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Results for WOSTEP (Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program)

37,657 articles · 3,368 videos found · page 1219 of 1368

Hublot Unveils the Big Bang Integral Time Only SJX Watches
Hublot Unveils Jan 25, 2022

Hublot Unveils the Big Bang Integral Time Only

While a pioneer in luxury-sports watches with its gold-meets-rubber models of the 1980s, Hublot is a relatively new arrival to the world of luxury-sports watches with an integrated bracelet – with its opening act being the flyback chronograph of 2020. Now a simple, fuss-free version joins the line up. At LVMH Watch Week 2022 the brand has taken the covers off the Big Bang Integral Time Only, which has an integrated bracelet naturally, but also is the most compact men’s Big Bang to date at 40 mm wide. And in typical Hublot style, the new Time Only is available in a trio of materials, none of which is steel but instead titanium, ceramic, or yellow gold. Initial thoughts It’s great to see Hublot adapt its products to accommodate demand for small(er) watches, especially since the Big Bang has always been, well, big. The trimmer size of the Time Only brings it closer to the dimensions of the traditional luxury-sports watches, which are essentially elaborate bracelets that tell time. Despite its uncharacteristically smaller proportions, the new Time Only is still very much a Hublot. It manages to capture the Hublot style in both design and materials, while avoiding some of the cliches of the integrated-sports watch category, namely a patterned dial or a case and bracelet in steel. The most obvious difference between the Time Only and the typical integrated-bracelet sport watch is the dial. Doing away with the dial altogether and exposing the movement underneath leaves it ...

Up Close: Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor SJX Watches
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Having Jan 23, 2022

Up Close: Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor

Having enjoyed modest success with its affordable(ish) Tonda GT sports watch launched two years ago, Parmigiani tweaked the concept and debuted a more refined – and pricier – sports watch last year, the Tonda PF. The line up includes the base-model Micro-Rotor in steel reviewed here, along with a chronograph and annual calendar. The Tonda PF Micro-Rotor in steel Taking generous inspiration from the brand’s more classical timepieces, the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor is a luxury-sports watch with an integrated bracelet. While the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor doesn’t deviate much from the familiar formula for a luxury-sports watch, it does excel in a few ways, helping it stand out from the competition, most notably with its minimalist dial and ultra-thin automatic movement that are both executed to a high level. And its bigger brother, the Tonda PF Chronograph in pink gold Initial thoughts The Tonda PF Micro-Rotor is surprisingly thin, making it seem slightly wider than its 40 mm diameter. But it sits flat and elegant, with the lines of the case flowing into the bracelet, giving it a sleek look on the wrist. Despite its delicate looks, the Micro-Rotor (along with the rest of the Tonda PF range) is water resistant to a respectable 100 m. Unlike many of Parmigiani’s recent models (including its more affordable sports watch, the Tonda GT), the Tonda PF is minimalist in terms of styling. And the Micro-Rotor, being the simplest watch in the collection, is the most pared back. Its di...

Up Close: Baltic Micro-Rotor MR01 SJX Watches
Breguet numerals so I was Jan 20, 2022

Up Close: Baltic Micro-Rotor MR01

A French micro-brand that specialises in watches with retro style, Baltic unveiled its smallest – and perhaps most classical – offering in October last year, the Micro-Rotor MR01. Coming in at just 36 mm in diameter, the MR01 is no doubt a surprising size for a modern watch. Despite its compact size, the MR01 manages to squeeze in a lot relative to the price. Most obvious is a tasteful design that brings to mind gentlemen’s watches from the 1930s – the Calatrava ref. 96 easily comes to mind. But equally interesting is the slim automatic movement with a micro-rotor that is responsible for the elegant proportions (and affordability). Its combination of aesthetics and price meant the initial run of 200 pieces in each colour – “salmon”, blue, and a no-nonsense silver – quickly sold out. Of the three, the “salmon” dial immediately stands out, just because it’s the flavour of the dial for vintage-inspired dress watches. But when the opportunity for review came along, I opted for the silver dial, as I found the clean palette attractive. As pleasing as the MR01 seemed in photos, there were a few details I wasn’t convinced by, such as the wide bezel and applied Breguet numerals, so I was looking forward to wearing one for a few days. The all-silver is a good look and one often found on more expensive Calatrava-inspired watches such as the Naoya Hida NH Type 1B Initial thoughts After handling the MR01 for the first time, it seemed to be a thoughtful, comple...

