MICRO MONDAYS: Meet CODE41 and their X41 AeroCarbon, this is a Swiss brand with big ambitions
When you think of microbrands, a clear picture starts to form in your mind pretty quickly. A vintage-inspired diver, powered by a Japanese NH35 movement, perhaps? Not only is this formula wildly successful, it’s become somewhat of a trope. Its popularity is justified, and it’s a wonderful way to bring fresh blood into the watchmaking world, however it perpetuates the notion that innovative, technical achievements in both design and function are reserved for the mighty brands with wealth to spare and centuries of experience. CODE41 are here to reassure us that trends aren’t taking over the industry, and there is still room for smaller brands to prove that they can be as clever as the big boys, without the exorbitant price tags. Their Anomaly-01, which is still available to order, used the well-established crowdfunding method to generate hype and brand awareness for an affordable, albeit visually striking watch with a Japanese Miyota movement. However, where most microbrands would build on that success slowly, the Swiss innovators have gone all-out on producing several variations of an exhilarating, tech-focused wristwatch, complete with a proprietary automatic movement. Within the last decade or two, an obsession with in-house movements has crept up on watch…
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While much of the Longines Heritage collection released this year has been brand new pieces, we have also been treated to an update to an existing model, the Longines Flagship Heritage black dial. The previous expression was released last year to rave reviews from the watch world and featured a charming cream-coloured dial, the warmth of which subtly complemented the gold-tone hands and hour markers. With the addition of this new black dial reference, Longines offer a slightly more understated watch that bears all of the same attractive vintage cues. The backstory Inspired by the Longines Flagship watches of the 1950s, quintessential watches of the time that could easily be imagined glinting under the cuffs of dimly lit jazz-bar goers, the modern Longines Flagship Heritage is a distillation of the suave seriousness of a mid-century dress watch. The very first Longines Flagship was released in 1957, a time when the Jules Verne classic Around the World in Eighty Days captured the popular imagination and Elvis Presley dominated the airwaves, and is a period of nostalgia that the contemporary interpretation of the Flagship successfully arrests. The case Featuring a 38.5mm steel case and sitting only 10mm off the wrist, the Longines…
If you’re a regular reader of Time+Tide, it should come as no surprise that the Longines Heritage Collection has gone from strength to strength over the last few years. An early sign of the success that was to come was the Longines Heritage Diver 1967 in 2015 (a watch that was kindly donated to the Time+Tide Watch & Act! auction for the Australian bushfire crisis), and again with the Longines Heritage 1945 in 2017. But while you might expect that Longines had used all its dry powder over the last half-decade, they have released one of the best Heritage Collections yet in 2020. Here, we take a look at five of our favourites. Included in the winning references is a selection that shows the diversity of the Longines Heritage Collection, which covers dress watches, chronographs, military-style watches and aviation watches. Each piece is inspired by the rich archives of the brand, and demonstrates the important legacy that Longines has built over almost two centuries. For more, visit Longines here. Made in partnership with Longines. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.
Sure to be one of the highlights of 2020, the new James Bond film, No Time to Die, is coming. And just as we have with every new Bond film for the last 25 years, we get a brand new Bond watch. This year, we say hello to the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition, an interesting watch for a number of reasons beyond the fact that Daniel Craig is sporting it in his last outing as the world’s most famous spy. The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition is based on the regular production Seamaster Diver 300M, however it has been tweaked to be more suitable for the wrist of an intelligence officer. The 42mm case is a darker metal than the typically used steel and is actually titanium, the same lightweight material that the Milanese bracelet and folding clasp are made from. The bezel is the same matte black as the dial, and is made from similarly lightweight aluminium. As for the rest of the dial, we are treated to a terracotta-tone lume for the hour plots, hands and 60-minute bezel markings. This tanned lume adds a significant amount to the overall impression of the watch, fitting in very…
If we’re honest with ourselves, luxury sports watches aren’t actually designed to be used during sport. Sure, they are more robust than your typical dress watch, but the most adventurous situation they are designed to find themselves in might be diving into glittering Capri waters from the deck of a sailboat, maybe suffering a small knock to the case as you haul yourself out of the warm sapphire waters. The TAG Heuer Connected Golf Edition is different. It is a luxury sports watch that is designed to be used while playing sport. And not simply as a passenger during an activity, but to play an important role in quantifying your activity, and even improving your performance. The source of this possible improvement to performance is two-fold, and shines a light on the consideration that has gone into making the watch so much more than a notification device on your wrist. Before getting into the ways it can impact performance, let’s take stock of the watch itself. The TAG Heuer Connected was first released five years ago, with the most recent expression of it released this week in the generation three, available in a range of different colours. It was only…
