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Review: the new IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition “Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team”
Hands-on review of the new IWC Pilot's Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team Edition with a black dial and the team's signature colour.
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Hands-on review of the new IWC Pilot's Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team Edition with a black dial and the team's signature colour.
Time+Tide
With any sort of commercial product, the choice of colour plays a crucial role in attracting the consumer. But watchmaking is a game of precision, an art ever striving for the pursuit of perfection. It is no longer enough to make a black dial these days, now it needs to be the blackest black or … ContinuedThe post “About 80% of human experience is filtered through our eyes.” IWC proves the power of Pantone® appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Zenith boutiques and authorized retailers around the world, the Chronomaster Open is available in steel with a white or black dial, with either a steel bracelet or cordura-effect rubber strap
Time+Tide
START YOUR ENGINES: In 2018, we had a little dalliance with the brand that used to inhabit our HQ space, and now lives next door: Royal Enfield. Basically, we had a few beers one afternoon and found some matte-black, lightly modded common ground between watches and vintage-inspired bikes. The result: a Time+Tide motorcycle, later raffled off … ContinuedThe post William Wood is raffling a motorbike, we also raffled a motorbike. Which one is better? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Launched in 2007, Top Gun is IWC’s line up of all-ceramic pilot’s watches. But since its inauguration over a decade ago, the Top Gun has largely relied on a singular colour of ceramic – black in either a matte or glossy finish. IWC did offer a few models with coloured ceramic cases, but they were limited editions, until now. At Watches & Wonders 2022 IWC revealed ceramic cases in white or green with a pair of Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition – both regular production models. Instantly evoking stormtroopers from Star Wars, the “Lake Tahoe” edition has a case of white ceramic, while the “Woodland” edition is in forest-green ceramic. Both are 43.5 mm in diameter and contain the in-house cal. 69380. The two new models double the range of ceramic colours offered by IWC. They join the Pilot’s Watch “Mojave” editions launched in 2019 that had an unusual sand-coloured ceramic case, and last year’s “Laureus Sport for Good” in blue ceramic. “Woodland” Initial thoughts Long the brand’s bestselling line, the Pilot’s Watch has been a focus of IWC in recent few years. The brand has made safe bets with iterating on popular models that have received upgrades such as in-house movements, new dial colours, or more compact cases in new materials. In comparison the latest pair of chronographs are more adventurous. Intrinsically interesting because of their colours, the white and green ceramic cases are relatively uncommon for chronographs in this ...
Hodinkee
Syringe hands! Smooth bezel! Black and tan! And a new home for Patek's traditional hobnail decoration.
SJX Watches
Bell & Ross is back with another square instrument watch in black ceramic, but this time taking a sharp turn away from its traditional emphasis on no-nonsense, military-inspired style. Instantly different from the typical B&R; offering, the BR 03-94 Multimeter prioritises colours and shapes, sacrificing the legibility in favour of style – which is not actually a bad thing. Initial thoughts The BR 03-94 Multimeter is ostensibly an instrument. The multi-scale dial can measure heart rate, respirations, or speed of travel for three forms of locomotion. But that’s how it works in theory. It’s filled with an overload of colours, letters, and numbers, providing the wearer with five different scales to go with the chronograph, including three types of tachymetric scales, one each for running, biking, and driving. Admittedly all that is more for aesthetic effect that practical usage. The dial isn’t the easiest to read, especially when driving or biking, but it certainly looks cool. It’s strikingly different from the usual military-inspired look of B&R;, which can be monotonous. Multi-scale The various scales on the dial are highlighted in different colours – orange, bottle green, white, pale green and forest green. And each scale is accompanied by its own base and unit indicator, so the wearer can use the watch as a measuring device when the scale is read in tandem with the running chronograph seconds hand. While the look is poles apart from the fighter jet instrument o...
