Introducing: Cartier Takes The Tank Must To The Dark Side
And the Tank Louis Cartier comes along for the ride.
42,061 articles · 280 videos found · page 616 of 1412
And the Tank Louis Cartier comes along for the ride.
SJX Watches
Cartier’s wide-ranging new launches at Watches & Wonders 2022 naturally encompasses new takes on its historical designs, including the Tank Chinoise and lacquered Santos-Dumont. But its most extraordinary creation stands apart from the brand’s contemporary timepieces. The Masse Mystérieuse is essentially a floating movement within an oscillating weight. As the weight oscillates around the central axis of the dial, it winds the mainspring contained within itself. Initial thoughts Cartier abandoned its once ambitious push into highly complicated watches when its current chief executive Cyrille Vigneron took charge in 2016. Mr Vigneron has stated publicly on several occasions that Cartier should not stray from its historical strength in simple, elegant watches in unusual forms. So the Masse Mystérieuse is definitely atypical, but that doesn’t take away from its fascinating mechanics. The complexity and creativity of its mechanics bring to mind an earlier era of Cartier watchmaking. While Cartier states that the Masse Mystérieuse was eight years in the making, it doesn’t mention who was responsible for the idea. It goes without saying that is was Carole Forestier-Kasapi, the former head of development at Cartier’s manufacture who now has the same role at TAG Heuer. The Masse Mystérieuse is instantly recognisable as her work, appearing to be evolved from the Astrotourbillon. Ingenious as it is, the Masse Mystérieuse is also similar to Ms Forestier-Kasapi’s pa...
SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie.’s flagship launch at Watches & Wonders 2022 is the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton. While the watch combines elements found in past Moser watches, including the trademark fume dial, it does so in an novel manner, resulting in a watch that looks and feels different from the brand’s current offerings. Initial thoughts The new Pioneer tourbillon combines familiar elements in a novel manner, resulting in an interesting watch that stands apart from the rest of Moser’s offerings. Mechanically it is a variant of the calibre found in the Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon of 2020. The inclined time display of the earlier model has been eliminated, while the movement has been skeletonised in an unusual step for the brand, which has rarely offered skeleton watches in the past. Visually, the Pioneer tourbillon is not obviously a Moser at first glance, although the sub-dial at 12 o’clock is in a smoked blue that is associated with Moser. In fact, the styling of the watch brings to mind the skeletonised watches of Jaquet Droz. Still, the Pioneer tourbillon is interesting and novel enough that its CHF79,000 price tag is fair, putting it amongst the more appealing tourbillons in this affordable(ish) price segment. A sporty tourbillon The new Pioneer was conceived as a sports watch with a tourbillon. The Pioneer case is rated to 120 m of water resistance and positioned as Moser’s elegant sports watch (as opposed to the Streamliner that is an out-and-out spo...
SJX Watches
Famous for its no-nonsense “tool” watches, Sinn supplied custom-designed chronographs to the tactical unit of Germany’s federal customs agency, ZUZ for short, when the unit was established in 1997. Having reissued the watch in a larger format in 2017, the German watchmaker once again revisits the minimalist chronograph with the EZM 1.1 S conceived for the 25th anniversary of the original. Limited to 500 pieces, the EZM 1.1 S is essentially identical to the 2017 limited edition, except it has the addition of a black coating on the hardened steel case, resulting in an exceptionally high level of wear resistance. Initial thoughts The all-black finish fits the EZM 1.1 perfectly in both style and substance. As far as military-inspired instrument watches go, this is a good one – with a few caveats. But because it’s identical to the earlier EZM 1.1, it has the same drawbacks, namely size and weight, both of which are slightly excessive. While the original EZM 1 designed for the ZUZ was compact and lightweight, the EZM 1.1 feels like a chunky, heavy watch on the wrist. At about US$5,500, the EZM 1.1 S is relatively affordable in absolute terms, but fairly pricey for a chronograph powered by Valjoux 7750, albeit one modified to have a central elapsed minutes. Sinn tech A large part of the Sinn proposition is its proprietary technology that boosts durability. Being one of the brand’s priciest watches, the EZM 1.1 S boasts almost all of the brand’s innovations, starti...
