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Throwback Sunday: How to spend S$5,000 (retail) on a new watch
We recommend six watches which retail for below S$5,000 from our archives. And none of your usual suspects either. But watches with unusual qualities.
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Deployant
We recommend six watches which retail for below S$5,000 from our archives. And none of your usual suspects either. But watches with unusual qualities.
SJX Watches
There is no real point in collecting anything unless for the sake of beauty. The moment I see a watch for the first time is always the most crucial. The pieces that ended up entering the collection always touched me viscerally when I first saw them. Over time, almost unconsciously, as the collection took shape, the watches not only have a uniformity of standard and taste, but also reflect an intuition distinctly my own. Taste is the developed perception of aesthetics unique to every collector, while standard pertains to quality and rarity. In the big picture, “beauty” – in both tangible and abstract terms – has come to encompass all three: aesthetics, quality, and rarity. The watches I crave and seek, be it the best examples of the most important references of the most important manufactures, or unique “time-only” examples of incredible quality and design, must be eternal in their beauty. In this article we delve into a few complicated watches close to my heart. Passing time cannot affect an object that is truly beautiful. Just look at two of the most important Patek Philippe landmark complicated references: ref. 1518, the first perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch in the world, and ref. 3448, the first self-winding, perpetual calendar wristwatch. Their designs are perfectly balanced, timeless, as fresh today as when they were first introduced – in the early 1940s and the early 1960s, respectively. For years, the daunting challenge had been in ...
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Editor’s note: Sure, the mighty Grand Seiko Spring Drive GMT in titanium (ref. SBGE215G to its friends) might lack the fancy dials of the Snowflake and the new manual-wind Spring Drives but, good golly, it makes up for it in sheer presence. The case, the bezel, the gold detailing. It bangs. It’s fair to say … ContinuedThe post 44mm of Japanese brawn – the Grand Seiko Spring Drive GMT in titanium (ref. SBGE215G) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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A decade ago, overtly feminine watches that combined beauty and proper horology were a rare thing indeed. (There are more of them today – although still far from enough.) And when Jaeger-LeCoultre launched the Rendez-Vous collection in 2012 it really struck a chord. Here was a watchmaker taking women seriously, with good mechanical movements, elegant, … ContinuedThe post Sparkling in all the right places – Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Dazzling Rendez-Vous appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
With one watch unveiled each month since January, we are now more than halfway through the 10-piece Lange 1 “25th Anniversary” set. The latest addition, the Lange 1 Moon Phase “25th Anniversary” was supposed to be launched in June, but instead made its debut this month to coincide with the opening of the brand’s Zurich boutique. First introduced in 2002, the Lange 1 Moon Phase is essentially the base Lange 1 with the clever incorporation of a moon phase in the sub-seconds. Subsequently, the second generation Lange 1 Moon Phase also evolved to feature a more advanced moon phase display. The new and improved Lange 1 Moon Phase was novel for the fact that its moonphase display also doubled up as a day and night indicator. Instead of a single disc with two fixed moons as is convention, the display relies on a rotating figure of 8, with each end forming one gold moon. The “8” is superimposed on an independently revolving blue disc that represents the sky. Half the disc is in a light blue, indicating day time and the second half is dark blue for the night sky, with laser-cut stars dotting it. The deconstructed display of the Lange 1 Moon Phase On the commemorative Lange 1 Moon Phase “25th Anniversary” however, the moons are in white gold keeping in line with the anniversary colours of silver and blue. The dial of the watch is solid silver, with blued steel hands and blue printed numerals. Visible through the sapphire case back is the 25th Anniversary set’s ...
