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One To Watch: Havid Nagan's Paradoxical Sport Watches Are The Year's Unexpected Hit
Cali-based founder Aren Bazerkanian is inspired by Armenian culture, classical Swiss-French watchmaking, and West Coast architecture.
Results for Swiss Lever Escapement
1,573 articles · 652 videos found · page 46 of 75
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SJX Watches
Business News: Jean-Claude Biver Joins Norqain Board
Founded by a duo who each hail from families long involved in Swiss watchmaking, Norqain is only four years old but has managed to firmly establish its identity as a maker of affordable sports watches. The brand is now helmed by young team with an average age of 35 – now the average is being nudged upwards by the addition of Jean-Claude Biver to Norqain’s board. “My role… allows me to be associated with an exciting brand in an essential price-point for the Swiss watch industry,” says Mr Biver in the announcement of his appointment, “It is very important to have strong Swiss independent brands in different price segments and Norqain offers an exciting challenge to the status quo”. Norqain remains a small brand, but stands out for its use of calibres made by Kenissi, the movement manufacturer majority owned by Tudor and minority owned by Chanel. Perhaps thanks to the strong industrial base of both its owners, Kenissi’s movements are amongst the best in of the price-performance ratio. The brand’s ability to call on a supplier like Kenissi is due in part to its founders, who were born into the industry. Norqain’s lead founder is Ben Küffer, whose father, Marc, once ran Roventa Henex, the private-label watches that is perhaps the biggest of its kind in Switzerland. Another of Norqain’s founders is Ted Schneider, a member of the family that once owned Breitling. Notably, the chief executive of Kenissi is Jean-Paul Girardin, who held the top job at Breitli...
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News: the legendary Jean-Claude Biver joins Norqain as advisor to the board
In an interesting twist, industry veteran and legend, Jean-Claude Biver joins the new Swiss watch beandNorqain as advisor to the board.
Time+Tide
IN-DEPTH: How a fatal train crash became the catalyst for the Ball Watch Company’s success
The domination of the Swiss watch industry feels like an eternal truth, especially given the age of some of the most popular brands which stretch back hundreds of years. They may have always had the upper hand when it came to high-end complications and ornate decoration worthy of royalty, but there was a period of … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: How a fatal train crash became the catalyst for the Ball Watch Company’s success appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: The Tradition Quantième Rétrograde gets a Breguet Blue makeover
Tradition is a buzzword in Swiss watchmaking as what we see manufactured today is typically the result of centuries of brand heritage. In the modern era, many novelties are created through age-old techniques, but with design codes and constructions that, perhaps, speak more to the sensibilities of today. Breguet, however, in their Tradition line really … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Tradition Quantième Rétrograde gets a Breguet Blue makeover appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Farer Anti-Magnetic Pilot automatic Morgan, Cayley, Bradfield Swiss SW200 Automatic pilots watch
SJX Watches
Breitling Introduces Navitimer Cosmonaute B02 Limited Edition
One of the watches synonymous with the pioneer era of spaceflight is the Breitling Cosmonaute, which was worn by Scott Carpenter on the 1962 Mercury-Atlas 7 mission, making him the second American to orbit the Earth and the Cosmonaute the first Swiss-made wristwatch to make it into space. The Cosmonaute has been part of the Breitling catalogue in various forms in the decades since, but now for the 60th anniversary of Carpenter’s journey to space on board the Aurora 7 spacecraft, Breitling has unveiled a remake, the Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Limited Edition. The 362-piece edition is faithful to the original in terms of design, but upgraded with the in-house Caliber B02 and a bit of luxe in the form of a platinum bezel. A page from the 1964 Breitling catalogue showing the Navitimer-Cosmonaute ref. 809, the same model worn by Carpenter in space Initial thoughts I’ve always liked the distinctive aesthetic of the Navitimer – it is actually an aviation instrument – and the Cosmonaute is essentially a more complex version of the same thing, making it even more of an instrument. Granted all of that functionality has very limited use in the modern world, but it is still an appealing watch that possesses significant history. That in turn makes the Cosmonaute remake an appealing watch, especially since Breitling did a good job reproducing the original. The diameter remains the same but the modern-day version is necessarily thicker due to the in-house B02 movemen...
