INTRODUCING: The Ulysse Nardin Freak Out of the Blue
Ulysse Nardin recently introduced four new members of its freaky family. With titanium cases and unmistakable style, these watches are known collectively as the Freak Out, and today we’re taking a look at the Freak Out Blue. First, though, a quick primer on the Freak. Conceived by genius watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin, the Freak first came to life in 2001. It shocked not just because of its unconventional use of a flying carousel tourbillon to tell the time instead of hands, but also its groundbreaking use of silicon components. Fast forward to today and the Freak is, for all its familiarity, still capable of shocking. SIHH saw the entrance of the first automatic Freak, the Freak Vision, and now this quartet joins the fray. Powered by the manually wound UN-205, the observant among you might also have noticed that the Freak Out lacks a traditional crown — instead, the time is set using the newly redesigned bezel (which is unlocked by the lever marked with ‘Freak’ text). Winding is achieved via a similar bezel on the caseback (not that you’ll have to do it too often, thanks to the seven days of power reserve). The real pleasant surprise, though, is the…
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Editors note: While I’m not sure that Barney Stinson (the chap from How I Met Your Mother, paraphrased above) would be familiar with the Longines Legend Diver, he definitely should be. Like him, the LLD possesses effortless good looks, easy charm, a youthful energy and slightly playful personality. Honestly, it’s a perfect match … Longines was making stellar heritage reissues well before it was cool. Case in point is the stylish ’60s-inspired Legend Diver, first released way back in 2007. And while it’s become de rigueur for most major brands to release one or two retro pieces a year, the Longines Legend Diver (LLD) pioneered the reissue genre, and still holds its own, thanks to a well-balanced trifecta of timeless good looks, clear vintage style and cracking value. First off, let’s tackle the style. The internal rotating bezel and twin crowns of the Legend draw their inspiration from a type of dive watch that was popular in the ’60s and ’70s called the Super Compressor. Most dive watches rely on thick cases, crystals and gaskets to create an impermeable wall to keep moisture out. The Super Compressor’s approach, however, was slightly different. Developed by case-maker E. Piquerez SA (EPSA), it relied on the…
They say your 50s are the new 30s. I’m not sure who ‘they’ are, and why exactly they say that. But just Google “celebrities in their 50s” and you’ll see that maybe they are on to something (Halle Berry and Tom Cruise, amirite?). Well, this year marks 55 years of the TAG Heuer Carrera, and the motorsport-inspired collection is looking good. Never before has it been more diverse or all-encompassing, featuring everything from sporty three-handers to GMTs, tourbillons, and, of course, chronographs. The Carrera Calibre Heuer 01 is TAG Heuer’s modern take on their original racing chronograph. And this version really lives up to the Swiss brand’s Techniques d’Avant Garde (TAG) label, taking things to the next level, with its blacked-out ceramic case. That’s right, this is no PVD coating. Instead, this Carrera Heuer 01’s modular 45mm case – including its tachymeter marked bezel, and sharp-edged lugs – is crafted in matt black ceramic, providing a stealthy edge to the bold collection that has already proven to be a favourite amongst the sporty offerings of the TAG Heuer catalogue. Ceramic also means that this Carrera is lightweight and virtually scratchproof. Pair that with a water resistance of 100 metres, and…
Auctions can be funny things. Most of the time the coverage around watch auctions tends towards the record-breaking headlines – the most expensive this, that or the other. But sometimes, thanks to the fact that auctions tend to be a crystallisation of market forces, you can find a hidden gem. Which might just be what lot 179 at tomorrow’s (the 8th of August) Sotheby’s Australia Important Jewels and Watches sale will be. This lot is a Habring2 Tourbillon 3D in pink gold, sold by Habring’s Australian distributor in 2015 for $45,000. Sotheby’s Australia has placed an estimate of $2500 – $3500 on this lot. But before we talk about the estimate, let’s talk about the watch. Habring2 are a small Austrian-based brand, consisting of husband-and-wife team Richard and Maria Habring. And while there are many small boutique makers out there, the Habrings have some serious watchmaking weight behind them. In an earlier life, Richard Habring worked for IWC, during which time he was instrumental in the development of a revolutionary execution of the split-seconds chronograph (or doppelchronograph) that did away with the fiddly and expensive column wheel approach, heralding a new era of ‘accessible’ split-seconds. Habring’s ingenuity doesn’t stop there…
