HANDS-ON: Grand Seiko has just released their first professional diver, the Hi-Beat 36000 Professional 600m (refs. SBGH255, SBGH257) and we find it intimidating
Seiko’s reputation in the world of professional dive watches is unimpeachable, and a trusty Seiko diver is a staple in any well-rounded collection. But, until now these watches have primarily been made under the Seiko Prospex label. Well, that all changes today with the introduction of the first ever professional-grade diver made under their top tier label, the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 Professional 600m Diver. Released in two versions, the regular production black-dialled SBGH255 and the limited edition (of 500) blue-dialled SBGH257 is every inch a professional grade diver: with a large 46.9mm wide and 16.9mm high titanium case, powered by Grand Seiko’s excellent 9S85 movement, accurate to -3/+5 seconds a day. Moreover the ingenious design of the case (specifically the L-shaped crystal gasket) means that it’s suitable for gas saturation diving, without the need for a helium escape valve that would blemish the otherwise clean lines of the case. The watch is has magnetic resistance of 16,000 gauss, thanks largely to the solid iron dial. The unidirectional bezel, with elapsed time scale is heavily notched to ensure ease of operation, even at depth. What isn’t captured in this roll call of specifications is just how seriously manly this watch is.…
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Last year Grand Seiko released a new-look, sporty, modular, ceramic and titanium Spring Drive Chronograph. It was a bold change of pace for the usually buttoned-up brand, and I’ve got to say it both surprised and delighted me. Baselworld 2017 sees the return of this modular approach, in the form of the Black Ceramic Collection – a trifecta of three Spring Drive GMTs. There’s a black dial (SBGC221) and a white dial (SBGC223), but the version that caught our hearts and inspired out minds was the blue and gold SBGC219. Of course this is the limited edition (500 pieces). But there’s something about the rich colour scheme, complex dial layout and big 46.4mm case that just works. Add the enhanced accuracy (how does an accuracy of + 0.5 – 0.5 a day sound?) of the 9R96 into the mix, and this is a watch that has all the bells and whistles you could ask for. In addition to the titanium and ceramic case, Grand Seiko has added a high-intensity titanium bracelet with ceramic centre links into the equation. It’s a welcome addition that suits the look better than the alligator straps last years versions came with. There’s no denying that…
Watch brands love nothing more than an anniversary. You might even be forgiven for thinking that marketing departments devote a substantial amount of energy to finding ever more obscure historical events, products or personages to commemorate with a new limited edition. 56 years since the release of our mildly popular chronograph? Reissue. The company founder’s brother got married on this day 132 years ago? Gala event. Jane from accounts is going on long service leave? Commemorative limited edition. Given this bloviating trend it’s refreshing to see no mention of ‘anniversary’ anywhere in Seiko’s press release for the reissue of the original Grand Seiko, originally released in 1960. In fact, it’s not one reissue, but two, or four, depending on how you count it. Before we get to the new, let’s quickly talk about the old. The original Grand Seiko, powered by the manual caliber 3180, was the epitome of a classic dress watch, and an important step in Seiko’s quest for accuracy. Round, demure of proportion and fitted with bold (and ever so slightly ’60s) baton indices paired with traditional dauphine hands. It’s a watch that set the tone of classical excellence that has (odd quirky design choices aside), set the…
First vision of the just announced new Speedy: Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann announces the Speedmaster “Apollo XVII” Limited Edition released at Baselworld 2017. It is dedicated to the last man on the moon, astronaut Gene Cernan. 
