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New: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronographs in bright racing colours
TAG Heuer strengthens its entry level position with the release of three new Formula 1 Chronographs in bright racing colours powered by quartz movements.
Results for Mechanical vs Quartz
2,136 articles · 9 videos found · page 57 of 72
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INTRODUCING: The Zenith Chronomaster Open Boutique Edition
The concept of the open heart dial is nothing new, but it’s not necessarily a popular one. For the last few decades, watch snobs have dismissed open heart dials because of how often they appear on lower-end mechanical watches, sometimes as imitations of tourbillons or placed seemingly at random. Although the luxury market tends to … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Zenith Chronomaster Open Boutique Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The shining stars of the Chopard L.U.C collection
Chopard is a brand fighting on many fronts. Their offering encompasses jewellery and watches, with the watch side of the maison covering everything from sporty chronographs and quartz stainless-steel pieces to haute horlogerie sapphire chiming pieces and jewel-encrusted creations. The Chopard L.U.C collection builds on the history of the brand and its founder, Louis-Ulysse Chopard, … ContinuedThe post The shining stars of the Chopard L.U.C collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
“I don’t like cricket – I love it!” Why the new Vulcain Cricket is one of the best vintage re-issues to date
As the first mechanical alarm wristwatch and a watch that graced the wrists of presidents since 1953 – the Vulcain Cricket was always a great vintage proposition. For 2022, however, Vulcain is releasing two model lines across two sizes that will continue the Cricket’s legacy, comprising of the Vulcain Cricket Classic and Cricket Tradition. The … ContinuedThe post “I don’t like cricket – I love it!” Why the new Vulcain Cricket is one of the best vintage re-issues to date appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi High Jewellery: A Precious Snake That Cleopatra Would Have Loved
Jewelry watches, especially high jewelry models, rarely become icons. The exceptions to these rules are few and far between, but the Bulgari Serpenti is one. And the latest high jewelry version is just sublime with its mechanical movement!
SJX Watches
Insight: The Last Pilot’s Watch – Tutima’s Military Chronograph
Pilot’s watches, and specifically military-inspired pilot’s watches, are a pillar of the modern, luxury watch industry. Dozens of brands, notably IWC, Breitling, Bell & Ross, Bremont, and Yema, have made military aviation a core theme of their image. So it’s somewhat ironic that today’s elite military pilots don’t wear mechanical watches in the cockpit. A recent survey of pilots at MCAS Miramar, the airbase once home to the prestigious “Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor” programme – better known as TOPGUN – revealed that not a single pilot was wearing a mechanical watch. Instead, military pilots increasingly wear smartwatches designed specifically for aviators like the Garmin D2 that can monitor oxygen levels and act as a backup navigation system. Modern pilot’s watches made by luxury brands are more like “fan fiction”; a designer’s dream of what might have been. But this wasn’t always the case. Mechanical watches were once state-of-the-art technology and vital instruments for navigators and pilots before being rendered obsolete by quartz technology. This is the story of how the urgency of the Cold War gave the humble balance wheel one last chance to patrol the skies. The jet-shaped counterweight on the IWC Top Gun SFTI calls to mind the airplane-tipped chronograph minutes hand of Cold War-era pilot’s watches like the Tutima 798 A brief history of the pilot’s watch Pilot’s watches have been around for almost as long as there have been p...
