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Quill & Pad
Bulgari spent two and a half years developing a manual-wind movement that perfectly fits the signature serpent head-shaped case of the Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon, the brand's ladies' flagship. Martin Green feels it was time very well spent and explains why here.
WatchAdvice
Zenith has rejuvenated the Elite collection through timeless lines and simple yet strong visual aesthetics. The Zenith Elite Lady Moonphase is setting the tone for the brand and its modern, stylish watches. What are the key features? The most important feature worth mentioning is that the Zenith Elite Lady Moonphase has 64 round brilliant cut diamonds around the bezel with VS clarity, totalling 0.9 of a carot. These diamonds sparkle beautifully from its side angles and would be noticeable for those around you. This watch is also offered without diamonds. The stainless-steel bracelet is another exquisite feature. It’s so shiny that you can see your own reflection. It’s elegant, classy and practical. Due to the design and make of this bracelet, marks or light scratches were not visible even after a few weeks of wear. This watch also comes in the black alligator leather strap which is also a classy look. The diameter of the Zenith Elite Lady Moonphase is 36mm which may sound big but as the casing is only 9.1mm, it’s ultra-thin. This watch is also available in 33mm with or without diamonds. The dial of the Zenith Elite Lady Moonphase is simple and clean making it extremely easy to tell the time. The blue hand of the small seconds counter at 9 o’clock is a thoughtful feature as it stands out well against the mother of pearl dial. It shines beautifully under the right light and angle. The simplicity of the dial adds to the elegance of this watch. The open case ...
SJX Watches
Unveiled alongside the new variants of the Octo Finissimo in gold or steel, the Octo Finissimo Automatic Black Sandblast-Polished Ceramic is another take on the all-ceramic model launched last year. While last year’s watch had a uniformly matte finish on the case and bracelet, the new ceramic Octo Finissimo has alternating sandblasted and polished surfaces, giving it a little bit more life, with the polished bits catching the light just right. The all-black look is made a little bit more interesting with the varied surface finish, but retains the extreme sleekness of the original ceramic Octo. Like the case, the dial is monochromatic, but made legible, to a degree, with different surface finishes. The dial itself has a matte, frosted surface, while the markings and hands have a glossy finish. The dimensions of the new ceramic Octo remain unchanged from the earlier model, at 40 mm wide and 5.5 mm high. Inside is the BVL138 movement found across the Octo Finissimo Automatic model range. Key facts and price Octo Finissimo Automatic Black Sandblast-Polished Ceramic Ref. 103368 Case diameter: 40 mm Height: 5.5 mm Material: Black ceramic Water resistance: 30 m Movement: BVL138 Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz) Winding: Automatic Power reserve: 60 hours Strap: Black ceramic bracelet Availability: At both retailers and boutiques Price: US$15,600, or 22,000 Singapore dollars For more, visit Bulgari.com.
SJX Watches
A retro-inspired dive watch that’s been popular since Longines unveiled the first Legend Diver in 2007, the “Super Compressor” is characterised by two crowns, one for the winding and setting, and the other to rotate the inner bezel. The latest brand to get on the “Super Compressor” bandwagon is Marnaut, which just launched the Seascape 200 on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Founded by a Croatian watch enthusiast with an eye for detail, Marnaut’s design is centred on a simple but distinctive feature – circular, applied markers radiating outwards on the dial – 34 markers in total – inspired by the shell of a sea urchin. The rest of the dial is typical of retro-style dive watches, with large hands and an inner elapsed time bezel with a vintage-inspired serif font. And that is complemented by the perforated rubber strap modelled on vintage “tropic” bands. The steel case is a compact 40mm in diameter, but somewhat thick at 13mm high. As is convention for a “Super Compressor” the crown at four is for winding and setting, while the crown at two rotates the bezel. But the “Super Compressor” nickname has nothing to do with the crowns – Super-Compressor (as well as Compressor) was a type of water-resistant watch case patented by defunct case maker E. Piquerez SA (EPSA), which had a unique sprung, screw-down case back that sealed tighter against the watch case with growing atmospheric pressure as depth increased. Like all crowdfunded watches at thi...
