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Monochrome
With its superb movement and innovative escapement, the Bernhard Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer (CIC) is a fascinating watch and technical development. 4 different variations of the CIC have been presented so far: two initial limited editions in white gold followed by rose gold and steel editions. The independent watchmaker has just dropped the first pictures […]
Quill & Pad
As Joshua Munchow swiped through posts on Instagram one day, he was stopped in his tracks, toothbrush dangling from his gaping mouth, eyes wide, and one singular thought running through his head as he stared at his phone: Grand Seiko doesn’t make movements like this. This is an avant-garde tourbillon movement with a constant force escapement and incredible, exposed mechanics! What in the world . . .?! Meet the T0.
Quill & Pad
It has always surprised Martin Green that mechanical movements running at a high frequency have never become more popular. Chopard joined this exclusive club in 2012 with the L.U.C 8HF and now releases a follow-up with the Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF, which also boasts an 8 Hz escapement.
SJX Watches
One of the latest releases from Roger Dubuis, the Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph, makes the most of its openworked dial to show off a newly-developed calibre, the RD780, which combines an inclined balance wheel with an integrated chronograph. A complex movement with two patents pending, the RD780 is notably elaborate with unusual features like a digital minute counter and twin barrels. And technically-minded enthusiasts will also note the RD780 boasts diamond-coated silicon escapement parts, which are both wear- and magnetism-resistant. Initial thoughts Roger Dubuis’ current chronographs distinguish themselves through bold design and flashy technical features. While the style is outlandish, it is refreshing to see this unique approach to a chronograph design, particularly since the technical features are novel and interesting, such as the inclined balance wheel and column wheel, visible through the openworked dial. But the Excalibur chronograph’s technical merits are perhaps overshadowed by the design, which is excessive in a hyper-mechanical style. The chronograph’s dial is busy, even for an openworked dial. It is not easy to read, even when compared to what is being offered by the likes of Richard Mille, which is perhaps the closest comparison to the Excalibur chronograph. The Excalibur chronograph is priced at US$101,500, making it more affordable than the equivalent from Richard Mille, the RM 72-01. In fact, the Excalibur is half as expensive as the Richar...
Time+Tide
No matter how exquisite the finishing, how innovative the escapement, or how beautiful the colour of the dial, unfortunately these days the worth of a watch can be far more literal in the eyes of the broader marketplace. Outside of the scope of die-hard watch geekdom, a watch is only alluring as its value on … ContinuedThe post First 2023 Rolex novelties hit the secondary market – where does the new GMT Master II sit? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Horage is a bit of an oddity in the watch world. Most brands build for years and years to be able to produce even a simple three-hand movement, should they even choose to go that route, and they tend to demand a high price. Horage has been working on theirs since its inception and has maintained a goal of industrialization over high prices starting with the K1, which had a silicon escapement and a modular complication system back at launch. Though it didn’t get the attention it deserved initially, it did inevitably ascend the horology ranks and prove its viability, as the K1 serves as the basis of Bremont’s ENG300 calibers. Eventually, Horage added the micro-rotor wound K2, featured in the Supersede. Another rarity, in addition to being thin, as micro-rotors tend to be, the K2 also featured modular design allowing for complications without increasing the base movement’s thickness by much, as well as a silicon escapement, 72-hour power reserve, and within chronometer accuracy. Another movement that would be impressive coming from a large luxury group, let alone an independent brand like Horage. While neither are small feats, today we’re looking at a watch with a movement that is perhaps even more impressive. The Lensman 1 features the K-TOU caliber, which is Horage’s in-house, Swiss-made tourbillon. Yes, you read that right. And the watch, despite featuring such a rare and exotic complication, comes in at under $10k. There’s a lot more to the watch as well, whic...
Deployant
Orient Star releases two new Avant-garde Skeleton models as extensions to their Sports Collection. Now equipped with a movement with a silicon escapement.
Revolution
Wei and Jeremiah take a closer look at Revolution’s latest collaboration with Frederique Constant, a brand whose mission is to bring luxury to a wider audience. In 2021, Frederique Constant introduced the Slimline Monolithic, a watch that replaced all 26 components of the oscillator and escapement, instead employing a single silicon disc as the regulating […]
Quill & Pad
The "good ol’ days” aren’t over yet – at least in the world of mechanical watches, where the appreciation of traditions and the creation of lasting values are as essential as the balance wheel and the escapement. Here, Sabine Zwettler takes a look at five of her favorite modern retro-styled watches from Blancpain, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Breitling, and Seiko.
Time+Tide
Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Blue & Gold’s faceted case is inspired by the lines of stealth aircraft design 45mm in diameter, 18K rose gold and PVD blue titanium case. Flying Tourbillon. Hours and minutes. Escapement wheel, anchor and balance spring in silicium. When delving into the romanticism of traditional high-end watchmaking, we often discuss hand-craftsmanship. But, … ContinuedThe post The Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Blue & Gold offers exemplary in-house machined mastery appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Technical innovation has always been at the heart of Omega. From the Speedmaster being the first watch to be flight-qualified by NASA for manned space flight to the industrialisation of the co-axial escapement, Omega remains at the vanguard of pushing the boundaries of watchmaking. 10 years in the making, Omega’s new Spirate hairspring system takes […]
Quill & Pad
As Joshua Munchow swiped through posts on Instagram one day, he was stopped in his tracks, toothbrush dangling from his gaping mouth, eyes wide, and one singular thought running through his head as he stared at his phone: Grand Seiko doesn’t make movements like this. This is an avant-garde tourbillon movement with a constant force escapement and incredible, exposed mechanics! What in the world . . .?! Meet the T0.
