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Results for Mechanical vs Quartz

2,233 articles · 19 videos found · page 66 of 76

Frederique Constant Introduces the Highlife Perpetual Calendar SJX Watches
Frederique Constant Introduces Sep 10, 2020

Frederique Constant Introduces the Highlife Perpetual Calendar

Long focused on affordable mechanical watches, Frederique Constant continued with its specialty after its acquisition by Japanese watchmaking giant Citizen. Now the Swiss brand has just revived its bestseller from two decades ago, the Highlife collection, which has been redesigned extensively. It’s a new watch in all but name – the revamped Highlife harks back to the integrated-strap of the original, but it is a design very much catered to today’s taste. The Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture The new Highlife collection debuts with three models that share the same tonneau-shaped case and integrated bracelet with quick-release pins. The most interesting watch of the trio is the Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture, which is affordable despite its in-house movement and styling that’s reminiscent of more expensive watches. The other two models in the line up are simple automatics: one is time-only with an “Open Heart” dial revealing the balance wheel, and the other is a COSC-certified three-hander with date. Highlife Automatic COSC The Highlife Heart Beat Initial thoughts The Highlife manages to translate the look of high-end luxury-sports watches into an affordable watch by keeping a few design elements and simplifying everything. It is unavoidably derivative in style, but competently designed. So the 41 mm case is a simple affair with simple lines and surfaces, but dressed up with a polished, domed bezel. However, it avoids looking too plain even with t...

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MICRO MONDAYS: The Mitch Mason Chronicle Time+Tide
Aug 30, 2020

MICRO MONDAYS: The Mitch Mason Chronicle

Vintage field watches can be a minefield, full of mechanical issues, aftermarket parts, or just a victim of horrendous overvaluing on the likes of eBay. All of this seems to go against their original ethos, which was to be legible, reliable and able to take a beating in the outside world. Of course, as watches … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Mitch Mason Chronicle appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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INTRODUCING: The G-Shock G-LIDE tells both time and tide, surfers rejoice Time+Tide
Aug 14, 2020

INTRODUCING: The G-Shock G-LIDE tells both time and tide, surfers rejoice

While there is certainly something emotional and special that is particular to mechanical timepieces, there are just certain things they will never be able to do as well as digital watches. Case in point: the new GBX100 models are the latest additions to the G-Shock G-LIDE lineup of sports watches, a known favourite among some … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The G-Shock G-LIDE tells both time and tide, surfers rejoice appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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5 watches that look good on any strap Time+Tide
Rolex you’re always trying Aug 1, 2020

5 watches that look good on any strap

It’s no secret that watches are expensive items. Whether it’s a $100 quartz Seiko or a $10,000 Rolex, you’re always trying to get the most for your money. By far the easiest way to eke out some extra value is to get a good collection of straps, so you can easily match your watch to … ContinuedThe post 5 watches that look good on any strap appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Linde Werdelin Introduces the Oktopus MoonLite SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Though Jul 25, 2020

Linde Werdelin Introduces the Oktopus MoonLite

One of the most established newer brands in the sports watch space, Linde Werdelin was founded 14 years ago and made its name with mechanical watches featuring a removable digital module with dedicated functions for activities like diving and climbing. Now entirely focused on purely mechanical watches, the brand’s latest is a dive watch with an unusual complication – the limited-edition Oktopus MoonLite. Based on the existing Oktopus Moon, the MoonLite is distinguished by the case material, which is made of Alloy Linde Werdelin. Initial thoughts The Oktopus MoonLite is very much in the usual Linde Werdelin style, which is a futuristic, aggressive look that brings to mind watches like the Grand Seiko SBGA405 Godzilla 65th Anniversary and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept. Though large at 44 mm wide, the watch will no doubt be light thanks to the case material. And the color of the case goes exceptionally well with that of the dial, which results in an avant-garde watch that is also the most legible of the Oktopus Moon models to date. Priced at a little over US$14,000 – quite a lot of money for what it is – the Oktopus MoonLite perhaps justifiably priced considering the limited production and proprietary case material. Nonetheless, the bold styling and “indie” status of Linde Werdelin make the MoonLite an unusual proposition – an oversized, contemporary sports watch from an independent brand, which will appeal to collectors who enjoy luxury-sports watch...

