4,854 articles · 2,285 videos found · page 189 of 238
Time+Tide
Only Watch 2019 is now less than 24 hours away from kicking off, and Breguet has really knocked it out of the park with their entry in this year’s charitable auction. The Breguet Type XX Only Watch 2019 is, I think we can all agree, a handsome timepiece, and that’s largely because the pièce unique … ContinuedThe post Breguet has nailed it for Only Watch 2019 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
The most intriguing watch in Phillips’ upcoming Double Signed auction is by far the smallest watch in the sale – it’s the Patek Philippe ref. 3652 that’s just 31mm in diameter. In fact, the ref. 3652 is a dead ringer for a Calatrava ref. 96 from the 1930s. But – the ref. 3652 is a unique reference produced during a brief period when Patek Philippe is known to have made a handful of remarkably interesting, one-off timepieces. All were powered by vintage movements, and some were vintage watches freshly re-cased. One example is the ref. 3651, a chronograph re-cased in the late 1980s of which only a handful are known. Most of these watches are now in its museum; some of them were made for Philippe Stern himself, who was then running the company alongside his father, Henri. The ref. 3652 was one such reference, created as a custom watch for a client. It’s a minute repeater made in 1985, but powered with a ladies’ watch movement from the early 20th century. And it has a fired enamel dial signed “Golay Fils & Stahl” – which was a watchmaker itself a century before. At 31mm, the watch is tiny by any standard. That’s compounded by the fact that the lugs are set widely apart, making the case seem even smaller. If not for the slide on the case, it would easily pass as a ref. 96, the quintessential Calatrava model that Patek Philippe produced for some four decades until 1973. But the ref. 3652 is neither a ref. 96 nor a vintage watch, which is why it’s inte...
SJX Watches
Though the Konstantin Chaykin Joker Selfie was already explained in great detail by Bjorn Meijer a couple of weeks ago, it’s compelling enough for a second, quick look, since I just received a new set of photos. Konstantin’s standard Joker (or Clown) wristwatch is well known, while also being fairly straight forward mechanically. The one-off Joker Selfie he created for the upcoming Only Watch charity auction is fundamentally and dramatically different, although the shares the familiar funny face. To start with the case is made of bulat, a high carbon steel alloy better known as Wootz steel. Sometimes incorrectly known as Damascus steel, bulat is an alloy with a patterned surface that’s a result of the metals mixed within. The irregular structure of the alloy, combined with its hardness, means it was a challenge to make the Joker Selfie case. Konstantin only completed the case after two discarded cases due to structural problems that emerged after machining. The Joker Selfie tells the time like the standard Joker, with the pupils in each eye pointing to the time, with a moon phase display incorporated into the mouth of the clown. And it has the day of the week, indicated with emoticons, much like Alain Silberstein’s trademark “smileday”, at 12 o’clock. But it also has an additional “secret” display, with a swivelling lever under the dial that covers either the hours or the day of the week display. It’s a gravity-activated mechanism that shows the hours ...
SJX Watches
Though extremely rare, the George Daniels Anniversary Watch is a familiar timepiece because it has been widely covered and is arguably the signature George Daniels wristwatch. Though the Daniels Millennium was made in larger numbers, it was powered by a modified Omega (and by extension, ETA) movement. In contrast, the Anniversary relies on a proprietary movement designed by Daniels and his protege Roger W. Smith – and it’s almost a visual twin of the one-off Daniels chronograph wristwatch. But the basic architecture of the Anniversary movement comes from the movement in Series 2, the trademark Roger W. Smith timepiece, which was launched in 2006, three years before the Anniversary. The white gold Anniversary next to the owner’s other example in yellow gold The quintessential Daniels Anniversary is in yellow gold, of which 35 were made. But when first launched in 2009, the Anniversary series was also meant to encompass four box sets of four watches each, made up of one watch in each colour of gold and another in platinum. The sets were never produced, however, individual watches originally destined to be part of the sets were. Owned by a noted collector who acquired it direct from the George Daniels trust, this Anniversary in white gold is one of them. And it is the only Anniversary ever made in white gold so far. On the wrist of the owner Though identical in design to the yellow gold Anniversary, the white gold watch looks more contemporary by virtue of its colour. ...
