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One To Watch: The Former Patek Watchmaker Who Took His Talents To Denmark
Christian Lass is using his experience to create a truly unique movement.
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SJX Watches
Zenith Introduces the Chronomaster Revival Safari
In a year where green dials have become a major fad, Zenith is keeping up with the Chronomaster Revival Safari, a chronograph “inspired by the great outdoors” according to the brand. Pairing a matte khaki-green dial with faux-aged “lume” and an El Primero A384 in blasted titanium, the Chronomaster Revival Safari is one of the more unusual El Primero remakes to date, despite its fashionable colour. Initial thoughts If the Chronomaster Revival Safari looks familiar, that’s because it’s essentially the Chronomaster Revival Shadow in green. The Shadow was one of my favourite recent watches from Zenith, so that’s a good thing. In fact, the microblasted titanium case suits the safari theme better than the monochromatic Shadow. Lightweight and non-reflective, titanium makes sense for a watch that’s meant to be for the great outdoors. However, “faux-patina” on the hands and indices is a tad affected, especially considering the Safari is not a vintage remake, but rather a modern design conceived to capitalise on green dials being in vogue. With a price tag of US$9,000, the new Chronomaster Revival Safari costs about 10% more than the Shadow and the A385 on a bracelet, making it less of a value proposition compared to the rest of the Revival lineup. Nevertheless, it’s still a fair buy relative to the rest of the market. And given the current popularity of green-dial watches, the Safari will prove to be a commercial success. Jungle ready The green dial has a mat...
Deployant
The new 2021 Cloche de Cartier
The watch is classically Cartier, and has a novel case shape which its Prive line is known for. It is priced at S$39,400 in gold and S$44,600 in platinum and is limited to 100 pieces per model. The small production number and the novel case shape is the biggest sell point of the watch, but in comparison, a gold Tank Louis Cartier with the same movement is approximately 40% less expensive.
Quill & Pad
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL: A Masterclass In Flexures And Material Science
The main focus of the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL is the technology behind the shock absorber, so the watch itself is a simple, three-hand, time-only piece with an ultra-clean dial and generally restrained aesthetic minimizing unnecessary distraction. Joshua Munchow dives in to take a closer look at the progressive compliant technology.
Time+Tide
Meet the nicest UFC fighter ever, with a surprisingly fancy Rolex
Anyone who follows the fight game knows that Georges St-Pierre is a legend. Not just for his remarkable UFC record of 26 wins against just 2 losses, but also because in a sport that is sometimes overtaken by trash-talking bravado, GSP is a gentleman in every sense of the word. He maintained a laser-like focus … ContinuedThe post Meet the nicest UFC fighter ever, with a surprisingly fancy Rolex appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Chopard Introduces the L.U.C QF Jubilee
Named after Chopard founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard, the L.U.C line is all about haute horlogerie, encompassing both complications and fine finishing. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier, the brand is releasing the L.U.C QF Jubilee, a doubly-certified chronometer with a steel case, offering a finely finished movement at a relatively accessible price. Initial Thoughts The L.U.C QF Jubilee is an attractive watch that straddles the line between vintage and modern design. It is 39 mm wide and a hair under 9 mm thick, making it the perfect size for a classically-styled dress watch. The vintage inspiration extends to the shape of the lugs and the proportions of the mirror-polished case – both the bezel and case back are domed and sandwich a thin case middle, giving it proportions reminiscent of watches from the first half of the 20th century. Despite being a dress watch, the QF Jubilee is surprisingly practical – the hands are filled with Super-LumiNova, as are the indices. While the sector-style design and syringe hands are vintage-inspired, the blue-on-silver colours and lume are concessions to modernity. But the best thing about the watch is the movement, which is an in-house automatic with a sophisticated construction and refined finishing. Even though the calibre is not decorated to the top grade of L.U.C finishing (those have the Poincon de Geneve), it is good enough to be better than almost all watches at this price range. The vinta...
