1,016 articles found · page 8 of 34
Time+Tide
Bremont goes green for the Supermarine.The post The Supermarine Full Ceramic unveils a new era of toughness for Bremont’s flagship diver appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Contemporary, geometrical-shaped watches have been a part of Rado’s repertoire since 1967, a tradition that was continued with the release of the rectangular Anatom watch in 1983. While the Anatom initially relied on a similar Hardmetal material to the one used on the DiaStar, Rado celebrated its relaunch in 2023 with high-tech ceramic bezels. Expanding […]
SJX Watches
Porter, a Japanese cult brand famous for its functional nylon bags, has lent its signature colours to Zenith to create the Pilot Central Automatic Porter and the Pilot Big Date Flyback Chronograph Porter. The new Pilot duo retain the familiar aviation-inspired design, but in green with orange accents, including for the first time a case in khaki green ceramic. Both models are delivered with two straps: a conventional Cordura-effect rubber strap and a green nylon strap made by Porter. Initial thoughts While the Pilot Porter isn’t an iconic classic like Zenith’s El Primero, it is a unique take on the traditional aviator’s watch that is different but still functional, not unlike Porter bags that are popular for their no-frills quality. The green and orange livery is appealing and avoids the usual pilot’s watch look, but remains entirely legible and utilitarian. Priced at US$11,300 for the time-only variant and US$15,500 for the chronograph, the Pilot Porter is priced comparably to the equivalent regular-production Pilot models. Though both are more expensive than Zenith’s offerings in steel, they are priced reasonably enough considering the material and movement, as well as the competition. Khaki green Porter is the most famous label owned by Yoshida & Co., a Japanese maker of luggage and bags. Usually in dark-coloured nylon with contrast-colour lining, Porter bags are multi-pocketed and useful (and also quite pricey for nylon bags). The Pilot Porter models adopt th...
Fratello
Breitling just unveiled a bunch of new Avenger models. With a handful of new black ceramic Night Mission editions alongside new 46mm titanium and 42mm stainless steel Avenger chronographs, there is plenty to talk about. The Night Mission versions that stand out immediately are the 42mm chronographs with Sand and Turquoise colorways. And what do […] Visit Breitling Expands Its Avenger Collection With Five Black Ceramic Night Mission Watches to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Having made its debut with the Big Pilot AMG G 63 a year ago, ceramic matrix composite (CMC) is an innovative material currently unique to IWC in watchmaking. Little was disclosed about the material at launch, but IWC has just released additional detail on CMC. Notably, the material was developed in collaboration with the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), or German Aerospace Center, a national research institute specialising in aerospace, travel, energy, and even quantum computing. While novel materials are common in watchmaking, brands rarely reveal the origin of the materials, making this collaboration notable. Moreover, the DLR is a highly regarded, independent technical institute, which arguably gives CMC more credibility (and cachet) than most composites employed in watchmaking. Utilising a space-qualified like CMC in a watch tied to a high-performance SUV, however, seems to be a missed opportunity, though it’s a certainty IWC has plans for the the material. Blocks of CMC Staying true to size Fibre ceramic composites are a new class of materials, which combine the surface hardness of conventional ceramics with high tolerance to mechanical and thermal shocks. DLR’s previous work with ceramic composites revolved around making large components for aerospace applications, namely rockets or satellites. The institute was looking to adapt its short-fibre pressing technology for making smaller, near-net-shape parts – not unlike a watch case. Near-net-sha...
Time+Tide
The 18k rose gold Type XX 2067RK/Y0/9WU marks the first time the Breguet brand has ever used ceramic for the externals of a watch.The post Breguet’s Type XX Civilian 2067 is now available in gold with a first-ever ceramic bezel insert appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
First launched in 2021, the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon Chronograph now returns in an appealing combination of materials. The new model shares many similarities with its predecessor, namely the same case design and movement. But it’s now rendered in black ceramic and 18k white gold, matched with pink gold hands. Initial thoughts With the design having been refined over time, it is now clear that the negative reaction to the initial Code 11.59 collection was overdone. Granted, some criticism was justified with the original line-up, particularly for the time-only variants with plain dials (now replaced by guilloche). The most appealing versions of the Code 11.59 are the complications, particularly those with open-worked dials, like the Flying Tourbillon Chronograph. The open working of the dial transforms what was a design weakness into strength. Not only does the open dial showcase the mechanics and finishing of the movement, but it also complements the large, contemporary case. The Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon Chronograph a watch executed excellently with little to criticise – except for the case dimensions, which could be more compact. The Code 11.59 design looks larger than it is, so the case wears larger than it measures. Although the price is only available on request, it is in the region of CHF250,000. It’s a big number but comparable to similar complications from Audemars Piguet’s rivals like Vacheron Constantin. But unlike the competition,...
