Results for Marine Chronometer & The Longitude Problem

Omega’s New Speedmaster Super Racing Has a Brand New Regulating System Allowing for Unheard of Accuracy

Today, Omega has unveiled a new Speedmaster that their social media team has been teasing aggressively for the past few weeks. They promised a “tiny device” delivering a “massive change,” and to that end the announcement today is really more about mechanics than a new watch. There is a new watch, of course, but to the extent that today’s news excites you, it will almost certainly be a result of a very small component that Omega has completely rethought.  The Speedmaster Super Racing is the first timepiece from Omega to feature what they’re calling “Spirate” technology. Spirate is essentially a new method of movement regulation by way of a small knob connected to the balance that allows a watchmaker to adjust the rate in increments down to the tenth of a second. Omega claims that the end result is a movement that’s accurate to within 0/+2 seconds per day. Again, this is a mechanical movement that is, yes, METAS certified to be within two seconds per day. That’s Spring Drive level accuracy, without the benefit of quartz derived regulation. Assuming Spirate works as advertised (there’s no reason not to assume that given Omega’s proficiency in making highly accurate movements at a large scale) this is an enormously impressive accomplishment.  How does it work, exactly? Omega had to develop an entirely new silicon balance spring that can be adjusted for stiffness via a mechanism connected to the balance bridge (easily visible through the sapphire caseb...

Omega ousts Rolex with brand new technology that promises 0/+2 second accuracy a day

New Spirate™ System debuts new hairspring with ultra-fine 0/+2 regulation capability. The system debuts in new Speedmaster Super Racing watch. Its usage beyond the Super Racing is planned, but consumers will need to wait for new calibres – not just new watches. COSC, METAS, Superlative, and more. There are various chronometer certifications within the industry today, with each, … ContinuedThe post Omega ousts Rolex with brand new technology that promises 0/+2 second accuracy a day appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Talking Watches: With Allen Wright, Collector And Crane Operator

Explore Wright's collection of modern watches he built to his own tastes.

Photo Report: All The Heavy-Hitting Watches We Saw At The Miami Beach Antique Show

From the expected (vintage Rolex, Patek, and Cartier) to the unexpected (unique Parmigiani, Franck Muller, and Breguet) rare watches were on wrists and on sale in Miami Beach.

HANDS-ON: The new Zenith Defy Revival A3691 & A3690 Boutique Edition

The idea of a re-edition within the watch market is nothing new. Many brands have woken up to the huge demand for revivals, recreations, or remixes of their lauded vintage references. But when these designs date to the specialist era of watchmaking, where multiple brands turned to the same dial, case, and movement manufacturers, there … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The new Zenith Defy Revival A3691 & A3690 Boutique Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Up Close with the Vulcain × Seconde Seconde x Revolution Cricket Tradition “Vulcain Salute”

The Vulcain x Seconde Seconde x Revolution Cricket Tradition “Vulcain Salute” takes the Vulcain Cricket Tradition sublimely resurrected by Guillaume Laidet, and introduces the witty artistic flair of humorist, Romaric André, better known by his pseudonym Seconde Seconde. The running seconds hand has been replaced by an animated, colored rendition of the famous Vulcan salute […]

Introducing: A Breitling Navitimer Limited Edition To Celebrate An Aviation Milestone

Sure it's another limited edition, but it looks good.

Do you wear a genuine NATO strap? Probably not, according to this trademark - and some retailers aren’t happy

A company called International Watchman Inc have trademarked the word “NATO” and are enforcing their intellectual property.The post Do you wear a genuine NATO strap? Probably not, according to this trademark – and some retailers aren’t happy appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Victor & Charles Karma Champagne: Sensational Taste, But The Jury Is Out On That Diamond

Ken Gargett thinks that the Victor & Charles Karma champagne is an interesting addition to the champagne firmament and is certainly magnificently presented. And if anyone finds a practical purpose for that diamond, please let him know.

