Two Broke Watch Snobs
CWC 1983 Quartz Royal Navy Diver Review
In my mind, this is the best, no-nonsense quartz dive watch you can buy today and the easiest gateway to the wide world of British military watch history.
42,418 articles · 253 videos found · page 43 of 1423
Two Broke Watch Snobs
In my mind, this is the best, no-nonsense quartz dive watch you can buy today and the easiest gateway to the wide world of British military watch history.
Time+Tide
Coronavirus has surpassed all previous crisis’ in terms of its negative impact on the Swiss watchmaking industry, with a 25 per cent downturn anticipated for 2020, according to a report by Bank Vontobel. This is worse than the Quartz Crisis, which saw a 15 per cent decline, and the 22 per cent downturn in the … ContinuedThe post Coronavirus projected to wipe out 60 ‘Swiss Made’ watch brands, while downturn surpasses Quartz Crisis and GFC appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
The most affordable watch of any kind offered by Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Reverso One is an elegant watch for ladies with a modest amount of diamonds and a quartz movement. Originally available only with a silver dial, the new Reverso One Red Wine adds a more lively colour to the range of options. Initial thoughts While the quartz movement won’t appeal to a watch aficionado, it makes sense for someone who wants a good-looking, classic design without the hassle of a mechanical movement. Seen from that perspective – especially when combined with the affordable price – the Reverso One is a fuss-free, sensible buy. Red guilloche The launch version of the Reverso One was plain, with an ordinary silver dial dial. The Red Wine livens things up, and does it with more detail than would be expected on an entry-level quartz watch. The dial has a stamped sun-ray guilloche motif that’s covered in translucent red lacquer, creating the rich finish. As with many Reverso models, the flip side of the case is polished and left empty for personalisation. The options for personalisation includes a set of initials that Jaeger-LeCoultre can engrave for a small fee. And the steel case is set with 27 diamonds for a bit of sparkle. Key Facts and Price Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso One Red Wine Ref. Q3288560 Diameter: 40 mm by 20 mm Height: 7.9 mm Material: Stainless steel Water resistance: 30 m Movement: Cal. 657 Functions: Hours and minutes Frequency: Quartz Strap: Alligator strap Availability...
SJX Watches
The quintessential Junghans is arguably any Max Bill wristwatch, which are all slightly different but share an instantly recognisable style that’s modern, mid-20th century, and still appealing five decades on. The German watchmaker now offers the Max Bill designs in a variety of watches from quartz to automatic chronograph, and the new Max Bill Mega Solar is the most extreme in its design and technological disparity – high-tech dressed in retro style, which makes for a pretty cool watch. Initial thoughts Junghans has solid timekeeping tech in its Mega radio-control watches, but for the most part they are unattractive, at least for someone who likes mechanical watches. Many look like gadgets trying to be an analogue wristwatch. As a result, the Max Bill Mega Solar is a blessing. A Swiss architect and designer whose style was spare and Bauhaus-inspired, Bill designed a series of clocks for Junghans in the late 1950s, followed by wristwatches in 1961. Today’s Max Bill watches are essentially identical to the originals of the 1960s. And now the delightfully concise styling has been combined with a solar-powered, radio-controlled movement. For someone who likes gadgets – and also values good design – this is hard to beat. Radio-control, now worldwide The Max Bill Mega Solar is an upgrade over the earlier Max Bill Mega, which has a quartz movement in a steel case. The new Max Bill Mega Solar has a titanium case, and is solar-powered. It’ll run for up to three ye...
