1,695 articles · 437 videos found · page 56 of 72
Hodinkee
From new takes on the Royal Oak Offshore Diver and Chronograph to a thorough refresh of the Seamaster 300, two watchmaking titans are updating the tried and true.
Quill & Pad
When the Royal Oak Offshore launched in 1993 its timing was perfect: the bolder, larger, louder sibling of the Royal Oak was one of the trailblazers of the oversized watch trend. Nearly three decades later, the line's large sizing has mellowed down a bit. While it never comes close to becoming a dress watch, the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph does a mighty fine job of outlining how the complicated future of this collection might evolve.
Time+Tide
If you were to ask me what my favorite complication in watchmaking is, my answer would undoubtedly be the minute repeater. For me, fine watchmaking is about looking into the past and, while a completely unnecessary functionality in the modern world, there is an everlasting charm about a watch that can chime the time. Born … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater Limited Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Eight years in the making, the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Westminster Sonnerie – Tribute to Johannes Vermeer is a masterpiece in the truest sense of the word. Reflecting the owner’s taste that is inclined towards the subtle, elegant, and artisanal, the watch is seemingly simple on the front, yet intricately decorated on its circumference and immensely complicated within. But the true art of the watch sits on the hinged case back, which bears a magnificent miniature enamel painting by Anita Porchet that reproduces Vermeer’s ethereal Girl with a Pearl Earring. The idea for this uber pocket watch was first mooted by the owner in 2012, before being formally commissioned in 2013 during the Watches & Wonders fair in Hong Kong. Asked about his motivation in commissioning the watch – and waiting nearly a decade – the owner says, “I wanted to have a watch made, cost-and-time-no-object, that incorporated the ultimate in art – miniature enamel by the greatest practicing enameller – with the most difficult and sublime complication, the true Westminster sonnerie – and that alone – not counting the tourbillon escapement, which to me isn’t a complication.” “No such watch existed prior in the history of watchmaking,” he adds, “The watch came out more magnificent and monumental than I had imagined.” And that pretty much sums up the Vermeer pocket watch, which is unquestionably one of the greatest creations ever to emerge from Les Cabinotiers, a wo...
SJX Watches
The latest from Omega is a surprise: a Speedmaster powered by a new, manual-wind calibre but fitted with a retro-inspired, multi-scale dial. Equipped with the full-spec cal. 9908, the Speedmaster Chronoscope is a 43 mm chronograph with a dial bearing three sets of measurement scales: tachymeter, telemeter, and pulsometer. While the multi-scale dial is modelled on vintage Omega chronographs of the 1940s, the case is classic Speedmaster with its characteristic “twisted” or “lyre” lugs. Initial thoughts The Chronoscope is essentially combines well-known chronographs from two disparate periods in Omega’s history: the multi-scale dial typically associated with the vintage CK 2393 powered by the cal. 33.3 from the 1940s, plus the Speeedmaster case that is a 1960s design. But it is distinctly 21st century in mechanics with the new cal. 9908 inside. While any one of those might be appeal on their own, together they don’t work well. The Speedmaster case design is about three decades older than the multi-scale so it feels incongruent. To be fair, the dial looks to be well executed with good detail and design. The portions of the dial look good and the applied numerals are a nice touch. And pricing is fair as well. But despite the appeal of the individual elements, the whole is less than the sum of the parts. Still, the design makes sense from a broader, commercial perspective since it adds a new look to the stable of designs for the Speedmaster, which is one of Omega...
Video
SJX Watches
Since recruiting Manuel Emch, best known as the former chief executive of Jaquet Droz, to advise on strategy and design, Louis Erard has rolled out interesting collaboration watches at a steady pace. To date, the brand has worked with Alain Silberstein and also Vianney Halter, both of whom added their idiosyncratic flair to the brand’s trademark regulator wristwatch. Now Louis Erard has just unveiled its fourth collaborative edition, the Le Régulateur x atelier oï. This time, however, the brand looked outside the watch industry for aesthetic direction. Founded in 1991, Atelier Oï is a design studio with a diverse repertoire ranging from furniture for Louis Vuitton to perfume bottles for Bulgari. The new regulator is the first wristwatch penned by Atelier Oï. The three founders of Atelier Oï: Aurel Aebi, Armand Louis and Patrick Reymond Initial thoughts Like the earlier collaborative editions, the Le Régulateur x atelier oï is all about design – essentially a new dial to go with the standard case and movement. Strikingly distinctive, the latest regulator is radically minimalist, with the dial doing away with all scales, indices, and branding. The dial markings consist only of straight lines arranged in a radiating spiral that create a hypnotic pattern. At the same time, the radial nature of the lines give the dial an expansive feel. Add to that the industrial, monochromatic finish and the effect is magnificent, evoking the fan-like structures found on cable-s...
