Revolution
Introducing the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Twofold
Roger Dubuis debuts the Excalibur Twofold which showcases the watchmaker’s world premiere use of brand new material: Mineral Composite Fiber.
Results for Rexhep Rexhepi (Watchmaker)
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Revolution
Quill & Pad
Equation Of Time: What Is It And What’s The Attraction? – Reprise
In its simplest form, the equation of time is defined as the difference between the time displayed by the position of the sun (as by a sundial) and the time displayed by any modern clock or watch. But that's just the beginning; watchmaker Ashton Tracy explains more.
Time+Tide
Bulletproof: These G-Shock Utility Series watches show off Casio’s 21st century take on the mil-spec watch
Casio’s G-Shock watches are already widely regarded as some of the toughest SOBs in the business, capable of taking more punishment than Tyson Fury and still coming back for more. But the Japanese watchmaker has seen fit to, aesthetically at least, step it up a notch, by taking some of their most iconic timepieces and … ContinuedThe post Bulletproof: These G-Shock Utility Series watches show off Casio’s 21st century take on the mil-spec watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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INTRODUCING: The Franck Muller Vanguard Classic that can take you from boardroom to beach
Fans of Franck Muller will know there is something in the Vanguard collection for everyone. With more than 30 different references in the current lineup, including chronographs, tourbillons and skeletonised movements, the independent watchmaker has ensured that no matter where you want to take your watch, there is a generously curved creation for you. Despite … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Franck Muller Vanguard Classic that can take you from boardroom to beach appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Land, Sky or Sea – 5 Bremonts whose claim to fame is toughness
British watchmaker Bremont may have only been around since 2002, but in that time they’ve earned respect for watches that are durable and robust to an extreme degree, and British to a tee at all times throughout. Few breakthroughs have helped this reputation quite as much as the significant percentage of watches Bremont produce being … ContinuedThe post Land, Sky or Sea – 5 Bremonts whose claim to fame is toughness appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Grand Seiko Blue Snowflake Reference SBGA407: On The Wrist
Grand Seiko’s Blue Snowflake Spring Drive has pushed the venerable Japanese watchmaker to the top of Chris Malburg's horology charts. After spending considerable time with this timepiece, Chris relates the Snowflake’s triumphs and reveals its shortcomings.
SJX Watches
Up Close: Kiu Tai Yu Year of the Pig Commemoration
Kiu Tai Yu (1946-2020) was famed for achieving several firsts in watchmaking. He was the first watchmaker in Asia to build a tourbillon wristwatch – he debuted the Kiu Tai Yu tourbillon no. 1 in 1991 – and also the first Asian member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI). Kiu preceded today’s Asian independent watchmakers by some two decades. He joined the AHCI in 1992, making him one of the earliest entrants into the trade body for independent watchmakers that counts George Daniels (1987), Francois-Paul Journe (1988), and Philippe Dufour (1997) as pioneer members. Working out of a tiny shop named Kew & Cie. in Hong Kong’s Central business district, Kiu did one better after building conventional tourbillons – he invented his very own Mystery Tourbillon that had neither a cage nor visible bridge, for which he was granted patents in China, Switzerland, and the United States. Though he was inactive since 2007 when he suffered a stroke, Kiu was prominent internationally in the 1990s, being a regular at Baselworld where he exhibited his exceptionally distinctive watches. His timepieces encapsulated his philosophy of watchmaking – he did it his way. Kiu Tai Yu in his shop. Photo – Vincent Calabrese Inimitable design The aesthetic of his watches was strikingly Chinese and evocative of a particular period in East Asia. It was not so much the elegant, classical style of historical China, but the over-the-top, exuberant look of Hong Kong and ...
Time+Tide
The Report Card: Seiko’s 2020 novelties so far
We may only be three months into 2020, but Seiko is dropping new novelties like the world could end tomorrow … which, given the current state of affairs, does feel ever so slightly plausible. Anyway, I know what you’re thinking: “enough of the doom and gloom, what about the watches?” Well, the Japanese watchmaker has … ContinuedThe post The Report Card: Seiko’s 2020 novelties so far appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Hands-On: The Kudoke 1 and Kudoke 2
Two years ago, German independent watchmaker Stefan Kudoke announced his first proprietary movement, the Kaliber 1, which was developed in collaboration with Habring2. A year later, the movement has made its debut in a pair of classically-styled watches – the Kudoke 1 and Kudoke 2. Both models mark a stark departure from his earlier watches both in terms of design and price. Based in a small town east of Dresden, Kudoke was best known extravagantly engraved, skeletonised timepieces, often powered by a Unitas-based movement (which meant they were all relatively large). But the latest Kudoke watches are far more understated, as well as attractively priced, starting at just over US$7,900. In fact, these watches present a compelling proposition, offering an unusual level of hand-decoration for its price bracket, save for a handful of other small independents, such as D. Dornblüth & Sohn. The Kudoke 1 Gently hand-engraved The Kudoke 1 is a well-designed watch showing the hours, minutes and seconds, while the Kudoke 2 replaces the seconds with a wonderfully engraved day and night indicator. Both watches are compact and thin enough to wear comfortably, though not quite so thin as to be true formal watches. Instead they feel like elegant everyday watches with discreet, appealing details in the hands, dial and movement. The two have the same steel case that’s 39 mm wide, but differ slightly in thickness due to the addition of the domed day and night indicator in the Kudoke ...
