daytona worth $350k in a skiing accident, things got even worse for British art dealer Christopher Jones.The post Art dealer loses 1976 Rolex Daytona worth $350k in skiing accident – insurer refuses to pay up appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
This is the list our Chief Editor fears. Find out why when he picks the top 6 watches which feature the remontoire d'egalite as a constant force system.
Quill & Pad
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds with green dial capitalizes on the 2021 green trend and is one of the special watches celebrating the 90-year anniversary of the Reverso. It’s a stunning timepiece with a vintage-inspired dial featuring a lacquered green sunray pattern, faceted hour markers, dauphine-style hands, and a large subsidiary seconds counter at 6 o’clock. Here Bhanu Chopra runs through the reasons for considering a purchase.
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Editor’s note: Mido is yet another brand that is not widely accessible to Aussies. The brand may be familiar to many, but finding it in store or from a reputable online seller isn’t always easy. We are really happy to let all Australian readers know that we are now offering over 70 models in our … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Mido Ocean Star Chronograph provides twice the functionality at half the cost appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
First introduced in 2018 in the lively colours of grey and orange, the Aquanaut Chronograph ref. 5968A was a surprising execution from a brand typically conservative in style. Patek Philippe now expands the model line with the Aquanaut Chronograph Ref. 5968G in white gold, available in either midnight blue (ref. 5968G-001) or khaki green (ref. 5968G-010). Initial thoughts The new Aquanaut Chronograph iterates an existing model by drawing on elements from other Aquanauts. The midnight blue and khaki green dials are familiar because they are found on the time-only Aquanaut Ref. 5168G that’s also in white gold. Dial and case metal aside, the new chronographs are identical to the ref. 5968A of three years ago. Although the colourways aren’t novel, they are good looking, conveying a contemporary aesthetic that complements the sporty nature of the Aquanaut Chronograph. The bright colours, juxtaposed against the case of white gold – traditionally a metal for formal occasions – exemplifies the modern concept of a sports watch where it’s more luxury than sport. Between the two, my pick would be the midnight blue: its gradient finish is striking, and better reflects the elegance and historical style that are quintessentially Patek Philippe. My pick out of the two The retail price of the new chronograph is a hefty US$69,190, which is about 50% more than the steel version. Though steep, the increment is conventional for a precious metal case relative to steel. But given th...
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As A$AP Ferg rapped in his 2017 track Plain Jane, “Ferg is the name, Ben Baller did the chain,” solidifying the LA jeweller Ben Baller as the goldsmith of choice for hip-hop royalty. Ben has made jewellery for everyone who’s anyone, including Drake, Kanye West, Nas, The Weeknd, Snoop Dogg and Mariah Carey. He made the … ContinuedThe post SPOTTED: The custom Ben Baller BAPE x Kid Cudi x G-Shock DW-6900 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
Pros: Love the easy quick change strap systemScrew-in crown and 200m water resistance Sapphire dial and increased legibility Cons: Wrist sizes smaller than 6.5ich won’t be able to enjoy the 45mm case size Some may find it to be too thick on the wrist Some may find it expensive compared to Defy 21 range Over All Rating: 8.4/10 Value for money – 8.0/10Wearability – 8.0/10Design – 9/10Build Quality – 8.5/10 If there is one phrase I don’t hear enough of, it’s “put the watch on your wrist”, as that is where it’s meant to go, and that is the best place to judge whether a watch suits you or not. Watches are immensely personal, and quite often how it wears and how it looks on your wrist is completely different to how a watch looks on a fancily posed, laid out and propped image on Instagram. Always try the watch on. Reference : 95.9100.9004/01.I001 on a 6.5 inch wrist However, isn’t this the case today? We scroll through images, each getting perhaps a fraction of a second of attention, and even if we do stop to read the text, it’s a quick skim, and then, just as quickly, a comment is left, and without any further thought, we move on to the next shiny new thing. Before touching or even seeing something in person, a judgement call is made. Reference : 87.9100.9004/03.I001 on a 6.5 inch wrist The Zenith Defy Extreme is one such watch where it was dismissed online too quickly because of a number (in this case the diameter), which many deemed too high up...
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Tudor Marine Nationale rumors have been running rampant since the announcement. Here are four predictions we've seen and our thoughts on them.The post Our 4 favourite Tudor Marine Nationale rumours ahead of the launch tomorrow appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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The Bulgari Octo Finissimo is well on its way to being a modern classic. Launched just seven years ago in 2014 and drawing off the sharp Italian geometry of the Octo Roma, it is a collection that has gone from strength to strength, breaking world records for thinness on average once every year. That’s right, … ContinuedThe post Why I bought the Bulgari Octo Finissimo: What the owners’ experience is really like appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Since Baselworld 2018, Rolex has subtly been revisiting its 36 mm Datejust models. The two stainless steel/white gold models revealed at Baselworld 2019 were the last of these, and Saad Chaudhry is pleased to now delve into the new and improved details of this popular modern wristwatch.
Time+Tide
With their penchant for larger diameters clearly visible in the Grand Seiko SBGE251, I feel the need to underline a simple fact with Seiko and Grand Seiko. While there is a lot to be said for the goldilocks 38-40mm case size, I still haven’t figured out how Seiko manages to make my last big diver’s … ContinuedThe post HANDS ON: The sports-luxe travel glamour of the Grand Seiko SBGE251 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
GaryG has already written about the struggles that independent watchmakers face simply to survive. Expressing oneself through horological art may well be a noble calling, but it’s definitely one of the tougher ways to make a living. Chanel's very recent investment in F.P. Journe caused Gary to think about the pros and cons of outside investment into indies, and he shares his thoughts here.
Time+Tide
This week at Time+Tide has been pretty diverse when I look back. We considered the latest Bulgari collaboration with Steve Aoki, the price of Picasso’s these days and the state of domestic Cambodian politics. We also received word that the very first pieces of the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 collection are hitting Australian shores soon … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: A Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Aussie presale, an emo Antiques Roadshow and the best Patek Philippe models of 2021 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having remade its most famous vintage El Primero chronographs, namely the A384, A385 and A386, Zenith is now turning to a more obscure corner of its archives to bring back the El Primero A3817. Best described as a tri-colour A386 dial within the A384 tonneau case, the A3817 released in 1971 as a limited run of 1,000 watches, making one of the rarest vintage first-generation El Primero models. Like Zenith’s other remakes, the modern-day Chronomaster Revival A3817 stays true to its vintage inspiration in dimensions, design, and movement. Initial thoughts The A3817 has always been one of my favourite El Primero models. I’m surprised it took as long as it did for Zenith to reintroduce the A3817, but glad that it did. Zenith is one of the best in the business when it comes to vintage reissues – evidenced by the remakes released for the 50th anniversary of the El Primero in 2019, as well as reinterpretations like the Chronomaster Revival “Shadow”. In the same vein, the Chronomaster Revival A3817 remains faithful to the original. In many ways, the vintage A3817 represented the best of the iconic 1969 El Primero models, merging the tonneau case with the striking tri-colour dial. Like the earlier remakes, the A3817 was revived by examining historical blueprints and reverse engineering vintage examples. Consequently, the remake is spot on in reproducing the look and feel of the original. The case is the same diameter and finished identically, and the dial is a dead ring...
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