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633 articles · 6 videos found · page 22 of 22

Blancpain Introduces the Villeret Ultraplate in Steel SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Calatrava Jun 4, 2020

Blancpain Introduces the Villeret Ultraplate in Steel

A staple of Blancpain line-up since the brand was reestablished in the early 1980s, the extra-slim Villeret wristwatch is stripped to the bare essentials but classically-styled, and it’s now available in stainless steel, and also red gold. Understated and thin, the Villeret Ultraplate 6224 is an automatic three-hander with a date display, and just over 8 mm thick, hence the name – ultra plate translates as “ultra flat”. Initial thoughts Reminiscent of classic dress watches like the Patek Philippe Calatrava and the A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin, the Villeret Ultraplate is a simple design that’s easy to replicate, which is why similar styles can be found in cheap as well as expensive watches. What differentiates such watches is the quality of execution, particularly in the details. The dial of the Villeret Ultraplate is unadorned, and almost plain, but the Roman numerals are solid gold appliqués affixed to the dial by hand, adding much-needed height and texture to an otherwise flat dial. The slender, open-worked leaf hands also complement the simplicity of the design. Such hands are not overly common, making them appealing. And then there’s the date. While it adds extra utility that is appreciated by some, I am not a fan. The date hampers the purity and symmetry of the dial. With a retail price of a bit over US$8,000 in steel, the Villeret Ultraplate is competitively priced for a dress watch powered by a high-end, automatic movement. Extra-thin The case is ...

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Tools of the trade: The sports stars that actually wear their mega-luxury watches when they play Time+Tide
Apr 14, 2020

Tools of the trade: The sports stars that actually wear their mega-luxury watches when they play

My position on wearing a watch while playing sports is already well established – I think it is a very bad idea. However, recent footage of UFC legend Conor McGregor hitting the reflex bag with a series of “bare knuckle pin pointers” has once again stirred up quite the storm in watch land. Why? Well, “The Notorious” … ContinuedThe post Tools of the trade: The sports stars that actually wear their mega-luxury watches when they play appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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In-Depth: Commissioning the Voutilainen GMT-Villes Custom Time Zone Watch SJX Watches
Rado x Nov 28, 2019

In-Depth: Commissioning the Voutilainen GMT-Villes Custom Time Zone Watch

Voutilainen watches are well loved for their dials, which are made in-house and offered with a myriad of finishes – primarily guilloché or enamel – as well as numerous colours and appliques. But unconstrained freedom leads to hesitation, and too many choices make a decision difficult. American psychologist Barry Schwartz, writing in The Paradox of Choice, notes that consumers are often happier having to choose from fewer options, rather than more. The author’s custom GMT-Villes But in my own collecting, perhaps the opposite is true. When I work with an independent watchmaker on a custom or bespoke watch, exploring the abundance of possibilities is the main attraction, particularly when I can specify the details face to face with the watchmaker himself. Investing sufficient time to figure out my goal makes the process of choosing not a task to be feared, but an enjoyable journey leading to the unique piece. This is my story of commissioning the GMT-Villes from Kari Voutilainen (which happened slightly before I embarked on a similar project with Andreas Strehler). Kari Voutilainen in his showroom. Image – FHH The beginning of custom work After setting up his own workshop in 2002, Kari, then 40 years old, made his debut as an independent watchmaker with the Masterpiece series of wristwatches, starting with Masterpiece 6 unveiled at Baselworld in 2005. The Masterpiece watches were all one-off minute repeaters relying on rebuilt and finely decorated vintage ebauches ma...

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Hands-On: De Bethune DB28 Steel Wheels Blue “The Hour Glass” SJX Watches
De Bethune DB28 Steel Wheels Blue Jul 24, 2019

Hands-On: De Bethune DB28 Steel Wheels Blue “The Hour Glass”

De Bethune is the latest amongst a number of watchmakers to take the covers off a commemorative edition to mark the 40th anniversary of Singapore watch retail powerhouse The Hour Glass. For the occasion, De Bethune has put together a variant of its signature DB28 with sprung lugs that’s entirely clad in brilliant, blued titanium. First unveiled in polished titanium in 2018, the Steel Wheels is essentially a DB28 wearing a little less. A partially open-worked dial – which is actually the delta-shaped barrel bridge – reveals its pair of skeletonised barrels and gears. While the original Steel Wheels captures the essence of De Bethune, combining its trademark design with the brand’s fundamental technical innovations, it was lacking a generous dose of blued titanium, a gorgeous, heat-treated alloy that is synonymous with the brand. Colour consistency That has now been rectified with the DB28 Steel Wheels Blue, arguably the purest – and bluest – distillation of the brand’s core values and technical achievements. It features an intense, mirror-polished, blued titanium case and dial that form a striking contrast against the exposed inner mechanics. Though blued titanium is also used by other brands today, De Bethune was amongst the first to mirror-polish its titanium cases and more crucially, started using heat treatment to blue titanium way back in 2006. An example of an early De Bethune using blued titanium, a DB25L from 2010 with a blued dial...

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HANDS-ON: A classic in its purest form - the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 with white and black dials Time+Tide
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 Sep 5, 2018

HANDS-ON: A classic in its purest form - the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 with white and black dials

One of the real hits from Rolex’s 2015 collection was the (now discontinued) Oyster Perpetual 39 (ref. 114300), a bare bones, simple steel timepiece that was still pure Rolex. Initially offered in a range of youthful, colourful dials, this year the Oyster Perpetual family expanded to include white and black dial variants, and they are, … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: A classic in its purest form – the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 with white and black dials appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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LIST: Out of the closet and onto the wrist - 6 of the best skeleton watches Time+Tide
Jun 8, 2018

LIST: Out of the closet and onto the wrist - 6 of the best skeleton watches

Skeletonised watches - where the solid dial, and in some cases the entire movement, has been pared down and stripped away to leave the bare bones of the architecture - can be something of an acquired taste. And, as with all watches, the look can vary greatly, from ultra traditional to modern, depending on the execution. … ContinuedThe post LIST: Out of the closet and onto the wrist – 6 of the best skeleton watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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LIST: Tech set - the watches of 6 Australian start-up founders, including the guy who prefers his Daniel Wellington to a Daytona Time+Tide
Jul 31, 2017

LIST: Tech set - the watches of 6 Australian start-up founders, including the guy who prefers his Daniel Wellington to a Daytona

Flash through the gallery of any broadsheets’ business section and in their latest technology success stories you’ll either see bare wrists or smartwatches - in stark contrast to other bling heavy business sectors. Maybe the preference is to spend on intellectual property fees with watches only casting a faint shadow on their bedside tables. We … ContinuedThe post LIST: Tech set – the watches of 6 Australian start-up founders, including the guy who prefers his Daniel Wellington to a Daytona appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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