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Results for Master Chronometer (METAS)

2,057 articles · 380 videos found · page 79 of 82

Our Predictions In The Artistic Crafts Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): 6 Watches, 5 Panelists, And 3 Picks For Winner Quill & Pad
Nov 5, 2020

Our Predictions In The Artistic Crafts Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): 6 Watches, 5 Panelists, And 3 Picks For Winner

Watches in the Artistic Crafts category demonstrate exceptional mastery of one or several artistic techniques such as enameling, lacquering, engraving, guilloche (engine turning), skeletonizing, and more. Which make comparisons between the different crafts extremely difficult. But our five panelists accept the challenge and come up with three predicted winners.

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Our Predictions In The Jewellery Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Our Panelists Are Split For A Winner (Again) Quill & Pad
Nov 3, 2020

Our Predictions In The Jewellery Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Our Panelists Are Split For A Winner (Again)

The GPHG foundation’s rules for the Jewellery category state that the watches must demonstrate exceptional mastery of the art of jewelry and gem setting. This is an especially difficult category to judge from still photos as you really need to touch and manipulate the jewelry and see the gems reflecting from different angles. Our panelists settle on two favorites as top contenders despite the fact that they haven't had a chance to handle these treasures.

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Hands-on review: Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” Deployant
Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” DEPLOYANT Oct 24, 2020

Hands-on review: Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow”

A timepiece shrouded in mystery. Its existence has eluded collectors and Zenith  collaborators alike for decades. As the legend goes, in 1970, not long after Zenith debuted  the groundbreaking El Primero calibre, the manufacture had produced a prototype of a manual-winding chronograph, housed in a blackened steel case – a rarity for the time. Only Read More

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Fugue Introduces the Fiction One SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Oct 22, 2020

Fugue Introduces the Fiction One

Founded just three years ago, Fugue got its start with a watch featuring a modular case with interchangeable lugs. The brand’s second model is altogether more interesting, the Fiction One. Powered by an automatic Sellita movement, the Fiction One has an intriguing mystery dial – the hands appear to be floating over its surface with no connection to the central axis. Available for pre-order on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter until end October, the Fiction One is available in two dial variations, white and smoked grey. And it is affordable, with a price of €350, or about US$420. [Update December 10, 2020: The original Kickstarter campaign for the watch did not meet its target, but Fugue is doing it a second time, offering the watch at a slightly lower price, as well as a smaller minimum quantity. The new campaign closes January 8, 2021.] Initial thoughts “Microbrands” tend to capitalise on designs that are the flavour of the day, reusing classic sports-watch designs for affordable watches. So amidst its crowdfunded peers, the Fiction One is refreshing. That said, the mystery time display is an old invention, dating to early 19th century when it was invented by French magician Jean-Eugène Robert Houdin.And in the mid 20th century, the Galaxy watch with mystery hands was produced by several brands, most notably LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, and Longines. Fugue takes inspiration from those wristwatches, successfully reinterpreting the idea to create something mod...

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De Bethune Introduces the DW5 Cempasúchil SJX Watches
De Bethune Introduces Oct 15, 2020

De Bethune Introduces the DW5 Cempasúchil

Already a well-established tradition at De Bethune, the unusual use of metal alloys along with elaborate engraving defines the Maestri’Art DW5 Cempasúchil, a unique watch created for Salón Internacional Alta Relojería México (SIAR), the country’s leading luxury-watch fair that takes place October 20-22. The Cempasúchil is a unique piece that’s the latest instalment in the Dream Watch 5 (DW5) series that started out as a sleek creation resembling a metallic seashell. More recently, the DW5 has more recently been used as a blank canvas for heavily decorative engraving, something the Cempasúchil takes that to the extreme. The titanium case of the Cempasúchil is heat blued and inlaid with gold in various colours, forming an intricate yet cartoonish motif inspired by the Mexican festival of Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead. And that explains the model name, which is also a type of marigold also known as flor de los muertos, or “flower of the dead”. Cempasúchil front And back Initial thoughts Done by De Bethune’s go-to engraver, the quality of the work on the Cempasúchil is unmistakably high quality. And the multi-coloured gold inlay elevates the work to another level entirely. And the exuberant, whimsical of multiple calavera, or decorated skulls, is very much in keeping with the spirit of the Day of the Dead, a celebration of the departed rather than a sad occasion. But the combination of the DW5 and the motif doesn’t gel. Traditionally seamless,...

