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El Primero Zenith

Zenith's 1969 column-wheel automatic chronograph caliber at 36,000 vph, saved from quartz-era destruction by Charles Vermot in 1975 and supplied to the Rolex Daytona ref. 16520 (1988-2000).

Wiki · Guide
Panda / Reverse Panda Dial

Chronograph dial with high-contrast sub-counters. Vintage Daytona, Speedmaster CK 2998, Heuer Carrera; modern 116500LN, Tudor Chrono.

Wiki · Guide
Telemeter Scale

Chronograph scale converting flash-to-sound time into distance. WWI artillery-spotting origin; vintage Longines / Lemania / Heuer.

Wiki · Guide
Pulsometer Scale

Chronograph scale reading heart rate in BPM after counting 15 or 30 pulse beats. The 1920s-60s doctor\'s watch standard.

Highlights: A Patek Philippe Trio at Phillips’ New York Auction SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Overseas prototype Dec 6, 2019

Highlights: A Patek Philippe Trio at Phillips’ New York Auction

The final watch auctions of the year take place in New York, and as usual Phillips is staging a thematic sale. Titled Game Changers, the auction is made up of watches owned by game-changing celebrities like Marlon Brando and Jack Nicklaus, or timepieces that were game changers in the horological landscape, like the F.P. Journe Octa Reserve de Marche prototype. Also in the sale is a would-be game changer: the Vacheron Constantin Overseas prototype in titanium, not yet a game changer since it has not been put into production, but being the coolest Overseas to date, it probably will. And also worth a look is the vintage Heuer Monaco with a hand-finished movement that’s being sold for charity. But this article is about a handful of Patek Philippe watches, including the sale’s top lot, a ref. 1518 “pink on pink”, as well as a less expensive but more intriguing skeleton pocket watch with paillonnee enamel decoration. The ref. 899 pocket watch decorated with blue enamel and paillons Lot 38 – Patek Philippe ref. 530 chronograph The ref. 530 is a desirable model because it’s oversized for a vintage watch – the case is 36.5mm in diameter – giving it proportions that are quite modern. And the ref. 530 is rare, although a several examples have come up at recent auctions. They sold for moderate prices, for varying reasons and perhaps a general market softness, so this one might be a chance to land a ref. 530 for a reasonable price. This example is attractive. The dial ...

Interview: Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie. SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie Since Edouard Dec 4, 2019

Interview: Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie.

Since Edouard Meylan took the top job at H Moser & Cie. in 2013, after his family acquired the struggling brand a year earlier, he righted the ship and the brand is now forging ahead with technical ambition and a surprising degree of commercial nous. Wielding a Wharton MBA, Mr Meylan devised creative, and at times, controversial marketing campaigns – from the “Frankenstein” watch to one covered in grass – that have allowed Moser to punch above its weight as a maker of just 1,500 watches a year. Yet Moser has retained its technical know-how that has allowed it to refine its signature perpetual calendar, amongst other things. That’s aided by the fact that besides Moser, the Meylan family interests also control its sister company Precision Engineering, via a 90% ownership of the holding company Moser Watch Holding. The component specialist produces hairsprings, as well as other key movement components like escape wheels, pallet forks, and balance wheels, supplying Moser as well as a host of the independent brands. The ingenious Moser perpetual calendar movement During his recent visit to Singapore to inaugurate the newly inked partnership with retailer Cortina Watch, we sat down with Mr Meylan to discuss a spectrum of topics, from his mischief-making promotional activities to the firm’s manufacturing, as well as the soon-to-be-launched chronograph. The interview was edited for clarity and length. When you took over the company seven years ago, it was struggling ...

Hands-On: Zenith El Primero Defy 21 Carbon SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Mikrograph one Dec 3, 2019

Hands-On: Zenith El Primero Defy 21 Carbon

Zenith’s streak of high-tech watches – including this year’s Defy Inventor and El Primero Double Tourbillon – began in 2017, when it unveiled the El Primero Defy 21. The watch is a chronograph with a dual-train construction that accommodates a high-frequency chronograph with a resolution of 1/100th of a second and a lightning seconds hand that whizzes round the dial once a second. Originally offered only in ceramic, titanium or gold, the high-frequency chronograph is available in a featherweight carbon composite case – arguably best suited to its styling and complication – with the launch of the El Primero Defy 21 Carbon. A familiar style The unusual movement of the Defy 21 is inspired by the similar constructed movement in the TAG Heuer Mikrograph, one of many high-frequency chronographs devised by Guy Sémon, the resident technical guru at TAG Heuer, a sister company of Zenith. Notably, the Mikrograph and the Defy 21 are the only serially produced, 1/100th of a second chronographs on the market today. Due to the movement’s dual-train architecture – essentially two independent movements on one base plate – the case is a large 44mm in diameter and 14.4mm high. But being carbon composite, it manages to remain lightweight despite the size. At the same time, the predominantly black colour scheme across the case and dial also makes the watch look smaller than it is, especially compared with versions of the Defy 21 in gold or titanium. Visually, the case i...