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Editor’s note: As evidenced by the release of the popular Heritage Military watch, Longines have a long history in manufacturing reliable tool watches for the world’s armed forces. One that is sometimes overlooked today, but got people talking when it was first released, is the Longines Heritage Military COSD. A considered nod to the watches … ContinuedThe post A look back at the Longines Heritage Military COSD appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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As you might have noticed (here, here and here), I’m quite interested in bulletproof watches being used in situations with bullets (figuratively). I enjoy, as much as the next guy, reading about the (somewhat theoretical) limits of well-made watches, if it be temperature, altitude or water pressure. But what I love even more is reading … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Trust in the Tool Watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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The other week, Nick showed us some of the highlight pieces from the upcoming Only Watch auction. There was a bunch of spicy pieces destined for charity greatness, but one watch kept drawing my attention - the Louis Vuitton Spin Time. There are a few reasons why this watch stands out. Sure, there’s diamonds (3.33 … ContinuedThe post The detail is in the dial for Louis Vuitton’s Only Watch entry appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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“We were initially thinking about buying a watch for me for a wedding piece, but the thing about buying for a watch collector is that it’s hard to buy something they don’t already have.” ‘Every Watch Tells A Story’ is a new series we’ve filmed, encouraging people to come in to our HQ, live how … ContinuedThe post Dane modded his ochs und junior for his wedding, and it’s pure inspiration to buy a watch from an indie appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Skeleton dials are interesting, not because they offer a garish look at something exposed but because they showcase the sheer level of complexity involved in modern watchmaking. Without searching for photos of the movement of your watch online, or doing a John Goldberger (and opening your million dollar Rolex 4113 with a cheese knife), the … ContinuedThe post The 10 best skeleton dials from 2018 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Last year’s Akrivia Chronomètre Contemporain made its young creator, Rexhep Rexhepi, a star, but the brand’s foundational watch is actually the “AK” series. Chunky and slightly sporty, the AK watches are a world away from the classical styling of the Chronomètre Contemporain, but boast the same level of movement finishing, along with a bonus of elaborately hand-hammered dials. The second model in the AK series was the AK-02 Tourbillon Heure Minute, or “Hour Minute” – a time-only watch with a tourbillon regulator. The AK-02 is probably the finest finished tourbillon wristwatch in its price segment, and in the price segments above it as well. The AK case It’s a fairly large watch, with the case measuring 43.0mm with and 12.9mm high. But the lugs are short so it feels fairly compact on the wrist. And because the AK-02 is typically found in a steel case, as is pictured here, or occasionally titanium, it is usually lightweight. Gold cases are available for a modest premium, though rarely requested. The case feels like it’s trying too hard, and consequently feels overly built, with thick lugs and a high case band. It’s too chunky for my taste, and doesn’t quite suit the refined movement inside. That being said, the AK-style case has it fans for several reason. The design is distinctive, more distinctive than the old school Chronomètre Contemporain case. And it is also finished to a high degree, with contrasting polished and brushed surfaces; the...
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For better or worse, Kickstarter is now a firmly entrenched part of the watch production, retail and marketing landscape. Watches have historically been a phenomenally popular category on the crowdfunding platform, but for every glittering success story, there’s an equal number of projects left on the cutting room floor. If you’re the kind of curious cat … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Ever wonder how many Kickstarter watches actually get off the ground? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Dan Henry is a pretty great little watch brand - the brainchild of a Brazilian watch collector who is dedicated to making affordable modern versions of classic designs. And while other brands go down this path of well-priced retro nostalgia, too often it comes across as inauthentic pastiche. But this isn’t an accusation you can … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Dan Henry 1962 Racing Chronograph is perfectly pitched (and priced) nostalgia appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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As long as the internet and watch enthusiasts exist, there will be arguments about what the first watch on Mount Everest was. But rather than discussing semantic possibilities of the interpretation of 60-year-old advertisements, we wanted to look at