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Review: The New Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton
Vacheron Constantin has had a blast at Watches & Wonder 2022, releasing a whole gamut of watches that reminds us why the luxury Swiss watchmaking Maison is known as the “grand dame of watchmaking”. From complicated and artistically stunning Les Cabinotiers pieces, to the faithful reissue of the legendary Ref. 222 sports watch that’s beenRead More
Time+Tide
Collector’s Crossroads: How sentimental value can become the nemesis of an evolving collector
The first expensive Swiss watch I ever purchased was an Ernest Borel Athletic. It’s a beautiful chronograph with a black dial that features a ton of depth. I bought it in 2016, while on my honeymoon in Toronto. It’s a watch that is forever associated with that time in my life and one I always … ContinuedThe post Collector’s Crossroads: How sentimental value can become the nemesis of an evolving collector appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The Rado Captain Cook 2022 collection
The Rado Captain Cook has proved a big hit since its launch in 2017 with its vintage-inspired looks reimagined with a smooth, contemporary edge that gives the watch a unique character among the hundreds of other Swiss dive watches. The range has gradually expanded over the last few years to include a 37mm version, different … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Rado Captain Cook 2022 collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
IN-DEPTH: The Doxa Army makes a welcome return to active duty
When researching rare vintage watches, there is usually a wide pool of resources. The same meticulous qualities that make the Swiss so good at watchmaking tend to make them even better at keeping records, which is partly why we still know so much about Doxa’s most famous 1967 releases, the SUB 300 and SUB 300T. … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: The Doxa Army makes a welcome return to active duty appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Tissot PRX Hands on - Is It Any Good? Genta Inspired Design - Swiss Made -Integrated Bracelet
SJX Watches
Auction Watch: Sotheby’s Sets Record for Most Expensive Patek Philippe Ref. 2499
Sotheby’s just concluded the first sale of the spring auction season, which now moves to Geneva with a series of auctions in the Swiss city starting the first weekend of May. The season opened strongly with several records set at Sotheby’s, most notably with The Nevadian Collector, a sale of Patek Philippe timepieces all owned by an American collector. Made up of 38 watches and one lot of vintage Gay Freres bracelets, the auction was led by an unsurprising favourite that sold for a record price – the possibly unique ref. 2499 in pink gold with a dial signed “Gobbi Milano”. Sotheby’s consultant Sam Hines bringing the hammer down on the ref. 2499 “Gobbi” Four telephone bidders competed for the watch, with bidding swift and aggressive. One of the bidders went big early on, taking the bid from HK$19 million to HK$30 million with one bid – an increment of about US$1.4 million. Eventually one of the phone bidders triumphed and set the record for the most expensive ref. 2499 ever sold at auction. The pink ref. 2499 “Gobbi” hammered for HK$50 million, resulting in a total of HK$60.265 million including the buyer’s premium. That’s equivalent to about US$7.68 million, making it the most expensive ref. 2499 ever sold at auction by some margin. The last record holder was the ref. 2499 “Asprey” that sold in 2018 for about US$ 4 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva – which was also sold by the Nevadian. While the ref. 2499 “Gobbi” was the headline lot,...
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: The Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Automatic
Nivada Grenchen are one of those brands that make you wish you’d heard of them years before you first saw them due to their knack of delivering some of the most perfect executions of vintage reissues that can be found in the Swiss watch industry today. The Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Automatic takes … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Automatic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Five sleeper picks from the upcoming “Precious Blues” Ineichen auction
A core component of being an auction house is curation, often under the scope of a particular theme. But, even with a theme in mind, we often see an abundance of the usual suspects: Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille. Swiss auction house Ineichen, however, loves to work outside the norm. Sure, they … ContinuedThe post Five sleeper picks from the upcoming “Precious Blues” Ineichen auction appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Business News: Aiôn Attempts to Reestablish French Watchmaking
Just as the biggest watch fair of the year opened its doors in Switzerland earlier in April, an industrial-scale watchmaking enterprise was born in France. Conceived as a vertically-integrated watchmaking group that makes movements for its own brands Aiôn Group, wants to establish “Made in France” as a key segment in a luxury-watch arena that’s dominated by Swiss, German, and Japanese players. Backed by government funding, Aiôn has the ambitious goal of producing 400,000 movements per year by 2025 in its new manufacture on the Mediterranean coast near Marseille. Although Aiôn has kept mum about the origins of its industrial capability, it is well known within the Swiss watch industry that the French group took over Swiss movement maker Felsa-Leschot, which was then moved lock, stock, and barrel to France. [Update April 20, 2022: Respected Swiss newspaper Le Temps published an article expressing scepticism about Aiôn, especially about the movement “factory” that Aiôn acquired. The article references the factory owner’s chequered history and involvement in multiple lawsuits. We believe the doubts expressed by the writer at Le Temps are well founded and would encourage everyone to read the article of March 16.] A Swiss foundation One of Aiôn’s founders is Anthony Simao, a French watchmaker who started his career in Swiss watchmaking, having worked at Breitling, Audemars Piguet, and Chronode. He then founded French watch brand Lornet, which has been merge...