Hands-On: F.P. Journe Octa Réserve de Marche Prototype SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Octa Réserve de Marche Dec 2, 2019

Hands-On: F.P. Journe Octa Réserve de Marche Prototype

As has become tradition, a good part of Phillips’ upcoming New York watch auction is a memorabilia sale of sorts, including watches owned by Marlon Brando, golfer Jack Nicklaus, and astronaut John Glenn, as well as the Urwerk worn by Robert Downey Jr. while playing Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame. The auction also includes a piece of historical horological memorabilia: an F.P. Journe Octa Réserve de Marche prototype. The prototype is largely identical to the later, serially produced version of the watch – the case is platinum and the dial, yellow gold – but is marked as a prototype on the case back, and also bears the various traits unique to early watches made by Francois-Paul Journe. The cal. 1300 Launched in 2002 and discontinued in 2014, the Octa Réserve de Marche was the brand’s first entry-level wristwatch, powered by an automatic movement, the cal. 1300. Originally conceived to have an eight-day power reserve – hence “Octa” – the movement instead has a power reserve of 120 hours, or about five days. Reputedly constructed with a gear train borrowed from a robust and well-known hand-wind movement plus an extra-large mainspring, the cal. 1300 was the base calibre for the entire Octa line. Although a variety of complications were added on top, ranging from the Octa Chronograph to the annual calendar of the Octa Calendrier, all versions of the movement had identical height of 5.7mm regardless of function. The slimness and smart construction did come at th...

TAG Heuer Introduces the Carrera Heuer 02T Cortina Edition SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Introduces Nov 29, 2019

TAG Heuer Introduces the Carrera Heuer 02T Cortina Edition

Launched in 2016, the TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02T remains the most affordable Swiss-made chronograph with touribllon, starting at just US$17,000. Despite the price, the Calibre Heuer 02T is an in-house movement that’s automatic, COSC-certified, and equipped with a lightweight flying tourbillon that has a carbon composite upper carriage and titanium base. The latest variant of the affordable “grand” complication is a limited edition made for Singapore retailer Cortina Watch. Dressed in orange and back, the Carrera Heuer 02T Cortina Edition is being offered only online, via the retailer’s website. As with the standard model, the case measures 45mm wide and 16.4mm high. It features the modular construction that characterises the Carrera line. The case middle is black-coated titanium paired with a black ceramic bezel, while the lugs, pushers and crown are steel. The dial is semi-skeletonised to reveal the grey, sandblasted base plate of the movement. Orange accents are applied to the dial and bezel, including the chronograph hands, and even the carbon composite upper cage of the tourbillon, creating a striking contrast with the black components. Mechanically the movement is identical to the standard Heuer 02T. Based on the CH-80 chronograph movement, it’s equipped with a column wheel and vertical clutch for the chronograph. And it has a 65-hour power reserve, with the balance running at a frequency of 4Hz. Key facts and price TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02T Cortina Edi...

VIDEO: Hublot’s Prancing Pony Time+Tide
Hublot s Prancing Pony Nov 23, 2019

VIDEO: Hublot’s Prancing Pony

At Baselworld 2019, Hublot released a new chronograph in partnership with Ferrari that looked almost un-Hublot. We had become so used to recognising the hard angles and faceted cases of the brand founded by Carlo Crocco that the flowing curves of the newest Classic Fusion were staggeringly svelte in comparison, and suddenly appealing to an entire … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Hublot’s Prancing Pony appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Bremont Arrow Review WatchAdvice
Bremont Arrow Review Bremont Nov 21, 2019

Bremont Arrow Review

Bremont is an English based brand established in 2002, run by brothers Nick and Giles and has gained popularity and admirers in a relatively short time. Heavily entrenched with aviation roots, Bremont has been expanding their catalogue of late to entice new enthusiasts, teaming up with the likes of Jaguar and even releasing a diving range.  Earlier this year, however, a new, stripped-down line was introduced, and Bremont entered into a partnership with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) honouring Her Majesty’s Armed Forces. In an unusual departure for Bremont, all three pieces are available to both armed forces personnel and civilians. Each watch represents the three armed forces; Army- The Broadsword, Navy- a dive watch called Argonaut and the Air Force- The Arrow, a mono-pusher chronograph seen here.  CASE:  The armed forces line also introduces a new case design as opposed to Bremonts core “Trip-Tick” case which uses a three-piece design that stacks pieces of the case top & bottom with usually an aluminium centrepiece. This process allows the centre to be replaced with different materials and colours.   The Arrow uses a more traditional two-piece case design which also helps reduce the price point. The 42mm x 15mm thick and 51mm lug to lug, hardened steel case has satin and polished finishing. The case side features some additional detailing (which is standard on most Bremonts) and the slightly smaller case size is a welcome addition. A unique mono-pusher found a...

