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Results for Swiss vs Japanese Watchmaking

4,409 articles · 694 videos found · page 155 of 171

Coming off third best: 4 great bronze watches from 2019 Time+Tide
Jan 4, 2020

Coming off third best: 4 great bronze watches from 2019

One of the most polarising materials to make a return to prominence in watchmaking over the last couple of years has been bronze. Why does this ancient material cause so much conjecture when it’s used as a timepiece’s case material? Well, for a start, it can’t come into direct contact with your skin for prolonged … ContinuedThe post Coming off third best: 4 great bronze watches from 2019 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Most Notable Watches of 2019 SJX Watches
Citizen Caliber 0100 slightly plain but Dec 30, 2019

The Most Notable Watches of 2019

Oddly enough, one of the year’s highlights is a quartz watch that costs almost US$17,000 – but it is the most accurate wristwatch ever, rated to run within a second a year and probably less in practice. The Citizen Caliber 0100 slightly plain but the technology within is mighty impressive. Also impressive is the thought and effort put into developing the movement; that is extremely Japanese. It feels slightly anachronistic given the alternatives that can sync with GPS or radio waves and keep just as good time, but it is still mighty impressive. The top of the line model is in 18k white gold, explaining the price tag, but fortunately there’s a titanium model with the same movement for half the price. The Citizen Caliber 0100 The 0100S movement Sporty-ish and value For almost exactly the same price, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph scores high in terms of value for money. It’s an ultra-thin – really, really thin – chronograph with a second time zone function that continues Bulgari’s streak of extra-flat Octo watches. Though the design is thoroughly modern, its slimness and proportions give it a graceful air. But at 42mm the case is verges on looking like a biscuit because it is flat and wide. And the thinness of the movement, combined with a rather small balance wheel, inevitably invite questions about its robustness. The Octo chronograph That is very flat More expensive but also strong value for money is the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus. Looks-wise, it...

Fully charged: 4 of the best quartz watches of 2019 Time+Tide
Seiko Astron first burst onto Dec 30, 2019

Fully charged: 4 of the best quartz watches of 2019

Yes, the technology almost single-handedly destroyed the Swiss watch industry, but whether you want to admit it or not, quartz watches are brilliantly impressive, and they have been the main proponents in democratising timepieces as we know them today. Ever since the ingenious battery-powered Seiko Astron first burst onto the scene on December 25, 1969, … ContinuedThe post Fully charged: 4 of the best quartz watches of 2019 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

3 of our favourite pilot’s watches that took flight in 2019 Time+Tide
Dec 29, 2019

3 of our favourite pilot’s watches that took flight in 2019

2019 has seen the rise of many, many trends in watchmaking - steel sports watches with integrated bracelets, bronze cases, limited editions … you get the drift. Another incredibly vogue tendency has been watch manufacturers introducing homage models or watches that aesthetically borrow heavily from vintage timepieces. And, unquestionably, the genre of watches that has most … ContinuedThe post 3 of our favourite pilot’s watches that took flight in 2019 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

6 of the best fashion watch brands that are serious watchmakers Time+Tide
Dec 27, 2019

6 of the best fashion watch brands that are serious watchmakers

For lovers of Haute Horlogerie, the term “fashion watch” is often akin to a cuss word. But one doesn’t have to dig very far into the history of fine watchmaking to realise just how much we have to thank fashion labels for, and how the best fashion watch brands are serious watchmakers. In the 1980s, … ContinuedThe post 6 of the best fashion watch brands that are serious watchmakers appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Swatch Introduces the Big Bold Jelly SJX Watches
Swatch Dec 27, 2019

Swatch Introduces the Big Bold Jelly

One of the iconic Swatch watches from its 1980s heyday was the Jelly Fish (ref. GZ010), which was unveiled in 1983, the same year Swatch itself was launched. A quartz movement entirely exposed in a clear plastic case – accented with brightly coloured hands – the Jelly Fish was a bestseller that encapsulated what Swatch was all about: no-frills but fun watchmaking. The Jelly Fish remained in production, in one form or another – there was even a COSC-certified chronometer limited edition (GK124) in 1990 – for over two decades. Now the spirit of the Jelly Fish returns as the Big Bold Jelly, essentially the same idea but in a larger watch case. The Big Bold Jelly features a quartz movement inside a Big Bold case, just like the recent limited editions created in collaboration with fashion label A Bathing Ape (BAPE). The case is a large 47mm in diameter, with the crown unusually positioned at two o’clock. But just as with the original Jelly Fish, the case is clear plastic, while the band is translucent silicone. And the hands are rendered in bright colours – red, yellow and blue – with a bit more colour provided by the gilded wheels within the movement. Key facts and price Big Bold Jelly Ref. SO27E100 Diameter: 47mm Height: 11.75mm Material: Clear plastic Water resistance: 30m Movement: Quartz Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds Strap: Silicone with aluminium pin buckle Availability: At Swatch stores Price: US$110 For more information, visit Swatch.co...