SJX Watches
Urwerk Introduces the UR-111C Two-Tone
Two years ago, Urwerk unveiled the UR-111C, inspired by the UR-CC1 King Cobra of 2009, which was itself based on an experimental watch built by watchmaker Louis Cottier and jeweller Gilbert Albert for Patek Philippe in 1959. Displaying the time in a linear fashion, the UR-111C marked a departure from the wandering-hour satellite indication that has become the hallmark of Urwerk’s aggressively futuristic watches. Having already presented four variants of the watch in various finishes, as well as an engraved unique piece, the brand has now unveiled the UR-111C Two-Tone, featuring a case that combines a black coating with brushed and polished steel. The central portion of the case is executed in brushed steel, flanked by black-coated ends that close off the tube-like central portion. The use of different finishes accentuates the architecture of the case, drawing attention to its centre, which contains the key functions, including the time display and roller-style crown. Cosmetics aside, the UR-111C Two-Tone is otherwise identical to the earlier versions. At 42 mm by 46 mm and 15 mm high at its thickest point, it is by no means a small watch but the curvature of the case ensures it sits flat and comfortably on the wrist. Despite its complex design, time is presented in a fairly straightforward manner with three rounded sapphire windows located at the front edge of the case to facilitate better readability while driving. The jumping hours and progressive minutes are displaye...
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INTRODUCING: The triple threat of the Franck Muller Master Banker in steel
Franck Muller is known as the Master of Complications, and for good reason. Almost none of the watches produced by the Genevan watchmaker are straightforward, with watches that run backward, hour hands that jump around the dial, and a host of other marvels of mechanical engineering that both surprise and delight. This flair for the … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The triple threat of the Franck Muller Master Banker in steel appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Business News: RJ-Romain Jerome Declares Bankruptcy
RJ Watches, better known as Romain Jerome, has just gone bankrupt. Announced almost exactly a month after De Grisogono met the same fate, the bankruptcy of RJ Watches SA is the consequence of its majority shareholder, a company controlled by a member of the Saudi royal family, deciding to “stop investing in the company”. Though RJ was never a major watchmaker – its peak revenue was around 20 million Swiss francs – the brand was often in the headlines thanks to its shrewd and occasionally ridiculous marketing. Founded in 2004 and named after the two sons of its founder, Alain Bajulaz, RJ started out making mechanical golf-counter watches, but swiftly took a drastic new direction after Yvan Arpa was appointed chief executive in 2006. By then owned by the Saudi investor, RJ enjoyed a brief period of turbocharged, and in hindsight unsustainable, growth under Mr Arpa. A former Hublot manager, Mr Arpa was a fervent marketer of the most preposterous ideas that were somehow weirdly compelling. Amongst his creations were the rusty-looking Titanic DNA watches and timepieces sprinkled with actual Moon dust. Perhaps the masterpiece was a rusty-Titanic double tourbillon that had no hands and did not tell the time. The 2008 collaboration between Romain Jerome and Cabestan producing the Titanic DNA tourbillon – and now both brands are no more The case has a stabilised and protected rusty-look finish Mr Arpa and the company parted ways in 2009 amidst a lawsuit, and he went o...