IN-DEPTH: The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 blue dial Time+Tide
TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 blue Nov 20, 2019

IN-DEPTH: The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 blue dial

The story in a second: The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 blue dial is a familiar face, which has been sleekly refined. If you know TAG Heuer, you’ll know the Carrera chronograph, a wristwatch that has been trackside at motorsport events for decades, offering those behind the wheel a functional timing tool. While some of … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 blue dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Singer Reimagined Introduces the Track 1 Emirates Edition SJX Watches
Nov 19, 2019

Singer Reimagined Introduces the Track 1 Emirates Edition

Singer Reimagined, a sister company of Singer Vehicle Design, the acclaimed Californian outfit that modifies 964-series Porsche 911s, made its debut in 2017 with the Track 1 – a watch with a retro case but an ingenious, modern movement. The brand has since introduced several limited editions for key cities, including Geneva and Hong Kong. Now, to coincide with Dubai Watch Week, it is launching the Track 1 Emirates Edition, a smartly coloured iteration with contrasting dial textures for more intuitive reading. Measuring 43mm wide and 15mm high, the watch features a ceramic-coated aluminium case, created by subjecting aluminium to an electro-plasma oxidation process that creates a thin layer of ceramic on its surface. This gives the case a hard, scratch-resistant surface while keeping it lightweight, although the coating can be damaged by impact. In the same vein, the bezel, pushers, crown and case back are in titanium, but coated with zirconium nitride (ZrN), a hard ceramic that is pale gold in colour. The dial features black, concentric hour and minutes discs on the periphery with an olive-green centre and a gilt tachymeter flange, while all the hands are orange. The watch is otherwise mechanically identical to the standard versions. It is equipped with one of the most revolutionary chronograph movements of recent times – the AgenGraphe, which was developed by Agenhor, a respected Geneva complications specialist led by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht. Boasting five patents for...

Highlights: Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction – Complications and Enamel SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin minute repeater pictured above Nov 18, 2019

Highlights: Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction – Complications and Enamel

Happening in just over a week, the Phillips Hong Kong watch auction is a 321-lot event spread over two days. Notably, the first session is an evening sale titled First, made up of 52 watches consigned by their original owners. The offerings in First, as well as the main sale the next day, are diverse array ranging from a possibly unique Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon with a black dial, and a wonderfully elegant Vacheron Constantin minute repeater (pictured above) – both consigned by the first owners no less – to vintage sports Rolex watches and Omega Speedmasters. The Sky Moon Tourbillon ref. 5002G Another original owner Patek Philippe grand complication, the ref. 5033P Here we cover some of the complicated watch highlights, while other vintage and sports watches will be featured in a subsequent article. The full catalogue is available on Phillips.com. First, lot 833 – Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Chronograph One of the best values in the segment of perpetual calendar chronographs is a pre-owned Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Chronograph. This example is in platinum, with a largish 43mm case that is suited to today’s taste for larger watches. The layout is traditional for a perpetual calendar chronograph, though the calendar windows are slightly small relative to the size of the dial. But this has a decorative flourish few of its peers have: the moon phase is a hand-engraved disc of white gold that features a tiny...

3 TAG Heuer Calibre 16s that can do it all Time+Tide
TAG Heuer Calibre 16s Nov 15, 2019

3 TAG Heuer Calibre 16s that can do it all

TAG Heuer has been using its venerable chronograph-equipped Calibre 16 movement for more than two decades now. In fact, the storied movement has been utilised by the Swiss watchmaker in a great many of its models since 2005, when it was first released in the then new and completely overhauled Carrera. It’s pretty easy to … ContinuedThe post 3 TAG Heuer Calibre 16s that can do it all appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Highlights: Christie’s Hong Kong Watch Auction Fall 2019 SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Equation Nov 15, 2019

Highlights: Christie’s Hong Kong Watch Auction Fall 2019

After a record-setting auction weekend in Geneva, the action moves to Hong Kong in the last week of November. Chatter about the Hong Kong auctions this year are dominated by one watch, the Patek Philippe ref. 2523 twin-crown world time in pink gold with a blue enamel dial, because it carries the highest pre-sale estimate in watch auction history of 55m-110m Hong Kong dollars, or about US$7m-14m. Instead of being sold along with the rest of the watches on November 27, it will be the opening lot in the evening sale of 20th century and contemporary art on November 23. With the top lot in the evening sale – Five Nudes by Sanyu – having an estimate of HK$250m-550m dollars, or about US$32m-70m, the twin-crown world time hardly looks out of place. The Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Equation of Time But the ref. 2523 aside, the rest of the Christie’s sale is made up of 239 more affordable timepieces, including an ultra-rare Patek Philippe ref. 3651 chronograph and a value-buy Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Equation of Time in platinum. Here’s a look at highlights from the sale. And the full catalogue can be found here. Lot 2298 – Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3800/108G in white gold, with diamonds and emeralds  This is shameless 1990s bling – a Nautilus ref. 3800/108G. The suffix means it’s 18k white gold, fully set with brilliant-cut diamonds and having 11 baguette-cut emeralds for the hour markers. The watch feels weighty in the hand, though the case is compact. An...

