Revolution
Bamford Now Official Customizer of Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye
Custom king: Bamford Watch Department adds Girard-Perregaux to growing list of clients that includes TAG Heuer, Zenith and Bulgari
22,300 articles · 2,118 videos found · page 716 of 814
Revolution
Custom king: Bamford Watch Department adds Girard-Perregaux to growing list of clients that includes TAG Heuer, Zenith and Bulgari
SJX Watches
Three years ago, Panerai introduced the LAB-ID Luminor 1950 Carbotech 3 Days PAM 700, an experimental watch boasting carbon-based innovations inside and out, including ceramic bridges and plates that do away with jewelled bearings as well as a dial coated in carbon nanotubes giving it an absolute black finish. But the LAB-ID was truly experimental, and word has it that only a handful were sold and the planned 50-piece run was never completed. But no doubt due to the popularity of the LAB-ID’s design – and unpopularity of the €50,000 price tag – Panerai has just announced the Luminor Marina Carbotech 44 mm (PAM01661). It’s essentially a smaller, simpler LAB-ID, featuring a case in the same material, as well as blue lume on the dial and hands, but with a straightforward automatic movement without any of the bells and whistles found in the LAB-ID. The Luminor Marina Carbotech 44 mm Depth rated to 300 m, the case is made of Carbotech, a carbon fibre-reinforced polymer produced by compressing thin sheets of carbon fibres at high pressure with a high-end polymer (PEEK), explaining the wave-like appearance of the material. The result is a material that is light and strong, explaining why the large, 44 mm case weighs just 96 grammes, less than half the same case in steel. The LAB-ID of 2017 The watch has a standard Panerai dial, but in the colours of the LAB-ID. Like most Panerai dials, it has a “sandwich” construction, where the hour markers are cut-outs that r...
Quill & Pad
The longer Quill & Pad reader Thomas enjoys the world of watches, the more people he meets, and the more collectors he talks to, the more he asks himself, "Why don’t we include children, children’s watches, and pay more attention to this group of potential collectors and customers to ensure the future?"
Time+Tide
It’s Australia’s biggest watch scandal in living memory. Hell, if anything is going to end up with a ‘-gate’ suffix in our world, it’s this. Last weekend, Rolexforums.com broke the news that Christopher Essery - the man behind @horologyhouse, a popular YouTube Channel, website and Instagram account renowned for its macro photography - is alleged to … ContinuedThe post What we know so far about the alleged fake Rolex scandal engulfing popular YouTuber @horologyhouse appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Unveiled in 1998, the original IWC Portugieser Chronograph ref. 3714 had a surprisingly long life, managing to be a bestseller for 22 years – and a lucrative franchise for IWC – thanks to its distinctive yet classical styling and relatively affordable price. Now it has finally been replaced by the new Portugieser Chronograph ref. 3716 that looks almost identical, but is powered by a proprietary movement – and only a little bit more expensive. The ref. 3716 actually made its debut two years ago as a 150th anniversary limited edition, available only with a glossy, lacquered dial in white or blue. Now the ref. 3716 joins the regular collection, with a steel or 18k rose gold case, as well as all of the dial variants that were offered for the outgoing ref. 3714. That means the quintessential Portugieser Chronograph in steel matched a silver dial, gold numerals and gold hands is still available. The new Portugieser Chronograph is slightly larger than the original, but the differences are so slight that they are not apparent at all. The new model is 41 mm in diameter and 13.1 mm high, compared to 40.9 mm by 12.6 mm for the original. The new movement, and new price The increase in size is due to the cal. 69355, which replaces the cal. 79350 (derived from the Valjoux 7750) inside the original Portugieser Chronograph. The cal. 69355 is an in-house movement that’s part of the 69000 family. Amongst the upgrades are the column wheel, as well as the escape wheel and pallet for...
