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Time+Tide
As one of the most important model series in the world today, the Rolex Daytona is used to living life in the spotlight. What that means is that there are very few things to say about the Daytona that haven’t already been said, but here’s a rundown of five milestone changes to how the Rolex … ContinuedThe post 5 things you never knew about the Rolex Daytona appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Ikepod was born 24 years ago and has since died not once, but twice (well, three times, sort of). It is now back for an overdue third coming. Joshua Munchow thinks that the third time's a charm for this iconic brand from the 1990s, too.
SJX Watches
Breguet is often at its best when it does traditionally styled watches with a twist, something exemplified by the Classique 5175 limited edition made for its Tokyo boutique in 2017. The design was classical, but the dial was blue enamel, instead of the usual white (or occasionally, black). This year Breguet revived the same look – albeit with a date window – for the new Classique 5177, once again in blue enamel. A longstanding model in the catalogue, the Classique 5177 was launched in 2006, but in more traditional livery – white enamel, or guilloche in either basketweave or hobnail. The latest iteration, however, is the most striking of the lot, managing to be both traditional and different. Formal dress At 38mm by 8.8mm, the case is perfectly proportioned as a modern dress watch; not too big and not too small. Like all Breguet watches it has long, narrow lugs, which give it a slightly larger footprint than its dimensions imply. On the wrist the watch sits graceful and flat, proportions that give it a look of proper formality, especially when combined with its restrained design. The profile of the traditional Breguet watch case, with a fluted case band and soldered lugs All the details of the new 5177 are old school, inspired by 19th century Breguet pocket watches. The obvious ones are the Breguet-style numerals and hands, while the less obvious, and more charming, elements include the star-shaped minute markers and the Breguet “secret” signature above six o’c...
Deployant
Dear Readers, we wish you a Very Blessed and Merry Christmas! From all of us at Deployant. We are taking the day off today, and will be back tomorrow. May the joy of the Christ Child be in your heart this Christmas and always, and bring you good cheer and great health.
Deployant
The Chief Editor's wishlist in his letter to Santa. Three watches. One below S$10k, one below S$25k, and one money no object. What did he pick?
SJX Watches
The entry-level model in Breitling’s Navitimer line, the Navitimer 41 is a three-hander with date – plus the Navitimer’s trademark circular slide rule bezel. Already available in a variety of guises, it’s now available in a small, 36-piece run for Breitling’s Southeast Asian boutiques, with a blue dial and red gold bezel. The Navitimer Automatic 41 Southeast Asia Boutique Edition has a 41mm steel case, but dressed up with the rotating bezel in 18k red gold. As with all current Navitimers, the bezel has a “beads of rice” rim, a detail taken from the first generation Navitimer of the 1950s that was later replaced by a more functional knurled edge. To match the bezel, the hands and hour markers are plated in red gold, while the dial is a deep metallic blue. Though not available on the Navitimer prior to this, the combination is a familiar, having been used by numerous brands in recent years, especially with blue dials being fashionable now. And the movement inside the Breitling 17, which is a rebadged ETA 2824, a robust, no-frills movement, here with a COSC chronometer certification. The SE Asia edition is limited to 36 pieces, and not 50 as engraved on the case back of the prototype above Key facts and price Navitimer Automatic 41 Southeast Asia Boutique Edition Diameter: 41mm Height: 10mm Material: Steel with 18k red gold bezel Water resistance: 30m Movement: Breitling 17 (ETA 2824) Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date Winding: Automatic Freque...
Hodinkee
A pair of timekeepers tied to Paris, hospitality, and American literature.
SJX Watches
Originally introduced in stainless steel and red gold earlier in the year, Blancpain has just unveiled the top of the line Villeret Ultraplate 6605, now in platinum with a deep blue dial in an 88-piece limited edition. Ultra plate is French for “ultra flat”, and it aptly describes the line, which includes both automatic and hand-wound models. The new Villeret Ultraplate 6605 is essentially the hand-wound, time-only version of the self-winding (plus date) Ultraplate 6223 that’s a decades-old mainstay in the Blancpain line-up. At 40mm wide and just 7.39mm high, the Ultraplate 6605 is compact on both dimensions and exceedingly elegant. It’s also slightly larger but thinner than the automatic 6223. Entirely polished, the platinum case is done in typical Blancpain style, with a thin, double-stepped bezel and slim, short lugs that allow the watch to wear smaller than expected. The deep blue dial has a simple sun-ray finish and features applied Roman numerals in white gold, along with a pair of elegant, open-worked leaf-shaped hands – a tiny detail but one that lightens the dial. Powering the watch is the hand-wound cal. 11A4B. Though a new movement, it is based on the automatic Frederic Piguet cal. 1150 introduced in 1988. The 11A4B is essentially an enlarged, hand-wind variant of the cal. 1150, with a diameter of 27.8m versus the 1150’s 26.2mm. Some of the enlargement is thanks to wider base plate and bridges, while retaining the original architecture – explain...
