Hodinkee
The Spec Sheet: Getting A Little Colorful And Relatively Crazy With The Rolex Air-King Ref. 116900
Oh, the Crown just wants to have fun – and we're here for it.
568 articles · 10 videos found · page 15 of 20
Hodinkee
Oh, the Crown just wants to have fun – and we're here for it.
Time+Tide
Off the top of your head, what’s your mental picture of a Rolex owner? Some cigar-chomping big-shot in an oak-panelled office? A thrusting young professional who delights in his watch as a conspicuous status-signifier? Or simply a lover of fine watches who appreciates the formidable consistency and build quality of the Crown? The reason I … ContinuedThe post This is the identity of the average Rolex owner (they’re not who you might expect)ww appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The Cartier Tank is hardly a watch lacking in high-profile endorsements. From Andy Warhol to Mohammad Ali and Fred Astaire to Steve McQueen, many great men have fallen for its square-jawed linearity, Roman numerals and cabochon crown that looks like an erotic police siren. But, let’s face it, the bad guys are always more interesting. … ContinuedThe post Hans Gruber in Die Hard wears a Cartier Tank better than anyone else appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Seiko 5 watch series traces its roots all the way back to 1963, when the Japanese mega-brand introduced the original Seiko Sportsmatic 5, a groundbreaking timepiece that ushered in the emblematic “five attributes” that define the vast collection today. These include automatic movements, day/date displays in a single window, water resistance, a recessed crown at 4 o’clock, and a case and bracelet made of durable materials. Stylistically, the watches run the gamut from dress pieces to field watches to divers, with all kinds of variations in between (the current shorthand descriptions are Sense, Specialist, Sports, Suits, and Street). Seiko 5 watches still adhere to those five principles initially laid out more than half a century ago while still retaining the famously inexpensive price points that have made them so desirable - from under $100 to the neighborhood of $500 for the more exclusive editions. Seiko 5 watches - rebranded in the collection’s relaunch in 2019 as Seiko 5 Sports, despite offering this diversity of styles - have a worldwide fan following, with many JDM (Japan Direct Market) models highly sought after by American collectors due to their scarcity. And for many a budding watch collector of modest means, a Seiko 5 watch is the gateway drug to a full-blown timepiece obsession. Here we spotlight some of our favorites. SRPC65 “Bottlecap” Reference: SRPC65, Price: $150-$250, Case Size: 45mm, Thickness: 13mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Lug-to-L...
Responding to the admittedly fair criticism of offering a sports watch with just 30-metre water-resistance , Bulgari created the S line, with a slightly thicker steel case and screw-down crown, upping the water resistance to 100 metres. The Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Silvered opts for an exercise in supreme subtlety, as the dials adopt the sublime … ContinuedThe post The Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Silvered is the watch designer’s favourite version of this modern classic. Here’s why… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Created for the 50th anniversary of Cortina Watch, which is also marking the occasion with a special Patek Philippe Calatrava, the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Cortina Watch 50th Anniversary is an elegantly different take on Blancpain’s vintage-inspired dive watch. With a titanium case matched with a bezel and crown in fade-resistant Sedna gold, the Cortina edition dresses up the functional style of the ordinarily no-frills Bathyscaphe. Originally launched in 2013 as the entry-level – and most compact – model in the Fifty Fathoms collection, the Bathyscaphe was previously only available in single materials, making this two-tone version a first. In fact, the Bathyscaphe Cortina the first Blancpain dive watch with a bi-metal case, but it’ll probably not be the last since the combination is appealing. The hands and hour indices are also 18k Sedna gold Initial thoughts The Bathyscaphe is a handsome watch that has good proportions. It doesn’t feel as large as it measures and wears well. And it is especially lightweight in titanium, so it sits easily on the wrist. In its original variants the Bathyscaphe is muted (in either the steel, ceramic, or titanium versions), or expensive and shiny (in Sedna gold). The Cortina edition is a useful variation on the theme that’s still restrained, but with a little bit of shine. The Sedna gold accents work especially well on the watch because of its retro style. They bring to mind vintage dive watches with “gilt” dials. Admit...
Hodinkee
Last week, Oris unveiled a Big Crown LE in support of the philanthropic organization. In this episode, we take it for a ride into the jungle.
Time+Tide
Last year at Dubai Watch Week, one of the debuts that stuck with me was the blue-dialled Oris Big Crown Pointer Date 5 Days powered by the in-house calibre 403. With its pleasantly dimensioned case, five-day power reserve movement with a 10-year warranty and straight-forward, smart-casual aesthetic, I felt it was a sure winner for … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Oris debuts highly versatile Wings of Hope limited editions in steel and gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
When it comes down to wanting a flieger watch, everything is about the details. Do you want a smaller case? There are plenty of options from a bunch of brands. Left-handed crown? It’s rare, but not unheard of. A historical connection? Even then, there are five brands to choose from. The new Laco PRO Series … ContinuedThe post IN DEPTH: The Laco PRO Series lets you customise your ideal flieger pilot’s watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Top Burgundy has exploded like a firecracker factory set alight. From very much a second fiddle to Bordeaux when it comes to the great wines of France, Burgundy is now the flavor of the month, attracting prices that have skyrocketed into the stratosphere and beyond, both on release and on the secondary market. Everyone wants the great Burgundies. And Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret is one of the crown jewels.
