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Results for The Royal Oak Launch Story

44,505 articles · 223 videos found · page 88 of 1491

The (Not So) Complete Story Of Rock And Roll And Watches: Ramp The Volume Up To 11! - Reprise Quill & Pad
Jun 20, 2020

The (Not So) Complete Story Of Rock And Roll And Watches: Ramp The Volume Up To 11! - Reprise

The mechanical watch works just like a metronome, with its isochronic balance maintaining a steady rhythm and the delicate tick-tock of its pallet jewels providing a rhythmic beat to our oft-frantic lives. If we ramp up the power and swap the metronome for a drum kit and a few electric guitars we have rock and roll! But which watches do rock-and-roll icons wear?

TAG Heuer Introduces the Fragment Design Calibre Heuer 02 Chronograph SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Introduces Jun 18, 2020

TAG Heuer Introduces the Fragment Design Calibre Heuer 02 Chronograph

TAG Heuer’s first collaboration with streetwear guru Hiroshi Fujiwara of Fragment Design was the Fragment Design Carrera Heuer 02 of 2018. The vintage-inspired watch went down well and sold out quickly. Now the second collaboration has just been unveiled. Once again limited to 500 watches and powered by the same Heuer 02 movement, the TAG Heuer x Fragment Design Calibre Heuer 02 Automatic Chronograph is modelled on the Autavia models of the 1960s and 1970s, but again given a minimalist makeover by Mr Fujiwara, who happens to be a vintage watch aficionado himself. Initial thoughts As a watch collector, Mr Fujiwara no doubt understood the cushion-shaped Autavia case, sometimes known as the “C-case”, is an instantly recognisable Heuer that has presence, making it a good candidate for a collaboration. However, unlike earlier Fragment Design watch that looked almost like a real vintage watch, the latest edition looks far more contemporary, thanks to the high-contrast colours. The use of red is restrained, especially with the tiny hour markers, just enough to give the watch the right amount of auto-racing flair. While I am generally not a fan of a date window at six o’clock, it is nicely done here. The date disc is black to match with the dial, allowing the date display to blend into the dial. And the Fragment Design double lightning bolt logo at 12 o’clock serves as a visual counterweight to the date. The case has been upsized to 44 mm from the 42 mm of the o...

Up Close: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Black Sandblast-Polished Ceramic SJX Watches
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Black Sandblast-Polished Jun 17, 2020

Up Close: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Black Sandblast-Polished Ceramic

Smart and original in design, the Octo Finissimo is extremely slim, well priced, and a strong seller for Bulgari, which has rolled out many iterations, including one in matte-black ceramic last year. Now Bulgari has added the shiny version to the line up with the Octo Finissimo Black Sandblast-Polished Ceramic. Initial thoughts The new Octo in all its glossy glory is ideal for anyone who found the original ceramic Octo flat and dull. But I prefer the matte version – the muted look very much suits the style of the watch. At the same time, polished ceramic, especially for a thin and lightweight watch, is too reminiscent of plastic. That aside, the technical appeal of the ceramic case and bracelet is the same as with the matte model. Both are constructed identically – simple and complex at the same time – differing only in the finish and colour. Though visually identical to the metal-alloy models, the ceramic Octo has an entirely different construction, which was a necessity due to the material. That’s an appealing factor in itself, because the watch was designed from the ground up as an all-ceramic watch; even the dial is ceramic. The new Octo Finissimo is light and smooth on the wrist. In fact, it is difficult to distinguish the tangible feel of the two ceramic versions from each other, and even from the titanium version. And like all other versions of the Octo, the new version wears well, with one caveat: wrists below a certain circumference don’t really sui...

