Hodinkee
The Grey NATO: Episode 100: Hang Out With Us In NYC!
It's the 100th episode – party to follow.
Results for Vallée de Joux
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Time+Tide
Great ‘Grams: A tennis superstar, a unique Rolex
This week on Great ’Grams, we’ve got a tennis superstar, a fully custom wristwatch by George Daniels, and a southpaw Rolex Day-Date, and more. The tennis superstar in question is none other than Gaël Monfils, who this week posted about a new Instagram account he has started (@myson.watches) that will focus specifically on his watch … ContinuedThe post Great ‘Grams: A tennis superstar, a unique Rolex appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Semper & Adhuc Rescues Homeless Vintage Movements
French startup Semper & Adhuc is making its debut with a familiar proposition: affordable, time-only watches, but with a historically conscious twist – each watch is powered by a homeless vintage movement. Also unusual is the fact that while the movements are Swiss, namely the A. Schild AS 1012, every other part of the watch, including case, dial, and hands, is made in France. The brand was started in 2016 by watchmaker Colin de Tonnac, who spent several years at Patek Philippe in Geneva before setting up Semper & Adhuc in Bordeaux. The inaugural line-up is made up of three minimalist watches with quirky details and form cases, but the most interesting bit is the slightly romantic rationale behind the movement inside. Saving abandoned movements All three models are powered by the same calibre, the hand-wound AS 1012 produced by A. Schild, a Grenchen-based movement maker that was once one of Switzerland’s largest. Produced from 1936 to 1960, the AS 1012 is an unusual movement because it is, or rather was, an oval form calibre destined for ladies’ watches, explaining the compact size of about 13 mm by 15 mm. It has 17 or 21 jewels depending on the version, and a 36-hour power reserve. Examples of the AS 1012 and its variants The AS 1012 was inexpensive and robust, making it popular enough that millions were produced. And after the Quartz Crisis, a good number of the movements – likely the majority of them – were in watches that were no longer desirable. That wa...
SJX Watches
Business News: Swatch Group Annual Profit Falls with Hong Kong Slowdown
Hong Kong’s political unrest has resulted in the first fall in annual profits at the Swatch Group since 2018. The world’s biggest watchmaking group, which owns brands like Omega and Longines, just announced its 2019 results, showing declines in both sales and profits. Net profit fell 13.7%, while sales declined 1.8% at constant exchange rates, or 2.7% at current rates, to 8.24 billion francs. The drops in profit and sales were primarily due to a drastic contraction of its business in Hong Kong – a city with a population of just 7.4 million – where Swatch Group owns over 90 retail stores, largely catering to shoppers from the China. Sales in Hong Kong for the second half of 2019 fell by 200 million francs. While Hong Kong was the key driver of the decline, it was not the only one. The luxury watch business in general is suffering from anaemic growth, which is also evidenced by the watch division results at diversified luxury groups like LVMH and Kering. On a more positive note, Swatch Group has managed to fulfil its stated aims of reducing operating expenditure and thinning inventory. Operating expenses dipped about 6%, while operating cash flow rose 30% in 2019. And after several consecutive years of growth, the group’s inventories declined by 1% in 2019, to a still-substantial 6.85 billion francs at cost. It’ll be a slow 2020… With Swatch Group predicting the situation in Hong Kong will continue to be “challenging” in 2020, it is in a weaker positio...
Time+Tide
RECOMMENDED READING: First impressions from an A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus owner
Most of you reading this will have already heard of Gary Getz, or, as he goes by on his Instagram nom de guerre, GaryG (@garyg_1). But if for some reason you haven’t stumbled across his ’gram page or heard of him at a horological gathering, believe me when I say, the man hath some nice … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: First impressions from an A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus owner appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Game, Set, Watch: Tennis aces and their timepieces
The 2020 running of the Australian Open is well and truly into full … well, swing. And with the best tennis players in the world descending on Melbourne, we thought we’d take a look at watchmakers that have affiliations with the pro athletes because, after all, one of my favourite parts of the AO is … ContinuedThe post Game, Set, Watch: Tennis aces and their timepieces appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Hands-On: Longines Heritage Military 1938
Longines has been cranking out vintage remakes at a furious pace over the last year, most notably the Heritage Classic “sector” dial and Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946. All of them share the appealing qualities of being well-priced and fairly authentic remakes. The latest to be released is the Heritage Military 1938, a remake of an oversized watch Longines produced in the 1930s, often for Eastern European markets. It’s as good as the other remakes in terms of value – Longines excel at making value-for-money watches – but falls a bit flat with the dial. The ref. 4092 The inspiration for the new remake is the ref. 4092, a wristwatch that is exceptionally large for its time, with its steel case measuring 43 mm in diameter. Such extra-large watches with military-style dials appear to have mostly been sold to Eastern Europe; Zipper, the Longines agent in Poland at the time is often named as the recipient in archive extracts. A vintage ref. 4092 from the Longines Museum (left) next to the Heritage Military 1938 The rarity and remarkable size of the ref. 4092, along with its appealing military-style dial, makes it a fairly valuable watch today. Even an example with a severely-aged dial sold for 23,750 Swiss francs at Phillips in 2017. So unlike other modern-day remakes that are enlarged versions of vintage originals, the Heritage Military 1938 is just right; it is exactly the same size as the original, but priced at just a tenth of the auction result. The remake Th...