Tudor has just lifted the lid on the Black Bay Chronograph, and already they’re showingg us another Baselworld 2017 novelty, and surprisingly/unsurprisingly it’s another take on the Black Bay. But rather than offer novel materials or finishes, like last year’s Bronze and Dark version, Tudor has revisited the heart of the collection, and offered another bezel variant to accompany the Red, Blue and Black. Only this time, it’s not a new colour per se, in fact it’s no colour at all. Meet the Black Bay Steel, with its distinctive, and decidedly tool-look radially satin-brushed steel bezel. The observant among you will have noticed that the bezel isn’t the only thing novel about the BB Steel – there is, for the first time, a date window at nestled at the 3 o’clock position. From the vintage/purist point of view, the Black Bay’s perennial lack of date window was a strong tick in its favour, and bucked the trend of other heritage-themed watches. Having said that, the date is an immensely popular complication in the real world, and there must have been quite a few people bemoaning the lack of that handy aperture. We suspect that all BBs will very shortly be…
This year marks the 60th anniversary of three of Omega’s most important models: the Speedmaster, Seamaster and Railmaster. The brand is celebrating by releasing a frankly epic trio of limited edition reissues, available individually, or in this ‘1957 Trilogy’ box set. No word yet on pricing or availability. While we don’t have much in the way of technical detail at yet, first impressions are very positive. The only noticable difference between these new versions and the original models seems to be the coloured luminous material. To see just how good, and faithful, they are, have a look at the new versions compared to pieces from the Omega Museum which we photographed at our ‘Night of Omega Firsts’ event in 2014.
When Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann recently visited Australia he brought more than just one of the world’s most glamorous women with him. He also gave us an exclusive preview of the Omega 2017 releases. The new boss needed only one take to deliver the news straight down the barrel of the camera, albeit in a hushed voice while Cindy was being interviewed upstairs. A serious professional. While we’ll leave the detail to Raynald, let’s just say that there are new Aqua Terra models, a bold new Planet Ocean ‘Big Blue’, a Speedmaster ‘Apollo XVII’ limited edition, and last but definitely not least, there are incredible new versions of the Speedmaster, Railmaster and Seamaster, offered separately or as a box set.
The new Tudor Black Bay Chrono has just dropped and there have been a lot of feels expressed in the nine hours since it was released. The hashtag is simple, just little old #bbchrono – which almost sounds like one of the greatest blues guitar players ever – but the response has been quite the opposite. It’s stirred up a lot of emotion. People are ecstatic. People are upset. People are confused. Could the BB Chrono be the 2016 Air-King, the most divisive watch of Basel? In this time of controversy we wanted to help you make up your mind where you stand, for now at least. Here are five photos that show off different aspects, with a little bit of help from the comments section to set the mood. #bbchrono 1 – The everyday guy, what’s the big deal? Here’s the simplest one first, shot on leather by @watchcollectinglifestyle, the guy we happened to be standing with when the watch dropped. Pretty straightforward, not too hectic? Screw down pushers, big crown, tachymeter bezel, date at 6. Everyone feeling ok? @pbandwatches says: “Best photo of the new BBC I’ve seen so far. ” @fatfaso wishes for a tri-compax layout, but you can’t have everything. #bbchrono…
It’s very easy to say, on day two of Baselworld, “oh yes, I saw that one coming”. It’s much harder to get it right two days before the big dance. Which is what we’re attempting to do in these two, probably ill-fated videos. Part one features Omega, Patek Philippe, TAG Heuer, and Longines. In part two, we consult our crystal ball for new releases by Seiko, Tudor, Hublot and Rolex. Our decision to make this video already seems questionable. Because I swear my notes included a prediction Patek would release a casual sports steel chronograph, I swear!
We don’t talk much about quartz here at Time+Tide, and that’s usually for a good reason. Most quartz watches are pretty boring. There are, however, some exceptional quartz technologies out there, and the just-announced Longines Conquest VHP is a great example of this. VHP stands for Very High Precision and it is, believe it or not, a reissue of a model originally released in 1984, when ultra-accurate quartz represented one of the watch world’s great frontiers. As you’d expect from a watch with precision in the name (albeit in acronym form), accuracy is a key feature. The Conquest VHP boasts a deviation of +5/-5 seconds a year, compared to an accuracy range of some 25 seconds per month for regular watches. These impressive figures are due to a movement developed by ETA exclusively for Longines, which offers a host of features absent from your typical quartz, including thermo-compensation, five-year battery and a gear position system designed to help the hands re-align in case of shocks or magnetic displacement. Aside from the impressive tech specs, the Conquest VHP line looks handsome too – offered in three-hand/calendar and chronograph options, in an array of sizes and blue, black silvered or carbon fibre dials. Not bad, Longines, not…