IN-DEPTH: You’ve seen blue dials before, but not like this – the Omega Railmaster in blue denim
The story in a second: Workwear meets watchmaking in Omega’s latest colourful take on the Railmaster. One of last year’s most compelling releases from Omega was the revamped Railmaster. This new take on an old favourite offered winning combination of old-school looks, everyday wearability and a movement with some serious chops. Initially offered in more conservative silver and black brushed dials, we all knew that the day would come when Omega offered some more colourful takes on the genre. Well, that day came recently, when Omega unveiled a new, blue Railmaster that was surprisingly textural. The dial Clearly, this is the real talking point of the watch. Omega refer to it as a “blue jeans” dial, and the combination of the indigo colour and vertical brush finish really does combine to create something that looks like an old pair of Levi’s. The Railmaster text and lollipop-tipped seconds hand are in a browny-beige, inspired by the contrast stitching of classic denim. One notable change from the previous Railmasters is that this version eschews the vintage-cream colour for the hour markers, in favour of a much fresher, light grey. Omega tie the choice of denim as an inspiration into the practical, tool-like/workwear…
The post IN-DEPTH: You’ve seen blue dials before, but not like this – the Omega Railmaster in blue denim appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
Editor’s note: I’ve been saying for a few years now that Chanel is one to watch on the watchmaking front. They’ve been making watches for years of course, but in more recent times they’ve stepped up the intensity, offering beautiful (and beautifully executed) in-house movements. Sandra has the story … It’s seven years since Chanel Horlogerie decided to start developing its own movements in-house and in the last three of those years it has launched three new calibres – or four, when counting Calibre 2.1 separately. Each is strikingly different from anything offered by other haute horlogerie brands – and all are noticeably different from each other. That’s due to Chanel’s singular approach to watchmaking, which does not follow the usual path of “making engines to then put into various cases”, says Nicolas Beau, the global head of watchmaking and fine jewellery. “We think of a collection or model at the same time as we think of a calibre because there is a very strong intimacy between the two. It’s one calibre per model. So the first thing we do is imagine a calibre that has the capacity to evolve. And that creates another difficulty, which is that we must…
Often the best watches are those that come with a story attached. Sometimes that story can be attached to momentous events or achievements the watch is associated with, or the accomplishments of those who wore it. It can also be a story of how it’s made and who it’s made by. Such is the case with Seiko’s latest additions to their Presage collection — the limited edition Shippo Enamel watches. The form of these watches will be familiar to those who have come across the Presage line before, with its elongated Roman numerals and classical hands. This version, the SPB073, also sports a power reserve and date subdial to keep things interesting but, honestly, the texture of the dial itself is so good, it doesn’t need anything superfluous. As the name suggests, the dial is made using Shippo enamel, a technique that dates back to 17th century Japan, and involves several layers of blue enamel being applied and fired, to build a rich, deep colour over the guilloché base — which really shines after a final polish. The dials are all hand done by a craftsman named Wataru Totani. The results are deeply beautiful. But more than that, they make…
The story in a second: Contemporary design and classic size make this a winning combination. It’s no secret that the Defy is Zenith’s darling this year. Baselworld 2018 saw them release a swag of different versions, including the crazy Zero G, the impressive chronograph, and this watch, the comparatively simple Classic. And while it may lack some of the fancy functionality of its bigger brothers, for me the Zenith Defy Classic – particularly this open-worked dial option – is the real winner. The dial You have to start with the dial, don’t you: a modern open-worked number with a bold star motif, inspired indirectly by the brand’s star logo, and more obviously by the epic Defy Lab limited edition from last year. And while these sort of dials tend to lean towards illegibility, it’s not really an issue here, as the quite large, lumed hour markers are anchored by the contrasting colour of the outer chapter ring, and the hands are bold enough to stand out against the busy background. The date at six (and indeed the whole date wheel) does get a little lost, though, and frankly I think that’s more of a pro than a con, blending seamlessly…
This is such a great watch. Honestly. I can’t think of many (if any) Swiss-made watches that offer such a punchy package for this sort of price. Not only do you get the impressive Powermatic 80 movement (more than three days of power reserve rocks) in a good-looking, well-made 300m diver, you get nice little features like the gradient dial and ceramic bezel. So much win. On top of that, it fits great on the wrist: 43mm is big, but not obnoxiously so, especially when paired with the height. Even the dial text and date placement is done right. My only possible quibble is the strap. Not the rubber strap itself, which I quite like — Tissot ‘T’ motif and all — no, it’s the slightly odd 21mm width. Given that I’m the kind of guy who likes chopping and changing straps as often as my mood, the uncommon width is a little bit of a buzzkill. But then, for the price, it’s hard to be too harsh with this little gem. Tissot Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80 Australian pricing Tissot Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80, steel on rubber, $1000
