Hodinkee
Introducing: Parmigiani Fleurier's New Tonda PF Collection Is The Start Of Something Seriously Exciting
Guido Terreni's first collection at Parmigiani Fleurier charts a new course for the Swiss company.
Results for Co-Axial vs Swiss Lever Escapement
6,490 articles · 78 videos found · page 138 of 219
Hodinkee
Time+Tide
Bulgari’s pivot to the Roma at Geneva Watch Days reveals they’re not just the Finissimo Show
Question: has any watch brand evolved as much as Bulgari in the last decade? In 2011, the company’s watchmaking design division was transplanted from Rome to Neuchâtel in Switzerland in a sign of the brand’s horological intent. It’s proved to be wildly fruitful, too, as Italian style has merged with Swiss precision in a succession … ContinuedThe post Bulgari’s pivot to the Roma at Geneva Watch Days reveals they’re not just the Finissimo Show appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Bernhard Lederer Introduces the Central Impulse Chronometer
After Bernhard Lederer unveiled his impressive double-wheel escapement wristwatch last year, it was radio silence until now. As it turns out, Mr Lederer was working on refining the Central Impulse Chronometer, which is now being launched in its final, serial-production form. The new watch is essentially the same watch, but with a new and improved dial. The movement remains the same: equipped with a double-wheel escapement featuring twin going trains, each equipped with a remontoir d’egalité constant force mechanism – making it one of the serious chronometers in modern horology. Entirely revised is the dial, which now has more elegant design, with slim hour markers framing a chequerboard guilloche centre. And the dial now incorporates gains a symmetrical, figure-of-eight aperture that showcases the twin escapements and remontoirs, with each having its own seconds hand – both turning in the opposite direction. Initial thoughts The CIC is one of the relatively rare wristwatches to incorporate a double-wheel escapement. But what makes the CIC uncommon is its execution – its escapement is powered by twin individual going trains – a construction famously conceived by George Daniels for his pocket watches, most notably the Space Traveller’s Watch. Bernhard Lederer at his bench The degree of miniaturisation to fit such a construction into a watch puts the CIC amongst an exclusive class of timepieces that can be counted on one hand – made by George Daniels, Derek ...
Time+Tide
An owner’s guide to the pros, cons and timeless style of the Doxa SUB 200
The Doxa SUB 200 harks back to a golden era in recreational diving timepieces. Released in 2019, it’s an affordable, Swiss-made 200m water-resistant three-hander with an ETA 2824-2 movement, from a venerable brand with a rich association with dive watches. That heritage perhaps informs the watch’s robust functionality with its sapphire crystal, sapphire bezel and … ContinuedThe post An owner’s guide to the pros, cons and timeless style of the Doxa SUB 200 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
MICRO MONDAYS: Straum’s debut combines Viking myths with modern luxury
A new brand that taps into a rich vein of Norwegian nature and stories from the Viking age with rich dial art and a Swiss-made focus on the all-important small details.The post MICRO MONDAYS: Straum’s debut combines Viking myths with modern luxury appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
RAKETA “BAIKONUR” Review
It’s the dawn of the new space age. Over the past 10 days, we have had two separate billionaires venturing into space in their very own spacecraft. With Elon Musk also firmly in the race (albeit not in his own ship… yet), it’s quite apt that we look at another aspect of the space age… as in, what will the space tourists wear on their wrist… in space??? When we think about mechanical watches, Swiss and Japanese watches usually come to mind. Perhaps followed closely by German watches. What about Russian? They pop up in a watch conversation perhaps as many times as humans have been into space. (Although given recent developments, the numbers might grow in favour of humans in space…) However, the Russians did have a thriving watch industry and whatever your viewpoints are political, you cannot ignore the fact that there are many interesting and fascinating Russian watches available today. Some of them were even developed with space travel in mind. Introduced in 1961, named in honour of Yuri Gagarin’s first manned flight to outer space on the Vostok 1, Raketa (Russian for “Rocket”) is perhaps one of the better known Russian watch companies. In fact, they are a true Manufacture in the sense that not only do they make their own movements, they also produce their own hairsprings, meaning they don’t need to rely on Swiss or Japanese supplies for this crucial part. One of the main points of difference is the “secret Soviet alloy” used to produce the hairsprin...