SJX Watches
A vintage watch dealer based in Singapore, 2ToneVintage is staging an exhibition that goes down a road less travelled in modern watch collecting – vintage pocket watches instead of the usual fare of wristwatches. The exhibition is open to the public from now till September 30, 2021, but registration is required due to venue capacity limits. Titled The Beginning, the show is made up of several dozen impressive specimens that represent the diversity of pocket watches, ranging from an Ilbery enamel for the Chinese market to a one-off Audemars Piguet grand complication to a Patek Philippe world time with a cloisonné dial. A timeline on the walls of the exhibition charts the development of watchmaking Most of the watches on show belong to Ali Nael, an oil trader who switched careers to found 2ToneVintage. Consequently, a good portion of the exhibition reflects his taste in timepieces – many of the timepieces are mid 20th century watches with elegant two-tone dials in champagne or pink gold. Examples from the early- to mid-20th century dominate the exhibition, with Patek Philippe being the most numerous. The watches largely fall into two categories: simple, time-only watches with delicate details or enamelling, and the highly complicated. Time-only The time-only examples include the Patek Philippe ref. 650 “Flying Saucer” – named after its wide, flat bezel – from 1937 that has a handsome. two-tone contrasting dial. And standing out against the classical style of ...
Quill & Pad
I know of only three watchmakers making watches completely (no CNC machines) by hand today: Greubel Forsey with its Hand Made 1 and Dominique Buser and Cyrano Devanthey, who are hand-making watches they call l’Instant de Vérité under the umbrella of their own micro brand Oscillon. And what a watch this is!
Quill & Pad
The Arceau model has become the canvas of choice for Hermès to express itself in more artistic ways. Over the years, this has resulted in tantalizing creations, each surprising in its own right. This is also true of Hermès’s latest model, the unexpected Arceau The Three Graces.
Hodinkee
Based on the fan favorite SBGW231 – and all under $5,000.
Video
Revolution
Known for his impeccable taste, Roni Madhvani shares his passion for mid-century shaped Patek Philippe watches designed by Gilbert Albert as well as rare and custom made pieces from other top tier brands.
Quill & Pad
A client once asked John Keil if there are any benefits to using automatic watch winders. The short answer is that he has two viewpoints on them. Click to learn the pros and cons as he sees them.
Quill & Pad
The “great lockdown of 2020” gifted us with something outstanding: from the depths of an anxiety-inducing existence arose an online exhibition called “The Persistence of Memory,” which can be described as an !online museum" honoring some of the most influential and important independent watchmakers of the modern era. Here Elizabeth Doerr speaks with its creator Michael Tay for an inside view on what this "exhibition" surveying 50 years of independent watchmaking is. And what it isn't.
SJX Watches
Essentially a dressed-up version of the Monsieur in black ceramic, the Monsieur Superleggera Edition takes inspiration from the J12 Superleggera, a chronograph named after the ultra-light racing cars of the mid-20th century. Like the J12, the Monsieur Superleggera has an obvious automotive theme in its design, with its time display redesigned to resemble a speedometer. Initial thoughts I’m a fan of the Monsieur de Chanel in its earlier iterations, including the original model in “beige” gold and more recent version in ceramic and marble. They were all clean, stylish, and mostly monochromatic – and equipped with a sophisticated, attractive movement. The Superleggera Edition has the same movement, but the style is the opposite. It has a techno-automotive style that tries a bit too hard for my tastes. While the texturing and scales have a clear automotive inspiration, they don’t add much to the visual appeal of the watch. Ironically, the inspiration for the new Monsieur, the J12 Superleggera of 2005, actually looks more streamlined, despite being a chronograph. Still, the Monsieur Superleggera probably like a fancy bodykit for a car – it’ll divide opinions. Anyone who finds the plainer Monsieur boring would applaud this. Superleggera Italian for “super light”, Superleggera was an Italian coachbuilder that specialised in lightweight automobile bodies comprising a tubular steel frame cover in thin, aluminium-alloy panels. Perhaps the most famous automobile w...
