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News: the legendary Jean-Claude Biver joins Norqain as advisor to the board
In an interesting twist, industry veteran and legend, Jean-Claude Biver joins the new Swiss watch beandNorqain as advisor to the board.
Results for Swiss vs Japanese Watchmaking
4,409 articles · 677 videos found · page 136 of 170
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Time+Tide
IN-DEPTH: How a fatal train crash became the catalyst for the Ball Watch Company’s success
The domination of the Swiss watch industry feels like an eternal truth, especially given the age of some of the most popular brands which stretch back hundreds of years. They may have always had the upper hand when it came to high-end complications and ornate decoration worthy of royalty, but there was a period of … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: How a fatal train crash became the catalyst for the Ball Watch Company’s success appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Timex jumps onto the Stranger Things’ 1980s bandwagon with new capsule collection
Given that nostalgia often feels like the dominant mode of inspiration for modern watchmaking – heritage reissue, anyone? – Timex’s collaboration with Stranger Things makes perfect sense. For anyone who grew up in the 1980s, the Netflix show is a retro bonanza. Set in 1983, the show focuses on a tight-knit group of kids in the … ContinuedThe post Timex jumps onto the Stranger Things’ 1980s bandwagon with new capsule collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Is the new AP Royal Oak Carolina Bucci Limited Edition the best rainbow watch design ever made?
What’s the biggest difference between Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet? For me, while both manufactures embody the best of traditional watchmaking, Audemars Piguet does a far better job of re-interpreting their tradition towards modern sensibilities and bringing their creations to a younger demographic. It’s the 50th anniversary of the AP Royal Oak this year, and … ContinuedThe post Is the new AP Royal Oak Carolina Bucci Limited Edition the best rainbow watch design ever made? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The MB&F; LM Sequential EVO incorporates two chronographs in one watch
Watchmaking at times can be very predictable and with brands often merely switching up colourways in their latest novelties there is not always as much shock and awe as we would like. Not MB&F; though, you can always count on the independent manufacture to keep you guessing and make the jaws of horological die-hards hit … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The MB&F; LM Sequential EVO incorporates two chronographs in one watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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SJX Watches
Seiko Introduces the Presage Day-Date in Green Urushi
A proponent of Japanese artisanal crafts, Seiko has just taken the covers off the latest watch decorated with traditional Japanese lacquer, the Presage Craftsmanship Series Urushi Dial Limited Edition ref. SPB295J1. Though both the craft and complications aren’t novel, the SPB295J1 is unusual for its triple retrograde display in a symmetrical layout, which is combined with a dial in dark olive urushi with and gold-powder details. Initial thoughts Like the recent pair of time-only watches with porcelain dials, the SPB295 is one of the more elegant watches in the Presage Craftsmanship line. I like the look of the SPB295 – the symmetry and uniformity make it more appealing than the standard Presage day-date watches that rely on a mix of fan-shaped and round sub-dials for the indicators. Adding to the appeal of the balanced dial layout is the colour. While green is a faddish colour now, it is executed with subtle style here; it’s an understated, dark hue that Seiko accurately describes as evoking a moss garden. And the sprinkle of gold is a nice touch – and a typical feature of traditional Japanese lacquerware – without which the dial the dial might have looked plain. My only gripe is the unusually small “31” at the end of the date scale, as well as the fact that the date numerals are four days apart, making it difficult to read the dates in between. Beyond the colour, the watch stands out for the dial layout. Unlike most Seiko Presage day-date watches, the S...
SJX Watches
Breitling Introduces Navitimer Cosmonaute B02 Limited Edition
One of the watches synonymous with the pioneer era of spaceflight is the Breitling Cosmonaute, which was worn by Scott Carpenter on the 1962 Mercury-Atlas 7 mission, making him the second American to orbit the Earth and the Cosmonaute the first Swiss-made wristwatch to make it into space. The Cosmonaute has been part of the Breitling catalogue in various forms in the decades since, but now for the 60th anniversary of Carpenter’s journey to space on board the Aurora 7 spacecraft, Breitling has unveiled a remake, the Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Limited Edition. The 362-piece edition is faithful to the original in terms of design, but upgraded with the in-house Caliber B02 and a bit of luxe in the form of a platinum bezel. A page from the 1964 Breitling catalogue showing the Navitimer-Cosmonaute ref. 809, the same model worn by Carpenter in space Initial thoughts I’ve always liked the distinctive aesthetic of the Navitimer – it is actually an aviation instrument – and the Cosmonaute is essentially a more complex version of the same thing, making it even more of an instrument. Granted all of that functionality has very limited use in the modern world, but it is still an appealing watch that possesses significant history. That in turn makes the Cosmonaute remake an appealing watch, especially since Breitling did a good job reproducing the original. The diameter remains the same but the modern-day version is necessarily thicker due to the in-house B02 movemen...
