Results for Sapphire Crystal

Hands-On: Seeing Things Clearly With the Chanel 12 X-RAY RED EDITION

What's crystal sapphire, white gold, and red all over?

Hands-On: Rolex Daytona Orange Sapphires Ref. 116578SACO

Those unfamiliar with the world of ultra-bling Rolex watches must wonder – who are they catered to? Dictators? Drug dealers? Nightclub owners? Instagram influencers? But the answer is actually something more common. All of us inevitably know someone like this: the middle-aged man usually in athletic wear by Louis Vuitton and Gucci, and whose idea of formal wear is an embroidered velvet suit from Dolce & Gabbana that resembles curtains from a chateau. He’ll probably drive a super car that is “stickered”, either the whole car wrapped in a matte, metallic finish, or worse, “stickered” with flames and stripes on the sides. Then this gentleman will probably be wearing a watch like this. And if he isn’t, he will really want one. It’s easy to poke fun but the nattily dressed gent is enjoying himself and who can fault that? And so it is with this watch, which has certain, look-at-me appeal that is just calling out to be enjoyed. This is the new and uncommon Daytona ref. 116578SACO with an orange sapphire-set bezel. Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116578SACO Each year Rolex unveils a handful of bejewelled watches that are shown to the press and public at Baselworld – last year’s was the Daytona “rainbow” and this year had the Day-Date “rainbow” – while also releasing a smaller number of gem-set models on the quiet, which are usually only shown to retailers. This year’s hush-hush launches included the GMT-Master II “SARU” in Everose gold, but als...

VIDEO: The Longines Flagship Heritage 60th Anniversary

The hardest thing when recreating a vintage watch design is knowing when to stop. Some changes - swapping the plexiglass crystal for sapphire, and upgrading the movement - are logical, and others, like an increase in size to more modern dimensions, make sense. But the real art is knowing where to stop, and what to keep. … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Longines Flagship Heritage 60th Anniversary appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Review: The New Breitling SuperOcean Heritage Oceania Limited Edition

To celebrate the partnership with the World Surf League, Breitling has released a new SuperOcean Heritage Oceania limited edition in 42mm and 36mm, the perfect summer watch pair! What We Love The white dial is great for summer Blued hands and indices are a really nice touch The new Milanese bracelet is super comfortable on the wrist What We Don’t The domed crystal is still an issue, but less so with the white dial No comfort adjust on the bracelet for the warmer days A rubber strap option could have been a good inclusion as well Overall Rating: 8.75 / 10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 According to the latest data, around 85% of Australians live no further than 50km from the coast. And the majority of those are based on the East Coast. We are an island nation after all, with most of the interior of the country uninhabited. So, for those reading this who live in Australia, the ocean isn’t a backdrop; it’s a way of life for many. From the long, rolling breaks of the Gold Coast to the raw, reef-lined coastlines of North Queensland, to the rugged beaches down south. We, along with our New Zealand cousins, love the sand and surf. So it is no surprise that the Breitling SuperOcean is a great-selling watch in this part of the world. Originally conceived in the 1950s as a professional dive watch with a distinctly elegant edge, the SuperOcean Heritage has since evolved into something broader: a watch that speaks to ocean cultur...

The ABCs of Time - All About the Different Crystals Used in Watches Today

If you’re not a big watch nerd like us, you likely don’t give a lot of thought to the glass covering watch dials. It’s not just a generic window and a bigger deal than you might think, as we’ll see in this instalment of the ABCs of Time. Some enthusiasts even demand one type over another, […]

Through the Looking Glass: Tinted Sapphires

The new HYT Conical Tourbillon Infinity Sapphires is a high complication fit for Thanos

The HYT Conical Tourbillon Infinity Sapphires is a limited edition of 8 pieces Its tourbillon calibre, with a spiral balance inclined at 30 degrees, was developed with master watchmaker Eric Coudray Framing the tourbillon, distinctly coloured gems – fuchsia, blue-grey and yellow – rotate at different speeds around the dial I am rather comfortable in … ContinuedThe post The new HYT Conical Tourbillon Infinity Sapphires is a high complication fit for Thanos appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

New: HYT Conical Tourbillon Infinity Sapphires

HYT releases a new 8 piece limited edition watch combining a conical tourbillon with animation: HYT Conical Tourbillon Infinity Sapphires.