Deployant
Piaget, the pioneer of ultra thin movement debuts their first ever ceramic watch at Watches and Wonders Shanghai 2024. The Piaget Polo Skeleton Ceramic. The bold use of new materials is a testament to the Maison’s commitment to watchmaking excellence and innovation.
Monochrome
Watches come in all sizes, shapes, colours, styles and materials, which is why there’s always something to be found that ticks personal boxes. One of the options in terms of case material, or beyond for that matter, is ceramic. Pioneered by brands like Rado, it has come a long way and can be found in […]
SJX Watches
A new livery for one of Zenith’s most popular models, the Defy Skyline Skeleton White Ceramic shares the styling of its siblings like the Defy Skyline 36 mm but with a few notable tweaks including a white ceramic case and blue-treated skeletonised movement. And though it appears to be a simple time-only watch, the Defy Skyline features a discreet complication in the form of a “lightning” small seconds hand that completes one rotation every ten seconds. Initial thoughts Zenith has recently been playing it safe with new launches by building on current bestsellers, like the Defy Skyline. The new skeleton in white ceramic is a good looking watch, and an excellent execution of one of Zenith’s modern-day classics. The combination is also novel. Although each key element of the watch is common in itself – a skeleton movement plus the white ceramic case and bracelet – they are relatively uncommon together. The Defy Skyline Skeleton on the wrist However, the Defy Skyline arguably tries too hard to capitalise on the recent (and waning) popularity of integrated-bracelet sports watches. It is not difficult to see a resemblance to the Royal Oak, in particular the one-off Royal Oak made for Only Watch 2023, making it a bit cliché. Priced at US$17,500, the Defy Skyline Skeleton in white ceramic is a decent value proposition compared to similar watches, most of which are from pricier brands like Hublot or Audemars Piguet. Besides the ceramic case and bracelet, it stands out ...
SJX Watches
Blancpain just unveiled an all-ceramic bracelet to match the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe models in black ceramic: the time-and-date, flyback chronograph, and Quantième Complet (or triple calendar). Positioned as the entry-level model in the Fifty Fathom collection of historically-inspired dive watches, the Bathyscaphe has long been available in ceramic, so a bracelet is long overdue. According to Blancpain, each link of the bracelet unique in shape and size, so each link has to be manufactured individually, requiring an enormous amount of skilled labour – which helps to explain the price of almost US$8,000 for the bracelet. All three are now available with a matching bracelet Initial thoughts Though it was a pioneer in the dive watch as we know it, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms has remained fairly under the radar, despite its relatively strong price-quality ratio. The ceramic bracelet for the Bathyscaphe helps it stand out, as few brands offer a matching bracelet for ceramic watches. While ceramic watch cases are common and found across the price spectrum, ceramic bracelets remain relatively uncommon, especially bracelets that are hand finished with a brushed surface like this. All links are manufactured individually, with each link differing in shape and size The ceramic bracelet is expensive – it costs just under US$8,000 extra compared to the same on a strap. That means the three-hand diver costs US$21,300, while the flyback chronograph and triple calendar are both US$...
Worn & Wound
I’ll be upfront here: I love the Defy. All the Defys. I’ve said many times to many people that the Defy is probably my favorite sports watch line of all time. It’s certainly my favorite corner of the Zenith catalog, and vintage Defy references are some of the coolest you can own, and somehow still represent a great value compared to comparable sports watches from other brands. To me, these watches have historically been exactly the right combination of avant-garde design and sports watch functionality. A Defy, unlike a Submariner, for example, can be both an art piece and an everyday wearer. They are also consistently interesting from a materials perspective, particularly when they get into colored ceramic, as they have with the newest Defy introduced today, a successor of sorts to one of my favorite watches from last year. The Defy Skyline White Ceramic Skeleton is in some ways a predictable, natural evolution of the current generation Defy. It takes the ceramic case and bracelet we saw in last year’s black model, turns them white, and gives us the skeleton dial treatment that debuted early last year. It’s a similar trajectory to the Defy Classic releases from several years back, which started in titanium, with colorful skeletonized ceramic versions to follow. This new reference is a little different though for how it plays with contrast. Against the stark white of the case and bracelet, we get a skeletonized blue dial and a movement in a matching shade. Tha...
Deployant
Blancpain releases their Bathyscaphe collection with a new black ceramic case and bracelet. 8 new references, including a new Complete Calendar.
