1,573 articles · 669 videos found · page 63 of 75
Revolution
The news that Jérôme Lambert, current CEO of 180-year-old Swiss house of high watchmaking Jaeger-LeCoultre, will be heading up product-diverse Montblanc as of 1 July 2013 was released today, taking the industry by surprise. Speculation about the future leadership of the Hamburg-headquartered Montblanc had been been gradually heating up since early 2012, but this is […]
Revolution
The rumours are true: one can pick out very decent deals amid the top-dollar tickers brandished at the annual Swiss watch fairs. To save you the legwork, we’ve sussed out two of the handsomest and most wallet-friendly models from the 2013 Geneva watch fairs. In one corner is the 1950s-inspired Clifton Automatic in stainless steel, […]
Revolution
Though it won’t be officially launched until Basel 2013 we thought this was too interesting to keep to ourselves –it’s the latest take on the Zenith “Christophe Colomb” series of watches (part of the Zenith Academy collection.) The Christophe Colomb watches place the escapement and balance in a gimbaled cage, so that no matter what […]
Deployant
Arnold & Son was once a venerable name in English watchmaking. Perhaps with these new watches, they are coming back? Read on to find out more. Arnold & Son in London circa 1787-1790. An old firm indeed…very little is published about their early works. But the name is now owned by a Swiss based company,Read More
Revolution
The Advanced Fighter Weapons School In the 1970s, the Swiss mechanical watch industry was almost wiped out by an electronic threat called quartz technology, which instantly democratized accuracy in the form of cheap, Japanese-made watches. But ultimately, in the clash between soulless battery-operated machines and those handcrafted by human artisans, the mechanical watch won out, […]
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Revolution
A Conversation with Vartan Sirmakes, Co-founder of Franck Muller It is impossible to examine the rise of Franck Muller Watchland as one of the most technically creative, fully integrated and totally verticalized manufactures in Swiss watchmaking without tapping into the brilliant mind of the brand’s co-founder, Vartan Sirmakes. Sirmakes got his start with a case-manufacturing […]
Deployant
My portfolio featured in Heure Suisse I was greatly honoured to be given several pages of the permier industry magazine Heure Suisse. This is the leading Swiss magazine read by almost everyone in the industry. The magazine is published in both French and German editions So instead of the regular blog post, please allow meRead More
Deployant
One of my favourite watch making house is the often overlooked Seiko. They have a long history and tradition of making fine timepieces as well as of innovation. But most collectors focus too much on Swiss timepieces. But yes, Virginia, excellent watches do come from outside Switzerland. Germany, and increasingly England, and of course Japan.Read More
Deployant
Rebellion. What a name for a watch. And true to its name, this is indeed a rebellious watch. Manually wound. Six barrels. 1000 hours of power reserve. To wind the watch, one releases a lever, and the entire bezel pivots at 6 o’clock, and operating the lever winds the watch. Cool. Two chains, one onRead More
Deployant
I photographed the Moser Perpetual 1 some time ago…the photographs appear here. As a followup, this is a detailed look at the movement, showing the salient features of the quite excellent finish: Zooming in on the escapement: The entire esacapement, can be unscrewed at the ends of the bridge, and removed. Moser provides service centersRead More
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Deployant
Some portraits of Grandmaster of Watchmaking – Philippe Dufour. Photographed in his workshop in Le Soliat, in the Swiss Jura. January 2011.