In recent times, Zenith have made a marked change of tack — away from the oversized heritage pieces that have been their main focus. The Pilot watches are still there, of course, but now the Defy shares top billing as a contemporary alternative. And while the Defy is dominated by the aggressively skeletonised look that we know and love, this solid-dialled Defy Classic is perhaps my number one pick. The dial does a great job of toning down the statement aspect of the Defy, and letting the excellent case and bracelet shine. To my mind this is a really interesting option for a daily watch; it’s a fairly novel design from an interesting brand, it’s comfortable, practical and lightweight. It also looks great on the wrist. The case shape and titanium construction make it a slightly less conventional offering, but that’s not a bad thing. If you still want to run with the pack, but at the outskirts, this sporty, sleek Defy Classic could be just what you’re after. Zenith Defy Classic Australian pricing Zenith Defy Classic, titanium on bracelet, $9600
** The TAG Heuer Autavia with Time+Tide Collector’s Pack will be available in the Time+Tide shop from Monday 16th July at 9am, or Friday via a newsletter resale. To subscribe to the newsletter, click here. ** The reaction to the TAG Heuer Autavia re-release was hardly a slow-burn. The curtain was drawn back at Baselworld 2017, people cheered, and frankly, the applause has kept going. And going. For 18-months and counting. The extended encore is not just to do with those perfect Panda proportions, it’s also on account of the four (!) major limited editions of the Autavia re-edition that have dropped since. They are the long-awaited Calibre 11 ‘Jo Siffert Collector’s Edition’, limited to 100 pieces and sold out within a matter of hours, the warm tobacco tones of the Dubai Watch Week edition, the Hodinkee ‘Orange Boy’ and the Jack Heuer Birthday edition. Needless to say, if we were going to do a ‘Collector’s Pack’ to augment the sale of a watch it would have to be this one. And we’re coming to the party. For the standard selling price, $7050, we are also including: An official TAG Heuer camel strap as well as the TAG Heuer steel…
Every year, the Bell & Ross design team goes nuts with an incredible and (sadly) hypothetical vehicular creation. This year it was the Racing Bird, an awesomely streamlined take on a prop-powered racer, the sort of machine you’d see at the Reno Air Races. Of course, while the plane is conceptual, the watches are very, very real. Built off the base chassis of the vintage chronograph, the BRV2-94 Chronograph is at once modern and gloriously old-school. The case is near perfectly proportioned, 41mm across, though the crown guard and screw-down chrono pushers add a little breadth. It doesn’t sit too high on the wrist either, despite the sweet domed sapphire. This sizing, combined with the classic style and solid bracelet, give the watch a timeless yet purposeful character. While the appeal of the watch’s design might be eternal, the details are very much of an era — the ’70s. This time is recognised as a golden age of sports watches, with watchmaking innovations like the automatic chronograph, as well as the popularity of sports that required them. It’s also a time unafraid of bold colour. It’s the punchy personality that the Racing Bird plays with, taking a lustrous off-white base…
Grand Seiko’s limited editions are, in their own way, hype machines. They generate huge buzz and are, in the pretty fanatical world of GS enthusiasts, hotter than the proverbial hot cakes. The SBGR311, unveiled in Basel earlier this year, is no exception. Ostensibly, it’s a celebration of the mighty 9S calibre, but it’s also a pretty compelling celebration of how awesome a brown dial can be. I mean, look at this thing — it’s rich, it’s textural, it’s got a super detailed mosaic pattern on it and it’s got gold highlights. If you had told me pre-Basel that I’d fall madly in love with a brown watch, I would have been too polite to laugh in your face, but there would have been a definite snicker. But now, after seeing this guy in all his warm, chocolatey rich glory, I am down for brown. Grand Seiko SBGR311 Australian pricing and availability Grand Seiko SBGR311, limited to 1300 pieces, $7500
Perhaps it’s just the football, but we’ve got Hublot on the brain at the moment. And while the Referee watch, with its smart interface and snazzy, over the sweatband look — as rocked by FIFA’s refs — is a winner, it’s not the only one in their arsenal. There’s Big Red, which is what I’ve nicknamed the franky epic red ceramic Big Bang, a watch you need to see to really appreciate. But even if you don’t, take it from us that the shade of red is awesome, and awesomely hard to develop. And then there’s a slightly smaller Bang — the 42mm take on the classic Big Bang. These two watches are pretty classic takes on the famous Hublot shape, but there’s also a Spirit of Big Bang that’s seemingly made entirely of sapphire and precious stones, and then there’s the wrist-sized artworks that are the latest Orlinski collabs. All told, Hublot’s 2018 collection is Hublot doing what Hublot does best: material innovation and unbeatable statements.