Revolution
Introducing Audemars Piguet’s 2021 Collection of Watches
The lowdown on all of Audemars Piguet’s freshness offerings in 2021, with Royal Oaks galore and the Calibre 4401 now in the Royal Oak Chronograph.
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Revolution
SJX Watches
Christie’s Debuts Online Classes on Major Watch Brands
Christie’s Education, the learning division of the auction house, has just launched Behind the Curtain: Watchmaking Houses, a series of virtual classes catered to beginner enthusiasts that profile the most important watch brands – essentially the names that are typically the most sought after at watch auctions. Conducted by Geneva-based watch expert Antoine Géraud, the weekly courses cover the history, important watches, and key personalities at Patek Phillipe, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Breguet, Vacheron Constantin, and Cartier. Each lecture is 75 minutes, and recordings of each session will be available for seven days after the class should participants wish to revisit. The programme is essentially a crash course, making it ideal for beginners who want to learn more about key brands. And the length of the lectures seems ideal – punchy and brief, but enough to convey the necessary knowledge. The Patek Philippe ref. 5101P 10 Day Tourbillon Alongside the watch history classes is a separate programme covering the biggest names in jewellery, taught by historian Vanessa Cron. Just like the watch classes, these will go into the stories behind names like Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany & Co., Bulgari, and Cartier. With jewellers often being watchmakers as well, burgeoning watch enthusiasts might find the jewellery classes useful too. An Audemars Piguet Grand Complication pocket watch that sold at Christie’s in 2019 The price of a single class is HK$1,200, or about US$150. The ...
Deployant
Citizen Series 8 new mechanical watch - the definitive hands-on, in-depth review
We deep dive into the new Citizen Series 8 Model 830 Mechanical with a unique 3 layer metal and mother of pearl dial, as we get our hands on a loan sample for possibly the world’s first hands-on and in-depth review of this new release. Is this a game changer in the prestige mechanical watchRead More
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Announces Partnership with Marvel
Audemars Piguet just announced many of the year’s new launches during Inside AP, a virtual presentation anchored by chief executive François-Henry Bennahmias and head of complications Michael Friedman, which also included something more intriguing – a partnership with Marvel and its band of superheroes. Hinted at when I interviewed Mr Bennahmias in 2019 – the announcement originally slated for a June 2020 – the tie up was decades in the making. According to Mr Bennahmias, he had envisioned a tie up with Marvel, the film studio and comic-book publisher that owns characters like Spider-Man, Iron Man, as well as the Avengers and X-Men, some 15 years ago. He only managed to set it in motion in 2017, thanks to American actor Don Cheadle, best known for playing War Machine in the Iron Man and Avengers film series. Friends with Mr Bennahmias for a decade, Mr Cheadle set up a meeting with Marvel executives that year, and also took part in today’s Inside AP presentation. Francois-Henry Bennahmias (left) and Don Cheadle Coming soon to a watch near you. Image – Marvel Studios Mr Bennahmias noted the Marvel partnership was inspired in part by the Fantasy watches of Gerald Genta that featured Disney characters like Mickey Mouse. Coincidentally, Marvel is now owned by The Walt Disney Company, making it a realisation of his ambition in more ways than one. More details about this tie up will be revealed in April during an event in Los Angeles. Stay tuned.
Quill & Pad
Cohiba Robusto: The Cuban Benchmark For All Cigars
Cohiba has that mythical aura about it, but is that always a good thing? For many, Cohiba Robustos are the ultimate robusto and among the very best from the Cohiba stable. As with every cigar, this is not necessarily a unanimous opinion, but they have been described as the benchmark against which all other cigars must be judged. Ken Gargett enlists some unexpected help in Cuba to track down a box of the best and shares the story and how they taste here.