SJX Watches
An F.P. Journe Octa Calendrier caught my eye at Phillips’ upcoming Geneva auction, not because of the watch itself, but because of the name engraved on the movement: “John R. Asprey”. Now 82, John Rolls Asprey ran his family’s luxury emporium in its heyday, when it was a purveyor of watches, jewels, silverware, fine bookbinding and hunting accessories, with the Sultans of Brunei and Oman as its top clients. Unusually, Asprey was a prominent name in two diverse segments of watchmaking – what are now valuable vintage watches, think “Khanjar” Rolex watches, as well as modern-day independent watchmaking. How it came to be is the remarkable story of the rise and decline of a grand name in British luxury retail. A wondrous emporium Long before luxury brand names had coalesced into conglomerates like LVMH and Richemont, they were independent, family-owned enterprises that were small but globally known – at least by the right clientele. Amongst them were names that are still famous today, including Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co., but also one that is less well known now, Asprey of London. Founded in 1781 and having opened in 1847 at 167 New Bond Street – still its premises today, albeit leased – Asprey was once London’s leading luxury merchant. In some ways, it was the ultimate gift shop, where one could buy all manner of exotic and exquisite goods from all over the world, from books to watches to sceptres to crystal. Many of the elaborate objects ...
Video
Revolution
TAG Heuer unveils the best Monaco yet in marking the watch’s 50th anniversary, a one-off art piece called the Monaco Piece d’Art.
SJX Watches
Breguet’s contribution to the most recent Only Watch auction in 2017 was a unique, enlarged version of its inventive in-line perpetual calendar that had the calendar indications arranged in a column vertically across the dial. Though clever and unusual, the watch was probably too esoteric and classical for current tastes, and it sold for 110,000 Swiss francs, just 10% above the high estimate, reputedly to a discerning collector in Australia. This year’s upcoming Only Watch, however, includes a very different Breguet that should sell for a multiple of its estimate. The Type 20 for Only Watch 2019 is essentially a spot-on replica of the two-register aviator’s chronograph Breguet supplied to the French military from the mid 1950s – exactly the type of watch that is desirable now. Specifically, it’s a remake of the first generation Type 20, which was marked “5101/54” on the case back, denoting the order number, “5101”, and the year of 1954. More specifically, it’s based on the Type 20 made for the French air force, distinguished by equal-sized sub-dials; watches for the naval air arm had oversized minute counters. Named after the French military specification for pilot’s chronographs, itself derived from the Second World War German air force chronograph design, the original Type 20s were produced by a variety of watchmakers, including Vixa, Dodane, and Auricoste. Breguet examples, however, are the most valuable. Note that “Type XX” refers to the same...
SJX Watches
Luxury giant LVMH has made an offer to buy Tiffany & Co., America’s leading luxury jeweller (and the biggest retailer of Patek Philippe watches in the country), according to the Bloomberg. The French group made an all-cash offer of US$120 a share, a premium of about 22% over Tiffany’s last done share price and valuing the company at about US$14.4 billion. That would make Tiffany’s the biggest acquisition ever for LVMH, which has seen its shares hit record highs recently, bringing its value to over US$210 billion. Despite being the world’s largest luxury group – its brands include Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Rimowa, Hublot and DFS – LVMH is relatively weak in high-end jewellery, especially compared to Swiss rival Richemont, which owns Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Piaget, and only just picked up Buccellati. Buying Tiffany would give LVMH a bigger presence in jewellery, as well as greater exposure to the United States, which is the jeweller’s biggest market, account for around a third of sales. LVMH only just opened a bag factory in Texas, the Louis Vuitton Rochambeau Ranch, in an event attended by Donald Trump and LVMH chief executive and controlling shareholder Bernard Arnault, who’s also the third-richest man in the world. Best known for its diamond engagement rings and blue boxes, Tiffany suffered from a weak spell in recent years, with its former chief executive Frederic Cumenal, an LVMH alumni, lasting barely two years. After he departed in 2017, to be...