Hodinkee
Dell Curry, a former NBA player in his own right, brought the Crown to the Warriors' coronation.
Hodinkee
Crown left, right stuff.
Time+Tide
In Vacheron Constantin’s own words, the Patrimony is “circular perfection”, serving as a minimalist, modern interpretation of its elegant models of the 1950s. The four new Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Self-Winding models introduced today re-establish this well-known collection. With a redesigned case and crown, they distinguish themselves from their Holy Trinity competitors by offering a bit … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Self-Winding appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
TAG Heuer is injecting advanced materials technology into what was the most affordable tourbillon-chronograph on the market, creating the Carrera Plasma Tourbillon Nanograph. The new watch makes liberal use of carbon in all its forms, most notably with a carbon-composite hairspring along with a dial and crown made entirely of synthetic diamond, reflecting chief executive Frederic Arnault’s interest in technology and industrial processes. Priced at the equivalent of US$375,000, the Plasma is the first luxury mechanical watch to utilise artificial, or lab-grown, diamonds. Initial thoughts TAG Heuer has developed a suite of cutting-edge technology unusual a brands in its price range, though the brand’s most significant innovation, the carbon-composite hairspring, has never really gotten the recognition it deserves. While extremely expensive and slated to be produced in tiny numbers – just a handful a year according to Mr Arnault – the Plasma will certain broadcast TAG Heuer’s accomplishments in innovation, as well as that of its in synthetic diamond suppliers. While lab-grown diamonds aren’t new, they have never before been used in high-end watch. As befits their unconventional status, the synthetic diamonds have been set in an abstract manner on the case, as opposed to typical gem setting. Combined with the synthetic diamond dial and crown, the result is a watch that is weird yet compelling. But more important than the decorative use of synthetic diamond is the...
Time+Tide
Famous for its military-devised, utilitarian design, the Panerai Submersible diversifies with a slew of new 44mm references. A variety of materials and finishes is united under one name – Submersible QuarantaQuattro. Formerly attributed to the Luminor range, the Submersible collection achieved autonomy in 2019, but retained the patented crown-protection system. Already featuring more than 20 … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING – Panerai makes a splash with the Submersible QuarantaQuattro appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
One of the biggest surprises from Rolex at Watches & Wonders 2022 is the GMT-Master II ref. 126720VTNR – the first contemporary, regular-production Rolex with a left-handed or “destro” crown. And just to make it even more different, it is equipped with the brand’s first-ever green-and-black bezel. Initial thoughts A brand that has preserved the signature style of watches for decades, Rolex is all about incremental improvements that are often evident only in the details. That’s exactly the case with the new GMT-Master II, which retains the trademark GMT aesthetic but is rather different. In fact, it is very different, which makes it polarising – you either like it or you don’t. Initially the left-handed crown does look awkward on the left wrist; it feels off somehow. But very quickly you get used to it and it is surprisingly cool. The new ref. 126710VTNR is priced about US$550 more than its counterparts with a conventionally located crown. According to Rolex, the price difference does not result from the rejigged crown position but rather the changes to the testing equipment necessary to accommodate the new crown position. Destro Most obvious is the crown at nine o’clock, which is accompanied by a repositioned date window. It is ostensibly for the left-handed, but will surely find fans amongst right-handers who want something unusual. It is intriguing, just because it’s so different from the rest of the brand’s offering (though Rolex’s sister compan...
Hodinkee
The most down-to-earth version yet of the Crown's high-flying traveler's timepiece.
WatchAdvice
What we like: Great looking watch with solid engineeringExcellent fit and finishComfortable on the wrist What we didn’t : Crown guard may feel fiddly for day-to-day useSharpish edges on the claspNot the easiest watch to change straps Overall rating: 8.125 /10 Value for money: 7.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 First things first. Let’s all get our minds out of the gutter and leave the crude, juvenile schoolyard jokes behind. We’re better than that. Aren’t we? Yes, I get that jokes about balls are just too easy and we should all rise above it and move on to more sophisticated humour. Probably. Ball watches may not be front of mind for the vast majority of us considering a watch purchase, but it really shouldn’t be overlooked… once you get past the name… Yes, I know what I typed just in the previous paragraph. But it’s just too easy. As the size of your balls, all the best quality of the watches are hidden, away from prying eyes. But once you dive deeper you’ll see that perhaps these inner qualities are worth a second glance. Or three. To be honest, much like the rest of you, I’ve not given the Balls a second glance. Even though I’ve known about the brand for a long time, the only thing that I knew about them was their glow-in-the-dark capabilities, thanks to their tritium gas tube technology. Other than that, to me, they were just another brand utilising reliable workhorse movements from ETA/sellita, but not much else stood o...