Time+Tide
This year, Cartier are shining the spotlight on the pioneering age of aviation as a source of inspiration. And that brings to the fore the wristwatch that started it all, the Santos-Dumont. The model returned to prominence in 2019 with the quartz Cartier Santos-Dumont. While the Cartier family and Brazilian inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont are inexorably … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Cartier Santos-Dumont “La Demoiselle” Limited Edition in platinum, a feast of details appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Time+Tide
It was a Friday afternoon last November when I met Jan Edöcs, the CEO of Doxa S.A. He was here for the launch of the brand in Australia, and not only brought the full collection of watches from 2019, but he was also generous enough to share what they had in store for 2020, including … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The DOXA SUB 300 Carbon Aqua Lung US Divers limited edition, a bold statement already creating buzz appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Since its launch in 2000, the Chronomètre à Résonance has perhaps become the quintessential F.P. Journe wristwatch. Still the only wristwatch to rely on the principle of resonance – omitting any mechanical means of transmission – the Résonance has been revamped and improved for its 20th anniversary. While the Résonance was powered by essentially the same calibre (the cal. 1499 in several generations) for its first two decades, the new Chronomètre à Résonance is equipped with the brand-new cal. 1520. Several features set the new movement apart from its predecessor, most notably the use of a single barrel and a remontoir d’egalite constant force mechanism in each going train. Initial thoughts Having learnt a little about the new Résonance from hints dropped by Mr Journe in the past, I was looking forward to this – and the watch lives up to expectations. The basics of the new model are no surprise, since Mr Journe had let on that the movement will incorporate his signature remontoir. The upgrades to the new movement are sensible both in terms of function and timekeeping. Relying on a single barrel eliminates the finicky and occasionally unreliable double-barrel winding mechanism of the original movement. But the remontoir installed in each going train is the crucial upgrade as it optimises the going trains before and after the escapement. In the original Resonance movement, both balance wheels oscillate at an identical amplitude at any one time, but the am...
Revolution
Vacheron Constantin creates a pair of exceptional, highly complicated, and romantic wristwatches conceived by the master watchmakers of Les Cabinotiers.
SJX Watches
There was much anticipation in the lead up to A. Lange & Söhne’s launch of the Odysseus last year, which met with mixed receptions. The luxury-sports watch represented a few firsts for Lange – a first foray into sports watches, the brand’s first regular-production steel watch, and for the nerds, subtle technical features not seen before in other movements. Unsurprisingly, the inaugural steel model is now been joined by a precious metal version, the Odysseus in white gold. While the new watch is functionally similar to the steel model, the gold version is set apart with a handful of dial details, and the more obvious strap choices. Nips and tucks The dial gets a couple of tweaks to distinguish it, going with a muted, monotone grey instead of dark blue. More subtle are the differences in the dial finishing, with a stamped radial pattern reminiscent of the Langematik Perpetual Honey Gold, replacing the concentric rings found on the steel model. And the central portion of the dial is finished with a more conventional fine frosting, rather than the pronounced, granular surface found on the steel model. While the debut Odysseus was offered only with a steel bracelet, the white gold version is offered only with leather or rubber straps that connect to the watch via proprietary end-links incorporating a quick-release mechanism. While the leather strap is ordinary brown calfskin, the rubber is more than run-of-the-mill rubber strap and features raised vents on the reverse ...
Time+Tide
At SIHH in 2019, Cartier released something very special, and oddly, it was powered by stock standard quartz. The Cartier Santos-Dumont was met with a standing ovation, not just because it was remarkably faithful to some of the earliest watch designs from Cartier, but it was also slim and relatively affordable thanks to that humble … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The new Cartier Santos-Dumont XL gets a mechanical upgrade and adds just 0.2mm in thickness appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Welcome to the watch release recap for the second week of June 2026. We have some interesting new watch models from Mido, Longines, Blancpain and more. Enjoy the video:)
Time+Tide
Watch collecting is fun. At least it should be, which means that from time to time, you have to get back to basics and enjoy the roots of the hobby. Even though a lot of us turn a blind eye to it, one of the staples of the watch industry is inexpensive quartz-powered timepieces. For … ContinuedThe post A month in iso with the Timex Q, a watch that reconnected me with the fun in collecting appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
One of the most fashionable watches of the late 1980s and 1990s was the Breitling Chronomat with the distinctive Rouleaux bracelet, specifically the two-tone, steel-and-yellow-gold model with a dark blue dial. The watch of choice for assorted air force squadrons, the Chronomat was also spotted on major Hollywood stars of the era, most prominently Jerry Seinfeld and Bruce Willis. Breitling’s supercharged success after the Quartz Crisis – having been rescued by Swiss entrepreneur Ernest Schneider – was largely down to the Chronomat. Now the Chronomat on the Rouleaux bracelet is making its comeback, after having been discontinued several years ago. Abandoning the styling of recent, unsuccessful facelifts, the new Chronomat B01 42 returns with a tightly-executed design that incorporates several elements of the 1990s classic. A historic hit Launched to mark the 100th anniversary of Breitling in 1984, the Chronomat marked the brand’s return to mechanical watches. In 1979, the late Ernest Schneider took over an ailing Breitling, which until was then making mostly quartz watches with a military flavour. Having delivered the inaugural version of the Chronomat to members of Frecce Tricolori, the aerobatic team of the Italian air force, Schneider had a hit on his hands once the Chronomat was sold to the public. A page from the 1987 Breitling catalogue showing several versions of the Chronomat Though it had the same name as a vintage Breitling chronograph, the Chronomat l...