Time+Tide
CWe watch enthusiasts love an excuse to come over all opinionated, don’t we? A little “controversy break” from our worship of calibres and references. So how about this: after-market customising. Would you or wouldn’t you? Is it cool to ice-up a Patek and black-out a Rolex – or is it a crime against horology? One … ContinuedThe post OPINION: Custom watches – cool or cliché? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
With Swiss exports there down for six consecutive months, the U.S. is poised to become Switzerland's top export market.
Video
SJX Watches
Following the bestselling G-Shock 5000-series “Full Metal”, Casio recently unveiled another variant of the iconic DW-5600, but now capped with a steel bezel cover, the GM-5600. It’s essentially a budget version of the “Full Metal”, offering a similar look for less than half the price. Introduced in 1987, four years after the launch of the first ever G-Shock, the DW-5000, the DW-5600 retained the look and construction of the original, but with an improved electronic module and a dial that did away with the brick pattern found on the original. Since then, the DW-5600 has has been issued in an bewildering array of colours and styles, but the latest iteration marks the first time the model gets a steel cladding on the front. It is available in three iterations: stainless steel (GM-5600-1), black ion-plated steel with a black dial (GM-5600B-1), and black ion-plated steel with an military green, camo-pattern dial (GM-5600B-3). As with the standard DW-5600 (and all other G-Shocks), the new watch has a double case construction made up of an inner resin case covered in a steel outer case, preserving the signature shock resistance and 200m depth rating of the G-Shock, while keeping it lighter than the “Full Metal” model. The outer steel case features a bezel with a vertically brushed finish, nearly identical visually to the found on the steel “Full Metal”. Size-wise, the GM-5600 is a tad bigger than the standard resin DW-5600 at 49.6mm by 43.2mm on the front, ...
SJX Watches
Louis Erard has been around for some 90 years, but for much of that time the brand produced watches for other labels. A decade ago, shortly after new owners took over, Louis Erard began to move slightly upmarket with mechanical watches featuring proprietary modules. But most of its designs were plain or derivative. And so Louis Erard could have been just another brand making mostly anonymous looking watches. But recently Louis Erard recruited the talented Manuel Emch – best known for reviving Jaquet Droz and then running RJ-Romain Jerome until 2017 – as an advisor and suddenly things have brightened up – literally. Louis Erard has just announced the Alain Silberstein Regulator, a surprisingly affordable wristwatch created by the watch designer famed for his whimsical, Bauhaus-inspired style – captured here in photos taken by a Swiss collector for SJX (scroll to the bottom to read my thoughts on the watch after seeing them shortly after this was published). Since Mr Silberstein’s eponymous company went bust in 2012, he has created watches for MB&F; and RJ-Romain Jerome. Despite the diversity of the brands he has worked with, Mr Silberstein versatile yet distinctive style manages to ease into each brand’s house style. Illustrating the magic of Mr Silberstein’s creativity, the new watch is based on one of Louis Erard’s signature models, the Excellence Regulator, which is ordinarily available with a grained or guilloche silver dial featuring Roman numera...
Time+Tide
There are few things that high-end watch brands love more than a certification of quality. Some, like COSC, are industry-wide standards, while others (much like the movement) are strictly an in-house affair. The Patek Philippe Seal is one such certification. The new Patek Philippe Seal dramatically transcends the original hallmark’s notion of quality and perfection. … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Just what is the Patek Philippe Seal? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
Casio’s G-Shock (gravitational shock) watches have earnt a reputation for being one of the most robust and durable watches available on the market today. The concept of the sturdy G-Shock goes back to 1981, where a Casio Engineer named Kikuo Ibe was in charge of designing the G-shock prototypes. Kikuo Ibe wanted a watch that would have water-resistance of 10 bar (100 meters), triple 10 resistance (10-year battery life) and to be able to survive a 10 feet fall. Kikuo Ibe put together a team of 3 individuals to test 200 different prototypes, to be able to meet all three criteria as set out by the engineer. Unfortunately, the team after vigorous testing were not able to meet these requirements. The idea for the final design of the G-shock watch came when Kikuo Ibe observed a rubber ball in motion. He discovered that in a rubber ball, its centre is unaffected when the ball is moving and doesn’t suffer any shocks when it’s bouncing. Kikuo Ibe implemented this idea and was finally able to achieve all three criteria in the first G-shock model released in 1983; The G-shock DW5000C. There have been many different designs of G-shock watches over the years with nearly all of them sharing the core principles that originated from the very first model; toughness, durability and reliability. In 2018, Casio released a set of GMW-B5000 watches which came with a solid stainless steel face and bracelet or rubber strap to suit. The GMW-B5000 models have the iconic square face desi...