Time+Tide
One of the best things about TAG Heuer is the Swiss marque’s remarkable history with motorsport - few other watchmakers, if any, have such a rich back catalogue of timekeeping devices purpose-built for the ultimate expression of man vs machine. And while many will immediately associate the angular Monaco as the most iconic wristwatch associated with … ContinuedThe post We take a look at 5 seriously cool vintage TAG Heuer Autavias appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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SJX Watches
Launched in 2016, the TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02T remains the most affordable Swiss-made chronograph with touribllon, starting at just US$17,000. Despite the price, the Calibre Heuer 02T is an in-house movement that’s automatic, COSC-certified, and equipped with a lightweight flying tourbillon that has a carbon composite upper carriage and titanium base. The latest variant of the affordable “grand” complication is a limited edition made for Singapore retailer Cortina Watch. Dressed in orange and back, the Carrera Heuer 02T Cortina Edition is being offered only online, via the retailer’s website. As with the standard model, the case measures 45mm wide and 16.4mm high. It features the modular construction that characterises the Carrera line. The case middle is black-coated titanium paired with a black ceramic bezel, while the lugs, pushers and crown are steel. The dial is semi-skeletonised to reveal the grey, sandblasted base plate of the movement. Orange accents are applied to the dial and bezel, including the chronograph hands, and even the carbon composite upper cage of the tourbillon, creating a striking contrast with the black components. Mechanically the movement is identical to the standard Heuer 02T. Based on the CH-80 chronograph movement, it’s equipped with a column wheel and vertical clutch for the chronograph. And it has a 65-hour power reserve, with the balance running at a frequency of 4Hz. Key facts and price TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02T Cortina Edi...
SJX Watches
Characterised by its sleek, modernist form, the Octo Finissimo Automatic was introduced only in 2017 but is arguably the most successful new design in the luxury sports watch category. Its architectural case and bracelet has now been melded with a dial conceived by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, resulting in the most intriguing iteration of the watch to date – the Octo Finissimo Tadao Ando Edition. Born in 1941, Tadao Ando is a self-taught architect whose minimalist yet monumental buildings demonstrate his mastery of concrete, geometry and light. Winner of the 1995 Pritzker Prize, Mr Ando’s notable works include the Church of the Light in Osaka; 21_21 Design Sight, a design museum in Tokyo; and most recently a lavender-planted hilltop shrine containing a giant Buddha in Hokkaido. While much of his work is located in his home country, he is also famed for several international projects, including the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in Texas and 152 Elizabeth, a residential tower in New York City as well as the Cerro Pelon Ranch in New Mexico designed for designer Tom Ford. In the Octo Finissimo Automatic, he relies on simple geometry to create an unusually distinctive dial, with a spiral motif that emanates from the seconds hand, creating the effect of a wave rippling across the dial. Though the pattern is remarkably simple – it is printed in black lacquer on the dial – the effect is striking, especially when contrasted against the harsh, futuristic lines of the c...
Time+Tide
This year we were lucky enough to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the TAG Heuer Monaco. It was in the last year of the 1960s that the brand (just Heuer at the time) released their iconic watch that was one of the first ever automatic chronographs, and was cemented as a legend when it was … ContinuedThe post Monac-oh yeah! An overview of all 5 TAG Heuer Monaco limited edition watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
It has been a stellar year for Grand Seiko, with the Japanese watchmaker releasing not only a bevy of new iterations of some of their most popular models, but also a completely new manual-wind dress watch, the SBGK series. And, as is always the case with Grand Seiko, the arresting dials adorning these new timepieces … ContinuedThe post Top 5 Grand Seiko dials of 2019 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
The classic Omega Seamaster vs Rolex Submariner debate has been talked about so often, we sometimes forget what its story symbolizes. The debacle has drawn many different opinions, but one argument is agreed upon unanimously.
