Dress Watches · Page 63

SJX Watches

Jan 25, 2022

Hublot Unveils the Big Bang Integral Time Only

While a pioneer in luxury-sports watches with its gold-meets-rubber models of the 1980s, Hublot is a relatively new arrival to the world of luxury-sports watches with an integrated bracelet – with its opening act being the flyback chronograph of 2020. Now a simple, fuss-free version joins the line up. At LVMH Watch Week 2022 the brand has taken the covers off the Big Bang Integral Time Only, which has an integrated bracelet naturally, but also is the most compact men’s Big Bang to date at 40 mm wide. And in typical Hublot style, the new Time Only is available in a trio of materials, none of which is steel but instead titanium, ceramic, or yellow gold. Initial thoughts It’s great to see Hublot adapt its products to accommodate demand for small(er) watches, especially since the Big Bang has always been, well, big. The trimmer size of the Time Only brings it closer to the dimensions of the traditional luxury-sports watches, which are essentially elaborate bracelets that tell time. Despite its uncharacteristically smaller proportions, the new Time Only is still very much a Hublot. It manages to capture the Hublot style in both design and materials, while avoiding some of the cliches of the integrated-sports watch category, namely a patterned dial or a case and bracelet in steel. The most obvious difference between the Time Only and the typical integrated-bracelet sport watch is the dial. Doing away with the dial altogether and exposing the movement underneath leaves it ...

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Time+Tide

Jan 25, 2022

HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Integral Time Only brings 40mm to titanium, ceramic and 18K yellow gold

With Hublot, the most intimidating barrier for me was often the larger sizing their references were typically produced in. Hublot, unapologetically, favours larger diameters as the canvas for their bold personality and mastery of materials. Personally, I felt excluded from the party at times, liking the brand’s novelties but not being prepared to tackle their … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Integral Time Only brings 40mm to titanium, ceramic and 18K yellow gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Hodinkee

Jan 24, 2022

In-Depth: The New Zenith Defy Skyline Is A High-Beat Paradox, Featuring A Time-Only El Primero Movement (Live Pics, Pricing)

Look, Ma, three hands!

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Revolution

Jan 24, 2022

LVMH Watch Week: Hublot Big Bang Integral Time Only

Hublot’s Big Bang made a splash with a metal bracelet in 2020; now it evolves further by getting a time-only version in a smaller case.

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Quill & Pad

Jan 23, 2022

Urwerk UR-T8 ‘Transformer’: If You’ve Ever Wondered What The Lovechild Of A Reverso And A Tyrannosaurus Rex Might Look Like . . . (+ Video) – Reprise

It's no exaggeration to say that here at Quill & Pad we are big fans of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. And in 2017 Urwerk introduced its own, very robust version of a reversible watch: the UR-T8 Transformer. It's a T-Rex for the wrist that acts much like a Reverso!

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SJX Watches

Jan 20, 2022

Exhibition: Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Timeless Stories in Singapore

Having celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Reverso last year with several limited editions – including the mega-complicated Quadriptyque with four faces – Jaeger-LeCoultre is revisiting its iconic swivelling wristwatch with a retrospective in Singapore. Open to the public from January 23, the event takes place in the brand’s boutique in the Marina Bay Sands casino and shopping complex. The store has been transformed into a miniature museum that includes exhibits of historical watches and material, and also interactive sessions where visitors can try their hands at perlage, the technique of applying a repeating circular graining often found in watch movements. 1931-2021 The retrospective includes a compact but all-encompassing line up of watches from Jaeger-LeCoultre’s museum in Le Sentier, including the very first Reverso from 1931 as well as the latest models conceived to mark the 90th anniversary. While the original Reverso is famed for its clever simplicity, the exhibits also include little-known variations such as the Reverso Cordonnet from 1933, a stylish Reverso for ladies that has a black-cord strap and two-tone case. And the exhibits naturally include the uncommon, highly-complicated models from the 1990s, when the brand first ventured into larger cases for the Reverso – and first started both sides of the case for displays. In fact, some of those watches are landmarks in Jaeger-LeCoultre history: the brand’s first-ever tourbillon as well as chim...