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: The Cartier Tank Must presents a statement piece with a blast of colour
Too often in watchmaking the focus is only on the technical and the very expensive. Yes, it’s critical for the watch industry to continue to innovate, but complication for its own sake serves a very limited number of ends. Sometimes I wish there were more watches that just focused on being fun, lighthearted and affordable, … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Cartier Tank Must presents a statement piece with a blast of colour appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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First Impressions: Cartier Privé Cloche de Cartier
Unveiled alongside the fancy Cloche Skeleton, the Privé Cloche de Cartier is the latest vintage design to be revived by the Parisian jeweller. Less famous than the Tank or Santos, the Cloche is nevertheless an original design that quirkier than the typical Cartier case. Designed in the 1920s and shaped like a bell – cloche is French for “bell” – the Cloche has been a fixture in Cartier’s catalogue for decades, but only ever produced in small numbers, explaining its relatively obscurity. The last major edition of the model was the Collection Privee Cartier Paris (CPCP) limited edition of 2007 – 100 in yellow gold with a silver dial – though smaller runs and custom models were made in the interim. The new Privé Cloche is offered in three metals – either pink or yellow gold as well as platinum – each limited to 100 pieces. The Cloche variants. Image – Cartier Initial thoughts The Cloche is a quirky but appealing shape that brings to mind “driver’s” watches, but is an original design in itself. The newest iteration of the century-old design is the largest to date, making it a good size for a formal-dress watch even by modern standards. The case is fairly wide, and also thick enough it doesn’t feel delicate. The only aspect of the design I question is the strap, which feels too narrow, especially on a bare wrist that isn’t under a shirt cuff. Although the design is classic Cartier, the colours and details give the Cloche a more modern feel. The d...
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In-Depth: The Citizen Calibre 0200 Movement
Having explored the Citizen Caliber 0200 last week, we now focus on arguably the most important aspect of the watch – the cal 0200 within. An important achievement for Citizen, the cal. 0200 is the brand’s first high-end automatic movement. The fact that the watch was named after its movement indicates its significance, and also the fact that the watch was constructed around the movement, rather than vice versa. The Caliber 0200 wristwatch is high quality, particularly in the finishing of its case and bracelet. That’s all the more impressive given its US$6,000 price tag, which leaves the best of class in its price segment in terms of finishing and quality. But the Caliber 0200’s merits are all encompassing – its movement is as accomplished as the external components. The cal. 0200 is an all-new, in-house automatic with with the features expected of a modern movement, and a little bit more. Beyond its intrinsic qualities, it is also notable for being a fusion of Japanese and Swiss watchmaking: its development, production, and assembly is done by Citizen in Japan, but with a key contribution from Swiss movement maker La Joux-Perret, which makes the base plate and bridges, and helped to refine the movement decoration. The rest of the movement – from development and construction to finishing and assembly – is done by Citizen at its headquarters in Tokyo. In fact, Citizen set up a specialised workshop, the Mechanical Watch Elements Development Department (or ME...
