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Quill & Pad
After obtaining a Delta Dolce Vita Oversized at the conclusion of his Italian period, Martin Green was a very happy man. The pen served him very well, and he was in love with the looks as well as the writing experience. And while Martin wasn't looking for a replacement pen, it happened anyway . . . with some very famous brands. Read the third part of his writing instrument odyssey here.
Time+Tide
Recently, I’ve made a habit of fantasising about forever watches in my collection. It’s something I feel should exist at the core of every collector, regardless of what they collect. I find the thought of owning something for so long that it becomes synonymous with you classically romantic. Yet, I’d be remiss in not acknowledging … ContinuedThe post Six months later: Am I still in love with my Grand Seiko SBGM247? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
US Customs and Border Protection officers in Indianapolis have revealed they seized two big shipments of fake Rolex watches at the end of April. The custom officials seized 460 counterfeit Rolex watches that were arriving from Hong Kong and heading to Brooklyn, New York. Based on intelligence gathering and a past history of fraudulent shipments from … ContinuedThe post The fake news that’s all too real – massive haul of counterfeit Rolex watches seized appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
This year at Watches and Wonders, there were some new kids in on the block. For the first time ever, street and culture title Highsnobiety was invited to the media table, along with the usual specialist, trade and mainstream suspects. And you know what, it was a joy to have them there. Highsnob’s lifestyle and … ContinuedThe post Highsnobiety just reposted our Moser Streamliner Vantablack video, because it is pure voodoo insanity appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
When I went to Geneva for Watches & Wonders, the best way to describe the journey would be a horological food coma of bliss. Never before had I engaged with so many brands and timepieces at once, a delectable 40-brand course meal for a week straight. Of course, with such a wide menu of watches … ContinuedThe post MEET THE TEAM: Zach (and Andrew) share their top 5 picks from Watches & Wonders appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Sometimes you want Last Year At Marienbad and sometimes you want Jurassic World.
Quill & Pad
Patrik Sjögren of GoS was already active on Instagram in support of Ukraine in early March, at which time he saw an opportunity to help in the form of a collaboration with artist Matthew Miller (@sunflowerman.watch). The result is the GoS Northern Lights for Ukraine Norrsken unique piece now being auctioned by Sotheby's. Elizabeth Doerr explains what it is and how it came about here.
SJX Watches
Sotheby’s just concluded the first sale of the spring auction season, which now moves to Geneva with a series of auctions in the Swiss city starting the first weekend of May. The season opened strongly with several records set at Sotheby’s, most notably with The Nevadian Collector, a sale of Patek Philippe timepieces all owned by an American collector. Made up of 38 watches and one lot of vintage Gay Freres bracelets, the auction was led by an unsurprising favourite that sold for a record price – the possibly unique ref. 2499 in pink gold with a dial signed “Gobbi Milano”. Sotheby’s consultant Sam Hines bringing the hammer down on the ref. 2499 “Gobbi” Four telephone bidders competed for the watch, with bidding swift and aggressive. One of the bidders went big early on, taking the bid from HK$19 million to HK$30 million with one bid – an increment of about US$1.4 million. Eventually one of the phone bidders triumphed and set the record for the most expensive ref. 2499 ever sold at auction. The pink ref. 2499 “Gobbi” hammered for HK$50 million, resulting in a total of HK$60.265 million including the buyer’s premium. That’s equivalent to about US$7.68 million, making it the most expensive ref. 2499 ever sold at auction by some margin. The last record holder was the ref. 2499 “Asprey” that sold in 2018 for about US$ 4 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva – which was also sold by the Nevadian. While the ref. 2499 “Gobbi” was the headline lot,...