Quill & Pad
The point of the large watch fairs is (or was) the sheer scale of their visitor numbers. In no other venue can brands meet with so many clients, collectors and press, and vice versa. If a large fair is limited in visitor capacity by health restrictions, can it still dominate the launch cycles of big brands? Ian Skellern examines likely winners and losers of the brave new world of exhibitions in 2021.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Overwhelmed Swiss factory guy 1: “Hold up, why is there a tachymeter scale if half the numbers are gone?” Overwhelmed Swiss factory guy 2: “Because of le quartz, man. Don’t ask questions. Do you want to lose your job?!”
Time+Tide
Seiko is a brand that is well accustomed to competing with itself. Both to raise the bar for the brand’s watches, and for the betterment of the global watch industry. From the revolution of bringing quartz-powered movements to the masses, to embarrassing the Swiss at their own Chronometer Trials, the intrepid Japanese pioneers can seem … ContinuedThe post Grand Seiko ups the ante – on itself – with the SLGH002, where classic meets cutting edge appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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What a difference two years makes. In 2018, I introduced this until now unpublished video by saying that - shock, horror - we were reviewing a collection of watches with quartz movements: the new Longines V.H.P. Collection. I’d go as far as to say it makes me grimace a little to watch in 2020. Because … ContinuedThe post The Longines Conquest V.H.P. Collection now comes on a leather strap, here’s a collection review from the Sydney QVB Longines Boutique appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Wei Koh speaks with Zenith CEO, Julien Tornare in Miami on the launch of the Zenith x Revolution Chronomaster Revival Ref. A3818 “Cover Girl”.
SJX Watches
Reviving a name once used for a line of tonneau-shaped women’s watches, Vacheron Constantin has just unveiled the Égérie, now a round watch with an unusually positioned crown. Translating as “muse”, Égérie is a slightly larger and more casual automatic watch for ladies, setting it apart from Vacheron Constantin’s current offerings for ladies, which are mostly downsized or quartz versions of men’s watches, as well as pricey, high-jewellery timepieces. That also sets it apart from its namesake, introduced in 2003 with a tonneau case, which lasted several years in the catalogue but never quite took off. Inspired by haute couture according to Vacheron Constantin, the new Égérie line is centred on two models, with either a moon phase or date. Each is offered in pink gold or steel, as well as a fully diamond-set version in white gold, for a total of five models. Égérie Self-Winding (top row), and Égérie Moonphase All models share a fully polished case with a diamond-set bezel, with a silver opaline dial featuring an offset sub-dial at two o’clock that sits just beside the crown, topped with a moonstone cabochon. The dials are decorated with a pleated, radial guilloche done the traditional way, with a hand-operated rose engine. The engine-turning is intersected up by a chapter ring with spherical markings for the minutes and applied gold hour numerals. Specially designed for the collection, the numerals are a modern take on traditional Breguet numerals...