SJX Watches
In-Depth: Quantifying Performance and Trade-Offs in Movement Design
There are a lot of traditions in the luxury watch industry. From the use of pegwood to polish bevels, to the Roman “IV” rendered as “IIII”, the culture of watchmaking is full of interesting customs passed down over generations. But the most fundamental tradition remains the reliance on incremental improvements towards better timekeeping. “Better” might mean absolute performance measured over a defined period such as an observatory trial (the objective of the superstar régleurs), or reliable long-term performance on the wrist. Regardless, for almost four hundred years the quest for better precision was the guiding principle of the trade. To paraphrase from historian David S. Landes’ Revolution in Time, “… it has always been the rule that the quality of [a watch] is a function of [its] precision.” Omega cal. 47.7 observatory chronometer, where the barrel and balance occupy almost all of the diameter. Image – Omega Today, some 50 years after mechanical timekeepers were left in the dust by their “better” electronic brethren, some makers of mechanical watches are more pious in their observance of this traditional approach to incremental improvement than their competitors. And if we look carefully, we can quantify this difference in approach by looking at how different watchmakers choose to use the available energy within their movements. Our interest was to find a way to quantify which watchmakers are making high-performance timekeeping choices and ...
SJX Watches
Zenith Introduces the Defy 21 Land Rover Edition
Zenith’s collaboration with Land Rover has produced the best-looking Defy 21 to date. Clad in matte grey with a handful of orange accents, the Defy 21 Land Rover Edition is pared back and minimalist compared to the typical Defy chronograph. It’s essentially a more compelling variant of a watch that is already strong value for money. Launched to mark the unveiling of the 2020 Land Rover Defender, the new Defy 21 has a case of micro-blasted titanium. The metal has been sandblasted to create an extremely fine, grained surface finish, giving it a dark grey appearance with a hint of olive green that evokes military equipment. The dial is finished in a similar shade of grey, with most of it reduced to the essentials. Both the hands and hour markers have been slimmed down and minimised, as has the power reserve indicator, which is now a narrow, horizontal window. Most of the usual automotive design elements have been avoided on the Defy 21, with the exception of the rotor, which is shaped like the wheel rim of the new Defender. But it is only visible from the back, and does not take away from the appealing minimalist look of the watch. Mechanically the Land Rover Edition is identical to the standard Defy 21, meaning it has twin oscillators and going trains, one for the timekeeping and the other for the 1/100th of a second chronograph. Key facts and price Defy 21 Land Rover Edition Ref. 97.9000.9004/01.R787 Diameter: 44 mm Height: 14.4 mm Material: Titanium Water resistance...
Time+Tide
Drake shows us “Life is Good” with his custom Patek Philippe Nautilus designed by Louis Vuitton Artistic Director
Drake recently took to Instagram to let us know about his latest watch acquisition - a fully custom Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726 that had been black DLC-coated and gem-set with dozens of emeralds. While Drake is well known for his love of the Genevan firm, this watch was special for a couple of … ContinuedThe post Drake shows us “Life is Good” with his custom Patek Philippe Nautilus designed by Louis Vuitton Artistic Director appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Up Close: Chanel Monsieur Édition Noire
Chanel’s best known watch is unquestionably the all-ceramic J12, now in its refined and upgraded second generation. But its most interesting watch – from a mechanic and design perspective – is the Monsieur de Chanel. Originally offered only in precious metals, the watch was last year given a stylish makeover with the Monsieur Édition Noire that’s clad entirely in matte black ceramic. A jumping hour with retrograde minutes, the Édition Noire is powered by the Calibre 1, an original, integrated movement produced with help from independent watchmaker Romain Gauthier. But equally important is its design, which is discreetly brilliant. The watch has the sort of thoughtful aesthetic that pays attention to the whole but also the details – the typeface used on the dial was designed expressly for the watch – that is expected from the grand Parisian fashion house. In fact, the design is more coherent and informed than many watches created by traditional watchmakers. The Chanel elements of the watch are subtle, like the octagonal frame for the hours inspired by the Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle The long road Like other luxury fashion houses, Chanel has been working hard to make proper timepieces, watches that are well made and equipped with respectable movements. Earlier this year it took a 20% stake in movement maker Kenissi, in a joint venture with Tudor, which now produces calibres for the face-lifted J12. Kenissi is merely the latest investment in Chanel’s gradual...