The Grand Seiko SBGD213 roars with hand-set diamonds and blue sapphires

The new Grand Seiko SBGD213 is the sequel to last year’s SBGD209 The paw-like shape of the faceted case is inspired by the Grand Seiko lion mascot The case and dial are set with a combined total of 5.62 carats of diamonds and 1.25 carats of blue sapphires, all set by hand Grand Seiko is … ContinuedThe post The Grand Seiko SBGD213 roars with hand-set diamonds and blue sapphires appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Patek Philippe Introduces the Jewelled Ref. 5271 with Sapphires or Rubies

Patek Philippe has introduced two variants of its classic paired complication: the Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 5271/11P and Ref. 5271/12P are set with blue sapphires and rubies respectively, with each having a graduated finish dial in a matching colour. Both new references retain the look and feel of the ref. 5270 but certainly pack a punch with their flamboyant jewelled cases. The first serially-produced gem-set variants of the reference in 11 years, the new pair joins the existing diamond-set ref. 5271P as the bling versions of Patek Philippe’s archetypal complication. Initial thoughts Much of the excitement over new releases from Patek Philippe tend to be centred on its sports watches nowadays but that’s not all that the brand has been doing. At Watches & Wonders in March, the brand launched a new version of the longstanding ref. 5270 that featured a smoked green dial that was widely applauded (no doubt in part due to the current popularity of the colour). But the recent launches left me wondering, what else can Patek Philippe do to up its game beyond its mastery of complications? Well, now we have an answer. In terms of the design, the new ref. 5271s retain the classic layout and distinctive feel of the perpetual calendar chronographs that the brand is known for, but with a few adjustments to the dial that give it a more contemporary feel. And then the coloured gemstones transform a watch that is ordinarily sedate into something over the top. While gem-se...

New Release: Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision - the first automatic watch in the Freak Collection

Introducing the first automatic watch in the Freak Collection, the Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision Vision: incorporating a super-light silicium balance wheel with nickel mass elements and stabilizing micro-blades and a new case design made even thinner by a box-domed crystal.

The New Timex Deepwater Meridian Is an Affordable Automatic GMT With Rolex Style

The new Deepwater Meridian 200 Automatic GMT brings sapphire, a ceramic bezel, and 200m of water resistance to a $549 Timex. A closer look.

4-digit, 5-digit or 6-digit Rolex: the three eras and which One fits you

Every Rolex conversation starts here. The digit count decodes the era: acrylic vs sapphire, aluminium vs Cerachrom, tritium vs Chromalight, cal. 15xx vs 3135 vs 3235. And why 5-digit is the sweet spot most collectors quietly agree on.

Hands-On With The Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon Saxem

Hublot’s Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon SAXEM is one of those watches that leave you in awe, combining neon sapphire brilliance with high-complication tourbillon watchmaking. What We Love The bold Yellow Neon SAXEM case completely transforms under different lighting. The skeletonised dial offers a beautifully balanced design that gives the watch real mechanical theatre. Few watches in watchmaking will command attention quite like this, especially in natural light. What We Don’t The 44mm case size wears better than expected, but it is still on the larger side. Even sapphire lovers may find the Yellow Neon SAXEM a lot to handle. A black structured strap option would let the case and dial take centre stage even more, while simultaneously reducing the overall ‘distinctive’ presence of the watch. Overall Rating: 8.6 / 10 Value For Money: 8.5/10 Design: 9.0/10 Wearability: 8.0/10 Build Quality: 9.0/10 Few timepieces in the world of watchmaking can grab attention like a bright yellow-coloured watch. Now imagine adding a transparent sapphire case to the mix, and suddenly, you have something that becomes almost impossible to ignore on the wrist. That is exactly what we get with the Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon SAXEM. This is a watch that does not ask to be seen, but rather commands it the moment you see it. In that regard, this, in my opinion, is the kind of timepiece that perfectly encapsulates what Hublot is all about. Since the beginnin...

The Timex Marlin Jet Automatic Watch Gets an America 250 Edition

The Timex Marlin Jet Automatic America 250 is a 38mm limited edition of 500 pieces, with red-white-blue styling, a domed crystal, and an exhibition caseback.

Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 250 Review: The Military Watch I Waited a Decade to Buy

A hands-on review of the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 250, exploring its military heritage, 36mm sizing, acrylic crystal, and more.

Introducing - The New ArtyA Purity Tourbillon Sport Editions

Artya is known for not shying away from creativity, boldness and boundary-pushing designs, and proves this once more with its latest release. Following earlier models like the Purity Tourbillon, Purity Stairway to Heaven and Purity Central Tourbillon housed in the brand’s signature sapphire cases, the Geneva-based manufacture now introduces the Purity Tourbillon Sport Edition, a limited […]

Farer updates its GMT Bezel collection, introducing two new striking guilloché dials

Farer refreshes its GMT Bezel collection with two new colours, featuring sharp, striking guilloché dials and sapphire bezel inserts

Introducing the Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with Naoya Hida & Co.