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Hands On: Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 1 “Oeuvre d’Or”
Backed by Chopard and taking the name of a noted 18th century French watchmaker, Ferdinand Berthoud made its debut in 2015 with the Chronomètre FB 1. Though unusual in style with an octagonal case, the FB 1 boasts an impressively constructed movement developed and manufactured by the same facility responsible for Chopard’s top-of-the-line L.U.C calibres; the project was the brainchild of Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. At its core the FB 1 is an elaborate – and delightfully anachronistic – tribute to 18th century marine chronometers inside and out. The subject of four patents, the unusual calibre is very much antiquarian horology; it is constructed with pillar-style architecture and contains a chain-and-fusée, feeler-and-cone power reserve mechanism, and a large tourbillon with central seconds. Since the debut of the FB 1, there have been as many as ten subsequent variations – which is probably too many but it doesn’t diminish from the intrinsic, technical qualities of the watch – with one of the most recent being the Chronomètre FB 1 “Oeuvre d’Or” launched last year. Mechanically identical to the other iterations, the Oeuvre d’Or is distinguished by extra decoration, namely an engraved and grained gold dial as well as gold movement bridges engraved with a repeating pyramid motif. The Oeuvre d’Or FB 1.1-2 in white gold A tribute to marine chronometry Modern day Berthoud watches are inspired by the works of its 18th century namesak...
SJX Watches
In-Depth: The Unfinished George Daniels Watch
George Daniels’ contributions to horology, as a watchmaker, historian and educator, were multi-dimensional. Most are widely known, and his watches are now incredibly valuable. But one of his creations – the “Unfinished Daniels” – remains tantalisingly incomplete, residing in the Clockmakers’ Museum within London’s Science Museum (which is also now home to Daniels’ Space Traveller II pocket watch). Even though he completed only a small number of watches – 23 pocket watches and four wristwatches made by hand, along with the serially-produced Millennium watches – Daniels’ inventions, techniques and philosophy have been deeply influential. His successor Roger W. Smith now practices the Daniels method with his own hand-made watches, but other notable watchmakers, including Francois-Paul Journe, have cited Daniels as an inspiration. The unfinished Daniels movement in the George Daniels exhibit in the Clockmakers’ Museum. Photo – Science Museum Like many great watchmakers over the ages, Daniels’ pursued perfect chronometry throughout his career; inventing a novel, superior escapement was perhaps his greatest achievement. And he managed to do it twice. Having observed that the sliding friction in the conventional Swiss lever escapement affects the rate of a movement over time, he set about developing solutions. He invented two escapement types: one inspired by a 18th century Abraham-Louis Breguet idea, while the other was the entirely original and mo...
Time+Tide
The revitalising energy of the Tudor Black Bay ref. 79220N
Editor’s note: The Tudor Black Bay symbolised a new chapter in the journey of the Rolex-owned watchmaker, with the decision to look back into their archives to build their future collections proving a very popular one. Inspired by the Tudor Submariners of the mid-1950s, the Tudor Black Bay ref. 79220N is a thoroughly modern interpretation … ContinuedThe post The revitalising energy of the Tudor Black Bay ref. 79220N appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Out-Of-This-World Jupiterium: Panerai’s Tribute To Galileo Galilei, A Geocentric Planetarium Perpetual Calendar – Reprise
Given Panerai’s origins in Florence, it should come as no surprise that the Italian watchmaker created a horological tribute to the insatiably curious father of modern science Galileo Galilei, who was once a resident of the Renaissance city. The Jupiterium is a one-of-a-kind geocentric planetarium with perpetual calendar.
Revolution
2010: De Bethune DB25QP, the first QP with 3D Moon Phase
Independent watchmaker De Bethune known for its avant garde aesthetic and exquisite finishing upped the ante in 2010 with the DB25 Quantième Perpétuel.
SJX Watches
Urwerk to Sell UR-111C Worn by Robert Downey Jr. for Charity
Synonymous with playing Iron Man in Disney’s The Avengers franchise, Robert Downey Jr. is also a fan of Urwerk, having worn several of its watches on screen. Having loaned an Urwerk UR-105 CT to Mr Downey to wear in Avengers: Endgame, the watchmaker then offered the watch up for a good cause, selling it at Phillips auctioneers last year for US$312,500. Proceeds from the sale went to Random Act Funding, a charity established by Mr Downey and his wife, Susan. Now another watch worn by Mr Downey is going under the hammer, once again to benefit Random Act Funding. The watch in question is the UR-111C Black that was worn by Mr Downey to the premieres of Avengers: Endgame in New York and Los Angeles last year. Robert Downey Jr. sporting the UR-111C. Photos – Urwerk Offered in like-new condition, the UR-111C is one of just 25 examples made and identical to the standard model save for one important detail: “RDJ” is engraved on the case place where the serial number would usually be. The watch is being sold in an online auction, with the bidding starting at 125,000 Swiss francs. Bids can be placed from now until 9:00 pm Swiss time on February 24. Only registered members of Urwerk Pre-Owned can bid on the watch, and registration can be done on Urwerkpreowned.com. For more information, please contact Urwerk social media manager Alex Rose.