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SJX Watches

Jan 20, 2022

Up Close: Baltic Micro-Rotor MR01

A French micro-brand that specialises in watches with retro style, Baltic unveiled its smallest – and perhaps most classical – offering in October last year, the Micro-Rotor MR01. Coming in at just 36 mm in diameter, the MR01 is no doubt a surprising size for a modern watch. Despite its compact size, the MR01 manages to squeeze in a lot relative to the price. Most obvious is a tasteful design that brings to mind gentlemen’s watches from the 1930s – the Calatrava ref. 96 easily comes to mind. But equally interesting is the slim automatic movement with a micro-rotor that is responsible for the elegant proportions (and affordability). Its combination of aesthetics and price meant the initial run of 200 pieces in each colour – “salmon”, blue, and a no-nonsense silver – quickly sold out. Of the three, the “salmon” dial immediately stands out, just because it’s the flavour of the dial for vintage-inspired dress watches. But when the opportunity for review came along, I opted for the silver dial, as I found the clean palette attractive. As pleasing as the MR01 seemed in photos, there were a few details I wasn’t convinced by, such as the wide bezel and applied Breguet numerals, so I was looking forward to wearing one for a few days. The all-silver is a good look and one often found on more expensive Calatrava-inspired watches such as the Naoya Hida NH Type 1B Initial thoughts After handling the MR01 for the first time, it seemed to be a thoughtful, comple...

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Deployant

Jan 19, 2022

Jaeger-LeCoultre: The Reverso Stories Exhibition – now in Singapore

To mark 90 years since the birth of the Reverso, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents a boutique exhibition tracing the history of this remarkable timepiece.

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Time+Tide

Jan 18, 2022

OPINION: These are the watch terms that drive me nuts…

I’ve never understood the term “tool watch”. After all, you don’t hear people talking about tool cars or tool computers – because “tool” is redundant. Anything used to do something is a tool, and last I checked, even a dress watch tells the time. If you want to refer to a dive watch, then call it … ContinuedThe post OPINION: These are the watch terms that drive me nuts… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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SJX Watches

Jan 18, 2022

Chanel Introduces the Boy.Friend Skeleton Red Edition

While Chanel watches were all about the Electro “Rainbow” last year, its 2022 high horology timepieces form the Red Edition Collection. Including in the line up are the Boy.Friend Skeleton Red Editions, both ladies watches powered by the same notably interesting in-house movement, the hand-wind Caliber 3. Initial thoughts Chanel puts out fine mechanical movements – the Caliber 1 of the Monsieur exemplifies that – but typically with the bold, varied, and tasteful style that only a fashion house can achieve. The new pair of Boy.Friend Skeleton watches are exactly that. The clean, distinctive shape is inspired by a perfume bottle, but it has a strong form that is appealing. More appealing is the Caliber 3 inside, an in-house movement with a strong geometric aesthetic that suits the case perfectly. It is clear the movement’s developers wanted it to look good, and they succeeded. The Caliber 3 inside the Boy.Friend Skeleton X-Ray Red Edition with a clear sapphire case Though both watches are certainly large enough to be men’s watches – the case dimensions are similar to a men’s Cartier Tank – they are unquestionably ladies’ watches (and Chanel markets them as such). Given the compelling movement, the Boy.Friend Skeleton one of the most interesting time-only watches for ladies on the market. The Boy.Friend Skeleton Red Edition in Beige Gold set with rubies Bottle shaped The rectangular case of the Boy.Friend is modelled on the bottle cap of Chanel’s No. 9...

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SJX Watches

Jan 14, 2022

Franck Muller Introduces the Vanguard Casablanca

Now in its third decade, Franck Muller is a success story of independent watchmaking, having gone from a small outfit centred on its eponymous founder to a brand with nine-figure annual revenue. Alongside its stable of inventive and highly complicated wristwatches, the brand is most famous for its tonneau-shaped watch case – the Cintrée Curvex – which was so successful in the 1990s that made tonneau cases a thing in contemporary watchmaking. The new Vanguard Casablanca is an evolution of that tonneau shape, while adopting the palette and styling of the Cintrée Curvex Casablanca that was a bestseller when it was launched in 1998. While the Vanguard was introduced in 2014, the Casablanca makes it debuts with a new 43 mm size that fills the gap between the 41 mm and 45 mm cases. Initial thoughts The original Casablanca took its name from the 1942 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Meant to evoke the era of steamship travel and exotic port cities, the Casablanca had oversized Arabic numerals and dials in retro colours like salmon and sand. That’s been translated into the Vanguard Casablanca, which blends the retro style of the original with a distinctly modern case in a sporty, masculine size. It’s a strong and appealing design that is arguably even more quintessentially Franck Muller than the earlier versions of the Vanguard. The Casablanca is available as a time-only and also a chronograph Because the look is very much typical of Franck Muller, thi...