SJX Watches
Historically best known for ultra-advanced quartz and solar-powered watches – including the most accurate watch ever – Citizen has been on a tear recently with good, old-fashioned mechanical watches. The Japanese watchmaker started the year the high-end with The Citizen Caliber 0200, and then moved onto something more accessible but still sporting an integrated bracelet. More recently it took the covers off the Promaster Mechanical Diver 200 m ref. NB6004-08E. Oversized and aggressively styled, the new Promaster is eminently affordable – retail is about US$1,000 – but kitted out with impressive features, including a hardened case as well as a magnetism-resistant in-house movement, which makes it excellent value. (And it has a cool, glow-in-the-dark buckle.) Initial thoughts In my early days as a watch enthusiast, I had a soft spot for Seiko dive watches, because they were diverse in style and budget friendly. Citizen, on the other hand, didn’t feature as much, because it only offered one or two notable mechanical dive watches as the company largely focused on solar-powered watches (and still does). But Citizen is expanding its repertoire at a measured pace, but making tremendous progress. The Promaster Mechanical Diver 200 m is a single model, but offered in several variants (though availability of each version varies throughout the world). Citizen lent me the base model – brushed titanium with a black dial – for a few days. On paper, the watch is high s...
Video
Time+Tide
Horological interest these days predominantly circles around wristwatches. But there are plenty of other fascinating timekeeping objects to explore. In the after-glow of the Tokyo Olympics, one avenue worth walking down is the realm of vintage stopwatches, and demand is certainly there judging by the response to a recent event. Under the watchful eye of … ContinuedThe post Tracksmith x Wind Vintage collection of vintage stopwatches sells out in two days flat appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Twenty-five years ago Chopard debuted the L.U.C line alongside its then-new Fleurier manufacture. Namely after the initials of its founder, the L.U.C range is primarily composed of classically-styled watches with notably fine in-house movements. To mark the 25th anniversary of L.U.C, Chopard has unveiled a classically-styled watch with notably fine in-house movement, the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25. Though the Quattro Spirit 25 is the brand’s first-ever jump hour wristwatch, it is powered by the longstanding eight-day, hand-wind movement that’s almost as old as the L.U.C line itself. Initial thoughts In the hand, the Quattro Spirit 25 instantly feels like a high quality watch. As with most L.U.C watches, the fit and finish is top class. But as is also typical for many L.U.C watches, the design is good, but not quite great. To be fair, the Quattro Spirit 25 is largely appealing, save for the shape of the lugs. Though moderately sized, the watch feels relatively tall, in part due to the smallish diameter of 40 mm. The convex, vertical case dials and short lugs also contribute to the perception of size. On the subject of the lugs, they are the only major element of the watch I would change. They short, narrow, and don’t quite match the elegant style of the watch. The dial, on the other hand, is best described as functional elegance. Bright white and expansive, the dial is clean and perhaps a bit too stark, but it is strongly legible. At the same time, the quality of the en...
Time+Tide
A new brand that taps into a rich vein of Norwegian nature and stories from the Viking age with rich dial art and a Swiss-made focus on the all-important small details.The post MICRO MONDAYS: Straum’s debut combines Viking myths with modern luxury appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
It’s always hard to call something a bargain over $2000AUD, and as Seiko’s releases in the upper price brackets balloon, the line between Seiko and Grand Seiko grows ever so slightly blurrier. The SPB217 from Seiko’s Presage Sharp Edge series is one such watch with loftier aspirations, but has no trouble taking the fight to … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Seiko SPB217J is an unsung hero of modern-day Seiko appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
A.H.C.I. co-founder Svend Andersen has more than three decades of experience creating world time watches, and the stunning Andersen Genève Tempus Terrae Celestial Voyager, a limited edition commissioned by Benjamin Chee Haute Horlogerie (BCHH), is one of his best.