Time+Tide
BATTLE ROYALE: The best watch media collaborations according to the T+T Team
Over the last decade, the watch media has played an increasingly important, and intertwined, part in the watch industry. From increased coverage of newly released watches to publications becoming authorised retailers for brands, the landscape has shifted forever. And out of this paradigm shift, one of the coolest things to be born is the watch … ContinuedThe post BATTLE ROYALE: The best watch media collaborations according to the T+T Team appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
De Bethune’s Ultra-Thin DB28XP Gets a Blued Meteorite Dial
Introduced to commemorate the 10th anniversary of De Bethune’s signature watch, the DB28XP is a pared-back, slimmer and more wearable take on the original model, though still instantly recognisable with its trademark pivoted lugs. Now De Bethune unveils the most exotic variant of the watch to date, the DB28XP Meteorite. It retains many of the elements the brand is known for, but the highlight is a brilliantly blued meteorite dial. Meteorite dials are common, even on inexpensive watches, but De Bethune’s meteorite is unlike any other in watchmaking. Though the material is just like any other meteorite, it has been heat-treated, creating a blue oxidisation that gives it a special blue sheen. Initial thoughts De Bethune is one of my favourite independent watchmakers – I love the Kind of Two Tourbillon from earlier in the year. Innovation is its raison d’etre, and the new DB28XP Meteorite exemplifies that, both technically and aesthetically. While heat-blued titanium is a De Bethune hallmark, heat-blued meteorite takes the look to a whole new level. The gold-studded “starry sky” dial captures the cosmos on the wrist. Though the look is very different, the DB28XP Meteorite has all of the wearability of the standard model. It has sprung, pivoted lugs that allow it to cling to the wrist, while also being more compact than the original, full-size DB28. The brand has previously utilised the blued meteorite in the Dream Watch 5 and Kind of Blue Meteorite – both sp...
Time+Tide
HANDS ON: The DOXA Sub 300 Carbon range delivers 6 eye-popping dials in future-proof carbon fibre
The DOXA Sub 300 is a strong diver’s watch with vintage leanings. But the Sub 300 Aqualung US Divers Limited Edition in carbon fibre offers a completely different proposition. Essentially, it refashions the piece with a modern edge – the sharp and moody presence of the industrial carbon fibre turning up the emphasis on the … ContinuedThe post HANDS ON: The DOXA Sub 300 Carbon range delivers 6 eye-popping dials in future-proof carbon fibre appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
New: TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02T now in titanium with a blue dial
TAG adds to their successful chronograph tourbillon line with a new Heuer 02T model with a solid blue dial. blue ceramic bezel in titanium case and bracelet.
SJX Watches
Alain Silberstein Reveals a Quirky, Bauhaus Clock
An architect turned watch designer, Alain Silberstein was a star of the 1990s, being perhaps the most avant-garde watch brand of the decade. The Frenchman’s quirky and geometrical designs were the diametrical opposite of the classical style that was then the industry norm. Though his eponymous brand shut down a few years ago, Mr Silberstein is still active as a designer, most recently collaborating with Louis Erard on an affordable, regulator-style watch. Now he is making a comeback in a big way – literally. With the help from French clockmaker Utinam, Mr Silberstein has taken the cover off the Kontwaz Bauhaus 2, KB2 for short. A monumental skeleton clock, the KB2 is available in two versions: a 2 m high standing timekeeper, or in a compact, wall-mounted form. The KB2 wall clock Alain Silberstein Initial thoughts The KB2 is not Mr Silberstein’s first foray into clocks. He designed several other versions of the Kontwaz Bauhaus in the 1990s, which were produced by a French clockmaker and occasionally pop up on the secondary market today. That makes the new KB2 is a pleasant surprise that harks back to his earlier career. As with most Silberstein creations, the appeal of the KB2 lies in the design, which is complex and distinctive, yet composed of simple shapes. The geometrical forms and colours are lightly arranged in harmonious whole – an impressive feat, for a lesser designer would have just created a mishmash of elements. The standing KB2 The key for winding ...
Quill & Pad
Why Watchmaking Still Matters During A Pandemic - Reprise
If you’re like GaryG, you’ve been spending some time during the current pandemic-driven lockdown monitoring online watch publications, including Quill & Pad, and you’ve likely seen at least a few comments in response to posts that go something like this, “How in the world can you possibly be focused on something like watches at such a terrible time?” Well, Gary is here to tell you.