SJX Watches
Originally unveiled as a sub-brand of Seiko in 1960 dedicated entirely to high-precision wristwatches – and only sold in Japan for most of that time – Grand Seiko has now become an independent brand. This year is the 60th anniversary of its founding, and the occasion is being commemorated with a quartet of limited editions (with perhaps more to come later in the year), including two quartz watches powered by the 9F85, a new, top-of-the-line quartz movement. All of the anniversary editions feature a dial in dark blue, one of Grand Seiko’s signature colours, albeit executed in different materials or finishes, ranging from a stamped pattern to mother of pearl. All of the men’s models also have a red seconds hand, creating a red and blue aesthetic that’s uncommon for Grand Seiko. The flagship 60th anniversary watch is the Heritage Collection Hi-Beat 36000 Limited Edition (SBGH281), a variant of the 44GS “modern reinterpretation” that features broad, mirror-polished case flanks that are steeply sloped, a distinguishing characteristic of the 44GS case style. It’s powered by the 9S85, an automatic movement operated at 36,000 beats per hour, hence the “Hi-Beat” label. Only 1,500 will be made. The Hi-Beat limited edition also features a gold “GS” logo on the dial The other mechanical model in the anniversary line-up is the Elegance Collection Women’s Automatic Limited Edition (STGK015), powered by the 9S27 automatic movement. Its dial is dark-blue mother...
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I am excited – after a couple of furiously busy weeks of behind-the-scenes planning – to announce the launch of the ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction in aid of the Australian bushfire crisis. The auction, launched today on the Invaluable online auction platform at 9am AEST, will run for 10 days, until 9am AEST … ContinuedThe post The ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction for the Australian bushfires is live! See and bid on all 16 watches now… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Where your watch is made is not the most important thing, but the story goes a bit deeper than on paper...
SJX Watches
Launched in 2005, the Big Bang was the watch that reestablished Hublot as a major watch brand. Fifteen years on, the model gets its most major revamp to date with the launch of the Big Bang Integral. While the basic concept is simple – it’s a Big Bang with an integrated bracelet – the new watch is a substantial upgrade in construction and finishing. The case was redesigned to fit the new bracelet, but also to accommodate a higher level of finishing. The Big Bang Integral King Gold Upgraded inside and out Most of the case edges, and also the pushers, have polished bevelling that contrasts with the brushed finishing on the top surfaces. The alternating surface finish continues onto the bracelet links, which are also facetted in profile. At the same time, the case construction has been improved in substance. Though the new case retains the traditional “sandwich” construction of the Big Bang, the filling of the “sandwich” is no longer resin, but is instead the same material as the front and back plates of the case. The only remaining resin bits are the resin lugs, or “ears”, on each side of the bezel at three and nine o’clock, the fundamental design feature of Hublot that was inspired by a ship’s porthole (hublot is porthole in French). The Big Bang Integral in titanium The All Black The new Big Bang is available in titanium or 18k King Gold as regular production models, and also the 500-piece limited edition Big Bang Integral All Black. Like its namesake...
SJX Watches
The flagship launch for Bulgari at LVMH Watch Week is a compact tourbillon for ladies that’s technically interesting because it is powered by a newly-developed form movement. The Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon is a moderately large ladies’ watch, with a case measuring 34 mm in diameter and a slim 8.9 mm high. Because it is a Serpenti – which is Italian for “serpent” – the case is shaped like a snake’s head, giving it an ovoid form that has quite a presence on the wrist. Available in white gold or rose gold, the case is set with diamonds, as is the dial (and there’s also a version in white gold with a matching bracelet, set in diamonds from end to end). Inside is the BVL150, a hand-wound movement constructed specifically for this watch. It’s a small movement, measuring 22 mm at its longest and 3.65 mm high, but still manages to accommodate a tourbillon and a 40-hour power reserve. More notably, the movement is a form movement; its shape traces the case, with the tourbillon taking centre stage at six o’clock. Unusually, the tourbillon looks like a flying tourbillon, but is a conventional tourbillon secured by a bridge. But the bridge is a piece of clear sapphire, with the pivot jewel in its centre, making it almost invisible. Another unconventional feature is the crown, which is positioned just between two and three o’clock – inclined at six degrees from the horizontal according to Bulgari – a necessity due to the compact size of the movement. Key fa...