Time+Tide
Collector’s Crossroads: How sentimental value can become the nemesis of an evolving collector
The first expensive Swiss watch I ever purchased was an Ernest Borel Athletic. It’s a beautiful chronograph with a black dial that features a ton of depth. I bought it in 2016, while on my honeymoon in Toronto. It’s a watch that is forever associated with that time in my life and one I always … ContinuedThe post Collector’s Crossroads: How sentimental value can become the nemesis of an evolving collector appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Jean-Claude Biver Of Hublot, Blancpain, And Omega Fame To Start New Watch Brand (Video)
The Quill & Pad team was invited to a private chat at the Four Seasons hotel with Jean-Claude Biver, one of the most influential and important personalities in modern watchmaking. Biver, now 73, is embarking on what is probably a last hurrah: a watch brand under his own name. This video explains it all in his own words.
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Naoya Hida & Co. NH Type 2C-1 "Lettercutter" In Collaboration With The Armoury (Live Pics)
The vintage-inspired Japanese independent watchmaker releases a collaboration model with the menswear powerhouse from Hong Kong.
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Time+Tide
VIDEO: Seiko President reveals the origin story behind the Grand Seiko Kodo Constant Force Tourbillon
“Grand Seiko was born in 1960 and for about 50 years it was just limited exclusively to the Japanese domestic market,” explains Seiko President Akio Naito in this video. “Then we decided to go into the global market in 2010, and then we decided to make Grand Seiko an independent brand in 2017.” Grand Seiko has … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Seiko President reveals the origin story behind the Grand Seiko Kodo Constant Force Tourbillon appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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The Oak Collection International Exhibition debuts in London: invitation and how to visit
We are off today to London to preview this magnificent exhibition showcasing one man's passion for watchmaking spanning 40 years. Will report back soon!
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Review: The New Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton in Platinum
One moment you’re in your lane making jewelry, the next you’re out breaking watchmaking records at an unsettling rate – just another Tuesday at Maison Bulgari then. Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo line has been around for (only) eight years and has broken as many thinness records. One of these world beaters is none other than theRead More
SJX Watches
Places: The Time Museum of Tehran
Iran certainly isn’t the first country that comes to mind when pondering the art and science of measuring time. Besides the obvious fact that the country is historically not a watchmaking nation, the modern-day geopolitics have isolated Iran. But this was not always the case. Before the Islamic Revolution, Iran’s economy was open and boasted considerable dynamism. The country still retained its historical role as an international hub that connected East and West, an important position that allowed Iran to cultivate relations with most of the world’s industrialised countries. An enduring legacy of Iran’s historically significant status in Near East and its extensive connections with leading nations is preserved, seemingly frozen in time, within one of Tehran’s elaborate, pre-Revolutionary mansions. Located in the Zafaranieh district – one of the city’s oldest districts that got its name from the wealth saffron merchants who once populated the area – the mansion is home to the Time Museum of Tehran. Zafaranieh is an upscale area that’s home to many embassies, including those of the Brazil, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, and Qatar, but the original building where the museum stands predates most of them. It was originally a plain, single-story home dating to the Qajar dynasty (1796-1925), which ruled Iran before the Pahlavis, the last imperial family of Iran who were overthrown during the revolution of 1979. But it was only when Hossein Khodadad, a prolifi...
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin
The Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin is a newcomer duo to the Traditionelle collection. It packages Vacheron Constantin’s watchmaking prowess in a more feminine product, positioned to be one of the most complicated members of the family alongside a couple of tourbillon models. Complicated watches have often been reserved for larger sizes, so seeing them with proportions … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
VIDEO: Hands-on with the Grand Seiko SBGW283, SBGW285 and SBGE277
This past Watches & Wonders in Geneva, Grand Seiko dropped a ton of really cool novelties. There was the Evolution 9 chronographs and GMTs, the white lion high jewellery piece and, of course, the Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon. But that first wave of releases wasn’t enough for the Japanese manufacture. While not technically Watches and Wonders … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Hands-on with the Grand Seiko SBGW283, SBGW285 and SBGE277 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
“About 80% of human experience is filtered through our eyes.” IWC proves the power of Pantone®
With any sort of commercial product, the choice of colour plays a crucial role in attracting the consumer. But watchmaking is a game of precision, an art ever striving for the pursuit of perfection. It is no longer enough to make a black dial these days, now it needs to be the blackest black or … ContinuedThe post “About 80% of human experience is filtered through our eyes.” IWC proves the power of Pantone® appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Happenings: Jeffrey Kingston To Lecture At The Horological Society Of New York
The Blancpain author and expert will discuss overlooked elements of watchmaking.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The Rado Captain Cook 2022 collection
The Rado Captain Cook has proved a big hit since its launch in 2017 with its vintage-inspired looks reimagined with a smooth, contemporary edge that gives the watch a unique character among the hundreds of other Swiss dive watches. The range has gradually expanded over the last few years to include a 37mm version, different … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Rado Captain Cook 2022 collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: Le Diptyque Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein collab is colourful, playful and fun
