1,638 articles · 349 videos found · page 53 of 67
Deployant
Let's face it. You are not going to be able to walk into a Rolex boutique, and walk out with any variant of the super-hyped GMT-Master II. Not likely anyway. So today, we pick of 6 excellent GMT watches which are alternatives.
Time+Tide
Editor’s Note: The Nautilus is back in the news, but not for the reason we’ve become used to. Lofty aftermarket prices are beginning to face a tad of a correction. It seems this brand makes news on the way up and on the way back. But this is likely of little concern to these two chaps … ContinuedThe post That time two unexpected celebrities joined the Nautilus club appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
After sixteen years at Zenith, Romain Marietta is just getting started.
SJX Watches
Long rumoured and now official, François-Henry Bennahmias will depart Audemars Piguet (AP) at the end of 2023 after an 11-year reign as chief executive. An iconoclast who dared to voice out loud what many people were thinking, he turbocharged a brand that had been coasting and was gradually being edged out by more aggressive competitors. Over the last ten years AP has more than doubled its turnover and operating margin, while maintaining its exclusivity thus enhancing its attraction for customers and collectors. Often criticised for its dependence on a single product family – the legendary Royal Oak contributes makes up over 90% of turnover and even more of profit – the Le Brassus brand has been able to reinvent its flagship product during François’ tenure, turning it into an icon in watchmaking. But Bennahmias’ marketing and business plan owes less to genius than to common sense and a unique ability to unite his team. Brands are crafted by people The path to success for the successful (re)launch of the horological icon is straightforward in hindsight but it is all related to human factors. I am a firm believer in the fact that brands are made by people and not spreadsheets. In a luxury brand, the personality of the chief executive (or creative director) is key to the promotion of its values. A strong personality with character traits suited to a pro boxer, Bennahmias has a strong charisma that allows him to motivate his troops and lead from the front. He has ...
Time+Tide
Watches with that integrated-bracelet appeal and 1970s aesthetic are all the rage right now. Recently Vacheron Constantin released its 222 to some acclaim, and Tissot’s smash hit, the PRX, both underlined what many had already noticed – people love the design and clear-cut lines of integrated bracelet watches. Let’s face it: while most of would love … ContinuedThe post Five great integrated-bracelet watches for under $10,000 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Time+Tide
EDITOR’S NOTE: Let’s face it watch spotting is a game that’s fraught with error. Yesterday, we suggested in this story that Chris Hemsworth was wearing a Bulgari Octo Finissimo Extra Thin. We’ve since received confirmation that the watch in question was, in fact, the skeletonised version of this watch. The copy below has now been … ContinuedThe post Chris Hemsworth shows how to do the red carpet right with a Bulgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Announced in 2019, Vacheron Constantin’s partnership with the Louvre has given birth to the Métiers d’Art Tribute to Great Civilisations, a quartet of watches featuring artisanal, micro-sculptures in a nod to bygone empires. Each of the four watches bears on its face a scaled-down reproduction of an artefact in the Louvre – the Great Sphinx of Tanis, the lion relief from Palace of Darius I at Susa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the bust of Caesar Augustus. These objects have each been reproduced with creativity and artistry to create dials that live up to the métiers d’art label. Buste de Auguste Initial thoughts Vacheron Constantin’s Metiers d’Art watches reflect the brand’s versatility in artisanal decoration, both in terms of technique and style. But the Great Civilisations are notable for being more complex in terms of construction and materials than past Metiers d’Art watches. The dials are comprised of several layers and sections, in turn decorated with a variety of artisanal techniques ranging from enamelling to mosaic, in order to create the depth and detail they possess. Importantly, the result is greater than the sum of the parts – the dials are attractive in form and impressive in detail. Lion de Darius with its Roman mosaic dial base and relief lion Though all four watches are exceptional examples of Vacheron Constantin’s metier, the Grand sphinx du Tanis and Lion de Darius certainly stand out over the other two, just because of...