5 things you never knew about Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet s Royal Oak If Dec 25, 2019

5 things you never knew about Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak

If you regard yourself as a fan of luxury watchmaking, it’s probably fair enough to assume that you have heard of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. For those of you that haven’t, it is, quite simply, an icon. It is the epitome of luxury steel watches, and there’s a good reason for that (read on … ContinuedThe post 5 things you never knew about Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

VIDEO: The beautifully brown Seiko Presage SRPD36J1 and SSA392J1 Time+Tide
Seiko Presage SRPD36J1 Dec 24, 2019

VIDEO: The beautifully brown Seiko Presage SRPD36J1 and SSA392J1

There are myriad impressive things about Seiko’s Presage collection. But if we had to single out one overriding thing that the Japanese watchmaker’s dress watches do better than almost anyone else, rather predictably, it would be their dials. Pound for pound, the Presage dress watches and their rapturous range of dials represent amazing value for … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The beautifully brown Seiko Presage SRPD36J1 and SSA392J1 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Horological Society of New York is coming to Melbourne, and you’re invited – Feb 29th and March 1st Time+Tide
Dec 22, 2019

The Horological Society of New York is coming to Melbourne, and you’re invited – Feb 29th and March 1st

The Horological Society of New York, the oldest watchmaking guild in America, formed 1866, is one of the world’s leading educators on all things watchmaking and horology. For the first time ever they are coming to Australia. We are proud to be the official media partner for the tour. We are joining with event partner, … ContinuedThe post The Horological Society of New York is coming to Melbourne, and you’re invited – Feb 29th and March 1st appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Editorial: Marco Lang on Being a (Newly) Independent Watchmaker SJX Watches
Dec 20, 2019

Editorial: Marco Lang on Being a (Newly) Independent Watchmaker

The label “independent watchmaking” does not come from watchmakers themselves. Rather, it is an attempt by collectors, and also journalists, to distinguish smaller watch manufacturers from larger luxury companies. The phrase usually refers to brands or makers that share certain qualities: being niche as opposed to mainstream; having highly creative products made in small quantities; often founded by watchmakers with high horological competence, who are also rather non-commercial, while possessing the idealistic philosophy of an artist. From this, the important question arises for the watch collector – are resulting timepieces fundamentally more valuable, particularly when compared to watches from big brands that are produced by the thousands and boosted by heavy marketing? That can only be answered by the collector. The watchmaker, on the other hand, has to balance the pros and cons of being an independent. Marco Lang in his workshop, located within his home. Photo – Marco Lang Going independent Starting up an independent watch brand is quite different from building a more conventional watch company. A watchmaker probably starts with a good idea and from that, builds a very unusual watch. He would like the world to know about his idea, so scrapes together all his savings – maybe even he savings of friends and family – and then exhibits his creation at a fair. The more business-minded watchmakers might think of market studies or analyse the competition. But some...

Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Carbon Review WatchAdvice
Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Dec 19, 2019

Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Carbon Review

The fifth rendition of the Zenith Defy El Primero 21 sees the brand giving the model a complete carbon look. After the black ceramic and rose gold versions were released in 2018 along with the titanium and black ceramic in 2017, Zenith introduced the Defy El Primero 21 Carbon edition during this year’s Baselworld. The Defy collection is leading Zenith into the future with the brand’s innovative watchmaking being utilized in their latest models. We had a chance to review the Inventor and Classic models from the Defy collection, which were surely eye-catching pieces, to say the least. (You can find the reviews to Inventor and Defy Classic here ). Make no mistake, however; the Defy El Primero 21 Carbon is just as pleasing to look at, even if everything seems as if it’s trying to blend in with its camo-style appearance.       The beauty of using carbon fibre is that due to the nature of the material and how the alternating layers of carbon fibres are always randomly arranged, each individual piece will be unique. As carbon fibre is used for the faceted case, round bezel, crown, chronograph pushers and buckle head, each of these pieces will vary in aesthetic appearance from one watch to another. This makes the watch that you buy a truly unique piece. The carbon fibre case and the round bezel is what gets your attention first in this piece. As said earlier, the way the carbon fibre is patterned gives off a subtle camouflage appearance. After wearing the Defy El Primer...

