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Results for Swiss vs Japanese Watchmaking

4,409 articles · 677 videos found · page 129 of 170

The Cyrus Klepcys Vertical Tourbillon Sapphire is a unique watch inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci Time+Tide
Mar 12, 2023

The Cyrus Klepcys Vertical Tourbillon Sapphire is a unique watch inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci

The Cyrus Klepcys Vertical Tourbillon Sapphire features a golden bridge inspired by a design of Leonardo Da Vinci The vertical tourbillon placement is inspired by traditional pocket watches. It’s a limited edition of 10 pieces, celebrating the 10th anniversary of Cyrus. My last exposure to the Swiss independent luxury brand Cyrus Genéve was the Klepcys DICE Racing … ContinuedThe post The Cyrus Klepcys Vertical Tourbillon Sapphire is a unique watch inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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INTRODUCING: The Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series delivers exquisite dials in porcelain, enamel and lacquer Time+Tide
Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series delivers Mar 11, 2023

INTRODUCING: The Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series delivers exquisite dials in porcelain, enamel and lacquer

Seiko are celebrating their 110th anniversary of making wristwatches. The Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series pays tribute to traditional Japanese techniques. The four dials cover enamel, porcelain and lacquer. Most people would know that Seiko is a Japanese brand, however, their ties to their country of origin run much deeper than the majority of watch brands. … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series delivers exquisite dials in porcelain, enamel and lacquer appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Sarpaneva Marks 20 Years with the Stardust SJX Watches
Sarpaneva Mar 9, 2023

Sarpaneva Marks 20 Years with the Stardust

Having built a reputation with original timepieces characterised by Neo-Gothic flair, Stepan Sarpaneva celebrates his 20th year in watchmaking with a pair in typical Sarpaneva style – Stardust and Stardust “Nostromo”. Limited to twenty pieces each, the duo embody Sarpaneva’s trademark aesthetic styling in their hand-finished, open-worked dials and Korona case.  Initial thoughts I have long admired Sarpaneva for being different. The man has a unique and often quirky vision of watchmaking that is evident in his timepieces, which are also finished well in terms of cases and dials. While Sarpaneva has not done much in terms of movements, his original approach is very much independent watchmaking. While different from its past offerings, both Stardust variants are still recognisably Sarpaneva with their radial dial motif and sculpted case. Stardust (left) and Stardust “Nostromo” The iridescent colours of the Stardust are not exactly novel, but it is a different take on the fashionable “rainbow” watch and it is certainly executed well since Sarpaneva does impressive dial work in its price segment. On the other hand, the dark colours of the Stardust “Nostromo” give it a more sci-fi feel that goes well with Sarpaneva’s house style. Both Stardust model are priced at €16,500 each, making them slightly affordable than the comparably spec’ed Valterri Bottas “Kilpisjärvi” released last year. While hefty on its face, the price tag is easily justifi...

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Seiko Introduces the Prospex 1970 Diver’s “Naomi Uemura” SJX Watches
Seiko Introduces Mar 8, 2023

Seiko Introduces the Prospex 1970 Diver’s “Naomi Uemura”

Nearly fifty years since Japanese explorer Naomi Uemura (1941-1984) scaled several of the world’s tallest mountains – and crossed Greenland on a dog sledge with a Seiko on his wrist – Seiko introduces the Prospex 1970 Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation “The Naomi Uemura Limited Edition” (SLA069). Inspired by the ref. 6105 “Captain Willard” that accompanied Uemura on his solo dog sledge run from Greenland to Alaska in 1976, the SLA069 has a mountain-motif dial and blue coating on the bezel and crown. Initial thoughts This limited edition makes sense philosophically since it’s a Japanese watch that pays tribute to a Japanese explorer who wore something similar on his expeditions. The design is obviously based on the ref. 6105, a model commonly referred to as “Captain Willard” by enthusiasts after the lead character who wore one in Apocalypse Now. Seiko has done several ref. 6105 remakes in the recent past, including another Uemura edition, but the SLA069 has details that make it distinctive, like the textured dial and blue access on the case. As a limited edition, the SLA069 is slightly priced higher than regular production “Captain Willard” divers, but not very much more, making it an appealing proposition for someone who wants a retro diver with a few modern details. Willard style Uemura was a legendary explorer known for feats of mountaineering and exploration before disappearing in 1984 while descending Mount Denali after reaching the summit. B...