SJX Watches
Up Close: Keaton Myrick ‘1 of 30’ Wristwatch
An American watchmaker who unveiled his first watch in 2013, Keaton Myrick has spent the subsequent years refining the 1 of 30, a wristwatch crafted with traditional, artisanal methods. Since then the 38-year old has delivered several examples of the 30-piece edition, each customised to the client’s request in terms of design; the watch pictured is numbered “30/30” and is largely stock, with the only custom option being the engine-turned seconds sub-dial. Based in Sisters, a town in the Pacific Northwest state of Oregon, Keaton studied watchmaking at the Lititz Watch Technicum (LWT), a school in Pennsylvania established by Rolex, which he joined after graduation. After several years there, he returned to his hometown to set up a workshop specialising in repair and restoration. 1 in 30, numbered “30/30” Keaton’s time at LWT was the genesis of the 1 in 30. According to Keaton, each student at the LWT had to build a school watch based on the ETA Unitas 6497 (or the related 6498), a project that evolved into the 1 in 30. With inspiration from independent watchmakers like Philippe Dufour as well as complicated vintage pocket watches – the historical inspiration is particularly evident in the winding click – Keaton modified and refined the common and robust Unitas movement to create the impressive and original cal. 29.30 inside the 1 in 30. Cal. 29.30 Being easily available and reliable, the Unitas 6497 and 6498 are popular base movements for independent watch...
SJX Watches
Breitling Introduces the AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition
Almost exactly a year after Breitling announced the Navitimer Ref. 806 remake – a spot-on remake of the first Navitimer and a smash hit – the watchmaker has applied the same formula for the AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-Edition, a limited edition of 1,953 watches in steel. Introduced in 1953 and produced in several variants until 1965 when it was rebranded the Co-Pilot, the AVI ref. 765 was typical of mid 20th century pilot’s chronographs, with large Arabic numerals, syringe hands, and a steel rotating bezel. In fact, it is reminiscent of the Type 20 chronographs supplied by Breguet, Auricoste and other firms to the French navy and air force during the same period. Remade exactly And the AVI ref. 765 was oversized for the era, with a case measuring 41.1 mm. According to Breitling, the AVI Re-Edition replicates the original to the smallest detail, down to the tenth of a millimetre of case diameter. The steel bezel is even secured by three screws in exactly the same spots as on the original. Only two external elements on the remake have been changed: one is the removal of “Geneve” from the dial, a necessity given Breitling’s location; and the other is the increased water resistance of 30 m. That being said, modern production techniques and materials mean that rather than being perfectly identical, the replica is probably better in fit and finish than the original. The lacquer-filled engraving on the bezel, for instance, is more precisely done on the modern version. The vi...
Time+Tide
RECOMMENDED READING: In conversation with Audemars Piguet historian Michael Friedman
Of all the Swiss watch manufacturers, Audemars Piguet has had one of the longest and most storied histories since their founding in the Vallée de Joux in 1875. For their entire period of operation, Audemars Piguet has been a family-run watchmaker, affording them an independence from the commercial pressures of conglomerates and allowing the brand … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: In conversation with Audemars Piguet historian Michael Friedman appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Great ‘Grams: Dial details and custom cases
This week on Great ‘Grams we get up close and personal with the number of the beast, a custom Eastern Arabic dial from an independent watchmaker, and a very rare Rolex thought to be sold by a retailer off the coast of Miami. The Bahamas-based retailer in question is John Bull, established in 1929 and … ContinuedThe post Great ‘Grams: Dial details and custom cases appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Hands-On: Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Powermatic 80 GMT
With an annual output of just over four million watches, Tissot is Switzerland’s largest watchmaker by volume, with the bulk of its watches being affordable and quartz. But it has also carved out a niche with equally affordable mechanical watches starting at a bit under US$400 for the Swissmatic (a close relative of the Swatch Sistem51 movement). One step up is the Powermatic 80, an automatic movement that more closely resembles a traditional calibre – with more metal components and less plastic bits. A complicated model within the family, if it can be called that, is the Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Powermatic 80 GMT. It’s a dual time zone automatic starting at just US$875 – a value proposition that is also unusual in being one of the few GMT watches price below US$1,000. Chemin des Tourelles is the street in Le Locle where Tissot has had its factory since 1907 (though the brand was founded in 1853), sitting beside the facilities of Mido, Montblanc, and Vulcain. Unsurprisingly, the Chemin des Tourelles GMT is traditionally styled, though surprisingly large; the collection also includes a similarly affordable time-only automatic as well as a chronograph. The case is simple in form but appealing, with a surprising degree of detailing. The look is enhanced by the polished bevel on the outside edge of the lugs, which also have a notch where they join the case. And the case and bezel also have contrasting brushes and polished surfaces, making the whole more visually in...
