Results for Tungsten Carbide Watch Cases

Swatch Drops the Bioceramic MoonSwatch Collab with Omega

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...

Omega Introduces the Aqua Terra in Bright Colours

Of Omega’s novelties for the year (which include a 6000 m dive watch and solid-gold Speedmaster Moonwatch) the Seamaster Aqua Terra is the most affordable while also offering the widest range in terms of style and size. The brand has just taken the covers off the latest Aqua Terra range made up of ten watches evenly divided into 34 mm and 38 mm cases, but all in vibrant, upbeat colours. The 34 mm model with a Lagoon Green dial Initial thoughts In terms of intrinsic appeal, the latest Aqua Terras are a wonderful addition to the line up. They show that Omega has begun to loosen up in terms of dial colours and style, which will no doubt help widen its audience. Another point of appeal is the dial finish. While the colours are bright, they aren’t in-your-face thanks to a brushed finish. And the 34 mm model also sports more rounded forms for the hands and hour markers that give it a more elegant feel. Overall, it makes for a versatile watch that’s not too sporty. And it’s also good news Omega has done away with the linear motif inspired by the wood decks of a sailboat that was long synonymous with the Aqua Terra. The 34 mm quintet That said, the collection immediately call to mind the Oyster Perpetual from 2020 that was an instant hit thanks to its range of colourful, lacquered dials. That leaves the new Aqua Terra feeling like a trend follower rather than trendsetter. Only time will tell whether this approach is conducive to the positioning of the brand. (To be fair,...

New: Swatch x Centre Pompidou

Swatch collaborates with French art museum - the Centre Pompidou to create 6 new art themed watches in the Gents and New Gents collection.

Four + One: The Co-Founder Of Chromeo Makes '70s-Style Funk - And Wears Watches To Match

He's also got fabulous taste in furniture.

In-Depth: A Former CIA Case Officer Reveals The Surprising Connection Between Watches and Espionage

Luxury timepieces play a significant role in the murky world of spycraft – just not the way they're portrayed in Hollywood.

Interview: Timex Design Director Giorgio Galli Chats About His Time At Swatch, His Creative Process, And Gérald Genta

The design powerhouse has spent the last 30 years improving the aesthetics of entry-level watchmaking.

Vintage Watches: A 1967 Tudor Submariner, A 1966 Omega Speedmaster Professional 'CB Case,' And A 1940s Heuer Chronograph Ref. 345

Your weekly reminder that looking to the past is the best way to find a present.

Introducing: Swatch x Supriya Lele Is All About Color, Print, and Nostalgia

The British-Indian fashion designer channels the '90s in her first Swatch collaboration.

The J.N. Shapiro Infinity Tantalum Limited Edition marks the first tantalum case made in-house outside of Switzerland

I must confess I have a strong affection for J.N Shapiro watches. As a born and bred American, whenever I see US watchmaking get time in the spotlight I am all for it. Shapiro has been on my radar for a while, known for his intricately handcrafted dials engine-turned in California. Formerly a high school … ContinuedThe post The J.N. Shapiro Infinity Tantalum Limited Edition marks the first tantalum case made in-house outside of Switzerland appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Baltic Introduces the Titanium Collection for Perpétuel

Dubai-based retailer Perpétuel opened last year with its first limited edition, a pair of watches by Baltic. Now the French brand is once again creating a limited-edition series of watches for Perpétuel, the UAE 50th Anniversary Titanium Collection. The three-piece limited edition is marks the first time that Baltic is using titanium for its cases, which have all been steel to date. And as is expected, the maker of affordable, vintage-inspired watches has customised the edition for Perpétuel’s home region, with all three watches having Eastern-Arabic numerals on the dials (as well as the bezel in the case of the GMT). Initial thoughts Baltic’s standard models are appealing because they have a simple, vintage-inspired style that’s nothing too fancy but still attractive, plus they are strongly affordable. The tweaks made to the designs for the Perpetual editions are modest but boost the charm of the watches. I especially like the HMS and Chronograph.  While the sector-ish dial is a familiar vintage look, the two-tone finish is fairly novel and also striking. And the graceful calligraphy of the Eastern-Arabic numerals complement the design and colours well. The Eastern-Arabic numerals on the GMT bezel don’t work as well for me. One reason is stylistic – the simple forms of the hour markers don’t match the elegant Arabic script. And the other is functional since I am unfamiliar with the script so the bezel is difficult to read, which won’t be a problem for an...

