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Chronograph Watches · Page 185

We followed every single round of the Fratello Omega Speedmaster World Cup in case you missed it, and the winner is… Time+Tide
Dec 26, 2020

We followed every single round of the Fratello Omega Speedmaster World Cup in case you missed it, and the winner is…

Which is the best Omega Speedmaster of all time? Our friends at Fratello Watches decided there was only one way to settle this one properly – by launching the Speedmaster World Cup. Over a gruelling tournament that lasted almost two months(!), 32 eager Speedies duked it out to determine who would be the ultimate victor. … ContinuedThe post We followed every single round of the Fratello Omega Speedmaster World Cup in case you missed it, and the winner is… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Up Close: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Thin Honeygold “Homage to F.A. Lange” SJX Watches
Dec 23, 2020

Up Close: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Thin Honeygold “Homage to F.A. Lange”

Unveiled earlier in the year to mark the 175th anniversary of the founding of A. Lange & Söhne, the 1815 Thin Honeygold “Homage to F.A. Lange” is one of a three-piece set created for the occasion, along with the Tourbograph Perpetual and 1815 Rattrapante. The 1815 Thin is a simple watch done well. Like the rest of the anniversary editions, the 1815 Thin has a Honeygold case, and more unusually, an enamel dial, a feature that’s rarely found on entry-level Lange watches. And for those reasons, the 1815 Thin is surprisingly good value, despite being a pricey timepiece. Initial thoughts Though it costs a substantial amount of money, the 1815 Thin is actually strong value. To start with, it’s an A. Lange & Söhne – which means sterling quality – and also a limited edition, with the case in an unusual metal, plus a dial in fired enamel. Though it’s the largest run in the anniversary line up, the 1815 Thin is a limited edition of just 175 pieces. And though Lange has made several limited editions in Honeygold – which costs substantially more than ordinary gold to machine – the cumulative number of watches in the metal is fairly small, at just over 1,000. The 175th Anniversary “Homage to F.A. Lange” trio in Honeygold – (from left) 1815 Thin, Tourbograph Perpetual, and 1815 Rattrapante Enamel dials are also uncommon for Lange, and decidedly rare in a time-only watch. The last time Lange offered a time-only watch with an enamel dial was 19 years ago with th...

Richard Mille Introduces the RM 65-01 Automatic Split-Seconds Chronograph SJX Watches
Dec 19, 2020

Richard Mille Introduces the RM 65-01 Automatic Split-Seconds Chronograph

Hot on the heels of the RM 72-01 powered by the brand’s first in-house chronograph movement, Richard Mille has just introduced the RM 65-01 Automatic Split-Seconds Chronograph, continuing its historical focus on ultra high-end chronographs, which began with RM 004 of 2003. Not only is the RM 65-01 the first self-winding split-seconds chronograph from Richard Mille, it’ll also be the brand’s first serially produced watch with the complication, joining watches like the RM 11 as a mainstay of the line up. Initial thoughts Highly-complex chronographs are embedded in Richard Mille’s DNA – the company’s first chronograph was RM 004, which was a hand-wind, split-seconds powered by a Renaud & Papi movement. And in the space of a year, Richard Mille has unveiled two all-new chronographs, starting with the RM 72-01, and now the RM 65-01. RM 65-01 in Carbon NTPT The RM 65-01 is typically Richard Mille in style and materials, exuding sportiness with its techno-industrial movement finish, skeletonised dial, and multicoloured indicators. On any other watch, the colours would look like the designers are trying too hard, but in the RM 65-01, they just work. The movement, however, is notable for being a technically accomplished calibre produced by Vaucher, the respect movement specialist that’s a sister company of Parmigiani. Historically Vaucher has only supplied movements for the brand’s entry-level timepieces, while the more complicated calibres were made by Renaud ...