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SJX Watches
Following on the launch of its automatic chronograph a year ago, London-based Farer recently released a new collection of hand-wound chronographs, which are fairly unusual in this price category where automatic chronographs dominate. This time around, it’s more than just a new line as the watches are the official timers of the 2019 Bernina Gran Turismo, a classic car race across the Bernina Pass in the Swiss Alps. Three standard models and one limited edition make up the new Chronograph Hand-Wound line, though the limited edition quickly sold out, and all carry the brand’s DNA with distinctive, retro designs and bold colours. Though the individual models share the same house style, each is detailed differently, right down to the size of the hour numerals, something Farer does for all its mode lines. All models share the same, cushion-shaped stainless steel case measuring 41mm by 12.9mm (and 43mm lug-to-lug). It’s rated to 100m and fitted with a domed sapphire crystal. For contrast, the front and sides are brushed with a polished steel exhibition back, and the pushers are also polished. The knurled crown is steel but topped with a bronze insert embossed with Farer’s logo, a standard feature on all hand-wound Farer watches; other models have a solid bronze crown. Let’s take a closer look at what differentiates the Bernina, Cresta and Moritz chronographs. Bernina Named after the Bernina Gran Turismo – a hillclimbing race around St Moritz for classic cars – ...
WatchAdvice
Zenith’s reputation for developing groundbreaking technology and movements in their watches have once again been redeemed with the release of the Zenith Defy Inventor. Back in 1969, Zenith first released the El Primero self-winding chronograph movement. To this day after slight tweaks, it is still being used in their El Primero line of watches. The El Primero movement is regarded as one of the finest movements in the watchmaking industry, succeeding in having a high frequency while putting out a power reserve of approximately 50 hours. In 2017, Zenith once again manufactured a timepiece that would be revolutionary for not only the brand but the watch industry as a whole. The Defy Lab contains what Zenith claims as the world’s most accurate mechanical movement. Operating at 15Hz, the movement in the Defy Lab is much faster than most mechanical watches in the industry, including the brands very own El Primero movement, which operates at roughly 5Hz. What made the Defy Lab so special was the proprietary “Zenith Oscillator” developed Guy Semon from LMVH. The Zenith Oscillator in a nutshell, takes into consideration real-world scenarios, which includes environmental and temperature changes, vibration and also shocks. The Zenith Defy Lab, however, was limited to a run of 10 “piece unique” watches, which meant that the general public would find it hard to acquire these impressive timepieces. Fast forward to Baselworld 2019, where Zenith released the Defy Invento...
Revolution
In the 50th year of the automatic chronograph, Seiko celebrates with two 1960s-inspired chronographs slated for December release this year.
SJX Watches
Nineteen-sixty nine was a watershed year in watchmaking – the culmination of the race for the world’s first automatic chronograph. It was a three-way contest between two Swiss watchmakers and one from Japan. Both Swiss movements – the Zenith El Primero and the Heuer-Breitling-Buren-Dubois-Depraz Caliber 11 – have enjoyed a following to this day, but the third – the Seiko 6139 Speedtimer – remains relatively obscure as it went out of production in 1979. The 6139 was a single-register chronograph with a 30-minute totaliser at six o’clock and a quickset day-date display. Crucially, it had a column wheel and vertical clutch. And an even lesser known fact is that Seiko produced its first chronograph – the “Crown” with a column-wheel and mono-pusher – just five years before, in 1964 to coincide with that year’s Tokyo Olympic Games. In short, the 1960s were a major decade for Seiko in terms of chronographs. The Seiko “Crown” chronograph of 1964 with its characteristic black plastic bezel Hence, to mark the 50th anniversary of its first automatic chronograph, as well as the 55th anniversary of its first chronograph, Seiko has unveiled a pair of limited editions, both chronographs, naturally. The two editions are each limited to 1000 pieces and powered by the same calibre, the in-house cal. 8R48 that was introduced in 2014. The first and the more modern looking of the two, is the Prospex 50th Anniversary Automatic Chronograph ref. SRQ029. I...