Video
Quill & Pad
Ken Gargett has been reliably informed that there are tequilas now considered quality spirits, designated for sipping – he admits that he swallowed this obvious falsehood on an occasion many years ago, but in the interests of research once again he sallied forth. Sharing the results of his investigations here, he dips into two high-end tequilas: Fortaleza and Calle 23. Olé!
SJX Watches
Singaporean collector Benjamin Chee has long been involved in watchmaking as a hobbyist, having set up two brands in the last decade, Maison Celadon for dress watches and Millechron for sports watches. While his earlier endeavours were powered by excellent Vaucher movements, Mr Chee’s latest venture is the most haute horlogerie to date. Taking its name from Mr Chee’s initials, the BCHH Celestial Voyager combines fine watchmaking with metiers d’art in series of pièce unique world-time wristwatches executed by independent watchmaker Andersen Genève. Cased in platinum, each of the seven watches in the series features a cloisonné enamel dial depicting a different stylised map. At the same time, the watches are accented by details like soldered lugs and a mother of pearl inlay on the back. Initial thoughts The Celestial Voyager is typical of Andersen’s products, meaning it’s classical in design and well made in an artisanal manner. But like many of Andersen’s watches, the Voyager is bespoke, so it reflects Mr Chee’s preferences and eye for detail. Take for instance the dial, which is elaborate in a discreet manner. The cloisonné enamel centre is the highlight, and most watches would stop there, but here the cities ring is made of sparkly aventurine glass. Elements like the cities ring play a supporting role, but getting them right often distinguishes the great from the good. The Celestial Voyager gets most of it right, and is one of the better looking...
SJX Watches
Three months after Watches & Wonders 2021 (where it debuted the Triple Split in pink gold amongst others), A. Lange & Söhne is now back with more new releases, as is now the norm with watch fairs having gone online. Of the trio of new launches, the Saxonia Thin is the simplest, but no less striking. Clad in lively, blue aventurine glass and pink gold, the watch has a rich, sparkly aesthetic quite antithetical to the fuss-free style usually associated with the German watchmaker. Initial thoughts While flourishes like the aventurine-glass dial are uncommon for Lange in general, the sparkly glass dial is not new. In fact, the material was first used in the white gold Saxonia Thin back in 2017. The brand followed up with the same but with a black aventurine-glass dial last December, and then the pair of Little Lange 1 Moon Phase earlier this year. That’s four models with aventurine glass dials in as many years. The new model is a first, in that it matches the blue aventurine-glass dial with a pink gold case, giving the watch a warm aesthetic not found in earlier versions, or even the broader catalogue where the combination of pink gold and blue is found only on the recent Triple Split. This is no doubt a good news for collectors that already have everything from the brand and want something different. Still, the frequency of aventurine-glass inevitably chips away at its uniqueness. One nitpick I have about the watch is personal – I find the Saxonia Thin too wide and f...
WatchAdvice
First up, let me get something off my chest. I have never been a fan of the movement used in the AP Royal Oak Offshore. As much as I like the style of the watch, I’ve always felt the movement isn’t up to scratch, especially for the price. Of course, not many people will care about this, but one look at how deep-set the date is, and you know clearly that it is a modular construction (module by Dubois-Deprez). And really, at $50k a pop, is it really too much to ask for an integrated chronograph movement? I’m sure there are many out there who will argue that this is part of the charm. It’s what makes the Royal Oak Offshore different. But I have a feeling given how hyped the watches are, people are only too happy to buy one when one is available, and straight away, blinders come on, and the denial begins. Especially when the layout is exactly the same as the ubiquitous ETA 7750 chronographs (12-9-6 sub-dials). Again, nothing wrong with the ETA 7750. In fact, it is one of my favourite entry-level, workhorse movements, but even this one is integrated… Fine. Call me a chronograph snob if you like. As we all know, this hobby is highly personal and highly subjective. I just prefer my chronographs to be integrated. (Although I’m not fussy regarding whether it’s a vertical or horizontal clutch, and whether or not the engagement is controlled by a column-wheel or a cam/lever assembly – I’m sure there are people out there who swears by one form over another…) This...
Hodinkee
A vintage Rolex fan puts a modern Datejust to the test.
Video
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.