SJX Watches
Auction Watch: The Unique Patek Philippe ref. 3448 “Alan Banbery”
A legendary watch long known to the market – and widely expected to reemerge – is finally coming to market. The one-off Patek Philippe ref. 3448 without a moon phase will be offered by Christie’s during its upcoming Hong Kong watch auction on May 22, 2021. This unique ref. 3448 was custom made for Alan Banbery, and is distinguished by the red leap-year indicator that replaces the conventional moon phase display. Though there are a few other known examples of the ref. 3448 without a moon phase – nicknamed “Senza Luna”, Italian for “without moon” – the Banbery watch is the only one with robust provenance, detailed documentation, and crucially, the under-dial mechanism for the leap-year display. An Englishman who was the longtime head of sales at Patek Philippe until his retirement in 2001. Still living near Geneva, Mr Banbery is probably best known as having helped Philippe Stern assemble the magnificent collection of clocks and watches that make up the Patek Philippe Museum, while also being one of the coauthors of the Patek Philippe, Geneve reference books alongside the late Munich watch retailer Martin Huber. During a 2017 meeting with Mr Banbery at the La Reserve hotel in Geneva, he recounted the origins of his ref. 3448. According to Mr Banbery, he had the idea of a ref. 3448 without a moon phase and took it to Patek Philippe watchmaker Max Berney, who then modified a standard ref. 3448, replacing the moon phase with a leap year display. He was gifted...
SJX Watches
Breitling Debuts Watch Subscription Programme
The subscription model – where customers pay for access, but not necessarily ownership – is familiar, and increasingly prevalent. Spotify and Netflix are amongst the best known examples, but subscriptions are now found in fashion – a new wardrobe weekly – and even automobiles, with Porsche Drive that offers a new car every month. And now also in watches: Breitling becomes the first major watch brand to offer a subscription with BreitlingSelect. More accurately, BreitlingSelect is a combination of a subscription and instalment payment plan. It starts with the wearer rotating amongst a handful of trial watches over a year, while paying a monthly fee. But at the end of the year, the total fee paid can be put towards buying one of the watches worn during the trial. Initial thoughts Watch subscription isn’t novel. New York-based ElevenJames launched with much fanfare in 2013, before shutting down quietly five years later. There have been plenty more similar services offered in several of the world’s major watch markets, but few have been sustainable. Consumers quickly realise it makes more sense to save for a watch, rather than paying subscription fees, which are by nature hefty since the timepieces being subscribed to are luxury watches. Breitling clearly believes that its subscription service can buck that trend. The crucial difference between BreitlingSelect and everything that has come before is the brand – BreitlingSelect is being offered by the watch manufa...
SJX Watches
Conversation: Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne
Having taken charge in A. Lange & Söhne at the end of 2010 – while the brand was still suffering from the effects of the 2007-2008 Financial Crisis – Wilhelm Schmid has now been the German watchmaker’s chief executive for a bit over a decade. He did not join Lange from within watchmaking, instead he was recruited from a German luxury brand of another sort, the carmaker BMW. But in the decade since Mr Schmid has carefully and steadily developed the brand, and in the process become one of the longest-tenured – and highly regarded – leaders in the watch industry. From its modern-day foundation in 1994, Lange made watches of first-class quality. That, along with the ethos of the brand, has been preserved, but at the same time, Mr Schmid has deftly evolved the brand’s image, in both product and communication – the Odysseus being an obvious example – bringing its peerless quality recognition amongst a broader audience. The brand’s success in recent years has translated into robust demand for its products – a good problem to have but one that Mr Schmid apologises for, as you’ll find out below. I spoke with Mr Schmid over Zoom last month, and enjoyed a wide ranging conversation that looked back on the last 10 years, as well as forward, where he notes e-commerce is now a certainty for Lange, but online exclusives are not. Zooming with the Odysseus The interview was edited for clarity and length. SJX: How has Lange been coping with the disruptions of 2020? Wil...