Hodinkee
We're announcing the winner and watch spotting a secret Tank.
Revolution
De Bethune’s latest DB28GS JPS is a sports watch inspired by F1 and driven by one of the most incredible movements ever designed
Time+Tide
Galvin Watch Company, a notable Kickstarter success, present their newest creation: the Loimu collection. Affordably priced and with a high-beat Japanese automatic movement, the release shapes up as a left-field choice for a great everyday watch. Behind the brand After gaining noteworthy industry experience working for TAG Heuer and Omega, Finnish watchmaker Susan Galvin who’s now based … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Galvin Watch Company Loimu is a funky-dialled sporty watch at a great price appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
While we might be confronted with a plethora of different gins these days, aside from a few standards from the big producers there are a couple of favorites that are enjoyed around the world. Hendrick’s is definitely one of these. Ken Gargett explains why and shares his tasting notes on four different Hendrick's products. Cheers!
SJX Watches
A maker of affordable watches with unconventional styling, SevenFriday is now a decade old. To commemorate the milestone, the brand has unveiled the Free-D. To put it mildly, the Free-B adds three-dimensionality to the brand’s trademark time display comprised of rotating discs. And in a first for the brand, which has historically relied on Miyota, the Free-D is powered by a Swiss-made movement, Sellita to be exact. Initial thoughts While SevenFriday has increasingly felt like a “fashion” brand with its endless iterations of the same design, the brand has produced timepieces that are genuinely compelling. The Free-D is certainly one of the more interesting examples of its unorthodox design, though the over-the-top style is an acquired taste to say the least. Bold, extra large, and definitely peculiar, the Free-D is actually based on the brand’s signature “squircle” case but dressed up with a 3D-printed external shell and lugs. The added parts do exactly what they are meant to, which is to elaborate on the brand’s traditional case style to distinguish it for the anniversary. And they give the watch a decidedly alien aesthetic – it looks like a prop from a sci-fi film. At the same time, the external cladding on the case is essentially plastic. Granted, plastic of various types is widely used in high-end watchmaking – Richard Mille and Hublot are proponents of its use – but it is certainly not for everyone. In contrast, the time display is simple but easy...
Time+Tide
When we see watches in action films, the usual suspects are Rolex, Omega, IWC and Panerai. But in the newly released movie The Lost City, we spotted a daily wearer make its cinematic debut, at least to our knowledge, on the wrist of Mr Magic Mike himself: Channing Tatum. While the watch may not be the … ContinuedThe post Channing Tatum sports a Bulgari Aluminum alongside Sandra Bullock and Brad Pitt in new film “The Lost City” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
As determined by the most discriminating audience in watchmaking – you.
Time+Tide
Events are back! In what had felt like an eternity attending online watch meetups and presentations, the social calendar of in-person events has finally emerged from the Covid freeze of the last two years. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s 90th Anniversary celebrations are in full swing, capturing the rich history of the Reverso along with the red-hot contemporary line-up led … ContinuedThe post Jaeger-LeCoultre host Reverso celebration (and reveal the best engraving on the watch they’ve spotted in the wild) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
The quintessential space watch meets the respected affordable Swiss brand in the hands-down most exciting collaboration of this young year.
Hodinkee
The hottest watch of the year dropped Saturday, and HODINKEE was there on three continents to document the scene.
Quill & Pad
Corum has released several new Admiral timepieces for 2022, including six new Admiral 42 models, one of which offers an interesting “grenadier fendu” pattern that was entirely designed in-house at Corum. But the pinnacle of these new additions is the novel Admiral 45 Openworked Luminescent Carbon with a glow-in-the-dark carbon fiber case.