SJX Watches
Introduced in 2005, the Breguet Tradition is characterised by its inverted movement that reveals most of the movement on the dial. It was a modern concept inspired by the 19th century: the movement was inspired by the souscription pocket watches created by Abraham-Louis Breguet. Since its launch the Tradition has grown into a full-fledged collection ranging from time-only models to the top-of-the-line tourbillon with fusee-and-chain. One of the simplest, yet most striking, is the Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597, which has been given a new look with an attractive blue dial. Initial thoughts I have always found the Tradition attractive, particularly the early models with smaller case sizes that tend to work better with in traditional palettes like yellow gold or “pink-on-pink”. The newer models are more sophisticated mechanically, but their cases are larger while the colours are mostly modern in greys and blacks, so the retro-elegance is absent. But the latest Quantième Rétrograde is amongst the best looking Tradition models in the current catalogue. It’s mechanically identical to the original introduced in 2020, but now it gets a two-tone dial that has more contrast, giving it with a stronger character and easily setting it apart from the more classical Tradition models. The date indicator makes a 180 degree jump at the end of each month The blue-on-grey livery isn’t novel, since it was used before on the boutique edition Tradition 7097, a simpler watch tha...
Time+Tide
If you think the Casio G-Shock GA2100 is an amazing watch, you’d be absolutely correct. However, things are about to get better. Building on the success of the so-called CasiOak (our #1 watch review of 2021 by views) comes the new Casio G-Shock GA-B2100 lineup, bringing some welcome upgrades to the table in terms of functionality, while … ContinuedThe post The updates that make the new CasiOak G-Shock GA-B2100 even better appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
EDITOR’S NOTE: Let’s face it, a lot of marital traditions have thankfully changed. These days, if you choose to ask the bride’s father for permission to marry them, it’s more of a tokenistic gesture to get the old bastard on side rather than a potentially deal-breaking request. Same-sex couples can finally get married in most … ContinuedThe post The rules of engagement: Can you buy the person you plan to marry a watch instead of a ring? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Quill & Pad
For many in the watch world, the fairly unassuming Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur – with no tourbillon, no chimes, and nothing insanely in your face – became the watch of the fair at Watches and Wonders 2022. In fact, in our post-fair round table it was the “best in show” for at least half of our on-location team. Elizabeth Doerr takes a closer look at this imaginative opus with practical use.
Time+Tide
Here's why the greatest footballer on the face of the earth wore two watches.The post Hublot CEO explains why Diego Maradona wore two watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
When a compact and classically dimensioned watch is debuted, a tiny-wrister bat signal is lit high in the sky for me to rush and cover it. Look, in journalism we have to remain objective, but this release hits home for me on a personal level and, based on your comments on social media, for many … ContinuedThe post The new 36.5mm Grand Seiko SBGW289 has fans rejoicing at the possibilities beyond this kira-zuri cherry blossom limited edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Last year, Zenith’s Head of Product, Romain Marietta admitted he was “shocked” by the runaway success of the Chronomaster Sport. “We knew it would be big, but not this big,” he told us. Frankly, at Time+Tide we were less surprised by the wave of excitement engulfing this ceramic-bezelled beauty. After all, Zenith had effectively created … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Zenith doubles down on the Chronomaster Sport line appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
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.
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Time+Tide
There’s no shortage of watches that divide opinion and create controversy, but such polarising views are by no means exclusive to the watch world. Polish video-game developers CD Projekt Red became somewhat infamous when their blockbuster RPG shooter Cyberpunk 2077 was delayed three times over a year, all in the spirit of making sure it … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Cyberpunk 2077 x Błonie watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
A lot has happened over the last seven days, but earlier today TAG Heuer ushered in their next generation of Connected Watch: the Calibre E4. Some collectors scoff at the idea of a smartwatch, claiming that such a digital device does not have the artistic essence of a traditional mechanical timepiece. But let’s face it, … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: TAG launches new Connected Watches, 2022 looks promising for Longines appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
A quartet representing the entirety of Philippe Dufour’s repertoire went under the hammer last year, with the Grande Sonnerie wristwatch no. 1 setting the record for any Dufour sold publicly when it achieved the equivalent of US$5.2 million including fees. Sold at the same auction, but for substantially less, was the Grande Sonnerie pocket watch no. 1. Despite the relative values, the pocket watch is arguably a more significant timepiece within Mr Dufour’s work. Why? Initial thoughts In today’s wristwatch-centric era, the fact that it is a pocket watch counts against it. That was also the verdict of the market – the pocket watch sold for half as much as the wristwatch in November 2021. But the Grande Sonnerie pocket watch is the ultimate distillation of Philippe Dufour’s philosophy, the ideal synthesis of the inspiration and impetus behind his creations. He has long stated, both publicly and to me in past conversations, that his watches are a reverential homage to the haute horlogerie produced in the Vallée de Joux during its heyday before the Quartz Crisis, the period between the late 19th to the mid 20th centuries. Timepieces of that era, especially those with ebauches made by the valley’s best specialists like Louis-Elisee Piguet and Ami LeCoutre, are the best watches ever made in Switzerland in his view. And the Grande Sonnerie pocket watch can pass for a timepiece from the late 19th century, perhaps even one made by Mr Dufour’s favourite historical w...