SJX Watches
Slightly retro and conventionally shaped, the Bell & Ross Vintage line is a popular counterpart to the brand’s better-known, all-square BR 01 and 03. The Vintage collection gets three new models at Baselworld 2020 – namely a time-only, GMT, and chronograph – including the BR V2-94 Aéronavale Bronze limited edition. Notably, the new BR V2 watches are offered with a type of elastic fabric strap secured by a small hook, often known as an “MN” strap. That’s short for Marine Nationale – the French navy – and reputedly comes from the fact that such straps were originally fabricated by from parachute webbing by French navy personnel, who were said to have been issued watches without straps. Named after l’Aéronavale, the air arm of the French navy, the BR V2-94 limited edition is inspired by the colours of the French navy’s dress uniform. So the dial is a dark, metallic blue, matched with gold-plated hands and hour markers, and a bronze case. And bezel is fixed and features a blue, anodised aluminium insert that allows for measurement of elapsed time. The 41 mm case is made of CuAl7Si2 bronze, an alloy that’s almost all copper, save for 7% aluminium and 2% silicon. Over time, the alloy acquires a brownish surface oxidisation, in contrast to the green verdigris of more common bronze alloys. And like the other BR V2 chronographs, this is powered by an ETA 2894-2, which is an ETA 2892 base with a chronograph module on top. The other additions to the line wi...
Time+Tide
Most brands enjoy celebrating anniversaries based around the centenary, but not Grand Seiko, and it actually makes sense. In watchmaking, the number 60 is significantly more important than 50, as it takes 60 seconds to make a minute, and 60 minutes to make an hour, as well as that in Japan the number 60 signifies … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The bold and blue Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
We’re very proud to announce that the ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction in aid of the Australian bushfire crisis has raised more than $200,000 Australian dollars, with 100 per cent of the funds going directly to the charities that need it most. This has been a monumental effort from everyone involved and we’re incredibly … ContinuedThe post ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction results: Over $200K raised! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
At the beginning of last year, the famed Le Brassus-based watchmaker Audemars Piguet released their first totally new collection in decades, the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59. It is safe to say that the release got people talking, with an outpouring of expression on social media articulating many people’s disappointment with the collection, blaming it for … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED WATCHING: The Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 explained appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Seventeen-time Grand Slam Champion Novak Djokovic has once again teamed up with long-term sponsor Seiko to create this - the Seiko Astron Novak Djokovic 2020 Limited Edition. Based on the standard Astron SSH019J1, the limited-run watch has been designed to celebrate both the Serbian and Japanese flags. The new Djokovic Astron is a handsome-looking timepiece, … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Seiko Astron Novak Djokovic 2020 Limited Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
While Patek Philippe are kept most popularly in the mind today through a handful of steel sports watches and the lyrics of chart-topping songs, the company has a history of remarkable innovation that is sometimes overlooked. In the middle of last century - 1950 to be precise - the Genevan firm released a solar-powered table clock, an … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: The remarkable innovation of the Patek Philippe Solar Clock appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
2019 was the year that Rado solidified their intent to deliver watches that not only pleased a loyal fanbase but surprised and captured the imagination of watch enthusiasts new to the brand. Everything from classically proportioned dress watches, to handsome and rugged tool watches and even bold reissues were released by the Swiss marque, to … ContinuedThe post 4 of the most surprising Rado watches of 2019 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled a trio of grand complications last year, a substantial number given how complex each watch is, although two of the three are powered by existing movements. The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle (the only one equipped with a new calibre) and the Gyrotourbillon 3 Meteorite were launched first, and late in the year came the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste to mark 15 years of partnership with the Venice International Film Festival. Among the brand’s grand complications, the Tourbillon Celeste is one of the most interesting, boasting a quirky combinations of functions – an orbital, flying tourbillon calibrated for sidereal time as well as a star chart, and sidereal annual calendar. And it is also unusually high tech for a Jaeger-LeCoultre, with the movement being equipped with a silicon escape wheel and pallet fork. A simpler complication As with most of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s recent grand complications, the movement in the Tourbillon Céleste is an iteration of an earlier calibre – something the brand has made a habit of in recent years, which is a bit of a shame given its rich history in movement development. Specifically, the movement inside is a streamlined and simplified version of the more complicated Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication, which was launched in 2010 and also included a minute repeater. Being a separate module mounted on the case-back side of the movement, the repeater was s...
Quill & Pad
Ever since the Bulgari Octo Finissimo premiered in 2017 George Cramer has been very attracted to the model, but was also afraid that the case would be too large for his wrist. But in Paris one day, he tried an Octo Finissimo on in the Bulgari boutique and was immediately convinced that it was perfect and also very comfortable. But he then had to decide which version was his favorite.
