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Results for Master Chronometer (METAS)

1,341 articles · 384 videos found · page 53 of 58

Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Phillips Hong Kong SJX Watches
Richard Mille May 16, 2023

Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Phillips Hong Kong

Phillips kicks off its spring sale season in Hong Kong with the first watch auction to take place at its recently inaugurated regional headquarters in the West Kowloon Cultural District. The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVI is a 248-lot sale with a strong representation of contemporary independent watchmaking, including the cover lot, a Rexhep Rexhepi Chronometre Contemporain I in pink gold – the first example of this coveted watch to emerge at auction. Amongst the other offerings going on the block are works from prominent names like Kari Voutilainen and F.P. Journe. The sale includes under appreciated gems such as a Parmigiani Toric Chronograph from the early 2000s and a unique Atelier de Chronométrie featuring a gilt dial. And there’s also a unique Richard Mille that was once owned by a Brazilian footballer Bobby Firmino. The auction takes place on May 24 (lots 801-925) and May 25 (lots 926-1048). The full catalogue and sale registration can be accessed here. The cover lot of the sale Lot 832: Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain I (RRCC I) One of the top lots – maybe even the top lot – of the sale is the first example of the Chronomètre Contemporain by Rexhep Rexhepi. As we detailed in our review of the prototype, the RRCC I is a gentleman’s wristwatch in the mould of mid-20th century Swiss chronometers.  With its distinct arched lugs and enamel dial, the RRCCI is instantly recognisable despite its classical styling. Notably, the enamel dial is made of tw...

Louis Vuitton Introduces the Tambour Jacquemart Minute Repeater “200 Years” SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton Introduces Feb 7, 2023

Louis Vuitton Introduces the Tambour Jacquemart Minute Repeater “200 Years”

The world’s biggest luxury brand, Louis Vuitton has in recent years revealed steadily growing ambitions in haute horlogerie, especially after its acquisition of Geneva complications specialist La Fabrique de Temps (LFDT). To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of its namesake founder, the brand created the Tambour Jacquemart Minute Repeater “200 Years”.  Conceived by LFDT, the Tambour “200 Years” is a one-of-a-kind timepiece that demonstrates its watchmaking division’s mastery of fine watchmaking as well as its appreciation of artisanal craftsmanship: the movement combines both a minute repeater and automaton, while the dial is enamel miniature painting by none other than Anita Porchet. Initial thoughts Some two years in the making, the Tambour “200 Years ” exemplifies Louis Vuitton’s development as a maker of haute horlogerie. The movement is impressively complicated, while the dial is nuanced and artisanal. Granted, the watch is huge at almost 48 mm, so it’s far from subtle, but that reflects the house style of Louis Vuitton. The dial in particular reveals the thought that went into its conception and execution, with the cosmos represented by shaded, translucent blue enamel that is nearly ethereal and complemented by automaton elements sculpted in white gold. The impressionistic depiction of the night sky and planets brings to mind Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Tambour “200 Years” is actually the se...

VIDEO: Inside the Omega Speedmaster ’57’s sandwich dial Time+Tide
Omega Speedmaster ’57’s sandwich dial Jan 4, 2023

VIDEO: Inside the Omega Speedmaster ’57’s sandwich dial

Sandwich dials have always commanded a sense of mystery and luxury, with very few brands dipping their toes into the genre despite its popularity. Omega surprised many with its release of a second generation for the Omega Speedmaster ’57 in 2022, now featuring a sandwich dial construction against any semblance of vintage accuracy. Whether or … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Inside the Omega Speedmaster ’57’s sandwich dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Kudoke Makes a Hollywood Debut in ‘Last Looks’ SJX Watches
Omega Seamaster Nov 29, 2022

Kudoke Makes a Hollywood Debut in ‘Last Looks’

Seeing an Omega Seamaster in the latest James Bond is hardly a surprise. Independent watchmakers, however, rarely get the same Hollywood opportunities that deep-pocketed brands like Omega do. But tiny German watchmaker Kudoke managed to make it to the big screen without a well-funded marketing campaign. This story starts with American novelist Howard Michael Gould, who released Last Looks in 2018. A mystery novel centred on a disgraced detective, Last Looks was on its way to the silver screen shortly after publication with Charlie Hunnam and Mel Gibson in starring roles. Dominic Monaghan’s character wearing the Kudoke Real Skeleton A crucial Kudoke skeleton While the filming Last Looks, the producers reached out to the husband-and-wife team behind Kudoke, Ev and Stefan, for a watch to be worn in a movie without providing much details. According to Ev, the email from the producers initially seemed to be a random piece of spam. After all, most watches with prominent placements in films are the result of hefty advertising budgets. But then Kudoke received another email with the same request from another sender. This piqued their interest but left Ev and Stefan wondering why any producer would choose a watch most of the audience would never recognise? Soon enough, the Kudokes were sent excerpts of the script. To their surprise, the watch was not merely an accessory, but it was a central part of the plot, a crucial clue for solving the mystery in fact. The Kudokes natural...