Zenith Defy Classic Blue Ceramic Review WatchAdvice
Zenith Defy Classic Blue Ceramic Nov 14, 2019

Zenith Defy Classic Blue Ceramic Review

The future of watchmaking for Zenith can be narrowed down to one word: Defy. The Defy collection started with the release of the Defy El Primero 21 back in 2017, which was the quite amazing hundredth-of-a-second chronograph. This was followed by the first-generation Defy Lab (known now as Defy Inventor), which Zenith states is the world’s most accurate watch with its new ground-breaking monocrystalline silicon oscillator. Luckily enough, we had a chance to review the Zenith Defy Inventor as well, which you can check out here. Zenith has added a mini collection of three ceramic models to the Defy Classic range. The models in the Defy Classic Collection has a three-hand plus date feature and comes in three colour variations: White ceramic, Black ceramic and Blue ceramic. The piece we have on our hands today is the elegant Defy Classic Blue Ceramic. Having a colour outside of the typical white and black in a ceramic, which is the norm, definitely brings something different to the table. Although the colour blue may have its limitations with what it can be worn with, compared to all black and white ceramic watches. Despite this limitation, the blue ceramic certainly is an eye-catcher when on the wrist. Like the other two models in the Zenith Defy Classic Ceramic range, the blue ceramic comes with its own matching blue rubber strap.  Sometimes having too much of the same colour throughout the watch can be too “in your face” as well. The blue used by Zenith for this cera...

Zenith Introduces the Defy El Primero 21 Southeast Asia Editions SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Nov 12, 2019

Zenith Introduces the Defy El Primero 21 Southeast Asia Editions

Produced for the key markets in an important region, the Defy El Primero 21 South East Asia Edition is based on Zenith’s well-priced, 1/100th of a second chronograph, with one edition each for Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. All three watches share the same red and white livery – reflecting the colours found in each country’s national flag – but with a respective national landmark printed on the case back. The Defy El Primero 21 is one of two true 1/100th of a second chronographs on the market that are serially produced – the other being the Mikrograph produced by Zenith’s sister company TAG Heuer. Both share a similar movement architecture, but the Mikrograph came first and inspired the construction of the Zenith calibre. Landmarks The colour scheme of the trio is a nod to the flag of each country, all of which happen to include red and white. The power reserve, minute counter, chronograph hands and crown are accented in red. The watch is otherwise mechanically identical to the standard version. It is powered by the self-winding El Primero 9004 movement, which utilises two independent sets of mainsprings, gear trains and balance wheels. The timekeeping escapement runs at a frequency of 5Hz, while the chronograph escapement runs at 50Hz, allowing the watch to resolve to 1/100th of a second. And more so important in a high frequency movement, the escape wheels – the fastest rotating wheel in the transmission system – and pallet forks are made of silicon...

Auction Report: Albert Piguet Double-Balance Resonance Watch Sells for CHF250,000 SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Nov 12, 2019

Auction Report: Albert Piguet Double-Balance Resonance Watch Sells for CHF250,000

One of the most interesting lots in the second instalment of Masterworks of Time at Sotheby’s that just concluded was a seemingly unassuming pocket watch with an estimate of just 7,000-10,000 Swiss francs. But the pocket watch contains a movement with a single gear train driving double balance wheels linked by a differential, constructed to keep time according to the principles of resonance. This is one of the very movements that inspired Philippe Dufour to create the Duality. And its appearance at auction comes at an opportune time, with F.P. Journe going to launch an entirely new Resonance movement in 2020. The Philippe Dufour Duality Mr Piguet of Lemania The movement was made by Albert G. Piguet (1914-2000), a noted watchmaker who finished the movement in 1933, just before graduating from the École d’Horlogerie in Le Sentier, then the premiere watchmaking school in the Vallee de Joux. He joined movement maker Lemania after graduation, and eventually rose to technical director. Piguet stayed in that role from 1948 to 1980, during which he helped develop numerous calibres, including the important CH27 chronograph movement that later became the cal. 321 found in the early Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, and also the cal. 2310 used by the likes of Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. Piguet’s 1933 pocket watch movement is just one of six produced between 1932 and 1934 by students at the watchmaking school, working under the tutelage of headmaster Marcel Builleumi...

