Revolution
Day Two: The View from Afar
Australia Editor-in-Chief Felix Scholz share his view of Watches and Wonders 2022 far from the madding crowd.
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Revolution
Australia Editor-in-Chief Felix Scholz share his view of Watches and Wonders 2022 far from the madding crowd.
SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie.’s flagship launch at Watches & Wonders 2022 is the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton. While the watch combines elements found in past Moser watches, including the trademark fume dial, it does so in an novel manner, resulting in a watch that looks and feels different from the brand’s current offerings. Initial thoughts The new Pioneer tourbillon combines familiar elements in a novel manner, resulting in an interesting watch that stands apart from the rest of Moser’s offerings. Mechanically it is a variant of the calibre found in the Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon of 2020. The inclined time display of the earlier model has been eliminated, while the movement has been skeletonised in an unusual step for the brand, which has rarely offered skeleton watches in the past. Visually, the Pioneer tourbillon is not obviously a Moser at first glance, although the sub-dial at 12 o’clock is in a smoked blue that is associated with Moser. In fact, the styling of the watch brings to mind the skeletonised watches of Jaquet Droz. Still, the Pioneer tourbillon is interesting and novel enough that its CHF79,000 price tag is fair, putting it amongst the more appealing tourbillons in this affordable(ish) price segment. A sporty tourbillon The new Pioneer was conceived as a sports watch with a tourbillon. The Pioneer case is rated to 120 m of water resistance and positioned as Moser’s elegant sports watch (as opposed to the Streamliner that is an out-and-out spo...
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...
SJX Watches
A member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI), John-Mikaël Flaux is no stranger to automata and clocks. His most recent creation however, is something smaller and wearable – an automata wristwatch, the Homage to Al-Jazari. The watch pays tribute to the Elephant Clock, a fascinating and exotic timekeeper conceived by the 12th century inventor and mathematician, Ismail al-Jazari. While not an exact replica of the original – the ancient clock was powered by water and gravity – Mr Flaux’s creation artfully captures the theme of the clock with a jumping half-hour automata and an equivalent 24-hour day night indicator, complemented by miniature painting on the front and back. Initial Thoughts The Homage to Al-Jazari is undeniably intriguing, both mechanically and visually. The watch has a brave design that is striking. The complexity of the dial means legibility isn’t the best, or even decent, but that’s besides the point. While its key complication, a jumping half-hour mechanism, is not technically complex, the integration of the thematic elements into a cohesive display modelled on the ancient clock means the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In other words, the Homage to Al-Jazari lives up to its name. But it is also a missed opportunity. The jumping automata display would have been perfect if paired with a simple chiming function, though that would’ve significantly increased the complexity, due to the requirement of a base ...
Deployant
Swatch collaborates with French art museum - the Centre Pompidou to create 6 new art themed watches in the Gents and New Gents collection.
Hodinkee
He's also got fabulous taste in furniture.
Time+Tide
It’s a romantic day, and we’re hoping it’s all roses for you, but let’s not forget, love can be a bitch. And a few years ago, in a memorable rant, our intern Elise announced to us that she was losing interest in Swiss watchmaking. She was more into the Germans. The Japanese. Because it was … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Happy Valentine’s Day, you’re dumped. That time our intern broke up with Swiss watchmaking appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
As the resident gentleman of Quill & Pad, the H. Moser & Cie x The Armoury Endeavour Small Seconds Total Eclipse should have Martin Green's name written all over it. Yet when he first saw the watch, he didn’t boil over with excitement. This is not the first logoless, minimalistic watch that Moser has made, so what does it add to what is already there? Read on to discover the answer.
Deployant
With Valentine's Day around the corner, we thought we might want to help out with six watches as gift ideas for your partner during this season of love.
Hodinkee
Let's get fancy.
Hodinkee
The design powerhouse has spent the last 30 years improving the aesthetics of entry-level watchmaking.
Revolution
Size matters surprisingly little when considering a watch. That is, until it’s too late. But what does it mean for a watch to be the right size?
Quill & Pad
On January 24, 2022, two Swiss watch brands, Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux, were reorganized in response to men’s fashion developments in Rome, Italy. In a vacuum, it is hard to see how one would lead to the other: their connection is the Kering group. And then there's LVMH, but how does that group fit in here? Professor of economics Brendan Cunningham offers some thoughts on how all of this might just go together.