a selection of Mount Everest watches (not just which was first). Smiths de Luxe The … ContinuedThe post 5 Mount Everest watches that are literally high horology appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Regular readers will register precisely zero surprise when I state that the entirety of Time+Tide are raging fans of Bulgari’s distinctive Octo - but, if we’re being completely real (and when are we not?), then it’s the Octo Finissimo that attracts the lion’s share of our ardour. But it’s not the only arrow in that … ContinuedThe post Original sin – the Bulgari Octo L’Originale in black and gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Telemeters, tachymeters and the rest. They look cool, but how do chronograph scales work?The post The ultimate watch glossary – chronograph scales. What they mean and how they work appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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It’s hard to overstate the importance of the Zenith El Primero. The movement, an elegant, high-beat column-wheel chronograph, is impressive enough. It’s even more impressive when you factor in that this miniature engineering feat was the first automatic chronograph to be presented as a working prototype - after seven long years of development. Just as … ContinuedThe post The history of the Zenith El Primero – 6 moments that defined one of the most important movements in watchmaking appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Thanks to their central function in the time-telling process, watch dials often get a significant amount of coverage in the horological media. But this often ignores the thing that keeps the dial on your wrist in the first place - the bracelet or strap. Considering the most customisable part of a watch is the bracelet - and … ContinuedThe post The most interesting watch bracelets of 2018 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Among vintage military watches, some are more interesting and significant than others. They include the IWC Mark 11 and Rolex “Milsub”, and also the early Type 20 chronographs made by Breguet for the French air force and navy in the 1950s. Breguet has revived the first-generation, military-issue Type 20 for Only Watch 2019. The one of a kind remake is faithful not just in terms of dimensions and aesthetics, but also the movement. Instead of a modern calibre, it is powered by a refurbished, vintage Valjoux 235 movement, just like the original. Breguet Type 20 “Only Watch” And a bit of nomenclature explanation before proceeding: “Type 20” refers to a French military specification for pilot’s chronographs, which refers to the original, military-issue watches. Watches produced for the civilian market, including the modern day models, are identified by the model name in Roman numerals – Type XX. The origins After WWII, Breguet was one of several watchmakers, including Mathey-Tissot, Airain, Vixa, Auricoste, and Dodane, that supplied Type 20 chronographs to the French Air Force and Naval Air Force. While the actual Type 20 specification has been lost, the general consensus is that it called for a watch a prominent seconds track, a 38mm-ish case with a screw-in back and thickness of not more than 14mm, accuracy of within eight seconds a day, and most crucially, a flyback chronograph with a start-stop function that would work reliably at least 300 ti...
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While orange might be the new black, another obvious trend in the contemporary watch market is the lean towards heritage styling. This has been a consistent motif across the industry for a number of years now, but 2018 was a year when the number of heritage watches almost eclipsed those with more contemporary design. In … ContinuedThe post Old is the new black, 8 of the best heritage watches of 2018 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Continuing the tradition of one of a kind dive watches for Only Watch that started in 2015, Tudor has just unveiled the Black Bay Ceramic One. Entirely clad in matte black but composed of several different materials, the Black Bay Ceramic One is starkly different from any other Tudor dive watch. The 41mm case is made of ceramic, while the bezel is black-coated titanium fitted with a ceramic bezel insert. Both the case back and crown and black-coated steel, but the back is unusual – it’s the only Tudor watch with a display back aside from the little loved North Flag. The sapphire back reveals the MT5602 movement, a “manufacture” calibre with 70-hour power reserve and silicon hairspring. The dial is all-black to match, with the markings and text printed in glossy back to distinguish them from the matte black dial surface. The hands and hour markers are filled with black Super-Luminova, which will glow green in the dark, albeit dimly. And the strap is rubber, but lined on the top with matte black alligator, which is the same construction as the rubber-calf strap found on the recently launched Black Bay P01. The Black Bay Ceramic One (ref. M7921/001CN) has an estimate of 4,500-5,500 Swiss francs. If past Tudor watches made for Only Watch are anything to go by, it will blow right past the estimate straight out of the gate and probably finish just over 300,000 Swiss francs. It’ll be sold on November 9, 2019 at Christie’s in Geneva. Visit onlywatch.com for the ...