Bovet Introduces the 19Thirty Dimier UAE Edition SJX Watches
Dec 16, 2020

Bovet Introduces the 19Thirty Dimier UAE Edition

The largest watch retailer in the Middle East, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. A family-owned business since its founding, Seddiqi is marking the occasion with several limited-edition watches, including the Bovet 19Thirty Dimier UAE Edition. Based on the 19Thirty Dimier, a time-only wristwatch with a long, seven-day power reserve, the UAE Edition is dressed in a striking combination of black and yellow, with its most distinctive feature being an unusual take on the “California” dial. Instead of the usual Roman and Arabic numeral combination, its dial combines Hindu and Arabic numerals, in a nod to the culture of the region. Initial thoughts Typically a classical-looking watch, the 19Thirty Dimier is very different in the UAE Edition. Recalling racing chronographs, the yellow and black livery is sporty, which works well with the simplified dial that removes some of the elements found on the standard version. The simpler dial design is appealing, although the white print on the base plate feels out of place against all that yellow; a consistent black-and-yellow theme throughout would have been a bit more pleasing. Despite the bright colours, the 19Thirty Dimier is an elegantly-proportioned watch, with a fairly large case but one under 10 mm high. And it is powered by an in-house movement, which like all of Bovet’s movements, is well executed and technically interesting. The cal. 15BM04 inside is simple in function – it has only t...

Auction Watch: J.P. Morgan Jr’s Charles Frodsham Split-Seconds Chronograph with Tourbillon SJX Watches
Dec 15, 2020

Auction Watch: J.P. Morgan Jr’s Charles Frodsham Split-Seconds Chronograph with Tourbillon

A noted collector of art, objects, and also timepieces – he famously once owned the world’s most complicated watch that is now lost – banker J.P. Morgan was a frequent client of Charles Frodsham, having no doubt inherited the inclination from his father, also a client of the English watchmaker. Once preeminent globally, particularly in the late decades of the 19th century when Morgan was active, Charles Frodsham is perhaps most famous for supplying top-of-the-line pocket watches to Morgan that he then gifted to friends and partners of his eponymous bank. Sometimes known as “Morgan caliper” watches, these watches were amongst the most expensive watches in the world at the time. Some two dozen of these presentation watches are known – and 11 have been sold publicly – with all being identical in combining a minute repeater with split-second chronograph and tourbillon. Perhaps the most important of these watches is the one that will soon go on the block at Sotheby’s in New York on December 15 at 10:00 am EST. The watch once owned by J.P. Morgan Jr., bearing the serial number “010’330” The ebauche was probably produced by Nicole Nielsen The tourbillon with a Nicole Nielsen Type 2 cage Being offered by the estate of Alexandra McCain Morgan, who’s perhaps better known as the older sister of the late Senator John McCain. The watch was originally purchased by J.P. Morgan Jr. in 1933 – the lot is accompanied by a copy of the original invoice. The watch on ...

HANDS-ON: Watches on bracelets are always better and this TAG Heuer Monaco is proof Time+Tide
Dec 14, 2020

HANDS-ON: Watches on bracelets are always better and this TAG Heuer Monaco is proof

TAG Heuer’s Monaco has experienced a rather slow evolution in recent years, as the world’s most famous square watch shouldn’t be messed with too much. The new black dial TAG Heuer Monaco on bracelet is a further exploration into the watch’s roots, while keeping up to date with all the technical quality we expect from … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Watches on bracelets are always better and this TAG Heuer Monaco is proof appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Prices Reached: 12 Watches On The Block At Phillips New York December 2020 Racing Pulse Auction, Including Some Celebrity-Owned By Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Bono, Andy Warhol, And John Lennon Quill & Pad
Dec 14, 2020

Prices Reached: 12 Watches On The Block At Phillips New York December 2020 Racing Pulse Auction, Including Some Celebrity-Owned By Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Bono, Andy Warhol, And John Lennon

The Phillips Racing Pulse auction showcased something of a timeline of Panerai history, including the legendary Luminor Slytech Daylight owned by Sylvester Stallone, as well as Paul Newman's own Rolex Daytona and Steve McQueen's own Heuer Monaco from the filming of 'Le Mans.' Elizabeth Doerr shares 12 of the extremely entertaining highlights here and the prices that the watches sold for.

Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” Review WatchAdvice
Dec 13, 2020

Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” Review

The Zenith Chronomaster Revival “Shadow”, a timepiece clouded in such mystery that its existence was all but forgotten, until recently. The story behind this timepiece goes back to 1970, where after the iconic El Primero movement was produced by Zenith, the manufacture also produced a prototype for a manual winding chronograph. This chronograph model was housed in a blackened steel case, which was quite rare during the ’70s. The manufacture produced only a handful of these concepts, with the watch never making it into full production.  Soon after, the quartz crisis hit, which forced Zenith’s El Primero savior Charles Vermont to store all the plans and designs for mechanical watches including El Primero designs in a secret walled off attic in the manufacture. Just imagine though, if this beautiful all-black timepiece was never to be uncovered by the manufacture!  Luckily this wasn’t the case, as in 2019 when Zenith began celebrating their 50th anniversary of the El Primero Chronograph caliber, the team at the manufacture decided to go through all the plans, designs, and parts that they found in the secret attic. Among the numerous items hidden away, was a box that contained the original prototype of this special black chronograph model. A model that hasn’t been seen by anyone since the early 1970s.  The Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” project is a remake of the original 1970 model. Zenith, however, decided that instead of faithfully reproducing a replica of...

Breaking News: Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona 6263 “Big Red” Sells for US$5.48m SJX Watches
Dec 12, 2020

Breaking News: Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona 6263 “Big Red” Sells for US$5.48m

The most expensive wristwatch ever sold when it achieved US$17.52m at Phillips, the Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona once owned by the actor was a high watermark in vintage Rolex collecting when it sold in 2017. And now Phillips has sold another vintage Daytona owned by the late actor – a ref. 6263 “Big Red” – for US$5.48m including fees. Gifted by Newman to his daughter Clea in 2008, the ref. 6263 was originally given to Newman by his wife, engraved with a dedication on the back, just like the Daytona sold in 2017. Though selling for less than the 2017 example, the ref. 6263 becomes the third most valuable Rolex sold at auction, after the first Paul Newman Daytona and the ref. 6062 “Bao Dai” once owned by the last Emperor of Vietnam. Paul Newman pictured with the ref. 6263 in the 1980s The bidding for the Daytona opened at a little under US$1.00m, but dramatically jumped to US$2.00m with a bid by Paul Boutros of Phillips’ New York office. It progressed swiftly, with numerous bidders contesting the lot. But the winner was the bidder represented by Livia Russo of Phillips in Geneva, who clinched it with a US$4.50m bid, which totals US$5.48m with fees. Intriguingly, auctioneer Aurel Bacs commented during the bidding that if Ms Russo’s client won the watch, it would disappear into a private collection like the record-setting Daytona sold in 2017 – though he did not say it was the same client that that bought both watches.  

Breaking News: Steve McQueen’s Heuer Monaco Sells for US$2.21m SJX Watches
Dec 12, 2020

Breaking News: Steve McQueen’s Heuer Monaco Sells for US$2.21m

An iconic auto-racing chronograph of the 1970s, the Monaco ref. 1133 was nicknamed the “Steve McQueen” after the actor wore one in the 1971 film Le Mans. And now one of the actual examples worn by McQueen in the film has just become the most expensive Heuer ever sold, achieving US$2.21m with fees at Phillips’ New York auction. There were several Monacos on hand for the production of Le Mans, with McQueen retaining two after filming wrapped. The record-setting watch in question is one of the two that McQueen gifted to Haig Alltounian, both the chief mechanic for the film as well as the actor’s personal mechanic. McQueen (left) and Haig Alltounian (far right) during the filming of Le Mans Mr Alltounian received the watch – engraved with “To Haig Le Mans 1970” on the back – just after filming for Le Mans concluded. Mr Alltounian himself consigned the watch to Phillips for its recent New York watch auction, making its provenance impeccable. The bidding opened at US$150,000, progressing steadily until the air thinned at the half-million dollar mark – which leads to the conclusion that the majority of bidders had a similar limit in mind. Then only three phone bidders were left. The three-way tussle ended with a US$1.8m hammer price – with London-based James Marks of Phillips winning the lot for his client. The result was US$2.2m inclusive of fees, an all-time record for any Heuer watch. It’s also a convenient feather in the cap for TAG Heuer, which is ...

