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GaryG ordered a Hasselblad X1D. He had never shot with a medium-format camera before, and the resolving power, color rendering, and ability to seemingly wrap light around a subject completely blew him away. So when Hasselblad announced that it would be offering a 120 mm macro lens for the X1D, he was among the very first to sign up. But did it make a difference in his watch photography?
Deployant
New and in time for the Chinese New Year of the Ox (Feb 12!) Swatch releases the Big Bold "Ox Rocks 2021!".
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe closed 2020 in a big way with the launch of the Grande Sonnerie ref. 6301P-001 in November. The most complicated wristwatch unveiled by the Geneva watchmaker in recent years, the Grande Sonnerie is a grande and petite sonnerie carillon. With last year’s Geneva watch fair cancelled, the brand unveiled its new releases one by one throughout the year, starting with the limited-edition Calatrava ref. 6007A in June, allowing each new model to be in stores as soon as it was announced. The Grande Sonnerie ref. 6301P-001 was no different, albeit on a tiny scale, with reputedly only a handful available in each region – all sold before the launch. Initial thoughts An impressively large watch, the ref. 6301P feels like a modern-day grand complication. The size is a consequence of the wide and complex movement, so the watch has good proportions all things considered. But the styling is classical, incorporating many elements from vintage Patek Philippe watches – and also the ref. 5370P split-seconds chronograph – which gives it an elegant appearance, something helped by the relative thinness of the case. Still, it is clearly a contemporary watch – Patek Philippe rarely does exact remakes of vintage watches – with details that mark it out as such, including the recessed case band and the luminous hands. The fact that the watch is contemporary is evident in the movement, which looks and functions like a modern calibre, reflecting Patek Philippe’s measured,...
Time+Tide
Hi, my name’s Matt and I’m a watch degenerate … I don’t really want to be. I honestly go into every watch purchase with the heartfelt belief that this will be the watch that I will keep for the rest of my life and pass onto my son. But inevitably I change my mind (again). … ContinuedThe post “I’m just addicted to the thrill of the chase”: Confessions of a Rolex flipper appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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This week we go monochrome in the urban jungle, with the new Hublot Classic Fusion Concrete Jungle New York and an awesome pair of New Balance trainers just dropped on Hypebeast. The gritty edge of concrete is just as fresh as a splash of colour and Hublot’s avant-garde touch is very much present in the … ContinuedThe post #Kicktock: Hublot’s street-tough dial made from concrete meets its match with New Balance appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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SJX Watches
Having made its three years ago with the affordable, vintage-inspired HMS and Bicompax – like many other brands in the segment – Baltic soon expanded its catalogue to include a similarly retro dive watch (and just last week an edition for Dubai retailer Perpétuel). And now the dive watch gets second time zone function with the launch of the Aquascaphe GMT. Introduced in three variants – with the most striking being the version with an orange and blue bezel – the Aquascaphe GMT is very much modelled on 1950s “big crown” dive watches, but with a sapphire-covered bezel and Swiss-made Soprod movement. Initial thoughts The Aquascaphe GMT continues to play to the strengths of Baltic, a French brand that manages good, vintage-inspired design in a a compact package, and at a modest price. Admittedly, such vintage-inspired watches are not particularly original, but they are have appeal, particularly since modern construction give them a practicality and robustness that the vintage originals lack. Credit goes to Baltic in giving the new GMT enough character to make it reasonably original. For instance, the 24-hour bezel is offered in interesting combinations of colours that are not the usual “Pepsi” or “Coke”, from a restrained grey and blue to a vibrant blue and orange. The rest of the GMT is similar to the original Aquascaphe dive watch, which means a handsome, compact case with good enough finishing for the price. But the GMT does diverge from the time-o...