SJX Watches
Kees Engelbarts Introduces the Dragon Gate Trilogy
According to Chinese legend, a carp that could jump the falls at the Dragon Gate of the Yellow River would transform into a dragon. The tale inspired the latest from Kees Engelbarts, a Dutchman who’s one of the most prominent engravers in Swiss watchmaking. The Dragon Gate Trilogy is a three-piece set of watches, each featuring a unique, hand-engraved and enamelled decoration that charts the carp’s transformation from fish to dragon. They are presented in an equally lavish box that’s hand made by a French cabinet maker and decorated by an award-winning lacquer artisan. Initial thoughts Over his two decades in watchmaking, Mr Engelbarts has created wristwatches of surprisingly diverse variety. Last year’s skeleton tourbillon was airy and organic, while the Dragon Gate Trilogy is decidedly more decorative. The trio is certainly not for everyone, though I do like the middle of the three watches, which depicts the carp in the midst of its transformation. The dial is striking and dramatic. The transformation dial But while the style is subjective, the quality of Mr Engelbart’s work is objectively excellent – unsurprising given that he’s long been a go-to engraver for a number of independent watchmakers, including veteran Svend Andersen. Mr Engelbart’s creations are truly high-quality artisanal work. The engraving is finely detailed and three dimensional, while being enhanced by Mr Engelbart’s clever use of exotic materials. The carp dial, for instance, feature...
Time+Tide
6 watches that tell the history of Longines dive watches in the ’60s and ’70s
Longines is one of the more successful and storied Swiss watch manufacturers over its lengthy history, which dates all the way back to 1832. But when most of us think of vintage Longines, we think of beautifully proportioned dress watches from the 1950s and their critical contribution to pilots watches from the early ’30s. In … ContinuedThe post 6 watches that tell the history of Longines dive watches in the ’60s and ’70s appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
In-Depth: Urwerk Puts The Space Shuttle On Your Wrist
One watch artfully links Swiss manufacturer Urwerk to NASA's Space Shuttle and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York.
SJX Watches
David Candaux Introduces the Streamlined DC7 Genesis
David Candaux established his eponymous brand with the 1740 Half Hunter, a watch with several exotic features that made it decidedly unconventional, especially for a watchmaker located in the traditional heart of Swiss watchmaking, the village of Le Solliat in the Vallee de Joux. Now Mr Candaux is following up with something more concise, the DC7 Genesis. The DC7 still preserves many of the novel elements of the original model – like the inclined-balance tourbillon – but presents them in a streamlined manner. Initial thoughts For someone who appreciated the technical merits of David Candaux’s first wristwatch, but found it too fancy, the DC7 is ideal. The DC7 remains unusual in both design and construction, but inches closer to the conventional end of the scale. The cleaner and simpler design make the DC7 easier to digest. Though streamlined, the DC7 still retains the watchmaker’s signature features, including the vertically-symmetrical case, telescopic crown, and inclined-balance tourbillon. More broadly, the watch is composed of inclined surfaces – the dial and movement bridges are both inclined, making it instantly recognisable as a David Candaux creation. At the same time, the movement is finished differently from the original model, and slightly less intricate, but still appears to be done to a similarly high standard. Importantly, the simpler mechanics make it more affordable. At about US$150,000 in titanium, the DC7 is not quite a value buy, but it’...
Time+Tide
Longines steps up their customer care with an increased five year warranty
Longines have made a strong move to increase customer loyalty, while also underlining the inherent value of their Swiss craftsmanship. From next month, the brand has announced that it’s extending their warranty on all models equipped with a silicon balance-spring. The new five-year warranty will be valid for all automatic models purchased (not produced) after … ContinuedThe post Longines steps up their customer care with an increased five year warranty appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Only Watch 2021: Charles Girardier 1809 Tribute to Jackson Pollock
While named after a late-18th century Swiss watchmaker, Charles Girardier is a startup, having been established in 2018 by Patrick A. Ulm, a Swiss private banker with a passion for watches. The brand focuses on tourbillon wristwatches, but enhanced with elements inspired by vintage Charles Girardier pocket watches, such as paillonnee enamel dials and its whimsical “mysterious” complication. Its Tourbillon Signature Mystérieuse Fleur de Sel won the Ladies’ Complications Watch Prize at last year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve, beating out competition from big names like Bulgari and Piaget. For Only Watch 2021, Charles Girardier created the 1809 Tribute to Jackson Pollock, a wristwatch with a figure-of-eight dial layout in grand feu enamel and an unusual automatic movement with a peripheral rotor. Initial thoughts Being relatively young, Charles Girardier only has one model to its name so far, the Tourbillon Signature Mystérieuse. Still, it’s a technically interesting watch, making it a useful starting point for an Only Watch edition. The Tourbillon Signature Mystérieuse is symmetrical – both on the front and the back. The dial is arranged in a figure-of-eight, with a flying tourbillon at six, and the “mysterious” complication at twelve. The “mysterious” complication is the brand emblem that spins freely, thanks to a weight on its back that’s hidden under the dial. It gives the dial dynamism, though the “mysterious” complication feels a b...