Montblanc Introduces the Heritage Small Second with a Minerva-Minerva Movement SJX Watches
Montblanc Introduces Nov 10, 2019

Montblanc Introduces the Heritage Small Second with a Minerva-Minerva Movement

During a chat with Montblanc watch division chief Davide Cerrato this weekend in Geneva – where the split-seconds chronograph he created for Only Watch sold for a 100,000 Swiss francs – he revealed the company had recently discovered a small number of finished Minerva MB M62.00 movements from the early 2000s. Already decorated and assembled, the hand-wound movements were then paired with a specially designed dial to create a discreet limited edition. The calibres were produced in 2003, during the brief period from 2000-2006 when Minerva was owned by Italian former billionaire Emilio Gnutti who was later convicted of insider trading. Mr Gnutti radically remade Minerva after he took over, elevating it from a producer of competent and honest watches into one focused on ultra high-end timepieces with exceptional movement finishing. But his endeavour was not financially viable and he sold Minerva to Richemont, which integrated the brand into Montblanc. The Minerva-Minerva movement The MB M62.00 in the new Heritage Small Second come from this period, so they have impeccable finishing. But unlike Minerva movements produced after the Montblanc takeover, these movements were wholly finished prior to the Richemont takeover so they are only marked “Minerva” and “Villeret”. Though the MB M62.00 are identical, both in style and finishing, to later movements marked “Montblanc”, aficionados will appreciate the nostalgic Minerva logo. The MB M62.00 movement is derived fr...

Highlights: Phillips Geneva Watch Auction X SJX Watches
Patek Philippe ref 1463 Nov 10, 2019

Highlights: Phillips Geneva Watch Auction X

With the Double Signed theme auction out of the way, here are a few highlights from Phillips’ Geneva watch auction, including a Lange Zeitwerk that might be a value buy, and a steel Rolex Day-Date prototype. Lot 145 – Lange Zeitwerk in rose gold The Zeitwerk is unquestionably a modern classic – notably, it is probably the most reliable digital display watch on the market – and is relatively good value on the secondary market, selling for a chunk off retail. This example is in rose gold, and is complete with all boxes and paperwork. It was first sold in 2011, and obviously wasn’t worn much sine then. The estimate is just 20,000-40,000 Swiss francs. Lot 179 – Patek Philippe ref. 1463 in steel One of the top lots in the sale, this is a ref. 1463 “Tasti Tondi”, an early water-resistant chronograph by Patek Philippe. But this is in steel, of which only 67 are known, with a two-tone dial, furthering reducing the number known to just 17. The watch is in excellent condition, with a sharply preserved case and original dial, although the dial might have been cleaned in the distant past. The estimate is 300,000-600,000 francs. Lot 209 – Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in yellow gold The ref. 1518 is a landmark, being the first serially produced chronograph with perpetual calendar. This is a good example of the ref. 1518, almost the quintessential version of the model with a yellow gold case. It is clean and in good condition, albeit showing a little bit of age on the dial,...

Up Close: Patek Philippe Ref. 3652 Minute Repeater “Golay Fils & Stahl” SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Ref 3652 Minute Repeater Nov 5, 2019

Up Close: Patek Philippe Ref. 3652 Minute Repeater “Golay Fils & Stahl”

The most intriguing watch in Phillips’ upcoming Double Signed auction is by far the smallest watch in the sale – it’s the Patek Philippe ref. 3652 that’s just 31mm in diameter. In fact, the ref. 3652 is a dead ringer for a Calatrava ref. 96 from the 1930s. But – the ref. 3652 is a unique reference produced during a brief period when Patek Philippe is known to have made a handful of remarkably interesting, one-off timepieces. All were powered by vintage movements, and some were vintage watches freshly re-cased. One example is the ref. 3651, a chronograph re-cased in the late 1980s of which only a handful are known. Most of these watches are now in its museum; some of them were made for Philippe Stern himself, who was then running the company alongside his father, Henri. The ref. 3652 was one such reference, created as a custom watch for a client. It’s a minute repeater made in 1985, but powered with a ladies’ watch movement from the early 20th century. And it has a fired enamel dial signed “Golay Fils & Stahl” – which was a watchmaker itself a century before. At 31mm, the watch is tiny by any standard. That’s compounded by the fact that the lugs are set widely apart, making the case seem even smaller. If not for the slide on the case, it would easily pass as a ref. 96, the quintessential Calatrava model that Patek Philippe produced for some four decades until 1973. But the ref. 3652 is neither a ref. 96 nor a vintage watch, which is why it’s inte...