SJX Watches
Longines continues its streak of solidly made and eminently affordable vintage remakes with the Heritage Classic featuring a “sector” dial. The segmented dial design revisits a style, sometimes known as a “scientific” dial, that’s currently popular, one that has been done by brands as diverse as Habring2, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Laurent Ferrier. The sector dial was fairly common in the first half of the 20th century, and unlike most other companies doing remakes, Longines actually did produce such watches back in the day. According to Longines, the Heritage Classic is modelled on a watch from 1934 that’s in the company museum. As with the original, the sector dial on the remake is two-tone, with the chapter ring for the hour markers having a concentric brushed finish, while the central portion is finely grained. The markings are all printed, while the hands are blued steel. The Heritage Classic (left) and its 1934 inspiration The modern day remake is a faithful approximation of the original, right down to the typography for the Longines logo. It’s correctly proportioned as well, with a steel case that’s larger than the original but not too large, measuring 38.5mm in diameter and 10mm high, including the domed, “box glass” sapphire crystal. And because the case is matched with an appropriately sized movement that’s 25.6mm (or 11 1/1”’) wide, the subsidiary seconds does not sit too close to the centre of the dial, as is the case with large cases an...
Video
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Christopher Ward is a name that pops up whenever someone is looking for a watch that offers a solid value proposition, and this remarkably well-priced worldtimer proves the point. Stylish times, no matter where you are in the world … Worldtimers - which allow you to, at a glance, quickly determine the time … ContinuedThe post Is this the most accessible true worldtimer on the market right now? The Christopher Ward C1 Grand Malvern Worldtimer appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Hermès, as a brand, usually has an elegant, light and sometimes whimsical house style that makes it unique amongst luxury houses. The Arceau L’Heure De La Lune unveiled at SIHH at the start of the year exemplifies the house style, although the case is thicker than ideal. Functionally, the Arceau L’Heure De La Lune is a straightforward watch – it shows the time, date and phases of the Moon in both the Southern and Northern hemispheres. But the execution of the time and date is striking and clever. Orbital moon phases The two are essentially orbital displays, as each is on a sub-dial mounted on a rotating, central carousel. The carousel take 59 days to make one complete revolution around the dial. But each sub-dial also rotates on itself as the carousel turns. As a result, each sub-dial is always the right way up regardless of its position. Both sub-dials also double up as the moon phase indicator, with position of each sub-dial indicating the age of the Moon in each hemisphere. And in a bit of whimsy, the hemispheres have been inverted, with the Southern on top and Northern below. The Arceau L’Heure De La Lune with a meteorite dial The inventive display was built by Chronode, the complications specialist founded by Jean-Francois Mojon, which has a diverse body of work that includes Urban Jurgensen’s P4 movement, the MB&F; LM2, and the constant force tourbillon of IWC. The display module by Chronode. Photo – Hermes Chronode conceived and builds the ...