Time+Tide
The Rolex robberies – when your watch makes you a target for crime
Wearing a Rolex will invariably attract attention. Bragging rights aside, owning a Rolex comes with a host of benefits: they can make a great impression with your in-laws, they are built to last for a very long time, they hold their value better than most luxury commodities and, of course, they tell the time unusually … ContinuedThe post The Rolex robberies – when your watch makes you a target for crime appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
INTERVIEW: British Watchmaking’s brave new dawn
As one British alliance lies wounded from failing to remain in touch with the times, another is going from strength to strength. Indeed, unlike the Royal Family, the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers has time on its side. Late last year, while Britain was coming to terms with the double whammy of another … ContinuedThe post INTERVIEW: British Watchmaking’s brave new dawn appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
EVENT: If you’ve got a need for speed the TAG Heuer x Porsche pop-up is a watch-lover’s delight
At the start of last month, TAG Heuer announced a partnership with a pretty special brand: Porsche. Why you might ask? What’s the difference between this and any old automotive / watchmaking relationship? The difference lies in the closely linked histories of these two brands, both united by a passion for going fast and the … ContinuedThe post EVENT: If you’ve got a need for speed the TAG Heuer x Porsche pop-up is a watch-lover’s delight appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Business News: Swissôtel Basel Declared Bankrupt
While not the fanciest hotel in Basel – that title goes to Les Trois Rois across the river – the Swissôtel Le Plaza Basel was synonymous with the luxury watch brands that exhibited in Baselworld, the once dominant watch fair that was crippled by the departure of key exhibitors like Rolex and Patek Philippe, and then the pandemic. Located just across the street from Messe Basel, the sprawling convention centre where Baselworld once took place, the Swissôtel Basel was declared bankrupt by a Basel court in early last month. The hotel was heavily dependent on the city’s primary trade fairs, Art Basel and Baselworld. According to past news reports, over 60% of revenue at the Basel hotel came from trade fair bookings. And those trade fair bookings were exorbitant. So pricey that only the industry’s biggest movers and shakers could stay there – the hotel typically imposed a 10-day minimum stay for Baselworld leading to a bill of about 7000 Swiss francs per room – the Swissôtel Basel was a place where you could spot Thierry Stern, any one of the Hayeks who control Swatch Group, and the occasional Bugatti parked in front. According to industry insiders who had rooms booked for Baselworld 2020, the hotel did not offer refunds and instead moved the bookings to 2021. With clients sitting at the bottom of the ranking of creditors, it is unlikely that any of the fees will be repaid. Though managed by Accor, the French group that owns the Swissôtel brand, the Swissôtel...
SJX Watches
Ikepod Collaborates with Artist Tom Christopher
Having been resurrected three years ago, Ikepod is returning to collaborations with contemporary artists, this time for Megapod designed together with Tom Christopher, best known for his paintings of New York City streetscapes. Based the automatic model launched last year, the Ikepod X Tom Christopher Megapod is a 200-piece edition sold exclusively online, reflecting the reborn Ikepod’s focus on affordable watches sold direct to the consumer. The Tom Christopher Megapod is the brand’s first artist collaboration since the Jeff Koons and KAWS watches created by an earlier iteration of the company. To recap, the brand was originally founded by Swiss businessman Oliver Ike and industrial designer Marc Newson in 1994, but failed to achieve commercial success despite its distinctive designs, in part due to high retail prices that resulted from its small production and high-quality components. It closed its doors in 2006, before being revived by art collector and dealer Adam Lindemann, whose influence helped gets Mr Koons and KAWS on board. But the brand continued to focus on pricey watches, and went bust once again in 2012. Now owned by a pair of Swiss entrepreneurs, the latest iteration of Ikepod is very much sticking with entry-level watches. Initial thoughts Having been the brainchild of Mr Newson, and then backed by Mr Lindemann, Ikepod’s idiosyncratic timepieces were long popular with certain well-heeled fans of contemporary art. Kanye West, for instance, sported a...
Quill & Pad
Three Kinds Of Blue: 3 Cool And Relatively Affordable Limited Edition Watches Under €2,500 From Seiko, Oris, And Union Glashütte
For less than €2,500 you can get a pretty cool watch with an interesting story to tell. But which one: Japanese, German, or Swiss? Jan Lidmaňský highlights three possibilities from Seiko, Union Glashütte, and Oris, each of which might find a home on your wrist, but which would you choose? And why?
SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Announces Partnership with Porsche
Collaborations between watchmakers and automobiles manufactures are common, but unsurprising given the focus on engineering and styling shared by the two industries. Despite the obvious synergies, the watch-and-car tie ups of recent years have rarely enjoyed unbridled success. Now TAG Heuer is seeking to upend the trend with a partnership with Porsche, the German marque whose 911 is the longest-lived sports car in history. The partnership is being inaugurated with the Carrera Porsche Chronograph Special Edition Calibre Heuer 02 – a thoroughly apt product given that the flagship product of each brand shares the same name inspired by the Carrera Panamericana of the 1950s. Initial thoughts The inaugural watch of the partnership has modest ambitions. On the surface, it appears to be a gentle facelift of the Carrera Sport Chronograph introduced last year. The case and movement remain the same, but the design features a few subtle elements drawn from Porsche’s racing pedigree. The execution is smart without being over-the-top, avoiding the pitfall of excess automotive elements that accompany many automotive collaborations. At US$6,050 on a bracelet, the Carrera Porsche Chronograph is priced at a small and reasonable premium of about 5% over the standard model. Compared with watches resulting from earlier automotive partnerships, the Carrera Porsche Chronograph is affordable, and remains a good value proposition, offering a little extra for Porsche and sports car enthusiasts....
Quill & Pad
MB&F; x Eddy Jaquet LM Split Escapement Jules Verne: Science Fiction Stories Exquisitely Engraved In Metal
It’s no surprise that MB&F; would create a special limited series of Legacy Machines honoring Jules Verne and the type of retro-futurism found within his novels. Yet this project is also the artistic child of master engraver Eddy Jaquet who has worked with MB&F; for the last decade and was the driver behind the focus of each piece on and how to realize it. The results of these eight unique timepieces are simply spectacular.
Time+Tide
VIDEO: Our favourite references from the IWC 2020 Portugieser Collection
The momentum IWC generated in 2019 has continued unimpeded this year, with a slightly dressier focus. Here, we’re treated with the reinvigoration of the stoic, masculine, yet classy line in the new IWC 2020 Portugieser Collection. With the Portugieser Chronograph, IWC have stuck with their attitude of evolution over revolution, upgrading all of the regular … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Our favourite references from the IWC 2020 Portugieser Collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Highlights: Winners at 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève
Having just taken place in Geneva and broadcast live, the 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) ceremony anointed most of the year’s best watches. Whittled down from a large selection to candidates that were evaluated by an all-Swiss jury instead of the usual cosmopolitan mix due to travel restrictions, eighteen watches (and one watchmaker) received prizes. A handful of them are worth a look as worthy winners – albeit winning by default in some of the less competitive categories – as well as a notable watch that did not win but should have. Awarded to the best watch of the contest, the Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix, went to the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept. The thinnest mechanical watch on the market, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept (AUC) is the culmination of all the progress in ultra-thin watchmaking over the last several decades. At an unreal 2 mm high, the AUC pushes engineering to the cutting edge, albeit at an extremely high price. While there were other watches in the competition that could reasonably be candidates for the Aiguille d’Or, the AUC has earned it. The Piaget AUC Complications and revelations Another prestigious award is the Horological Revelation Prize, which is awarded at the discretion of the jury to watch made by a nascent brand. It went to the Petermann Bédat 1967, unquestionably one of the highlights of independent watchmaking this year. Well deserving of the prize, the 1967 is simply marvellous (we explain why here). Thoug...
Time+Tide
Phillips auction battle of Swiss vs. Japanese handmade haute horology – which is better value?
Last night saw the Phillips’ and Blackbird thematic auction Retrospective: 2000 – 2020 play out, with some truly incredible watches reaching truly incredible prices. Two that I wanted to focus on were a pair of watches that are at the same time very similar and very different. Both are handmade. Both are three-handed dress watches … ContinuedThe post Phillips auction battle of Swiss vs. Japanese handmade haute horology – which is better value? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
IN-DEPTH: The TAG Heuer Carrera Collection, powered by a movement from the present, with an all-time classic design from the past
As a watch journalist in 2020, based in Europe under the draconian rule of the pandemic, it’s easy to lose perspective and here is a particular example. Despite my missionary preachings and personal taste, 38-39 millimetres is not the Goldilocks size for everyone. So, with this self-realisation in mind, the TAG Heuer Carrera Collection is … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: The TAG Heuer Carrera Collection, powered by a movement from the present, with an all-time classic design from the past appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Jury Has Been Chosen: Commentary On The Judges Making The Choices For The Best Watches Of The Year
In perusing the names of the 2020 jury of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, two distinct things became obvious to former jury member Elizabeth Doerr: that the entire jury is based in Switzerland and that it is far less diverse than it has been over the last decade. Here she breaks down why that is and provides some commentary and background on the new members.
