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Deployant
This article was published in Japanese by Chronos Japan No.95, July 2021 Edition. Our take for the top 10 watches and the other on major trends for 2021.
Quill & Pad
With auction prices soaring, it’s a good time for an auction house to be offering rare timepieces by the world’s best independent watchmakers. George Daniels and Roger Smith made a series of 50 Millennium wristwatches back in 1999, and Bonhams is now offering one in its sale on June 16, 2021 with a high estimate of £300,000. Don't be surprised if it goes for much more than that, though.
SJX Watches
Amongst the projects to tackle climate change that’s being supported by Rolex was the successful scientific expedition to Tupungato, a dormant volcano that’s one of the highest mountains in Americas that sits on the border of Chile and Argentina. Led by National Geographic and backed by the Chilean government, the expedition team embarked on a 15-day trek up Tupungato in early April to install a weather station just below the summit – 6,505 m above sea level – that’s the highest weather installation in the Southern and Western Hemispheres. The purpose of the expedition was, of course, not to explore the uncharted; such endeavours had their heyday in the postwar era, with Rolex keeping time for many of them. Instead the watchmaker supports scientists and conservationists on expeditions that aid understanding of climate change and its effects – all of which are part of the Perpetual Planet initative. Tupungato National Geographic A pillar of Perpetual Planet is Rolex’s partnership with National Geographic, the iconic, yellow-bordered magazine of the National Geographic Society. The partnership seeks to understand and address the impact of climate change, through expeditions and field research that harness data taken at crucial locations that are often harsh and inaccessible. The partnership’s first expedition took place in 2019, when a team travelled up Mount Everest to set up the highest-altitude weather station in the world – 8,430 m above sea level ...
Quill & Pad
The components of a mechanical watch movement are little more than a series of springs and wheels held together by plates and/or bridges. No matter the configuration, complication or finish, the ensemble is secured by the humble movement screw. So it's a pleasant surprise that several watchmakers have boldly ventured beyond the thread and slot to reimagine the movement screw as Ryan Schmidt notes.
Quill & Pad
GaryG's first rule when it comes to collecting is to avoid setting too many exclusionary rules. With watches, he believes that it's the passion that separates collectors from investors and accumulators. Which brings him to another rule: deriving the full enjoyment from the things you own.
SJX Watches
One of Seiko’s pioneering dive watches, the “Tuna” ref. 6159-7010 was launched in 1975 as an automatic, titanium-case diver with the greatest depth rating Seiko could muster at the time, an impressive 600 m. And in 1986, Seiko upped its game with the 1000 m “Golden Tuna” ref. 7C46-7009/7010, a quartz watch that got its nickname from the gold-coated titanium inner case. With this year being the 35th anniversary of the “Golden Tuna” 1000 m, Seiko has announced a commemorative model that’s an essentially a dressed up version of the vintage original. The Seiko Prospex 1986 Quartz Diver’s 35th Anniversary Limited Edition retains the iconic shrouded case in titanium and ceramic and the same, exceptionally robust quartz movement found in the original. The key design feature of the anniversary model, however, is the gradient blue dial that’s dark blue on the upper half of the dial and fades downwards into black, evoking the depths of the sea. At the same time, the gilded details of the original have been reduced, leaving the gold plating for just screws that secure the shroud as well as the buckle. Initial thoughts The “Tuna” – in all its myriad variations – is an attractive, both for its distinctive style and its legit professional-diver heritage. More notable is the fact that the most basic “Tuna” starts at just a few hundred dollars – though the entry-level models are not true dive instruments – making the design relatively wallet-friendl...
Time+Tide
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.
Revolution
Wei unboxes the new IWC Big Pilot 43mm, and also walks us through their patented quick change system that makes changing straps hassle-free.