SJX Watches
One of the biggest surprises from Rolex at Watches & Wonders 2022 is the GMT-Master II ref. 126720VTNR – the first contemporary, regular-production Rolex with a left-handed or “destro” crown. And just to make it even more different, it is equipped with the brand’s first-ever green-and-black bezel. Initial thoughts A brand that has preserved the signature style of watches for decades, Rolex is all about incremental improvements that are often evident only in the details. That’s exactly the case with the new GMT-Master II, which retains the trademark GMT aesthetic but is rather different. In fact, it is very different, which makes it polarising – you either like it or you don’t. Initially the left-handed crown does look awkward on the left wrist; it feels off somehow. But very quickly you get used to it and it is surprisingly cool. The new ref. 126710VTNR is priced about US$550 more than its counterparts with a conventionally located crown. According to Rolex, the price difference does not result from the rejigged crown position but rather the changes to the testing equipment necessary to accommodate the new crown position. Destro Most obvious is the crown at nine o’clock, which is accompanied by a repositioned date window. It is ostensibly for the left-handed, but will surely find fans amongst right-handers who want something unusual. It is intriguing, just because it’s so different from the rest of the brand’s offering (though Rolex’s sister compan...
Hodinkee
Caliber 9RA5, high-intensity titanium, and the all-important textured "Black Stream" dial.
SJX Watches
Perhaps the most surprising launch of the year so far, the Bioceramic MoonSwatch is a collaboration between Swatch and the maker of the Speedmaster Professional. The MoonSwatch is essentially Moonwatch “lite” – it has all the key details such as lyre lugs and a Velcro strap, but a quartz movement and small price tag. And the MoonSwatch is next level in terms of range. Whereas the original Moonwatch is mostly black, Swatch offers almost dozen variants of the MoonSwatch, each dedicated to the most significant bodies of the solar system, such as the Sun, Moon, and Mars. The MoonSwatch “Mission to Mars”, a tribute to the Speedmaster “Alaska Project” but with the entire case in bright red ceramic Initial thoughts The MoonSwatch is an exemplary crossover because its encapsulates the specialties of each brand. Combining the quintessential cheerful style of Swatch with Omega’s iconic Moonwatch results in a fun, lighthearted watch that’s very affordable. But it’s also a shocking product because the two brands are poles apart in terms of positioning and pricing. Put simply, an Omega strap costs more than the average Swatch watch. Swatch is clearly the winner. It’s an especially shrewd move for the maker of plastic watches, since some of the prestige and historical significance of Omega rubs off onto Swatch. As for Omega, it’s a purposeful act of brand dilution, no doubt in the hope that it brings the brand to a new audience that will aspire to own the real d...
SJX Watches
Not long after Citizen unveiled the Caliber 0200 in early 2021, it followed up with an affordable alternative, the Series 8 870. Resembling its bigger brother with an integrated bracelet, the Series 8 outperforms in its price segment. And just as Citizen unveils a limited edition Caliber 0200 in shades of grey, it is also taking the covers off the Series 8 870 First Anniversary Limited Edition, which features an all-black case matched with a carbon-composite dial. Initial thoughts While the standard 870 has excellent fit and finishing considering the price, it is available with just two dial options – black or silver – that are pretty plain, especially when bold textures or colours are all the rage. The new 870 caters to current fashions, but still remains low-key in a manner that’s typical of Citizen’s higher-end watches. With its cleaner look, the all-black case is an improvement from the two-tone standard model, while the carbon composite dial adds a degree of interest that is only obvious up close. It’s also an unusual take on the patterned dial, which is typically stamped. Unlike the standard model, this has a see-through back. The movement has been made a little more interesting with a gilded rotor, which stands out even more than usual as the case is entirely black. In fact, the gilded rotor is the sole bit of colour on the watch, but one that will only be known to the owner. Arguably the only shortcoming of the new 870 is the lack of a bracelet. Th...
SJX Watches
A year ago, Citizen debuted its first all new, high-end mechanical watch in decades, The Citizen Caliber 0200. A wristwatch par excellence, the Caliber 0200 was so good that it was one of our tops watches of 2021. Now Citizen is following up with the Caliber 0200 “Japanese Armour”, the first limited edition of the model that’s available globally. Topped with a black ceramic bezel and textured dial, the samurai-inspired Caliber 0200 has a low-key aesthetic that still distinguishes it from the all-steel models. Initial thoughts Even though production hasn’t yet caught up with demand – there’s still a waiting list for the watch – the Caliber 0200 is still a niche product, just because it is a high-end, mechanical offering from a brand better known for its solar-powered or quartz watches, and mostly affordable ones at that. So a limited edition makes sense, since the small run will boost desirability and create buzz worldwide (Citizen did launch a 50-piece limited edition last year that was sold only in Japan). That said, the new edition is still very much a restrained design that’s almost monochromatic. It’ll be one of those watches that are recognised only by those in the know. Interestingly, both the new limited edition and the standard model stick to the same palette – grey, silver, and black – with the difference between the two being the quantity and intensity of each colour. On the limited edition, black becomes the dominant colour thanks to the ...