Deployant
Vianney Halter is a very interesting watchmaker. Intensely passionate about his craft, and insanely loyal to producing everything inhouse in his little farmhouse in St.Croix – a little village up in the mountains in the Swiss Jura. Visiting his workshops are like visiting a toystore for a man who still loves to play with everythingRead More
SJX Watches
Continuing with a practice that began last year, Tudor has announced a limited edition as this year’s Formula 1 season kicks off. As with last year’s edition, the Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 26” is modelled on the livery of the racing car of Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB). It’s otherwise identical to last year’s model, which means it is lightweight, well priced, and equipped with the high-spec MT5813 movement. Initial thoughts The Carbon 26 is essentially last year’s watch with a new dial, but I like the new yellow and white livery than last year’s white and blue. The colours are subjective, but the value proposition of the watch remains objectively excellent (though the price has risen largely due to the strength of the Swiss franc). The Carbon 26 is still competitively priced next to its rivals. As an aside, I hope Tudor will eventually incorporate more design elements from its historical motor racing chronographs, like the Monte Carlo, into its modern-day F1 editions like the Carbon 26. The Carbon 26 is clearly a Black Bay – the “snowflake” hands are a giveaway – but the Black Bay is a dive watch rather than one for the road. Carbon inside and out The Carbon 26 gets its name from the carbon fibre composite case and bezel, which have a patterned surface typical of the material. The type of composite employed here is more subtle appearance-wise compared to other composites used in watchmaking, so at a distance the case appears a flat black. Thoug...
SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre has just introduced the Master Control Calendar Limited Edition, the latest addition to a long line of triple calendar watches going back decades. Packaged in the 40 mm Master Control case we’ve become familiar with, this new 500-piece stainless steel limited edition is all about the dial, which features a richly textured silver and grey livery on a “sector” layout. Despite the classical aesthetic, the Master Control Date is thoroughly modern on the inside with the cal. 866 featuring a silicon escapement that supports a 70-hour power reserve. Initial thoughts The triple calendar moon phase has long been a staple of the Jaeger-LeCoultre line-up; Pablo Picasso famously wore one. Add to this lineage the brand’s unique jumping date pointer, which jumps in a wide arc from the 15th to the 16th of the month to avoid confounding the moon phase display, and the result is a watch that manages to be both charming and technically distinctive. It’s also easily wearable in a 40 mm case, that, while larger than the vintage originals, gives the indicators on the dial plenty of space to breathe. Of course, the movement is the cal. 866, effectively a cal. 899 with a triple calendar module, which helps keeps the overall package quite sleek at 10.95 mm – on par with many simple time-and-date watches in this category. Upgraded a few years ago with a silicon escapement, the movement now runs for 70 hours when fully wound, adding convenience to wearability. Naturall...
SJX Watches
Initially launched as a unique piece in a crystallized titanium case for Only Watch 2023, the TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph was then added to the catalog, most recently as a limited edition in ceramic. Now the model returns in its original crystallized titanium livery, accented in lime green. Under the hood is a high-beat Vaucher chronograph movement, also used by Parmigiani Fleurier and Richard Mille. The split-seconds is the flagship of the Monaco collection, impressive inside and out – with a price to match – but seemingly runs counter to the brand’s established direction of affordable sports watches. Initial Thoughts The latest iteration of the Monaco split-seconds is the best yet, price aside. The variants of the model released between the one-off for Only Watch and this felt incomplete without the crystallized titanium case. The material is visually and technically interesting, and its resemblance to forged carbon fits the automotive theme; lime green accents notwithstanding, it’s a good-looking watch. Image – TAG Heuer A rattrapante is a natural fit for an auto racing-focused brand like TAG Heuer, but the ambitious CHF145,000 price is confusing, given TAG Heuer’s efforts toward making the Swiss-made tourbillon affordable. The Monaco split-seconds itself is excellent – the movement especially so – but an affordable rattrapante would be more in line with the brand’s recent direction. While the base movement is shared with costlier Richar...
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Before you buy or decide to wear any form of “smart” watch, beware, as there are some real possible hidden dangers and risks hardly ever talked about online. This isn't just about potentially toxic plastics and el...
