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Why Wei Koh Loves the Piaget Polo Skeleton
Wei Koh brings us through a small selection of his collection of integrated-bracelet, ultra-thin watches and tells us why the Piaget Polo Skeleton would be a worthy addition.
Results for Mainspring Types and Alloys
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SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Introduces the Octa Automatique 20th Anniversary
Just as the new Octa Automatique is slated to join the catalogue, F.P. Journe is marking the 20th anniversary of the model with the Octa Automatique 20th Anniversary. The 99-piece limited edition harks back to the original Octa Réserve de Marche of 2001, then the brand’s entry-level watch. Like the 2001 original, the 20th anniversary edition has a grained, yellow gold dial with a silver sub-dial. And more notably, it is powered by the cal. 1300.3 – but with the bridges and main plate in rhodium-plated brass, just as it was on the original. One of the original Octa Reserve prototypes The prototype movement Initial thoughts The Octa Automatique 20th Anniversary is modestly novel, but will appeal strongly given how it revokes the first-generation model. Given the current outsized desirability of F.P. Journe’s early watches with brass movements, this will be a hot watch. Nips and tucks Though seemingly identical to the original model, the new Octa Automatique is subtly different in terms of design, and substantially different in movement construction. The displays have been rearranged and enlarged to suit the predominately larger case sizes offered by F.P. Journe today. While the original was 38 mm, the standard sizes are now 40 mm and 42 mm. As a result, the date display is slightly larger than before, while the hour numerals are also bigger. Because the date has grown in size, the power reserve display now sits marginally lower than where it used to be. A subtle detai...
Revolution
The Tank Cintrée According to Eric Ku
Wei Koh and Eric Ku, discuss the recent meteoric rise of vintage Cartier prices and heightened interest from the collecting community in contemporary Cartier timepieces, along with a deep dive into the Tank Cintrée on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire
Hublot truly is a pioneer in watch materials. Their motto “The Art of Fusion” is not just a tagline, it is a prime directive that drives all of their manufacturing. By thinking ahead, and pushing the boundaries of what a manufacturer can do, they are able to execute things many (if not all) brands are … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
MICRO MONDAYS: The Vero Open Water is an elegant tool that offers a welcome break from vintage
Cool, icy cool. That’s what we have here, in a watch that brings to mind the German form over function we know from Sinn. With an air of indestructability, the Vero Open Water is a watch in which I can see no trace of vintage, or even the slightest trace of retro homage. And this … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Vero Open Water is an elegant tool that offers a welcome break from vintage appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Introduces Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin in White Gold
The style du jour in luxury watches today, the integrated-bracelet sports watch – exemplified by the Nautilus and Royal Oak – describes many of the most desirable watches today. Though a newcomer relative to its peers, it would be remiss to look past the Overseas, which is as thin, distinctive, and finely finished. Now Vacheron Constantin has unveiled perhaps the best versions of the model yet – the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin and the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton – both in white gold with dials in blue. Initial thoughts Both watches aren’t new – the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin was first introduced in 2016, while the skeleton variant was launched last year. The novelty is merely the new colour, as well as the white gold case for the skeleton model (which was previously only available in pink gold). Compared to the previous iterations, the new blue-and-white-gold combinations give the two watches a modern, understated aesthetic that makes them perhaps the most attractive models in the entire Overseas line. My pick of the pair is the skeleton model, which eminently striking, with its open-worked aesthetic – with all the intricate mechanics on display – elevating the look to another level. My pick would be the skeleton model Both new models are priced about 10% more than their predecessors in pink gold, which is more or less in keeping with the industry norm of pricing white gold slightly high (due to ostensibly hi...
SJX Watches
Up Close: Arnold & Son Luna Magna
Announced at Watches & Wonders 2021, the Arnold & Son Luna Magna boasts an exceptionally large spherical moon phase display that sits serenely on a dial made of aventurine glass. Powered by an in-house movement like all Arnold & Son (A&S;) watches, the Luna Magna typifies the sort of smartly-executed simple complications that A&S; excels at. The hand-wind movement is sharply finished, while the moon phase sphere is an unusual combination of two halves in aventurine glass and white marble. Initial thoughts The Luna Magna has simple but striking aesthetics. The dial is symmetrical and made up of classical details like Romain numerals and blued hands. But it has a very, very large moon phase display that’s also spherical. So it doesn’t try to do very much – the dial shows hours, minutes, and age of the moon – but it does the moon phase well. A&S; describes it as the “largest moon ever built into a wristwatch”, which I do not dispute in principle, and it certainly looks the part. But strictly speaking, “ever” is inaccurate, for the spherical moon in the Konstantin Chaykin Lunokhod is the same 12 mm in diameter. While A&S; did have extra-large moon phase display in a past model, it was a flat moon phase, lacking the three-dimensionality of the Luna Magna. That size of the moon sphere means it requires substantial clearance under the crystal, which leaves the total case height, including the crystal, a tall 15.9 mm. The moon seen from the back The movement inside is...