Power List: The Most Influential Retailers

Zenith Introduces the Defy Revival A3691

Last year, Zenith debuted the Defy Revival A3642 – a vintage-remake sports watch with an octagonal case and tetradecagonal bezel – to the delight of enthusiasts who were excited to see the return of this distinctive design. The only problem was the fact that it was limited to 250 pieces. Now the brand has introduced its regular-production version with the Defy Revival A3691 which has a ruby-red dial. Identical to the limited edition in form and dimension, the A3691 is a sturdy three-hander with a faithful vintage feel at an attractive price point. Initial thoughts Finally the Defy Revival is in regular production. With its vintage proportions and affordability, the watch was on my wish list as an alternative to mainstream sports watches, so I hope last year’s limited edition wasn’t a one-off. Seeing it make a comeback is a good thing, and the red dial certainly makes it more striking.  While some may argue – with good reason – that this is merely a rehash of the original in a different colour. It is, but the A3691 is still a good product in terms of price-performance ratio. At US$6,900, the A3691 is well priced relative to the competition, both from other brands and even Zenith itself. Its modern equivalent, the Defy Skyline, costs about 20% more, albeit with a more refined case and bracelet. For anyone who wants a sports watch with a retro flavour and in-house movement that stands apart from mainstream offerings, the A3691 is a good contender. Last year’s...

Hublot’s revival of the OG Classic Fusion is good. This would make it great…

The new Hublot Classic Fusion Original collection pays homage to the watch that birthed the luxury watches on rubber trend.The post Hublot’s revival of the OG Classic Fusion is good. This would make it great… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

On-Wrist Reaction: The Oris Big Crown Calibre 473, BOLDR’s Odyssey Freediver GMT, & an Unexpected Vulcain Diver

In this episode of On-Wrist Reaction, we have dig into three watches that bring a lot of newness to their respective brands. To kick things off, Zach and Thomas take a look at the Oris Calibre 473 that houses Oris’ brand new in-house movement. The Calibre 473 marks the tenth in-house movement since the Hölstein based brand started the Oris Movement Creation Program and visibly highlights the 5 day power capacity on the backside of the movement via a 120 hour reserve indicator. Next up, the duo checks out the Vulcain Skindiver. Now the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Vulcain is their alarm-equipped Cricket, so naturally a diver from the brand in a tidy 38mm case was interesting to have in hand. A conversation about the BOLDR Odyssey Freediver GMT, its Miyota 9075 movement, and how the gang uses a GMT complication rounds out the episode. Check out the on-wrist reaction for all three watches in the video below, and stay tuned to this space for a more in-depth look at each watch within this week’s OWR selection. Big Crown Calibre 473 Celebrates a Decade of Oris Movement Creation Program The latest release from Oris uses a familiar design in their point date dial layout and a cotton candy blue dial color similar to that of a previous Oris limited edition collaboration with Cervo Volante. But the main draw here is Oris’ new hand wound Calibre 473 movement with a power reserve indicator on the backside of the movement. Check out Thomas Calara’s initial co...

Hands-On: TAG Heuer Is Still Really Good At Vintage Tributes And This 60th Anniversary Carrera Proves Why

The proof is in the panda dial with our first Heuer of the new year.

[Photo Report] LVMH Watch Week Comes to NYC

Last week, we had the opportunity to go hands-on with many of the new releases from LVMH brands, who celebrated their LVMH Watch Week to kick off the new year. We saw new watches from Zenith, TAG Heuer, Hublot, and Bulgari, and even had the chance to sit with leadership from the brands to discuss their plans moving forward. Stay tuned for more impressions coming to the podcast and the site later this week, and in the meantime you’ll find a photo report from our time with the watches, along with a few takeaways from the experience. From lavish Hublots to perfectly understated TAG Heuers, there’s a little something for everyone here, including a surprise or two along the way.   Zenith We’re kicking things off with Zenith, who showed us new additions to their Skyline collection, which includes a new skeletonized dial, as well as smaller 36mm variants. They also had their latest Defy Revival A3691 with brilliant red dial, and perhaps best of all, and original ‘Bank Vault’ example (courtesy of podcast alum, Romain Marietta). There was a bonus appearance by a new boutique exclusive Defy with a grey and gold dial that worked much better in person that any of the images we’d seen up to that point. First impression of the new Skyline Skeleton was just how well the slightly larger proportions of the case worked on the wrist. TAG Heuer TAG Heuer had no shortage of watches to show us, from a new case in their smart watch Connected range, to that stunning 60th anniversary ...