Time+Tide
When you think of watchmaking today, you likely immediately think of Swiss watchmaking. But, to give credit where it is rightfully due, British watchmakers are largely responsible for major escapement designs and many watchmaking innovations over the centuries. Test your knowledge on the subject below. Be warned, it is definitely of advanced difficulty for those … ContinuedThe post Time+Tide Weekend Watch Crossword: #28 “British Innovations in Watchmaking” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having recently reopened Sincere Haute Horlogerie (SHH), a “concept” store dedicated to independent brands, Singapore retailer Sincere commissioned limited editions from several watchmakers to mark the event, including the Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Convexe in purple. Following that, SHH has unveiled another finely decorated time-only wristwatch, the Laurent Ferrier Square Micro-Rotor SHH Edition. With Breguet numerals on the front and a natural escapement on the back, the SHH Edition is classical but given a contemporary aesthetic with a gradient mint green. Initial thoughts A store with 19 brands on its premises, SHH certainly has a diversity of watchmaking on offer. But amongst its most technically accomplished time-only watches are the creation of Laurent Ferrier. Seemingly plain-vanilla on the front, the brand’s Micro-Rotor is tells a different story on the reverse. The movement revives Abraham-Louis Breguet’s escapement from two centuries ago, while the automatic winding mechanism is elaborately executed. It is a watch that is easily appreciated by collectors who appreciate history and chronometry. Like most collaborative editions, the SHH edition retains the flavour of the original, but with enough tweaks that it appeals to the target audience, namely watch enthusiasts who like classical design. While many of the dial details are familiar, they are combined in a coherent and restrained manner. The effect is subtle but significant. When I first encounte...
Hodinkee
These next rounds of classes will be hosted by Chopard, ISSIMI, and The Escapement Club.
Hodinkee
The LM Split Escapement EVO is how MB&F; tackles a "simple and sporty" design brief.
Quill & Pad
At Watches and Wonders 2022, Chopard unveiled another Alpine Eagle, this time with a sophisticated escapement: a flying tourbillon. While not too long ago the high-end market seemed to be flooded with this tiny whirlwind, that no longer seems to be the case. And Sabine Zwettler thinks that there could not be a better place for a new flying tourbillon than the “Aletsch” blue dial of the Alpine Eagle.
Quill & Pad
So what do we have here? A watch with an innovative escapement style, two minute repeaters, an ultra-thin timepiece, and two clocks: the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève has never seen such a wildly different bunch in one category – not even the Mechanical Exception category, which is kind of a fun free-for-all in terms of mechanical creativity. Join our panel's discussion right here.
Hodinkee
Laurent and Christian Ferrier will discuss the principles of the natural escapement.
SJX Watches
First introduced in 2012 in the L.U.C 8HF, Chopard’s proprietary escapement was notable for being ultra-high frequency, running at twice the speed of a conventional escapement, and also one of the first such escapements to make it to serial production. But whatever the merits, the brand’s past high-frequency watches were a mixed bag in terms of design, and for that reason the brand’s technical accomplishment never gained the recognition it deserved. But now the 8 Hz escapement finally arrives in an appealing package, the Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF. Initial thoughts The new Alpine Eagle is an unusual combination of a luxury-sports watch and an interesting movement with a novel escapement that runs at twice the normal speed. Like the standard version of the Alpine Eagle, the Cadence 8HF is finished to an impressively high level on the case and bracelet. That’s especially more impressive given that it’s entirely titanium, instead of steel. The design does come in for some minor criticism – the polished centre links of the bracelet are too narrow – but it is still good looking. And the Cadence 8HF has a cleaned up dial, which adds to the appeal. While impressive technically, the movement isn’t too much to look at, since the finishing is workmanlike and monochromatic. That said, the movement’s aesthetics suit the style (and price) of the watch perfectly. The Cadence 8HF is almost 50% more expensive than the regular model in steel – but it’s worth the stretc...
SJX Watches
After Bernhard Lederer unveiled his impressive double-wheel escapement wristwatch last year, it was radio silence until now. As it turns out, Mr Lederer was working on refining the Central Impulse Chronometer, which is now being launched in its final, serial-production form. The new watch is essentially the same watch, but with a new and improved dial. The movement remains the same: equipped with a double-wheel escapement featuring twin going trains, each equipped with a remontoir d’egalité constant force mechanism – making it one of the serious chronometers in modern horology. Entirely revised is the dial, which now has more elegant design, with slim hour markers framing a chequerboard guilloche centre. And the dial now incorporates gains a symmetrical, figure-of-eight aperture that showcases the twin escapements and remontoirs, with each having its own seconds hand – both turning in the opposite direction. Initial thoughts The CIC is one of the relatively rare wristwatches to incorporate a double-wheel escapement. But what makes the CIC uncommon is its execution – its escapement is powered by twin individual going trains – a construction famously conceived by George Daniels for his pocket watches, most notably the Space Traveller’s Watch. Bernhard Lederer at his bench The degree of miniaturisation to fit such a construction into a watch puts the CIC amongst an exclusive class of timepieces that can be counted on one hand – made by George Daniels, Derek ...