A cult classic from the '90s is back in black(er).
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.
SJX Watches
After several years of drift – and a low-priced, Kickstarter-type watch – Baume & Mercier has finally returned with something surprisingly interesting. Based on the brand’s trademark oblong watch, the Hampton “Hommage à Pierre Soulages” is based on reproduces a work by the titular French artist on its dial in textured, three-dimensional relief. With the dial pattern apparent only up close and the case entirely in matte black, the aesthetic is strikingly low key. Like Mr Soulages’ best known works, the dial relies on texture, direction, and the absence of colour, although concessions are made for branding and time telling. Initial thoughts Though some of its ladies’ watches do well in certain markets, Baume & Mercier (B&M;) has had a difficult recent history. While cycling through several chief executives, the brand also launched a great variety of products over the period, but none of them really caught on. But now it has created something unexpected. The concept is straightforward – a dial that recreates a work of art – but it still manages to be original and unusual. Despite its simplicity, the watch manages to capture the artist’s spirit on a tiny canvas. The monochrome finish and emphasis on texture is exactly what Mr Soulages himself is famous for. The retail price of a bit under US$6,000 is pretty steep for a time-only watch powered by a stock ETA 2892, but several factors count in its favour. One is the intrinsic appeal of the watch, and another...
SJX Watches
Having been the first – and still the only – watchmaker to use liquid to display the time, HYT went bust last year, having struggled for several years after its 2012 debut. But now the brand is making a comeback with Davide Cerrato at the helm. The inaugural watch of the reborn HYT is the Hastroid Green Nebula that is dressed in brand’s familiar livery of lime green and black. Best known for being the design chief at first Tudor and then Montblanc, Mr Cerrato has applied his brand of Italian aesthetics to HYT, preserving its signature style while streamlining and downsizing the watches. Still large, but slightly thinner and definitely sleeker, the Hastroid continues the familiar formula found on most previous HYT watches – hours are indicated by a retrograde fluid indicator within a glass tube, while two large bellows are responsible for pumping the fluid indicator back and forth. Initial thoughts I was sceptical when I first heard that HYT was back from the dead, but knowing that Mr Cerrato is leading the charge certainly increases the odds of success. He did a stellar job shaping the visual identities of both Tudor and Montblanc – both of which still have the same house style today – and has certainly refined the HYT wristwatch while retaining its familiar feel. The Having seen a resin mockup of the Hastroid, I can attest to the fact that the watch is more compact and slightly more wearable than a first-generation HYT. At the same time, Mr Cerrato has given...
Deployant
Zenith announces the Final Edition of the Chronomaster Revival Lupin the Third - black and white dial in an A386 case with the El Primero 400 movement.
Revolution
With both Omega and Tudor now offering a Master Chronometer, the latter in the guise of the new Black Bay Ceramic, the brands have really upped their game and showcased just how incredibly accurate and technical in-house watchmaking has become.
Time+Tide
Black and gold as a colour combination will never fail to melt hearts, serving to imbue any watch with a sense of deluxe class no matter how macho it may be. The Panerai Submersible Goldtech OroCarbo may just be the perfect example of this, with all its tool-watch pedigree and masculine undertones, it just can’t … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Panerai Submersible Goldtech OroCarbo brings a luxurious touch of hyper-masculinity to the wrist appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Hands-on review of the quirky but rather interesting and modestly priced Raketa Copernicus, a watch made in Russia, in tribute to a Polish astronomer.
Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet have definitely thought outside of the box with many of their recent designs, such as the Code 11:59, Royal Oak Concepts, and the Black Panther, leveraging their traditional know-how to create modern timepieces the other Holy Trinity brands would never dream up. But they also understand when it is time to refine rather … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 43mm in titanium – less large, still very much in charge appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
The new Blancpain Air Command rides the waves of its predecessor but somehow lacks the finesse of the black dial model. Limited to 500 pieces, the 2019 model is mostly sold out if not completely sold out in stores. The new model benefits from it being a lighter and stronger material - titanium, and for those who prefer a subtler look, has a mostly matte finished case. In and of itself, the watch design is nicely executed and has a great movement behind it. And for those who prefer a blue dial over a black dial, a contemporary look over a homage, the new blue dial variant might be a better choice. But for those who prefer a more historically reminiscent timepiece, the 2019 homage would still be the leader of the pack.