Quill & Pad
5 New Watches From Independent Watchmakers At Watches & Wonders 2021
Joshua Munchow highlights five pieces from some of our favorite independent brands that have just been released at Watches & Wonders 2021. From sapphire crystal-encased tourbillons and constant force fusée-and-chain-powered movements to stunning art pieces, these watches span genres and the spectrum of collector dreams.
SJX Watches
Cartier Introduces Slightly Ironic Cartier Libre Jewelled Watches
Cartier Libre reimagines signature Cartier case shapes as high jewellery timepieces. Iconic designs like the Crash, Baignoire, Tank Chinoise, and Diagonale have all been given the Libre treatment since the line’s launch in 2017. At Watches & Wonders 2021, Cartier debuts the latest Cartier Libre duo – the Baignoire Turtle and Tortue Snake – both jewelled, enamelled, and slightly ironic: a turtle dressed like a snake, and a turtle named after a bathtub. Initial Thoughts Extravagantly styled and impeccably decorated, the new pair of watches are whimsical, as the Libre line has always been, but for the first time draw on the natural world for inspiration. Despite being seriously lavish jewellery watches, the two have a sense of humour. Each case shape is inspired by an object – tortue translates as turtle, and bagnoire, bathtub – but each watch is decorated with a motif from something else entirely, bringing to mind surrealist art. The turtle Definitely the more glamorous of the two watches, the Bagnoire Turtle is also the more legible of the two, thanks to the use of blued-steel hands that contrast against the diamond-set dial. And it is more convenient, being powered by a quartz movement, though that makes it less appealing to a watch enthusiast. The Baignoire Turtle is decorated like, well, a turtle. Both the bezel and dial have been divided into pentagonal and hexagonal panels, outlined in blue enamel. The panels themselves are decorated with brilliant-cut di...
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: Same shape, different recycled materials. Panerai take sustainability to the next level…
Panerai maintains a strong focus on sustainability. This is expressed through the construction and metallurgy of their watches, right down to recycled materials for their fabric and leather straps. Their new Luminor Marina eSTEEL™ is the latest example of this valiant endeavour. Throw in Panerai’s generosity in making their own research publicly accessible and their … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Same shape, different recycled materials. Panerai take sustainability to the next level… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
5 New Chronographs Presented At Watches & Wonders 2021
The chronograph remains one of the most popular complications – and for a good reason. While most of us only use it as a mobile egg timer, chronographs both add a lot of dynamic to the look of a watch and give the wearer a sense of control. Watches & Wonders 2021 is not short on chronographs, which come in their usual wide variety of interpretations. Martin Green highlights five of the most interesting from the digital fair.
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Vacheron Constantin Unveils the Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph Collection Excellence Platine
First revealed in 2015 inside the Harmony Grande Ultra-Thin Complication Chronograph, the cal. 3500 is a thin, split-seconds chronograph movement with a beautiful construction and novel peripheral winding mechanism. After a brief hiatus, the cal. 3500 has returned at Watches & Wonders 2021 with the Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph Ultra-Thin Collection Excellence Platine. Cleaner and more formal in style than the Harmony of 2015, the new Traditionnelle split-seconds boasts the same gorgeous cal. 3500, and because it’s a Collection Excellence Platine (CEP) edition, a solid platinum dial. Vacheron Constantin is on a roll with the CEP watches in 2021, with the Traditionnelle split-seconds being the second CEP edition for the year, after the elegant and quirky American 1921. Initial thoughts I was wowed by the cal. 3500 when it made its debut in the Harmony split-seconds chronograph in 2015, and found it a shame that the movement disappeared from the catalogue. The cal. 3500 deserved to be revived, and now it has been. Beautifully traditional in its construction and endowed with intricate and elegant details, the cal. 3500 is one of the finest modern-day chronograph movements. Beyond its aesthetics, it is also exceptionally thin at just 5.2 mm high, making it a feat of construction. And it is also innovative with its peripheral winding mechanism, which is admittedly not new but almost never found on classically handsome movements. The cal. 3500 The Traditionnelle sp...