SJX Watches
Continuing with the sleek and successful Octo Finissimo, Bulgari has just unveiled two new variants of the extra-flat wristwatch at LVMH Watch Week, a pre-Baselworld launch event for the luxury group’s three watch brands, which include Hublot and Zenith. The new Octo Finissimo Automatic Satin-Polished – in either steel or rose gold – is an iteration of earlier models, and is distinguished by its case finish, which is mostly brushed, but highlighted with mirror polished edges and flanks. With alternating brushed and polished surfaces, the new case finish catches the light nicely. In contrast, current versions of the Octo Finissimo Automatic have a uniformly matte, sandblasted finish that is more muted. While the finishing is new, the case is exactly the same size – 40mm by 5.25mm, giving it an incredibly slim profile on the wrist. The new case finishing is paired with a glossy, black-lacquered dial that has markings and hands to match the case material – either 18k rose gold with a leather strap, or in stainless steel with a matching bracelet. The bracelet is an integral part of the Octo Finissimo, so price and material aside, the steel model is more compelling from a design perspective. Both are powered by the BVL138, the ultra-thin automatic movement that’s standard for the Octo Finissimo. The movement is just 2.23mm high, and relies on a platinum micro rotor for winding. Key facts and price Octo Finissimo Automatic Satin-Polished Steel Ref. 103297 Octo Finiss...
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Having dropped enough hints – first the movement and then the platinum Speedmaster – that the launch is no longer a surprise, Omega has finally unveiled the watch many have been waiting for: the Speedmaster Moonwatch 321 in steel, a remake of the Speedmaster “Ed White”. Notably, the latest remake means that Omega now has a remake hall of fame, having reproduced almost all of the historically significant vintage Speedmaster models, namely the ref. 2915, ref. 2998, ref. 105.012 (sort of), the ref. 145.022 in 18k gold, and now, the ref. 105.003 “Ed White”. Worn by astronaut Ed White in 1965 when he became the first American to accomplish a space walk, during the Gemini 4 mission, the Speedmaster ST 105.003 has since been nicknamed after White, who unfortunately died not long after when a fire consumed the cabin of the Apollo 1 spacecraft in 1967. Reproduced faithfully Distinguished by its straight lugs, the “Ed White” has been replicated in fine form with the new Moonwatch 321. Omega gets an A for execution with the remake, though its score for creativity won’t be quite as high. The new Speedmaster is a dead ringer for the original, but executed in modern materials – plus faux-vintage Super-Luminova, naturally. Details exactly as on the original include the applied Omega logo and stepped dial The bezel insert, for instance, is a “dot over 90” like the original, but is rendered in robust ceramic with white enamel tachymetric markings, instead of the fra...
SJX Watches
Following the launch of the Classique 5177 in blue enamel last year, Breguet has now unveiled its feminine equivalent, the Classique Dame 9065. It’s dressed up in feminine style with a Tahitian black mother-of-pearl dial and brilliant-cut diamonds, but still bears Breguet’s trademark design with pomme hands and Breguet-style numerals. A limited edition of 28 pieces, the watch has a dainty rose-gold case measuring 33.5mm wide and just 7.55mm high thanks to the ultra-thin movement inside. The case is classical Breguet, featuring slim, straight lugs and a finely fluted case band. The bezel and lugs are set with 88 brilliant-cut diamonds, totalling approximately 0.606 carats, while the crown is set with a ruby. They frame a dial covered with a thin slice of black mother-of-pearl. Derived from black-lipped oysters found in and around Tahiti and the French Polynesian islands, Tahitian mother-of-pearl is prized for its naturally dark colour as well as its visual complexity. Apart from being much rarer than white mother-of-pearl, it also has vivid undertones accented with overtones of marine colours like violet and green. The dial features Breguet-style Arabic numerals printed on the mother of pearl, and classic Breguet hands with a slight – and unfortunately kitschy – twist: the seconds hand has a heart-shaped counterweight. To match the heart-shaped seconds and ruby cabochon, the date features a red disc printed with off-white numerals. Visible through the sapphire case...
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Every collector has a watch they would never part with. It might not be the most expensive piece in the collection, the rarest, or even the one that gets the most wrist time. Sometimes, a watch becomes irreplaceable f...
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