Up Close: Ulysse Nardin Freak X Silicium Marquetry SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Freak X Silicium Marquetry Jun 10, 2020

Up Close: Ulysse Nardin Freak X Silicium Marquetry

Revolutionary for its construction and use of silicon, the Ulysse Nardin Freak is still a unique watch almost two decades after its introduction. And the full-featured Freak is still a relatively costly watch, until the Freak X came along last year. The most affordable version of a watch that helped kickstart the age of high-tech mechanical watchmaking, the Freak X retains the essence of its bigger brother while simplifying the rest of the movement. Several iterations of the Freak X have been rolled out since then, including one that ironically takes silicon out of the movement – the Freak X Silicium Marquetry. The watch has a dial decorated with inlaid tiles of iridescent silicon, using the material for its aesthetic potential, rather than the usual functional purposes in the escapement. The Freak X Silicium Marquetry Initial thoughts The Freak X Silicium Marquetry is an aesthetic variant of the standard model, so it’s identical in all respects except the dial finish. A combination of metallic and glassy, the silicon dial is different from any other dial material and suits the look of the watch well. That means the case is compact, so it wears quite well. And more importantly, the watch has a cutting-edge balance wheel amounted on the minute hand, making one revolution an hour. It’s a surprisingly advanced regulator in a watch at this price point, and probably the most advanced of all watches in the price segment. But the Freak X Silicium Marquetry is substantiall...

Kees Engelbarts Introduces the Argentium Tourbillon Skeleton SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Jun 8, 2020

Kees Engelbarts Introduces the Argentium Tourbillon Skeleton

Born in Holland but now based in Geneva, Kees Engelbarts is one of the most prominent and established engravers in Swiss watchmaking. He moved to Geneva in 1994, and began a career as an independent engraving not long after. Amongst the brands he has worked for are major names like Jaeger-LeCoultre and Hublot, but also independent watchmakers like Philippe Dufour and Svend Andersen. Mr Engelbarts also makes watches under his own name, focusing on elaborately engraved or open-worked movements. His latest creation is the Argentium Tourbillon, an incredibly airy yet organic tourbillon that’s been skeletonised entirely by hand. Initial thoughts Mr Engelbarts is one of the oldest names in movement skeletonisation, so whether or not you like the aesthetic, the work is always excellent. His engraved creations are mostly figurative, often depicting a mythological creature, while his skeletonisation is usually organic and extremely striking. Though the look of the Argentium Tourbillon is too alien for me, the work is impressive. The bridges are refined and organic, and looking almost soft, but they are metal. Going from a full bridge made of German silver to an extraterrestrial life form is tedious work made up of cutting and filing. The craft is both delicate and physical, and similar to the craft of a high-end jeweller. A reductive process The Argentium Tourbillon starts with a CH016 movement made by Le Cercle des Horlogers, a movement specialist in Neuchatel that specialise...

Hands On & Live Photos: MB&F; x H. Moser LM101 And H. Moser x MB&F; Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon Quill & Pad
H. Moser LM101 Jun 4, 2020

Hands On & Live Photos: MB&F; x H. Moser LM101 And H. Moser x MB&F; Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon

GaryG loves a surprise! And in the case of the newly-minted H. Moser x MB&F; Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon and MB&F; x H. Moser LM101, he is surprised not once, but twice: two distinctive watches that somehow manage the tricky task of maintaining the core brand identity of the lead brand for each, while successfully integrating identifiable cues from the other.

IWC Portugieser Chronograph (reference 371609) Review WatchAdvice
IWC Portugieser Chronograph reference 371609 May 20, 2020

IWC Portugieser Chronograph (reference 371609) Review

Introduction Clipping shut the deployant buckle of the just-refreshed IWC Portugieser Chronograph; it’s easy to see why this is one of the brand’s most popular watches, in Australia at least. It’s dressy, but still offers a healthy dose of sports functionality. What makes this new reference, announced back in February, even better the movement beating away inside. For the first time, it’s an IWC-manufactured calibre, and while it can’t be seen on the wrist, or make much of a difference to daily wear, it still feels like a significant step up. The Dial and Hands  The face of the Portugieser Chronograph is refreshingly familiar, thanks to that iconic combination of applied Arabic numerals and leaf (or feuille) shaped hands. The chronograph layout puts a minutes register at the top and a running seconds display at six. I’m more familiar with the white-dialled version of the Portugieser so was happy to give the black a try. And boy, is this dial black. The colour is incredibly deep and dynamic; if you catch it on the right angle, it takes on a blue-ish sheen around the edges. I must say that, because of the dark dial and the slender, highly polished hands and hour markers, legibility was a bit of an issue at times. Still, the overall beauty made me forget about that fact almost immediately.  IWC Portugieser Chronograph Reference 371609 The Case and Strap  At 41mm, this watch is sized just right. The steel case sits well on the wrist, flush and, even though it is...