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Seiko Introduces Prospex 1968 Diver’s GMT SJX Watches
Grand Seiko models Mar 8, 2023

Seiko Introduces Prospex 1968 Diver’s GMT

Responsible for some of the most reliable and well-priced diver watches on the market, Seiko is synonymous with the genre. The Japanese watchmaker continues to expand its dive watch offerings, but now with a second time zone complication. A “modern reinterpretation” of its Hi-Beat 300 m dive watch from 1968, the Prospex 1968 Diver’s GMT is the first mechanical dual-time zone dive watch in Seiko’s Prospex sports watch collection. The SPB383 Initial thoughts Arguably the collection offering the best value in Seiko’s line-up, Prospex is going slightly upscale with the second time zone movement, while maintaining its strong price-performance ratio. The standout among the new models is the SPB381 with its deep green dial. While the limited edition SPB385 with its textured, “ice blue” dial is undoubtedly fancier, the SPB381 is clean and functional but appealing with its palette. The SPB381 Though it is a two-time zone watch, the Diver’s GMT is still primarily a dive watch. So it retains the traditional elapsed time bezel and clever places the 24-hour scale on the flange around the dial. That said, the Diver’s GMT is more accurately a dual time zone watch with an independently adjustable 24-hour hand, rather than a true GMT that has an adjustable local-time hour hand (as found in pricier Grand Seiko models). This means a few extra steps when setting the time for a change in time zones, though it is a perfectly acceptable compromise considering the price. At U...

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Seiko Introduces the Presage Craftsmanship Limited Editions SJX Watches
Seiko Introduces Mar 8, 2023

Seiko Introduces the Presage Craftsmanship Limited Editions

Popular for making artisanal dials affordable, Seiko’s Presage Craftsmanship series has been facelifted for the 110th anniversary of the brand’s first watch. The dials continue to be decorated with techniques ranging from fired enamel to Japanese lacquer, but the Presage case has been refined into an all-new design. The restyled Presage is making its debut as a quartet of limited editions with dials in fired enamel (SPB393), traditional lacquer known as urushi (SPB395), Arita porcelain (SPB397), and translucent Shippo enamel (SPB399). The Shippo enamel dial of the SPB399 Initial thoughts Amongst the most affordable watches with fancy dials, the Presage Craftsmanship series has always been a good value proposition. Made with artisanal techniques typically found on pricier watches, the dials are all impressively executed especially considering the price, which starts at US$1,450 for the enamel dial SPB393 and tops out at US$2,050 for the SPB399 with a Shippo enamel dial. While the dial work was always impressive, earlier models had cases that were simple in form and somewhat chunky. Now Seiko has solved that with a redesigned case that appears thinner and more refined. The new case style makes it debut on this quartet but given its merits will inevitably become standard for future Presage Craftsmanship models. Due to the 6R series movements within, the new case is still large (the larger model is almost 41 mm wide and over 14 mm high) but it has been significantly r...

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10 signs you’re becoming a watch snob Time+Tide
Feb 25, 2023

10 signs you’re becoming a watch snob

Watch enthusiasts do not always share the Swiss philosophy of neutrality. Being enthusiastic about something inevitably leads to hot takes, strong and stubborn opinions and, in turn, some snobbery. On the wrong day, I am definitely guilty of it myself – we’re all human after all. The reality is this niche hobby becomes less welcoming … ContinuedThe post 10 signs you’re becoming a watch snob appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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The Owner’s Perspective: Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300m WatchAdvice
Tissot PRS 200 as Feb 24, 2023

The Owner’s Perspective: Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300m

