Chronograph Watches · Page 64

The Omega Speedmaster for Military Pilots is Now Available to Civilians

Originally conceived for pilots of the US military (and covered here by Fratello), the Omega Speedmaster Pilot is now available to civilians. The origins of the watch explain the military-influenced, instrument-style dial design, which is meant to evoke the utilitarian nature of an instrument panel inside a fighter jet. The regular production version of the watch retains the same specs as the military exclusive, but with different livery. The case has the straight lugs of the Speedmaster “Ed White” but in a larger format thanks to the automatic cal. 9900 inside. Initial thoughts I’m something of an outlier amongst enthusiasts since I prefer automatic to manual-wind, even within the Speedmaster collection. While a manual-wind movement is traditional for the Speedy, I appreciate the day-to-day convenience of an automatic. Additionally, Omega’s latest-generation automatic chronograph movements are all impressively high-spec. While the Speedmaster Pilot may not achieve the same aesthetic purity as its manual-wind counterparts, it remains an excellent everyday option, especially with the military provenance. That said, the military provenance is not exactly military-issue. The watch was designed for military pilots who presumably buy it on a personal basis for off-duty wear; it is not an actual mil-spec instrument watch. This can be seen in the dial design, which has aviation-inspired elements, rather than actual, functional indicators for pilots. Even though this is m...

New: OMEGA Speedmaster Pilot

The Omega Speedmaster Pilot is a distinguished addition to Omega's Speedmaster collection, tailored specifically for aviation enthusiasts. This new Speedmaster Pilot takes inspiration from the very first Speedmaster born in 1957.

Introducing – Artya Releases a Collection of One-of-a-Kind Chronographs in a Wide Variety of Materials and Colours

Whether you appreciate or not the styles and designs, which can sometimes be very striking, Artya, the brainchild of Yvan Arpa, is one of the most creative brands around – even though recently, the Stairway to Heaven collection has proved less polarising. Not shy of using unconventional materials for his cases and dials, Arpa is […]

Introducing – Omega Adds a Gradient Turquoise Option to the Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m Collection

It has become a pretty recurring thing for Omega to release new models, or at least new editions of existing watches, with very little or no fanfare. While this has happened in the Planet Ocean and Speedmaster collections, it’s mostly the Aqua Terra family that sees these discreet releases dropping regularly. Following the addition of […]

Why I Bought It: Vintage Mathey-Tissot Type 20 Big Eye Chronograph

This is the story of GaryG's pursuit, and eventual capture, of a classic vintage watch: a Type 20 “big eye” flyback chronograph manufactured by Mathey-Tissot.

We drop the top on the Porsche Design Chronograph 718 Spyder RS

The perfect watch to wear with your high-powered convertible... Or keep it strapped on while it's too wet to drop the roof.The post We drop the top on the Porsche Design Chronograph 718 Spyder RS appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Review: Is The IWC Portugieser Chronograph Dune The Watch You Didn’t Know You Wanted?

The IWC Portugieser is one of the Schaffhausen brand’s most iconic models, and with a new lineup this year, we thought we would take the new Portugieser Chronograph ‘Dune’ out to see how it feels on the wrist. What We Love The watch’s ability to pair with most outfits The dial finishing is excellent, with the sunray finish looking stunning The design is timeless and won’t date easily What We Don’t The monochromatic coloured dial could use some contrast to aid with legibility The clasp is a little hard to open The lack of a date window gives it less functionality Overall Score: 8.6 / 10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 2024 has been a stellar year for IWC Schaffhausen. They launched the new look Portugieser collection at Watches & Wonders 2024, which I felt was one of the best collections released at the fair this year. Whilst other brands focused their efforts on just a few models or high complications, IWC took the opportunity to re-vamp the entire line, with new colourways reflecting the times of the day and in steel and precious metals. They also had an epic soundtrack playing in their booth, which could be heard throughout the Palexpo, so it was almost as if IWC provided the soundtrack to Watches & Wonders 2024. They also released the Portugieser Eternal Calendar as part of this collection which was the brand’s contribution to the high-end pieces we saw throughout the fair, which then went on to break the Guin...

The New Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT SAR Edition

Seven months have passed since Oak & Oscar released its Atwood hand-wound chronograph. However, it seems that founder Chase Fancher and the team were already plotting the next model, the Humboldt GMT SAR Edition. To be fair, this is a limited offering designed with a search and rescue team in mind. However, it deserves attention […] Visit The New Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT SAR Edition to read the full article.