Time+Tide
Why you should always buy your watches on a bracelet when you have the chance
Very few watch straps are as integral to the overall look and feel of a watch as a bracelet can be. On occasions, the bracelet is as essential to the watch DNA as the watch head – a continuation of the same concept, snaking around the wrist. The most famous bracelet design of all time … ContinuedThe post Why you should always buy your watches on a bracelet when you have the chance appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Hands-On: A. Lange & Söhne Tourbograph Dubail Edition
Before the monumental Grand Complication was launched in 2013 – essentially a wristwatch remake of a pocket watch sized like a pocket watch – the most complicated A. Lange & Söhne was the Tourbograph. Launched in 2005, it combined a split-seconds chronograph with a tourbillon regulator as well as a chain and fusee. A limited edition of 51 watches conceived as a tribute to the Günter Blümlein (1943-2001), revered for having reestablished A. Lange & Söhne after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Tourbograph was powered by the L903.0 movement, made up of 465 parts, excluding the tiny chain. Cased in platinum, it was the original Lange uber-complication; a later edition of 50 pieces had a honey gold case, followed by an even more complex version with a perpetual calendar. Same but different Level up But Lange went one better and made a singular example of the ultimate Tourbograph, which was the most expensive Lange at the time. This Tourbograph was a unique piece set with 202 diamonds on the case – including one brilliant-cut diamond on the crown – and 175 on the bracelet, for a total of 377 diamonds weighing 40.6 carats. Diamonds aside, it is also unique as the only Tourbograph known that’s fitted to a matching platinum bracelet. Unveiled in 2009, it was made for Dubail, destined for its flagship store – which opened just the year before – on the Place Vendome, the posh square in Paris that is home to the Hotel Ritz and grand French jewellers like Cartier and...
Time+Tide
VIDEO: The beautifully brown Seiko Presage SRPD36J1 and SSA392J1
There are myriad impressive things about Seiko’s Presage collection. But if we had to single out one overriding thing that the Japanese watchmaker’s dress watches do better than almost anyone else, rather predictably, it would be their dials. Pound for pound, the Presage dress watches and their rapturous range of dials represent amazing value for … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The beautifully brown Seiko Presage SRPD36J1 and SSA392J1 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
LIST: Nick Kenyon’s 5 favourite articles of 2019
As 2019 draws to a close and I get the opportunity to reflect on the year that was (as well as prepare for endless upcoming jokes on my 2020 vision), it’s impossible not to acknowledge that it has been a massive year for Time+Tide. The team has worked hard on a number of different projects, … ContinuedThe post LIST: Nick Kenyon’s 5 favourite articles of 2019 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Watches worn by Al Pacino on the big screen
As promised in the article on Robert De Niro and his watches in film, we are following up with watches worn by Al Pacino. Pacino is best known for his roles as Detective Vincent Hanna in Heat, Cuban gangster Tony Montana in Scarface, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman, and Mafia don Michael Corleone … ContinuedThe post Watches worn by Al Pacino on the big screen appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Highlights: A Patek Philippe Trio at Phillips’ New York Auction
The final watch auctions of the year take place in New York, and as usual Phillips is staging a thematic sale. Titled Game Changers, the auction is made up of watches owned by game-changing celebrities like Marlon Brando and Jack Nicklaus, or timepieces that were game changers in the horological landscape, like the F.P. Journe Octa Reserve de Marche prototype. Also in the sale is a would-be game changer: the Vacheron Constantin Overseas prototype in titanium, not yet a game changer since it has not been put into production, but being the coolest Overseas to date, it probably will. And also worth a look is the vintage Heuer Monaco with a hand-finished movement that’s being sold for charity. But this article is about a handful of Patek Philippe watches, including the sale’s top lot, a ref. 1518 “pink on pink”, as well as a less expensive but more intriguing skeleton pocket watch with paillonnee enamel decoration. The ref. 899 pocket watch decorated with blue enamel and paillons Lot 38 – Patek Philippe ref. 530 chronograph The ref. 530 is a desirable model because it’s oversized for a vintage watch – the case is 36.5mm in diameter – giving it proportions that are quite modern. And the ref. 530 is rare, although a several examples have come up at recent auctions. They sold for moderate prices, for varying reasons and perhaps a general market softness, so this one might be a chance to land a ref. 530 for a reasonable price. This example is attractive. The dial ...