Highlights from Jean-Claude Biver’s Collection on Show in Geneva SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet where he started his Nov 5, 2019

Highlights from Jean-Claude Biver’s Collection on Show in Geneva

Now the non-executive chairman of the watch division at LVMH, Jean-Claude Biver has enjoyed a remarkable career in the watch industry that has spanned some 45 years. That success has enabled him to build a timepiece collection that is both magnificent and diverse, ranging from vintage Patek Philippe to modern independent watchmaking. Now the entire collection will be on display for the first time at Phillips in Geneva, after which it will embark on a world tour. Bookends of Mr Biver’s career so far: a Royal Oak ref. 5402 ST by Audemars Piguet, where he started his career And a Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Chronograph Titled Jean-Claude Biver: A Retrospective. Share, Respect, Forgive, the exhibition includes two dozen watches – including some lovely Patek Philippe pocket watches – that are amongst the best examples of 20th century watchmaking. Notably, the collection also includes several watches by prominent independent watchmakers, many of which were relatively recent purchases. They include a Philippe Dufour Simplicity in rose gold – the exact watch we featured several weeks ago in fact – and a fresh-off-the-press Akrivia Chronometre Contemporain in platinum. According to an inside source, Mr Biver’s late-in-life interest in independent watchmaking, and also the Rolex Daytona “Zenith”, is the result of counsel from his son, Pierre, who is a specialist at Phillips’ London office, showing that the love of watches can be hereditary. A Patek Philippe Ref. 15...

Hands-On: George Daniels Anniversary Watch in White Gold SJX Watches
Omega Nov 3, 2019

Hands-On: George Daniels Anniversary Watch in White Gold

Though extremely rare, the George Daniels Anniversary Watch is a familiar timepiece because it has been widely covered and is arguably the signature George Daniels wristwatch. Though the Daniels Millennium was made in larger numbers, it was powered by a modified Omega (and by extension, ETA) movement. In contrast, the Anniversary relies on a proprietary movement designed by Daniels and his protege Roger W. Smith – and it’s almost a visual twin of the one-off Daniels chronograph wristwatch. But the basic architecture of the Anniversary movement comes from the movement in Series 2, the trademark Roger W. Smith timepiece, which was launched in 2006, three years before the Anniversary. The white gold Anniversary next to the owner’s other example in yellow gold The quintessential Daniels Anniversary is in yellow gold, of which 35 were made. But when first launched in 2009, the Anniversary series was also meant to encompass four box sets of four watches each, made up of one watch in each colour of gold and another in platinum. The sets were never produced, however, individual watches originally destined to be part of the sets were. Owned by a noted collector who acquired it direct from the George Daniels trust, this Anniversary in white gold is one of them. And it is the only Anniversary ever made in white gold so far. On the wrist of the owner Though identical in design to the yellow gold Anniversary, the white gold watch looks more contemporary by virtue of its colour. ...

Hands-On: Breguet Type 20 for Only Watch 2019 SJX Watches
Breguet Type 20 Oct 29, 2019

Hands-On: Breguet Type 20 for Only Watch 2019

Breguet’s contribution to the most recent Only Watch auction in 2017 was a unique, enlarged version of its inventive in-line perpetual calendar that had the calendar indications arranged in a column vertically across the dial. Though clever and unusual, the watch was probably too esoteric and classical for current tastes, and it sold for 110,000 Swiss francs, just 10% above the high estimate, reputedly to a discerning collector in Australia. This year’s upcoming Only Watch, however, includes a very different Breguet that should sell for a multiple of its estimate. The Type 20 for Only Watch 2019 is essentially a spot-on replica of the two-register aviator’s chronograph Breguet supplied to the French military from the mid 1950s – exactly the type of watch that is desirable now. Specifically, it’s a remake of the first generation Type 20, which was marked “5101/54” on the case back, denoting the order number, “5101”, and the year of 1954. More specifically, it’s based on the Type 20 made for the French air force, distinguished by equal-sized sub-dials; watches for the naval air arm had oversized minute counters. Named after the French military specification for pilot’s chronographs, itself derived from the Second World War German air force chronograph design, the original Type 20s were produced by a variety of watchmakers, including Vixa, Dodane, and Auricoste. Breguet examples, however, are the most valuable. Note that “Type XX” refers to the same...

Hands-On: De Bethune DB28 Yellow Tones SJX Watches
De Bethune DB28 Yellow Tones Even Oct 29, 2019

Hands-On: De Bethune DB28 Yellow Tones

Even amongst avant-garde watchmakers, De Bethune stands out for its substance – aesthetic and material innovation matched by technical ingenuity. At its core, the brand has reimagined the most fundamental aspects of mechanical timekeeping, from the barrel to the hairspring, while pushing the boundaries of traditional complications, be it the moon phase, tourbillon or chronograph. But arguably its most distinctive innovation is an aesthetic one, which has come to define the brand no less – heat-blued titanium. The brand has used the alloy for more than 15 years across various parts of the watch, even making almost a whole watch out of it. But now De Bethune has a twist on the theme, resulting in the DB28 Yellow Tones in brilliant golden titanium. Fiery yellow Though the colour of the new DB28 is striking, it is by no means loud, as the amber shade of yellow isn’t the same as yellow gold and doesn’t pass off as such. In fact, it looks more like fresh brass than gold. The colour was achieved through thermal oxidisation of the surface, essentially the same process as that used for blued titanium (and also the same for blued steel). The yellow surface, just like the blue, is the result of an oxide that forms on the surface of titanium when it is heated to a certain temperature. But amber yellow tone in this case was created by heating it at a lower temperature than used for blued titanium. Titanium undergoes different stages of oxidation when heated, and yellow is o...