There are several watches that most watch enthusiasts should own in their collection at one time. The Omega Seamaster Professional Diver is one of those watches. If it’s good enough for James Bond, then it’s good enough for me! This isn’t the first time that I’ve owned a Seamaster. I had a 2005 quartz version almost 20 years ago. At that point I’d only owned a Tissot PRS 200 as a “good” Swiss watch. As a fan of James Bond, (and what young male isn’t?), I always wanted his watch. I mean how cool was the wave dial, the deep blue bezel and at the time, that unmistakable bracelet. It looked great in the office and on weekends at the beach. I loved it. Financial issues meant I had to sell it about 7 months after buying it, and that hurt. About 15 years and many watches later, I decided it was time to purchase another, this time the latest iteration of the SMP 300. I chose the black polished ceramic dial with the laser etched waves, date at 6 O’clock, glossy, almost silky polished ceramic bezel with white inset dive indicators. And this time, on the steel and opting to add the rubber strap too. Very versatile and with the steel bracelet and rubber strap, two very different looks for different occasions. Just a casual low light shot In 2018, Omega launched their updated version of the classic Bond watch. This time in a 42 mm case, making it a little bigger and bolder, and after a slight hiatus, bringing back the wave pattern on the dial. The new wave pattern is ...

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Victor Monnin And Alexander Hazemann’s School Watches: Two Talented Next Generation Watchmakers To Look Out For Quill & Pad
Feb 24, 2023

Victor Monnin And Alexander Hazemann’s School Watches: Two Talented Next Generation Watchmakers To Look Out For

One of the most important things for the watchmaking industry is to ensure that today's watchmakers have successors that can repair old watches, make new watches, and develop the next generation of watches. Fortunately, the next generation is coming on and is coming in hot, as Victor Monnin and Alexander Hazemann, two young watchmaking students, highlight as they take things to the next level with their school watches. 

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The Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Blue & Gold offers exemplary in-house machined mastery Time+Tide
Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Blue & Feb 24, 2023

The Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Blue & Gold offers exemplary in-house machined mastery

Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Blue & Gold’s faceted case is inspired by the lines of stealth aircraft design 45mm in diameter, 18K rose gold and PVD blue titanium case. Flying Tourbillon. Hours and minutes. Escapement wheel, anchor and balance spring in silicium. When delving into the romanticism of traditional high-end watchmaking, we often discuss hand-craftsmanship. But, … ContinuedThe post The Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Blue & Gold offers exemplary in-house machined mastery appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Brand Video Spotlight: A Heritage of Artistry in Design – The Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series Worn & Wound
Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series Feb 23, 2023

Brand Video Spotlight: A Heritage of Artistry in Design – The Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series

Getting to know Seiko’s Presage Sharp Edged Series Seiko’s carefully crafted Presage collection reflects Seiko’s deep heritage of artistry in design and timekeeping. Timepieces that earn the Presage moniker capture the essence of both classic and contemporary Japanese style. The newest Presage designs from the Sharp Edged Series, convey the cool angularity of today’s Japanese aesthetic. The dial incorporates a Japanese “Asanoha” or hemp leaf pattern, prevalent in Japanese culture for its use in design and a symbol of growth and prosperity. The rich texture of the dial and the angular geometric pattern create a color gradation as it plays with light at every angle. Click here to view on YouTube. Learn more about the Seiko Presage Collection The post Brand Video Spotlight: A Heritage of Artistry in Design – The Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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H. Moser Debuts the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tantalum Blue Enamel, their First Watch in the Exotic Metal Worn & Wound
H. Moser Debuts Feb 22, 2023

H. Moser Debuts the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tantalum Blue Enamel, their First Watch in the Exotic Metal

Moser’s latest is the brand’s first ever release in tantalum, a rarely used metal with unique characteristics that make it one of the more rewarding metals in all of watchmaking. In other words, it has a beautiful aesthetic impact, but it takes a lot of work and knowledge to get it to that point. Using it at all is something of a flex for any brand, and Moser is throwing down the gauntlet to a certain extent with this release. Somewhat predictably, they’ve incorporated what has come to be the brand’s signature complication, a unique and easy to read perpetual calendar, into their first tantalum watch, all with an elaborate enamel dial with a distinct hammered texture.  The clear highlight of the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tantalum Blue Enamel is the use of tantalum, so we’ll start there. Tantalum is extremely dense and strong, qualities which make it an excellent candidate as a case metal for a luxury watch. It’s also very corrosion resistant, and develops a very thin layer of oxidation when exposed to air that naturally protects it. Tantalum also has a gray-blue tone to it that is quite unlike any other metal, giving it a unique quality that no other metal can match.  The reason tantalum is so uncommon in watchmaking is because it is very difficult to machine thanks to a melting point that comes in around 3000 °C. It takes advanced technology and equipment to properly fabricate tantalum for watchmaking purposes, which of course requires not only a substa...