OPINION: These are the watch terms that drive me nuts… Time+Tide
Jan 18, 2022

OPINION: These are the watch terms that drive me nuts…

I’ve never understood the term “tool watch”. After all, you don’t hear people talking about tool cars or tool computers – because “tool” is redundant. Anything used to do something is a tool, and last I checked, even a dress watch tells the time. If you want to refer to a dive watch, then call it … ContinuedThe post OPINION: These are the watch terms that drive me nuts… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem is pure horological poetry Time+Tide
Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem Jan 17, 2022

The Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem is pure horological poetry

It really isn’t often that watches, even the super-luxury timepieces that stretch well into six or seven figures, put so much care into visual execution as the Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem. In this modern world where even the existence of such expensive items must be examined as a moral dilemma, this watch is one … ContinuedThe post The Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem is pure horological poetry appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Grand Seiko Introduces the Spring Drive SLGA009 “White Birch” SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Introduces Jan 17, 2022

Grand Seiko Introduces the Spring Drive SLGA009 “White Birch”

Though it was two years ago as the Grand Seiko’s flagship Spring Drive movement, the 9RA5 still feels new, simply because the latest-generation movement hasn’t found its way into many watches, save for a pair of limited editions. Now it finally makes it into a regular-production model, the Grand Seiko Spring Drive SLGA009 “White Birch”. The latest Spring Drive, like the mechanical SLGH005, is inspired by the tree of the same name that’s native to the area around Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi. Initial thoughts The SLGH009 “White Birch” clearly becomes the Grand Seiko’s showcase Spring Drive – it resembles the previous generation’s bestseller, the famous “Snowflake”, but is substantially upgraded in terms of features and finish. The combination of familiar styling and improved quality makes it attractive. Part of the appeal lies in the 9RA5 movement, which on the surface seems like a mere upgrade over the predecessor 9R65. But it is more than just the power reserve being increased to five days, and the new calibre boasts an entirely new architecture, including both a new gear train and integrated circuit for the Spring Drive regulator, as well as a better finishing. The other aspect of its appeal lies in the design, which has dubbed “Evolution 9”. As always is the case with Grand Seiko, Evolution 9 is inspired by vintage Grand Seiko models, but brings with it a sense of solidity and refinement, thanks to the flatter case, heftier bracelet, a...

Why I sold my favourite watch – the 2008 Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 42mm Time+Tide
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 42mm Jan 15, 2022

Why I sold my favourite watch – the 2008 Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 42mm

When a wound is fresh it hurts the most to prod it, but the earlier the treatment begins the sooner the healing process can resolve. Some of you may have previously read my admittedly numerous articles mentioning my 2008 Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean, including this veritable love poem to the watch as I declared that … ContinuedThe post Why I sold my favourite watch – the 2008 Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 42mm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

WHO TO FOLLOW: Turn passion into art with @sunflowerman.watch Time+Tide
Jan 14, 2022

WHO TO FOLLOW: Turn passion into art with @sunflowerman.watch

Artists have always been tasked with capturing a moment in time so those in the future can enjoy it. This mission becomes more interesting when it’s time itself that the artist is capturing. That freezing of time by the skilled hands of an artist gets communicated perfectly through a canvas. At the same time, we … ContinuedThe post WHO TO FOLLOW: Turn passion into art with @sunflowerman.watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

RECOMMENDED VIEWING: “The Watches We Wore The Most This Year” Time+Tide
Jan 11, 2022

RECOMMENDED VIEWING: “The Watches We Wore The Most This Year”

If you want to get know what makes any given watch collector tick, then it is wise to get a sense of what is in their watch collection. But if you really want to dig deeper, then its best to ask which watch they wear the most. Right before the close of 2021, the team … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED VIEWING: “The Watches We Wore The Most This Year” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

In-Depth: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph ‘Collection Excellence Platine’ SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronogr... Jan 11, 2022

In-Depth: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph ‘Collection Excellence Platine’

When Vacheron Constantin celebrated its 260th anniversary in 2015 with the Harmony collection of cushion-shaped watches, the standout was easily the split-seconds chronograph. Seemingly ordinary on its face, the Harmony split-seconds was powered by the cal. 3500, an all-new rattrapante chronograph calibre with a novel automatic winding mechanism. The movement was gorgeous, but disappeared from the catalogue – until last year. The cal. 3500 made its comeback with the Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph Ultra-Thin Collection Excellence Platine. Like the other Collection Excellence Platine (CEP) watches, the Traditionnelle split-seconds is a limited edition – only 15 pieces in fact – that utilises platinum generously throughout the watch, but it is unique as there is no standard production equivalent in the catalogue. In short, it is a special watch. The cal. 3500 with its intricate chronograph mechanism and novel peripheral rotor Initial thoughts On its face, the Traditionnelle split-seconds is an elegant watch with a restrained, almost simple style. Its proportions are wide and slim, creating a graceful profile. The thinness exaggerates the case diameter slightly, so it does seem a bit wider than it is, especially with the longish lugs. In typical CEP style, the dial is nearly monochromatic, rendered in grey and silver, with the only colour coming from the indicator hands for the chronograph and power reserve. It’s a simple combination, but a good one. The pla...