INTRODUCING: Strong looks and value – the Mido Multifort GMT
Mido is a name that might not be too familiar to our Australian readers, as the Swatch Group brand has had the most minimal of minimal presences on our shores until recently. But as it so happens, they’re celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, and they’re doing it with a strong collection of watches, like this new GMT addition to their venerable Multifort line. The Mido Multifort GMT — offered in either steel with a black dial, or rose gold PVD with a blue dial — is a good-looking unit, 42mm across on a classically styled 22mm three-link bracelet on the black dial, or faux croc on the blue. The case is a dual crown affair, for fans of the Super Compressor style, with the lower handling the time setting for home and local times, while the upper looks after the sloped internal bezel which is marked with 24-hour indication in the familiar night/day colour scheme. The dial is really very pretty, with Mido’s characteristic and clever use of Geneva stripes (typically a movement decoration) as a dial decoration. It works really well, adding just the right amount of pizzazz. Speaking of movements, the top grade ETA 2893-2 movement (Caliber 1193 in…
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One of the Raymond Weil’s great strengths has always been stylish, sharp, everyday dress pieces, something that’s really epitomised in the Maestro line. Well, at Basel that line got a little bigger, with the addition of three new, blue-dialled options. These watches, like many things in the world of Raymond Weil, take their inspiration from the world of music — remember, the collection is called ‘Maestro’. But the Maestros we’re talking here aren’t your Chopins or Shostakoviches — no, as you’d expect, these blue dials pay homage to that most American of genres: blues. And while it’s a broad church, incorporating the haunting vocals of Billie Holiday, the visceral chords of John Lee Hooker, and everything in between, it’s a genre that is, at its heart, about emotion. And really, aside from the obvious blue connotation, these three watches do pull on the heart strings just a little. First of all, let’s look at the date version. Housed in a 40mm rose gold PVD case, the dial of this watch is a thing of beauty: the blue is dark and rich, caught somewhere between the deep sea and the sky at dusk. It’s made even more captivating by the mix…
At Baselworld this year we saw Rado doubling down with two new limited-edition versions of their everyday and sporty HyperChrome chronograph. The first version, the HyperChrome Bronze, takes its form inside a case crafted from a combination of high-tech ceramic and bronze. While the second opens up its ceramic case, foregoing a traditional dial and skeletonizing the movement. Earlier this week I went hands-on with the patina-friendly bronze version, and today it’s time to take a peek at (and through) the stripped back dial of the aptly named HyperChrome Skeleton. Vital statistics Consisting of an inner monobloc ceramic case with stainless-steel side inserts, and chronograph pushers and crown, the 45mm case is water resistant to 100 metres. Steel sides are polished, while the ceramic components are fired with a black pigment inside a high-tech oven at 1450°C, creating the super hard and lightweight case that is then extensively sandblasted to a matt finish – except for the ceramic bezel, which is polished and engraved with a tachymeter scale. Sapphire crystal on the front and back gives a view through to the openworked ETA 2894-2 chronograph movement inside. With its plate and bridges cut away into a latticework, and exposing its…
Effectively a new dial and case metal of an existing reference, initially launched in white gold with a blue dial, what makes this new version of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time really interesting is the way it was unveiled, and the sister piece that accompanies it. It’s hard to believe, but Patek Philippe finally joined the modern world of social media in the week leading up to Baselworld 2018, and their first big announcement through the channel was this new release, alongside a “ladies version” measuring 37.5mm in diameter, which has been dubbed the ref. 7234R. Both sizes are powered by the same caliber, and, quite frankly, both are within a conservative size range that could be worn by either gender without the faintest question. Because the duo of chocolate brown gems are so similar other than in diameter, we’re focusing our attention on the bigger of the two pieces: the Ref. 5524 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time. Vital statistics First things first, when images were released of the new Calatrava Pilot I wasn’t quite sold. There was quite a bit of debate out there when the initial Calatrava Pilot surfaced, and what business Patek Philippe really had in getting into…
Rado is synonymous with a pioneering use of high-tech ceramic in watches. Attractively sleek, the material is lightweight, hypoallergenic, and virtually scratchproof, making it perfectly suited to watchmaking. However, not so much for those of us who like our watches with a peppering of patina, and enjoy a little wabi-sabi action every now and again. That’s where the brand new Rado HyperChrome Bronze comes in. Combining one of the most modern materials in watchmaking with the world’s oldest alloy. It’s an intriguing mix. Vital statistics This limited edition of Rado’s everyday HyperChrome chronograph retains its scratch-resistant ceramic, monobloc case. Only now it’s finished in a matt black, and then paired with side inserts that are constructed from a quick-to-patina bronze alloy – including the chronograph pushers and crown. Measuring 45mm across and 13mm thick, the case is water resistant to 100 metres, and features a polished black ceramic bezel printed with a tachymeter scale. While a curved sapphire crystal on the front gives view to the vertically brushed black dial, with rose gold applied indices and hands, and a three-register layout that shows the running seconds at three, chronograph minutes at nine, chronograph hours at six, and a discreet colour-matched…