SJX Watches
Akrivia’s entry for Only Watch 2019 is a unique variant of its critically acclaimed Chronomètre Contemporain but with an added bonus – the platinum case is made by storied case specialist Jean-Pierre Hagmann. The first outing at Only Watch for Akrivia and its founder Rexhep Rexhepi, the unique Chronomètre Contemporain is equipped with a dial made of grey-blue fired enamel featuring white enamel markings. But the dial is unusual for having a hand-hammered finish, a decoration typically only applied to gold dials, giving it a granular surface. The view from the back of the 38mm platinum case is identical to that of the standard model, save for the “JHP” hallmark on the lower right lug. It’s short for Jean-Pierre Hagmann, a semiretired case maker who was responsible for some of the most exquisite watch cases of the 1980s and 1990s. Amongst his work is the incredibly complex case of the Patek Philippe Star Calibre 2000 pocket watch. The Chronomètre Contemporain “Only Watch” is the first watch to emerge from the recently inked collaboration between Akrivia and Mr Hagmann. Stay tuned for more on this. The Chronomètre Contemporain “Only Watch” has an estimate of 40,000-60,000 Swiss francs, and will go under the hammer on November 9, 2019 at Christie’s in Geneva. The complete Only Watch 2019 collection can be seen on onlywatch.com.
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Quartz often gets a bad rap as the ugly duckling of the watch world. With pejoratives such as “soulless”, and “the quartz watch is entirely dependent on its battery and it has the dedicated ambition to commit suicide as soon as possible”, it takes a beating. And while the latter quote was by a not-insignificant … ContinuedThe post These are 6 of the best quartz watches of 2018 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Editor’s note: It’s an tricky question, but the new Railmaster makes a compelling case for the ‘yes’ camp … Yesterday, we showed you the Seamaster Railmaster, a modern incarnation of the classic professional model. But it wasn’t the only Railmaster released last year. No, there’s also this watch, the limited edition 60th anniversary commemorative watch … ContinuedThe post Is the Omega 1957 Trilogy Railmaster better than the original? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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When you look at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s core offerings from their Reverso and Master Collection lines it’s easy to see why the brand has something of a reputation for straight, sober watchmaking. But don’t forget that Jaeger-LeCoultre is also capable of absolute top-shelf high-complication, high-jewellery pieces like this (frankly astonishing) Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Zodiaque. So what … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Zodiaque appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Oh ye of sensitive stomachs, look away now. In a story published in the Daily Mail (yeah, we know it’s dodge - but the headline was just too irresistible), your precious watch is home to a host of germs, bacteria and other assorted disgustingness. In research (and I suspect it wasn’t peer reviewed), it was … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Your watch is dirtier than your toilet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Revolution traces how Roger Dubuis has been methodically challenging norms to create timepieces that will be relevant not just today, but also tomorrow.
SJX Watches
Watch collectors who were around in the late 1990s and early 2000s would remember Ventura. It specialised in – literally – design watches. All its timepieces were created by noted industrial designers, including Flemming Bo Hansen and more frequently, Hannes Wettstein, who also designed the Nomos Zurich. The house style was sleek, pared back, slightly Scandinavian, but also distinguished by unusual materials – Ventura made liberal use of surfaced hardened titanium (Titanox) and steel (Durinox), a great novelty at the time. The Ventura V-Matic Ego remake But the brand made a pivot into high-end, self-winding electronic watches in the early 2000s, which unsurprisingly ended in Ventura going bust. Now Ventura is being resurrected by its former owner, UK-based watch importer Zeon Ltd (that’s in turn owned by a Hong Kong watch manufacturer), in partnership with Stephan Hürlemann, the designer who took over Wettstein’s studio after his death. I liked very much what Ventura was doing back in the day – the combination of design and materials was unique – but the original watches were surprisingly expensive, particularly by the standards of the time. The new remakes manage to reproduce the original design in a similar alloy, at a notably affordable price. Designer watches for less The revived Ventura sticks to a tried and tested sales formula: direct to the consumer via crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, making the new Ventura watches notably affordable, s...
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For the second year running, Breguet, Blancpain, Jaquet Droz and Glashütte Original - The Swatch Group’s top-tier brands - are showcasing their latest and greatest at Melbourne retailer Monards Crown boutique. Melbourne Watch Week, as it’s called, is running from June 20 to 30 (slightly longer than a week, but who’s counting). It’s a great … ContinuedThe post LIST: 7 watches to check out at Melbourne Watch Week appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
You know, over these past couple years, our opinions on A LOT of things have changed. But what Michael and I didn't anticipate is our view on traveling with watches doing a total 180. Are "travel watches" real? Is whatever the hell watch you wear while traveling a "travel watch?" Or is the idea of a travel watch still alive and well?
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