Steve wants help with a spreadsheet template for his watch collection, and because it’s a pandemic, we’re doing a call out Time+Tide
May 15, 2020

Steve wants help with a spreadsheet template for his watch collection, and because it’s a pandemic, we’re doing a call out

“Thanks for the emails Andrew,” the email from Steve begins. “All watch info is appreciated in these boring times.” And these boring times are certainly reaching peak levels for poor Steve. The email continues: “I recently spent a couple of days spreadsheeting my watches. I thought there might be a template on the net somewhere … ContinuedThe post Steve wants help with a spreadsheet template for his watch collection, and because it’s a pandemic, we’re doing a call out appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

INTRODUCING: The new Chopard Mille Miglia and L.U.C Perpetual Twin 2020 present masculinity two ways Time+Tide
Chopard Mille Miglia May 6, 2020

INTRODUCING: The new Chopard Mille Miglia and L.U.C Perpetual Twin 2020 present masculinity two ways

For their spring novelty releases this year, Chopard have reinvigorated two of their most popular collections: the Mille Miglia and the L.U.C families. We are offered something for everyone, with the more refined L.U.C collection featuring attractive new perpetual calendar references with tastefully balanced dial proportions and a beautifully decorated movement, while the sportiness of … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The new Chopard Mille Miglia and L.U.C Perpetual Twin 2020 present masculinity two ways appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Ongoing Saga Of The World’s Most Complicated Wristwatch: Superbia Humanitatis By Louis-Elysée Piguet, Franck Muller, And Paul Gerber (Plus Video) - Reprise Quill & Pad
Franck Muller May 3, 2020

The Ongoing Saga Of The World’s Most Complicated Wristwatch: Superbia Humanitatis By Louis-Elysée Piguet, Franck Muller, And Paul Gerber (Plus Video) - Reprise

The Superbia Humanitatis Louis-Elysée Piguet/Franck Muller/Paul Gerber super complication is one of the most legendary watches of our time. And what a story! And here it is in its entirety: from 1892 when Piguet made the movement through 1992 when Franck Muller altered it, all the way through the present day when Paul Gerber modified it three more times to make it the most complicated wristwatch in the world.

Ming Introduces the 27.01 SJX Watches
Ming Introduces May 1, 2020

Ming Introduces the 27.01

Ming is a “micro brand” that has gained tremendous recognition in a remarkably short period thanks to a well-cultivated design language and smart pricing. While the brand started out with the affordable 17 series, it then went upmarket with the 19 series. Now the brand has unveiled a new model that’s in-between the two, the Ming 27.01. In many ways it’s an evolution of the entry-level 17 series, with a more elaborately-conceived but notably thin case as well as a major upgrade in terms of mechanics, resulting in a slightly higher retail price of 3,950 Swiss francs. Initial thoughts The 27.01 is a good-looking derivative of the 17 series that launched the brand. But it’s not just a similar design, the watch has been upgraded in a useful way, mainly with slimmer proportions and a more interesting movement. Though the base movement is a pedestrian ETA Peseux, it’s been smartly modified to look different and attractive (though the revamped bridges look a bit skimpy leading to minor worries about shock resistance). While the 17 series was great value for money – and cost very little money – the 27.01 is pricey in comparison. It’s priced substantially higher, at about US$4,000, which is still reasonable value, but less easily compelling than the 17 series. An exercise in reductivism While the 27.01 retains the same 38 mm case diameter as the 17.01, its height of just 6.9 mm 27.01 makes it the slimmest Ming watch to date. Because of its svelte dimensions, the ca...