SJX Watches
Having been one of the first brands to work with watch customiser Bamford Watch Department, Zenith has one gone one further with the Chronomaster El Primero Radar. Featuring a striking aesthetic reminiscent of the 1970s, it was designed by Bamford for Zenith, and will only be available at the watchmaker’s boutiques. In short, it is an official boutique edition designed by a former aftermarket customiser. Bamford Watch Department was founded by George Bamford, an entrepreneur who made a name for himself selling customised watches and clothing, but who also happens to be the son of a construction equipment tycoon. His watch division made its name customising Rolex watches, but has now become the official customiser for Zenith, TAG Heuer, and Bulgari, all companies of luxury conglomerate LVMH. According to Zenith, the red and brown livery of Chronomaster El Primero Radar was inspired by a 1916 pocket watch Mr Bamford spotted during a visit to Zenith’s factory in Le Locle. Mr Bamford used that to create the “retro-futuristic aesthetic” of the El Primero Radar. The dial is a graduated brown, while the sub-dial at three has five hashmarks that are the “negative of the [Zenith logo of a] star”, according to Mr Bamford. Dial aside the watch is identical to the standard Chronomaster El Primero, with a 42mm steel case that contains the El Primero 400 B movement. Key facts and price Chronomaster El Primero Radar (ref. 03.2082.400/02.R830) Diameter: 42mm Heigh...
SJX Watches
Nineteen-sixty nine was a watershed year in watchmaking – the culmination of the race for the world’s first automatic chronograph. It was a three-way contest between two Swiss watchmakers and one from Japan. Both Swiss movements – the Zenith El Primero and the Heuer-Breitling-Buren-Dubois-Depraz Caliber 11 – have enjoyed a following to this day, but the third – the Seiko 6139 Speedtimer – remains relatively obscure as it went out of production in 1979. The 6139 was a single-register chronograph with a 30-minute totaliser at six o’clock and a quickset day-date display. Crucially, it had a column wheel and vertical clutch. And an even lesser known fact is that Seiko produced its first chronograph – the “Crown” with a column-wheel and mono-pusher – just five years before, in 1964 to coincide with that year’s Tokyo Olympic Games. In short, the 1960s were a major decade for Seiko in terms of chronographs. The Seiko “Crown” chronograph of 1964 with its characteristic black plastic bezel Hence, to mark the 50th anniversary of its first automatic chronograph, as well as the 55th anniversary of its first chronograph, Seiko has unveiled a pair of limited editions, both chronographs, naturally. The two editions are each limited to 1000 pieces and powered by the same calibre, the in-house cal. 8R48 that was introduced in 2014. The first and the more modern looking of the two, is the Prospex 50th Anniversary Automatic Chronograph ref. SRQ029. I...
SJX Watches
Tudor is taking part in Only Watch for the third time, but the watchmaker has arguably created its most unique timepiece to date for the biennial charity auction. While Tudor’s earlier Only Watch were variants of existing models, first the Heritage Black Bay One and then the Black Bay Bronze One, the Black Bay Ceramic One is wholly different from all current (and past) watches, it is a piece unique. Announced just a few weeks before the similarly all-black Black Bay Chrono Dark limited edition, the Black Bay Ceramic One is essentially Tudor’s signature dive watch, but with a black ceramic case. Though Tudor does have ceramic watches in the line-up, namely the usually forgotten Fastrider Black Shield, the material has not been used for the bestselling Black Bay, until now. Though the watch is entirely unique, the look is a fairly common one – all-black, everywhere. That being said, it’s an attractive one, especially for a dive watch like this. The dial is done in different textures and shades of black for legibility. So the markings on the dial are printed in glossy black lacquer to distinguish them from the matte black dial surface. And the Super-Luminova is also black, or more specifically standard Super-Luminova with pigments added for colour, which diminishes the green night-time glow substantially. While that’s not a practical look for an actual dive watch, it is a cool look for a “desk diver”. The bezel continues the shades-of-black colour schem...