Deployant
Introducing Panerai’s 2021 new additions
Panerai's latest and greatest of their 2021 collection can be found here. Notably, a new recycled steel, chronographs, and a 42mm Bronzo.
SJX Watches
IWC Introduces the Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL
Most famous for its functional aviator’s watches, most notably the Big Pilot’s Watch, IWC is going even further with the Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL, a highly experimental version of the Big Pilot with extreme shock resistance that was tested by the Fracture & Shock Physics Group at Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge University. The Big Pilot XPL boasts exceptional shock resistance – made possible with advanced and ingenious engineering – and an eye-watering price tag. Initial Thoughts The Big Pilot XPL is certainly an impressive piece of engineering, with its hyper-modern aesthetic being a result of the shock-resistance mechanism within the case. The look is clean and strikingly legible, as a pilot’s watch should be. Despite its looks, the Big Pilot XPL is not even that big. In fact, at 44 mm wide and just over 12 mm thick, it is one of the smaller Big Pilot models to date. This, together with the lightweight Ceratanium case means that it will likely be quite wearable. Highly legible The Big Pilot XPL will retail for CHF80,000, or about US$87,000, an eye-watering price for a time-only IWC, despite all of the engineering inside. However, it might be a bargain from another perspective – this might just be the cheapest watch with a performance comparable to a Richard Mille. That said, ultra-shock resistant watches have rarely performed well commercially, aside from Richard Mille’s multiple creations. In fact, IWC’s sister company, Jaeger-LeCoultre,...
SJX Watches
Chopard Introduces the L.U.C QF Jubilee
Named after Chopard founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard, the L.U.C line is all about haute horlogerie, encompassing both complications and fine finishing. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier, the brand is releasing the L.U.C QF Jubilee, a doubly-certified chronometer with a steel case, offering a finely finished movement at a relatively accessible price. Initial Thoughts The L.U.C QF Jubilee is an attractive watch that straddles the line between vintage and modern design. It is 39 mm wide and a hair under 9 mm thick, making it the perfect size for a classically-styled dress watch. The vintage inspiration extends to the shape of the lugs and the proportions of the mirror-polished case – both the bezel and case back are domed and sandwich a thin case middle, giving it proportions reminiscent of watches from the first half of the 20th century. Despite being a dress watch, the QF Jubilee is surprisingly practical – the hands are filled with Super-LumiNova, as are the indices. While the sector-style design and syringe hands are vintage-inspired, the blue-on-silver colours and lume are concessions to modernity. But the best thing about the watch is the movement, which is an in-house automatic with a sophisticated construction and refined finishing. Even though the calibre is not decorated to the top grade of L.U.C finishing (those have the Poincon de Geneve), it is good enough to be better than almost all watches at this price range. The vinta...
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Split-Second Chronograph Ultra-Thin Platine
As of late, many watch enthusiasts have broached the subject of what the “Holy Trinity” really means and whether it still holds merit and relevance. For me, while there are many independent newcomers on the scene that fabricate and finish amazing timepieces, none have the rich and uninterrupted history and heritage that Patek Philippe, Audemars … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Split-Second Chronograph Ultra-Thin Platine appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Louis Vuitton Introduces the Tambour Carpe Diem Automaton
Continuing Louis Vuitton’s slow-but-steady progress upwards as a technical watchmaker, the Tambour Carpe Diem is its flagship watch for 2021. The Carpe Diem boasts a quadruple jacquemart – it incorporates four automata – along with a jumping hour and retrograde minutes display. Developed and produced entirely in-house at La Fabrique du Temps, the Geneva complications specialist owned by Louis Vuitton, the LV 525 movement in the Carpe Diem is accompanied by artisanal decoration on the dial. All of the engraving is done by Dick Steenman of Art&D; in Geneva, while the enamelling is the work of Anita Porchet, who needs no introduction. Initial thoughts One of the most impressive watches of the year, the Carpe Diem is highly complicated – and boasts extremely fine enamelling – but the gothic style will be a bit too much for many. I saw the watch in person a few weeks ago, and I was amazed by the delicate quality of the artisanal decoration. The memento mori motif is not for me, but the work is unmistakably excellent. The snake is enamelled by Anita Porchet and particularly fine. It’s extremely slender and its skin is incredibly nuanced, covered in scales and the Louis Vuitton monogram. The tail of the snake is coiled around a single brilliant-cut diamond, while the eyes of the snake are a pair of rubies The only tangible downside of the watch is its size. It is almost 47 mm in diameter and 15 mm high, and feels every bigger due to the narrow bezel and tall, sloping...