Time+Tide
Escapement24's Simon Ryan brings back Monceau with the Model 01.The post The Monceau Model 01 gives a defunct brand a new lease on life appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
When it comes down to my personal watch tastes, I would not self-identify as a quiet luxury enthusiast. Nor would I claim to be a minimalist, even if we’re talking about the luxury variety. More often, my preferences lean towards the quirky and colorful, and I have been known to be a lover of things many might consider “junky,” “kitsch,” or even “tacky” at times. No matter how long I’m in “The Biz,” I don’t think I will ever be able to shake my enthusiasm for thrift-store gems or my habit of scouring eBay for hidden deals at strange hours of the night. However, if I were to have any hard-and-fast rule when it comes to Close Encounters With Watchkind, it would be always to leave ample room to be surprised. During my alone time with the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Automatic 36mm, I will admit that I found myself surprised - and might even be so bold as to say pleasantly surprised. For context’s sake, Parmigiani Fleurier is a relatively young brand in the world of watches. Founded in 1996, Parmigiani Fleurier is the brainchild of Michel Parmigiani – a Swiss-born watch restorer and architecture enthusiast who cut his horological teeth during the peak of the quartz crisis, in which he turned his focus to preserving and reviving antique pieces at his own workshop, Mesure et Art du Temps. Despite the maison’s intimate knowledge of horological history, in the current revival-heavy landscape of modern watchmaking, a quick look at Parmigiani F...
SJX Watches
Launched just last year, Raymond Weil’s “sector” dial is getting new livery with the Millesime Automatic Small Seconds Denim Blue. Not a vintage reissue per se but a modern take on a vintage-inspired design, the Millesime has a “sector” or “scientific” dial segmented into sections, subtly stepped on the periphery and frosted in the centre for a two-tone effect. The case is topped with a box-shaped sapphire crystal and narrow lugs for subtle retro charm. Initial thoughts Family-run Raymond Weil is a brand that might be familiar to watch enthusiasts but not top of mind – that’s because the brand had its heyday in the 1980s and 1990s when it was a major seller of affordable Swiss watches. Since then it has gradually fallen behind the competition with mostly unimaginative products; The New York Times describes the brand as a “mainstay of shopping malls”. With last year’s launch of the Millesime, a watch geared towards enthusiasts, the brand is trying to revive its offerings and reputation. It quickly found some success: the Millesime Small Seconds with a silver dial won the Challenge Prize (for watches retailing for less than CHF3,000) at last year’s Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève. Near-perfect proportions at 39.5 mm in diameter and just over 10 mm high In the hand, it’s obvious the Millesime is much, much better than most recent Raymond Weil creations. Even though the design isn’t exactly original, it shows attention was paid to the de...
SJX Watches
TAG Heuer unveils its latest releases at LVMH Watch Week 2024 now taking place in Miami, starting off with Carrera Chronograph “Dato”. Taking its cues from the original “Dato” ref. 3147 of 1968, the new Carrera features the model’s trademark date window at nine but in the contemporary “Glassbox”, accentuated by a metallic, brushed green dial inspired by the British racing green livery of historical racing cars. Initial thoughts TAG Heuer steadily built on the success of the Carrera “Glassbox” with several vintage-inspired designs, such as the gold and black “John Player Special” and the yacht-ready Skipper. This continues with the new Carrera that retains the original “Dato” dial with its unconventional date window at nine, minutes totaliser at three, and “Swiss” seated high above six. But like its predecessors in the “Glassbox” line, the latest “Dato” is not a vintage remake, but rather a modern watch with vintage-inspired looks. And while the green dial is in tune with current fashions, it gives the design a contemporary feel, further setting it apart from the vintage original. Except for the dial, the “Dato” is still fundamentally a Carrera “Glassbox” and is priced correctly at US$6,550, which is US$100 more than the standard model. Like the other variants of the “Glassbox”, the Dato holds its own against competitors, thanks to its strong execution and high-quality, in-house movement, though it arguably has an edge over ...
SJX Watches
Described as an “artistic and cultural alliance”, Vacheron Constantin has just inked a partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York. One of the world’s foremost museums, the Met becomes Vacheron Constantin’s second key museum partner after the Louvre. Although the details of their upcoming projects are limited, both institutions have disclosed a shared intention to launch an artist-in-residence programme as well as educational initiatives, and of course debut unique Vacheron Constantin timepieces inspired by artworks in the Met’s collection. Vacheron Constantin chief executive Louis Ferla with Director of the Met, Max Hollein. Image – Vacheron Constantin VC’s immersion in the arts The new partnership represents the brand’s most recent effort to align the realms of fine watchmaking and the arts. While collaborations of this kind are not novel, it seems likely that Vacheron Constantin (VC) will leverage this partnership and use the Met’s artworks as inspiration for exquisite and artisanal timepieces, something it did already with the Louvre in 2019. As a result of their partnership, VC and the Parisian museum teamed up for a charity auction conducted by Christie’s, where the winning bidder had the privilege of selecting a masterpiece from the Louvre’s collection to be recreated on a grisaille enamel dial of a custom-made Les Cabinotiers timepiece. While the winning bidder could chose from any of the Louvre’s works except for Leonardo ...