The emergence of Naoya Hida as a major player in the independent space has been one of the more exciting developments in watches over the last few years. Whether Hida’s watches are to your taste or not (or your budget) there’s no denying that the brand presents a crystal clear point of view and takes no shortcuts to execute on it. In an environment with, frankly, a lot of half baked ideas, there’s something satisfying about a brand that knows exactly what it is. So it’s incredibly interesting that right on the heels of their recent 2026 launches, the brand has announced a new collaboration with Zenith on their G.F.J. platform.  This is honestly one of those world-colliding moments for me and I’m pretty excited about not only the watch but what this might signal for both Zenith and Naoya Hida moving forward. The G.F.J. feels like the right line for a brand like Naoya Hida to work within – it’s already cited as a watch that trades a little on the current trend toward artisanal dials (in exotic stones, specifically) that have become favorites among many high end indies. And there’s an undeniable synergy between the classic mid century design codes of the G.F.J. case and Naoya Hida’s aesthetic sensibility.  The G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with Naoya Hida & Co. is the first in what Zenith is referring to as their new “Double Signed” program, which will, according to the brand, invite selected partners to reinterpret iconic references. The naming con...

First Look - The Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Chronograph in Navy Blue

Rado’s foray into the world of dive watches in 1962 resulted in the Captain Cook, a somewhat quirky watch that didn’t emulate the rugged tool watches populating the underwater scene. Defined by its less utilitarian character, the Captain Cook had a compact 35mm case, an inward-sloping bezel, a domed acrylic crystal, a pivoting anchor at […]

Hands-On: The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Perpetual Tourbillon Lumen

The watches of A. Lange & Söhne very rarely gets a chance to step out of the stoically traditional design language the brand has established since its relaunch in 1994, but one collection from the brand offers a unique respite from it all. Lange's Lumen series is now in its 16th year since the introduction of the Zeitwerk "Luminous" back in 2010, with its inaugural display of smoked sapphire, blacked-out details, and, of course, luminous numerals for the hour and minute discs. But while that model was the first to be executed, the following Grand Lange 1 Lumen in 2012 was the first model officially given the name "Lumen." Last month, at Watches and Wonders, Lange introduced the seventh Lumen in the lineup, with the new Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Lumen. Following the absolutely bonkers Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon in Honeygold released in 2025 for the Datograph's twenty-fifth anniversary, this new glow-in-the-dark take on the very complicated Lange 1 model marks a pattern of increasing complication (and resulting price points) for the Lumen series. A closer look reveals that there's a lot going on, and for nerds, it's certainly a feast for the eyes. In person, the cold, austere look of the chunky, 41.9mm case in platinum immediately struck me, as it was a welcome return to the combination of a smoky, black look with white metal from the past two Lumen iterations in Honeygold (that Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon and its predecessor, the Zeitwerk). For a design ...

Anoma Debuts Two New References as Part of their Permanent Collection

Matteo Violet-Vianello founded Anoma back in 2024 with a crystal-clear concept that noticeably drew from the worlds of architecture and design as well as forms in nature. The brand’s debut offering set the tone for what has quickly become Anoma’s trademark: a triangular case. Those who follow the brand on Instagram well know that the brand’s cult following has become, dare I say obsessed with finding the soft, triangular form with rounded edges in the wild, citing pieces of furniture, buildings, river stones and other everyday objects that mimic the shape. From the get-go, Anoma has taken the approach of dropping limited edition collections rather than having a permanent catalog. The A1 First Series from 2024 was notable for its two-tone blue dial and was quickly followed up by two variations the following year: the A1 Slate offering a more neutral color palette and later the A1 Optical offered in two colorways – one monochromatic and the other two-tone – each highlighting a guilloche dial that has the unique and organic appearance of a fingerprint. Now, Anoma departs from its own tradition of highly limited executions, creating its first core collection. The new anchors for the brand include the A1 Abyss and A1 Stone. The pair very clearly echo models of the past with the Abyss giving us a twist on the First Series with a singular shade of blue that’s a bit lighter and brighter than the original two-tone. At first glance, this model appears simple, but there...

Oris Built A 35mm Reissue That Actually Earns Its Heritage

The new Oris Star Edition revisits a 1966 milestone with a 35mm tonneau case, plexiglass crystal, and a dial that stays true to the original.

Tudor Introduces The New Black Bay 54 In Blue

It’s been three years since Tudor surprised us with the Black Bay 54. The smallest of the Black Bay models has since become a popular option for people who love a modestly sized Tudor dive watch. The new addition to the lineup comes with a nice sapphire-blue dial and bezel. It’s a color that really […] Visit Tudor Introduces The New Black Bay 54 In Blue to read the full article.