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10 of the best digital watches you can buy in 2020, Part 2, including a cold Casio classic for 20 bucks Time+Tide
Casio classic Jul 19, 2020

10 of the best digital watches you can buy in 2020, Part 2, including a cold Casio classic for 20 bucks

Digital watches remain an overlooked part of the watch world, forgotten by many who consider themselves to have ‘graduated’ to mechanical watches. But as we saw in Part 1 of this series where we looked at some of the best new releases in the last 12 months or so, there are a number of seriously cool … ContinuedThe post 10 of the best digital watches you can buy in 2020, Part 2, including a cold Casio classic for 20 bucks appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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10 of the best digital watches you can buy in 2020, Part 1, including Braun, G-Shock, Hamilton and HD3 Time+Tide
Hamilton Jul 18, 2020

10 of the best digital watches you can buy in 2020, Part 1, including Braun, G-Shock, Hamilton and HD3

Digital watches may not be mechanical masterpieces that harken back to the romanticism of time-telling from a bygone era. But they’re an increasingly exciting corner of the hobby we love, and what they lack in pedigree and soul they make up for in almost boundless functionality. If you look down at your wrist right now … ContinuedThe post 10 of the best digital watches you can buy in 2020, Part 1, including Braun, G-Shock, Hamilton and HD3 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Two New Breguet La Tradition Models For 2020 (+ Live Photos): No Battle Of The Sexes Necessary Here Quill & Pad
Breguet La Tradition Models Jul 10, 2020

Two New Breguet La Tradition Models For 2020 (+ Live Photos): No Battle Of The Sexes Necessary Here

The drama of Breguet's La Tradition lay – and continues to lie – in its stylistically vintage appearance coupled with a movement finished using historical techniques and the extreme visibility of the mechanical components from the dial side. Here Elizabeth Doerr looks at two new models for 2020 that are bound to make you a fan of the style.

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The Awesome Door Handle Built Like a Split-Seconds Mechanism SJX Watches
Jun 28, 2020

The Awesome Door Handle Built Like a Split-Seconds Mechanism

Established by a robotics entrepreneur, Sick Toiz specialises in, well, “sick toys” – exceptional objects with a mechanical bent that have been produced with high-end methods and then finished by hand. Amongst its most extraordinary, and preposterous, creations is the Rattrapante Passage Lock, a door lock and handle that functions like a bona fide split-seconds mechanism. Initial thoughts The Rattrapante Passage Lock is an ordinarily trivial item – it is in essence a door knob – executed to an excruciatingly high standard. Clearly catered for a niche clientele who have an innate appreciation of engineering, finishing, and machining, the Passage Lock costs US$63,500. It is ridiculous, but also incredible. Sick Toiz founder Tyler Schilling obviously spared no expense in building an ultra-complex door handle, either in design, manufacturing, or finishing. The components, for instance, are made on a five-axis CNC machine, instead of a four-axis CNC machine, which would have simpler and probably yielded a barely discernible difference. Even the spokes of the split-seconds wheel have bevelled edges. Something like this is only possible when conceived by someone who genuinely appreciates such things and importantly, someone who can afford to back such a project as a hobby. An engineer’s eye The man behind Sick Toiz, Tyler Schilling, is a nerd in the best sense of the word. Having grown up with a father who was mechanically inclined but a doctor by profession, Mr Schil...