WatchAdvice
Despite recent turbulent times (pun intended #avgeek), under the guidance of Georges Kern and team, Breitling has re-established itself with a robust and cohesive line up of watches. Today, we take a closer look at a staple of the “air collection”, The Avenger, but more specifically, a newer addition, The Blackbird. Designed to be sleek and stealthy, this particular Breitling is a little different to the usual polished steel cases usually offered. CASE: Titanium has certainly gained popularity in recent years. Breitling went one step further and went full stealth mode, coating the large 48mm case (before you stop reading, there’s a 44mm option also), with “a highly resistant black carbon-based treatment,” aka DLC coating from what I’ve researched. While large in diameter, case thickness of 14.8mm and a lug width of 24mm (tapers to buckle), it’s surprisingly comfortable on wrist. The curved lugs combined with a canvas strap, allows the wearer to anchor down the watch, while the flat, untreated, screw-down caseback ensures a low profile is maintained. The 60 minutes, unidirectional bezel is smooth in operation and clicks into position cleanly. On the media model shown, there was a small amount of back-play; however, I’m confident this would be corrected by the small retaining screws found around the bezel edging. Inside, keeping time is the Breitling B17 movement (a base ETA 2892-A2) that is CSOSC certified, with 42hrs of flight time. The knurled,...
SJX Watches
To mark British racing driver Lewis Hamilton’s sixth Formula 1 World Championship, IWC has unveiled the “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition. One of the most striking executions of the Big Pilot to date, the watch departs from the subdued, technical colours that characterise the line – which was inspired by German airforce navigators’ watches of the Second World War – and instead opts for a Bordeaux dial and pink gold accents. Measuring 46.5mm wide and 15.9mm high, the case is made of matte black ceramic, which accentuates its burgundy dial while downplaying its massive dimensions – though the watch is hard to miss on the wrist. The richly coloured dial is combined with a pink-gold crown and case back, while the hands are gold-plated and filled with cream-coloured Super-Luminova. All the indications are also printed in a golden hue, along with a black four-digit year disc and moons, matching the case. Visible through the case back is the in-house, automatic cal. 52615, which sports a solid pink-gold rotor. It features the brand’s trademark Pellaton winding system, a 7-day power reserve courtesy of twin barrels and most crucially, the landmark perpetual calendar module invented by IWC’s longtime technical guru Kurt Klaus. The perpetual calendar tracks the day, day of the week, date, month, four-digit year, with both northern and southern hemispheres moon phases displayed concurrently. All indications advance in a coordinated sequ...
SJX Watches
Omega has just revealed the watch that will be strapped to the wrist of 007 in No Time To Die, Daniel Craig’s fifth movie playing James Bond that will open in April 2020. Developed with the actor’s input – he apparently likes vintage watches – the Seamaster Diver 300M 007 draws inspiration from vintage British military-issue watches, while offering modern functionality with a lightweight titanium case and high-spec movement. And unlike the James Bond editions to date – of which there are many – this is part of the regular collection. “When working with Omega, we decided that a lightweight watch would be key for a military man like 007,” says Mr Craig, quoted in the announcement for the watch, “I also suggested some vintage touches and colour to give the watch a unique edge.” Very vintage Worn on a mesh bracelet in the film but also available on a NATO strap, the watch is a 42mm Seamaster Diver 300M that’s entirely in titanium, bracelet included. But the styling goes all out – to the extreme – in being faux vintage. The dial and bezel insert are made of anodised aluminium in a dark brown to replicate the “tropical” look of vintage watches. According to Omega, the aluminium parts will fade over time – albeit over decades rather than years – for a bona fide tropical look. And the hands, numerals and indices are filled with eggshell-coloured Super-Luminova to mimic the appearance of radium “lume” on vintage watches. Military issue and prou...