Time+Tide
If you were to guess who the world’s richest men were, your mind would probably wander to tech CEOs and Russian oligarchs, all of which would be reasonable assumptions. This month, however, the tides of wealth have changed with LVMH founder, CEO, and executive chairman Bernard Arnault rising to No.1 on the rich list. Edging … ContinuedThe post LVMH founder Bernard Arnault declared world’s richest man (but what watch does he wear?) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Launched earlier this year as the latest addition to Piaget’s compact Polo S line up, the Piaget Polo Skeleton joins a crowded field of luxury-sports watches. But it is a novel enough proposition – being a skeletonised, automatic sports watch – to make it notable. And it helps that the Polo Skeleton is exceptionally slim, thin enough that it feels similar to Piaget’s Altiplano dress watches on the wrist. Initial thoughts Piaget loaned me a Polo Skeleton in blue for a couple of days, and two features stood out: its slimness and how well it wore (save for the clasp buttons, more on that below). The Polo Skeleton is wide but flat, and sits elegantly on the wrist. Even though the bracelet is relatively thick compared to the case, that is only apparently when the watch is off the wrist. On the wrist the bracelet pairs well with the case, despite not being an integrated design. Having a skeletonised movement with coloured bridges give the Polo Skeleton a distinct look. This contrasts with the standard time-only Polo S, especially with its linear-pattern dial, that does admittedly bring to mind other luxury-sports watches. At the same time, the finishing and style of the cal. 1200S in the Polo Skeleton bring depth and texture to the face, while also injecting a bit of movement with the rotor and balance wheel. The Polo Skeleton is offered in two guises – blue or grey treatment for the movement – and the blue is the more striking by far. It is also more legible due to ...
SJX Watches
A Singaporean retailer that specialises in affordable, unconventional watches such as SevenFriday and Gorilla, Red Army Watches (RAW) now debuts its own label, KEF Elements. The brand’s maiden model is the Time & Space, a time-only wristwatch with an aventurine-glass dial bearing a glow-in-the-dark zodiac constellation. Initial thoughts Having known RAW founder Sugi Kusumadi for several years, I’ve come to admire Sugi’s passion for unusual timepieces. That’s been evident in past collaborations RAW has embarked on with a number of brands, most notably with Gorilla and Stowa. Its own brand feels like a natural next step for RAW. While the brand is brand new, KEF Elements is very much like many of the brands RAW carries, offering an intriguing aesthetic for relatively little money. Inspired by “the mystique and vastness of space”, the aventurine-glass dial lives up to the Time & Space moniker. Its sparkling surface and luminous constellation successfully evoke the cosmos. Aside from the aventurine dial, another striking aspect of the watch are the dozen dials on offer, each bearing one of the 12 zodiac constellations. An individual zodiac constellation at this price is an unusual proposition, so kudos to RAW. Celestial themes on aventurine glass have been done before, but they are usually accompanied by a hefty price tag, thus making the price of KEF Elements watch notable. With a current pre-order price of S$789, or a little bit under US$600, KEF Elements’ d...
Quill & Pad
Vacheron Constantin’s history has been filled with extraordinary, complicated, and elegant timepieces. Here are the five most complicated pocket watches the Geneva maison has produced throughout its 266-year history, beginning with the record-holding Reference 57260.
Revolution
Quill & Pad
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds with green dial capitalizes on the 2021 green trend and is one of the special watches celebrating the 90-year anniversary of the Reverso. It’s a stunning timepiece with a vintage-inspired dial featuring a lacquered green sunray pattern, faceted hour markers, dauphine-style hands, and a large subsidiary seconds counter at 6 o’clock. Here Bhanu Chopra runs through the reasons for considering a purchase.
Time+Tide
There’s nothing worse than having something stolen. You discover your possession isn’t where you left it. Self-doubt creeps in and you feel like you’re going crazy. You search everywhere in case it’s moved, with the growing feeling that you must have forgotten where you actually put it… That’s exactly the feeling football player Jesse Lingard … ContinuedThe post Footballer Jesse Lingard had his watch stolen from locker while playing for West Ham appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Read all about how your rights to feel offended can supersede opinions here!