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The (Not So) Complete Story Of Rock And Roll And Watches: Ramp The Volume Up To 11! - Reprise Quill & Pad
Jun 20, 2020

The (Not So) Complete Story Of Rock And Roll And Watches: Ramp The Volume Up To 11! - Reprise

The mechanical watch works just like a metronome, with its isochronic balance maintaining a steady rhythm and the delicate tick-tock of its pallet jewels providing a rhythmic beat to our oft-frantic lives. If we ramp up the power and swap the metronome for a drum kit and a few electric guitars we have rock and roll! But which watches do rock-and-roll icons wear?

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Business News: Longines CEO Walter von Känel Retires After 51 Years SJX Watches
Longines CEO Walter von Känel Jun 18, 2020

Business News: Longines CEO Walter von Känel Retires After 51 Years

After an epic career, industry legend Walter von Känel has just retired as chief executive of Longines, a post he held since 1988. Now 79 years old, Mr von Känel joined Longines in 1969, just as the watch industry was on the cusp of the Quartz Crisis, and stayed for 51 years. Under his leadership Longines has become the world’s fourth largest watchmaker by revenue, with 2019 sales of about 1.65 billion Swiss francs – from an output of about 2.1 million watches – according to Morgan Stanley estimates. Despite Longines’ vast size, Mr von Känel retained an almost unbelievable grasp of the brand’s history and products, something he demonstrated during a 2016 interview where he could describe the calibre inside the Lindbergh remake of 1987. For all his success, Mr von Känel remained steadfastly dedicated to the brand, keeping a relatively low profile despite being in a business filled with large personalities. When I asked in the 2016 interview if Longines would be doing anything to mark his 50 years at the company, he response was simple: “I am against the cult of personality. We sell Longines watches, we don’t sell von Kanel watches.” On his retirement, Mr von Känel was named Honorary Chairman of Longines, while keeping his appointment as Chairman of the Longines Foundation. The new chief executive of Longines is Matthias Breschan, who was most recently chief executive of Rado. Mr Breschan, in turn, will be succeeded at Rado by Adrian Bosshard, who wa...

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Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115 Review WatchAdvice
Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Jun 18, 2020

Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115 Review

The Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115 is simply a watch that explains Oris’s true personality. The Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115 goes back to the roots of what mechanical watches are all about. In today’s world, so many of us know what the things around us can do, but rarely actually know how they work.  The same logic applies to mechanical watches too. We see brilliant timepieces made and know what they can do, yet rarely see or understand the inner workings behind them. This is the idea behind the Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115, to show as much as possible how the true inner workings of a mechanical watch operate.  Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115 There is almost a natural connection between a mechanical watch and its owner. If we don’t wind it, or even yet move, we won’t drive enough power to turn the mainspring which ultimately powers the movement. This is what Oris is trying to show with the Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115.   Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115 Oris’s Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115 was inspired by nature, in particular, a Valley named Waldenburg, which surrounds the village of Hölstein. This particular village is significant to Oris, as it is there where the brand originally began. Oris was founded in 1904, and since then the brand has been based in Hölstein. It’s no wonder then that they would go back there to find sources of inspiration for arguably the “most Oris watch” they have ever made.  Oris Big Crown ProPi...

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Up Close: Ulysse Nardin Freak X Silicium Marquetry SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Freak X Silicium Marquetry Jun 10, 2020

Up Close: Ulysse Nardin Freak X Silicium Marquetry

Revolutionary for its construction and use of silicon, the Ulysse Nardin Freak is still a unique watch almost two decades after its introduction. And the full-featured Freak is still a relatively costly watch, until the Freak X came along last year. The most affordable version of a watch that helped kickstart the age of high-tech mechanical watchmaking, the Freak X retains the essence of its bigger brother while simplifying the rest of the movement. Several iterations of the Freak X have been rolled out since then, including one that ironically takes silicon out of the movement – the Freak X Silicium Marquetry. The watch has a dial decorated with inlaid tiles of iridescent silicon, using the material for its aesthetic potential, rather than the usual functional purposes in the escapement. The Freak X Silicium Marquetry Initial thoughts The Freak X Silicium Marquetry is an aesthetic variant of the standard model, so it’s identical in all respects except the dial finish. A combination of metallic and glassy, the silicon dial is different from any other dial material and suits the look of the watch well. That means the case is compact, so it wears quite well. And more importantly, the watch has a cutting-edge balance wheel amounted on the minute hand, making one revolution an hour. It’s a surprisingly advanced regulator in a watch at this price point, and probably the most advanced of all watches in the price segment. But the Freak X Silicium Marquetry is substantiall...