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New: Bulova Accutron Astronaut Deployant
Accutron Astronaut DEPLOYANT - Feb 18, 2023

New: Bulova Accutron Astronaut

One of the most notable aspects of the Bulova Astronaut Re-Edition is its design. The watch features a 41mm stainless steel case with a black dial and luminous hands and markers, similar to the original watch. It also features a distinctive Day/Night bezel which helps the wearer track two time zones simultaneously. The watch is powered by a Swiss-made automatic movement, which ironically makes it no longer the 'most accurate watch in the world'; a phrase used to describe the original 1968 model with the 214HN sub-caliber.

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Accutron Introduces Astronaut “T” SJX Watches
Accutron Introduces Astronaut “T” Once Feb 17, 2023

Accutron Introduces Astronaut “T”

Once a major brand during the 20th century heyday of American watchmaking, Bulova had a long association with the American space programme and US Air Force. Its watches broke the sound barrier, went to space, and even  the Moon. One of the watches that left Earth’s atmosphere was the Accutron Astronaut, which orbited the Earth on Mercury-Atlas 9 in 1963. Now having been spun off as a standalone brand by Bulova, Accutron debuts the Astronaut “T”. The limited-edition remake replicates the look of the crown-less, electric original, but as a modern mechanical watch with a Sellita movement featuring a dual time zone function. Initial thoughts Now owned by Japanese watch giant Citizen, Bulova has been steadily rolling out reissues of its best-known historical models, and unsurprisingly Accutron is doing the same. The Astronaut “T” is just the first in an upcoming series of Astronaut watches. Like the brand’s other reissues, the Astronaut “T” has an appealing aesthetic if you like the retro, 1960s style that characterises the series. And though little known, Bulova’s history in space exploration and cutting-edge air force projects brings a good deal of historical glamour to the model, which boosts its appeal. But the remake is pricey, especially given that neither the modern-day Bulova brand nor Accutron are known as a makers of high-end watches. The retail price of US$3,500 puts it in the same territory as the Tudor Black Bay Pro that has a more sophisticat...

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Frederique Constant Celebrates their 35th Anniversary and their Signature Complication with a New Highlife Worldtimer Manufacture Worn & Wound
Frederique Constant Celebrates their 35th Anniversary Feb 16, 2023

Frederique Constant Celebrates their 35th Anniversary and their Signature Complication with a New Highlife Worldtimer Manufacture

It’s hard to believe, but Frederique Constant celebrates their 35th anniversary this year. This is a brand that’s truly part of the old guard when it comes to the contemporary, affordable watch scene. Making the “nice Swiss watch” accessible to the masses was a big part of why the brand was founded, and over the course of their history the entire watch industry has changed multiple times over, currently finding itself in a healthy spot where more and better watches are finding their way onto the wrists of enthusiasts at a pace that couldn’t have have been imagined three decades ago. The line between “luxury” and “affordable” continues to shift, and there’s no doubt that Frederique Constant has played a role in those changes.  Specifically, Frederique Constant has broken new ground when it comes to making complicated watchmaking affordable. We all know about their excellent perpetual calendar, which they are still able to sell for a little less than $10,000 several years after its debut. But they also dabble in other historically significant and tech forward complications. Over the years we’ve seen everything from flyback chronographs to moon phases equipped watches, and of course their Slimline Monolithic with an ultra high frequency oscillator. But it could be argued that their signature complication, the one that the brand has leaned into the hardest and gained the most acclaim for, is the worldtimer. So it makes sense that for Frederique Constant...