Time+Tide
Weekend watch spotting with JR: The Japan edition
Australia and Seiko have always had a strong relationship … in fact, pretty much every major Japanese watchmaker, whether it be Seiko, Grand Seiko, Casio, Citizen … whomever it is, we folk Down Under love a Japanese timepiece. And, out on my watch spotting expedition at the weekend, this sentiment was shored up no end. … ContinuedThe post Weekend watch spotting with JR: The Japan edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Anton Suhanov Introduces the Pharos Triple-Axis Tourbillon Clock
Independent Russian watchmaker Anton Suhanov is making his debut, not with a wristwatch, but a notably exotic table clock. Inspired by the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Pharos is column-shaped, world-time clock featuring a triple-axis tourbillon – that is notably well priced for an exotic, high-end timepiece. Though Suhanov only struck out on his own a year ago, he is almost an industry veteran. He spent over a decade working for fellow Russian watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin of Joker wristwatch fame, first as a constructor developing movements and then as manufacturing director. The Pharos clock is actually an evolution of a nephrite-clad table clock that Suhanov finished in 2016. Also equipped with a triple-axis tourbillon, the clock won for Suhanov the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition that year. Once upon a time, a millennia ago… One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Lighthouse of Alexandria stood on Pharos, a small island off the city of Alexandria. Believed to have been about 100 m tall – the equivalent of a 20-story building – the lighthouse was constructed during the second century BC, and suffered damage during various earthquakes, which was the cause of its final demise in the 14th century. The Pharos clock is a nod to the ancient wonder. It has a cylindrical steel body that stands 19 cm high, with prominent sapphire dome at the top that’s 8.6 cm in diameter. While Suhanov’s first clock only revealed the tourbillon via small porthole, ...
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...
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Hublot highlights from LVMH’s Dubai Watch Week
Though it may have been a few weeks ago, such was the extent of Hublot’s 2020 novelties unveiled at LVMH’s Dubai Watch Week that it’s still got the horological hemisphere talking. For a start, the big talking point was that the Swiss watchmaker’s iconic Big Bang was unveiled on an all-new integrated bracelet, and thus, … ContinuedThe post Hublot highlights from LVMH’s Dubai Watch Week appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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RECOMMENDED WATCHING: The Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 explained
At the beginning of last year, the famed Le Brassus-based watchmaker Audemars Piguet released their first totally new collection in decades, the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59. It is safe to say that the release got people talking, with an outpouring of expression on social media articulating many people’s disappointment with the collection, blaming it for … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED WATCHING: The Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 explained appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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“Watch & Act!” Auction Item – Lot 18: Montblanc Heritage with a sleek salmon dial
Montblanc’s Heritage Collection draws inspiration heavily from the watchmaker Minerva and the timepieces they produced in the ’40s and ’50s. And there’s a very good reason why – Montblanc owns the once great Minerva. As a result, we get great-looking watches like this – the Montblanc Heritage Automatic. Replete with its period correct and vogue … ContinuedThe post “Watch & Act!” Auction Item – Lot 18: Montblanc Heritage with a sleek salmon dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Interview: Benoît Mintiens, Founder of Ressence
The left field of watchmaking has yielded many unusual and exotic time displays, but few have the same sense of function and purpose as Ressence. In fact, the essence of the brand is its name, which is short for the “Renaissance of the Essential”. Perhaps a key ingredient of the renaissance is the fact that its founder is not a watchmaker. Ressence was founded a decade ago by Benoît Mintiens, a Belgian industrial designer whose past work included trains, newsstands, and luggage. From the start, the identity of Ressence was crystal clear. The brand’s debut line of watches had dials that relied on a planetary gear mechanism to indicate the time (as well as a crown, which has since been removed from all its watches). Akin to a 21st century regulator-style display, it was an avant-garde way of displaying time, while still surprisingly intuitive. Benoit Mintiens Even more surprising was the longevity of the planetary time display, which has since spawned various iterations, often accompanied by novel innovations ranging from the oil-filled time display in the Type 3, to the more recent Type 2 that’s a mechanical watch that can set itself thanks to an electronic module. When Benoît visited Singapore in late 2019, I got a chance to explore his design philosophy, especially on how his background in industrial design helped inform his unique approach to watchmaking. He also delved into the subtleties of a Ressence wristwatch, and dropped a few hints about a new time ...