Revolution
Revolution takes a look through the sapphire glass at the face of Rolex watches and the brand’s commitment to producing some of the most iconic and beautifully executed dials in the world.
Hodinkee
"We do our work quietly without all that needless fuss." –Sun Wukong, in Chapter 23 of Journey to the West, by Wu Cheng'en
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Revolution
Astronomical complications to track sun, moon and earth are given an ultra-modern and edgy face in Ulysse Nardin’s Blast Moonstruck.
SJX Watches
A newcomer to the world of watch auctions, Loupe This was founded by a pair of industry veterans and operates in a distinctly 21st century manner: sales are conducted entirely online, with about ten watches on the block at any one time. The offerings on Loupe This are diverse. In December 2021 it sold an example of our Habring2 Erwin “Star” for US$15,400 including fees, while the latest to go under the hammer are two interesting, long-discontinued watches from notable watchmakers based in Geneva – but otherwise radically different. One is the a Rolex Milgauss ref. 1019 – in pristine, “new old stock” condition – and the other, an F.P. Journe Octa Chronographe 38 mm. Rolex Milgauss ref. 1019 Produced from 1960 to 1988, the ref. 1019 was the longest-running reference of the Milgauss, the brand’s famous magnetism-resistant watch conceived for engineers and nuclear scientists. Despite the lengthy production run, the ref. 1019 is relatively rare because the model wasn’t produced in sizeable numbers for the simple reason that it didn’t sell well. In fact, Rolex discontinued the Milgauss altogether in 1988, before reviving it some two decades later. While the rarity certainly boosts its appeal, the ref. 1019 is attractive and unusual for being one of the most fuss-free Rolex “Professional” sports watch. The ref. 1019 is also the simplest version of the Milgauss, doing without the rotating bezel or “lightning” seconds hand found on earlier models. It ...
Time+Tide
Unless you’ve been marooned on a desert island for the past several years, you’re probably all too aware of the rainbow colourway boom in the horological world. And let’s face it, some of these timepieces are, shall we say, aesthetically more harmonious than others. For every rainbow Daytona out there, there are twice as many … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy 21 Chroma Limited Edition brings rainbow vibes to 2022 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
While a pioneer in luxury-sports watches with its gold-meets-rubber models of the 1980s, Hublot is a relatively new arrival to the world of luxury-sports watches with an integrated bracelet – with its opening act being the flyback chronograph of 2020. Now a simple, fuss-free version joins the line up. At LVMH Watch Week 2022 the brand has taken the covers off the Big Bang Integral Time Only, which has an integrated bracelet naturally, but also is the most compact men’s Big Bang to date at 40 mm wide. And in typical Hublot style, the new Time Only is available in a trio of materials, none of which is steel but instead titanium, ceramic, or yellow gold. Initial thoughts It’s great to see Hublot adapt its products to accommodate demand for small(er) watches, especially since the Big Bang has always been, well, big. The trimmer size of the Time Only brings it closer to the dimensions of the traditional luxury-sports watches, which are essentially elaborate bracelets that tell time. Despite its uncharacteristically smaller proportions, the new Time Only is still very much a Hublot. It manages to capture the Hublot style in both design and materials, while avoiding some of the cliches of the integrated-sports watch category, namely a patterned dial or a case and bracelet in steel. The most obvious difference between the Time Only and the typical integrated-bracelet sport watch is the dial. Doing away with the dial altogether and exposing the movement underneath leaves it ...
Quill & Pad
While these days community building in the enthusiast realm seems increasingly the domain of brand-agnostic organizations, there remain old-school organizations whose members are devoted to the watches of a single maker. One such example is the Journe Society, a small, low-profile group of enthusiast collectors. GaryG sheds some light on the group and its specially commissioned group watch.
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