Time+Tide
King Nerd writes touching personal tribute to the late Prince Philip
Editor’s note: King Nerd is someone you’re likely to have seen pop up on Time+Tide over the years. Most recently, he was part of our “11 Days of Londoners” series. But since then, he has been prolific to say the least with collaborations spanning George Bamford and Franck Muller, to Dr Martens and even Jaguar. … ContinuedThe post King Nerd writes touching personal tribute to the late Prince Philip appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Available in the Shop : Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Memory
An epitome of Art Deco style, the Reverso is at once a high-precision instrument and a diverting toy, capable of captivating its owner and everyone around. No wonder that 90 years on, the love affair with the Reverso is as riotous as ever.
SJX Watches
IWC Introduces the Big Pilot’s Watch 43
One of the five makers of the beobachtungsuhr, or B-uhr, supplied to the German Luftwaffe during the second world war, IWC is perhaps best known for its pilot’s watches. And the quintessential modern-day IWC pilot’s watch is arguably the Big Pilot’s Watch, which is modelled on the oversized B-uhr (which translates “navigation watch”). Watches and Wonders 2021 sees a litany of new Pilot’s Watches from IWC, including the Big Pilot’s Watch 43, a more wearable, 43 mm version of its extra-large aviator’s watch that was historically 46.2 mm. The reduction in size is made possible due to the cal. 82100, instead of the seven-day cal. 52110 found in its larger brother. Available with black or blue dials, along with the option of a bracelet, the new Big Pilot sticks to traditional dial colours, with no green on offer, despite the faddish colour being found on the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 that’s being launched at the same time. The Big Pilot Watch 43 in blue Initial thoughts A theme at this year’s Watches & Wonders seems to be downsizing – brands from Rolex to Panerai seem to be responding to rising demand for smaller cases. By shrinking the Big Pilot from 46 mm to 43 mm, IWC caters to those who still want a biggish pilot’s watch, but one that will be easier to wear. Aside from the reduced size, the new Big Pilot 43 has been pared back in terms of design (which is also a consequence of the new movement). Gone are the date and power reserve display ind...
Time+Tide
When the most valuable watch in your collection isn’t worth anything to anyone but you
My parents moved house a couple of years ago. “Any watches?” I asked as they sorted through 45 years of accumulated stuff. “Yes!” said my mother and went off to grab it. We all hope for the barn-find. A watch pulled out of the sofa, found in a drawer, handed down by a long-dead relative. … ContinuedThe post When the most valuable watch in your collection isn’t worth anything to anyone but you appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: Farer’s new Carnegie Chronograph Sport
In its six years, Farer has never shied away from standing out from the crowd. It’s a trait that has served the British brand well in the past, be it through wow factor, unique colour combinations or a daring and devilish eye for wicked dials. But by gosh, golly, whatever your chosen British expletive is … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Farer’s new Carnegie Chronograph Sport appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The top 5 Zenith watches of 2021, the brand’s best year in decades (already)
To say Zenith are having a good year in 2021 would be a dramatic understatement. Somehow, a brand that is widely recognised as being great / awesome / pivotal, but that still lives on the fringes, has stepped into the spotlight – and stayed there. First, there was the Chronomaster Sport. This is a watch … ContinuedThe post The top 5 Zenith watches of 2021, the brand’s best year in decades (already) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Rolex Introduces the Datejust 36 “Exotic Dials”
Presented at Baselworld 2018, the current generation Rolex Datejust 36 sticks to the look and feel of its predecessor, but its internals were given a thorough upgrade with a latest-generation cal. 3235 movement. At Watches & Wonders 2021, Rolex has introduced a series of textured dials for the Datejust 36, giving the model a variety of distinct looks, either a palm leaf or horizontal fluted motif. Initial Thoughts Sometimes criticised for a conservative approach to design – Rolex iterates and improves rather than redesigns – the new Datejust 36 now offers the perhaps greatest aesthetic variety in the entire Rolex line up, both in terms of dial styles and colours, but also case materials, and gem setting. Despite being individually different, the new dials fit right into Datejust collection. My favourite is the most affordable of the four, the Datejust 36 with a green dial featuring the palm frond pattern (and a domed bezel and Oyster bracelet) that instantly brings to mind a summer vacation in the tropics. Traditionalists, on the other hand, will likely be drawn to the Datejust in two-tone, yellow-gold Rolesor on a Jubilee bracelet that has a geometric linear dial pattern that echoes the Datejust’s iconic fluted bezel. Notably, the models with the new dials cost the same as the corresponding models with older dial designs. There’s now even more choice in the diverse Datejust line up, with something for everyone. The traditionalist’s choice: the fluted dial is a...