Time+Tide
Black and gold has traditionally been a colour combination that oozes refinement, having reached a peak of sophistication in the old-world charm of the Art Deco movement that evokes black marble bars and brass telephones. But, Hublot have created a black and gold watch that truly bucks this trend, with the Big Bang UNICO Full … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang UNICO Full Magic Gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Ken Gargett set out to review a wine that has been called an Australian First Growth, the Wynns Black Label Cabernet, and its flagship, the John Riddoch Cabernet. But it became clear to him that without providing some context and history in relation to Coonawarra that anything on those wonderful wines would be incomplete. And here he does just that.
SJX Watches
Earlier this year Hublot dropped the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami with its spinning, smiling flower. But the watch was surprisingly all-black – even set with black diamonds – seemingly antithetical to the artist’s splashy, polychromatic style. Now the watchmaker has taken the idea to its logical conclusion (or perhaps there will be more) with the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow. It’s essentially the same watch but rendered in full colour and clear sapphire, an upbeat – and pricey – timepiece that exemplifies the quintessential aesthetic of both Hublot and Murakami. Initial thoughts The all-black Murakami edition was a stellar success – it sold out within a day – and Hublot already had plans at the time for a follow up; in fact, its spokesperson said so during the launch of the original version). Repetition isn’t always exciting for fortunately the new edition is certainly perfectly executed for what it is, while also being a far smaller run. Most importantly, it looks different enough – the chromatic opposite in fact – to make it compelling even for someone who owns the first version. The new look is even more striking, since the transparent case creates an open aesthetic that allows the coloured stones to shine – a case in another material would arguably have diminished the impact of the rainbow gemstones. Notably, the latest version is also true to the both the artist and brand. While a sapphire case isn’t novel, it’s...
Revolution
The Tudor North Flag was released in 2015 to great fanfare, thanks to its novel design and in-house movement. Fast forward to today, and the model has been discontinued from the catalog. We find out why the North Flag never enjoyed the success of its cousin, the Black Bay.
Deployant
The Luminox Commando Raider is an unusually bright Luminox, which has mostly opted for black or darker colored dial variants. It provides a more vibrant variant for those who appreciate a little more fanfare but maybe less appreciated by those who want more tactical accessorizing. That said, the bright green is not a blocker for those who prefer a tactical color, since there is also a black strap variant.
Time+Tide
It’s that time of year again. Black Friday. Where authorised dealers are pitching some of the best deals you’ve seen all year. Brands are ready to turn over old stock at amazing discounts with some of the marquee watches of the past slowly whispering in your ear: “Buy me. You know you want to. I … ContinuedThe post The Collector’s Crossroads: Why I don’t have a grail watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
What we love:: Bringing recognition to an endangered species Black and lemon coloured diver is beautifully executed (Case-back showcasing lemon-sharks, needs to be seen to appreciate it)R-strap made entirely from recycled fishing nets What we don’t love: Price, some may find this to be expensive for what’s on offerAs much as we love the nylon strap, after few wears it tends to look old Bezel layout prone to catching dust Over All Rating: 7.1/10 Value for money – 6.5/10Wearability – 7/10Design – 7.5/10Build Quality – 7.5/10 The Ulysse Nardin Lemon Shark Diver was unveiled as a beautiful shark-themed limited edition timepiece honouring and celebrating World Ocean Day. It also honours the well-known shark experts, divers, universities, and non-profit organisations that have given up their time to clean up and make our oceans better. On June 8th, 2021, Ulysse Nardin pledged their environmental commitment which follows the United Nations guidelines and its 17 sustainable development goals. The Swiss watch manufacturer has pled to meet these guidelines by the year 2030. The brand states that “Our aim is to reduce marine pollution by integrating materials culled from the ocean whenever possible into our new products. While we recycle discarded fishing nets into watch bands, we are also acquiring greater oceanographic knowledge with our focus being mainly on sharks.” Ulysse Nardin is devoted to shark conservation around the world, so it is only right that a wat...
Revolution
In its short, decade long life Tudor’s defining dive watch, the Black Bay has been on a wild ride. We look at the historic origins of Tudor’s diver and discover how this design lineage has been incorporated into the modern-day Tudor Black Bay
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