Teddy Baldassarre
Back in February of this year, shortly after Tudor became a sponsor of the Visa Cash App RB Racing Team, driver Daniel Ricciardo was spotted wearing a curious blue dial Tudor Black Bay Ceramic – a watch that up to that point had not existed. It was a very “Daniel Craig wearing a white pre-release Speedmaster to Planet Omega in New York” moment. As it turns out, this watch became the standard timepiece in the paddock for both drivers Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda. But the story sort of ended there and we were left to figure that this was just a racing watch…not for public consumption. That is, until this morning, when Tudor let it be known that the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” is now a very real thing that us very real people can very truly own. And now we have a lot more images of the watch to boot. In light of the fact that Ricciardo somewhat spoiled this launch back in February, there is not much to say that isn’t known. And similar to the white Speedmaster, we are effectively talking about a dial change here. But nonetheless, let’s get into this one. The watch takes the form of the 2021 Black Bay Ceramic release which, at the time, boasted an all-black-everything design motif from the ceramic case to the dial to the strap. The BB Ceramic comes in at 41mm with a case thickness of 14.4mm. It features the METAS-certified master chronometer MT5602-U1. What is significant about that movement is that the original BB Ceramic was the watch to debut Tudor’s for...
Time+Tide
Tudor team up with Visa Cash App RB F1 team to release a blue dial version of the Black Bay Ceramic in another sports team collaboration.The post Tudor goes racing blue with a new Formula 1-themed Black Bay Ceramic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
With a complete calendar, chronograph, and automatic option, the Bathyscaphe gets a full ceramic bracelet.
Monochrome
A more streamlined and less instrument-oriented take on one of the most emblematic dive watches ever created (the Fifty Fathoms, if you ask), the Blancpain Bathyscaphe collection continues its evolution initiated a few years ago with the introduction of new materials and redesigned dials. This year will be all about ceramic. First, Blancpain introduces a […]
Time+Tide
Blancpain's first ceramic bracelets on the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe are as substantial as it gets, and Time+Tide has the exclusive scoop, straight from Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef.The post Blancpain unveils its first-ever ceramic bracelets for the Bathyscaphe on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (live pics) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
At the end of August, the official opening of the 37th America’s Cup will take place in Barcelona. Six sailing teams will compete against each other, and a few of them are backed by big names in the watch industry. Today, we’ll put two of those brands up against each other - Panerai and Tudor. […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa Ti-Ceramic Vs. Tudor Pelagos FXD Alinghi Red Bull Racing Edition to read the full article.
SJX Watches
IWC just revealed an experimental Pilot’s chronograph with a luminous ceramic case – on the wrist of Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton at the Monaco Grand Prix. Christened Ceralume, the material was developed XPL, the watchmaker’s experimental engineering department. According to IWC, the Ceralume concept watch was glowing a bright blue for more than 24 hours in dark chamber tests (although it didn’t state how the material was “charged” prior to the test). According to IWC, the patent-pending material is created by blending ceramic powder with Super-Luminova, the luminous material produced by RC Tritec that absorbs light energy and then emits it. Being non-radioactive, Super-Luminova is widely used to illuminate watch dials, and also suited to a case material. Though IWC has not revealed specifics about future plans for the material, it did say Ceralume will “form the foundation of future developments and releases.” Lewis Hamilton at the 2024 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix Initial thoughts Ever since the discovery of radium in 1898, luminous materials have become commonplace in watches, primarily to aid legibility. With legibility being less crucial today, luminous paint is increasingly used for purely aesthetic purposes. Moreover, luminous ceramic is not actually new. Tudor, for instance, used luminous ceramic hour markers in the Black Bay Pro of 2022. IWC is the first to make an entire case from the material, albeit not one that is available commercially (ye...
Fratello
Luminescent materials have been a part of watchmaking for generations. The use of radioactive materials in the last century was fundamental in the design of tool watches that could allow the owner an opportunity to tell the time in darkened conditions. Thankfully, we no longer have to rely on radioactive materials to achieve this outcome, […] Visit IWC Reveals Ceralume With The First Fully Luminous Ceramic Watch to read the full article.
Time+Tide
The Schaffhausen brand has whipped up a new ceramic composite dubbed Ceralume, with Lewis Hamilton repping it in Monaco.The post Lewis Hamilton spotted at Monaco Grand Prix wearing a fully luminous ceramic IWC prototype appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
By now, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that Rado, a Swatch Group brand, has gained (well, self-attributed, but justified) the title of The Master of Materials, being one of the leading representatives of the ceramic watch – thanks to sister company ComaDur. Ceramic has multiple qualities – it is durable, scratch-resistant, light, […]
Fratello
Green is the color of money, right? If so, shouldn’t green also be the most expensive color? Well, it isn’t at Hublot. The new Hublot Big Bang Unico Dark Green Ceramic 42mm costs €5,800 less than the same watch in orange. Hublot explained why during Watches and Wonders, but that story didn’t make me change […] Visit Start The Week With A Bang - A Hublot Big Bang Unico Dark Green Ceramic 42mm to read the full article.