Revolution
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso has been an icon for 90 years. Not only does this masterfully distinctive watch have an uncommon shape, it’s also got its signature move - the reversing case. While this watch these days is most commonly seen as something dressy, the Reverso has sporty roots and, as these two examples from WatchFinder & Co demonstrate, can project vastly different moods.
The British-Indian fashion designer channels the '90s in her first Swatch collaboration.
Time+Tide
To the uninitiated, Test cricket can seem like a mystifying business. As sporting occasions go, it’s often a slow-motion spectacle in which a single game can drag on for up to five days, then peter out in a lacklustre draw. In a time of ever-decreasing attention spans, watching 22 men in white chasing a small … ContinuedThe post Kevin Pietersen creates his ultimate Test cricketer in the spirit of Hublot’s art of fusion appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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
Every once in a while, a watch just grabs me right in the feels. And oh boy, does this watch get me. I’ve been a Bremont fan for some time, especially of the original Supermarine 500, an elegant yet bomb-proof diver, executed at an extremely high level of craftsmanship. If Bremont were looking for a … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Bremont Supermarine Descent II is a GMT diver with supermodel looks appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
EDITOR’S NOTE: Don’t mess with a classic? We reckon that can be rather unimaginative advice. Iconic watches often earn their status because the bones of their design are stronger enough to absorb a fair amount of experimentation without compromising their identity. And, as this story proves, the Rolex Day-Date is a text-book example. The Rolex … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Five wacky Day-Dates that show why it’s the most interesting Rolex model 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!
Two Broke Watch Snobs
... Read more
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...
Time+Tide
Recently Patek Philippe introduced three new chronographs with complications: the 5905/1A, 5204-011, and 5930P-001. Standing out amongst the trio, to many, was the ref. 5905/1A – the first ever 5905 Annual Calendar Flyback Chronograph to be released in stainless steel. Not only does the watch have a stainless-steel case, but also a matching stainless-steel bracelet … ContinuedThe post What the Patek Phillipe 5095/1A potentially suggests about the future of the brand in steel appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
We take a comprehensive first look at the new Louis Moiner Space Revolution. A watch which is currently a candidate at the category of “Tourbillon” at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) 2021. Based on one to one discussions with Jean-Marie Schaller, owner and creative director of Louis Moinet, using press release photographs. FirstRead More
Quill & Pad
Trilobe, in collaboration with French conceptual artist Daniel Buren, created a clock with an aesthetic designed to jar you awake for the Only Watch 2021 charity auction. And Trilobe's Nuit Fantastique, currently competing in the Petite Aiguille category of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, represents the next step in aesthetic direction for Trilobe. Joshua Munchow takes a closer look at both.
Hodinkee
And it's not who you might expect.
SJX Watches
With Sotheby’s Hong Kong sale just around the corner, we’re rounding up a half-dozen notable vintage watches from the auction, primarily big-ticket Patek Philippe complications. Amongst them a few oddities, one a Patek Philippe ref. 3448 “Senza Luna”, a perpetual calendar with the moon phase omitted, and the other the Rolex Day-Date with a “Submariner” dial. With the preview exhibition open daily from now till October 12, the auction will take place on October 13. The catalogue and registration for bidding are available on Sothebys.com. Lot 2265: Patek Philippe ref. 130 The oldest watch of the selection is a Patek Philippe ref. 130, the brand’s first serially-produced wristwatch chronograph that remained in the catalogue for over three decades. The model’s longevity makes it an inevitability that a good number of ref. 130 variants exist. Indeed, the model varies greatly in terms case material and dial design, with some combinations being rarer than others. One such rare combination is a steel case with “sector” dial, like the present example. Made by Wenger, the steel cases of the ref. 130 have shorter and wider-spaced lugs compared to the gold cases that made by Vichet, giving the 33 mm case a more imposing appearance Chronograph wristwatches from that era typically feature tiny counters that sit close to the edge of the dial, leaving the dial clean and distinctly vintage. But the “sector” dial here is an entirely different animal – the sect...
Hodinkee
Here, John tells us about a watch he encountered for the first time while sitting on the jury of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve, and while it didn't take home an award, it was the one piece that really stuck with him.
Hodinkee
How does the brand's new entry-level sports watch stack up?
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