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How many watches have you seen in the metal this year? My personal tally would surely be an all-time low. The COVID pandemic cancelled watch fairs while product viewings turned into digital affairs where white-gloved reps waved their timepieces at you over live video streams. There’s no real substitute for any of this, of course. … ContinuedThe post LIST: Luke’s 5 favourite articles of 2020 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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If you aren’t across Seiko modding, that’s fair enough. While popular in some circles of the watch community, it certainly isn’t a mainstream practice, despite the level of fervour of its disciples. Earlier in the year we took a look at a few pretty interesting mods that had been made, including with painted dials, ceramic … ContinuedThe post 7 crazy creative Seiko mods that don’t look like *ahem* Swiss steel sport watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Hypebeast recently dropped the orange-flavoured candy of the Nike Air Force 1 ’07 LV8 Total Orange, a searchlight-bright version of the iconic trainer. As if the zesty orange wasn’t enough, they have teamed up with 3M for the metallic silver highlights, in an unashamed flash of reflections from the tiniest sliver of sunlight. This is … ContinuedThe post #Kicktock: We pair Nike’s latest drop with the DOXA SUB 200 C-Graph, and magic happens appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Within the watch community, you will hear the phrase “in the metal” a fair bit. With some watches it is as simple as paying a quick visit to an authorised dealer to become more acclimated with a watch. However, not all watches are available to view in-store – and no, this is not a conversation … ContinuedThe post Getting some Eichi, or Wisdom, from macro monster @horomariobro appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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SJX Watches
Chopard has loosened up its strictly formal, ultra-thin dress watch with recent launches like the collaboration with tailor Kiton. Launched during Mexican watch fair Salón Internacional Alta Relojería México (SIAR), the L.U.C Skull One continues the theme – a slim, black-coated case and the dial decorated with a motif inspired by Día de Muertos, the Mexican festival that celebrates the dearly departed. Initial thoughts The Skull One is not the first Chopard dressed in a calavera, a decorated depiction of the skull used during Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Two years ago, once again for SIAR, Chopard decked out its top-of-the-line L.U.C perpetual calendar with tourbillon in Day of the Dead decor that was hand engraved on the dial and case. But compared to that one-off creation (and also the similarly-themed De Bethune DW5), the Skull One is most pared back in style and also in price. Priced just shy of US$10,000, the Skull One is well priced for a wristwatch powered by a sophisticated, in-house movement that has an elaborately printed dial. And just as importantly, the watch is well designed – the skull motif works well with everything else. The look is coherently put together, with most of the elements done in shades of black and grey – even the case back crystal is tinted grey – but accented with rose gold markers and hands. Simple yet effective While obvious at a glance, the dial is thoughtful in its details. The motif is set apart from the b...
Quill & Pad
When Piaget introduced the manual wind Caliber 9P at the 1957 Basel Fair, at only 2 mm in height, it was considered an impossibility. Three years later, in 1960, Piaget stunned the watch world once again with Caliber 12P, an automatic movement that broke world records for its svelteness. What does that have to do with a vintage watch Martin Green saw? Find out here.
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe has just taken the covers off the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Ref. 7234G-001, a medium-sized take on its original dual-time zone aviator’s watch. Originally launched in pink gold, and then in steel as a limited edition, the compact pilot is now available in white gold. Now very much a familiar part of the Calatrava range, the pilot’s watch was a surprise when it was first launched. A radically new design for the classical watch manufacturer when it debuted in 2015, the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time sparked some controversy, mainly centred the generic aviator’s watch look and the oversized pushers. Several additional models later, the Calatrava Pilot is a full collection of watches, ranging from the time-only limited edition made for the New York Grand Exhibition to an alarm that chimes like a repeater, and now the mid-size Travel Time in white gold. Initial thoughts While the sporty look suits the original model with its large 42 mm case, the smaller case appeals to people with more traditional tastes or smaller wrists, making the new mid-size version an intuitive and complementary edition to the line. It’s essentially a more wearable version of an appealing watch. The Calatrava Pilot Travel Time looks more youthful than the average Calatrava, though that’s changing with recent releases like the ref. 6007A, owing to the oversized numerals and large pushers. Still, in traditional Patek Philippe style, the overall feel is refined for a pilot’s wat...