Time+Tide
Welcome back to Great ’Grams, where I pick my favourite Instagram posts of the last week and, my word, were there some great stories that hit the feed. One of the coolest I saw was from Jason Heaton, a watch writer and scuba diver, who was selling a very special DOXA to raise funds for … ContinuedThe post Great ‘Grams: A titanium DOXA and a Compax close-up appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
I’m rather fortunate in my role here at Time+Tide - I get to wear a lot of different watches. In fact, in 2019 alone I tried on and wore more than 200 different timepieces. Getting to experience this many different watches is a privilege, and while each and every one had both positives and negatives, they … ContinuedThe post OPINION: Why thick watches are no good appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Hong Kong’s political unrest has resulted in the first fall in annual profits at the Swatch Group since 2018. The world’s biggest watchmaking group, which owns brands like Omega and Longines, just announced its 2019 results, showing declines in both sales and profits. Net profit fell 13.7%, while sales declined 1.8% at constant exchange rates, or 2.7% at current rates, to 8.24 billion francs. The drops in profit and sales were primarily due to a drastic contraction of its business in Hong Kong – a city with a population of just 7.4 million – where Swatch Group owns over 90 retail stores, largely catering to shoppers from the China. Sales in Hong Kong for the second half of 2019 fell by 200 million francs. While Hong Kong was the key driver of the decline, it was not the only one. The luxury watch business in general is suffering from anaemic growth, which is also evidenced by the watch division results at diversified luxury groups like LVMH and Kering. On a more positive note, Swatch Group has managed to fulfil its stated aims of reducing operating expenditure and thinning inventory. Operating expenses dipped about 6%, while operating cash flow rose 30% in 2019. And after several consecutive years of growth, the group’s inventories declined by 1% in 2019, to a still-substantial 6.85 billion francs at cost. It’ll be a slow 2020… With Swatch Group predicting the situation in Hong Kong will continue to be “challenging” in 2020, it is in a weaker positio...
SJX Watches
Originally unveiled as a sub-brand of Seiko in 1960 dedicated entirely to high-precision wristwatches – and only sold in Japan for most of that time – Grand Seiko has now become an independent brand. This year is the 60th anniversary of its founding, and the occasion is being commemorated with a quartet of limited editions (with perhaps more to come later in the year), including two quartz watches powered by the 9F85, a new, top-of-the-line quartz movement. All of the anniversary editions feature a dial in dark blue, one of Grand Seiko’s signature colours, albeit executed in different materials or finishes, ranging from a stamped pattern to mother of pearl. All of the men’s models also have a red seconds hand, creating a red and blue aesthetic that’s uncommon for Grand Seiko. The flagship 60th anniversary watch is the Heritage Collection Hi-Beat 36000 Limited Edition (SBGH281), a variant of the 44GS “modern reinterpretation” that features broad, mirror-polished case flanks that are steeply sloped, a distinguishing characteristic of the 44GS case style. It’s powered by the 9S85, an automatic movement operated at 36,000 beats per hour, hence the “Hi-Beat” label. Only 1,500 will be made. The Hi-Beat limited edition also features a gold “GS” logo on the dial The other mechanical model in the anniversary line-up is the Elegance Collection Women’s Automatic Limited Edition (STGK015), powered by the 9S27 automatic movement. Its dial is dark-blue mother...