Quill & Pad
Caran d’Ache + Alfredo Häberli Fixpencil: Colorful, Practical, And Environmentally Friendly
Caran d’Ache’s acclaimed Fixpencil was conceived in 1929 by Swiss engineer Carl Schmid, who invented and patented a unique clutch-style lead holder that made it possible to accept leads of different diameters. Zurich-based designer Alfredo Häberli is a fan, which led to the creation of the colorful new limited edition Caran d’Ache + Alfredo Häberli Fixpencil.
Quill & Pad
Pandemic Buying: A Plethora Of Auction Watches Hammering For More Than A Million In 2020 And 2021 - And, Yes, Most Were By Patek Philippe
At watch auctions by Phillips, Christie’s, and Sotheby’s held in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, 22 timepieces hammered for more than one million Swiss francs. And to date in 2021, there have been (at least) 13 watches selling for more than one million Swiss francs. Elizabeth Doerr highlights the top auction results of the pandemic era so far, and, yes, Patek Philippe still reigns supreme.
SJX Watches
Business News: Consolidation in European Pre-Owned Watches
Historically fragmented and dominated by numerous small players, the pre-owned watch industry has been consolidating with at an increasing pace, driven by the e-commerce and ambitious entrants from outside the business. Amongst the most prominent and fastest-growing is Watchbox, which began as an offshoot of authorised retailer Govberg Jewelers but has since grown into one of the largest pre-owned merchants with outposts in Hong Kong, Dubai, and even South Africa. Even Richemont, the Swiss conglomerate that owns brands like Cartier and IWC, has invested substantially in the space with its 2018 acquisition of British outfit Watchfinder. Though the most widely-reported developments in the business are largely concentrated in the United States and Britain, continental Europe is experiencing similar growth, especially in its largest markets like Germany and France. The recently announced takeover of Paris-based MMC by Watchmaster in Germany illustrates many of the trends shaping the pre-owned business. Like many recent startups in the space, Watchmaster was founded by digital entrepreneurs instead of watch industry insiders. In fact, almost all of Watchmaster’s founders and senior managers are former employees of Quandoo, the restaurant booking platform that was sold to Japanese staffing giant Recruit Holdings in 2015 for about €200 million, shortly before Watchmaster was set up. Watchmaster’s current chief executive, Tim-Hendrik Meyer, was a cofounder of Quandoo, as a...
Hodinkee
Introducing: Scratches and Skeletons: Two Vastly Different Takes On The Norqain Independence 21 (Live Pics & Pricing)
For its new limited editions, the upstart Swiss brand went in two directions at once.
Hodinkee
Culture Of Time: Hamilton Made A Watch Specifically For A Video Game
Now even your avatar can have a Swiss watch.
Hodinkee
Buying, Selling, & Collecting: I’m Obsessed With This Japanese Microbrand
Naoya Hida & Co. just released a new watch for 2021. But renowned dealer and collector Eric Ku is still enjoying the subtle wonders of last year’s model
Hodinkee
Introducing: Two New Mega Cool Watches From H. Moser & Cie
Mega Cool – which is the Swiss way of saying 'the coolest of the cool.'
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Latest Irreverent Piece From The Brand That Made A Watch From Cheese
The H. Moser Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade.
Deployant
Review: new Breitling Premier B25 Datora 42 Copper
The Breitling Premier Datora is Breitling's take on a calendar chronograph with moon-phase. Featuring rectangular chronograph pushers and Arabic numerals, the heritage-revived Premier Datora displays a variety of details such as grooves on the case-sides, open sapphire casebacks and syringe hands. The Datora comes in stainless steel with a copper dial or in 18k red gold with a silver dial. “Datora” was a term used by Breitling in the 1940s and refers to a complete calendar chronograph displaying day, date, month and moonphase.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The Swatch Big Bold Bioceramic is an eco-friendly summer watch
I do love the idea of a ceramic watch in bold colours like the flashy drama of Hublot or Rado’s latest twist on the Captain Cook. But I’m still waiting for the first budget version of this cool material to try on for size. The new Swatch Big Bold Bioceramic series might present the Swiss … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Swatch Big Bold Bioceramic is an eco-friendly summer watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Corum Marks 10 Years of the Golden Bridge Automatic
While known for unorthodox designs such as the Coin, Bubble and Admiral’s Cup, Corum’s piece de resistance is the Golden Bridge. Devised by independent watchmaker and ACHI co-founder Vincent Calabrese in 1980, the delicate, elongated movement remains a watchmaking feat. In 2011, Corum debuted the automatic Golden Bridge movement that was wound by an innovative weight that slid on rails. To celebrate the decade since that milestone, Corum has created the 10th Anniversary Golden Bridge Automatic, which puts the movement within a larger case with a wraparound sapphire crystal. Initial thoughts I’m not the biggest fan of Corum’s better known designs, which are often oversized and ostentatious. The exception is the Golden Bridge, which is to Corum what the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges is to Girard-Perregaux – a movement defined by its construction and aesthetics. I’ve always liked the Golden Bridge – the baguette shape is not only unique, but also a mechanical marvel. The automatic Golden Bridge further stands out for its vertical winding mass, instead of a traditional rotor. My pick of the collection Starting at about US$35,000 in titanium, the 10th Anniversary Golden Bridge Automatic is actually rather well-priced, considering the movement. In fact, the new anniversary models are priced lower than their 2011 counterparts. The watch is available in either titanium or titanium and rose gold, along with diamond-set variants Smoked Sapphire Like the original...