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In-Depth: Krayon Anywhere SJX Watches
Krayon May 26, 2020

In-Depth: Krayon Anywhere

Krayon made its debut in 2017 with the Everywhere, an incredibly complex wristwatch that was, in essence, a mechanical calculator for sunrise and sunset. Founded by movement constructor Rémi Maillat in 2013, Krayon has debuted the follow up to the Everywhere, the simpler, sleeker – and a lot more affordable – Anywhere. Like its bigger brother, the Anywhere displays the time of sunrise and sunset. But while the Everywhere allowed the wearer to input his location and time zone for the watch to show local sunrise and sunset times everywhere, the Anywhere displays sunrise and sunset times for a single, fixed location, albeit one that can be quite easily changed by a watchmaker. Despite while the complication has been streamlined, the movement has been upgraded in terms of finishing, which is now exceptional. The Anywhere in white gold Initial thoughts The Anywhere is surprising in person. Given the complexity of the movement, you’d expect a large watch with a fussy display. But the Anywhere is modestly sized – the thinness of the case stands out – giving it an elegant profile on the wrist. At the same time, the dial layout is simple and intuitive, making it easy to understand. And it is also easy to operate, with the calendar and time both set via the crown. And the calendar, in turn, controls the sunrise and sunset function, so the interface is straightforward. Turn it over and the movement is also surprising. While the movement in the Everywhere was a mechanica...

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A Tribute to Peter Baumberger of Urban Jürgensen & Sønner SJX Watches
Casio n May 19, 2020

A Tribute to Peter Baumberger of Urban Jürgensen & Sønner

Peter Baumberger (Koppingen, 1939 – Biel, 2010) Ten years ago, Peter Baumberger died in Biel. On the occasion of this anniversary, I would like to pay a brief tribute to the one who was a dear friend and an extraordinary character – pictured above with his favourite oval tourbillon pocket watch and wearing a Ref. 3 wristwatch – whose ideas and personality marked the Swiss watch industry after the Quartz Crisis. I first met Peter in November 1975, during a sale organised by Peter Ineichen auctioneers in Zürich. He was with the famous Derek Pratt. At that time, Peter was one of the world’s leading dealers in antique watches. His charming and authentic nature immediately fascinated me – this is how our friendship started, a friendship that lasted until the end of his life. The name of Peter Baumberger will remain forever in Swiss watchmaking history thanks to his rescue and his revival of the historic brand Urban Jürgensen at Le Locle, which he acquired in the late 1970s. Undeniably, Peter played a pioneering role in the renaissance of the high-quality Swiss mechanical watch, long before others. As a trained watchmaker, he combined cutting-edge technical skills with a very distinct aesthetic sensitivity, as well as with an intimate knowledge of the works of the old masters; the remarkable confluence of these aspects is therefore the basis of his creative work. Peter put all his strength and his spirit at the disposal of Urban Jürgensen to give a new spark to the...