Time+Tide
Grand Seiko don’t make dainty dive watches. Instead, the Japanese watchmaker follows their design philosophy of blending form and function in a way that doesn’t compromise either, with large, legible underwater tool watches that can hold up against anything you’re likely to do with them. One great example is the Grand Seiko SBGX335, a quartz … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The function forward Grand Seiko SBGX335 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having rounded up some of the interesting and probably overlooked at Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong watch auction, we now take a look at some of the independent watchmaking highlights in the sale. The auction includes big ticket headline lots like a F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain, and of course the F.P. Journe tourbillon disguised as Harry Winston. But it also encompasses the less obvious, including a Alain Silberstein Tourbillon Marine, Singer Reimagined Track 1, a Bulgari-era Gerald Genta perpetual calendar in gold and tantalum, and an early-generation H. Moser & Cie. Perpetual 1 that’s excellent value. The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XII takes place in the evening of June 5 (lots 801-852), and on June 6 (lots 853-1112). The full catalogue and registration for bidding are available online. Lot 809 – Alain Silberstein Tourbillon Marine Black Sea Cheerful and eminently affordable, the Tourbillon Marine is typical Alain Silberstein. Mr Silberstein’s once explained his approach was to create unique, personalised wristwatches that arouse the emotion. By that measure, the Tourbillon Marine succeeds – it sets itself apart from every diving watch. In his 1990s heyday, Alain Silberstein was rebellious and avant-garde, standing in stark contrast to the strictly conservative style that dominated high horology at the time. This watch is from the early 2000s, but still very much a quintessential Alain Silberstein creation. The dial is quirky and playful – the deep sea ren...
SJX Watches
Tudor just debuted the Black Bay Ceramic, an appealing watch that is compelling value. I like it, but it is a well-executed dive watch in black ceramic – not majorly significant in the grander scheme of things. But actually it is significant – shrewd and strategic in its concept, and a neat illustration of Tudor’s clever and patent strategy. Why? The answer lies in the industry landscape. Tudor’s parent is Rolex, the biggest luxury-watch brand in the world. According to Morgan Stanley estimates published in March 2021, Rolex sold almost CHF8 billion of watches at retail value in 2020. The equivalent number at Omega was a little under CHF3 billion, making it the second-largest luxury-watch brand. In the same report, Morgan Stanley pegged the retail-value sales for Tudor at CHF633 million, the result of having enjoyed double-digit growth for several years. Though it’s a modest number relative to Rolex and Omega, it is substantial. The figure puts Tudor a hair below Jaeger-LeCoultre’s CHF681 million, and bigger than Panerai’s CHF520 million. Tudor’s solid growth is attributable to many factors, most of which are encapsulated in the Black Bay Ceramic. Most obvious are the historically-inspired and thoughtful design, and of course the strong value proposition it represents. But more than that it is a masterstroke. Specifically, the METAS certification that makes the Black Bay Ceramic a Master Chronometer is a brilliant move. To be clear, Tudor officially has no...
SJX Watches
Twenty-twenty marked 55 years since Seiko’s first foray into dive watches, which was the ref. 6217 “62MAS” of 1965. Naturally, it introduced myriad vintage remakes to mark the occasion – not only of the “62MAS” but also other dive watches of the era like the ref. 6105 “Turtle”. A year on, Seiko continues with a pair of remakes: the 1965 Diver’s Modern Re-Interpretations “62MAS” (ref. SPB239) and the 1970 Diver’s Modern Re-Interpretation “Turtle” (ref. SPB237), both powered by the mid-range 6R35 movement, making them affordable. The “6105” remake with a textured grey dial Initial thoughts There have been numerous remakes of Seiko dive watches, including several limited editions – but all are practical, affordable watches, so more isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The result is a variety of iterated case and dial combinations with something for almost everyone. The new models are as good looking as their immediate predecessors, since they are essentially alike save for minor tweaks, namely the woven-fabric strap and dial colour. The “62MAS” remake with a brown “sunburst” dial Each model is delivered with a pair of NATO-style fabric straps that add a bit of vintage charm to the look, especially compared to the rubber straps usually found on dive watches. Although the fabric straps are merely, well, fabric straps, they are special. The straps are braided with the technique known as seichu, traditionally used to weave obijime, the co...