Time+Tide
Do you secretly have a fortune worth of watches sitting in your drawer?
Most watch collectors know, down to the dollar, how much each of their watches are worth. But there’s an even bigger number of watch owners who have no idea of their watches’ true value. In fact, new data from a Watchfinder & Co report, suggests that $60 billion of watches could be gathering dust in … ContinuedThe post Do you secretly have a fortune worth of watches sitting in your drawer? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Bovet And Daniil Medvedev: Relationships Make One Of The Best Tennis Players In The World
In 2019 Bovet made a wonderful catch when the Swiss brand announced that it had signed then world number five tennis player Daniil Medvedev. Since then Medvedev has risen to number two in the rankings and is happily wearing a Bovet Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two. Elizabeth Doerr shares his story here.
SJX Watches
Business News: Richemont Posts Strong Recovery; Watches Continue Decline
After a weak first half, Richemont’s business started its turnaround in the second half of the financial year, which ended in March 2021. From a 25% year-on-year revenue decline in the first half at constant exchange rates, the Swiss luxury group enjoyed a 36% rise in sales in the last quarter. As a result, revenue for the full year was down just 5% compared to the year before, to slightly over €13 billion. The healthy numbers and positive outlook helped send Richemont shares past 100 Swiss francs during trading, a five-year high. Divergent fates Beneath the strong recovery in the group’s numbers lay a recurring theme: a disparity in performance between regions, channels, and divisions. This echoes that of its rivals and the broader luxury-good industry – characterised by a strong recovery in Asia, moderate recovery in the United States, and continued weakness in Europe. And within the group, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels are powering ahead, leaving most of its watchmakers lagging. Continuing a trend that began in the third quarter, sales in Asia Pacific – all Asian countries except Japan – rose by a staggering 106% in the final quarter, boosting revenue in the region by 22% for the year. Asia Pacific sales are now the largest proportion of Richemont’s revenue at 45% of the total, compared to the historical one-third share. The performance was driven by strong sales in China, both in Richemont’s physical stores and its online mall on Alibaba’s Tmall Lu...
Quill & Pad
Perpétuel: A Destination For Watch Lovers In Dubai Offering Cool, Accessible Limited Editions
There’s something new in Dubai. Something with the power and ability to bring people of the watch community together. And those who might just want to be part of the watch community. And, of course, those who are just looking for good watches. Perpétuel, co-founded by Melika Yazdjerdi and Hamdan Alhudaidi, offers new experiences and limited edition watches for Middle East collectors and visitors alike.
Time+Tide
Did you catch the surprising Omega that Justin Hartley wore to the MTV Movie & TV Awards?
Nope, it’s not another Speedmaster. At the MTV Movie & TV Awards this weekend, Justin Hartley best known for his work on the hit show This is Us (as well as playing Oliver Queen / The Green Arrow in Clark Kent / Superman origin series Smallville), presented the award for best action hero with co-star … ContinuedThe post Did you catch the surprising Omega that Justin Hartley wore to the MTV Movie & TV Awards? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Growing status of Grand Seiko reflected by results at the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XIII
Watch enthusiasts love Grand Seiko. But the question of whether top-tier bidders would paddle up for the brand at a Phillips auction remained uncertain – until this weekend at least. The reason? Unfortunately some narrow-minded collectors have been known to shun anything that is not Swiss made, with a clear inclination for Patek Phillipe and … ContinuedThe post Growing status of Grand Seiko reflected by results at the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XIII appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: The Longines Avigation BigEye Chronograph Petrol Blue Titanium
Longines have been leading the nostalgia bandwagon for years now. Their Heritage line has been pumping out hit after hit of vintage-inspired reissue models for much longer than most other Swiss juggernauts, one of the most popular being the Avigation BigEye Chronograph. The original BigEye is full of character, even having won the price in … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Longines Avigation BigEye Chronograph Petrol Blue Titanium appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.