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In-Depth: The Life Behind the Deadbeat Seconds SJX Watches
May 17, 2020

In-Depth: The Life Behind the Deadbeat Seconds

Watchmaking combines technical achievement and aesthetic expression, and sometimes the two are inextricably linked. In a handful of instances, the technical achievement transforms the artistic value, as in the jumping seconds. The complication is perhaps the most abrupt expression of time. Is there any value in having a mechanical jumping seconds? In exploring that, we first have to understand how the seconds as a unit of time came to be. Time in antiquity In today’s world where no one bats an eyelid when a satellite is sent into orbit, time and space are perceived to be intimately linked as one. Before Einstein hit upon the theory of relativity, the link between space and time was nebulous, but the definition of time was well established. For the ancient Egyptians, daytime was based on the apparent movement of the Sun, and the night sky was segmented into smaller divisions based on the position and motion of stars. Over the subsequent millennia, the Sumerians and Babylonians further refined the time measurement to better account for stellar motion. The Babylonians, inspired by the Egyptians, approximated the movement of the Sun’s apparent revolution into 360 divisions, due to the number of days required for the Sun to trace its path on the ecliptic and their predilection for a base-60 (or sexagesimal) system. This is also the origin of 360 degrees required for a complete revolution, which was explained by Malcolm Correll in the volume 15 of scientific journal The Phy...

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Reverso One Red Wine SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces May 10, 2020

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Reverso One Red Wine

The most affordable watch of any kind offered by Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Reverso One is an elegant watch for ladies with a modest amount of diamonds and a quartz movement. Originally available only with a silver dial, the new Reverso One Red Wine adds a more lively colour to the range of options. Initial thoughts While the quartz movement won’t appeal to a watch aficionado, it makes sense for someone who wants a good-looking, classic design without the hassle of a mechanical movement. Seen from that perspective – especially when combined with the affordable price – the Reverso One is a fuss-free, sensible buy. Red guilloche The launch version of the Reverso One was plain, with an ordinary silver dial dial. The Red Wine livens things up, and does it with more detail than would be expected on an entry-level quartz watch. The dial has a stamped sun-ray guilloche motif that’s covered in translucent red lacquer, creating the rich finish. As with many Reverso models, the flip side of the case is polished and left empty for personalisation. The options for personalisation includes a set of initials that Jaeger-LeCoultre can engrave for a small fee. And the steel case is set with 27 diamonds for a bit of sparkle. Key Facts and Price Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso One Red Wine Ref. Q3288560 Diameter: 40 mm by 20 mm Height: 7.9 mm Material: Stainless steel Water resistance: 30 m Movement: Cal. 657 Functions: Hours and minutes Frequency: Quartz Strap: Alligator strap Availability...

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Junghans Introduces the Max Bill Mega Solar SJX Watches
Junghans Introduces May 5, 2020

Junghans Introduces the Max Bill Mega Solar

The quintessential Junghans is arguably any Max Bill wristwatch, which are all slightly different but share an instantly recognisable style that’s modern, mid-20th century, and still appealing five decades on. The German watchmaker now offers the Max Bill designs in a variety of watches from quartz to automatic chronograph, and the new Max Bill Mega Solar is the most extreme in its design and technological disparity – high-tech dressed in retro style, which makes for a pretty cool watch. Initial thoughts Junghans has solid timekeeping tech in its Mega radio-control watches, but for the most part they are unattractive, at least for someone who likes mechanical watches. Many look like gadgets trying to be an analogue wristwatch. As a result, the Max Bill Mega Solar is a blessing. A Swiss architect and designer whose style was spare and Bauhaus-inspired, Bill designed a series of clocks for Junghans in the late 1950s, followed by wristwatches in 1961. Today’s Max Bill watches are essentially identical to the originals of the 1960s. And now the delightfully concise styling has been combined with a solar-powered, radio-controlled movement. For someone who likes gadgets – and also values good design – this is hard to beat. Radio-control, now worldwide The Max Bill Mega Solar is an upgrade over the earlier Max Bill Mega, which has a quartz movement in a steel case. The new Max Bill Mega Solar has a titanium case, and is solar-powered. It’ll run for up to three ye...