SJX Watches
Longines ended the year with two spot-on vintage remakes, the just-launched Heritage Military 1938 and the earlier Heritage Classic “sector” dial that’s just arrived in stores. The Heritage Classic is based on a 1934 Longines wristwatch with dial style known as “sector” or “scientific”. Fashionable today because of its distinctive yet retro look, the sector dial was fairly common in the early 20th century, being found on both pocket- and wristwatches made by a variety of brands, ranging from Patek Philippe to Zenith. So Longines doesn’t have any special claim to the design, but with a retail of just over US$2000, its sector-dial remake is arguably the bang for the buck. At 38.5mm in diameter the Heritage Classic is compact and wears well. It’s slightly larger than the vintage originals – typically 35mm or so, while rarely and expensively 37mm or larger – but not by much. Because the case diameter has been kept smallish by modern standards, the sub-seconds at six is correctly positioned, unlike on most remakes that match large cases with small movements. While the seconds sits closer to the centre of the dial than on the vintage original, the dial still looks correctly laid out with good balance. The remake (left), and the original from 1934 that’s in the Longines museum. Image – Longines Besides the diameter, the case profile is also well done. At 10mm, the height is proportional to the diameter, with a fairly high, single-step bezel and a slim c...
Quill & Pad
Flor de Caña V Generaciones with its amazing balance gives the impression that it is neither dry nor sweet, just absolute dead center. It is, by any standard, one of the finest rums that Ken Gargett has ever sampled. And then there's that volcano stamp, a story that changed the course of history.
Time+Tide
Getting engaged is an incredibly special moment in anyone’s life, as it spells the beginning of something that will endure to stand the test of time. What better way to celebrate than with a new watch, to match your fiancée’s new ring. This is the story of David and his Pequignet Rue Royale. When did … ContinuedThe post What Sealed The Deal – David’s Pequignet Rue Royale appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
While skull watches are very much today’s fad, Bell & Ross’ use of the Jolly Roger started a decade ago with the BR 01 Skull, with its square watch case being a perfect frame for a bony visage. The brand’s skull watches have proliferated since then, but the evolution had been purely cosmetic, until last year when the brand unveiled a watch as elaborate mechanically as it is aesthetically – the BR 01 Laughing Skull, powered by a proprietary movement with a simple automaton of a skull that opens and closes it jaw. And this year, B&R; has introduced the BR 01 Laughing Skull White, with the skull finished in a bone-like lacquer. Distinctive face Like all BR-01 watches, the case is 46mm wide, but it is a tad thicker than the static skull watches at 13.5mm high, but that’s a functional requirement, a result of the automaton on the movement. In short, it is a large watch, but that’s exactly the point. The case is sandblasted steel and is decorated with stamped hobnails on the top surface and case back, giving it a pronounced, distinctive character. And it is worth noting the unusual finish of the skull would work quite well with a case in bronze, a material that B&R; has used liberally in the past and will probably continue to. The dial features a photo-realistic appliqué skull that’s been stamped out of brass, and then painted matte off-white with shading to create shadow and depth. The result is striking – at a distance, the skull is seemingly projecting out o...
Time+Tide
There is a plethora of watches out there with an equally large amount of claims. First watch with a date complication. First watch with a GMT complication. First waterproof watch. However, of all the watches on sale today, the coolest claim surely has to be: “The first watch worn on the moon.” I’m sure that … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED WATCHING: How NASA tested the Omega Speedmaster appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Grand Seiko has long been the benchmark of a 'value' timepiece. Decades before the proliferation of micro-brands, the Seiko Grand Seiko brand could well be held in the status that many try to get a pie of today. It had the right amount of hand-made, the right amount of mechanical superiority, the right amount of manufacturer pedigree and 'had' the right price.