Time+Tide
You know the phrase “Business on the outside, party on the inside”? Well Zenith has flipped that with the new, very limited-edition Zenith Defy 21 Spectrum line. The business is on the inside with that magnificent dual-escapement El Primero 9004 automatic movement – but there’s no doubting that it’s party time on the outside. A … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Zenith Defy 21 Spectrum collection turns the volume up to 11 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
De Bethune highlights that there is more than one way to rotate a watch, using its floating lug system to perfection in the new DB Kind of Two Tourbillon. Look out, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso! Watching the blue tourbillon escapement beating away in high-def macro video is simply captivating: you'll want to watch it over and over and over.
SJX Watches
Patents in watchmaking are often brushed over by the brand themselves, except when tallying them in marketing material. But they are important, and can be foundational to a brand, as George Daniels’ famed co-axial escapement is synonymous with Omega. But there is a great deal more in watchmaking that can be protected with a patent than a lubrication-free escapement. A large proportion of the parts that make up a watch – from case materials to time-display mechanisms – can be patented, and often are. That begs the question: what exactly can be patented? The common obstacle encountered by a would-be inventor is that patents are notoriously difficult to secure, especially if applied for without specialist help. Going from application to approval of a patent often requires several years, and approval is not a certainty. Gaining a patent hinges on three criteria: the invention in question must be new, non-obvious, and useful. Beyond the necessary knowledge of prior inventions – in order to prove the patent-pending idea is new – the incredibly specific wording required for patents can be daunting to an independent applicant, so it usually falls to a patent attorney to lead the application process. But patents can be lucrative for an inventor, especially for an innovation targeted at the consumer, which is why new patents are registered every day. The United States Patent and Trademark Office, for instance, received just under 670,000 patent applications in 2019, and gr...
Time+Tide
In spite of some not inconsiderable distractions, there were some pretty decent watches released in 2020. Quite a few of them actually. Omega relaunched their serially produced caliber 321, Bulgari executed the Octo Finissimo in steel, Grand Seiko launched an entirely new escapement in their SLGH002 and DOXA brought their most iconic design into the … ContinuedThe post Nick’s 3 favourite watches of 2020, including Cartier, Seiko and Hamilton appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
American clockmaker Rick Hale's new Wind & Water has a lot of nerdy mechanical and horological tidbits to geek out over, not to mention some fun woodworking details that add another level like a timber grasshopper escapement (with wooden pallets, naturally). But it's the fluid design and immersible craftsmanship that is bound to take your the breath away.
Quill & Pad
In the GPHG Chronometry category, we find mechanical watches that contain at least one tourbillon, and/or a special escapement, and/or another development improving precision timekeeping. What we don't find, though, is much hard data regarding precision like timing test results or in most cases even a second hand. Precision watches without a second hand? Despite that, our panel predicts a clear winner.
SJX Watches
The most complicated MB&F; watch when it was launched in 2015, the LM Perpetual (or LM QP) was powered by an ingenious movement combining a “split” escapement and a novel perpetual calendar mechanism developed by Irish watchmaker Stephen McDonnell. Now MB&F; has reworked the watch to create its sportier and more robust successor, the LM Perpetual EVO. Featuring several tweaks to the case, dial, and movement that are cumulatively significant, the LM Perpetual EVO boasts increased water resistance along with an integrated rubber strap. The LM Perpetual EVO is a limited edition of 15 watches each in black, blue, and orange Initial thoughts Even though the Legacy Machine (LM) line was conceived as something inspired by the 19th century and Jules Verne, the LM Perpetual with its open-worked, intricate dial was always stylishly modern, though that was toned down by the white-lacquered sub-dials of the original model. The EVO, however, makes full use of the open-worked dial to become an uber-contemporary watch. Both the material and construction of the case are new: it’s now zirconium with a more complicated architecture, featuring recessed sides and angular lugs that integrate with the strap. And the sub-dials are black, creating a striking contrast against the base plate in black, blue, or orange. Most notably, the EVO brings to mind the Harry Winston Project Z1, which was the other major product developed by MB&F; founder Maximilian Büsser when he was chief executive of ...
Deployant
Bernhard Lederer introduces a new Central Impulse Chronometer using a natural escapement with two 10-second constant-force mechanisms.
Quill & Pad
Project 248 is the working title for Struthers Watchmakers' first in-house, handcrafted movement. It features a new improved English lever escapement, picking up where the British industry left off in the late nineteenth century. Colin Alexander Smith reports extensively on the project whose first run of five watches has already sold out.
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