WatchAdvice
The Watch That Changed My Mind On TAG! What we love: Comfortable and easy to wear, light for its size and specsBang for buck in finish, movement and specsGood looking design with vintage ques What we don’t love: Wears on the larger size for a 42mm mainly due to its heightNoisy movement and winding rotor (some may like this though)Some wearers may find the dial harder to read at a glance with the lack of contrast in the numerals Overall rating: 8/10 Value for money: 7.5/10 Wearability: 7.5 / 10 Design: 8.5/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 Tag Heuer has always been one of those brands that never grabbed my attention. I always saw it as a watch brand that was a little overpriced, and like a lot of brands, you’re paying for more marketing than the watch itself. Now, I have owned a Tag Heuer Carrera Heuer01 in the past, so I’m not adverse to TAG at all, but it has since moved on to make way for others in my collection. So when I had the opportunity to get my hands on the new 60th Anniversary limited edition Autavia Flyback Chronograph, I was looking forward to road testing the latest iteration of the distinguished Autavia line. A Short History Lesson Before we go any further, let’s take a step back and in case you’re not familiar with the Autavia model and its history, here’s a quick refresh. The Autavia wristwatch collection, the first product launched under the leadership of Jack Heuer 60 years ago, got its name from two pillars of TAG Heuer’s history: Automobile and Av...
SJX Watches
Having unveiled a series of integrated-bracelet watches in candy-coloured ceramic at Watches & Wonders 2022, Hublot has followed up with a “high complication” in ceramic, the Big Bang Integral Cathedral Minute Repeater Ceramic. While complicated watches in end-to-end ceramic already exist, striking watches in ceramic are rare, with only Hublot and Audemars Piguet having made such watches. The Big Bang Integral is novel for combining both a tourbillon and repeater, one with longer-than-usual cathedral gongs in fact. And it manages to be water resistant in contrast to most striking watches that are merely moisture-proof, due to the challenge of sealing the slide while allowing maximum sound transmission. Initial thoughts The latest Big Bang Integral perfectly encapsulates Hublot as a brand, illustrating its strengths (and a few weaknesses). It’s powered by a complex, in-house movement contained matched with a case and bracelet that showcases the brand’s proficiency with unusual materials – all of which is possible thanks to the brand’s expansive yet agile manufacture. In typical Hublot fashion, the watch is loud – visually rather than acoustically – even in black. It looks like a Hublot, and the brand has essentially only one aesthetic. It has a technical, modern aesthetic that goes well with the open dial, a feature that’s uncommon in minute repeaters but useful since it reveals the entirety of the strikework. At almost US$300,000, the Tourbillon Repeat...
Quill & Pad
In 1995 Piaget, who was then part of the Vendôme group that would later become Richemont, entered the highest segment of the watch market by releasing a grande sonnerie wristwatch developed by François-Paul Journe. At the time, Journe was a freelance movement designer and hadn’t officially founded F.P. Journe yet.
SJX Watches
Taking place every two years in Venice, Homo Faber is an exhibition dedicated to craftsmanship of all forms, ranging from glass to porcelain to fabric. Because its organiser is the Michelangelo Foundation established by Johann Rupert, the plain-speaking chairman of Richemont, several of the Swiss group’s watchmakers are taking part. One of them is Vacheron Constantin, which is presenting a pair of one-off striking watches at Homo Faber – the Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeaters Ultra-Thin “Thunder God” and “Wind God”. The watches each recreate one half of Wind God and Thunder God, a pair of folding screens made by 16th century Japanese painter Tawaraya Sōtatsu that depicts the titular gods of Japanese mythology. Initial thoughts Owned by a temple in Kyoto, the folding screen is a National Treasure of Japan, a cultural object deemed so important by the Japanese government that it cannot be exported. The screen is certainly a worthy subject for a high-quality miniature, and Vacheron Constantin appears to have done justice to it. The dial decoration is perfect for a repeater, since the brand’s cal. 1731 minute repeater movement is relatively large, resulting in an expansive dial that is usually blank. It’s an ideal canvas for artisanal decoration. Vacheron Constantin’s enamel work, whether in house or done by independent artisans like Anita Porchet, is usually impeccable. The repeater dials definitely look the part. In fact, the miniatures of the gods are im...
SJX Watches
The flagship event at Sotheby’s upcoming spring watch auction in Hong Kong is The Nevadian Collector. Focused on historically significant Patek Philippe references, the compact but valuable sale is the closing act of a notable collector based in California. Having started collecting over 30 years ago, the “Nevadian” became a major figure in vintage watch collecting after selling his media business in the mid 1990s. Now in his eighties, the gentleman’s collection was once some 400 watches, a number that has been gradually pared down in recent years. It included several timepieces that set priced records in recent years, including the ref. 2499 signed “Asprey” that sold for almost CHF4 million in 2018 and another ref. 2499 signed “Tiffany & Co.” that sold for the equivalent of US$3 million later that year. Another of the Nevadian’s watches: the crisp, third series ref. 2499 in pink gold with a “Tiffany & Co.” dial that sold for HK$23.5m, or US$3.00 million, in 2018, becoming the most expensive watch sold at auction in Asia that year Made up of only 40 lots – but with a cumulative value of US$15 million at the low estimates – the sale takes place in the evening of April 25, 2022, starting at 8:00 pm (GMT +8). Bidding and the full catalogue can be accessed here. The upcoming auction represents the last of the Nevadian’s watches, but considering the depth and breath of the collection, the line up unsurprisingly encompasses many spectacular, import...