The SJX x Kudoke “Zodiac” Nominated for GPHG 2022 SJX Watches
Zodiac Nominated Jul 26, 2022

The SJX x Kudoke “Zodiac” Nominated for GPHG 2022

The preeminent – and perhaps only international – awards for watchmaking, Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), has just announced the competing timepieces of 2022. We are please that one of own editions, the Kudoke 2 “Zodiac”, is competing in “Artistic Crafts”. Created last year for the 10th anniversary of SJX Watches, the Kudoke 2 “Zodiac” is a candidate alongside marques like Voutilainen and Hermes in a category that calls for “exceptional mastery of one or several artistic techniques such as enamelling, lacquering, engraving, guilloché (engine-turning), skeleton-working, etc.” The Zodiac is all about engraving – done by hand naturally – with both the front and back decorated in relief and textures. Both the dial and movement are fully engraved by the hands of the skilful artisans at Kudoke. The hand engraving is extensive and complete, with is nothing on the dial or movement that is engraved by machine – even the brand name on the dial is executed by hand. But the Zodiac is more than just artisanal technique. It is also an artistic creation: the hour symbols on the dial were commissioned especially for the watch and drawn by Canadian illustrator Lee Yuen-Rapati, who’s now the in-house designer at Fears. He cleverly combined both a sign of the zodiac and Roman numeral into each hour markers. The marker at ten, for instance, is Aquarius but also contains “X”, the Roman numeral for “10”. To echo the celestial theme on the fr...

It’s official: Speedmaster sales up 50% in the wake of the MoonSwatch collaboration Time+Tide
Jul 14, 2022

It’s official: Speedmaster sales up 50% in the wake of the MoonSwatch collaboration

There is little mystery about the seismic impact of the MoonSwatch on Swatch sales. The brand can simply not make enough of them, and despite grumblings about accessibility and lack of an online sales option, demand is still red hot. The bigger question that’s emerged is, what impact will the MoonSwatch have on sales for … ContinuedThe post It’s official: Speedmaster sales up 50% in the wake of the MoonSwatch collaboration appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Long-awaited film “Keeper of Time” premieres worldwide this week Time+Tide
Apr 24, 2022

Long-awaited film “Keeper of Time” premieres worldwide this week

Years ago, when I watched the documentary The Watchmaker’s Apprentice, which details the journey of George Daniels and the path of watchmaker Roger W. Smith becoming his sole apprentice, I remember being awe-struck at the meticulous art of watchmaking and  the perseverance required to achieve mastery in the field. Since that documentary, however, there have not … ContinuedThe post Long-awaited film “Keeper of Time” premieres worldwide this week appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Integral Time Only brings 40mm to titanium, ceramic and 18K yellow gold Time+Tide
Hublot Big Bang Integral Time Jan 25, 2022

HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Integral Time Only brings 40mm to titanium, ceramic and 18K yellow gold

With Hublot, the most intimidating barrier for me was often the larger sizing their references were typically produced in. Hublot, unapologetically, favours larger diameters as the canvas for their bold personality and mastery of materials. Personally, I felt excluded from the party at times, liking the brand’s novelties but not being prepared to tackle their … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Integral Time Only brings 40mm to titanium, ceramic and 18K yellow gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy Skyline brings a 1/10th of a second counter to a time and date watch Time+Tide
Zenith Defy Skyline brings Jan 24, 2022

HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy Skyline brings a 1/10th of a second counter to a time and date watch

Zenith is well-known for their mastery of hi-beat technology with calibres capable of measuring incredibly fine increments. When the Zenith Defy Revival A3642 was introduced last week, Zenith made it very clear in their assets that it was just the beginning of what was to come for the Defy line – the spark that would … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy Skyline brings a 1/10th of a second counter to a time and date watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

WHO TO FOLLOW: The masterful photographic stylings of @waitlisted Time+Tide
Dec 24, 2021

WHO TO FOLLOW: The masterful photographic stylings of @waitlisted

If you’re a New York City watch collector and have attended any watch event in the past two years, chances are you’ve met this week’s follow. He’s a quiet photographer whose images breathe fresh air into the repetitive soldier shots of watch adverts. His use of colour, reflections and an absolute mastery of the macro … ContinuedThe post WHO TO FOLLOW: The masterful photographic stylings of @waitlisted appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Available in the Shop: Flip it and Reverse it, two takes on the iconic Reverso Revolution
Jaeger-LeCoultre s Reverso has been Dec 15, 2021

Available in the Shop: Flip it and Reverse it, two takes on the iconic Reverso

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso has been an icon for 90 years. Not only does this masterfully distinctive watch have an uncommon shape, it’s also got its signature move - the reversing case. While this watch these days is most commonly seen as something dressy, the Reverso has sporty roots and, as these two examples from WatchFinder & Co demonstrate, can project vastly different moods.