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INTRODUCING: The Moser Swiss Alp Watch is less a clever gimmick than it is just great Time+Tide
Oct 8, 2020

INTRODUCING: The Moser Swiss Alp Watch is less a clever gimmick than it is just great

The Moser Swiss Alp Watch is a thoroughly intriguing proposal, in what seems a familiar smooth shape of a rectangular pebble with re-imagined wire lugs. Your non-horologically biased mates, family and colleagues will no doubt pose the question as to why this has a crown and a hand-sewn alligator strap, only to be silenced by … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Moser Swiss Alp Watch is less a clever gimmick than it is just great appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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MB&F; Introduces the LM Split Escapement ‘Eddy Jaquet’ SJX Watches
Casio nally collaborations Sep 22, 2020

MB&F; Introduces the LM Split Escapement ‘Eddy Jaquet’

Conceived as an imagined, 19th-century take on MB&F;’s uber-modern, sci-fi inspired Horological Machines, the Legacy Machines (LM) draw inspiration from the aesthetic of the era – and the works of Jules Verne – to create a steampunk-meets-classical-watchmaking timepiece. Now the spirit of the LM have been made tangible with the LM Split Escapement ‘Eddy Jaquet’.  The series is limited to just eight watches in red gold, each featuring a dial depicting a scene from Verne’s novels, rendered in minute detail with the hand engraving of Eddy Jaquet, a Swiss artisan who has worked with an array of watchmakers but perhaps best known for his work on Voutilainen watches. Initial thoughts The new LM Split Escapement (SE) is a departure from the typical MB&F; watch, which usually emphasises technical aspects, like movement construction or finishing, or case design and materials (and occasionally collaborations with contemporary artists). Instead the new LM SE is all about artisanal craft, something that is familiar territory for independent watchmakers like Voutilainen but novel for MB&F;. Though such artistically decorated timepieces are not a traditional strength of MB&F;, the result is an attractive watch. The engraving is impressively done, and avoids appearing monochromatic thanks to its depth. The intricate, pictorial engraving also complements the style of the LM, making the whole greater than the sum of the parts. In fact, it can be argued that the original LM SE w...

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When Accuracy Mattered – Part III: The Triumph of Brands Over Watchmaking SJX Watches
Longines split-seconds chronograph pocket watch Sep 20, 2020

When Accuracy Mattered – Part III: The Triumph of Brands Over Watchmaking

The demise of chronometry competitions last year – when the final edition of Concours International de Chronométrie took place – finally killed the dangerous heresy that a watch is a practical instrument that should be trusted to show the correct time. With the elimination of the last scientific and independent assessment of a watch’s worth, the cult of haute horlogerie comes into its own, reinforcing its definition of a watch as an emotional product born of passion, tradition and prestige. Trials to see who can produce the most precise, accurate and reliable watch originated in Geneva in 1879, when the head of its observatory, Professor Emile Plantamour, devised a testing routine that rated watches in the various positions and temperatures encountered in everyday wear. Observatories soon became the influencers of the pocket-watch age, determining the legitimacy and worth of luxury timepieces. American magnates like James Ward Packard, Henry Graves Jr and Pierpont Morgan secured the most highly rated pieces. A Longines split-seconds chronograph pocket watch that was tested at the Neuchatel Observatory in 1968; this particular example once belong to Jean Pitallier, the former president of the French Cycling Federation (FFC) Despite the advent of wristwatches, the Neuchatel Observatory kept the competitions alive until 1968 when Japanese entrants swept the board. In 1972, deputation of Swiss watch brand executive petitioned the Neuchâtel government minister Ren...

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Rolex Debuts “Perpetual Music” – Classical Concerts Online SJX Watches
Rolex Debuts “Perpetual Music” – Aug 10, 2020

Rolex Debuts “Perpetual Music” – Classical Concerts Online

A longtime supporter of classical music and opera, Rolex is backing a trio of summertime concerts that will be broadcast online to a global audience – the first of the Perpetual Music series. Conceived to support musicians and artists whose worked have been derailed by the pandemic, the Perpetual Music concerts take place in August and September 2020, in Italy, France, and Germany, and will be available for free on Medici.tv, an online channel dedicated to classical music. “When musicians have suffered both the loss of audience and income, our aim is to provide them the opportunity to perform with renowned artists at prestigious venues with the finest acoustics,” says Arnaud Boetsch, Rolex Director of Communication & Image, in the announcement for Perpetual Music. Three musicians who are Rolex “testimonees” – the watchmaker’s label for its brand ambassadors – Juan Diego Flórez, Rolando Villazón, and Sonya Yoncheva, will each be performing at one concert, along with some 100 artists who are part of staging and executing the performances. Also taking part in the final concert is violinist Renaud Capuçon, who helped organise the concerts. Importantly, all of the musicians participating in the concert will be paid. The concert schedule starts with tenor Juan Diego Flórez on August 21 at the Teatro Rossini in Pesaro, Italy; followed by soprano Sonya Yoncheva on September 1 at the Berlin Staatsoper; and finally tenor Rolando Villazón with Renaud Capuç...