SJX Watches
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon 3 Meteorite is a highly technical yet decorative grand complication panelled in meteorite and aventurine. But it also evokes watchmaking of the early 2000s in its mechanical grandeur. Exotic tourbillons started to proliferate at the turn of the millennium, and soon the offerings were numerous, ranging from orbital to inclined to multi-axis. Today such tourbillons are commonplace, but in the early 2000s they were radical and cutting edge. While the orbital tourbillon was nothing more than a visual spectacle, the inclined and multi-axis tourbillons were attempts to adapt Breguet’s invention for the wrist, in other words they made chronometric sense, at least on paper. One of the earliest and most significant multi-axis tourbillons was the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon of 2005. While it wasn’t the first multi-axis tourbillon in a wristwatch – that honour goes to Thomas Prescher – the Gyrotourbillon was distinguished by its elaborate, three-dimensional cage of lightweight aluminium, made possible only with the aid of modern technology. The original Gyrotourbillon of 2005, which also incorporated a perpetual calendar with equation of time With the leap year and power reserve displays on the back The Gyrotourbillon was arguably the complication that defined Jaeger-LeCoultre as an haute horlogerie brand rather than a movement maker for other marques. Since its launch the Gyrotourbillon evolved into several iterations, including thi...
WatchAdvice
Released earlier this year at SIHH 2019, IWC’s latest collection of Spitfire pilots watches all feature for the first – time in-house manufactured calibres. With seven new references ranging from simple time-only functions, all the way to perpetual calendars, 2019 marked a significant year for the brand. Today, we’re taking a look at the IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire, in bronze. Just a glance at the IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire, and there’s no mistaking this bronze watches heritage, which draws inspiration from the original IWC Mark 11- a definitive Pilot’s watch, with legitimate military provenance. First Impressions If you’re on the hunt for a unique take on the iconic Pilot’s watch and want an in-house movement with impressive power-reserve, look no further. The IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire is a robust and well-proportioned take on the quintessential military classic. The Case The sandblasted bronze case serves up an interesting texture, and attractive take on bronze. The case is warm with a golden sheen, especially under sunlight, where it becomes quick playful with the light. As you might expect, the bronze case is designed to patina over time, and develop a distinctive look reflecting the owner’s wear pattern. The press piece provided was well worn, having already developed its own unique patina. And being bronze, after just a few weeks of wear, you’ll begin to notice the uniqueness and individuality present itself. The ...
Quill & Pad
Stainless steel case, integrated bracelet in the same material, manufacture movement, and a blue dial: these are the ingredients for today's watches that people are willing to spend a significant premium to obtain. For many, this was also the first thought that went through heads when Chopard recently launched its new blue-dial, stainless steel, sporty watch, the Alpine Eagle. Martin Green looks beyond that pretty blue face after wearing it for a week and gives us his thoughts.
SJX Watches
After the 2017 launch of the Orion 38 “De Stijl” – one of the most unusual and intriguing Nomos watches to date – Dutch retailer Ace Jewelers has unveiled the fruit of its third collaboration, the Zürich Weltzeit Amsterdam. Limited to just 25 pieces, the watch is a variation of the Nomos travel watch, distinguished by a handful of distinct but restrained tweaks. Previously available only with a blue or white dial, the Amsterdam edition features white indices and text, along with red accents on a stark, matte black dial. Appreciably, its stark, no-nonsense colour palette comes at a time when Nomos is increasingly relying on pastel-coloured dials. The watch features several nods to the Dutch city, with “Amsterdam” replacing Berlin on the city ring and highlighted in red, while home time is indicated at three o’clock by the flag of Ace Jeweler’s hometown of Amsterdam, made up of three Saint Andrew’s crosses. The rest of the watch is otherwise identical to the standard version. Its steel case measures 39.9mm wide and 10.85mm high, featuring angled, elongated lugs that are similar to the Orion’s and rather distinct from all the other collections. All surfaces of the case are polished, offering a great contrast to the matte dial. A pusher at two o’clock advances the local time display in one-hour steps while a recessed pusher at eight o’clock sets the home time. Visible through the sapphire case back, the watch is powered by the in-house automatic DUW 5...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Like most watch guys, my dad got my brothers and me into watches. My dad was a huge watch lover; one of my earliest memories was trying on his giant (well, it seemed giant to me at the time) Seiko 6319-5040. I also still vividly remember his first Rolex. It was a second-hand gold Datejust and it always inspired awe in me.