SJX Watches
Jaquet Droz Introduces the Dragon Automaton
Already a prolific maker of wristwatches with tiny, intricate automatons – with tropical birds and magic lotus being part of its repertoire – Jaquet Droz has turned to the realm of Middle Earth for its latest creation. Featuring an automaton with nine mechanical animations, the Jaquet Droz Dragon Automaton was designed by Canadian illustrator John Howe. When it comes to dragons and fantasy lands, Mr Howe’s credentials are impeccable. Amongst his past roles was one of the two chief designers of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. And aside from the Dragon Automaton, another of Mr Howe’s most recent works was designing The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the Amazon production that’s the most expensive television series in history. Initial thoughts Dragons are a common theme on watches, but usually of the East Asian kind and typically in the Year of the Dragon of the Chinese Zodiac – a simple reflection of where most demand for luxury watches originates. A dragon of the European fantasy genre is less common; in fact, I cannot recall another watch that depicts themes from the fantasy genre. This makes the Dragon Automaton unique, both figuratively and literally. The motif is usual and esoteric so its appeal will certainly be niche at best. This version has an onyx dial with a hand-engraved dragon sculpture set against a similarly engraved mountain backdrop – the aesthetic is entirely The Lord of the Rings But that is exactly the point, since each Dragon Automa...
Time+Tide
The Author Clock is a (literally) novel way to read time
Mechanical analog timepieces are loved due to their romanticism and emotion, holding connection to a tradecraft and art form centuries old. Digital timekeepers often lack that level of emotion. With traditional timekeepers, certain rules have to be followed – hands and indices or numerals conveying the time. It is hard to deviate from such tradition, … ContinuedThe post The Author Clock is a (literally) novel way to read time appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Sincere (Re)Opens SHH Concept Store in Singapore
With edgy decor that set it apart from a typical luxury-watch store of the period, the inaugural Sincere Haute Horlogerie (SHH) in Singapore’s Hilton hotel was one of the world’s first “concept” stores dedicated to high-end mechanical watches when it opened in 2005. After a run of well over a decade, the original SHH store closed in 2019, but the format has now made a comeback at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) casino complex. Located along a stretch of the mall dominated by watch and jewellery brands, the new SHH once again focuses on niche and independent brands. Its stable of brands total 19 and include Greubel Forsey, H. Moser & Cie., Laurent Ferrier, Parmigiani, and Ferdinand Berthoud. Reboot and revive Being amongst the first retailers in the world to offer brands that were then just startups but would go on to do great things – Sincere took on Franck Muller in 1992, Lange in 1995, Panerai in 1998, and F.P. Journe in 2000 – SHH was a logical progression of Sincere’s retail strategy in the early 2000s. “[SHH in Hilton] was meant to be a touch point for very fine mechanical watches and high end brands,” says long-serving Sincere chief executive Ong Ban, “At the same time, it was also a launchpad for what we thought were the future stars of the industry.” Projects like the first SHH helped established Sincere as one of the three biggest watch retailers in Southeast Asia, alongside Cortina Watch and The Hour Glass. But after several changes in ownership, S...
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The Ball Roadmaster Rescue Chronograph in Ice Blue
A common argument against mechanical watches is that they don’t actually have much practical function in a 21st century society. The time can be read with atomic accuracy on a smartphone, and professional divers will almost always choose a modern dive computer over an analogue watch when their life is on the line. The Ball … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Ball Roadmaster Rescue Chronograph in Ice Blue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Hands On: Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty Chronograph
Louis Vuitton is now in its 20th year as a watchmaker. In that time it has gone from basic, ETA-powered watches to a variety of impressive complications, including its signature Spin Time, and even a minute repeater with automaton. To mark the occasion, Louis Vuitton (LV) has just announced the Tambour Twenty Chronograph, a remake modelled on the brand’s first serious mechanical timepiece. The two-decade journey has seen LV’s watchmaking division evolve from a shared space inside TAG Heuer’s factory to its own expansive facility in Geneva that includes not only a complications workshop but also its own dial-making facility. While LV does make some of its own movements now, the Tambour Twenty is a nod to its origins as a watchmaker. The 200-piece limited edition is modelled on the Tambour LV277 of 2003, the brand’s first chronograph that was powered by the Zenith El Primero. Initial thoughts Despite its odd proportions – a big case with tall, sloping sides and narrow lugs – the Tambour case is attractive in my eyes. And it’s distinctive and recognisable although its form is fairly simple. In short, it’s a successful design. The Tambour works especially well with complications since that gives its size – especially its thickness – a sense of purpose. Ordinarily I am not a fan of brown dials, but this is one of the few dials in the colour that looks good. LV executes its dials well – most of them are made in-house – and the reflective metallic brown o...
