Quill & Pad
Here are three of Sabine Zwettler's highlights premiering at the Inhorgenta 2022 watch fair in Munich, each of which comes from a German brand and each of which will do anything but break the bank.
Hodinkee
Ginny Wright explains how to ask the right questions – and what's next for the house of the Royal Oak.
Quill & Pad
Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will hold the Geneva Watch Auction XV in Switzerland on May 7 and 8, 2022. What’s particularly interesting about Phillips’ traditional late spring auction this year is that it is preceded by an “appetizer” on May 6, the Royal Oak 50th auction with a catalogue so rich it could arguably serve as the main course. Brendan Cunningham went to the New York City preview and shares a few of his highlights with us here.
SJX Watches
First announced two years ago as an exclusive for its retailers in France, the Vanguard Line Cut is strikingly different from the usual Franck Muller offering. Having just two hands and sandblasted titanium all round, the Line Cut is monochromatic, sleek, and thin, while also being as minimalist as a Franck Muller can be. Initial thoughts Better known for its big watches in over-the-top styles, Franck Muller did something different with the Vanguard Line Cut. It’s essentially a flatter, sleeker version of its Vanguard. But the Line Cut is more than a nip and tuck. The tactile feel of the Line Cut is surprising in the hand and on the wrist. It feels different from the typical Franck Muller, being lighter, slimmer, and restrained. And like all tonneau-shaped Franck Muller watches, the case is slightly curved so it hugs the wrist. Unlike most other watches in this segment that emphasise angles and straight lines, like the Bulgari Octo Finissimo for instance, the Line Cut is all about rounded corners and soft edges, so it wears quite comfortably. And the Line Cut has a new calibre developed for the watch, which makes it more interesting in technical terms. That said, the movement is slightly mysterious since Franck Muller provides no info about it other than the specs, at least officially. The specs indicate the movement is indeed an in-house movement, since they don’t correspond to any well-known calibres. (And based on what I have learnt about the movement unofficially, ...
Time+Tide
Editor’s Note: We have partnered with @watchanalytics to crunch the numbers and dig into the horological market trends and value fluctuations for the references that matter. Last time, we delved into the market status of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton that is rocketing in value. Today we are going to dive into how the MoonSwatch collaboration with Omega has impacted … ContinuedThe post WATCH ANALYTICS WEDNESDAYS: How the MoonSwatch impacted Swatch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Sometimes the most impressive changes are also the most subtle.
SJX Watches
Having unveiled the first all-new Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 16202 earlier this year to mark the model’s 40th anniversary, Audemars Piguet has now taken the covers off the first “Jumbo” tourbillon. Possible thanks to the newly developed movement found in the ref. 16202, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin RD#3 has exactly the same dimensions, but also boasts a flying tourbillon. Initial thoughts Recent Royal Oak tourbillons were bulky compared to the svelte time-and-date “Jumbo”, largely because they utilised movements developed for use across Audemars Piguet’s range of watches. Last year’s Royal Oak automatic tourbillon, for instance, was 41 mm in diameter and shares the same movement as the Code 11.59 tourbillon. In contrast the new “Jumbo” tourbillon is equipped with a movement conceived specifically for the model, one that allows the case to retain the dimensions of the original Royal Oak ref. 5402 of 1972. As a result, the “Jumbo” tourbillon is surely an appealing watch, because the lines and proportions of the original Royal Oak are practically ideal. Granted, the addition of the tourbillon is a matter of taste – you may or may not like the aperture on the dial that reveals the regulator. I like the look, with one caveat: I wish the “AP” emblem was retained on the dial. “Jumbo” but elegant The new tourbillon is essentially the ref. 16202 with the addition of a tourbillon regulator. It has exactly th...
Hodinkee
A limited run cased in platinum.
Time+Tide
Gloriously blending modern design and classic watchmaking savoir-faire, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton screams grail watch in any situation. It sits at the pinnacle of Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas lineup and deserves its place in the pantheon of the complicated sports watch. Housing a beautifully executed skeletonised perpetual calendar calibre in a case … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING – Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
In case you haven’t received the memo, stainless-steel, integrated-bracelet watches are white-hot. Scratch that: more like a Texas-sized asteroid flying straight into the centre of the sun-hot. Over the past several years, models like the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak have gone from finely crafted-yet-anachronistic curiosities of ‘70s watch history, to the … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Maen Manhattan 37 delivers an integrated-bracelet watch at a bafflingly great price appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Revolution
Bulgari presents three new executions from its Octo Finissimo collection - Minute Repeater, Chronograph GMT Automatic and Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic.
Quill & Pad
At Watches and Wonders 2022, Chopard unveiled another Alpine Eagle, this time with a sophisticated escapement: a flying tourbillon. While not too long ago the high-end market seemed to be flooded with this tiny whirlwind, that no longer seems to be the case. And Sabine Zwettler thinks that there could not be a better place for a new flying tourbillon than the “Aletsch” blue dial of the Alpine Eagle.
Deployant
Vacheron Constantin adds another version of the Overseas Ultra-Thin Perpetual Calendar Skeleton, now with a blue skeletonized dial in a pink gold case.
Hodinkee
The Tonda PF line expands with a sleek and subtle second time-zone display.
Hodinkee
Purity, the Parmigiani way.
Hodinkee
Are you a hardcore Patek collector suffering Nautilus fatigue? Then get a load of the new Perpetual Calendar 5320 and Chronograph 5172.
Revolution
Revolution rounds up Chopard L.U.C’s trio of chiming watches at Watches & Wonders 2022 along with the Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon
Time+Tide
You’ve probably seen by now that the watch that keeps breaking records has just broken another, becoming the indisputably thinnest mechanical watch of all time. The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra is the logical successor to that title considering Bulgari’s train of innovation, but the most exciting prospect is that they don’t seem to be settling … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The slinky brilliance of the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra – the thinnest mechanical watch of all time appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Vacheron Constantin re-issues their historic 222, which was the forefather to the current Overseas collection. Introducing the new VC Historiques 222.
Hodinkee
A very serious skeleton.
SJX Watches
A hidden gem amongst Vacheron Constantin’s sports watches, the Overseas Tourbillon is thin, understated, and good value as such things go. Now it receives a thorough makeover. Gone is the dial and excess metal from the bridges, creating the new Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton. Available in two metals, the titanium variant is particularly intriguing as it’s a metal that is rarely used by the haute horlogerie watchmaker. Titanium with blue accents Initial thoughts Though polar opposites aesthetically, the Skeleton is every bit as handsome as the standard Overseas Tourbillon. In terms of finishing, aesthetics and watchmaking, the Tourbillon Skeleton is top of its class not only in the luxury-sports category but even among the brand’s other offerings. A reason for this is the well proportioned case that measures 42.5 mm wide and only 10.39 mm tall. This results in elegant, flat-and-wide proportions that defines the most desirable luxury sports watches. These proportions gives the watch a sporty aesthetic that is further enhanced by the blackened, skeletonised movement. In comparison, the base Overseas model is smaller in diameter but slightly thicker. It’s also thinner than a open-worked Royal Oak and Laureato tourbillon The movement within is notable for balancing simplicity and complexity, which tends to be a challenge for skeletonised movements. In comparison, I find the latest Royal Oak Openworked Tourbillon too nuanced and the GP Laureato Openworked Tourbillon t...
Deployant
Vacheron Constantin strengthens their Overseas collection the new Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton - available in pink gold or titanium.
Revolution
For Watches and Wonders 2022, Parmigiani expands its Tonda PF collection with innovative new models
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.