It’s fair to say that the watchmaking industry is often pretty uptight as a whole. Companies like Swatch and Hublot try to inject some fun into the hobby, but what if you want something with luxury build quality that won’t cost tens of thousands? Louis Erard’s manifesto of bringing artwork into mechanical watchmaking for an … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Le Diptyque Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein collab is colourful, playful and fun appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Auction Watch: Sotheby’s Sets Record for Most Expensive Patek Philippe Ref. 2499
Sotheby’s just concluded the first sale of the spring auction season, which now moves to Geneva with a series of auctions in the Swiss city starting the first weekend of May. The season opened strongly with several records set at Sotheby’s, most notably with The Nevadian Collector, a sale of Patek Philippe timepieces all owned by an American collector. Made up of 38 watches and one lot of vintage Gay Freres bracelets, the auction was led by an unsurprising favourite that sold for a record price – the possibly unique ref. 2499 in pink gold with a dial signed “Gobbi Milano”. Sotheby’s consultant Sam Hines bringing the hammer down on the ref. 2499 “Gobbi” Four telephone bidders competed for the watch, with bidding swift and aggressive. One of the bidders went big early on, taking the bid from HK$19 million to HK$30 million with one bid – an increment of about US$1.4 million. Eventually one of the phone bidders triumphed and set the record for the most expensive ref. 2499 ever sold at auction. The pink ref. 2499 “Gobbi” hammered for HK$50 million, resulting in a total of HK$60.265 million including the buyer’s premium. That’s equivalent to about US$7.68 million, making it the most expensive ref. 2499 ever sold at auction by some margin. The last record holder was the ref. 2499 “Asprey” that sold in 2018 for about US$ 4 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva – which was also sold by the Nevadian. While the ref. 2499 “Gobbi” was the headline lot,...
Time+Tide
Long-awaited film “Keeper of Time” premieres worldwide this week
Years ago, when I watched the documentary The Watchmaker’s Apprentice, which details the journey of George Daniels and the path of watchmaker Roger W. Smith becoming his sole apprentice, I remember being awe-struck at the meticulous art of watchmaking and the perseverance required to achieve mastery in the field. Since that documentary, however, there have not … ContinuedThe post Long-awaited film “Keeper of Time” premieres worldwide this week appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Highlights: Patek Philippe and Rolex at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Auction
Sotheby’s is kicking off the spring season of the year’s watch auctions with two consecutive sales in Hong Kong that take place in a week’s time. The first is an evening sale of a single-owner collection of exceptional vintage Patek Philippe watches. And it will be followed by Important Watches I, which includes several good examples of independent watchmaking. Though the single-owner sale has most of the significant vintage Patek Philippe watches offered by Sotheby’s, it doesn’t encompass all of them. One of the major lots is a Patek Philippe ref. 2524 minute repeating wristwatch. We take a look at that along with several other highlights from Important Watches I, both vintage and modern, including an arguably underrated complicated (and bejewelled) watch for men by Van Cleef & Arpels (VC&A;). Important Watches I starts at 2:00 pm (GMT +8) on April 26, 2022. Registration for bidding and the full catalogue can be accessed here. The VC&A; Midnight Poetic Wish Lot 2144: Rolex Daytona ref. 16523 “Floating” signed “Tiffany & Co.” The most desirable Rolex Daytonas are typically steel, with the two-tone versions often being the most affordable, perhaps because the two-tone look is generally less sought after regardless of brand. But this steel-and-gold ref. 16523 is notable enough that it was included in Daytona Perpetual, the reference tome covering many rare and unusual variants of the model published by Italian Rolex specialist Pucci Papaleo. The key fe...
Quill & Pad
6 Super-Cool Yet Relatively Affordable Timepieces From Watches And Wonders 2022
Most of the timepieces at Watches and Wonders 2022 were from the higher end of fine watchmaking as most of the participants constitute the haute horlogerie maisons of the world. There were however a few notable exceptions – notable and affordable. Here Łukasz Doskocz highlights some of the showstoppers from the Palexpo halls that will hopefully not break your bank.
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: The Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Automatic
Nivada Grenchen are one of those brands that make you wish you’d heard of them years before you first saw them due to their knack of delivering some of the most perfect executions of vintage reissues that can be found in the Swiss watch industry today. The Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Automatic takes … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Automatic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Five sleeper picks from the upcoming “Precious Blues” Ineichen auction
A core component of being an auction house is curation, often under the scope of a particular theme. But, even with a theme in mind, we often see an abundance of the usual suspects: Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille. Swiss auction house Ineichen, however, loves to work outside the norm. Sure, they … ContinuedThe post Five sleeper picks from the upcoming “Precious Blues” Ineichen auction appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: I Want The All-New F.P. Journe Vagabondage To Lock Me Up And Throw Away The Key
The indie superstar's 2022 hero piece highlights the influence of early 2000s watchmaking.
Revolution
Cool Britannia: anOrdain
The United Kingdom boasts a number of independent micro-brands that are continuing the nation’s role as an important center for watchmaking, disturbing the peace and offering watches that give many more well-known brands a run for their horological money. Here are four such brands on why and how they do what they do…