SJX Watches
Now almost two decades into its foray into watchmaking, Louis Vuitton has progressively introduced more complicated timepieces, an evolution that accelerated after its takeover of Geneva complications specialist La Fabrique du Temps (LFDT). Now Louis Vuitton’s signature complication, the Spin Time that tells the time with jumping cubes was LFDT’s earliest contributions to the trunk maker’s offerings. The latest variant of the complication is the Spin Time Air Japan Limited Edition. Drawing inspiration from the Japanese culture, the edition is made up of both a men’s and women’s model, each decorated with a motif that is distinctly Japanese. Initial thoughts With both versions having the same 42.5 mm Tambour case – tambour is French for drum and the very first case design of the brand – they are largish watches with great wrist presence, but they sit high on the wrist due to the case thickness (which is a consequence of the complication). But thanks to the relatively short lugs the case wears quite well. The case, however, is well proportioned – the large size suits the unique time display, with sufficient empty space to showcase the floating Spin Time complication. Reminiscent of the work of independent watchmakers like Urwerk and Ludovic Ballouard, the Spin Time display is inventive and different, but also easy to read, illustrating Louis Vuitton’s investment in making watches. But it is expensive, starting at US$80,000 for the men’s version. Japanese...
SJX Watches
Swiss watchmaking conglomerate Swatch Group just announced its half-year 2020 results and unsurprisingly, it took a huge hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the group, which owns brands like Omega and Longines, had a good start in January with an operating margin of 17.3% – with the watch and jewellery brands performing a bit better than movement- and component-production division – the lockdown progressively imposed across the world since February severely impacted sales, leading to a steep declines in revenue and half-year operating loss, a first for the group. Group sales for the first half plunged 43.4% at constant exchange rates from a year earlier, resulting in an operating loss of CHF327m, compared to a profit of CHF547m for the same period in 2019. Most of the drop in sales was attributed to the lockdowns in most countries, resulting in widespread store closures. The Swatch Group saw up to 80% of both its own boutiques and third-party retailers close, meaning it had to rely on partially “partially feasible” e-commerce. And even after lockdowns were lifted, the group permanently vacated some of its retail space, as evidenced by disputes with its former landlord in Hong Kong, which has sued the Swatch Group for several million in allegedly unpaid rent. Due to its swiftly-streamlining retail network, the group’s employee count was trimmed by 6.5% since December 2019 to approximately 33,700 employees. This was also confirmed by anecdotal evidence fro...
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SJX Watches
Having been pummelled by the COVID-19 pandemic and the implosion of Baselworld, the watch fair’s owner MCH Group has just announced a CHF104.5m rescue led by the canton of Basel and James Murdoch. But the crown jewel is not the Baselworld watch and jewellery fair, but Art Basel, which is undoubtedly the prize Mr Murdoch is after. As part of the rescue, the canton of Basel will convert its CHF30m loan to MCH into equity, with the balance being made up of a rights issue priced at a 25% discount to the 30-day average for MCH shares, which hit a peak of CHF80 in 2017 and traded around CHF17 in recent weeks. Through his family investment office Lupa Systems, Mr Murdoch will underwrite the rights issue, subscribing to all rights not taken up by other shareholders. At the same time, the canton of Basel and its regional bank have extended the repayment period for outstanding loans to MCH, while a bond offering is planned in the near future. Beyond shoring up the finances of MCH, the exercise will leaving Mr Murdoch with 30-44% of MCH Group, along with three board seats. Restrictions on shareholder voting rights will also be abolished, removing the outsized voting power of the cantons of Basel and Zurich, once the dominant influences in MCH. A long-term investment Mr Murdoch is the younger son of Rupert Murdoch, perhaps the most powerful figure in the broadcast and news business in the Western world. Recent newspaper reports have said the younger Murdoch was negotiating with MC...