The Highly Anticipated Omega Speedmaster Pilot Has Landed

One of the cool things about the Omega Speedmaster is that it can truly be just about any watch it needs to be. It’s the Moonwatch, of course, but it’s also a racing chronograph, a dressy chronograph, a chronograph inspired by WWII era military watches, and it can even be a plastic toy. That, I think, is what makes it “iconic,” an overused word if there ever was one in our trade, but one that nonetheless applies perfectly to the Speedmaster. It’s also, from time to time, a pilot’s watch, and Omega’s newest release, part of a late-in-the-year drip of new product that has the brand positioned as one of the big winners of 2024, is a Speedmaster that is purpose built for the skies in a way we rarely see the Speedy outside of Omega’s quartz offerings.  The new Speedmaster Pilot, as it is known, has been the subject of speculation for much of this year. Leaked images of the watch on the wrist of US military pilots generated a great deal of discussion on the forums and Instagram, and our friends at Fratello provided a great overview of everything that was known about the Speedmaster “Flight Qualified” back in September. That watch (the one seen in the leaked images) appears to be made for military personnel only. The one seen here can be thought of as the civilian version. It differs somewhat in aesthetic details, but in terms of specs and features it appears to be identical, and offers its own unique Speedy experience.  This is a two register Speedmaster wi...

Hands-On: Brew Watch Co. Doubles Down On Retro With The Super Metric Chronographs

It's a chronograph! It's an espresso timer! It's... Super Metric!

Hands-On: First Spotted On The Wrist In A U-2 Spy Plane – The New Flight Qualified Omega Speedmaster 'Pilot'

It is not quite a Flightmaster, but it is flight-tested and now here for civilians and military pilots alike.

Introducing – The New Omega Speedmaster Pilot Flight Qualified

While the Speedmaster started its life as a racing chronograph destined to measure average speeds (hence its name), it quickly changed vocation when, during the 1960s, it became the watch of choice for US Air Force pilots and, of course, NASA astronauts. From there, the Speedmaster became one of the most famous pilot’s chronographs and […]

Omega launches the Speedmaster Pilot to the public – no pilot’s license required

A new Speedmaster from Omega is dedicated to pilots with colourful features anyone who works in a cockpit will recognise.The post Omega launches the Speedmaster Pilot to the public – no pilot’s license required appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Omega Introduces A New Speedmaster Pilot

Hands-On With The Omega Speedmaster Pilot Flight Qualified [With Video]

It’s here! The Speedmaster Pilot Flight Qualified debuted as a pilot-only watch a few months ago, but Omega decided to make a slightly different version available for people like you (assuming you aren’t a US military pilot) and me. Originally for US military pilots At the end of September, we showed you the US military […] Visit Hands-On With The Omega Speedmaster Pilot Flight Qualified [With Video] to read the full article.

Insight: The Modern Performance Chronograph Movement

High-end chronograph movements of today tend to have in common a vertical clutch and column wheel. Such “performance” chronographs are typically also automatic, and practically every high-end watchmaker, from Audemars Piguet to Vacheron Constantin, has its own take on the modern “performance” chronograph. The chronograph movement as we know it today is actually a fairly recent invention. Despite being common in today’s chronograph constructions, the vertical coupling, or at least its concept, is decades-old. The Pierce cal. 130/134 launched in the 1930s is regarded as the first commercially available wristwatch with a vertical clutch. There are examples of even older stopwatches that relied on crude forms of the vertical clutch, but most were either prototypes or small-batch production. But the large-scale use of the vertical clutch only started in the late 1960s, when Seiko debuted the cal. 6139. Launched in 1969, the Seiko cal. 6139 was a vertical clutch movement produced on an industrial scale. Not only was it among the first-ever automatic chronographs, but the cal. 6139 also was objectively the most advanced amongst them. Compared to the modular construction of the Breitling-Heuer Chronomatic Caliber 11 and the fairly classical architecture of the Zenith El Primero, the Seiko cal. 6139 was endowed with a vertical clutch and a novel construction all around. It was, however, an industrial, no-frills movement at heart. The one that started it all – the cal. ...

Zenith’s 1/100th Second Chronograph Inlaid with Tiger’s Eye

Zenith has given its 1/100th-of-a-second El Primero 21 an unusual attire – pusher protectors and a dodecagonal bezel in tiger’s eye mineral stone. Matched with a dial featuring tiger stripes and green accents, the Defy Extreme Jungle retains the trademark double balance wheels of the model. The movement features a conventional timekeeping balance operating at 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz), and a smaller regulator for the chronograph that beats 10 times as fast, 360,000 beats per hour or 50 Hz, enabling the chronograph to record times with a resolution of up to to 1/100th of a second. Initial thoughts I have long thought that the Defy Extreme was too similar to other, more famous oversized sports chronographs, that is, until I actually got to try on the Defy Extreme Jungle in person. The new Defy still evokes other designs, but it is finely executed, with the minerals stone inlay being notably well done. At the same time, the tiger’s eye elements add some originality to the design, so this easily stands out as the most interesting model in the Defy line. The tiger’s eye components, especially since they are prominently positioned, are likely more fragile than the same on the equivalent titanium model, but they add texture and colour so are arguably worth the sacrifice of practicality. At US$26,900, the Defy Extreme Jungle is pricier than the average Zenith chronograph, but still a reasonable proposition given the exotic material and 1/100th of a second movement. Tige...