Tutima Flieger Friday Chronograph Limited Edition: From Hashtag To Compelling Pilot’s Watch Rooted In History Quill & Pad
Dec 11, 2020

Tutima Flieger Friday Chronograph Limited Edition: From Hashtag To Compelling Pilot’s Watch Rooted In History

The hashtag #fliegerfriday is dedicated to the genre of flieger, or pilot’s, watches posted on social media on Fridays. Tutima, which has a long history in pilot's watches, asked Bhanu Chopra for some advice on developing a special-edition #fliegerfriday chronograph and together they came up with the Tutima Flieger Friday Chronograph Limited Edition. Here is its compelling story.

Montblanc Introduces the 1858 Split Second Chronograph in Smoked Red SJX Watches
Dec 11, 2020

Montblanc Introduces the 1858 Split Second Chronograph in Smoked Red

Just last year Montblanc introduced the 1858 Split Second Chronograph powered by a gorgeous, mono-pusher Minerva movement. Debuted in a bronze case, the watch was a hit, and for good reason, it combined attractive, well-chosen vintage details and an well-finished movement, all for a very fair price. Having unveiled several other limited-edition versions of the watch since, Montblanc is continuing with the theme with the 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 8, an exclusive for Singapore-based retailer Sincere Fine Watches that has a smoked, dark red dial and a titanium case. The 1858 Split Second Chronograph for Sincere Initial thoughts After the launch edition, Montblanc debuted an eight-piece limited edition in November 2019 made for Mexican watch fair Salón Internacional Alta Relojería (SIAR) that had a striking jade dial, which was followed by a hundred-piece limited edition with a stunning gradient-blue grand feu enamel dial in April of this year. And in between, it managed to put together a one-off example with an agate dial for charity auction Only Watch 2019. That makes the new Sincere edition the fifth iteration of the 1858 split seconds in less than 24 months. But fortunately it does not feel overdone – yet – given the small production runs for each version, as well as the interesting variety of dial materials. The first version of the 1858 split seconds in bronze The most obvious point of appeal of the watch is movement, which is derived from...

VIDEO: The technical tour de force of the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Titanium Time+Tide
Dec 11, 2020

VIDEO: The technical tour de force of the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Titanium

Hublot don’t do things by half. If they do something, they do it full throttle, and you can see that in the in-house movements they produce. You won’t find a simple three-handed caliber; no, instead you’ll find chronographs, tourbillons and some of the most impressive power reserves in the game. Of their in-house movements, this … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The technical tour de force of the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Titanium appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Steve McQueen’s Monaco, Paul Newman’s (other) Daytona – will this auction deliver the next record watch sale? Time+Tide
Dec 9, 2020

Steve McQueen’s Monaco, Paul Newman’s (other) Daytona – will this auction deliver the next record watch sale?

Have you ever wondered what racing cars and auction rooms have in common? In a 2006 publication, neurosurgeon Dr Eric Watkins published evidence that a Formula 1 driver can experience a pulse in the neighbourhood of 200 beats per minute during a race. According to the US Centre for Disease Control, this heart rate approaches, … ContinuedThe post Steve McQueen’s Monaco, Paul Newman’s (other) Daytona – will this auction deliver the next record watch sale? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Comments 4

  1. C. Almeida
    The framing here is frankly a bit off. A chronograph is hardly the most-engineered complication in Swiss watchmaking; that crown belongs to perpetual calendars and minute repeaters. That said, the automatic chronograph remains the most *accessible* complicated movement for volume producers, and that's a worthier claim. The 1969 reference is apt, though the real innovation happened years before.
    1. Ben W. replying to C. Almeida
      Fair correction on the engineering hierarchy. But I'd add: the "accessibility" angle gets muddied fast once you're actually trying to buy one. A Daytona or even a Tudor Chrono sits behind waitlists and AD games that make "accessible" feel like marketing speak. The movement's elegant, sure, but the secondary market lottery around these watches tells a different story about what buyers actually face.
  2. Reece
    thinking about getting my first chrono and this helped a lot. is a vintage automatic worth learning on or should i just grab something new first. also how much should i realistically spend.
    1. WristBuzz Team replying to Reece
      This all depends on your own feelings and what you like to spend. Pretty hard to answer imho.

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