Time+Tide
There are lots of buzzwords that fly around the realm of microbrands. Innovation, function, craftsmanship - they all serve the purpose of validating a watch brand’s existence beyond the simple fact that they exist to sell watches. Sometimes it’s necessary to use these because watch collectors are biased towards brands that have centuries worth of … ContinuedThe post From the world’s thinnest dive watch to an absolute monster, the NOVE Trident Automatic and Atlantean are dive watches with a difference appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
The latest from Ressence dials back on technical complexity, but preserves the brand’s trademark aesthetic centred on a planetary time display. As a result, the Type 8 is substantially more affordable, while instantly recognisable as a Ressence wristwatch. By doing away with a seconds indicator as well as simplifying the case construction, the Type 8 is priced at CHF12,500, or about US$13,500, making it the most affordable watch in the brand’s catalogue. The next most affordable model, the Type 1, costs about 30% more. Initial thoughts Ressence founder Benoît Mintiens once said to me that he wished he could make his watches more accessible, but that was impossible without more economies of scale. Ressence has evidently inched closer to Benoît’s vision, since the Type 8 looks to be an excellent product in both design and execution, while being affordable, at least relative to the brand’s other watches. It sacrifices nothing in terms of aesthetics – the missing seconds but isn’t overly obvious – while still managing to be a Ressence. In fact, the Type 8 case is entirely different from the brand’s other watches, bringing a new form to the brand’s design language. But it fits right into the catalogue and feels no different from the other watches, illustrating the coherence of the design. Type 8C The inaugural version of the model is the Type 8C, which has a grained blue dial. Minutes are indicated on the full dial, while the hours are shown on an “orbita...
Hodinkee
The Scottish brand's in-house type specialist takes us along on her journey from art student to watch designer.
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...
Revolution
A few months ago, Revolution’s founder acquired his grail watch that’s been the object of his obsession since 2016. He describes what it’s been like living with it.
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
Urwerk founders Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei visited Singapore in September 2019 and we had lunch with at the Marriott along Singapore’s Orchard Road, sitting outdoors to enjoy Singapore’s uniquely tropical weather. Thanks to an inspiring afternoon with the pair, it was just after that lunch that I first mooted the idea of a UR-100 with a cover over the front. I sent over this awful mock-up I created on Photoshop, which was clearly inspired by the UR-103, an old favourite of mine. After a back and forth with Felix and Martin, and a few long pauses in between, an idea took shape. In June 2020, I further refined the idea in an email to the pair, “I have an idea of a watch inspired by the ancient Mayan astronaut myth… something like an UR-100, but with metal covering more of the face… with an engraved Mayan pattern…”. The starting point A serious watch with a sense of humour is something that appeals to me, so the rationale for the concept was tongue in cheek: Urwerk makes sci-fi watches, so a Mayan motif was perfect since it was once believed the first person in space was a Mayan astronaut. The myth arose from a misinterpretation of the motif on a Mayan ruler’s sarcophagus (you can find out more about supposed ancient astronaut by reading up on “Kʼinich Janaabʼ Pakal“). Not long after, I elaborated on the idea and suggested a yellow gold case with an emerald cabochon in the crown. Unfortunately that was not to be (although some green did make it ...
A special edition for the NFT crowd – and another watch for luddites like me.
Hodinkee
"Never use the word 'cheap.'" – Karl Lagerfeld
Revolution
Longines introduces a rugged multi-time zone watch in time for the resumption of “travel as usual”.
Deployant
Citizen releases a new model to their The Citizen Mechanical Cal. 0200 lineup with a model inspired by Japanese armour. Here is the Ref. NC0206-18E.
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 ...
Hodinkee
A double-balance hyperwatch for the great outdoors.
Hodinkee
The latest democratic creation from the mind-melting magician of the avant-garde.
Time+Tide
Curiouser and curiouser. Yesterday I posted a story about Anthony “the Blue Wiggle” Field and how he’s been repeatedly spotted wearing the ultimate IT watch, a Patek Philippe Tiffany Blue. The story generated a real buzz on the T+T site as Anthony is, of course, a founding member of the beloved kid’s entertainers, The Wiggles. … ContinuedThe post “I promise I don’t have a real Patek.” OK, this is weird, Anthony the Blue Wiggle insists his watches are fake appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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