Quill & Pad
Q: Who Was Alfred Helwig? A: Inventor Of The Flying Tourbillon
Close to 120 years after Abraham-Louis Breguet patented the tourbillon, master watchmaker Alfred Helwig (1886-1974) created a “flying” tourbillon at the German School of Watchmaking in Glashütte. The flying tourbillon became somewhat characteristic of Glashütte and lives on in a few very special watches today. Who was Alfred Helwig? Find out here.
Time+Tide
IN-DEPTH: A top-of-the line Seiko diver, SLA037 Vs. the lesser-seen Omega Seamaster 300, same price, different experience?
Editor’s note: Here we continue a new style of review that pits two similarly specced watches against each other, in an arena that is less touched up, and more true to the naked eye than our usual images. Last week we had a super-popular Seiko and the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight. While both alike in … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: A top-of-the line Seiko diver, SLA037 Vs. the lesser-seen Omega Seamaster 300, same price, different experience? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Up Close: G-Shock Dream Project ‘Pure Gold’ in 18k Yellow Gold
Casio has been on a roll with the G-Shock Full Metal, which is essentially the original G-Shock DW-5000 of 1983 but reproduced in steel or titanium with a matching metal bracelet. Originally launched in gold-plated steel, the Full Metal has since been iterated endlessly – from titanium to “grid” to steel to aged gunmetal – making the concept a little less interesting because there are now so many variants. And then there is the G-Shock Dream Project “Pure Gold”, the most expensive G-Shock ever made, executed entirely in 18k gold, from screws to clasp. A watch that took over a decade to materialise, the idea for a solid-gold G-Shock originated in 2007 with the founder of Japanese watch retailer Eye Eye Isuzu, Yasuyuki Iima, who wanted “a symbolic product for the iconic digital wristwatch born in Japan”. Mr Iima’s suggestion was the genesis of the “Dream Project” of G-Shock inventor Kikuo Ibe. And when the solid-gold G-Shock was finally delivered in late 2019, Mr Iima received the very first example. One example of the Dream Project was delivered to Singapore – you’ll find the arrival and unboxing here – and I got to examine it up close. Initial thoughts The Dream Project is a magnificent and preposterous watch that costs US$70,000 – an iconic watch executed in a ridiculously over-the-top manner, akin to installing the W16 engine from the Bugatti Chiron in a Volkswagen Beetle. And that makes it cool. Dense, shiny, and very gold, the Dream Pro...
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In-Depth: A History of the Pulsations Chronograph
In 1816, Louis Moinet accomplished a first in watchmaking: a timepiece that could precisely track elapsed time. Measuring periodicity on demand had been accomplished before, but the French watchmaker’s invention gave it the functionality and exactness that we expect today. In assessing prototypes, we often tend to forgive their shortcomings and rosily reminisce, rewriting flaws as charms. Moinet’s timepiece, however, was a prescient opus. The layout of the dial had the now-familiar large central hand and elapsed time in subdials. Two pushers controlled the start, stop and reset functions, the power reserve lasted over 30 hours, and the mainspring could be wound while the timing mechanism was engaged to allow for longer timing runs. Most impressive, though, was its precision. Louis Moinet’s compteur de tierces of 1816. Image – Louis Moinet Named the compteur de tierces, or “timer of thirds”, Moinet’s invention ran at 216,000 beats per hour, measuring time down to one-sixtieth of a second. To allow for this ambitious exactitude to be utilised, the central chronograph hand completed revolutions once per second – such that the user could easily see which sixtieth of a second the period in question ended on - and the watch had an extra sub-dial for tracking elapsed seconds in addition to those for the minutes and hours. Whys and wherefores An impressive story, except that it’s missing something. Why did Moinet build it? And what did he use it to measure? A...