The Swatch x Peanuts collection unveils fun range of Snoopy and Charlie Brown watches

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.

HANDS ON: Grand Seiko’s tool-tastic steel bezel GMTs

I always find it interesting how certain releases seem to fly under the radar. We all remember that watch that grabbed our attention but barely got a peep from the community. Maybe it’s bad timing or just bad luck but whatever the case may be, some watches just don’t make headlines. However, it tends to … ContinuedThe post HANDS ON: Grand Seiko’s tool-tastic steel bezel GMTs appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

New: Swatch X Peanuts Collection on Chillout TGIFriday!

Swatch watches introduces 6 new watches with the Peanuts theme, featuring Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Woodstock, and the rest of the Peanuts gang! Available now!

VIDEO: Relive the 80s with the Swatch BIOCERAMIC 1984 Reloaded Collection

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.

Swatch Unveils the Halloween Capsule Collection

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...

The frankly unbelievable story of a green Nautilus donated to the Loupe This auction site is actually 100% legit

It’s the kind of anecdote that immediately causes the eyes to squint, and all internal radars for shadiness sweep madly across the story points. A consignor sends an email to Eric Ku and Justin Gruenberg, founders of Loupe This, an online watch auction platform that we’ve covered here, saying that he wanted to “let go” of … ContinuedThe post The frankly unbelievable story of a green Nautilus donated to the Loupe This auction site is actually 100% legit appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Weekend Rewind: Omega Isn't The Only Swatch Group Brand To Boast A Bond Watch

And it's not who you might expect.

Conor McGregor’s baseball pitch showed that he genuinely cares about watches

Conor McGregor is many things, but he’s not much of a pitcher. On Tuesday night he stepped up to the mound before the Chicago Cubs met the Minnesota Twins and joined the long list of celebrities apparently unable to throw a baseball in a straight line. As expected for a former UFC champ, his pitch was … ContinuedThe post Conor McGregor’s baseball pitch showed that he genuinely cares about watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

New: Swatch injects more colour into their Big Bold collection with the Planets line

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.

IWC to Keep Time on First All-Civilian Space Flight

Slated to be the first space flight with an entirely civilian crew, Inspiration4 take off in September 2021 for a three-day orbit of Earth. Operated by SpaceX, the space travel company founded by Elon Musk, the mission will keep time with the help of IWC, which has created the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Inspiration4” for the four-person crew. Featuring white ceramic cases and blue-lacquered dials, the four watches will be sold at auction after the space flight, with proceeds going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a paediatric hospital funded by donations that treats severely ill children and teenagers for free. Initial thoughts Being four watches that will be sold to benefit a good cause, the Inspiration4 chronographs are certainly a good thing. It helps that the design is appealing. Though the overarching elements of the watch are familiar – white ceramic and blue – they are combined in a novel manner for IWC. Both the star-speckled dial and white ceramic case are unique in the IWC line up. But the fact that these four are the first-ever Pilot’s watches in white ceramic (aside from prototypes from two decades ago) probably hints at something similar in the pipeline. If, and when, such a watch does emerge, I hope the production version will be smaller than the 44.5 mm that the Inspiration4 is, though that’s unlikely since the ceramic chronographs are all that size. Four travellers The four watches have been made for the crew of Inspiratio...