Golf is an addictive sport. One that blends the physical power of a Nadal forehand with the psychological rigour of playing a chess Grandmaster. And devotees of the game will do just about anything to get an edge. The immediate question is, will the TAG Heuer Connected Golf Edition help them with that? Because, golf is a game that is as much about mental sharpness as it is about physical performance, with countless factors at play that can either have you putting for a course record or hacking at a bush with your driver looking for your ball. If you’re playing at St Andrews or down at your local course, you always want to see improvements in your game, no matter how minor, and understanding what you are doing while you are playing is key to lowering your handicap. Which is why, to best put the new TAG Heuer Connected Golf Edition to the test – with all of its functions and facets – we enlisted someone who knows the game inside out. Jamie Glazier is a mental performance coach who has helped players like Lucas Herbert, winner of the 2020 Omega Dubai Desert Classic overcome nerves and mental obstacles…
Aviation is the pinnacle of human endeavour. The simple dream of wanting to fly has allowed the very best engineers, scientists, artists, and countless other professionals to flex their talents and serve Earth’s globalisation. Adventure and ingenuity go hand-in-hand when it comes to flying, and so too does it go with Bremont. The English-bred company may have only just reached adulthood at 18 years, though their catalogue has consistently shown a respectable mix of design intrigue and maturity. When considering the future of flying, most people will think of greener, more economical passenger planes, perhaps even reusable rockets that will carry the masses from country to country. Richard Browning is not most people, and his Gravity Industries has been making gigantic leaps forward in miniature jet technology to propel individuals through the air in a flight suit even Iron Man would be proud of. Although looking down at your wrist could be potentially disastrous while wearing the 1000 horsepower jet engines, Bremont have decided there could be no better testing ground for their hardened PVD ALT1-P2 JET. The ALT1-P2’s general design has all the hallmarks of a pilot’s chronograph, and definitely doesn’t break any moulds. 43mm diameter, far-reaching lugs, generously…
The 1940s were a golden period for chronograph innovation at Longines, an era that included the now highly collectible 13ZN movement, as well as timelessly balanced and articulated designs. The depth of Longines’ archives from this period have yielded yet another handsome model that is faithful to the original, with sensitive updates to bring it into line with modern tastes. This new Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946 is slightly larger, which will appeal to those turned off by smaller vintage-styled watches, at 40mm in diameter and 12mm tall. It also houses the contemporary L895.5 automatic movement that boasts 54 hours of power reserve. Despite these small changes that bring the watch into the 21st century, the mid-century design is clear for all to see and works towards bringing such strong design together with modern movement technology. Read the longer review of this model here. Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946 pricing and availability: The Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946 has an Australian RRP of $4425 and is available from Longines boutiques and online. Made in partnership with Longines. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.
Last year, Nirmal “Nims” Purja made headlines when he scaled all 14 of the world’s 8000m mountain peaks, in just under seven months. He did so with a Bremont on his wrist. The watch in question was a blue and white Bremont S300, proving just how robust the brand’s watches are and how well they rise to the challenge of surviving some of the harshest conditions imaginable. To commemorate this remarkable achievement, and as one of the main sponsors of the journey, Bremont has produced the Bremont Project Possible Limited Edition, which features a number of subtle nods to the incredible effort. It’s nice to know that mechanical wristwatches still form a significant part of the most awe-inspiring adventures from around the world. Even if most dive watches are only worn in a pool and the closest most pilot watches get to a cockpit is walking past one to their seat, there is a vicarious element to hearing about record-breaking efforts and the watches that were present. Most of us are unlikely to climb any 8000m peaks in our lifetimes, never mind 14 of them, but it’s a reassuring thought that if we decided to, the pride and joy on…
Just a few short weeks ago, Time+Tide had the distinct pleasure of globally unveiling the last of the 50th anniversary special edition Zenith El Primeros. Called the Zenith Chronomaster Manufacture Edition, this gorgeous watch was the result of a surprise discovery that the team at Zenith had found in a dusty old cupboard in their fabled attic at the watchmaker’s manufacture in Charles Vermot. It’s a great story … in fact it was so good that we made an epic 35-minute video about it – the second episode of Watch & Chill. So, why am I telling you all this? And what’s it got to do with the Chronomaster El Primero 38mm? Well, in case you still haven’t seen the above video, Time+Tide’s fearless leader, Andrew McUtchen, was given this watch by Zenith to wear on the show. Sadly, a few short days later, it had to go back to Zenith. But before it did, I was fortunate enough to temporarily purloin the stainless steel chrono, Ref.03.2150.400/69.C713 for a IN-DEPTH review, and these were my impressions. The dial I’m not going to beat around the bush with this one – the dial of the Zenith Chronomaster El Primero 38mm is pure horological…