The Uber-Lange 1 Gets the “Lumen” Treatment

A. Lange & Söhne turns once again to its greatest hits for its flagship launch at Watches & Wonders 2026. The Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar “Lumen” bestows the translucent, luminous treatment to the top-of-the-line Lange 1 in a 50-piece limited edition in platinum. Powered by the L225.1, an upgrade on the previous generation movement, the latest Lumen edition has a grey-tinted sapphire dial that reveals glow-in-the-dark elements, including the date discs and moon phase. Over the back, the edition is also set apart by a pair of steel cocks sporting engraving of stars. Initial thoughts The Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar “Lumen” stands out as one of the most appealing Lumen models; I’d rank it up there along with the original Zeitwerk “Phantom” in terms of appeal. The Lumen treatment works best with lot of obvious luminous components, which is the case here. Flourishes like the luminous bases for each of the Roman hour numerals are a pleasing touch. The twin engraved steel cocks are especially noteworthy; the concept is classic Lange but the engraved star motif adds variety. That said, the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar “Lumen” scores highly, maybe even perfectly, in terms of intrinsic and tactile appeal. The technical accomplishment is also top class: the calendar is instantaneous, movement construction is sophisticated, and decoration is outstanding. But this arguably scores less well in terms of originality or creativity. The moveme...

The ArtyA Complexity doubles down on the idea of a tourbillon

Building a watch with two inclined tourbillons is no small feat, and ArtyA has managed to pull it off with a sapphire case to boot.The post The ArtyA Complexity doubles down on the idea of a tourbillon appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Timex Drops an Affordable Titanium Dive Watch Under $500

Timex unveils the Expedition Pioneer Titanium Automatic, a 41mm diver with NH35 movement, sapphire, and titanium case starting under $500.

Kollokium’s Projekt 02 Variant B Treads New Terrain

Having teased its newest collection with a family and friends edition last year, Kollokium has finally taken the wraps off the Projekt 02 Variant B, which offers a low-profile die-cast stainless steel case and a terraced topographical dial. A massive box-form crystal contains the scene, offering a panoramic view of the 67 pieces that comprise the nine layers of the dial. A limited edition of 399 pieces, the Variant B is a well-priced entry point to the world of independent watchmaking, and could easily be worn daily. Initial thoughts Kollokium is a relatively new name in independent watchmaking, but the company’s three founders, collector Amr Sindi, designer Barth Nussbaumer, and Louis Erard managing director Manuel Emch, bring a trained eye and a fresh perspective to the brand. With a strong emphasis on design, underpinned by a simple but competent calibre, Kollokium seems to have mastered the game of trade-offs required to market a distinctive watch at an affordable price. Left to Right: Amr Sindi, Barth Nussbaumer, Manuel Emch. The Variant B is fundamentally a simple time-only watch, powered by an off-the-shelf La Joux-Perret cal. G101, an increasingly common base movement prized for its economy and autonomy, with a healthy 68-hour power reserve. But Kollokium’s watches are anything but ordinary, owing to the brand’s unusual dial treatments and case processing. The Variant B is technically the first publicly available version of the Projekt 02, which debuted last ...

Hands-On With The Rado Anatom Automatic Skeleton

It’s time for a short confession: generally, I am not the biggest fan of skeletonized watches. While I greatly appreciate the possibility of witnessing a caliber in action, I much prefer to see it in action through a sapphire display in the case back. It’s purely an aesthetic thing because, as a design fanatic, I […] Visit Hands-On With The Rado Anatom Automatic Skeleton to read the full article.

Hands On: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 38 mm

One of the longest tenured models in the Audemars Piguet (AP) catalogue, the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 38 mm has been upgraded with a new manufacture calibre and sapphire case back for the first time, while only slightly tweaking the iconic design and price tag. Inside the new ref. 26450 is the cal. 6401 that incorporates with welcome quality-of-life improvements such as a longer power reserve, higher beat rate, and instantaneous date. The new movement accomplishes all of this without significant tradeoffs in size, but it arguably falls somewhat short in aesthetics. Minor shortcomings aside, the modestly sized Royal Oak Chronograph is a strong offering that enters the field at the top of its class. Initial thoughts In the same fashion as last year’s updated Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, the new 38 mm Royal Oak Chronograph takes an evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, step forward, being essentially the same watch, only better. AP clearly knows better than to mess with a winning formula, but the brand also faced challenges, both in manufacturing and customer experience, that came with a nearly four-decade-old movement platform, sourced from Swatch Group no less. The changes are slight, even insignificant at first glance, but are the sort things that come to be appreciated with long-term ownership, especially within a smaller collection where increases in power reserve and performance are most noticeable. It even looks slightly better – the dial is less cram...