Watch brandsWatch wikiWatch videosVariousWatch calendarSaved articles
PopularRolexOmegaPatek PhilippeAudemars PiguetTudorGrand SeikoCartierSeiko

Chronograph Watches · Page 185

5,820 articles · Page 185 of 243
Louis Erard Introduces the Excellence Triptych SJX Watches
Oct 4, 2020

Louis Erard Introduces the Excellence Triptych

Having pivoted to take a more interesting direction – exemplified by its recent collaboration with watch designer Alain Silberstein – Louis Erard is now working on facelifting its more classical watches to give them a more contemporary appearance. The result is the Excellence Triptych, a trio of watches that are simple yet smartly detailed. Made up of a time-only, regulator, and mono-pusher chronograph, the line up is named after a three-panelled painting, perhaps reflecting the artistic interests of Manuel Emch, the former chief executive of Jaquet Droz who is now a consultant to Louis Erard and responsible for the brand’s renewal. The Excellence Triptych (from left): Petite Second, Régulateur, Chronographe Monopoussoir Initial thoughts The Triptych is fundamentally appealing because of its reasonable and affordable pricing, starting from about US$1,600 for the time-only and rising to a still-modest US$3,800 for the mono-pusher chronograph. The intrinsic value is especially strong for the regulator, as the complication is rarely seen in this price segment (though Louis Erard has made it something of a speciality). The Régulateur And the facelift is subtle but significantly, boosting their visual appeal over the earlier generation of watches. Amongst the more obvious tweaks was replacing the Roman numerals with applied Arabics and batons, while also sharpening the lance-shaped hands, giving the watch a more modern look. While the dials are in a muted silver, ...
Read article
HANDS-ON: The Maurice Lacroix Pontos Chronograph Monopusher is like a sandwich with every filling possible, and I’m hungry Time+Tide
Oct 3, 2020

HANDS-ON: The Maurice Lacroix Pontos Chronograph Monopusher is like a sandwich with every filling possible, and I’m hungry

I am utterly perplexed by the Maurice Lacroix Pontos Chronograph Monopusher. This is a watch, released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Pontos range, that encompasses some of my favourite features across the ages of horology, amalgamated into one. Stealthy black, chunky yet not too large, both contemporary and vintage, with a chronograph dégradé dial. … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Maurice Lacroix Pontos Chronograph Monopusher is like a sandwich with every filling possible, and I’m hungry appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Read article
Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Polaris Mariner Memovox and Mariner Date SJX Watches
Oct 2, 2020

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Polaris Mariner Memovox and Mariner Date

Modelled on a 1960s diver’s alarm wristwatch, the Polaris was revived in 2018 as a full-fledged collection of watches ranging from time-only to chronograph. Now Jaeger-LeCoultre adds two more to the line up: the Polaris Mariner Memovox and Polaris Mariner Date. Looking very similar to each other, both share the same a gradient-blue dial but are distinguished in function; the Memovox is an alarm while the Date is a three-hand base model. Polaris Mariner Date (left), and Polaris Mariner Memovox Initial thoughts Probably because it manages to be sporty and slightly retro at the same time, the gradient (or fumè or smoked) blue dial is being used once again for a Polaris dive watch, not long after the similar-looking limited edition for the American market. And it’s worth noting that the three-tone blue dial takes inspiration from the Memovox “Snowdrop” of the 1970s. In short, the look isn’t novel, but it is a good one. And a few tweaks have been worked in to help it stand out, most obvious with the use of orange accents. The new Memovox on brand ambassador Benedict Cumberbatch The Polaris Mariner Memovox Although both watches have been updated in design and upgraded in functionality – water resistance is now 300 m instead of 200 m – they are beset by a sharp increase in price. For instance, the new Mariner Memovox alarm watch costs about 40% more than the equivalent limited edition of 2018. And the Mariner Date costs a bit over US$11,000, while the standar...
Read article
INTRODUCING: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Memovox is an alarmingly different type of Polaris Time+Tide
Oct 1, 2020

INTRODUCING: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Memovox is an alarmingly different type of Polaris

Although it’s never really taken off as an uber-popular complication like a chronograph or moonphase, the alarm function of JLC’s Memovox watches has, since they were first unveiled in 1968, been exceedingly practical. But it’s a complication that’s usually been found in the watchmaker’s daintier, and perhaps less practical, dress watches. This has meant that … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Memovox is an alarmingly different type of Polaris appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Read article
Rewriting History – Discovering the Earliest Flyback Chronograph Wristwatch SJX Watches
Sep 29, 2020