The tit-for-tat battle between Piaget and Bulgari for title of “Master of the Ultrathin” rages on, and it would seem Bulgari has struck another blow at Baselworld in 2018 with the new Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic. The new piece dethrones Piaget’s latest self-winder, the Altiplano Ultimate Automatic 910P that launched ahead of SIHH 2018 as the new thinnest automatic watch, and at the same time swipes the title from Audemars Piguet of world’s thinnest tourbillon, which the brand has been holding onto since 1986. Bulgari was able to swipe the title for thinnest tourbillon movement in 2015; however, it took them an additional few years to build a piece suitable to take on the mighty slender AP. Achieving both of these records in a single piece is impressive to say the least, so we had to take a closer look. Vital statistics A 3.95mm thick case, housing a 1.95mm thick caliber, the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic is a real work of art (not to mention engineering). Its wafer-thin mainspring still delivers an above industry-standard 52 hours of power reserve and, all told, the brand still managed to make its movement design visually appealing, which isn’t an easy task when…
Styled by renowned product designer Werner Aisslinger and his creative partner Tina Bunyaprasit, the Autobahn deviates from the German brand’s usual minimalistic palette, and introduces a whole new side to the Nomos catalogue. I’ll admit that when I first saw pictures of the Autobahn, I was left scratching my head, with the automotive-inspired design (the watch is a tribute to the famously speed-limitless highway system) was not something I ever expected to see. However, after getting my hands on one – during one of the more fun appointments at this year’s Baselworld – its purpose became clear in my mind, and my heart was quick to call shotgun. Vital statistics Remaining distinctly Nomos, the Autobahn adds a dash of driving sportiness to the catalogue. The bowl-shaped dial (in sports grey, midnight blue or silver plate) is modelled on the inclined surfaces of a racetrack, curving down towards its centre, and then further again on the sub-seconds dial. Spanning two-thirds of the way around the dial is a segmented luminous ring, reminiscent of a speedometer. And an extra-large elongated date window at 6 o’clock bears a resemblance to a dashboard odometer of a car. A newly developed in-house movement ticks away inside…
It’s always fun seeing Bell & Ross at Baselworld. Aside from the quality, and strong, distinctive DNA of their core offerings, the design-oriented brand is exceptionally good at creating narratives and mythologies around their watches. Case in point is the new Racing Bird series, a colourful take on their vintage line, inspired by a concept plane that (honestly) we wished was much closer to reality. Their collaboration with Renault’s F1 team has the same high speed, high-tech inspiration, but here it’s very much reality. And then there are the latest versions of their 2017 hit, the large and very much in charge BR 03-92 Diver, now offered in two new variants: a blue dial and a (smoking hot) bronze case. And finally there are smart, sensible, and very legible updates to their core — we particularly liked the catchily titled Horolum and Nightlum. So while it’s still squares aplenty over at B&R, there’s plenty of tales to tell and new looks to fall for.
It sort of feels like all we’ve been hearing about from Zenith through the last year leading up to Baselworld 2018 has been all things Defy. And fair enough, the Defy Lab is technically the biggest thing since the horological equivalent of sliced bread (the winding rotor perhaps?). As we got closer to the fair, it was clear that there’s no way a production version of the Defy Lab could be ready in time. Instead, Zenith have treated us to a couple of new models in the collection, including an entry-level offering that takes a healthy dose of design cues from its groundbreaking sibling. Vital statistics A star-like pattern resting above an open dial really couldn’t be a more blatant attempt to draw parallels between the Defy Classic and the Defy Lab, though the two watches couldn’t be more different from one another, other than their shared case design. The Defy Classic is powered by the Elite 670 SK self-winding movement, rather than an El Primero — no doubt to be able to push a lower entry price. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Zenith Elite calibers, so this isn’t really a con. The big selling feature on the Defy…
Just because Jaquet Droz is a relative newcomer to Australia doesn’t mean they don’t have history. The brand dates back to the mid-18th century, and, besides watches and clocks, is famous for their incredible automata. And while the incredibly complex, high-end art/engineering pieces are still important for the brand, we thought we’d keep it real and focus on their slightly more down-to-earth offerings from Baselworld 2018, offerings that focused heavily on their signature Grande Seconde model, with its oversized seconds subdial. And like any good signature model, the Grande Seconde is versatile. It excels at traditional — as evidenced by the black enamel moonphase model, and the yellow gold and grand feu Tribute — but can pivot nicely to contemporary, with the addition of a ceramic case or skeletonised treatment. Excellent stuff from a niche brand, with a strong and sophisticated identity.