Piaget Introduces the Mid-Size Polo 36 mm

After a major facelift in 2016, the Piaget Polo has evolved into a thin but sporty watch available in a variety of guises, including the ultra-thin, skeletonised version introduced earlier in the year. But all of the Polo models to date are masculine, with the smallest model a sizeable 42 mm in diameter (and the high complicated Emperador models even larger). Now Piaget has finally taken the covers off the Piaget Polo Date 36 mm, essentially a mid-sized version of the Polo sports watch. It’s a straightforward watch – automatic, three hands, and date – with either a little or a lot of bling. Initial thoughts Given the popularity of luxury-sports watches, the introduction of the Polo Date 36 mm is a natural progression, while also making sense since there are increasingly enthusiasts, both male and female, who want such watches in a smaller format. That said, the new Polo is primarily a feminine watch, especially since all versions are set with diamonds. Even the understated base model in steel with a blue dial has diamond hour markers. Price wise, the Polo Date 36 mm is pretty competitive, both against its larger sibling as well as alternatives from the competition. For instance, the steel version with diamond markers is priced at US$13,100, which is about 10% pricier than the 42 mm version – that doesn’t have any diamonds – and a lot more affordable than many high-end luxury-sports watches. Still, the Polo is fairly priced for what it is. They are executed ...

How Swatch Group quietly developed a gamechanger for affordable GMTs

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.

Road to Recovery: Richemont, Swatch Rebound to Pre-COVID Sales

Vintage Watches: A 1966 Omega Speedmaster Professional 'CB Case,' A 1968 Tudor Oyster, And A 1960s Heuer Autavia

Back to the basics for this shortened week of HODINKEE Vintage, and black-dial sports watches headline the litter.

How To Wear It: Should You Match Your Watch To Your Clothes - Or Your Clothes To Your Watch?

In his HODINKEE debut, former Ralph Lauren designer (and current Atlanta menswear impresario) Sid Mashburn addresses the eternal conundrum.

G-Shock And Swatch: The Two Most '80s Watches Of The '80s Came Out The Very Same Year

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.

Rolex Debuts Documentary on Marine Conservationists

A devoted supporter of environmental causes, Rolex has evolved from evolved from backing explorers who ventured into the unknown to bankrolling their modern-day equivalents who seek to save the planet from climate change. Now Rolex is bringing its conservation efforts to light on an easily accessible channel. On World Oceans Day that took place earlier this month, Heroes of the Ocean made its premiere on YouTube and rolex.org (or you can watch it further down). The documentary part of Perpetual Planet, the wide-ranging initiative established by Rolex in 2019 to back a variety of conservationists. Presented by noted oceanographer Dr Sylvia Earle – an octogenarian who’s been a Rolex Testimonee for over four decades – the hour-long documentary explains mankind’s impact on the oceans, and eight individuals working to combat that. With magnificent videography and stirring music, the film uncovers the work of the marine scientists and activists. From planting corals to empowering the next generation of conservationists, each of the scientists and activists featured in the film is on a mission to improve the health of the oceans. Dr Sylvia Earle founded Mission Blue, an organisation set up marine protected areas around the world Persuasive storytelling I watched the movie and enjoyed it – and you will too – as the production quality is impressive and its content inspirational. It captures the grandeur and beauty of marine life, enough to inspire the casual reader t...

Cheap Bastard: The Swatch Bioceramic C-White is an oversized bargain that’s eco-friendly, too

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.

Did you catch the surprising Omega that Justin Hartley wore to the MTV Movie & TV Awards?

Nope, it’s not another Speedmaster. At the MTV Movie & TV Awards this weekend, Justin Hartley best known for his work on the hit show This is Us (as well as playing Oliver Queen / The Green Arrow in Clark Kent / Superman origin series Smallville), presented the award for best action hero with co-star … ContinuedThe post Did you catch the surprising Omega that Justin Hartley wore to the MTV Movie & TV Awards? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Review: Longines DolceVita Automatic makes a case for the sweet life

Recently, Longines had launched a new series of mechanical watches for the DolceVita series. We take a look and see how does the new Longines timepiece fare.