Hodinkee
Culture Of Time: The Art Of Swatch
Remembering three highly collectible creations from the earliest days of the Swatch Art Special.
21,240 articles · 226 videos found · page 279 of 716
The military-utility tool watch genre. WWI trench → WWII Dirty Dozen → MIL-W-46374 → Hamilton Khaki and Marathon GPM.
More colors, a reshaped case, and a movement upgrade, the 02Series Gen 2 fixes almost everything the original left on the table
Hodinkee
Remembering three highly collectible creations from the earliest days of the Swatch Art Special.
Time+Tide
Last year at Dubai Watch Week, one of the debuts that stuck with me was the blue-dialled Oris Big Crown Pointer Date 5 Days powered by the in-house calibre 403. With its pleasantly dimensioned case, five-day power reserve movement with a 10-year warranty and straight-forward, smart-casual aesthetic, I felt it was a sure winner for … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Oris debuts highly versatile Wings of Hope limited editions in steel and gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Rolex And Wimbledon: there are few brands that fit so well together, emulating each other in a way – though a fully unplanned way – with their staunch holds on traditionalism and domination of their respective fields. Since 1978 they have transcended social, cultural, language, and even ideological barriers together.
SJX Watches
Designed a decade ago by Marc Newson, the industrial designer most famous for his Lockheed Lounge chair and the Apple Watch, the sleek hourglass is exceedingly simple yet remarkably complex to fabricate. It’s made of a single piece of glass – blown by hand in Switzerland – and filled with millions of tiny metal spheres known as nanoballs. De Bethune has applied its signature heat treatment to the object, resulting in the De Bethune x HG Timepiece Blue Hourglass, a limited edition pair of large and small timekeepers filled with heat-blued steel nanoballs. Initial thoughts More sculpture than timekeeper, the hourglass is a beautiful object that is incredibly simple yet impressive in its artisanal nature. The glass is blown by hand yet perfectly in form and proportions. The De Bethune touch adds another level of beauty to the object. Instead of the plated nanoballs found in the standard version of the hourglass, the Blue Hourglass contains blue nanoballs heat treated by Denis Flageollet himself. However, the addition of Mr Flageollet’s talents to the prowess of Swiss glassblowers comes at a high price. The smaller, 10-minute Blue Hourglass costs CHF25,000, more than double the price of the standard hourglass with plated nanoballs. That’s affordable relative to everything else than De Bethune makes, but it’s a steep premium for the hourglass. Tinkling timekeepers The Blue Hourglass is available in the two standard sizes: the larger, 60-minute timer and a smaller 10...
Time+Tide
Let’s set the scene. You walk into the boutique, knowing today is the day. The wallet is about to get a little lighter, and a spot in the watch box will be filled – but you’ve got a great excuse. Whether you’re celebrating your birthday, a promotion or Heimlich Manoeuvre Day (no joke, look it … ContinuedThe post The Collector’s Crossroads – How do you work out whether to stick or twist? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Years ago, when I watched the documentary The Watchmaker’s Apprentice, which details the journey of George Daniels and the path of watchmaker Roger W. Smith becoming his sole apprentice, I remember being awe-struck at the meticulous art of watchmaking and the perseverance required to achieve mastery in the field. Since that documentary, however, there have not … ContinuedThe post Long-awaited film “Keeper of Time” premieres worldwide this week appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
To say that the announcement of the Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch BioCeramic was the debut of the year would be an understatement. In fact, you could even argue it was the drop of the last decade. Waitlists and queues for watches are by no means a foreign concept to collectors, but this idea is typically … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Hands-on with all 11 missions of the Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
You remember when a certain watch from a certain brand dropped last year, in all its 170-piece glory. In that moment in time, it felt like the watch community stopped in its tracks for that Tiffany-dialled beast. In the midst of that fervour, I told myself that it would probably be a long time before … ContinuedThe post It’s 4:30 am in NYC: Welcome to the line for the MoonSwatch… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Perhaps the most surprising launch of the year so far, the Bioceramic MoonSwatch is a collaboration between Swatch and the maker of the Speedmaster Professional. The MoonSwatch is essentially Moonwatch “lite” – it has all the key details such as lyre lugs and a Velcro strap, but a quartz movement and small price tag. And the MoonSwatch is next level in terms of range. Whereas the original Moonwatch is mostly black, Swatch offers almost dozen variants of the MoonSwatch, each dedicated to the most significant bodies of the solar system, such as the Sun, Moon, and Mars. The MoonSwatch “Mission to Mars”, a tribute to the Speedmaster “Alaska Project” but with the entire case in bright red ceramic Initial thoughts The MoonSwatch is an exemplary crossover because its encapsulates the specialties of each brand. Combining the quintessential cheerful style of Swatch with Omega’s iconic Moonwatch results in a fun, lighthearted watch that’s very affordable. But it’s also a shocking product because the two brands are poles apart in terms of positioning and pricing. Put simply, an Omega strap costs more than the average Swatch watch. Swatch is clearly the winner. It’s an especially shrewd move for the maker of plastic watches, since some of the prestige and historical significance of Omega rubs off onto Swatch. As for Omega, it’s a purposeful act of brand dilution, no doubt in the hope that it brings the brand to a new audience that will aspire to own the real d...
Deployant
Ressence introduces the new Type 8, an entry level watch to the Ressence universe of oil filled watches driven by a conventional movement by magnets.
Deployant
Swatch collaborates with French art museum - the Centre Pompidou to create 6 new art themed watches in the Gents and New Gents collection.