VIDEO: The timelessly elegant Grand Seiko SBGY002 Time+Tide
Grand Seiko SBGY002 Created Dec 18, 2019

VIDEO: The timelessly elegant Grand Seiko SBGY002

Created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Grand Seiko’s prolific Spring Drive movement, SBGY002 is a limited edition dress watch for discerning fans of the Japanese watchmaker’s signature snowflake dial. Hewn from solid 18k yellow gold, the case of the rarified timepiece is signature SBGY and, as a result, measures in at just 38.5mm and … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The timelessly elegant Grand Seiko SBGY002 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Parmigiani Introduces the Hijri Perpetual Calendar SJX Watches
Parmigiani Fleurier has created Dec 17, 2019

Parmigiani Introduces the Hijri Perpetual Calendar

The conventional calendar used in most of the world is the Gregorian calendar, which has 365 days and an extra day in February every leap year. Consequently, and quite sensibly, almost all calendar watches display the Gregorian calendar. But there are other calendars used by various cultures and countries, like the Japanese calendar used for its Imperial eras, and also the Islamic, or Hijri, calendar. And now for the very first time, Parmigiani Fleurier has created a wristwatch with a Hijri perpetual calendar. Founded in 1996 by watchmaker Michel Parmigiani, the brand has long been synonymous with inventive and complex watches, most notably the supercar-inspired Bugatti timepieces. In 2011, the brand unveiled the Hijri calendar table clock, a US$2.5 million creation elaborately constructed in silver, rock crystal and semiprecious stone. Now Parmigiani has refined the concept and miniaturised it for the wrist with the Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar. A lunar calendar Made up of 12 lunar months and used to track important dates and events in Islam, the Hijri calendar differs from the common Gregorian Calendar in being a lunar calendar, one based on the cycles of the moon, and not Earth’s revolution around the sun. Its 12 months have either 29 or 30 days, resulting in a year that’s between 10 and 12 days shorter than the conventional 365-day year. The Islamic calendar began in 622 AD when the Prophet Muhammad moved from Mecca to Medina, both in present-day Saudi Arabia, ...

3 watches you can buy right now at the new Grand Seiko Sydney Boutique Time+Tide
Grand Seiko Sydney Boutique It was Dec 15, 2019

3 watches you can buy right now at the new Grand Seiko Sydney Boutique

It was only three short years ago when the first-ever Australian Seiko Boutique opened in Sydney, but the Japanese powerhouse has kept very busy, announcing the exciting news of the opening of the first-ever Australian Grand Seiko Boutique. This is a strong statement from the brand as they continue to drive the distinction of Grand … ContinuedThe post 3 watches you can buy right now at the new Grand Seiko Sydney Boutique appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Horological Brothers Grönefeld: Video Interview With Some Surprising (And Revealing) Questions And Answers Quill & Pad
Grönefeld Dec 11, 2019

The Horological Brothers Grönefeld: Video Interview With Some Surprising (And Revealing) Questions And Answers

Bart and Tim Grönefeld have been so successful that they cannot keep watches in stock, and people who order one of their models right now might have to wait at least a year. However, Martin Green didn't visit them to buy a watch, but rather to talk with the Dutch brothers about watchmaking and other perhaps more personal subjects. Please enjoy this somewhat different video!

Up Close: Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395 SJX Watches
Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette Dec 9, 2019

Up Close: Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395

In terms of press, Breguet’s most significant watch of the year is a relatively simple one, the Type 20 for Only Watch, which sold for 210,000 Swiss francs at the charity auction, or just over four times the high estimate. But the most significant watch in terms of haute horlogerie is the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395. The ref. 5395 a large, thin, and ornate watch that’s actually a variant of the large, thin, and simple ref. 5367 introduced two years ago. More elaborate than the typical Breguet, the ref. 5395 is beautifully executed, down to the smallest elements, like the blued-gold hobnail hour markers or mirror-polished countersinks. But most importantly, the movement within is finished exceedingly well – by hand – to a level that’s a cut above the average Breguet complication. Most of that is obvious in the photos below. Graceful proportions At 41mm and just 7.7mm high – thinner than the 8.1mm Royal Oak “Jumbo” – the ref. 5395 sits elegant and flat on the wrist.  Compared to larger, and usually more complicated, Breguet watches, this feels like what a classical Breguet should be. Because of its diameter, however, it can look like a dinner plate on smaller wrists. And the ref. 5395 doesn’t work on hairy wrists either, because the skeletonisation leaves a wide gap in between the bridges. That’s because the skeletonisation of the cal. 581SQ inside is extreme; according to Breguet some 50% of the movement’s mass was removed. And th...