Quill & Pad
Jaquet Droz’s Charming Bird Deconstruction By The Naked Watchmaker (Plus Video)
Ian Skellern still remembers the sense of awe he felt when he had the opportunity to watch and listen to a recently restored centuries-old Jaquet Droz singing bird. The animation was compelling, and the quality of the birdsong sound was incredible. But as impressive a feat he thought that full-sized eighteenth-century Jaquet Droz singing bird clock was, shrinking that mechanical technology to wristwatch size is just mind-blowing. As The Naked Watchmaker, Peter Speake-Marin, highlights here.
Deployant
Grand Seiko GMT SBGM003 9S56-00B0
Grand Seiko has long been the benchmark of a 'value' timepiece. Decades before the proliferation of micro-brands, the Seiko Grand Seiko brand could well be held in the status that many try to get a pie of today. It had the right amount of hand-made, the right amount of mechanical superiority, the right amount of manufacturer pedigree and 'had' the right price.
Time+Tide
What Sealed The Deal - Gilbert’s Rolex Kermit
A relationship with a watch can be a complex one, fraught with the tensions between longing and expectation, and the quotidian reality that it is just an object, full of as much meaning as you are able to maintain within it. If you buy a watch brand new, you can bask in the pleasure of … ContinuedThe post What Sealed The Deal – Gilbert’s Rolex Kermit appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Ep. #150: The TBWS Q&A; Special!
Well, the guys made it - 150 episodes. To commemorate this milestone, Kaz and Mike sit down to answer your questions. So here it is. A full hour and a half of Q&A; goodness covering everything from watch collecting to grails, guitar gear, career paths, spooning, and more.
SJX Watches
Nomos Introduces the Zürich Weltzeit Amsterdam Edition
After the 2017 launch of the Orion 38 “De Stijl” – one of the most unusual and intriguing Nomos watches to date – Dutch retailer Ace Jewelers has unveiled the fruit of its third collaboration, the Zürich Weltzeit Amsterdam. Limited to just 25 pieces, the watch is a variation of the Nomos travel watch, distinguished by a handful of distinct but restrained tweaks. Previously available only with a blue or white dial, the Amsterdam edition features white indices and text, along with red accents on a stark, matte black dial. Appreciably, its stark, no-nonsense colour palette comes at a time when Nomos is increasingly relying on pastel-coloured dials. The watch features several nods to the Dutch city, with “Amsterdam” replacing Berlin on the city ring and highlighted in red, while home time is indicated at three o’clock by the flag of Ace Jeweler’s hometown of Amsterdam, made up of three Saint Andrew’s crosses. The rest of the watch is otherwise identical to the standard version. Its steel case measures 39.9mm wide and 10.85mm high, featuring angled, elongated lugs that are similar to the Orion’s and rather distinct from all the other collections. All surfaces of the case are polished, offering a great contrast to the matte dial. A pusher at two o’clock advances the local time display in one-hour steps while a recessed pusher at eight o’clock sets the home time. Visible through the sapphire case back, the watch is powered by the in-house automatic DUW 5...
Revolution
Review: Grand Seiko Elegance Collection SBGK005
Does combining de rigueur highlights with aesthetics anchored in the natural beauty of Japan make the Grand Seiko SBGK005 the ultimate dress watch?