SJX Watches
With the Double Signed theme auction out of the way, here are a few highlights from Phillips’ Geneva watch auction, including a Lange Zeitwerk that might be a value buy, and a steel Rolex Day-Date prototype. Lot 145 – Lange Zeitwerk in rose gold The Zeitwerk is unquestionably a modern classic – notably, it is probably the most reliable digital display watch on the market – and is relatively good value on the secondary market, selling for a chunk off retail. This example is in rose gold, and is complete with all boxes and paperwork. It was first sold in 2011, and obviously wasn’t worn much sine then. The estimate is just 20,000-40,000 Swiss francs. Lot 179 – Patek Philippe ref. 1463 in steel One of the top lots in the sale, this is a ref. 1463 “Tasti Tondi”, an early water-resistant chronograph by Patek Philippe. But this is in steel, of which only 67 are known, with a two-tone dial, furthering reducing the number known to just 17. The watch is in excellent condition, with a sharply preserved case and original dial, although the dial might have been cleaned in the distant past. The estimate is 300,000-600,000 francs. Lot 209 – Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in yellow gold The ref. 1518 is a landmark, being the first serially produced chronograph with perpetual calendar. This is a good example of the ref. 1518, almost the quintessential version of the model with a yellow gold case. It is clean and in good condition, albeit showing a little bit of age on the dial,...
Hodinkee
The king is dead – long live the king.
Time+Tide
How did I accidentally become a vintage watch guy? Partly, I blame the fact that I’ve got the spindly wrists of a teenage girl. That meant I naturally gravitated towards smaller dials. But I also put it down to the tawdry state of my finances. When I first started to get into watches - before the retro … ContinuedThe post The 3 mistakes I made buying a vintage watch, my cautionary tale appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
AP drops its most wearable and desirable Supersonnerie to date.
Time+Tide
More than 200 years ago, Abraham-Louis Breguet was appointed as an official chronometer maker of the French Navy, and the tradition lives on today in the Breguet Marine 5517. The 5517 is a robust sports watch, machined in a lightweight titanium that almost perfectly matches the deep-grey dial tone, and offers a host of details … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Maritime mastery with the Breguet Marine 5517 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
The most intriguing watch in Phillips’ upcoming Double Signed auction is by far the smallest watch in the sale – it’s the Patek Philippe ref. 3652 that’s just 31mm in diameter. In fact, the ref. 3652 is a dead ringer for a Calatrava ref. 96 from the 1930s. But – the ref. 3652 is a unique reference produced during a brief period when Patek Philippe is known to have made a handful of remarkably interesting, one-off timepieces. All were powered by vintage movements, and some were vintage watches freshly re-cased. One example is the ref. 3651, a chronograph re-cased in the late 1980s of which only a handful are known. Most of these watches are now in its museum; some of them were made for Philippe Stern himself, who was then running the company alongside his father, Henri. The ref. 3652 was one such reference, created as a custom watch for a client. It’s a minute repeater made in 1985, but powered with a ladies’ watch movement from the early 20th century. And it has a fired enamel dial signed “Golay Fils & Stahl” – which was a watchmaker itself a century before. At 31mm, the watch is tiny by any standard. That’s compounded by the fact that the lugs are set widely apart, making the case seem even smaller. If not for the slide on the case, it would easily pass as a ref. 96, the quintessential Calatrava model that Patek Philippe produced for some four decades until 1973. But the ref. 3652 is neither a ref. 96 nor a vintage watch, which is why it’s inte...
SJX Watches
Shortly before A. Lange & Söhne launched the Odysseus Datomatic, its chief executive Wilhelm Schmid was in Singapore to officially reopen its revamped boutique. But perhaps more importantly, he was available to discuss the Odysseus, which I did. In the articulate and frank manner that is his style, Mr Schmid outlined the rationale behind the Odysseus, how it came to be, and drops a few hints as to where it’s going. Read what he had to say below. The interview was edited for clarity and length. You have established Lange’s reputation for watches of high quality; quality that no one disputes. Now you’re taking the next step into a different segment. What’s the rationale behind this? We have not changed our fine watchmaking, [but we had to decide:] do we answer the question that has been raised by many customers over many years? If you do something like that, you have to be unique, you have to be different, and it has to be of some interest for the customer. We rather not provide an answer than provide the wrong answer. So it took us a long time to find the face and find the design. And then after we created the idea, [we had to create] something which will be recognisable within this sort of design, [with] the push buttons, the day-date complications. Then, how can we use that to create a family? It’s always easy to come up with one watch. It’s often more difficult if you want to have a recognisable face that can have different iterations and complications lat...
Quill & Pad
With his long-running issue with alarm clocks, Joshua Munchow is the perfect potential customer (his wallet not withstanding) for the RM 62-01 Tourbillon Vibrating Alarm ACJ, the most complicated Richard Mille watch to date and one that features the first purposefully silent mechanical alarm in a wristwatch.
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