Rewriting History – Discovering the Earliest Flyback Chronograph Wristwatch

As a collector, I find myself in the rather sparsely populated niche of observatory chronometers. Due to Longines’ unparalleled history in precision timekeeping, the brand became a long-standing, personal favourite. Notably, competition chronometer movements, like the 30B with its off-centre construction and the rectangular 360, strike all the right chords with me. Along the way, I inevitably bumped into Longines’ outstanding in-house chronograph calibres – in chronological order, the 13.33Z, 13ZN, and 30CH – which opened a new door away from my focused, chronometer-centric journey as a collector. And it also led me to a discovery that rewrites horological history, one that gives Longines the title of having produced the very first flyback wristwatch chronograph, as well as the first chronograph wristwatch with two pushers. A catalogue page showing various Longines chronograph movements in the 1930s, with the topmost pair being for wristwatches, and the others for pocket watches 13.33Z Though Longines had produced several remarkable wristwatch chronograph movements, a two-pusher flyback chronograph powered by the 13.33Z had become the object of my desire. A watch that was only produced in minuscule quantities and remains largely unknown to even the most discerning of collectors, with only eight examples known the market. A long and winding quest ensued that ultimately resulted in the opportunity to acquire an exceptional example from a private collection in German...
Read article
INTRODUCING: The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum redefines the luxury diver Time+Tide
Sep 28, 2020

INTRODUCING: The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum redefines the luxury diver

Omega’s lines between utility and luxury are ever-blurring, and increasingly confusing to people who like to categorise watches into strict genres and tropes. The truth is, the centuries-old Swiss powerhouse is constantly proving that you can have high-performance, high-specification and high-flex wristwatches without spending anywhere near as much as the competition. More to the point: … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum redefines the luxury diver appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Read article
Richard Mille Introduces the RM 27-04 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal SJX Watches
Sep 25, 2020

Richard Mille Introduces the RM 27-04 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal

Conceived for the 10th anniversary of the partnership between Richard Mille and Spanish tennis champion Rafael Nadal, the RM 27-04 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal is an ultra-light, ultra-exotic, and ultra-expensive mechanical wristwatch. Equipped with a hand-wind movement suspended on a dense network of steel cables within the case, the RM 27-04 has the greatest shock resistance of any Richard Mille wristwatch, or about 12,000 g. And its case is carbon composite, which combined with the skeletonised movement, means it weighs as much as a few sheets of paper. Initial thoughts While the recent RM 72-01 chronograph went in a different direction than usual for Richard Mille – it’s equipped with a new, in-house movement with an unusual, double oscillating pinion construction – the RM 27-04 is very much in keeping with the brand’s spirit. Mr Nadal’s nickname is engraved on the side of the case The RM 27-04 is a more extreme version of what Richard Mille has done before, with more cables, more skeletonisation, and more advanced composites. And it is also US$1 million, give or take. Judged by what the brand does, the RM 27-04 is a successful product in concept and execution. But more broadly speaking, Richard Mille has been all about such watches for several years now, so the RM 27-04 doesn’t feel that exciting or interesting. Strung like a racquet Weighing just 30 g including its strap – equivalent to about six sheets of A4 paper – the RM 27-04 takes the cable-suspension...
Read article
Why I bought the Hanhart x The Rake & Revolution Limited Edition Bronze 417 Chronograph Time+Tide
Sep 25, 2020

Why I bought the Hanhart x The Rake & Revolution Limited Edition Bronze 417 Chronograph

Editor’s note: Occasionally, we’ll throw to members of the team to explain themselves when it comes to their endless watch purchases. And on that note, if you wish to work in this team, you must be endlessly purchasing watches of some kind or another. Zach mentioned a couple of weeks ago that he was one … ContinuedThe post Why I bought the Hanhart x The Rake & Revolution Limited Edition Bronze 417 Chronograph appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Read article
Omega Introduces the Seamaster Diver 300 M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum SJX Watches
Sep 24, 2020

Omega Introduces the Seamaster Diver 300 M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum

Best known as the watch worn by Pierce Brosnan playing James Bond, the Omega Seamaster Diver 300 M made its debut in 1993. But the blue-on-blue “Bond” model was not the flagship of the line. That distinction went to a chronograph composed of three metals – gold, titanium, and tantalum – an exotic and expensive combination two decades ago. The tri-metal combination (the original was the ref. 2296.80 for anyone curious) made a comeback as a time-only watch for the 25th anniversary of the Seamaster 300 M two years ago. Now, Omega has finally revealed a truer homage to the original, the Seamaster Diver 300 M Chronograph Gold Titanium Tantalum, which stays to the aesthetics of its inspiration but refined to be more contemporary and technically advanced. Initial thoughts The original version of the tri-metal chronograph isn’t the best known variant of the Seamaster – because it was extremely expensive for the period and sold poorly – so when the time-only variant debuted in 2018, the combination of metal was rather novel. The new chronograph feels exactly like that – it is handsome and modern, but like the 1993 original, it is very expensive. In fact, it is a lot more expensive, all things considered. Priced at a little under US$20,000, the new chronograph is significantly more expensive than its steel-and-gold counterparts – by a factor of 50%. While the price tag partially justified by the unusual material combination and good looks, the new Seamaster Chr...
Read article
Louis Moinet Introduces the Space Revolution SJX Watches
Sep 23, 2020

Louis Moinet Introduces the Space Revolution

Established in 2004, Louis Moinet takes its name from a pioneering, 19th century French watchmaker. A contemporary of Abraham-Louis Breguet, Moinet remains less famous than the inventor of the tourbillon, though his recognition got a boost in 2013 when it was discovered that Moinet had invented the chronograph in 1816. Today, the resurrected name focuses on complicated watches that usually feature novel movements and often incorporate uncommon materials. The latest from Louis Moinet – and one of its most complicated watches to date – is the Space Revolution, which is equipped with twin orbiting spaceships as well as twin flying tourbillons. Initial thoughts As astronomical-theme watches go, the Space Revolution is one of the easiest to understand, because it’s not an astronomical complication, but rather an astronomical theme with a generous dose of sci-fi. The twin orbital oscillators are the most impressive element of the movement. While they probably add nothing to its timekeeping, they are complicated to execute and make for quite a mechanical performance. While the theme and technical execution are interesting – but not entirely new – the watch resembles other contemporary complications in that it is big, thick, and mechanically sci-fi in appearance. The complication and form definitely bring to mind the Jacob & Co. Astronomia, which is not a bad thing since the Astronomia is one of the defining watches in the segment of over-the-top complications with mode...
Read article
When Accuracy Mattered – Part III: The Triumph of Brands Over Watchmaking SJX Watches
Sep 20, 2020

When Accuracy Mattered – Part III: The Triumph of Brands Over Watchmaking

The demise of chronometry competitions last year – when the final edition of Concours International de Chronométrie took place – finally killed the dangerous heresy that a watch is a practical instrument that should be trusted to show the correct time. With the elimination of the last scientific and independent assessment of a watch’s worth, the cult of haute horlogerie comes into its own, reinforcing its definition of a watch as an emotional product born of passion, tradition and prestige. Trials to see who can produce the most precise, accurate and reliable watch originated in Geneva in 1879, when the head of its observatory, Professor Emile Plantamour, devised a testing routine that rated watches in the various positions and temperatures encountered in everyday wear. Observatories soon became the influencers of the pocket-watch age, determining the legitimacy and worth of luxury timepieces. American magnates like James Ward Packard, Henry Graves Jr and Pierpont Morgan secured the most highly rated pieces. A Longines split-seconds chronograph pocket watch that was tested at the Neuchatel Observatory in 1968; this particular example once belong to Jean Pitallier, the former president of the French Cycling Federation (FFC) Despite the advent of wristwatches, the Neuchatel Observatory kept the competitions alive until 1968 when Japanese entrants swept the board. In 1972, deputation of Swiss watch brand executive petitioned the Neuchâtel government minister Ren...
Read article
The dream brief: “No deadline, no restrictions on budget, no pressure.” Eric Ku’s Audemars Piguet restoration will make you melt Time+Tide
Sep 19, 2020

The dream brief: “No deadline, no restrictions on budget, no pressure.” Eric Ku’s Audemars Piguet restoration will make you melt

The absolutely magical story embedded in our latest Watch & Chill Episode revolves around the unusual story of Eric Ku’s vintage Audemars Piguet chronograph restoration. To say the watch is rare is laughably inadequate. There are 307 vintage-era Audemars Piguet chronographs in existence. Every single one of them is a piece unique (more about that … ContinuedThe post The dream brief: “No deadline, no restrictions on budget, no pressure.” Eric Ku’s Audemars Piguet restoration will make you melt appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Read article