Editors note: Back in Basel it didn’t take long for us to realise that GMTs were everywhere. The complication, a boon for frequent flyers, has always been popular, but the sheer volume of new GMTs this year is something else. So, in the midst of the fair, Andy and I took the time to wrap up some of the standouts. It’s worth noting that this is a far from exhaustive list, as it doesn’t include SIHH or some other notable releases (some of which we can’t talk about just yet), but it’s a solid start … It very quickly became apparent — after only a few hours on the ground at Basel 2018 — that GMTs were everywhere, and not just the obvious Pepsi-bezelled, Jubilee-braceleted option from the Big Crown. So Andy and I took some time out from our busy schedules to discuss this phenomena, and some prime examples. So, in addition to the Rolex GMT-Master II, we noted that Patek had doubled down on their Calatrava Travel Time. TAG Heuer added a little more complication to their Carrera Heuer 02, adding a blue and black bezelled GMT into the family. And finally Tudor, not to be outdone, announced their…
Last week, Cam — fortified with a strong cup of tea and some crumpets — ran us through eight of the finest watches from British brands. Well, today I’ve had my cold cuts and pumpernickel for breakfast and selected eight of Germany’s most serious timepieces to start you day off right. Now, while Germany might not be the watchmaking powerhouse that their neutral neighbour Switzerland is, they’re no slouches either. The industry is based around two towns: Glashütte, in the east, is the best known, as it’s the oldest centre and home to big names like A. Lange & Söhne, Nomos and (unsurprisingly) Glashütte Original. The other hub is Pforzheim, in the west, home to brands such as Laco and Stowa. And even though it’s a gross oversimplification to make sweeping generalisations about national identity and watchmaking, and on the surface the unbreakable watches of Sinn and the complicated symphonies of Lange bear little resemblance, there are shared values of perfection in purpose that seem to fit in neatly with Germany’s reputation for outstanding production and engineering. I’m not sure where their love of David Hasselhoff fits into this equation, but it’s not something I’m going to mess with. Habring2 Felix Yes,…
One of my favourite quasi-apocryphal watch tales goes like this: There’s a guy who, for lack of anything better or more pressing to do with his life, decides to yacht-hop his way from home to Australia. Somewhere along the way, his watch (a Rolex, natch) is lost at sea. Upon mooring his boat, said sailor runs a comb through his sun-bleached locks, dons his finest T-shirt, shorts and shoes (perhaps Crocs, though hopefully not), and makes his way to the nearest Rolex boutique. Said boutique, in the manner of snooty, apocryphal boutiques everywhere, treats the intrepid traveller with disdain. The traveller, with the means and freedom to sail his yacht around the globe without a care in the world, navigates his way to another retailer and, in true Pretty Woman style, plonks down cash for a solid gold Yacht-Master (natch). I’m sure you’ve heard this story, or a local variant of it, before. It’s a good one. And even if the tale didn’t really happen, there’s a kernel of truth in there. Don’t judge people on their appearances. Not only is it bad sales in an age where streetwear reigns supreme, it’s also generally a not nice thing to do.…
Editors note: Fancy a date? If you’re single and ready to mingle, this question, when asked by the right person, would likely be met with rapturous approval, but ask someone who’s into watches and the answer is a lot less sure. Few elements of watch design are as contentious as the seemingly innocuous date window. Where some see a useful calendar tool, others see a symbol of all that is wrong with the world. Last year I went into bat for the humble date, and we thought it was about time to revisit it … We’ve got a surprisingly complex relationship with date windows in the Time+Tide office. And not just because we’ve been known to forget to set them on occasion. No, every time we review a vintage reissue, it can be assured that we’ll have a host of comments on various social media platforms that read something like this: “Love the design, but they RUINED it with that ugly date window.” I understand this reaction and, to be fair, there are plenty of sloppily designed date windows out there. But ruining a watch? I’m not so sure. A few years ago we were interviewing Walter von Känel, CEO of Longines,…
So deeply has Chanel’s J12 become embedded in the canon of 21st-century design, it’s easy to forget that it was introduced only 18 years ago. From the original model – a chic, sporty and androgynous piece in black ceramic that Chanel’s then artistic director, Jacques Helleu, had designed to wear himself – it has evolved over the years to embrace new colours, more elaborate decoration and various complications, without allowing anything to dilute the design. Every so often, Chanel has released a ‘talking piece’ version with a special dial – something that speaks not only of the Maison’s craftsmanship but also its sense of humour. Last year it was that cool cartoon of Mademoiselle Chanel in a tweed suit, using her arms to show the time. This year Chanel has played with the number 12, enlarging and deconstructing the numerals, using them to create an abstract pattern in ceramic marquetry for two sets of 12 unique pieces. Chanel has complemented those one-offs with two editions of the J12 Untitled – in black and in white, each limited to 1200 pieces. Using the same motif of deconstructed numerals, these editions have been simplified only in terms of the materials used –…