Quill & Pad
Martin Green thinks that the only downside of the Armin Strom Orbit was that it launched as a limited edition of just 25 pieces, which are already sold out. More will follow, and that is at least some good news as he declares the Orbit the best watch with a date complication currently available.
Time+Tide
Amongst all the gargantuan and intricate displays at Watches & Wonders, the TAG Heuer area was buzzing. After bumping into Kristian Haagen from DailyWatch, Andrew headed in to break down the list of TAG Heuer new releases, and unpack what makes them so exciting. Lots of attention has been justifiably given to the TAG Heuer … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Unpacking the new TAG Heuer releases from lab-grown diamonds to serious divers appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Launched in 2007, Top Gun is IWC’s line up of all-ceramic pilot’s watches. But since its inauguration over a decade ago, the Top Gun has largely relied on a singular colour of ceramic – black in either a matte or glossy finish. IWC did offer a few models with coloured ceramic cases, but they were limited editions, until now. At Watches & Wonders 2022 IWC revealed ceramic cases in white or green with a pair of Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition – both regular production models. Instantly evoking stormtroopers from Star Wars, the “Lake Tahoe” edition has a case of white ceramic, while the “Woodland” edition is in forest-green ceramic. Both are 43.5 mm in diameter and contain the in-house cal. 69380. The two new models double the range of ceramic colours offered by IWC. They join the Pilot’s Watch “Mojave” editions launched in 2019 that had an unusual sand-coloured ceramic case, and last year’s “Laureus Sport for Good” in blue ceramic. “Woodland” Initial thoughts Long the brand’s bestselling line, the Pilot’s Watch has been a focus of IWC in recent few years. The brand has made safe bets with iterating on popular models that have received upgrades such as in-house movements, new dial colours, or more compact cases in new materials. In comparison the latest pair of chronographs are more adventurous. Intrinsically interesting because of their colours, the white and green ceramic cases are relatively uncommon for chronographs in this ...
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
Last week at Watches & Wonders, I suspect that the watch that was discussed most regularly and with most animation wasn’t even released at the show. Countless times over dinners or drinks, I heard the subject of the MoonSwatch pop up and everyone had an opinion on the shock collaboration between Omega and Swatch. Some … ContinuedThe post Marketing guru explains why the MoonSwatch was a genius co-branding move appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
In recent years, the world of high-end watches has become a far more colorful place. We have evolved from decades of conservatism in which a blue dial was daring to a kaleidoscopic era where anything is possible. And now red arrives, which has the advantage of a richness of hues. Here Martin Green looks at four new red-dialed watches from Bell & Ross, Oris, Rado, and Omega.
SJX Watches
Just after the curtain fell on Watches & Wonders 2022 – on the day after the fair closed in fact – Patek Philippe unveils one of its technical highlights for the year, the 1/10th of a Second Monopusher Chronograph ref. 5470P-001. In a first for the Geneva watchmaker, the chronograph is equipped with a high-frequency balance that beats at 36,000 vibrations per hour, or 5 Hz. The high-beat movement results in a lighting seconds hand that completes one revolution around the dial every 12 seconds, allowing the chronograph to precisely record elapsed times with a resolution of 1/10ths of a second (barring user error). This lightning seconds hand runs in tandem with the regular chronograph seconds hand, resulting in an unusual sight on the dial when the chronograph is running. Initial thoughts While lightning seconds chronographs have been done before, it’s surprising to see a traditionalist brand such as Patek Philippe have a go at the complication. The function is often associated with brands with a sporty, contemporary aesthetic like TAG Heuer and Zenith. In terms of aesthetics, the ref. 5470P is another example of the brand continuing to move towards a more modern, striking style, even for otherwise classical models. But under the hood is where it shines. Despite the seemingly simple idea of tacking on an additional gear train for the 1/10th of a second hand, the movement inside underwent a deceptively complex modification. And in typical Patek Philippe fashion, the co...