Time+Tide
I’ve always had a crush on the dual register Omega Speedmaster ’57 collection. The design felt modern and sleek while I also appreciated the date complication that was added. Furthermore, Omega still managed to fit a 12-hour counter on the watch. It truly was a match made in heaven until I got to the specifications. … ContinuedThe post Why the revamp of the Omega Speedmaster ’57 collection is an evolution in all the right ways appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
He's also got fabulous taste in furniture.
Hodinkee
The design powerhouse has spent the last 30 years improving the aesthetics of entry-level watchmaking.
The British-Indian fashion designer channels the '90s in her first Swatch collaboration.
Time+Tide
It seems pretty ironic that Charles Monroe Schulz, the American cartoonist and creator of Peanuts – probably the most popular and influential comic strip in history – should be so indifferent to the name. You could go so far as to say he had an allergic reaction to Peanuts, once saying: “If someone asks me what … ContinuedThe post The Swatch x Peanuts collection unveils fun range of Snoopy and Charlie Brown watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Ask any Formula 1 fan who Ayrton Senna was, and the range of emotions they’ll express may leave you perplexed. In the first few seconds, the joy in their eyes may reflect what it felt like to watch one of the most aggressive and talented drivers the sport has ever seen. Eventually, that joy is … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Senna Special Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Swatch watches introduces 6 new watches with the Peanuts theme, featuring Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Woodstock, and the rest of the Peanuts gang! Available now!
Time+Tide
The year 1984 was full of cultural impact. Fortunately for all of us, it was by no means what George Orwell predicted in his classic dystopian novel – in fact it was actually full of bright standout moments. Musically it was the year of Prince’s Purple Rain and Madonna’s Like a Virgin and in the … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Relive the 80s with the Swatch BIOCERAMIC 1984 Reloaded Collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Thematic capsule collections are a Swatch favourite, with recent launches including watches dedicated to the latest James Bond film and NASA. With hyper-efficient, automated manufacturing and simply constructed watches, Swatch is able to keep current with its thematic collections. And now with Halloween around the corner, Swatch has just taken the covers off the line up dedicated to the ghoulish celebration – the Halloween Capsule Collection, made up of a pair of watches that are glow-in-the-dark and appear entirely different from day to night. Your Time is Coming (left), and Run But You Can’t Hide Initial thoughts Glow-in-the-dark watches are cool because they light up in the dark. Swatch takes the concept and goes big with the Halloween pair – the watches are a bold 47 mm in diameter and matched with straps that are entirely “lumed”. The Halloween pair also stand out for the contrast between their day and night looks, a characteristic that makes them all the more striking and attractive. During the day, the dials are surprisingly low-key, with the faces barely visible. The faces on the dials only reveal themselves at night And both watches are clearly all about design. The dials are both smartly streamlined, with as few time-telling elements as possible – there are neither hours markers nor a date, or even a seconds hand Even the hands are thin and skeletonised. The hands do the job, but are not quite as inventive as the floating, “ghost” hands found i...
Hodinkee
And it's not who you might expect.
Deployant
Swatch makes a colourful extension to their popular Big Bold Collection with four funky colours with cryptic names to make up the new Planets line.
Quill & Pad
No one buys a Corum Bubble to hide underneath a jacket sleeve; it's a watch that makes its presence felt. And with a luminous layered x-ray image of the human skull smiling out from under the bulbous sapphire crystal dome, the Bubble X-Ray is no exception.
Time+Tide
Last year, Mido, one of the brands under the Swatch Group umbrella, released the affordable Ocean Star GMT.The post How Swatch Group quietly developed a gamechanger for affordable GMTs appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
For as long as I have been collecting watches, there has never been a watch I’ve flirted with buying more than the Omega Speedmaster Professional. And if you’ve been collecting long enough, at one point or another, you’ve probably felt the same. The watch has such a large following that it almost becomes a rite … ContinuedThe post My love/hate relationship with the Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
WatchAdvice
First up, let me get something off my chest. I have never been a fan of the movement used in the AP Royal Oak Offshore. As much as I like the style of the watch, I’ve always felt the movement isn’t up to scratch, especially for the price. Of course, not many people will care about this, but one look at how deep-set the date is, and you know clearly that it is a modular construction (module by Dubois-Deprez). And really, at $50k a pop, is it really too much to ask for an integrated chronograph movement? I’m sure there are many out there who will argue that this is part of the charm. It’s what makes the Royal Oak Offshore different. But I have a feeling given how hyped the watches are, people are only too happy to buy one when one is available, and straight away, blinders come on, and the denial begins. Especially when the layout is exactly the same as the ubiquitous ETA 7750 chronographs (12-9-6 sub-dials). Again, nothing wrong with the ETA 7750. In fact, it is one of my favourite entry-level, workhorse movements, but even this one is integrated… Fine. Call me a chronograph snob if you like. As we all know, this hobby is highly personal and highly subjective. I just prefer my chronographs to be integrated. (Although I’m not fussy regarding whether it’s a vertical or horizontal clutch, and whether or not the engagement is controlled by a column-wheel or a cam/lever assembly – I’m sure there are people out there who swears by one form over another…) This...
Hodinkee
In his HODINKEE debut, former Ralph Lauren designer (and current Atlanta menswear impresario) Sid Mashburn addresses the eternal conundrum.
Over the past few decades, the G-Shock and the Swatch have gone from cult to classic – and cast an unexpectedly long shadow in high end-watchmaking.
Time+Tide
If you’ve already turned your horological nose up at the S word in the headline above, please remind yourself of the title of this column. T&T; teems with timepieces that will set back four, five and even six figures – if that’s you, congrats on the start-up/inheritance/proceeds of crime. If, however, you feel like adding … ContinuedThe post Cheap Bastard: The Swatch Bioceramic C-White is an oversized bargain that’s eco-friendly, too appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.