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The new Zenith DEFY Extreme delivers three titanium-armoured sports watch contenders
Zenith threw a knockout punch only a few weeks ago with the new Chronomaster Sport, and our enthusiasm is quite apparent when reading Andrew McUtchen’s story here. It’s clear that CEO Julien Tornare and his team are on a roll and determined to continue their momentum. The new Zenith DEFY Extreme range enters the sports … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The new Zenith DEFY Extreme delivers three titanium-armoured sports watch contenders appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic is like the summer sun lighting up a New York taxi
Occasionally watch people will complain about how little anybody notices what’s on their wrist. You’re wearing a good watch. You’re dying to tell people about it. Nobody bites or even notices. Well, that’s hardly ever been a problem with a Hublot and it certainly won’t be an issue with the Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic is like the summer sun lighting up a New York taxi appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Introduces the UFO Table Clock
Having made a name for itself in the early 20th century for its marine chronometers, Ulysse Nardin revisits its roots with the UFO, an intriguing table clock conceived to mark the brand’s 175th anniversary. Described as a “swinging mechanical depiction of the movement of the waves”, the UFO is as an avant-garde reinterpretation of the marine chronometer. It’s essentially a round-bottomed doll that will wobble and sway but never topple over, except it contains an impressive mechanical movement with a 365-day power reserve. Traditionally known for largely classical designs with the occasional twist, such as the Marine Torpilleur, Ulysse Nardin has been gravitating towards more boldly modern designs in recent years, exemplified by the Blast Tourbillon and the Freak X Silicium Marquetry. That experimental approach is now applied to the table clock in a collaboration with clock specialist L’Epée 1839, the supplier of choice for many watchmakers looking to get into exotic clocks. Initial thoughts Inspired by the oceans, the UFO sways when nudged, but remains upright thanks to a weighted base, creating an engaging display of timekeeping. And the UFO is practical as well, featuring three clock faces that can be set to different time zones, or to mirror each other. Granted, the UFO will have a very niche appeal, considering it’s a table clock with a complex design matched by a high price tag. Costing a whopping US$41,100, the UFO is almost double the price of L’Epé...
Revolution
Introducing the New Nomos Watches for 2021
Nomos brings positive vibes with bright colours and new complications.
Revolution
Introducing the Montblanc Heritage Pythagore Small Second Limited Edition 148
Montblanc revives the historic, and mathematically sound Minerva Pythagore.
SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Introduces the American 1921 Collection Excellence Platine
Vacheron Constantin’s most distinctive – and arguably most compelling – time-only watch is the American 1921, a large, cushion-shaped wristwatch with the dial rotated off the vertical. Already available in a variety of guises, including platinum, the model now gets an upgrade in terms of materials with the American 1921 Collection Excellence Platine. Like the other watches in the Collection Excellence Platine (CEP) collection – Vacheron Constantin debuts a CEP model every year or so – the American 1921 CEP has its case and dial in platinum, while the strap is stitched with thread woven from silk and platinum wire. Initial thoughts Wide, thin, and quirky, the 1921 is one of Vacheron Constantin’s most unusual offerings. I love everything about the watch – the design, size, and details – especially the platinum version with a silver dial and blue numerals. The CEP edition goes one better, and is even more appealing. The matte, grained platinum dial and applied Breguet-style numerals are perfect. Compared to the standard version of the 1921 in platinum, the 1921 CEP is relatively good value. The 1921 CEP costs less than 10% more than the standard version – a modest increment for the platinum dial and 100-piece production run. But the standard model is pricey to start with, so the 1921 CEP still costs a hefty US$51,000. Pt950 Debuted in 2006, the CEP collection now includes a variety of models, most recently last year’s Patrimony with calendar. Though the m...