SJX Watches
Seiko Remakes the Mountaineer’s Watch of 1959
A longtime fan favourite, the modern-day Alpinist is synonymous with a forest-green dial and inner rotating bezel. But the origins of the model date to 1959, when Seiko introduced the first Alpinist as part of the Laurel brand. Today’s Alpinist has evolved a long way from the original, but now Seiko has returned the watch to its roots with a “re-creation” of the 1959 design. The 1959 Alpinist Re-creation is a somewhat faithful remake of the first Alpinist that was conceived as no-frills watch for mountaineers. At the same time, Seiko is also unveiling the simpler and more affordable The 1959 Alpinist Modern Re-interpretation. The vintage original of 1959 Initial thoughts Because it’s very much a mid-20th century design, the Alpinist reissues have a good blend of sportiness and elegance. The round cases are compact, giving them a slightly a dressy feel, but the dials are simple and legible, along with a more-than-capable watch case with substantial water resistance. The best thing about the watch is its design, which is minimalist but not plain. The markers are oversized and slightly decorative, and matched with a minute track that evokes a sector dial. Just 36.6 mm wide, the Re-creation is particularly good looking with its symmetrical layout and deep, glossy black finish. It also avoids the faux-vintage colour palette, resulting in a look that is retro but refreshingly modern. That said, its date window is squeezed between four and five o’clock, which is a l...
Time+Tide
11 photos that show the boundless creativity in the best CasiOak mods
A few weeks back, I wrote about my own Casio G-Shock GA2100-1A (AKA the CasiOak) that I had modified and received a lot of positive feedback about. Many people expressed interest in how different the watch looked after the modification. While I did note that the bracelet wasn’t particularly comfortable on the wrist, I agreed … ContinuedThe post 11 photos that show the boundless creativity in the best CasiOak mods appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
VIDEO: Bright candy dials meet carbon fibre in the new DOXA SUB 300 Carbon range
Thanks to the vintage looks of its steel case, the DOXA SUB 300 is a cult diver’s watch. But ever since the SUB 300 Aqualung US Divers in carbon fibre came out, its dark presence has haunted the dreams of DOXA fans (in a good way). Sleek and moody, the DOXA SUB 300 Carbon turns up … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Bright candy dials meet carbon fibre in the new DOXA SUB 300 Carbon range appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
De Bethune Kind Of Two Tourbillon: Double-Faced Split Personality With Floating Lugs (Video)
De Bethune highlights that there is more than one way to rotate a watch, using its floating lug system to perfection in the new DB Kind of Two Tourbillon. Look out, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso! Watching the blue tourbillon escapement beating away in high-def macro video is simply captivating: you'll want to watch it over and over and over.
Revolution
Grand Seiko - The Nature of Time
As its parent company Seiko Watch Corporation celebrates 140 years in the watchmaking business, Grand Seiko, itself now over 60 years old, joins in the family celebrations with a unique take on nature’s elements surrounding its watchmaking studios .Trees, water, the sky and the subtle shifts between seasons all have been used as inspiration for the year ahead for the undisputed king of Japanese horology…
Time+Tide
RECOMMEND READING: The insane craftsmanship in the Bulgari Octo Finissimo revealed by The Naked Watchmaker
It’s no secret we are rather enamoured with the Bulgari Octo Finissimo and calling it a micro-technological marvel of the new century would not be overselling it. Following our article on Bulgari’s latest chapter of one-upmanship – where they managed to somehow engineer a tourbillon to fit the already infinitessimally optimised space inside the angular … ContinuedThe post RECOMMEND READING: The insane craftsmanship in the Bulgari Octo Finissimo revealed by The Naked Watchmaker appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Introducing the Bamford x Arsham x King Nerd Franck Muller Casablanca
Available in five pieces, each watch is hand-engraved by master engraver King Nerd and is therefore a unique piece of art.