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the New Master Control Collection SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces Apr 24, 2020

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the New Master Control Collection

A mainstay of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s catalogue for almost three decades, the Master Control made its debut in 1992 and has been facelifted every couple of years since. Fresh off the press at Watches & Wonders 2020, the latest Master Control collection forgets the facelifts and is instead throwback to the inaugural line-up of three decades ago. The new range reproduces the models and style of the originals, including the popular, entry-level Master Control Date, but it also includes an all-new model, the Master Control Chronograph Calendar. From left: Master Control Date, Master Control Calendar, and Master Control Geographic And the Master Control Chronograph Calendar New tech, classic style While retaining the look of the originals, the new Master Control models are ever-so-slightly larger, now measuring 40 mm (while the 1990s originals were mostly 37 mm). More importantly, the new watches have been fitted with newly-upgraded movements equipped with silicon escapements. The cal. 899AA of the Master Control Date Though JLC has used silicon escapements in the past, most notably in the Master Compressor Extreme LAB 2 and the more recent Tourbillon Celeste, the movements in the new Master Control watches are the first affordable, regular-production models to feature such escapements. The use of silicon pallet levers and escape wheels, coupled with the use of new lubricants and a stronger and longer mainspring, means substantial improvements in operating efficiency, with power ...

Pandemic Truths - Edouard Meylan of H. Moser & Cie. SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie Apr 17, 2020

Pandemic Truths - Edouard Meylan of H. Moser & Cie.

A time of crisis is always a good moment to reflect – especially when confined to the home – so we spoke with key personalities in watchmaking to see what they’re doing. As the pandemic-inflected reality faced by major brands and independents are necessarily different, here are the views from one of the big “small” brands, H. Moser & Cie. Its young and straight-forward chief executive, Edouard Meylan, answers our questions, in part one of Pandemic Truths. Like almost everyone at the moment, Edouard is working from home, which is just a few minutes away from the H. Moser & Cie. factory in Schaffhausen. Edouard’s work-from-home desk. Photo – Edouard Meylan How does this crisis impacted your business, in productions, distribution, or people? Obviously, this crisis has a global impact as it creates uncertainty in both supply and demand. How can I produce watches when my suppliers are closed and I want to make sure my employees are safe? And even if I were able to produce, where do I sell when all my stores and distributors are closed? Today only four of my retailers are still open. But it is probably easier for us as we can easily ship directly to consumers. We have been very lucky to exhibit during the Dubai watch exhibitions [primarily LVMH Watch Week] early in January. We were able to introduce our novelties and get pre-orders. We are delivering them today, so business is almost as usual for the moment. We have launched our certified pre-owned platform last m...

Up Close: MB&F; HM10 Bulldog SJX Watches
MB&F; Mar 24, 2020

Up Close: MB&F; HM10 Bulldog

MB&F; has always been about pushing the boundaries of aesthetic and conceptual creativity in watchmaking, lassoing in everything from pop culture to science fiction to build its Horological Machines. Reminiscent of the HM3 Frog and HM9 Flow, the HM10 Bulldog is the tenth watch in the series and another intergalactic timekeeper reassembling a robotic animal. While MB&F; has historically been all about less-than-friendly animals, like a cyclops-chicken, luminous jellyfish, or giant spider, the HM10 is modelled on a domestic favourite (and perhaps also takes inspiration from the LM1). The design language of the HM10 is a familiar one as it borrows liberally from MB&F;’s past machines. Bulging eyes in the form of rotating displays take their cues from the HM3, while the suspended balance wheel under a high domed crystal is also found in the Legacy Machine series, and finally the mobile jaw that’s also a power reserve display brings to mind the vertical indicator on the LM1. An elaborate body It’s a complex-looking watch, so an explanation is in order. Available in either titanium, or red gold with titanium accents, the HM10 has a flat, elongated body with a protruding pair of collets for the crowns, as well as two domed sapphire crystals on the front and back to accommodate the time display and power reserve indicator respectively. At 54 mm by 45 mm, the HM10 does have a large presence – which is usually the point of a Horological Machine – but the overall shape, pa...

Welcome to Watchland, the story of the Franck Muller manufacture Time+Tide
Franck Muller manufacture From Watchland Mar 20, 2020

Welcome to Watchland, the story of the Franck Muller manufacture

From Watchland, the Genevan estate where Franck Muller is based, you are able to look out across the calm blue waters of Lake Geneva to the far bank, and in the distance gaze up at the white peak of Mont Blanc. In this postcard setting, Watchland is an open expanse of chalet-style buildings designed by … ContinuedThe post Welcome to Watchland, the story of the Franck Muller manufacture appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.