Hands-On: Greubel Forsey GMT Sport SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey GMT Sport Even within Dec 5, 2019

Hands-On: Greubel Forsey GMT Sport

Even within the rarefied realm of haute horlogerie, Greubel Forsey has taken watchmaking to a level of craft few others can match – not just in terms of finishing, but innovation in chronometry while also establishing its own inimitable, three-dimensional aesthetic. And now, the brand has combined all of that onto its first sports watch – the GMT Sport. While nearly identical to the existing GMT in terms of function, combining a world time with an inclined tourbillon, the GMT Sport looks nothing like any other Greubel Forsey. And its movement is mostly made of titanium, having been reconstructed to fit into the new ovoid case. Despite being strikingly different, the watch is tremendously impressive on many fronts, especially in its finishing and construction. The new look Depth rated to 100m, the GMT Sport is a large watch that is organic in shape, with no right angles, a handful of edges, and only few flat surfaces. But it has a mechanical-looking style, with lugs secured to the case by visible screws and prominent pushers. The construction is complex and masterful, with the most unusual feature being the crystal and bezel, which are curved on multiple planes. When viewed from the top, the case appears circular, but it is in fact, tonneau-shaped with an oval bezel that is curved vertically from 12 to six o’clock. To fit the curvature of the case, the crystal is also oval-shaped and curved, which further highlights the architectural depth of the movement. The circ...

3 Longines for under $5K on their online store that represent value propositions Time+Tide
Longines Dec 4, 2019

3 Longines for under $5K on their online store that represent value propositions

One of the greatest things about Longines is their history - the Swiss marque was established almost two centuries ago, way back in 1832. This heritage gives the brand an advantage, and it gives the Longines wearer an edge, too. The depth and versatility of Longines timepieces is utterly expansive – and the back catalogue is a … ContinuedThe post 3 Longines for under $5K on their online store that represent value propositions appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

H. Moser & Cie. Introduces the Heritage Centre Seconds Funky Blue SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie Introduces Dec 2, 2019

H. Moser & Cie. Introduces the Heritage Centre Seconds Funky Blue

A year ago, H. Moser & Cie. debuted the Heritage Pilot’s Watch, a retro, aviation-inspired watch with grey fumé dial for Swiss retailer Bucherer that was then a one-off unlike anything else in the brand’s line-up. Now the watch has officially joined the collection as the Heritage Centre Seconds Funky Blue, positioned as an entry-level model priced under US$14,000. The watch has a familiar design, for good reason: it’s modelled on early pilot’s watches from the 1920s that were produced by a host of brands including Longines and Zenith, and also Heinrich Moser, the predecessor of H. Moser & Cie. At the same time, according to Moser chief executive Edouard Meylan, the Heritage watch takes some inspiration from early 20th century wristwatches that were converted pocket watches with wire lugs soldered on for wear on the wrist. While the Heritage measures 42mm in diameter like a majority of Moser’s watches, it is just 11.1mm high, making it one of the brand’s slimmest models. Its stainless-steel case features an onion-shaped crown and thin lugs to mimic wire lugs. The case is largely polished, punctuated with fine, vertical fluting on its flanks, a detail taken from another watch in the Moser line-up, the Pioneer. The dial is a dark, metallic blue finished with sunburst brushing and the brand’s signature fumé treatment that gradually darkens towards the edges. But the most distinctive feature are the large Arabic numerals – modelled on the painted radium ...

Vault Introduces the V2 in Red Carbon-Ceramic Composite SJX Watches
Nov 29, 2019

Vault Introduces the V2 in Red Carbon-Ceramic Composite

Vault, a Swiss watch brand founded in 2013 by Mark Schwarz, has just unveiled the V2+ Red CC, a unique, left-handed variant of its unusual approach to time-telling. Inspired by a bank vault’s time lock mechanism – Mr Schwarz was both a police officer and banker earlier in his career – the brand’s watches feature a time display based on a planetary gear system, where each hour marker is actually a functioning planetary gear that travels around the dial. All of that ingenious mechanics is courtesy of UhrTeil, the complication and manufacturing outfit led by Andreas Strehler. Novel case material The new V2+ Red CC differs from earlier models with its left-handed crown and novel case material. The case is made of carbon-ceramic composite, which gives it the properties of both its constituent materials – the lightness and strength of carbon as well as the hardness of ceramic. Basically, ceramic is layered in between sheets of carbon, which is then submerged polymer and baked an autoclave to create the block of composite material. As a result, it retains the distinctive striped pattern of carbon composite. The tonneau-shaped case has a complex, multi-faceted design made up of five parts and is curved on two axis, allowing it to sit well on the wrist. It measures 39mm by 46.7mm and 15mm in height, which is thick but a necessity. That’s because the movement is essentially an automatic base calibre with a planetary display module on top. And as in the realm of such e...

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...