Fratello
You might be just a few clicks away from the new Hublot Big Bang Unico Ice Bang. It’s an online exclusive only available through Hublot’s e-commerce boutique, and it’s also a limited edition. Just 100 pieces of this black ceramic watch outfitted with a soberly contrasting bezel in tungsten will be made. If you want […] Visit The Hublot Big Bang Unico Ice Bang Is A Cool Online Exclusive In Ceramic And Tungsten to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
What We Love: Indigo blue is stunning to look atThe ceramic Bracelet is well-executedFeels like a toy on the wrist but in a great way What We Don’t: Ceramic is resistant to scratches but has the potential to chipThe date wheel can blend into the movement at timesTaking links on/off to adjust the watch will be challenging Overall Rating: 8.75/10 Value for Money: 9/10Wearability: 8.5/10Design: 9/10Build Quality: 8.5/10 When I think of Hublot, one of the first things that comes to my mind is the Big Bang, followed by the Hybrid rubber strap they pioneered back in 1980, which the brand is famous for. So, when I got the chance to test out the Big Bang in Blue Indigo Ceramic, I was excited because I got to try out a watch that doesn’t look like a Hublot but is still very much a Hublot. Big Bang was first released in 2005, which paved the way for the brand and its collections, such as Classic Fusion and Spirit of Big Bang, and has now evolved into highly complicated timepieces and material experimentation. Fifteen years later, in 2020, Hublot introduced its first-ever integrated Big Bang, and in 2022, released during watches and wonders, the world saw four unique Big Bang Ceramic monochrome colourways. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chamath Gamage (@champsg) Blue Indigo, Sky-blue, Sand Beige and Jungle green represent the elements of water, earth and wood. An indigo blue from the Majorelle Garden, the streets of Chefchaouen in Morocco, and the Blue City of...
Worn & Wound
I first took serious notice of Shinola when the brand released its limited edition yacht timer, the Shinola Mackinac in 2022. It’s a funky, vintage inspired design, with a square case, circular yellow-orange dial, and pops of blue that make it an eye-catching piece, perfect for summer. I bought it-and probably overpaid, but, hey, everyone’s got that watch they bought with their heart not their financial sense-and at the same time bought into Shinola’s story as a company that pays homage to its Detroit roots and assembles their watches in America. The Mackinac really seems to represent a turning point for the company. Its release was followed by a string of watches seemingly designed for watch enthusiasts who took issue with Shinola’s pricey, quartz-heavy early catalog. Take the latest addition to the Shinola lineup: the Ceramic Monster, which I had the opportunity to spend a week with recently. The Monster line has always had the best case design of any of Shinola’s watches-particularly with the subtly curved lugs, which here allow the accompanying strap to be flush with the case, unlike other Shinola models which feature straight, spindly lugs-but the Ceramic Monster is the first in the lineup to look truly distinct from other brands’ divers. This is thanks not just to the color change-the watch is all black with some red and white highlights -but to the subtle rippling wave pattern featured on the dial meant to evoke a choppy day on the Great Lake...
Fratello
What if you like the looks of the angular Zenith Defy Skyline with its 12-sided bezel, but the running 1/10th-of-a-second indicator on the dial makes you nervous? The Defy Skyline Tourbillon with its 60-second tourbillon at 6 o’clock is the way to go. Yes, it’s a pricey alternative, but before we dismiss this Defy on […] Visit Introducing: The High-Frequency Zenith Defy Skyline Tourbillon In Steel Or Ceramic to read the full article.
Fratello
Finding your favorites in a single model range can be challenging, especially with an extensive collection like the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M. The latest generation of Omega’s popular diver has been around since 2018. Ever since then, we have seen the brand add models to the lineup with different colors and especially different materials. One […] Visit Hands-On With The Stylish Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Black Ceramic to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Having just announced its first-ever Formula 1 sponsorship, Tudor also quietly revealed a Black Bay Ceramic for the Visa Cash App RB Formula One (VCARB) racing team. As with the standard model, the case is black ceramic, but instead of the usual black, the dial is in a striking blue that matches the livery of the team’s car (and the Visa logo). Like almost all of its special edition watches, the new Black Bay Ceramic is not for public sale but instead meant for members of VCARB team. The brand hasn’t released any official statement regarding the watch, and all that is known for now are two portraits of VCARB driver Daniel Ricciardo wearing it. The VCARB car for the 2024 season. Image – Visa Cash App RB Initial thoughts Tudor has grown imaginative and adventurous in its products and marketing in recent years, especially compared to a decade ago, which stands in contrast to its still conservative sister brand Rolex. In that regard, Tudor has become something of a platform for the Rolex group to experiment with new ideas and concepts, which was what Rolex once was decades ago, before it became the world’s biggest and most valuable watchmaker. Daniel Ricciardo. Image – Visa Cash App RB Tudor has been particularly active in collaborations with notable organisations, ranging from elite military units to America’s Cup competitors. Each collaboration, in turn, results in a watch. Even though Tudor has made a good number of collaborative special edition watches to date...
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