Time+Tide
Jason Statham shows that action heroes still wear Panerai
While Panerai was founded way back in 1860, its rise to prominence came on the back of a very specific type of celebrity: the action hero. It was thanks to the likes of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger that brand awareness soared following wrist-bound cameos in films like Daylight, Eraser, Rambo IV and The Expendables … ContinuedThe post Jason Statham shows that action heroes still wear Panerai appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull: The Skull Makes A Comeback (Or It Never Left)
Bell & Ross has ventured back into skull-adorned watches (or perhaps it just never left), and this time takes the aesthetic in a decidedly new direction. The BR 01 Cyber Skull is one of the coolest skull-themed watches that Joshua Munchow has seen in years and here he dives into what fascinates him about this faceted memento mori.
Time+Tide
INTRODUCING: The Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H combines retro swagger with a mechanical movement
We really should have seen the Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H coming. Having played with the idea before, this hand-wound, bi-register chrono – in beautifully proportioned panda and reverse panda dial variants – sees Hamilton effectively resurrect and update its first chronograph. The modern Intra-Matic Chronograph H is compelling in either dial, taking direct inspiration from … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H combines retro swagger with a mechanical movement appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Hiding in plain sight - 6 sleeper hit watches you might have missed
You don’t always have to look to the usual suspects or pay a hefty price to get a quality watch. There is a wide spectrum of manufacturers in this industry and, with so many releases each year, it can be a bit of a challenge to follow every reference introduced. While the below list of … ContinuedThe post Hiding in plain sight – 6 sleeper hit watches you might have missed appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
I bonded with Paul Newman over a Timex Ironman, but you’ll be surprised what was on his wrist
I met Paul Newman once. Back in 2001, I spent an hour in his company. Just him and me chatting in a drawing room in Barretstown Castle, Ireland, where he had set up a residential camp for seriously ill children. Sure, he was a little slow on a staircase at that stage but trust me, … ContinuedThe post I bonded with Paul Newman over a Timex Ironman, but you’ll be surprised what was on his wrist appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Keeping Up with the World’s Fastest Chronographs
Enter the world of the super-fast chronographs, capable of marking time down to fractions of a second - tenths, hundredths and beyond.
Time+Tide
Watch tattoos have become a bizarre new trend. What is wrong with people?
Paw prints, Celtic bands, bows on thighs, pretty much anything inked on the face… There’s no shortage of tattoo choices that are questionable at best and watch tattoos represent yet another baffling sub-category. After all, if you want to visibly declare your passion for a particular brand or model, there’s a straight-forward way to do … ContinuedThe post Watch tattoos have become a bizarre new trend. What is wrong with people? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Must see: Free online exhibition on the last 50 years of artisanal watchmaking
The Hour Glass has just released a beautifully curated online exhibition launched now (Thursday 11 March at 2000 hrs SGT). The exhibition, called The Persistance of Memory, is a comprehensive survey of the last fifty years of artisanal watchmaking, showcasing stories and the 150 rare watches assembled for this show. Details within. The Persistence ofRead More
SJX Watches
Independent Watchmaking Showcased Virtually
A leader retailer of independent watchmaking, Singapore-based The Hour Glass has just inaugurated The Persistence of Memory, a virtual exhibition dedicated to the craft. Covering the period starting from 1970 till today, the exhibition encompasses most of the key figures in independent watchmaking during those five decades. And it is about people, rather than brands, since these timepieces are often, quite literally, the creation of a watchmaker’s mind and hands. I wrote most of the content, and it was written as a brisk journey through the careers of each watchmaker, along with their most important timepieces. The Akrivia Chronometre Contemporain Hosted on a dedicated site, the exhibition is arranged into sections and largely chronological, tracing the evolution of the craft from its start with individuals like George Daniels, to the stars of today, most notably Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia. Other boldface names in the exhibition include Francois-Paul Journe, Kari Voutilainen, Philippe Dufour, and Denis Flageollet. A trio of Resonance by F.P. Journe Dual Dufour Duality Much of the content is illustrated by uncommon and special watches – over 150 in fact – drawn from collections around the world. The line up of timepieces include the two landmark pocket watches by George Daniels, the Space Traveller I and Grand Complication, as well as the most important examples of Philippe Dufour’s work. Visit the exhibition on Thehourglass.com.