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Time+Tide

Jan 14, 2022

THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 – The 2021 Audemars Piguet Code 11:59 collection (#10)

Editor’s note: The Time+Tide team reviewed hundreds of watches in 2021. Here we count down the Top 30 reviews of the year that you liked best on the basis of online traffic. At number 11, it’s the Cartier Tank Must Collection… While all the rage in the ’80s, many consumers have deviated away from two-tone … ContinuedThe post THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 – The 2021 Audemars Piguet Code 11:59 collection (#10) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Time+Tide

Jan 13, 2022

THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 – The Cartier Tank Must Collection (#11)

Editor’s note: The Time+Tide team reviewed hundreds of watches in 2021. Here we count down the Top 30 reviews of the year that you liked best judging by the online traffic. At number 11, it’s the Cartier Tank Must Collection… The quartz crisis is often spoken about with abject horror, and for good reason. Japanese … ContinuedThe post THE TOP WATCH REVIEWS OF 2021 – The Cartier Tank Must Collection (#11) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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SJX Watches

Jan 9, 2022

Maxim Sushkov Unveils Another Custom Time-Only

Best known for his versatile repertoire and customised watches, Russian watchmaker Maxim Sushkov recently realised the vision of a Scottish watch collector, who wanted a one-off, time-only watch. The result has been christened Dark Sky. Despite its simple format, the new watch incorporates several interesting details that help it stand out from the sea of industrially-produced timepieces that dominate in this price range. Initial thoughts As is the case with most of Mr Sushkov’s projects, the Dark Sky is basic in terms of function, but it scores well for aesthetics. It’s essentially a three-hand watch with unusual details, including a mother-of-pearl dial with pink accents and wavy guilloche on the seconds register. The owner’s inclinations are evident in the watch, because Mr Sushkov is able to accommodate a large degree of customisation, since he operates his own work workshop and produces most parts from scratch, including the hands, dials, and even cases. The personalised and artisanal experience has long been a primary draw of independent watchmaking, but that experience often comes with high prices and a long waitlist, especially now. Mr Sushkov’s work is unusual in its affordability. The Dark Sky costs €4,500 before taxes – entirely affordable and strong value considering the degree of customisation and the magnitude of workmanship required to accomplish that customisation. Pink and pearlescent The most eye-catching element of the Dark Sky is indeed th...

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Hodinkee

Jan 5, 2022

Hands-On: The Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 6119

The arrival of the next-generation Calatrava.

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Time+Tide

Jan 3, 2022

VIDEO: The Longines DolceVita collection delivers statuesque dress watches at very keen prices

Longines really lives and breathes through its heritage models, with countless watches having been reissued, updated, and ultimately honoured through modern reinterpretations of their vintage counterparts. The 1920s and ’30s were a booming time for many industries, but it was perhaps one of the most pivotal points in history for the development of the wristwatch. … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Longines DolceVita collection delivers statuesque dress watches at very keen prices appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Revolution

Jan 3, 2022

Cartier Tank: A Revolution for Our Times

The Cartier Tank, through all its varied forms, possesses an unshakable aura of cool that transcends gender, cultures and centuries.

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SJX Watches

Dec 31, 2021

Year in Review: Our Best Stories of 2021

Twenty-twenty one was a landmark year in watch collecting just because it was so unusual (which applies to the rest of the world as well). And it so happens that it was also the 10th year of the site, an occasion we marked with our maiden SJX editions, which were created in collaboration with Habring² and Kudoke. Over the decade we have done what we like best – with tweaks and refinements along the way – which is comprehensive stories on watches or topics that matter or are merely interesting. We published almost two stories of this type each week throughout 2021. We’ve narrowed down the list of memorable stories to a few that we think are especially worth revisiting for their insight or through provoking nature. Enjoy the read (which might take awhile so find a comfortable spot). And the photos were pretty good too Technical deep-dives The best of the year’s reviews were detailed than ever, going beyond close-up photos to include illustrations that explain intriguing mechanics. One such story was the in-depth examination of the Ferdinand Berthoud FB RS written by Richard Lee and SJX, which details how the watch pursues chronometry with a traditional chain and fusee, but with a modern twist of complex going trains. The tourbillon within the FB RS We repeat the exercise with the Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 6119, an elegant watch that’s once again focused on chronometry, thanks to a movement constructed to delivery maximum energy with minimum thickness. Expla...