SJX Watches
Japanese Deities in Miniature Enamel on Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers Repeater
Taking place every two years in Venice, Homo Faber is an exhibition dedicated to craftsmanship of all forms, ranging from glass to porcelain to fabric. Because its organiser is the Michelangelo Foundation established by Johann Rupert, the plain-speaking chairman of Richemont, several of the Swiss group’s watchmakers are taking part. One of them is Vacheron Constantin, which is presenting a pair of one-off striking watches at Homo Faber – the Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeaters Ultra-Thin “Thunder God” and “Wind God”. The watches each recreate one half of Wind God and Thunder God, a pair of folding screens made by 16th century Japanese painter Tawaraya Sōtatsu that depicts the titular gods of Japanese mythology. Initial thoughts Owned by a temple in Kyoto, the folding screen is a National Treasure of Japan, a cultural object deemed so important by the Japanese government that it cannot be exported. The screen is certainly a worthy subject for a high-quality miniature, and Vacheron Constantin appears to have done justice to it. The dial decoration is perfect for a repeater, since the brand’s cal. 1731 minute repeater movement is relatively large, resulting in an expansive dial that is usually blank. It’s an ideal canvas for artisanal decoration. Vacheron Constantin’s enamel work, whether in house or done by independent artisans like Anita Porchet, is usually impeccable. The repeater dials definitely look the part. In fact, the miniatures of the gods are im...
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Introducing the MONTA NOBLE New for 2020 - Best Microbrand Gets Better? 150m Swiss Automatic
Time+Tide
The CODE41 X41 Edition 6 delivers an ultra-hard, full sapphire case at an astonishing price
Following the success of their previous releases, Swiss watchmakers CODE41 are back with the latest version of their bold and highly technical X41 in the shape of the new Edition 6. This time, they’re upping the ante with the introduction of new variants that are available in an ultra-hard full sapphire case. Typically the domain … ContinuedThe post The CODE41 X41 Edition 6 delivers an ultra-hard, full sapphire case at an astonishing price appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
VIDEO: From a slimline flying tourbillon to a retro stunner in green – the Chopard 2022 releases
If variety is the spice of life, Chopard broke out the chilli sauce for Watches & Wonders 2022. Their large range of releases covered a variety of genres while maintaining that upper-class character we expect from the famed Swiss watchmaker. Whether it was a complicated addition to a collection, a brand-new take on a retro … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: From a slimline flying tourbillon to a retro stunner in green – the Chopard 2022 releases appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Chopard Unveils Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon At Watches And Wonders 2022
At Watches and Wonders 2022, Chopard unveiled another Alpine Eagle, this time with a sophisticated escapement: a flying tourbillon. While not too long ago the high-end market seemed to be flooded with this tiny whirlwind, that no longer seems to be the case. And Sabine Zwettler thinks that there could not be a better place for a new flying tourbillon than the “Aletsch” blue dial of the Alpine Eagle.