TAG Heuer Unveils Unique, Hand-Finished Monaco “Steve McQueen” SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Unveils Unique Hand-Finished Monaco Oct 28, 2019

TAG Heuer Unveils Unique, Hand-Finished Monaco “Steve McQueen”

The upcoming Phillips New York auction includes an unusual watch: the Monaco Piece d’Art, a one-off vintage watch restored and hand-finished by TAG Heuer that’s being sold to benefit a charity in the city. Created to mark the 50th anniversary of the iconic square-case chronograph, the Monaco Piece d’Art started out as a ordinary example of the Monaco ref. 1133B – also known as the “Steve McQueen” after the actor wore one in the 1971 film Le Mans – one of several specimens in TAG Heuer’s own museum. Hand-decorated and upgraded The Monaco ref. 1133B was powered by the Calibre 11 Chronomatic, one of the first automatic chronograph movements ever launched; the Chronomatic made its debut in 1969, the same year as the Zenith Primero and Seiko cal. 6139. Though important in the history of watchmaking, the Chronomatic movement was functional and fuss-free. So TAG Heuer decided to change that. The movement inside the Monaco Piece d’Art was taken apart and then carefully decorated, part by part, by a four-person team of watchmakers over three months. The steel levers and springs of the chronograph mechanism were straight grained and bevelled, screws heads were flat polished, gears were given circular graining, and so on. Even the countersinks for the jewels and screws were polished. The refinished movement inside the Monaco Piece d’Art (left), with an original Calibre 11 Chronomatic But the reworking of the movement was not merely aesthetic. The jewel count was...

Have watch will travel – 5 GMTs under $5K that are ready to hit the road Time+Tide
Oct 24, 2019

Have watch will travel – 5 GMTs under $5K that are ready to hit the road

Watches with complications - like the chronograph, moonphase or, in this case, the GMT - are less about practical function and more about possibility. Sure, these watches are designed to excel on the road (or in the air for that matter), but for most wearers, that is an infrequent reality. Still, the possibility of far-off places … ContinuedThe post Have watch will travel – 5 GMTs under $5K that are ready to hit the road appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Rolex Unicorns Part III – Ref. 6062 Triple Calendar “Stelline Gordon Bethune” SJX Watches
Rolex Unicorns Part III – Oct 21, 2019

Rolex Unicorns Part III – Ref. 6062 Triple Calendar “Stelline Gordon Bethune”

The third important vintage Rolex – in my opinion – at Phillips’ upcoming Geneva auction, after the ref. 4113 split-seconds chronograph and mint ref. 8171 “Padellone”, is the ref. 6062 “Stelline” triple calendar that once belonged to Gordon Bethune, the executive best known for turning around Continental Airlines during his decade-long tenure starting in 1994. The watch a sterling example of the ref. 6062 – and will sell for well over a million dollars – but it is also notable for what it says about the development of the vintage watch market. Now 78 and retired, though he pops up regularly on CNBC to comment on the airline industry, Mr Bethune accumulated his watch collection over two decades. He sold the bulk of it in 2012, but remains probably the only famous business executive known to have collected watches in a serious fashion (another is perhaps former Hollywood talent agent Michael Ovitz, though he more widely regarded as an important collector of contemporary art). Mr Bethune’s collection was inclined towards great, even some of the best, examples of important, uncommon and desirable watches, rather than extraordinarily or unique models. So he owned one of the best-preserved, all-original examples of the ref. 6062s “Stelline”, rather than say a well-worn ref. 6062 with a black, diamond-marker dial. It was a cold day in December… The Gordon Bethune Collection of Fifty Exceptional Vintage Wristwatches took place in December 2012 at Christi...

Zenith Defy Inventor Review WatchAdvice
Zenith Defy Inventor Review Zenith’s Oct 21, 2019

Zenith Defy Inventor Review

Zenith’s reputation for developing groundbreaking technology and movements in their watches have once again been redeemed with the release of the Zenith Defy Inventor. Back in 1969, Zenith first released the El Primero self-winding chronograph movement. To this day after slight tweaks, it is still being used in their El Primero line of watches. The El Primero movement is regarded as one of the finest movements in the watchmaking industry, succeeding in having a high frequency while putting out a power reserve of approximately 50 hours.  In 2017, Zenith once again manufactured a timepiece that would be revolutionary for not only the brand but the watch industry as a whole. The Defy Lab contains what Zenith claims as the world’s most accurate mechanical movement. Operating at 15Hz, the movement in the Defy Lab is much faster than most mechanical watches in the industry, including the brands very own El Primero movement, which operates at roughly 5Hz.  What made the Defy Lab so special was the proprietary “Zenith Oscillator” developed Guy Semon from LMVH. The Zenith Oscillator in a nutshell, takes into consideration real-world scenarios, which includes environmental and temperature changes, vibration and also shocks. The Zenith Defy Lab, however, was limited to a run of 10 “piece unique” watches, which meant that the general public would find it hard to acquire these impressive timepieces.  Fast forward to Baselworld 2019, where Zenith released the Defy Invento...