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HANDS-ON: The Méraud Antigua is a yachting watch that bobs along on a delightfully retro wave Time+Tide
Feb 16, 2023

HANDS-ON: The Méraud Antigua is a yachting watch that bobs along on a delightfully retro wave

Having previously owned two vintage watches powered by Landeron movements, I’ve always believed they were unsung heroes in the world of Swiss chronographs. One of the watches I had was a Rotary that dated all the way back to 1937, and the Landeron 47 inside it still worked perfectly and intuitively. Méraud have made my … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Méraud Antigua is a yachting watch that bobs along on a delightfully retro wave appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Oris Coulson Limited Edition Hands-on Review WatchAdvice
Oris Coulson Limited Edition Hands-on Feb 15, 2023

Oris Coulson Limited Edition Hands-on Review

What we like: Dial is a real head turner3D Printed Carbon case is a winnerMassive five-day power reserve What we don’t like: Some may find it to be expensiveThe fingerprints easily show on the crystal Some may not appreciate the 3D-printed case Overall rating: 7.75/10 Value for money: 7/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 8/10 Build quality: 8/10 2022 was a big year for the independent Swiss brand Oris. Amongst the brand’s major updates to some of its collections was the continued release of its limited edition timepieces based on ecological conservation. The last major release for Oris in 2022 was the Coulson Limited edition, a watch created from the latest partnership with Coulson Aviation. Alongside creating luxury timepieces, Oris also works in a variety of different areas to bring “Change for the Better” for the planet and its people. Oris is also now independently certified as a climate-neutral company, with the watch brand working closely with other pioneering agencies to bring the change required to make the world a better place.  One of these agencies is Coulson Aviation, which Oris just recently partnered up with. Coulson Aviation is a family-run independent company based in Canada that sends out pilots, planes, and also much-needed equipment to areas of the world that are heavily affected by wildfires. The resources and help provided are split between the US and California for the Northern Hemisphere summer and for the Southern Hemisphere summer, Australia and...

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Brellum Throws Their Hat into the GMT Ring with the Pilot LE.1 GMT Chronometer Worn & Wound
Feb 14, 2023

Brellum Throws Their Hat into the GMT Ring with the Pilot LE.1 GMT Chronometer

Brellum is an up and coming independent brand that prides itself on its rich familial history in watchmaking. Founder Sebastian Muller can trace his family lineage of watchmakers all the way back to his great grandfather who set up his very own shop in 1910. The rest, as they say, is history. Brellum exists today with the intention of continuing the Mueller legacy by producing highly-crafted timepieces that, not only present with a thoughtful design for the modern day wearer, but to pay homage to their family’s passion for traditional Swiss watchmaking. Their surname is an anagram in the brand’s namesake afterall. Recently, the brand announced a very limited run of a handsome pilot’s chronograph equipped with a GMT function with the Brellum Pilot LE.1 GMT Chronometer. The dial is where the Brellum Pilot LE.1 GMT Chronometer shows a whole lot of flash without straying too far away from the traditional pilot’s watch aesthetic. And by flash, I mean that opalin silver-now dial. From the images, it seems that this dial has its own character all on its own, displaying a luster against radiant lighting, and then a more toned down matted white in neutral lighting. All of the dial markings use black as the main color for unmistakable legibility including the minute track, 24 hour display bordering the outer portion of the dial, and applied numeral hour markers. The subdials take up dial real-estate at six, twelve and nine with a date window sneaking into the six o’clock s...

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In Conversation with Raynald Aeschlimann About the New Omega Speedmaster Super Racing Spirate Revolution
Omega Speedmaster Super Racing Spirate Feb 13, 2023

In Conversation with Raynald Aeschlimann About the New Omega Speedmaster Super Racing Spirate

Technical innovation has always been at the heart of Omega. From the Speedmaster being the first watch to be flight-qualified by NASA for manned space flight to the industrialisation of the co-axial escapement, Omega remains at the vanguard of pushing the boundaries of watchmaking. 10 years in the making, Omega’s new Spirate hairspring system takes […]

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HANDS-ON: The TAG Heuer Solargraph may just be the perfect luxury adventure watch Time+Tide
TAG Heuer Solargraph may just be Feb 9, 2023

HANDS-ON: The TAG Heuer Solargraph may just be the perfect luxury adventure watch

While some are finally shaking the sentiment off, it is no secret that watch snobs love to dismiss and knock quartz watches. And, I get it. The quartz crisis nearly rendered the mechanical timepieces we all love extinct. So it is easy to understand why horology lovers are so protective of mechanical watchmaking. That being … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The TAG Heuer Solargraph may just be the perfect luxury adventure watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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