Hodinkee
The new range of shades at Watches & Wonder 2022 proves it.
Time+Tide
“We’re here at the pinnacle of watchmaking – the top tier of the holy trinity!” That’s how Zach introduces Patek Philippe in this video with Ricardo that mulls over the brand’s best release of Watches & Wonders. And as you can quickly tell from his liberal use of superlatives – he’s pretty excited. But when it … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Head to head – what’s the best Patek Philippe release of Watches & Wonders? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
The fourth and final episode of our daily series is brought to you by those who had their first experience at a watch trade show.
Time+Tide
Last year, Zenith’s Head of Product, Romain Marietta admitted he was “shocked” by the runaway success of the Chronomaster Sport. “We knew it would be big, but not this big,” he told us. Frankly, at Time+Tide we were less surprised by the wave of excitement engulfing this ceramic-bezelled beauty. After all, Zenith had effectively created … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Zenith doubles down on the Chronomaster Sport line appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
True solar time is measured by the position of the sun and can run up to 16 minutes ahead of and 14 minutes behind the time shown on our clocks and watches. Our friends at The Watches TV spent a day with Philippe Dufour to have a look at this phenomenon in a personal way.
Time+Tide
In this video, Jeremy and Zach take a look at Vacheron Constantin‘s new releases and one of the immediate highlights: the Historiques 222. You might remember this story from last year where a Time+Tide reader spoke to us about finding a Vacheron Constantin 222 in his sock drawer that turned out to be worth a … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The return of the 222 – our first take on Vacheron Constantin’s new releases 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...
SJX Watches
In a teaser before Watches & Wonders 2022, Rolex published a partial image of a watch with a smooth, fixed bezel and crown guards – a combination of features found in no current model at the time. It was the all-new Air King ref. 126900 that gained a redesigned case and dial as well as a new bracelet and an upgraded movement. In other words, an entirely different watch, yet one that has the same spirit as its predecessor. Initial thoughts Conceptually, the Air-King is very novel for Rolex (just like the left-handed GMT-Master II) since it is the first Rolex to combine both a smooth bezel and crown guards. But it is still typically Rolex in its substantive upgrades meant to improve practicality and wearability. For instance, removing the soft iron inner cage means the case is flatter and sits better on the wrist. The new reference is powered by the cal. 3230 equipped by Rolex’s proprietary blue Parachrom hairspring. This increases magnetism resistance while helping boost power reserve to about 70 hours, an upgrade from the 48 hours of the cal. 3131 found in the outgoing model. Overall, the revamp of the Air-King is more practical than aesthetic since the look largely remains intact, although the watch does feel a bit more sculpted and refined. Having had the opportunity to experience the actual watch, it looks and feels excellent on the wrist. Thoroughly updated All of the design tweaks to the Air-King serve to make it more sporty. The highlight is certainly the crow...
Revolution
At home on land, air or sea, Montblanc’s latest are ready for adventure.
SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin opens its doors at Watches & Wonders 2022 with diversity of timepieces ranging from the sporty to artisanal, but its most classical offering is the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Chronograph in a fashionable “salmon”. With the model having been launched over a decade ago and then gently upgraded in 2016, the new version is merely a facelift. But still it’s noteworthy for combining a platinum case with a “salmon” dial, both currently desirable attributes, which should help make this a strong seller (which also explains why it will only be available at boutiques). Initial thoughts The highlight of the new Traditionnelle is the dial – the only element that’s different compared to the original launched six years ago. Though less intriguing because it’s popular and common today, the new dial is nevertheless a good move that gives the model a new lease of life. While the rest of the watch apart from the dial isn’t new, it does have several features that make it stand out, most obviously the large, 43 mm case with a flat, wide bezel, a bold look for a relatively classical watch. While the large diameter does improve the legibility of the complex dial, it will not appeal to traditionalists who favour smaller cases. But the movement will certainly appeal to traditionalists. The cal. 1142 QP, which is based on the Lemania 2310, was long the movement of choice in a variety of old-school classics such as the Patek Philippe ref. 5970. Vacheron ...
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