Christopher Ward Introduces the Military Collection SJX Watches
Christopher Ward Introduces Oct 18, 2019

Christopher Ward Introduces the Military Collection

Founded in 2004 and selling its watches solely online, Christopher Ward has done some interesting watches at affordable prices, most notably the hand-wound, mono-pusher chronograph of 2017. But its latest is more straightforward: a range of watches inspired by vintage British military-issue timepieces. Unusally, the new models are licensed by the British Ministry of Defence to bear “the insignia of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force” for public sale. While not actual military-issue watches, the line draws on well-known watches once supplied to the arms of the British armed forces, with the army and air force models managing to best capture the look of the originals. Christopher Ward, admirably, cites the exact vintage inspiration for each of the new watches, so the new dive watch, for instance, is loosely based on the Omega Seamaster 300 supplied to the Royal Navy. All three new watches have a “glass box” sapphire crystal, and are powered by a COSC-certified Sellita SW200, a robust and cost-efficient automatic movement. Each model is named after the respective training academy for the service arm, starting with the C65 Dartmouth. It’s named after Britannia Royal Naval College, which sits beside the port of Dartmouth in southern England. The case is steel, 41mm, and rated to 150m. According to the brand, it is modelled on the Omega Seamaster 300 “Big Triangle”, a specific type of the dive watch that Omega supplied to the Royal Navy...

Panerai Introduces the Luminor Luna Rossa Collection SJX Watches
Panerai Introduces Oct 18, 2019

Panerai Introduces the Luminor Luna Rossa Collection

Back in January, Panerai unveiled the Luna Rossa Challenger Submersible Carbotech, which kicked off the watchmaker’s official sponsorship of Luna Rossa, the challenger of the 36th America’s Cup that takes place in 2021. And now the brand has introduced three Luminor watches – the Luna Rossa Regatta (PAM01038), the Luna Rossa Chrono Flyback (PAM01037), and the Luna Rossa GMT (PAM01036) – dedicated to the sailing syndicate, which has fellow Italian brands Prada and Pirelli as its main sponsors. Only just unveiled at the Salón Internacional Alta Relojería (SIAR) watch fair in Mexico City, the three watches are characterised by high tech materials that also used in Luna Rossa. The watches share the same monochromatic palette, with a distinctive “sandwich dial” made up of a lower dial plate with luminous paint for the numerals that’s capped with an upper dial plate covered in sailcloth from Luna Rossa. Though each use different case materials, they all share the same titanium case back engraved with the Luna Rossa and the team logo. Luminor Luna Rossa Regatta (PAM01038) A dedicated yachting chronograph, the Luminor Luna Rossa Regatta is the flagship model of the range. It has a 47mm case in Carbotech, a proprietary carbon fibre-reinforced polymer, making it massive but lightweight. First introduced in 2015, the material is produced by layering sheets of carbon with a polymer resin in between to create a light and strong composite with a woodgrain appearance. ...

Breitling Introduces the Revamped Avenger Collection SJX Watches
Breitling Introduces Oct 16, 2019

Breitling Introduces the Revamped Avenger Collection

Launched by Breitling almost two decades ago as an upsized, sportier version of the then bestselling Chronomat, the Avenger has just been revamped into a streamlined collection made up of facelifted watches. Still retaining the styling of earlier generations of Avengers, the line is now made up of chronographs in three sizes (48mm, 45mm and 43mm cases), automatics in 45mm or 43mm cases, and a GMT. All models are rated to 300m and have a stainless steel case as standard. But the 45mm and 48mm watches are available in Night Mission livery – the best looking iteration – which means a black-coated titanium case and dial featuring military-inspired “stencil” numerals. Super Avenger Chronograph 48 Night Mission All the chronographs have the same basic specs, and the same COSC-certified Valjoux 7750 movement. The flagship model is the Super Avenger Chronograph 48, an enormous 48mm watch that’s probably too big for most, making the 45mm and 43mm chronographs more viable. The best looking watches of the line is the Avenger Chronograph 45 Night Mission, which manages to have a more modern military style that’s distinct from most other military aviation-type watches. Breitling ambassador and retired astronaut Scott Kelly The Average Automatic 45 Seawolf is a 45mm dive watch, powered by the Breitling Calibre 17, which is an ETA 2824. The specs are shared by the Avenger Automatic 43 that’s 43mm. Avenger Automatic 45 Seawolf And the last model is the Avenger Automati...