Video
Time+Tide
If you’ve ever picked up a glossy magazine or attended a major sporting event it should come as no surprise to learn that marketing is hugely significant in the world of watches. It’s also hugely expensive, competitive and, all-too-often, dull. From awkward posed photographs with A-list celebrities, to baffling brand ambassadors and the most tenuous … ContinuedThe post The Moser method – smart marketing in a social age with the Pioneer Tour appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having only begun yesterday and open until October 13, the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Singapore is a watchmaking extravaganza – with free entry to the public – that’s already a box office hit on its opening weekend. Reputed to have cost some 20m Swiss francs, the vast historical and cultural showcase is the biggest Patek Philippe has staged to date, with 10 rooms spread over 1900m2, or over 20,000ft2. Pre-registrations for the event exceeded 35,000 people, with the total tally after two weeks expected to substantially surpass that; the first day alone saw some 4000 visitors pass through. The venue: Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands But as important as its broad appeal is the fact that the exhibition has drawn some of the world’s most important watch collectors to the city state. Outside of a factory event in Geneva, there probably hasn’t been this many custom Patek Philippe wristwatches together in one place. A custom dial ref. 5970J owned by the gentleman collector known as @horology_ancienne One of the major contemporary timepieces on show: the Star Calibre 2000 And arguably the most major watch of any sort in the exhibition: the landmark Calibre 89, the most complicated portable watch ever at the time of its creation in 1989 The six limited edition watches created especially for the event have garnered the most headlines, but the exhibition itself is worth a long visit because there’s a lot to see. It covers not just Patek Philippe, but...
Quill & Pad
The GPHG Iconic category is for watches entered as “men’s or ladies watches from an emblematic collection that has exercised a lasting influence on watchmaking history and the watch market for more than 25 years.” Our panel is split, but has a clear favorite. Is it also yours?
SJX Watches
Since its introduction in 2007, the popularity of the Aquanaut 5167A has followed on the coattails of the Nautilus Ref 5711/1A. And now for the occasion of the Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Singapore, Patek Philippe has unveiled a special-edition Aquanaut ref. 5167A-012 with red accents and a red strap. The dial features the Aquanaut’s traditional chequerboard motif, but with red minute markers and a red central hand. The addition of colour is a nod to Singapore’s flag, which is red and white. Though the cosmetic changes are minimal, the overall effect of which is nonetheless striking and appealing. Depth rated to 120m, the case remains 40mm in diameter and is paired with a red composite strap. It houses the cal. 324 S C, which is visible through a sapphire case back that has been printed with the inscription “Patek Philippe Singapore 2019”. The cal. 324 S C is the brand’s central-rotor automatic movement that is fairly ordinary but attractively finished. It offers a short 35- to 45-hour power reserve, and as with all of Patek Philippe’s current movements, it is fitted with a Gyromax balance wheel, which is essentially a free-sprung, adjustable mass balance, as well as a silicon Spiromax hairspring. Key facts Diameter: 40mm Height: 8.1mm Material: Stainless steel Water-resistance: 120m Movement: cal. 324 S C Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds; date Winding: Self-winding Frequency: 28,800bph, or 4Hz Power reserve: 35 to 45 hours Strap: Red composite Pr...
SJX Watches
The fact that e-sports – essentially competitive computer gaming – is a major phenomenon is hardly new. But now the world’s largest luxury brand is in on the action: Louis Vuitton just announced that it will build the trophy case for the Summoner’s Cup, the huge silver-plated chalice – weighing about 70lbs, or 32kg – that’s given to the winner of the League of Legends World Championship. This marks the first foray of a major luxury house into e-sports, and elevates the League of Legends championship to equal footing with global and historical sporting events like the soccer World Cup. League of Legends is one of the world’s biggest multiplayer online games, with last year’s championship event watched live by almost 100m people. It’s set in a fantasy world, with players controlling a character that, along with teammates, battles the opposing team. The annual championship sees 24 teams from around the world compete for US$1m in prize money – and the giant trophy in a Louis Vuitton trunk. The game joins events like the FIFA World Cup, America’s Cup, Rugby World Cup, and French Open, all of which have had their trophies accompanied by a custom-made Louis Vuitton travel trunk. Like all the other trophy cases, the League of Legends trunk is constructed like a traditional Louis Vuitton trunk, with a wood frame covered in monogram canvas with brass fittings; the only being last year’s FIFA World Cup trunk that was made of polished titanium. Along...
Video
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.