The ArtyA Gears collection brings bespoke, unique pieces for under $20k

Unique pieces in unique case materials are the topic of ArtyA's latest chronograph release, the Gears collection.The post The ArtyA Gears collection brings bespoke, unique pieces for under $20k appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

eBay Finds: a Classic Heuer Chrono, an Art Deco Bulova, and a 1970s Speedmaster

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! Vintage Heuer Autavia “Viceroy”  Starting off this week with a big boy watch, a vintage Heuer Autavia Viceroy chronograph. This classic chrono stunner comes in a 42mm steel case that is unpolished with sharp edges and the original brushed finish. The beautifully symmetrical black dial has dual white chrono subdials and a date window at 6 o’clock. The dial, hands and bezel are original and in excellent condition. The watch is powered by a manual wind Heuer caliber 12 movement that is clean and runs well per the seller. These vintage Heuer chronographs are highly sought after and hard to find at auction in this condition. Great opportunity for a nice, scarce Heuer. View auction here Art Deco Bulova On the opposite end of the watch spectrum we have this gorgeous vintage Art Deco Bulova dress watch. Despite the title in the auction listing, this watch is actually from 1953, denoted by the “L3” date code on the back. However, the style is definitely reminiscent of the 1930s, especially the dial, with its two tone gold color and highly stylized Art Deco numerals. The 27mm gold fill case has a fancy faceted bezel and lugs to complete the Deco look. The crown is original and signed w...

Hot Take: The New Nezumi Tonnerre Monochrome Chronograph

Stockholm-based Nezumi Studios has been in business since 2011 and making affordable, traditionally designed watches since 2015. The focus is on sporty pieces, such as divers, GMTs, chronographs, and field watches. Now a new variant enters the collection. The Tonnerre Monochrome chronograph, with its classic color scheme, is sure to be a hit. Nezumi’s watches […] Visit Hot Take: The New Nezumi Tonnerre Monochrome Chronograph to read the full article.

Mühle Glashütte Introduces The New Sportivo Line

Mühle Glashütte is known for its sporty and reliable timepieces. For 2024, the brand has big news with a brand-new line of watches. The Sportivo collection consists of three models made for sports, the office, and everywhere else. We’ll provide a brief overview of each release. The Mühle Glashütte Sportivo line includes a chronograph, GMT, […] Visit Mühle Glashütte Introduces The New Sportivo Line to read the full article.

Hot Take: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph × Oracle Red Bull Racing

TAG Heuer has partnered with Oracle Red Bull racing since 2017, and there have been seven watches commemorating their alliance. Now, to celebrate the team’s 20th anniversary, a new Formula 1 Chronograph joins the collection. As expected, this watch blends the team colors and a highly technical look to create a sporty timepiece. The Oracle […] Visit Hot Take: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph × Oracle Red Bull Racing to read the full article.

Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date Review

Glashütte Original’s Seventies collection is one of the two pillars that make up the German maker’s Vintage series, which pays tribute to the distinctive designs of two seminal decades in watchmaking, the 1960s and 1970s. Whereas the Sixties branch of the family is notable for more traditional, rounded cases, the Seventies watches stand apart, not just from the rest of the Vintage models but from the entirety of the Glashütte Original portfolio, with their softly squared “TV”-style cases, a hallmark of timepieces from that eponymous decade. The Seventies — like the Sixties, initially positioned as part of Glashütte Original’s Senator collection before becoming a Vintage model — debuted in its simpler, three-handed iteration in 2011, with the Chronograph following in 2014. In recent years, the original appears to have been gradually phased out (it’s no longer featured on G.O. 's website) to make way for more colorful and creative versions of the Chronograph, like the version with a sunray-finished,  “Radiant Blue” dial featured here. This may have been a wise decision, as it is the more complicated model that brings more of the Saxon brand’s familiar formula to the table — namely, retro charm mixed with avant-garde modernity. Despite its era-evocative name, and many of its aesthetic hallmarks, the Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date is a watch that is decidedly at home in the 21st Century. As Exhibit A, take the large, rectangular “Panorama...

Studio Underd0g and Wristcheck drop three uneggspected 01Series Chronographs that’ll make you crack a smile

These egg-straordinary limited editions will no doubt have collectors scrambling to poach one for themselves. No flipping!The post Studio Underd0g and Wristcheck drop three uneggspected 01Series Chronographs that’ll make you crack a smile appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.