SJX Watches
Since its global debut in 2016, the Seiko Presage collection has quickly gained a following for its dials that feature artisanal decoration, usually executed with traditional Japanese crafts such as urushi lacquer and Arita porcelain, but at strikingly affordable prices. Following the launch of the first Presage with a Spring Drive movement (in the past, automatic or hand-wound movements were the norm) a few months ago, the brand has now unveiled a limited-edition automatic with a deep green dial made of fired, vitreous enamel, otherwise known as grand feu enamel in Swiss watchmaking. Inspired by the colour of Japanese cedar trees, the green enamel dial features applied hour markers – instead of the more common printed or painted markers found on enamel dials – paired with rounded dauphine hands. The dial is once again produced by master craftsman Mitsuru Yokosawa and his team, who work for Fuji Porcelain Enamel Co., Ltd., one of Japan’s biggest makers of enamelware. The company has been Seiko’s go-to supplier for high-quality enamel dials made on a large scale at relatively low cost, a crucial reason why the Presage watches equipped with enamel dials are eminently affordable. As with a majority of automatic Presage models, the case is in stainless steel and measures 40.8mm wide and 12.4mm in height. It’s simply finished with a bright mirror polish on most surfaces, with the top of the lugs brushed for a little contrast and structure. Visible throu...
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Time+Tide
Back at the beginning of 2013, as a result of kissing goodbye to a couple of watches (mistakes) from my collection, I found myself in the rather fortunate position of needing a new daily timepiece. The buying criteria was fairly simple and straightforward: the new watch needed to be a diver, automatic, Swiss made and … ContinuedThe post Why this Longines is the best watch I’ve ever owned appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Badger Watches makes it debut on Kickstarter with the Islander, an automatic wristwatch with an interesting tonneau-shaped case. While most tonneau cases are made up of multiple curved lines, the Islander case is composed of several straight lines and flat surfaces, giving it a slightly 1970s vibe. The brand is based in Singapore – a city-state that’s an island – which is where the model name comes from. Affordable watches like the Islander usually work best if most of the effort is concentrated on one element; here the focus is undoubtedly the case. Measuring 38mm in diameter and 48mm long, the case is steel with alternating brushed and polished surfaces. It’s stamped from a block of steel, giving it softer edges and corners than if it were milled, but with a price tag of under US$400 that’s more than enough. Four dial colours are available, including one in silver with blue accents that’s a 99-piece limited edition. With only minimal text on the edge, the dials have the same stamped radial motif, along with tapered hands reminiscent of the Marc Newson-designed Ikepod watches. The date window is placed at six o’clock to maintain the symmetry of the dial. The Islander is powered by a Sellita SW200-1, which is a clone of the ETA 2824. A low-cost but robust movement, the SW200 has a shortish 38-hour power reserve. Key facts Diameter: 38mm Height: 11mm Material: Steel Water resistance: 50m Movement: SW200-1 Functions: Hours, minutes, and second; date W...
SJX Watches
Singapore watch retailer The Hour Glass has just unveiled yet another limited edition to mark the its 40th year – the Nomos Tangente Neomatik 39 Red Dot. It’s the most affordable anniversary edition yet, and also also the third in the annual “Red Dot” series of watches made for Singapore. Available in four iterations, each limited to just 50 pieces, the limited edition is based on the bestselling Tangente automatic, arguably the quintessential Nomos. It screams, or rather quietly declares, Nomos’ design philosophy of Deutscher Werkbund, the predecessor of Bauhaus, and is characterised by a clean dial with large, alternating hour numerals and a case with thin, angular lugs. While most limited-edition watches from Nomos vary in colour, with subtle, yet profound tweaks to the palette, the new Red Dot quartet departs from the norm in one drastic way: the first pair features Eastern Arabic numerals, while the second has its hours in Chinese oracle bone script. According to The Hour Glass, the use of both scripts is a nod to Singapore’s history as an entrepot where traders from both the Near East and Far East often stopped. All four watches also pay tribute to the country with a small in-joke, with a little red dot at six o’clock – a reference to the city state’s frequent depiction on maps. The Eastern Arabic duo Bone oracle script and the “little red dot” Essentialism First conceived in 1992 by Nomos founder Roland Schwertner, the Tangente...