SJX Watches
SevenFriday Introduces the Peculiar and Alien Free-D
A maker of affordable watches with unconventional styling, SevenFriday is now a decade old. To commemorate the milestone, the brand has unveiled the Free-D. To put it mildly, the Free-B adds three-dimensionality to the brand’s trademark time display comprised of rotating discs. And in a first for the brand, which has historically relied on Miyota, the Free-D is powered by a Swiss-made movement, Sellita to be exact. Initial thoughts While SevenFriday has increasingly felt like a “fashion” brand with its endless iterations of the same design, the brand has produced timepieces that are genuinely compelling. The Free-D is certainly one of the more interesting examples of its unorthodox design, though the over-the-top style is an acquired taste to say the least. Bold, extra large, and definitely peculiar, the Free-D is actually based on the brand’s signature “squircle” case but dressed up with a 3D-printed external shell and lugs. The added parts do exactly what they are meant to, which is to elaborate on the brand’s traditional case style to distinguish it for the anniversary. And they give the watch a decidedly alien aesthetic – it looks like a prop from a sci-fi film. At the same time, the external cladding on the case is essentially plastic. Granted, plastic of various types is widely used in high-end watchmaking – Richard Mille and Hublot are proponents of its use – but it is certainly not for everyone. In contrast, the time display is simple but easy...
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Introducing: We're Ready To Talk About The Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch
The quintessential space watch meets the respected affordable Swiss brand in the hands-down most exciting collaboration of this young year.
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Dufrane Watches - Waterloo Swiss Automatic Dress Watch And Quartz Dress Watch Comparison
Time+Tide
Omega x Swatch blast off together on the BioCeramic MoonSwatch collection
Standing in the Omega HQ in Bienne, Petros Protopapas is visibly excited. The Brand Heritage Director of Omega is holding forth under a vast cosmic backdrop that depicts the planets in technicolour detail in a star-lit sky. “This revolutionises the Swiss watch industry for me,” declares Petros with tangible emotion in his voice. “This is what … ContinuedThe post Omega x Swatch blast off together on the BioCeramic MoonSwatch collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Tissot Introduces the PRX Chronograph Valjoux
Originally a late seventies model that was relaunched in 2021, the Tissot PRX was unsurprisingly a smash hit, largely because it is one of the most accessible Swiss-made watches with an integrated bracelet. And now Tissot has elaborated upon the design with the PRX Chronograph Valjoux. Initial thoughts The PRX Chronograph is a logical but attractive iteration of the original idea. The angular case and bracelet that characterise the PRX are perfect in a larger size with a sporty, contrast-register dial. More notably, Tissot made the smart choice of moving away from the typical (and sometimes boring) black and white for the “panda” and “reverse panda” dials, instead opting for more striking combinations – particularly the silver dial with gold markers. While the construction of the base-model PRX is simple, the chronograph gets more interesting as there is more real estate for details. The stepped, rectangular pushers, for instance, are especially attractive because they echo the case shape, while also having slight bevelling along the edges that add a bit of visual refinement. While the design appealing, it’s weighed down by the case thickness, which is almost 15 mm. That said, given the case is wide at 42 mm in diameter, it has good-enough proportions. Another nit to pick is the awkward position of the date, but that can only be fixed with a much smaller case (or much larger movement), both of which are not viable at this price point. The PRX Chronograph are pr...
Time+Tide
VIDEO: The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 delivers a leaner and meaner smartwatch than its predecessor
A front-runner in the world of luxury smartwatches, TAG Heuer pushes the envelope of innovation further with the new TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 45mm. With the Connected E3 a resounding success, the Swiss powerhouse brings all-round improvements to the E4. New hardware and software combine to provide the user with a watch that’s not … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 delivers a leaner and meaner smartwatch than its predecessor appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
The First Wristwatches From Breguet, Hermès And Patek Philippe Were Made For Women – Reprise
Early American historian and Harvard professor Laurel Thatcher Ulrich titled her 2008 book 'Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History.' Ulrich would probably be very interested to know about three famous Swiss and French brands whose very first wristwatches were made for – and in a way by – women. Their watches have made history as some of the first examples of wristwatches in history, too.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Ledger is inspired by cryptocurrency
The future. It’s always here before you know it. And in an industry based on the anachronistic idea of the mechanical timepiece, Swiss watchmakers Hublot have always looked forward. From their striking, sometimes polarising designs, their forays into the connected watch world with the Big Bang E, and their use of cutting-edge materials like ceramic, … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Ledger is inspired by cryptocurrency appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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