Time+Tide
Remembering the TAG Heuer Autavia Jo Siffert Collector’s Edition
Editor’s note: When it comes to making timepieces with an affiliation to the full-throttle world of motorsport, few watchmakers have more success than TAG Heuer. Take this TAG Heuer Autavia Jo Siffert Collector’s Edition for instance. Here is a wristwatch that faithfully pays homage to the original Heuer Autavia 1163T or, as it’s more commonly … ContinuedThe post Remembering the TAG Heuer Autavia Jo Siffert Collector’s Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Highlights: Phillips Geneva Watch Auction X
With the Double Signed theme auction out of the way, here are a few highlights from Phillips’ Geneva watch auction, including a Lange Zeitwerk that might be a value buy, and a steel Rolex Day-Date prototype. Lot 145 – Lange Zeitwerk in rose gold The Zeitwerk is unquestionably a modern classic – notably, it is probably the most reliable digital display watch on the market – and is relatively good value on the secondary market, selling for a chunk off retail. This example is in rose gold, and is complete with all boxes and paperwork. It was first sold in 2011, and obviously wasn’t worn much sine then. The estimate is just 20,000-40,000 Swiss francs. Lot 179 – Patek Philippe ref. 1463 in steel One of the top lots in the sale, this is a ref. 1463 “Tasti Tondi”, an early water-resistant chronograph by Patek Philippe. But this is in steel, of which only 67 are known, with a two-tone dial, furthering reducing the number known to just 17. The watch is in excellent condition, with a sharply preserved case and original dial, although the dial might have been cleaned in the distant past. The estimate is 300,000-600,000 francs. Lot 209 – Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in yellow gold The ref. 1518 is a landmark, being the first serially produced chronograph with perpetual calendar. This is a good example of the ref. 1518, almost the quintessential version of the model with a yellow gold case. It is clean and in good condition, albeit showing a little bit of age on the dial,...
SJX Watches
Business News: Citizen Sticks with Baselworld for 2020
Shortly after Seiko announced it was pulling out of Baselworld 2020, fellow Japanese watchmaker Citizen announced it was staying put, along with all of its subsidiary brands, save for Arnold & Son. According to a report in Chronos Japan, the decision was made in the summer, after some internal debate as to whether or not to remain in Baselworld, where Citizen has long boasted one of the most avant-garde booths, year after year. The Citizen booth at Baselworld 2019 Citizen – which launched a record-setting quartz watch at Baselworld 2019 – might have moved to the recently announced Watches & Wonders in Geneva, but that did not happen. So the brand, along with its subsidiaries Bulova, Frederique Constant, Alpina, and Miyota, will continue to exhibit at Baselworld. Only Arnold & Son, a relatively high-end Swiss brand also owned by Citizen, will exhibit at Watches & Wonders. According to an industry source, the remaining major Japanese watchmaker, G-Shock maker Casio, will also continue to show at Baselworld. Source: Chronos Japan
SJX Watches
Seiko Marks 50 Years of the Watch that Started the Quartz Crisis
Seiko changed watchmaking when it introduced the Quartz Astron in December 1969. Though it cost as much as a small car, it was the first commercially available quartz watch. Technology and economies of scale would rapidly reduce the cost of the quartz watch, enough that by the late 1970s the Swiss watch industry was in full blown meltdown – the Quartz Crisis. To mark the 50th anniversary of that landmark watch, Seiko has just introduced the 1969 Quartz Astron 50th Anniversary Limited Edition. Though powered by a latest generation, solar-powered and GPS-enabled quartz movement, the Astron anniversary edition is visually a remake of the original – and it still costs as much as a small car, or about US$35,000. Notably, the Astron anniversary comes a couple months after Citizen introduced its own an ultra-high end quartz watch, also with a solid gold case, but with a different approach to technology. The case of the Astron anniversary is 18k yellow gold and cushion-shaped like the original, but slightly larger at 40.9mm in diameter. The top surface of the case is “hand carved” with a fine, grain-like motif echoing the textured finish of the vintage Quartz Astron. And the pattern on the remake is a reference to itself: the carved grain motif is executed in a circular manner around the bezel, a nod to the fact that Seiko has come full circle in reproducing the 1969 design. Similarly, the dial on the new watch has a vertical, linear graining, also inspired by the finish...
Quill & Pad
Bremont H-4 Hercules: Inspired By Howard Hughes’ ‘Spruce Goose’
The Bremont H-4 Hercules’ rotor incorporates original birchwood veneer that flew on Howard Hughes' historic trip in the 'Spruce Goose' off the coast of California in 1947. Shaped into four propeller blades, the precious and historical wood was shipped to the UK from the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, where the plane resides today. Here Nancy Olson tells us what else is cool about this watch!
Time+Tide
Well-sized and very stylish, the Bremont Supermarine S301
Editor’s note: An attractive neo-vintage diver is a de rigueur part of any self-respecting watch brand’s lineup in 2019, and Bremont is no different. In fact, these days the brand has a few offerings in their stable. And one of the first options out of the gate was the handsome Supermarine S301 … Bremont is … ContinuedThe post Well-sized and very stylish, the Bremont Supermarine S301 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus: Quill & Pad Team Talk, Strong Opinions After Handling The Already Controversial - And Polarizing - New Steel Lange (With Video)
Please enjoy a candid discussion between four of our team members who have had the pleasure of already seeing the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus in the metal and fully understand its background. Do we love it or loathe it? And more importantly, would we buy one?