The Spec Sheet: Here's Why The IWC Portugieser Chronograph Is A Modern Classic

Clean design and Goldilocks dimensions in an affordable package make for a mega hit.

New: Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon Year of the Rabbit

Arnold & Son joins the fray of Rabbit Year issues with a new watch on their Perpetual Moon collection, with the huge moon phase display.

Interview: Frédéric Arnault, Chief Executive of TAG Heuer

Appointed chief executive of TAG Heuer in 2020, Frédéric Arnault is often described as a son of Bernard Arnault, now the world’s richest man thanks to his controlling stake in LVMH. But the younger Arnault, who was just 25 when he took the job, is notable amongst watch industry bosses for his background. In contrast to the marketing or sales background that characterise most executives in the business, Mr Arnault has a degree in computational and applied mathematics from École Polytechnique, a French science and technology university with a long list of accomplished alumni, including Nobel laureates, presidents, and captains of industry (including the senior Arnault). Mr Arnault has been in the top job for two years, while it typically takes three to five years to develop an all new watch and even longer for a movement. As a result, his vision for TAG Heuer has yet to fully materialise in its products, but hints of his outsider’s perspective and inclination towards technology are already apparent. This has manifested itself in TAG Heuer’s Connected smartwatch and its solar-powered dive watch, but more notably in its flagship mechanical offering, the Carrera Plasma, an unorthodox jewelled chronograph that makes liberal use of synthetic diamonds. Synthetic diamonds grown to fit perfectly into the case of the Plasma, which is made of anodised aluminium But the most tantalising creations lie perhaps two to three years in the future, given that one of Mr Arnault’s ...

Todd Snyder and Timex Take a Crack at the Chronograph with the MK-1 Sky King

Todd Snyder and Timex have this long standing partnership that dates back to 2016 with the release of the MOD watch. Like many of their collaborative pieces, the designs lean strongly on military field watches, vintage cues, and design-forward decisions that are clearly being made by Mr. Todd Snyder himself. The latest collaboration from the two established American brands marks the first time they step into chronograph territory. The new release is dubbed the MK-1 Sky King and comes in two different variations – a coated steel case with a matching black dial and a traditional steel case with what Todd Snyder x Timex is calling a ‘blaze orange’ dial. The MK-1 Sky King has all the hallmarks of a tried and true pilot’s watch. The main one being legibility, and that is highlighted by a bold upright triangle marker at twelve o’clock and accompanying circular hour plots of the same magnitude. Looking closely, you’ll notice that the hour plots get shifted in closer to the center of the dial, and do not reside on the same track as the triangular marker. This decision compresses the dial visually and also offers a bit of a distinctive dial trait. What does reside on the same track as the twelve marker is a fully indexed minute track that encircles the dial with corresponding Arabic numerals at intervals of five. The addition of hash marks between each minute marker gives the appearance of a solid line around the dial at glance and tightens up the dial aesthetically. Th...

Happenings: The Horological Society Of New York To Hold Classes In Washington D.C.

These next classes will be hosted by Tiny Jewel Box.

Pre-Owned Picks: A Selection Of Smaller Watches For Every Wrist

For those who know good things come in small packages.

Farer Goes Medium with the New 36mm Three Hand Collection

It’s far too early in the year to call anything that’s happened so far in the watch world a “trend,” at least by any traditional dictionary definition of the word. In these early weeks of January, it’s just as likely that any example we might point to of releases that feel similar in some way or follow a pattern are merely coincidences. Still, our collective radar goes up when we see new watches begin to follow a certain format, and between a surprising release at last week’s LVMH watch week, a pleasantly diminutive GMT, and this new collection from Farer, we get the sense that it’s worth paying attention to smaller watches making their way onto the scene.  The new 36mm Three Hand collection is a small selection of four watches that take familiar Farer design tropes and shrink them down into a case that sits squarely in “medium” territory. It’s an interesting move for Farer, as they’ve always made watches that are well proportioned, not overly large, and could fairly be described as unisex. Recent releases like an updated Stanhope and the AquaMatic collection have certainly reinforced this idea. But the new Three Hand collection seen here takes the idea to another level, and underscores the midcentury design inspiration that has always been at the heart of Farer’s watches.  As is typical of Farer, they’ve launched the new Three Hand collection with four watches that showcase the wide range of colors the brand is skilled at working with. The Reso...