Time+Tide
The Sequent Smart-Ass is bound to excite your inner couch potato
Smart watches are among the more divisive topics in horological circles. Some call for them to be lynched as they threaten the pure, mechanical souls of their 18th century technology. Others, however tolerate their presence or even claim them to be the future. Whichever camp you fall into, simply calling the Sequent Smart-Ass a smart … ContinuedThe post The Sequent Smart-Ass is bound to excite your inner couch potato appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
GENEVA WATCH DAYS: The Bulgari novelties find a luxe upgrade for the Octo in gold
In March this year, Bulgari released the world’s thinnest mechanical watch with the Octo Finissimo Ultra, only to be beaten again in July by the Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari by just 0.05mm. While creating another record-breaking watch within a handful of months would be inconceivable, the Bulgari lineup for Geneva Watch Days offers an … ContinuedThe post GENEVA WATCH DAYS: The Bulgari novelties find a luxe upgrade for the Octo in gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Why The A. Lange & Söhne Tourbillon Pour Le Mérite Is One Of The Most Historically Important Modern Wristwatches – Reprise
Why is this timepiece important from a holistic view of horological history? The reasons are manifold and include the unheard-of technology nestled within its movement, the audacity of a German newcomer in challenging Swiss status quo, and the symbolic value for A. Lange & Söhne's rebirth as well as the golden age of mechanical timepieces.
Hodinkee
Happenings: Hyla Ames Bauer To Lecture At The Horological Society Of New York
The famous watch and jewelry writer will discuss the history of the Quartz Crisis.
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Code41 Introduces the Mecascape Pocket Watch
A startup that relies solely on crowdfunding for its timepieces, Code41 has launched a variety of wristwatches since its founding in 2016. All of its products to date have been wristwatches with a stylised, mechanical appearance. Now Code41 is launching its first pocket watch, the Mecascape. Essentially a portable clock that doubles up as a desk clock, the Mecascape is powered by a manually-wound movement with an eight-day power reserve. Like the brand’s other timepieces, the Mecascape has a modern, open-worked aesthetic, but applied to a regulator-style display with each of the indications in separate sub-dials. Initial thoughts More of a portable panel clock than a pocket watch, the Mecascape is an interesting product that doesn’t quite fit into any category of timepiece. The best way to describe it would be as an interesting mechanical object that watch enthusiasts might appreciate. Though slim, it is quite large at about 10 cm long, which is about a third shorter than an iPhone. The size means its practicality as a portable timepiece is limited. It would seem more useful as a small desk clock. Visually it has the modern, open-worked aesthetic found on watches from the likes of Richard Mille and Hublot. The style works well with the concept of the Mecascape. And thanks to its scale the mechanics are more easily observed than on a wristwatch. At just over US$9,300, the Mecascape seems fairly priced on initial examination, largely thanks to its unconventional form and...
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New: Code41 Mecascape Sublimation 1
Code41 introduces a new mechanical watch object that transcends visual dimensions. Introducing the Code41 Mecascape Sublimation 1.
Quill & Pad
In Praise of Anglage: Exceptional Hand-Finished Anglage Is Difficult, Slow, And Expensive So The Big Brands Have Given Up And Few Seem To Have Noticed (Or Seem To Care) – Thank God For The Indies!
Big brands are now making beautiful, reliable, and relatively accurate “traditional” mechanical watches, but the handcrafted work many of us value is disappearing. Highly skilled watchmakers and artisans are rare and expensive: there just aren’t enough of them available to churn out the large quantity of nice watches now being sold. And why bother when nobody seems to have noticed?