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SJX Watches
Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, ruler of Oman since 1970, has died at the age of 79. He had been ill with cancer for several years. Widely respected as a statesman who deftly navigated the complexities of the Middle East while turning Oman into one of the most developed countries in the region, Qaboos was also known as a music lover who set up a royal orchestra, and a collector of cars, watches, and boats – the Oman Royal Yacht Squadron is a fleet of seven yachts, including the third and seventh longest in the world. In horology, Qaboos built one of the world’s largest watch collections, including numerous royal timepieces, clocks and watches once owned by royalty. Assembled with the help of John Asprey of the famed London luxury emporium – where Qaboos was one of the top clients for many years – his diverse collection included many important historical timepieces, including examples of the Breguet Sympathique, but also modern-day creations by Francois-Paul Journe. But he is probably best known as being a generous gift giver, who often bestowed watches marked with the Omani national emblem, a khanjar over two crossed swords. Many were given to British military personnel who served in Oman, and some of these watches have gone on to become record-setters at auction. Last year, Phillips sold a Rolex Daytona gifted to a former captain in the Royal Yacht Squadron for 312,500 Swiss francs. A 1988 Sympathique clock panelled in pink chalcedony that was made by Francois-Pa...
SJX Watches
Produced for the key markets in an important region, the Defy El Primero 21 South East Asia Edition is based on Zenith’s well-priced, 1/100th of a second chronograph, with one edition each for Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. All three watches share the same red and white livery – reflecting the colours found in each country’s national flag – but with a respective national landmark printed on the case back. The Defy El Primero 21 is one of two true 1/100th of a second chronographs on the market that are serially produced – the other being the Mikrograph produced by Zenith’s sister company TAG Heuer. Both share a similar movement architecture, but the Mikrograph came first and inspired the construction of the Zenith calibre. Landmarks The colour scheme of the trio is a nod to the flag of each country, all of which happen to include red and white. The power reserve, minute counter, chronograph hands and crown are accented in red. The watch is otherwise mechanically identical to the standard version. It is powered by the self-winding El Primero 9004 movement, which utilises two independent sets of mainsprings, gear trains and balance wheels. The timekeeping escapement runs at a frequency of 5Hz, while the chronograph escapement runs at 50Hz, allowing the watch to resolve to 1/100th of a second. And more so important in a high frequency movement, the escape wheels – the fastest rotating wheel in the transmission system – and pallet forks are made of silicon...
SJX Watches
As complications go, the RM 50 is the ultimate Richard Mille, combining a tourbillon and split-seconds chronograph. Descended from the RM008 of 2003, one of the brand’s foundational models, the top of the line complication now has now been dressed up in new livery for Finnish Formula 1 driver Kimi Räikkönen, who drives for the Alfa Romeo Racing Team. Launched at the start of the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix, the RM 50-04 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph Kimi Räikkönen is large, lightweight, and complex, and dressed in a red, white and black colour combination that’s the same as the livery on the Alfa Romeo C38 Formula 1 car. Kimi Räikkönen Though it’s a mass of details and colours, the dial is actually easily to decipher. The two chronograph sub-dials are the six and nine o’clock. The fan-shaped indicator at 11 o’clock is the power reserve, and its mirror image to the right is the torque indicator. This indicates the level of wind in the mainspring, with the ideal being between 53Nmm and 65Nmm; “Nmm” is short for Newton millimetre. And at three o’clock is the power reserve display. Made of various lightweight carbon composites, the watch case is generously sized, like other top of the line Richard Mille complications – 44.5mm in diameter and 16.1mm high. The front and back plates are white Quartz TPT, while the middle is Carbon TPT. Both composites are made by North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT), a Swiss lightweight composite specialist that’s...
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