Time+Tide
Any Seinfeld fans will know what I’m talking about when I say that the Home Delivery Watch Fair, where we re-created both SIHH (or Watches & Wonders, as it’s known now) and Baselworld, was more akin to Kramer’s version of the Merv Griffin show than it was a real watch fair. As in, it was … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Top 10 watches of Virtual Baselworld 2020, inc. Hublot, Longines, Seiko, Casio and Hamilton appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Editor’s note: Every great product has a genesis, and for this Italian-founded watch and jewellery firm it is the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic. It was the one that started it all back in 2017, leaving eyes wide open with its sharply faceted design and ultra-thin construction. In the years following, we have seen the same … ContinuedThe post The Octo that (really) started it all, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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The Home Delivery Watch Fair is back, with Part 2 of (pretend) Baselworld! In this episode we have Rolex predictions with Frank from Monochrome, a live schnitzel dinner with beers, and watches from a slew of brands including Rado, Blancpain, Hublot and H. Moser & Cie. Video Giveaways In each of these Home Delivery Watch … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Virtual Baselworld 2020 Part 2 is live, and we have Rolex predictions, a live schnitzel and lots and lots of watches! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Entire nations forced under lockdown, airlines teetering on the brink of collapse, fistfights erupting over rolls of toilet paper … Coronavirus has rocked the planet and God knows what life will be like when ‘normality’ resumes. It’s unlikely to be normal as we knew it, that’s for sure. In such desperate times, it may seem … ContinuedThe post Will Coronavirus, and a recession, shorten that waiting list you’re still on? An economics professor and a former Swatch Group MD weigh in… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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The Home Delivery Watch Fair, Watches & Wonders Edition was hands down one of the most ambitious and fun things we’ve ever attempted. And, judging by the comments, you seemed to enjoy it. That’s about all the encouragement we needed to take that positivity forward and tackle the big dance. So, we’re doing it again. … ContinuedThe post We’ve recreated Baselworld 2020 on YouTube over three epic episodes, starting tomorrow. This is what you can expect appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Krayon made its debut in 2017 with the Everywhere, an incredibly complex wristwatch that was, in essence, a mechanical calculator for sunrise and sunset. Founded by movement constructor Rémi Maillat in 2013, Krayon has debuted the follow up to the Everywhere, the simpler, sleeker – and a lot more affordable – Anywhere. Like its bigger brother, the Anywhere displays the time of sunrise and sunset. But while the Everywhere allowed the wearer to input his location and time zone for the watch to show local sunrise and sunset times everywhere, the Anywhere displays sunrise and sunset times for a single, fixed location, albeit one that can be quite easily changed by a watchmaker. Despite while the complication has been streamlined, the movement has been upgraded in terms of finishing, which is now exceptional. The Anywhere in white gold Initial thoughts The Anywhere is surprising in person. Given the complexity of the movement, you’d expect a large watch with a fussy display. But the Anywhere is modestly sized – the thinness of the case stands out – giving it an elegant profile on the wrist. At the same time, the dial layout is simple and intuitive, making it easy to understand. And it is also easy to operate, with the calendar and time both set via the crown. And the calendar, in turn, controls the sunrise and sunset function, so the interface is straightforward. Turn it over and the movement is also surprising. While the movement in the Everywhere was a mechanica...
SJX Watches
Since its debut in 2008, the Cartier Fine Watchmaking (FWM) collection has been the jeweller-watchmaker’s flagship range of timepieces, incorporating highly complicated movements into watches designed in traditional Cartier style, albeit in very large cases. This year’s Fine Watchmaking line-up is made up of four watches – led by the uber-complex Grand Complication Skeleton – all presented in the round Rotonde de Cartier case. Initial thoughts I have held the Cartier FWM collection in high regard – it is testimony to the brand’s haute horlogerie prowess, which most tend to underestimate or are unaware of. So it was a bit disappointing to see FWM recede slightly starting in 2018 as Cartier focused instead on its historical, time-only watches – such as this year’s Tank Asymétrique – which have been resurrected as the Cartier Privé collection. The debut of this quartet of watches is a pleasing return to form for FWM, though it should be pointed out none of the are entirely new in terms of movements. The “mystery” complication of Cartier has been found in several FWM models in the past, but it never fails to astound. The mystery hours, for instance, are simple, time-only watches but have a great deal of visual allure. And the Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication Skeleton revives one of the most complicated movements ever developed by Cartier, while being visually stimulating with its open-worked dial that exposes the intricate and complex move...
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Editor’s note: On the brink of bringing you some of Seiko’s new novelties via our second ‘Home Delivery Watch Fair – Basel Edition’ over on YouTube, we cast our mind back to two things. Firstly, the 2019 collection, which is captured here in a video, and in the pics below. What stood out to me … ContinuedThe post Revisiting 6 key watches from Seiko’s 2019 collection, how do they hold up a year on? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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This time a couple of weeks ago, the challenge was set, and it was formidable. A fast approaching watch fair – Watches & Wonders – with no watches in sight. None to have. None to hold. None to video. What choice but to fold? We didn’t do that, though. We’re Aussies, we don’t give up … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: An open letter describing how you schooled us on the place of watches in a pandemic. How can they still matter? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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