Time+Tide
Too often when we discuss Rolex watches, we have to mention their availability issues. Their “unobtanium” status has rubbed up many people the wrong way – earning The Crown much vitriol. Now just because you cannot buy them at retail does not mean the watches aren’t readily available. The problem is if you want one … ContinuedThe post Want a brand new Rolex GMT Master II “Batman” for $25? This charity raffle offers that chance… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having commissioned a series of double-crown, cloisonné world time wristwatches from Andersen Genève, Singaporean collector Benjamin Chee now turns to Chinese artisans for his latest collaborative project. The Celadon Haute Horlogerie Century is the work of AHCI member Lin Yong Hua and Xiong Songtao, a third-generation enameller who created the cloisonné dial. Initial thoughts The watchmakers are proficient at making – and marketing – métiers d’art, but Chinese watchmakers are fairly new entrants to the high-end of this field, making the Century an unusual offering. The Century is an entirely different animal from the low-end watches that are often associated with the made-in-China label. Both in terms of the dial and movement, the Century takes things to another level, while possessing a refined, clean style. The entire dial is cloisonné enamel comprised of an impressive amount of gold wire to form the intricate motif. In fact, the fine cloisonné work resembles brush strokes from afar. It’s certainly appears to be top class work in both complexity and quality. And the movement is comparable in quality, which is unsurprising since it was developed by Mr Lin, who is best known for his quirky, hand-made wristwatches. The finishing is excellent, as evidenced by the rounded bevelling on the three-quarter plate. But while the Century does well in intrinsic quality, it seems to lack identity. While the watch is well designed and finely made – especially con...
Deployant
Sinn releases a new EZM, now 13.1 with a left hand crown arrangement and a diving chronograph capable of 500m water resistance rating.
WatchAdvice
What we love: Proper solid built watch overallClasp feel very secure on the wristGAS Tube Lume is sensational at night What we don’t love: Thickness, at 17.3mm some may find this hard to wear under the cuff Some may find the crown guard to be fiddlySome may find the Clasp can dig into the wrist Overall rating: 7.5/10 Value for money: 7.5/10 Wearability: 7/10 Design: 7/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 Once upon a time, if you wanted a mid-priced automatic chronograph, chances are it’ll be powered by the ETA 7750 (or one of its close siblings), and the only choice really was the brand and the style. The movement was so ubiquitous that it was literally everywhere and fitted to almost everything. The dial layout was distinctive, and the rotor wobble was familiar, instantly giving away the engine within. Don’t get me wrong. This wasn’t a bad thing. The movement is a low key high achiever, easily running within COSC specs day in and day out without so much as breaking a sweat. It is a tough, durable, workhorse movement, designed from the beginning as an integrated chronograph, making it very efficient and the “almost 2 days” of power reserve is a testament to that fact. You might scoff at the power reserve but keeping in mind that this movement has been around since the 70s, largely unchanged, and 2 days was the norm for many decades. Plus, if you wear it every day, then it’s really a moot point. The only thing that might generate heated debate is how much value you attac...
Hodinkee
Kelly Zimmerman pledges fealty to The Crown - and a certain German automaker.
Hodinkee
With a matte blue semi-transparent case, strap, and crown, a die-cut dial with exposed pointer date disc, and a neon pop that harkens back to one of our favorite vintage Swatches from 1990, the SWATCH SISTEM51 HODINKEE STOPLIGHT NEON REMIX is our most playful and bold Swatch collaboration to date.
Time+Tide
IWC have the pilot’s watch game sussed out and their Top Gun series are among the toughest of the bunch, with a no-holds barred approach to the watch as a vital flight instrument. You might recognise a whiff of nostalgia in the large sword hands and classic onion crown big enough to twiddle with proper … ContinuedThe post HANDS ON: The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Top Gun Edition and Perpetual Calendar “Mojave Desert” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
If you come at the Crown, you best not miss.
Time+Tide
For years, Hamilton has held the crown as the field watch king. The simple, time-tested aesthetic of the watches within their Khaki Field collection represents the gold standard of what a field watch should be. Furthermore, Hamilton doesn’t simply rest on its laurels, as they continuously expand the collection, presenting variations on the theme through … ContinuedThe post The Hamilton Khaki Field collection shows why the brand is still the field watch king appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Back in 2010, Bremont introduced the Supermarine 500, which introduced a fresh take on a pretty well-trod path: the dive watch. Its unique crown guard, sapphire bezel, signature Bremont three-piece "Trip-Tick" case, and overall styling set it apart from the pack. It quickly became a favorite of dive watch lovers. Then, in 2014, came the Supermarine 2000, which quadrupled the water resistance, introduced the anti-magnetic and anti-shock properties of Bremont’s MB watches, and beefed up the case from 43mm to 45mm. But for many, 45mm, or even 43mm, is too large for a watch, even a diver. So at last week’s "Basel-upon-Thames" event in London, Bremont released new additions to the Supermarine lineup – the Type 300 and Type 301 – both with an all-new 40-millimeter case.
Hodinkee
Putting a crown on a historic event.
Time+Tide
The Crown has finally commented on the Rolex watch shortage, issuing an official statement in response to a Yahoo Finance story on the matter.The post “The scarcity of our products is not a strategy” – Rolex responds to the chronic shortage of supply appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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