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Seiko answer people’s prayers with the smaller and bezel-less 2020 Seiko 5 Sports models Time+Tide
Seiko answer people’s prayers Aug 9, 2020

Seiko answer people’s prayers with the smaller and bezel-less 2020 Seiko 5 Sports models

Say what you will, but there are few cooler mods you can make to a stainless steel sports watch than removing its bezel … just ask Marlon Brando. It’s obviously a sentiment that Seiko agrees with, as 2020 has seen them release no fewer than 11 new iterations of its iconic 5 Sports model without … ContinuedThe post Seiko answer people’s prayers with the smaller and bezel-less 2020 Seiko 5 Sports models appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Audemars Piguet add three new black-cased Royal Oak Offshore models with smoked fumé dials Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet add three new black-cased Jul 12, 2020

Audemars Piguet add three new black-cased Royal Oak Offshore models with smoked fumé dials

Audemars Piguet have been slowly but surely unveiling some quietly inspired new releases in 2020. First came the bite-the-back-of-your-hand beautiful [Re]master01 Selfwinding Chronograph, then came a diminutive new Royal Oak 34mm. More recently, AP saw fit to bestow its much-lauded Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin with two new models – the dazzling Diamond Indexes In Platinum … ContinuedThe post Audemars Piguet add three new black-cased Royal Oak Offshore models with smoked fumé dials appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Recap: Instagram Live with Rexhep Rexhepi SJX Watches
Rexhep Rexhepi May 29, 2020

Recap: Instagram Live with Rexhep Rexhepi

Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia was the guest on our first-ever Instagram Live, where he spoke with our founder SJX. Lighthearted and insightful, the session centred on the growth of Akrivia’s in-house capabilities, as well as the future of the Chronomètre Contemporain series. Here’s a recap of the highlights from the session. Ambitions for integration Rexhep has big dreams for Akrivia as a true manufacture, from production to even testing. This stems from an explicit desire to control every element of production, and to ensure his high standards at met every step of the way. Much of the progress made in vertical integration will be reflected in the second series of the Chronomètre Contemporain. While the series one cases were produced by a Geneva specialist, the second series will have its cases made in-house by master case maker Jean-Pierre Hagmann, who joined Akrivia last year. At the same time, Rexhep said the movement will have a greater share of parts made in-house. While the exactly proportion was unsaid, he made clear that his goal was to eventually make all key parts – bridges, base plates, wheels and pinions – in the Akrivia workshop. Beyond production timepieces, such vertical integration will be advantageous as it would allow Akrivia to prototype ideas far more quickly. Rexhep Rexhepi with Jean-Pierre Hagmann. Photo – Akrivia Interestingly, Rexhep also touched on chronometer testing and certification. The first series Chronomètre Contemporain is te...

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Pandemic Truths – Rexhep Rexhepi SJX Watches
Rexhep Rexhepi Apr 23, 2020

Pandemic Truths – Rexhep Rexhepi

Amongst independent watchmakers, Rexhep Rexhepi has found swift and significant success since he founded Akrivia, now one of the hottest niche brands. After his Chronomètre Contemporain took the prize of best men’s watch at the 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), collectors have been eagerly anticipating his next creation – which is on track despite the pandemic-induced disruptions. How has the COVID-19 coronavirus affected Akrivia? Now still crafting watches in his workshop at the heart of Geneva’s Old Town, Rexhep answers. Rexhep, still at the workshop in Geneva’s Old Town. Photo – Rexhep Rexhepi What impact has the crisis has on your business? The first impact was human. A month ago, when social distancing was first implemented in Switzerland, the atmosphere was grim. I could feel employees’ morale was affected; their motivation was low. I offered them the choice to stay home with partial unemployment or keep coming to the atelier, while respecting all health and hygiene measures, of course. Most of them opted to keep working, so we are still open at the moment and working almost normally. Even my partner [Jean-Pierre] Hagmann is back now. Production-wise, we feared for some of our subcontractors, like the [specialist that does] rhodium plating for example, but they are also working, even if only part time, for one week out of every two. But since we have [vertically] integrated a lot of our production, like making our own cases, and we have...

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Up Close: Akrivia AK-06 SJX Watches
Akrivia Apr 3, 2020

Up Close: Akrivia AK-06

Akrivia, and by extension its founder Rexhep Rexhepi, became a star in independent watchmaking with the launch of the Chronometre Contemporain in 2018, a unique version of which went on to sell for 360,000 Swiss francs at charity auction Only Watch. While its success was recent, the brand was actually founded in 2012, having made its debut with the AK series, characterised by a wholly-different aesthetic, one that Rexhep himself describes as a startup’s attempt to make an impression. The bridge between the twin collections of Akrivia – the contemporary AK series and the classical Chronometre Contemporain – is the AK-06. It’s powered by a variant of the movement found in the Chronometre Contemporain, but enhanced by doing away with the dial to reveal the under-dial mechanics, but installed inside an AK-style case, albeit one that’s been redesigned and streamlined. The AK-06 in titanium (left) and steel Beyond being a blend of both Akrivia styles – the best of both worlds if you like the case design – the AK-06 is perhaps historically significant, being the last of the first-generation Akrivia models, since Rexhep has indicated the AK series will eventually feature a wholly new case design. But whatever you think of the case, the movement of the AK-06 is absolutely marvellous. In fact, it is arguably more compelling than the similar calibre in the Chronometre Contemporain, because with the AK-06 all of its engaging mechanics are revealed on the front. AK case...

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