Quill & Pad
Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Heures Florales Cerisier: A Perpetually Blooming Microcosm Of Floral Gears
The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Heures Florales is first and foremost about being a piece of mechanical art, reminiscent of MB&F;, only entirely realized for lovers of nature, precious stones, and poetry. Telling the time is secondary, but that doesn't make it any less horologically stupendous.
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Orient Star Introduces the Diver 1964 2nd Edition
Launched last year as a limited edition with a steel bezel insert, the Orient Star dive watch is returning as a regular-production model. Powered by an in-house automatic movement with the brand’s signature power reserve indicator – an uncommon but useful complication for a mechanical dive watch – the Diver 1964 2nd Edition will be available in two dial colours matched with an anodised aluminium bezel insert. A struggling, publicly-listed watchmaker until it was rescued by Seiko Epson in 2001, Orient is now a subsidiary of the printing giant. Primarily focused on affordable watches priced at several hundred dollars, Orient also offers more upscale models under the Orient Star label, which encompasses the Diver 1964 2nd Edition. Initial thoughts The new diver is essentially identical to last year’s limited edition, save for the dial and bezel insert. While the black dial doesn’t differ much, the green dial is a totally different look that’s a useful option for someone looking for something less plain. Because it has the same case as last year’s model, the 2nd Edition feels identical. It’s robustly constructed with a surprisingly solid bracelet. The feel in hand is definitely one of a “tool” watch. That said, the case is a thick 14.5 mm high, almost too thick with the 41 mm case. As a result, the watch feels bulky and top heavy. The Orient Star diver is comparable in quality to similarly priced Seiko Prospex dive watches, which means the value proposition...
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New: Depancel Serie-A Stradale
A new (est 2018) French independent Depancel releases the Serie-A Stradale, a new neo-vintage inspired meca-quartz chronograph.
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Studio Underd0g Introduces the Strawberry & Cream
A watch designer by profession, Richard Benc started Studio Underd0g in early 2020 during the lockdown in London, having previously designed watches for Braun, the German consumer goods maker famed for its shavers and industrial design. His brand got its start with a series of affordable mechanical chronographs defined by a quirky aesthetic, including examples modelled on the colours of watermelon and mint-chocolate chip ice cream. Now Studio Underd0g has taken the covers off its latest two-counter chronograph, Strawberries & Cream. Inspired by the colours of the eponymous desert, the watch was born from chance meeting from Miguel Seabra, a Portuguese journalist specialising in tennis and watches. A fan of Studio Underd0g from its inception, Mr Seabra and the brand’s founder shared a joke last year about the perfect dessert while watching tennis in summer, resulting in this edition. Initial thoughts While salmon is a fad, mechanical watches for men in bright pink are uncommon, which immediately sets Strawberries & Cream apart from its competitors. Admittedly this not the first pink dial from Studio Underd0g – the first was the Watermelon watch in bright green and pink – but this is arguably the more appealing since the colours simple go better together while being more wearable. The price-to-quality ratio of the Strawberries & Cream is good. The watch gets most things right. Both the case and dial are basic but interesting nonetheless, while the movement is a gentl...
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The TAG Heuer Connected Porsche Edition can talk to your car (assuming it’s a Porsche)
When car manufacturers and watch brands team up, the word ‘heritage’ gets thrown around a lot. It’s true that watchmaking and motorsport have gone hand in hand for decades and they have a lot of shared history to pull from, but it may also be that mechanical watches just can’t escape that rose-tinted prison of … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The TAG Heuer Connected Porsche Edition can talk to your car (assuming it’s a Porsche) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
One To Watch: Boldr Supply Co. Is Creating Some Of The Best Value-For-Money Watches Out There
A few guys in Singapore wanted to make a smartwatch – six years later they're breaking new ground in affordable mechanical watchmaking.