SJX Watches
Launched in 2014 as a successor to the foundational UR-103, the UR-105 was a more elaborate version of Urwerk’s satellite-disc, wandering-hours watch. After a seven-year run – it’s been replaced by the entry-level UR-100 – the UR-105 series will now be retired. Urwerk is giving the model a grand send-off with the UR-105 TTH, which has the front plate and lid of its case made of tantalum, the bluish-grey metal that Urwerk has only used in one other instance with the UR-110 TTH. Based the UR-105 CT Streamliner with its characteristic hinged lid, the UR-105 TTH is all about its case material. A dense metal with a distinctive colour that’s used for surgical implants, turbine blades, and even artillery shells, tantalum is difficult to machine and finish due to its hardness. Consequently, while tantalum has been used for watch cases since the 1990s, but it is uncommon. Urwerk is one of a handful of brands, alongside Omega and F.P. Journe, to use the metal for a watch case. Initial thoughts All good things must come to an end, and Urwerk is closing the chapter with aplomb. With the distinctive hue of tantalum, the case fits the sci-fi industrial spirit of the brand well. Striking and futuristic, the UR-105 is sleek in tantalum. The metal will make it substantially heavier than the standard steel version of the UR-105, which would make it less easily wearable. Priced at CHF77,000, or about US$86,000, the UR-105 TTH is 20% more expensive the base-model UR-105 CT i...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Rather than be your run-of-the-mill fashion chrono, the new Heitis is set to be your “go anywhere, do anything” watch with a touch of class. Now, usually if you try to jam to many characters into one movie, you end up with a jumbled mess that rarely achieves anything it sets out to do. Will a watch be the same?
Quill & Pad
Since Baselworld 2018, Rolex has subtly been revisiting its 36 mm Datejust models. The two stainless steel/white gold models revealed at Baselworld 2019 were the last of these, and Saad Chaudhry is pleased to now delve into the new and improved details of this popular modern wristwatch.
Quill & Pad
GaryG has already written about the struggles that independent watchmakers face simply to survive. Expressing oneself through horological art may well be a noble calling, but it’s definitely one of the tougher ways to make a living. Chanel's very recent investment in F.P. Journe caused Gary to think about the pros and cons of outside investment into indies, and he shares his thoughts here.
Time+Tide
Are cartoon-themed watches the same as the joker in the office with the cringe-worthy Marvin the Martian silk tie on a Tuesday? I think not. In fact, some of the best examples of cartoon characters, whether they be Disney or Anime, are so discreet that you barely notice them. And in the context of a … ContinuedThe post Kapow! Zap! Whammo! The cartoon characters brightening up your wristwear from Popeye to Snoopy appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Exceptionally light and tough, the latest edition of the TAG Heuer Monaco is made from Grade 2 titanium and is limited to 500 pieces.
Time+Tide
This week at Time+Tide has been pretty diverse when I look back. We considered the latest Bulgari collaboration with Steve Aoki, the price of Picasso’s these days and the state of domestic Cambodian politics. We also received word that the very first pieces of the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 collection are hitting Australian shores soon … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: A Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Aussie presale, an emo Antiques Roadshow and the best Patek Philippe models of 2021 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
With the Geneva watch auctions recently concluded, the action moves to Hong Kong where Phillips is presenting a large, 312-lot catalogue over two days and three sessions. Headlined by a pair of Patek Philippe ref. 2499s with certificates – first and third series specifically – the Phillips sale encompasses several lots that will delight collectors looking for intriguing timepieces that usually go under the radar – most of which are also value buys. They include a seemingly ordinary Panerai with a brilliant Minerva movement, a round Audemars Piguet minute repeater that’s not a Code 11.59, and the electric Cartier Tank Folle that is as left-field as they come. The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XII takes place on June 5 (lots 801-852) and June 6 over two sessions (lots 853-1112). The full catalogue, along with registration for the auction, is available online. Lot 874 – Panerai Radiomir PAM 322 “Minerva” With little to distinguish it, the PAM 322 looks like any other Radiomir at a glance. Released in 2008 in a limited edition of 150 pieces, the PAM 322 is quintessential Panerai in style: a 47 mm titanium case, tobacco dial, and gilt hands. But turn it over and it is instantly recognisable as special. The PAM 322 is powered by the cal. OPXXVII, which is actually based on the Minerva cal. 16-15/16-17, one of the calibres destined for Montblanc’s top-of-the-line watches, then known as the Villeret 1858 collection (and now found in various 1858 and Heritage mode...
Time+Tide
If you have followed my coverage here on Time+Tide, you’ll be well aware I am a huge fan of Kurono watches. The brand has cultivated a cult following, with buyers such as myself racing to secure one of their creations each release. Unfortunately past runs have been scarce at times, with references introduced in limited … ContinuedThe post Is this the only truly democratic sales process? Get on board for the Kurono Anniversary 朱鷺:TOKI appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Wei Koh runs us through the new Submersible Bronzo by Panerai as well as new additions of chronographs made to the Luminor family.
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