Genesis, with a twist: The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Black Ceramic

Editor’s note: The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is, in the context of a fit-for-purpose dive watch, the original. Nothing like it had come before, and because of it, watches like Rolex’s ubiquitous Submariner exist  – the Fifty Fathoms was the catalyst for what is arguably the most popular sub-genre of timepieces ever created. But, while recognising past achievements and acknowledging history is important, an inability to adapt can ultimately be a monikers downfall. That’s why Blancpain continues to push its fabled namesake forwards into the 21-century with watches like this – Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Black Ceramic. It stays true to the formula of it’s forebears, but is a resolutely modern timepiece, thanks to its large 43mm proportions, monobloc ceramic case construction and a manufacture calibre movement which offers no less that 120-hours of power reserve. Towards the end of 2018, we filmed our impressions of this imperious dive watch, and if you’ve got the time, it’s definitely worth a watch.  Blancpain’s Bathyscaphe is one of those rare, chameleonic watch designs. A watch that, broadly speaking, owes great fidelity to its primogenitor, but a watch that doesn’t look dated. It’s a neutral watch — something that gives the Bathyscaphe broad appeal…

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4 years ago

Join us at our first ever 'Indie Explorer' night at Time+Tide HQ in Melbourne

Friday, February 28 will be our first ‘Indie Explorer’ night at Time+Tide HQ, with a number of small, lesser-known brands on hand for exploration. They are Laventure, Lundis Bleus, Eza and, of course, DOXA, for whom we are the proud distributor in Australia. We will have a (increasingly) limited range to discover, as well as a quiet drink or two. One watch you’ll want to see in the metal is the Laventure Sous-Marine Steel Green, which is, as of just this week, completely sold out. This is the last model for sale anywhere in the world. The other brands will be presented by the man behind ‘Geneva Blue’, Rob Kitto. Rob is a storied watch guy, whose journey is probably worth coming along to hear about on its own. To be there, please RSVP at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/indie-explorer-part-1-laventure-lundis-bleu-eza-doxa-tickets-95324031745 As a quick refresher, here is some information about the brands we will be exploring: Laventure Founded in 2017 by Clément Gaud, a native Swiss with a background in horological and automotive design, Laventure is, as the company’s motto states, a maker of “Timepieces for Explorers”. The watches aesthetically draw inspiration from some of the archetypal professional model steel sports watches of the…

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4 years ago

Introducing – The Timor Heritage Field, a Faithful yet Accessible Reissue of a ‘Dirty Dozen’ Watch

If you have any interest in vintage watches, and specifically military-issued pieces, the terms ‘Dirty Dozen‘ and ‘WWW’ should be familiar to you. Among the twelve brands that supplied the British MoD (Ministry of Defense) with watches during WWII was Timor Watch Company… which was re-incorporated in the United Kingdom in 2019, with something pretty […]

4 years ago

Why it's so challenging to paint a Franck Muller dial

franck muller dialEditor’s note: Franck Muller are known for their incredibly complex movements, wonderfully curved case designs, and brightly coloured dials. But did you know that each Franck Muller dial is hand-painted? That’s right, there is a dedicated dial painter with a very steady hand, who is responsible for adding that characteristic splash of colour to the wrists of collectors around the world. Time+Tide went head-to-head with Franck Muller to see who could paint the better dial — you be the judge of who won …  I’m not above admitting it. I’m more than just a bit painful when it comes to painted versus printed dials. “Is this painted or printed?” is a question I’ve asked countless times. Receiving countless eye-rolls, I might add. And, full disclosure, I’ve always assumed that the colour, paint volume and line-perfect proportions of Franck Muller dials are the latter. Printed. But when I attended the Franck Muller ‘chalet’ (such a more appropriate descriptor than ‘manufacture’) for a second time, early in 2017, I asked the question and was met with a very different answer, which also happened to be a question. “They’re painted,” said my soon-to-be nemesis from Franck Muller, Laura Bondi. “Would you like to try painting…

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4 years ago

Introducing – Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Passion, Now in Racing Red

Introduced earlier this year during the Festival Automobile International in Paris, this Laureato Absolute Passion is decked out in racing red and sleek black livery to celebrate the brand’s partnership with the event. A limited edition of 50 watches, this chronograph joins the edgier, more contemporary Laureato Absolute watch sub-family distinguished by black PVD-coated titanium […]

4 years ago