Time+Tide
Time+Tide Weekend Watch Crossword: #17 “American Watch Brands”
Watchmaking in America was a thriving industry prior to the quartz crisis. But while some American manufactures either were absorbed by foreign conglomerates, or went out of business altogether, today more and more American watch brands are coming back into the fold. See how many current American watch brands you know below.The post Time+Tide Weekend Watch Crossword: #17 “American Watch Brands” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Citizen Introduces the Promaster Diver 200m “Green Anaconda”
Introduced just last year, the Promaster Mechanical Diver 200m is an distinctive and compelling “tool” watch with an over-the-top style and impressive specs that include a hardened titanium case and magnetism-resistant movement. Now the watch returns in even more striking livery in a limited edition that will be available only in Asia. Dressed in green and gold, the Promaster Mechanical Diver 200m Asia Limited Edition “Green Anaconda” has a hobnailed dial and bezel, while the case, bracelet, and bezel are all black coated. Initial thoughts The original model was easy to like, especially if you like chunky dive watches. Its technical features are amongst the best in at its price segment, while the slightly exaggerated styling also helps it stand out in the crowded segment of affordable dive watches. What the first version lacked, however, was flair. Thought the watch was big and hard to miss, it was dressed almost entirely in shades of grey, which felt too restrained for the size and design. The “Green Anaconda” certainly took that lesson to heart with its striking colours that leave the hobnail patterning seem even more obvious than before. The colours and textures are brought out even more by the contrast with the black-coated case and bracelet. They are finished in diamond-like carbon (DLC), resulting in a charcoal finish that’s slightly glossy. The dark finish also makes the watch look smaller than it is, which is useful given its 46 mm diameter. With...
Time+Tide
MICRO MONDAYS: The Circula Supersport delivers a reimagined Super Compressor diver at a great price
There are plenty of watch brands that have been resurrected from the past. But Circula set themselves apart with their authentic German heritage and the benefit of original family ownership. Focusing mostly on high-quality mechanical watches at an attainable price, their latest release is a neat blend of modern functionality and vintage quirkiness in the … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Circula Supersport delivers a reimagined Super Compressor diver at a great price appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Living on a Thin Line – Our pick for six ultra-thin watches
There is a certain obsession with ultra-thin watches in the scene, with manufacturers trying to outdo each other by producing the world’s thinnest timepieces. Earlier this year, Bvlgari launched the world’s thinnest mechanical timepiece, in the form of the 1.80mm thick Octo Finissimo Ultra. This effort was however bested by Richard Mille, who recently justRead More
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Furlan Marri Introduces the Ref. 2116-A “Sector” Dial Automatic
A brand that made its debut just last year, Furlan Marri is all about affordable watches with retro style – just like many of its peers that entered the business around the same time. But the brand manages to set itself apart with a keen sense for design and details, something that was evident in its inaugural model, a quartz chronograph modelled on the Patek Philippe ref. 1463. Now the brand unveils something that’s arguably more compelling, the Reference 2116-A “Black Sector”. Once again vintage in style with compact proportions, the “Black Sector” is however automatic. Initial thoughts My first impression of the Reference 2116-A was positive. The styling is appealing and it is well priced, despite being a major step-up from the quartz chronograph in terms of case quality and the movement. In fact, the 2116-A is very well priced. It costs about US$1,250 but brings along fancy features such as artfully finished “cow horn” lugs, which is typically found on more expensive watches or actual vintage watches. At the same time, the watch is replete with retro details that collectors will like. That includes a properly proportioned dial where everything is laid out just nice, in contrast to many modern-day “sector” dial that can appear sparse. And the Breguet numerals may not be original or novel, but they are pleasing. As appealing as it is, the 2116-A still has a few shortcomings, at least for me personally. One is the wide cover for the central boss of th...
Time+Tide
The best women’s watches of 2022 so far…
There was a time when a women’s watch could be spotted from a mile away. Unnecessary diamonds, pretentious numerals, overpriced quartz movements and generally lazy design are all hallmarks of the stereotypical “ladies” watch. However, recent years are showing a long-awaited era of exploration from brands who have finally decided to respect feminine diversity. The … ContinuedThe post The best women’s watches of 2022 so far… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.