Quill & Pad
Resonance Watches Compared: F.P. Journe vs. Armin Strom vs. Beat Haldimann, And The Pros And Cons Of Each
Many people believe resonance to be very rare, when in fact every single timekeeping device (yes, even quartz) is a resonant mechanism. But clocks and watches featuring resonance as we generally understand it in watchmaking are few and far between. In the last few decades, less than a handful of highly skilled watchmakers have taken up the challenge of creating a resonance watch. Here, Joshua Munchow looks at the pros and cons of the different approaches taken by the three leaders in this technology.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The TAG Heuer Aquaracer “Tortoise Shell” ain’t like your Granny’s glasses…
The summer watch is a category as important as pilot’s watch or doctor’s watch, but without the historically derived definition that comes from a serious professional context. A loose definition might include a watch that needs to be robust, waterproof and easy to read after five Aperol Spritzes, but it also needs to be fun … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The TAG Heuer Aquaracer “Tortoise Shell” ain’t like your Granny’s glasses… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Breguet Introduces the Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097
Breguet is one of the grandest names in watchmaking, and mostly makes watches that are rooted in its history. The aptly named Tradition exudes, well, tradition. Modelled on the souscription pocket watch created by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1796, the wide-ranging collection has been gently modernised in recent years. The newly-announced Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097 continues that trend, with a dark blue guilloché dial against a grey movement. Initial thoughts This version of the Tradition 7097 is possibly my favourite yet, mostly because of the off-centre dial in blue. Engine-turned by hand, the blue dial is striking against the monochromatic movement. And it looks especially appealing when compared against the earlier versions that have plainer and more conventional silvered dials, which offer less contrast against the movement. But as with all other Tradition watches, there’s a nit to pick here: the serial number plaque on the dial makes it look a bit cluttered, especially since the dial is small to begin with. One solution would be to put the serial numbers beside the Breguet logo, as done on the female Tradition Dame 7038. And while I like the retrograde seconds, its position feels awkward as it cuts into the sub-dial. Though intersecting indicators are a feature in some historical Breguet pocket watches, the face of the Tradition is a bit too small to accommodate it comfortably. The white gold case is in classic Breguet style a delicately-fluted ...
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Rémy Cools Introduces the Tourbillon Souscription
A French watchmaker who is just 23 years old, Rémy Cools has just revealed the finished prototype of his debut watch, the Tourbillon Souscription. Mr Cools’ creation is a large watch with no visible crown, giving it a contemporary silhouette, but the look is still heavily classical in style, with the movement and dial strongly influenced by 19th century watchmaking, especially the work of Abraham-Louis Breguet and Jacques Frédéric Houriet according to Mr Cools. Initial thoughts I met Mr Cools at Baselworld 2019 and got to examine the unfinished prototype. It was complete and working, but had not yet been decorated. The prototype was an extremely striking watch, with a strong pocket watch aesthetic but still unique. While clearly modelled on the works of Breguet, it manages to avoid looking like a Breguet. Now that the watch is finished, it is no doubt more impressive; Mr Cools’ photos of the movement and its parts reveal an impressively high level of decoration. Two things go against the watch. One is the pair of crowns on the case back. They are easy enough to use, but feel unnecessarily complicated. The crowns, however, are probably something you get used to and forget about afterwards. The second drawback is the massive height of the watch, which is only 40 mm wide. It stands 15 mm high – including 7 mm of domed sapphire crystal – which gives it a really tall profile. And the thickness is accentuated by the relatively small diameter. That said, the height is ...