Time+Tide
Finally, we have the last additions to the “Watch & Act!” Auction. Lot 22: TAG Heuer – Unique Piece, Autavia Caliber 5 ‘Watch & Act!’ Edition First released in 2019, this collection represented the first time the name Autavia had been given to a time-only watch, which is originally a portmanteau of automobile and aviation … ContinuedThe post “Watch & Act!” Auction – The Final Additions #2 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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This eye-catching special edition, launched at the Dubai Watch Week 2019, features a satin-finished steel case and lush starburst dial inspired by the green in the UAE flag – a colour chosen to inspire hope, growth and prosperity – and four Hindi Arabic numerals painted in Super-LumiNova. This is the first Bell & Ross model … ContinuedThe post “Watch & Act!” Auction Item – Lot 17: A gorgeous green Middle Eastern Limited Edition Bell & Ross appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
World women’s number one tennis player Ash Barty has collaborated with Rado to release a watch this year, bringing us the Rado HyperChrome Ashleigh Barty Limited Edition, a white-hot polished ceramic watch that matches perfectly with the uniform of Wimbledon, which was her first junior Grand Slam win – ahead of her career-defining Grand Slam … ContinuedThe post “Watch & Act!” Auction Item – Lot 16: It’s a Rado Ashleigh Barty party and you’re invited appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
OK, let’s dispense with any hype and get down to it. Sixty per cent of watches are sold on a bracelet and this is a fact that Hublot are finally set to take advantage of with the Hublot Big Bang Integral, a new collection, freshly launched at the LVMH fair in Dubai in early January. … ContinuedThe post How could a humble watch bracelet win a watch fair? The Hublot Big Bang Integral just did exactly that, but why? How? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
It’s Thursday, and that can mean only one thing - it’s time for Nicholas Kenyon & James Robinson to engage in another jousting of words over a watch-related point of contention. In this week’s office argument, the two pontificate whether or not it’s OK to wear dive watches on leather straps. James Robinson – The For … ContinuedThe post Crime or Sublime: Dive watches on leather straps appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
Introduction If there’s one thing that IWC has a handle on, it’s Pilot’s watches. Within the brands iconic Pilot’s collection is the popular Mark XVIII range, which serves as a charming entry point to the family. I recently had the pleasure of spending several weeks with the Mark XVIII (reference IW327009), which is the stainless steel, black dial model, on a leather strap. Having previously reviewed several other IWC Pilot’s pieces, including the Pilot’s Automatic Spitfire, I was curious to explore the brand’s entry-level offering further. The Dial & Hands Featuring a black dial with white luminescent markers, the Mark XVIII is simple and understated. The large white markers and numerals are easy to read at a glance, and perfectly contrast with the black dial. Even in full sun, it’s easy to read the dial, which under harsher light appears to turn matt. There’ll be no red-eyes come evening thanks to the generous luminescence and large markers. Since it’s release, the Mark XVIII’s date window has been a sticking point for some, primarily for its lack of symmetry, or it’s mere existence. Ultimately this comes down to personal taste, and after several weeks of wearing the Mark XVIII – I took no issue with it. The date window, admittedly a little out of place, blended in nicely with the rest of the dial, thanks to a matching date wheel. It’s also worth noting that this is an undeniable improvement on the it’s predecessor’s (the Mark XVII) date...
Time+Tide
If Zenith’s showing at LVMH’s Dubai Watch Week is anything to go by, 2020 could well be the year of the eccentric collaboration for the Swiss watchmaker. Not only were members of the press treated to the unveiling of the handsome, if slightly odd, Zenith DEFY El Primero 21 Land Rover Edition, but they were … ContinuedThe post Superstar DJ Carl Cox remixes Zenith; feat. Lume appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Watches on bracelets are great for a multitude of reasons. They are both durable and comfortable, relatively easy to adjust and aren’t ruined if you go swimming with them … all pointing to it being hard to go wrong if you get a watch with a bracelet. Besides, it’s always better to buy your watch … ContinuedThe post 13 of the best watches on bracelets from 2019 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Martin Green doesn't like skeleton watches despite adoring the craftsmanship that goes into making them because he isn't fond of seeing a stunning movement with a backdrop of skin and pressed hair. Hermès solved that problem with the Arceau Squelette, which showcases the beauty of the movement without any "hairy" backdrop by using a "smokescreen."
Time+Tide
The 2020 running of the Australian Open is well and truly into full … well, swing. And with the best tennis players in the world descending on Melbourne, we thought we’d take a look at watchmakers that have affiliations with the pro athletes because, after all, one of my favourite parts of the AO is … ContinuedThe post Game, Set, Watch: Tennis aces and their timepieces appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
“Forecasting future events is often like searching for a black cat in an unlit room, that may not even be there,” wrote Steve Davidson in The Crystal Ball. The art of predictions, in other words, tends to be an absolute mug’s game. When you’re trying to make forecasts about Rolex – a company that shrouds … ContinuedThe post Stunning video footage of a (fantasy) yellow gold Rolex ‘Hulk’ Submariner emerges, prompting Basel predictions appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The Bausele Pilot Automatic All Black features an unusual and eye-catching dial layout. The dial has been rotated, moving the 12 from where it normally sits to what is traditionally the two o’clock position. Built with the modern aviator in mind, it is a functional choice, allowing the time to be easily read without removing … ContinuedThe post “Watch & Act!” Auction Item – Lot 11: The ceramic Bausele pilot’s watch with a difference appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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