HANDS-ON: The new IWC Portofino collection delivers classical sophistication in spades

IWC usually brings to mind the stern, sporty range of military-inspired pilot’s watches, and occasionally the suave dressiness of one of their Portugeisers. Often under-appreciated is the Portofino collection - a group of watches which pay homage to one of the most classic eras in watchmaking history. With elegance and detail-oriented excellence in spades, the … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The new IWC Portofino collection delivers classical sophistication in spades appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Why three guys decided to blast a MoonSwatch into space

Space may have been the final frontier for the Starship Enterprise. But for watch brands it’s become a pretty well-travelled destination. Last year’s biggest watch release, Swatch’s BioCeramic MoonSwatch, was a playful homage to the original Moonwatch, and resulted in nine watches each connected to nine planets in the solar system. Yet beyond that, the … ContinuedThe post Why three guys decided to blast a MoonSwatch into space appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Talking Watches: With Brooke Shields, Model, Actress, Entrepreneur, And Icon Of The '80s

Did you know she was a watch collector too? Well, feast your eyes on these pieces.

Farer Introduces New 36mm Three Hand Collection

A look at the new and colorful Farer 36mm Three Hand Collection watches. Read on for specs, pricing, availability, and more.

John McGonigle Oileán H-B1 Triple Calendar Chronograph: I Don’t Know Of A More Beautiful Complicated Movement Available For The Money - Reprise

John McGonigle has launched the H-B1, the first watch under his solo brand Oileán. It's a beautifully hand-finished triple-calendar column wheel chronograph powered by a highly modified new-old stock Valjoux 88 movement. While not cheap, Ian Skellern thinks it’s the best value-for-money, exquisitely hand-finished, complicated watch he has ever seen.

Zenith Defy Watch Guide

Swiss watch manufacture Zenith traces its roots to 1865, when it was founded in the village of Le Locle by precocious 22-year-old watchmaker Georges Favre-Jacot. As one of the first watchmaking maisons to integrate all aspects of the watchmaking process under one roof, from case manufacturing to movement production to final casing and assembly, Zenith has long prided itself on its quest for timekeeping precision. The company has earned a record number of chronometry prizes over the years, and its most influential contribution to watchmaking history is its El Primero chronograph caliber, released in 1969. (Learn more about El Primero here.) In that same pivotal year, Zenith also released an avant-garde wristwatch series called Defy, whose bold, edgy design proved to be ahead of its time, and found its expression in the now-legendary Ref. A3642.  The Original Defy (1969) That watch was nicknamed the “coffre-fort,” a French term translating to “bank vault” or “safe,” a reference to its robustly angular, octagonal case, 14-sided bezel, and high-for-the-time water resistance of 300 meters, secured by its crown, caseback, and mineral crystal, all of which screwed securely into the case. Its “ladder-style” bracelet from legendary chainmaker Gay Frères also made the original reference notable. The Defy was positioned as Zenith’s toughest watch, featured in an advertisement in which six of the watches were strapped to the spokes of a motorcycle in a speed test a...

Unholy Grail: Why the comically dated TAG Heuer S/el is a true guilty pleasure

No matter how tasteful your watch collection, no matter how stuffed your portfolio is with blue chip stocks like no-date Subs, pre-Moon Speedys, or the perfect Cartier Tank, there’s probably a black sheep lurking somewhere. Your questionable choices. Your dark secrets. The one that’s horribly out of fashion, objectively unattractive, or just plain bizarre. Be … ContinuedThe post Unholy Grail: Why the comically dated TAG Heuer S/el is a true guilty pleasure appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Why I Bought It: Kudoke Flieger Concept (KFC) - Reprise

Bhanu Chopra picked up his unique piece Kudoke Flieger Concept from Stefan and Ev Kudoke over lunch at their favorite steakhouse in Dresden, Germany. Here he describes how and why he fell in love with this unique one-off timepiece and what makes Kudoke's watches so special in general.