Time+Tide
There’s no doubt that Bulgari like the GPHG. In 2017 they won the men’s category for their Octo Finissimo Automatic and the Tourbillon prize for the Finissimo Skeleton. A few years earlier, in 2014, they took home the Jewellery prize for their Diva High Jewellery Emeralds. Their odds are looking strong for the 2019 edition of … ContinuedThe post Bulgari is well placed to clean up at the GPHG, thanks to these 5 watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Collector Christian Kretschmar tells of his love story with his Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Self-Winding watch. Why he bought it, and why he has no regrets.
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Hodinkee
Our editor-in-chief talks about the winding road to becoming a watch journalist, his early days in New York City, and the pocket watch that changed his life.
SJX Watches
Abraham-Louis Breguet’s contributions to horology are as numerous as they are fundamental. Practically every avenue of watchmaking is built on the foundations he laid down, from the perpetuelle self-winding mechanism to pare-chute shock-protection for balance pivots. But most famous of all was the tourbillon, patented in 1801. It was crucial to the precision of mechanical pocket watches and clocks, the only kinds of timepieces in use then, which normally sat in an upright, vertical position. The Breguet Souscription pocket watch of the 1990s that replicated the 19th century originals, right down to the pare-chute escapement The tourbillon, however, was not Breguet’s only effort in improving chronometric performance. Prior to the tourbillon, he created the lesser known but more elegant echappement naturel, or natural escapement, in 1789. It was a double-wheel chronometer escapement that in theory, needed no oil. Breguet managed to incorporate it into just 20 pocket watches, but serial production of the natural escapement ultimately eluded him as its design had inherent shortcomings – primarily backlash in the motion of its wheels – that made it impossible to commercialise. The idea was ahead of its time, and it would take some 200 years before technology made the natural escapement feasible. The concept of natural escapements continues to fascinate watchmakers, many of whom have conceived modern-day descendants, the most recent of which is the Ch...
Time+Tide
When a name renowned for its personalisation of higher-end pieces announces an off-the-shelf offering, it tends to raise eyebrows. However, the Bamford brand has defied expectations not once, but twice, now with the Bamford London GMT. Housing the self-winding Sellita SW330-1 25, it has already been widely pointed out that the Bamford GMT case and … ContinuedThe post Is the Bamford London GMT a knock-out? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
For decades, the Seiko 5 collection has been some of the best-value mechanical watchmaking on the planet. The ability to buy an automatic watch with an in-house movement for only a few hundred dollars must be responsible for introducing tens of thousands of people around the world to watches. You would be hard-pressed to find … ContinuedThe post The Seiko 5 is alive – again appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the automatic chronograph movement that’s synonymous with Zenith, A Star Through Time embarks on world tour that starts in August, with the first stop being Singapore. Happening during the exhibition is a panel discussion that includes our founder, Su Jiaxian, as well as several watchmaking classes – details on how to attend are at the bottom. The exhibition The key attraction of A Star Through Time is an interactive, virtual tour of Zenith’s manufacture in Le Locle. It’s modelled on Le Monde Étoilé de Zenith, a collaboration between the watchmaker and Neuchâtel’s local tourism authority. Conceived to boost knowledge of watchmaking in the area, the project created a interactive, 360° experience that allows guests to go behind-the-scenes at the manufacture. Walking through the exhibition is akin to a stroll through a scaled down version of the Le Locle manufacture, including a virtual visit to the famous attic where, during the Quartz Crisis, watchmaker Charles Vermot hid the tools and plans to produce the El Primero, keeping them out of the hands of American managers who wanted to eliminate production of mechanical watches. The 400m2 exhibition also traces the evolution of the El Primero, illustrated by significant El Primero-powered watches, including the landmark early examples like the A386 in steel and G381 in 18k gold. Though dedicated to the El Primero, arguably the first ever sel...
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