What is the ultimate two-watch collection? The Time+Tide team have their say… Time+Tide
Aug 25, 2021

What is the ultimate two-watch collection? The Time+Tide team have their say…

Today we defer to the shrewd counsel of Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock. As the eighties hip- hop duo so wisely put it: “It takes two to make a thing go alright”. And such advice can certainly apply to your watches. If you pick with true mastery then two watches are potentially all you’d … ContinuedThe post What is the ultimate two-watch collection? The Time+Tide team have their say… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” Review WatchAdvice
Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” Review Dec 13, 2020

Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” Review

The Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow”, a timepiece clouded in such mystery that its existence was all but forgotten, until recently. The story behind this timepiece goes back to 1970, where after the iconic El Primero movement was produced by Zenith, the manufacture also produced a prototype for a manual winding chronograph. This chronograph model was housed in a blackened steel case, which was quite rare during the ’70s. The manufacture produced only a handful of these concepts, with the watch never making it into full production.  Soon after, the quartz crisis hit, which forced Zenith’s El Primero savior Charles Vermont to store all the plans and designs for mechanical watches including El Primero designs in a secret walled off attic in the manufacture. Just imagine though, if this beautiful all-black timepiece was never to be uncovered by the manufacture!  Luckily this wasn’t the case, as in 2019 when Zenith began celebrating their 50th anniversary of the El Primero Chronograph caliber, the team at the manufacture decided to go through all the plans, designs, and parts that they found in the secret attic. Among the numerous items hidden away, was a box that contained the original prototype of this special black chronograph model. A model that hasn’t been seen by anyone since the early 1970s.  The Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” project is a remake of the original 1970 model. Zenith, however, decided that instead of faithfully reproducing a replica of...

Our Predictions In The Artistic Crafts Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): 6 Watches, 5 Panelists, And 3 Picks For Winner Quill & Pad
Nov 5, 2020

Our Predictions In The Artistic Crafts Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): 6 Watches, 5 Panelists, And 3 Picks For Winner

Watches in the Artistic Crafts category demonstrate exceptional mastery of one or several artistic techniques such as enameling, lacquering, engraving, guilloche (engine turning), skeletonizing, and more. Which make comparisons between the different crafts extremely difficult. But our five panelists accept the challenge and come up with three predicted winners.

Our Predictions In The Jewellery Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Our Panelists Are Split For A Winner (Again) Quill & Pad
Nov 3, 2020

Our Predictions In The Jewellery Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Our Panelists Are Split For A Winner (Again)

The GPHG foundation’s rules for the Jewellery category state that the watches must demonstrate exceptional mastery of the art of jewelry and gem setting. This is an especially difficult category to judge from still photos as you really need to touch and manipulate the jewelry and see the gems reflecting from different angles. Our panelists settle on two favorites as top contenders despite the fact that they haven't had a chance to handle these treasures.

Hands-on review: Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” Deployant
Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” DEPLOYANT Oct 24, 2020

Hands-on review: Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow”

A timepiece shrouded in mystery. Its existence has eluded collectors and Zenith  collaborators alike for decades. As the legend goes, in 1970, not long after Zenith debuted  the groundbreaking El Primero calibre, the manufacture had produced a prototype of a manual-winding chronograph, housed in a blackened steel case – a rarity for the time. Only Read More

Audemars Piguet add three new black-cased Royal Oak Offshore models with smoked fumé dials Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet add three new black-cased Jul 12, 2020

Audemars Piguet add three new black-cased Royal Oak Offshore models with smoked fumé dials

Audemars Piguet have been slowly but surely unveiling some quietly inspired new releases in 2020. First came the bite-the-back-of-your-hand beautiful [Re]master01 Selfwinding Chronograph, then came a diminutive new Royal Oak 34mm. More recently, AP saw fit to bestow its much-lauded Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin with two new models – the dazzling Diamond Indexes In Platinum … ContinuedThe post Audemars Piguet add three new black-cased Royal Oak Offshore models with smoked fumé dials appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Recap: Instagram Live with Rexhep Rexhepi SJX Watches
Rexhep Rexhepi May 29, 2020

Recap: Instagram Live with Rexhep Rexhepi

Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia was the guest on our first-ever Instagram Live, where he spoke with our founder SJX. Lighthearted and insightful, the session centred on the growth of Akrivia’s in-house capabilities, as well as the future of the Chronomètre Contemporain series. Here’s a recap of the highlights from the session. Ambitions for integration Rexhep has big dreams for Akrivia as a true manufacture, from production to even testing. This stems from an explicit desire to control every element of production, and to ensure his high standards at met every step of the way. Much of the progress made in vertical integration will be reflected in the second series of the Chronomètre Contemporain. While the series one cases were produced by a Geneva specialist, the second series will have its cases made in-house by master case maker Jean-Pierre Hagmann, who joined Akrivia last year. At the same time, Rexhep said the movement will have a greater share of parts made in-house. While the exactly proportion was unsaid, he made clear that his goal was to eventually make all key parts – bridges, base plates, wheels and pinions – in the Akrivia workshop. Beyond production timepieces, such vertical integration will be advantageous as it would allow Akrivia to prototype ideas far more quickly. Rexhep Rexhepi with Jean-Pierre Hagmann. Photo – Akrivia Interestingly, Rexhep also touched on chronometer testing and certification. The first series Chronomètre Contemporain is te...