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SJX Watches

Dec 27, 2021

Year in Review: The Best Watches of 2021

A trend that has been repeating across industries during 2021 also transformed the luxury-watch business during the year – an insatiable demand for watches and supply perennially falling short. Although there were new launches throughout the year – which kept enthusiasts continually entertained – the “novelties” for 2021 were mostly not the sort typical of the go-go years. New products was arguably less exciting than business would imply, largely because new watches take several years to develop and the uptick in business became seemingly overnight. Many high-profile new launches were predictable variations of familiar models. A seemingly familiar variation but actually something entirely new and one of the top watches of 2021 Nevertheless, there were standouts. Here are a dozen of the year’s best watches picked by our editors (or even owned by some of them, but alas not the Vermeer). Led by a magnificent art-complication, the list includes several technical highlights – from an impressive time-only movement from Patek Philippe to Richard Mille’s ingenious winding mechanism – and of course a few affordable watches on the list. All-in-one Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Westminster Sonnerie – Tribute to Johannes Vermeer: “This pocket watch is the epitome of high-end horology, blending both art and engineering. While the base movement within is derived from the mega-complicated Ref. 57260 pocket watch, the Vermeer’s movement has arguably been cl...

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Revolution

Dec 24, 2021

My 2021 Watch: The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1

The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 is the classic timepiece that will outlast all the trends and his watch of the year, according to Revolution’s USA editor-in-chief, Bhanu Chopra.

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SJX Watches

Dec 20, 2021

Richard Mille Introduces the RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal

Unquestionably the preeminent maker of exotic – and ultra-luxury – sports watches, Richard Mille has just taken the covers off a simple but intriguing watch, the RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal. Like earlier watches made for the Spanish tennis player, the RM 35-03 incorporates technical features to cater to the intense nature of the game – at least the way Mr Nadal plays tennis. And in this instance it’s a rotor with variable winding modes. As a result, winding can be halted during a game, preventing excess wear on the winding mechanism. Initial thoughts The RM 35-03 is a time-only watch – it lacks a tourbillon unlike the better-known RM 27 Nadal  – but it has all the qualities that makes it a Richard Mille, most notably the lightweight, tonneau-shaped case in brightly coloured carbon composite along with a skeletonised dial. It’s a look that screams Richard Mille, and also a signifier of wealth and status, since the watch is hard to get and also extremely expensive for a time-only. But fortunately the RM 35 does possess technical qualities that make it interesting despite being a “hype” watch. This version has the front and back case plates in white Quartz TPT and Carbon TPT, with a case middle in Carbon TPT A second variant with the entire case in Quartz TPT The highlight of the RM 35-03 is the patented, “butterfly” rotor, which is essentially comprised of two halves that can be rearranged – thanks to a smartly simple mechanism – in order to v...

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SJX Watches

Dec 18, 2021

Auction Watch: Habring2 Erwin “Star” on Loupe This [Updated with Result]

An online-only watch auctioneer, Loupe This is less than a year old but has notched up several high-profile results, including an F.P. Journe Resonance Ruthenium for US$352,000 as well as a Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711/1A with an olive green dial for US$369,000 with all proceeds going to charity. And it so happens that one of our very own SJX editions is going under the hammer on Loupe This. Our first collaborative edition, the Habring2 Erwin “Star” was a limited edition of 50, and one of the 50 is now being offered on Loupe This – with a modest estimate and no reserve. [Update December 24, 2021: The Erwin “Star” sold for US$15,400 including fees on Loupe This.] For a quick recap: we launched the Erwin “Star” in August 2021 as the first of our 10th anniversary editions. We are proud of the Erwin “Star”. It’s unusual, high quality, and affordable, which probably explains why it sold out almost instantly. Though it’s a simple, time-only watch, it was made a little bit more special and a little bit different – the standard Erwin already features a jumping seconds, while the dial on our edition is unique to it. Inspired by “star” dial wristwatches of the 1950s, the dial was tweaked to look more modern and distinct. That was done by changing the proportions and using a vivid blue for the dial that varies with the light. Notably, this is the first Habring2 wristwatch with applied markers. Each of the star-shaped hour markers are stamped, cut with...

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Hodinkee

Dec 16, 2021

How They Made It: Meet The Woman Mastering The Masters for Jaeger-LeCoultre

How enameler Sophie Quenaon crafts the Reverso's hidden treasures.

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Deployant

Dec 15, 2021

New: Piaget Altiplano Year of the Tiger grand feu dial by Anita Porchet

Piaget continues their Chinese Zodiac series for the Year of the Tiger, with a new métiers d'art piece with grand feu enamel cloisonné by Anita Porchet.

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