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INTRODUCING: The Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01117, a watch guaranteed to last for the full term of your natural life Time+Tide
Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01117 May 4, 2020

INTRODUCING: The Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01117, a watch guaranteed to last for the full term of your natural life

We often hear that mechanical watches last forever when given the love and attention they require. That’s part of the reason why they can command such high price tags, and even more in the long run when you factor in a service every five years, give or take. But really, we all know that a … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01117, a watch guaranteed to last for the full term of your natural life appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Girard-Perregaux Introduces the Laureato Absolute Light SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux Introduces May 4, 2020

Girard-Perregaux Introduces the Laureato Absolute Light

Girard-Perregaux’s luxury-sports watch is available in the usual range of materials, as well as some unusual carbon-glass composites, and now sapphire with the Laureato Absolute Light. At first glance it appears to adhere to a common formula – executing a well-known case design in sapphire – but Girard-Perregaux has tweaked a few elements to make it a little more interesting, while maintaining transparent-mechanical look prized in such watches. Initial thoughts Ultra-luxe sports watches with sapphire cases are surprisingly common, despite the accompanying price tag. Typically the design can be varied little, since what most brands do is produce their signature style in sapphire. So the way to stand out is to make the details a little bit more interesting, and the price tag a little less high. Girard-Perregaux has succeeded in the former – amongst the interesting details here are the movement and hours chapter ring – while doing so-so on the latter. At 85,000 Swiss francs, the Laureato Absolute Light is a lot of money, but amongst sapphire-case sports watches, the price is middle of the road. Framed by lugs The 44 mm case is typical Laureato, which is a circle within an octagon within a tonneau-shaped case. Admittedly the standard Laureato does bear a strong resemblance to a handful of famous Gerald Genta case designs, but when rendered in sapphire the Laureato does look quite original. The case construction is unusual in that the titanium lugs bookend each side ...

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Bell & Ross Introduces the BR 03-92 HUD SJX Watches
Bell & Ross Introduces May 4, 2020

Bell & Ross Introduces the BR 03-92 HUD

In a smart bit of irony, the latest aviation-instrument edition from Bell & Ross – the BR 03-92 HUD – is a mechanical replica of the electronic heads-up display (HUD) in fighter jets, reproducing the green and black screen from the cockpit with sapphire crystal and Super-Luminova. The BR 03-92 HUD follows on other instrument panel-inspired BR 03 watches, including the BR 01-92 Red Radar of 2011, which was probably the cleverest of the editions, until new HUD. Initial thoughts In its initial years, Bell & Ross (B&R;) took the military-instrument aspect of the BR series pretty seriously, and the watches were largely no-nonsense pilot’s watches. But starting a couple of years ago the designs have gotten more lighthearted – from full “lume” to skulls – which conversely makes sense. The HUD continues with the theme, while managing some self-reflective humour in being a mechanical watch, but manages to capture the cockpit display. And as is typical for the BR series, the watch is powered by an ordinary movement, but presented in a high-quality case made by B&R;’s sister company, G&F; Chatelain (and both, in turn, are owned by Chanel), and accompanied by an accessible retail price. In short, it’s a fun, affordable watch that’s well executed. Tinted crystal The HUD-style watch face is achieved with simple but effective construction that creates several layers of glow-in-the-dark green: the sapphire crystal is tinted green with a coating on its underside, with the ...

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INTRODUCING: The Cartier Santos-Dumont “La Demoiselle” Limited Edition in platinum, a feast of details Time+Tide
Cartier Santos-Dumont “La Demoiselle” Limited Apr 30, 2020

INTRODUCING: The Cartier Santos-Dumont “La Demoiselle” Limited Edition in platinum, a feast of details

This year, Cartier are shining the spotlight on the pioneering age of aviation as a source of inspiration. And that brings to the fore the wristwatch that started it all, the Santos-Dumont. The model returned to prominence in 2019 with the quartz Cartier Santos-Dumont. While the Cartier family and Brazilian inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont are inexorably … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Cartier Santos-Dumont “La Demoiselle” Limited Edition in platinum, a feast of details appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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