MY WEEK WITH: The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph, and how I got completely turned around to loving it
When it came up that a review of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato was on the editorial agenda, Felix cocked an eyebrow and said, “Are you going to write about your reaction when you first saw it?” Yes, I thought, when the time comes, I will. So here we are. The day that I first laid eyes on the relaunched Laureato, it is fair to say that I was a long way from a potential buyer. Firstly, it was an Instagram picture, so it was pretty grainy. To my jetlagged eyes – it was day one of SIHH 2017 – it was a blurry octagonal sports watch quite like many others. To confirm Girard-Perregaux’s focus on the enthusiastically relaunched model, the wall of their booth was textured with the dial pattern at a ratio of at least 50:1. Huge pyramids, in other words. The rationale for this was lost on me. Why would GP draw attention to a design code that also – on first glance – evoked other brands? As a result, I pretty much ignored it that year. Not in my lists from the fair, or end-of-year bangers. I didn’t really give it a second thought. It’s not an easy,…
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In general, Grand Seiko has a reputation for being somewhat stealthy on the wrist — but, to be honest, that’s not the case with this chunk of finely crafted steel, better known as the Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph SBGC203. At a sizeable 43.5mm across by 16.1mm tall, this isn’t the sort of watch that slides under the cuff, and even if it did, those oh-so-distinctive chronograph pushers would happily be peeking out, no matter what. But really, this is the sort of watch that you lean into. It’s a big and bold example of Grand Seiko’s best technologies — there’s no hiding the quality of the case or dial work, and the chronograph pushers have been so exceptionally engineered that you’ll be looking for any excuse (boiling eggs, timing car parks — the usual) to start, stop and reset. The goodness extends to the inside too. The 9R86 is a technical wonder — adding a GMT and a chronograph with a very unique layout to Grand Seiko’s already superlatively accurate Spring Drive technology. With this set of features and the fact that it’s rated to a decent 100 metres of water resistance, it’s a watch that can go anywhere,…
Grand Seiko has something of a reputation for finely finished understatement. This watch is, well, a little extra. That’s not to say that the Grand Seiko SBGE248 isn’t as finely finished as you’d expect, it’s just that, thanks to its popping blue and gold colourway, this Grand Seiko isn’t under anyone’s radar. Which, honestly, is a really good thing, because this watch is pretty exceptional. These sporty Spring Drive GMTs are already well-loved travel watches, thanks to the combination of great build, good looks and a very, very cool movement. But throwing a near-electric blue bezel and shimmering dial and yellow gold details and bezel into the equation takes this large 44mm to a whole other level of awesome. And while it might be too much for some tastes, if you’re going to travel — why not travel in style? Grand Seiko Spring Drive GMT SBGE248 price Grand Seiko Spring Drive GMT SBGE248, $16,400 AUD Made in partnership with Grand Seiko. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.
Broadly speaking, heritage-inspired watches fall into two significant camps — faithful reissues or modern interpretations. The Tissot Heritage 1973 Chronograph falls very much into the former camp. And, as far as faithful reissues go, it’s awesome. The big picture is the case, which is a hefty, hunky cushion — bonus points for the smart mix of case finishings, which is something you rarely see on a watch, let alone one at this price point. The dial is also a straight-up smash hit: panda-style, with a retro Tissot logo and charming orange highlights. A domed sapphire tops it off and the 7753 is an exceptionally reliable auto that is the perfect choice for this sort of watch. You don’t have to be a fan of mid-70s motorsports to wear this watch but, good golly, it would help. Tissot Heritage 1973 Chronograph price Tissot Heritage 1973 Chronograph, limited to 1973 pieces, $2900 AUD Made in partnership with Tissot. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.
In the field of watch design there’s a lot to be said for restraint. Not every dial needs to be flashy, nor every case overwrought. Sometimes, all you need — all you want even — is a watch that looks good (no matter what), and can do anything, or at least anything most normal people would need their watch to do. The Tissot Gentleman is such a watch. The sober, classically designed case that measures 40mm across, and is neither too dressy nor too casual, sets the tone. That tone is amplified by the lovely dial options — here we’re looking at silver and rich brown, with neat sector-style printing, and applied gold tone indices in a slightly tapered shape, which adds a touch of dynamism that is paired with dauphine-style hands. This dial is framed by the gold bezel which — and this is well worth noting — is solid, not gold plate or cap. The final piece of the puzzle is provided by the movement, visible through the caseback. Tissot’s Powermatic 80 offers (as you’d guess) 80 hours of power reserve, which is very healthy, especially at this price point. On top of that, there’s silicium in the mix as…
One of the malaises sweeping the Swiss watch industry is, in my oh-so-humble opinion, that of homogeneity. From a distance, the world from the wrist down looks remarkably similar: round, black-dialled steel sports cases in a style that sits somewhere on a spectrum between vaguely retro to full-blown reissue. I’m well aware that this isn’t a new phenomenon, but today a properly original watch design is an exception, rather than the rule. Louis Vuitton’s Tambour case is original. I mean, sure, it’s round and sporty, but it is also possessed of a really interesting case, with an inwardly curving profile that looks like it was actually designed by a person, rather than a committee. And it’s not just the case — the whole kit and caboodle is dramatically different from what you’d expect from a Swiss watch, which is unsurprising because the visual identity and IP of Louis Vuitton is so strong, and so pervasive. There are versions of the Tambour in the house’s famous motifs, but this option is a little more — for lack of a better word — stealthy. For all that the palette is monotone, this is not a shy watch. There’s that aforementioned sweeping profile,…
We’ve been having a bit of a lunar week with Longines this week — checking out their new Master Moonphase in the boutique and in our studio. And we thought we’d stick with the theme this Friday. Today we’re taking a closer look at the stylish, chic and generally handsome Longines 1832 Moonphase. If the Master Moonphase is a contemporary piece with heritage notes, the 1832 is the other way around: strong, full-bodied heritage overtones with solid underpinnings of modern construction. To me, the whole package exudes old-world charm, but it’s the dial that sings strongest. The dial is beige, with a finely grained finish, that looks incredible up close. On this matt surface there’s a whole lot of charming applied features — the winged hourglass logo, with finely printed text on either side, the faceted, polished, chocolate-block-like hour markers and even the minute dots. All these elements play together to add to the overall air of sophistication and polish, The polished arrow-shaped hands, with small lines of Super-LumiNova, work well in this context. And the well-proportioned moon and date display, nestled in the lower half of the dial, adds in some colour and breaks up the expanse. There’s a reason…
Longines has had a big few months in Australia. They opened their first Melbourne boutique a little while back, on Collins Street in the heart of the city’s luxury district. And now their watches are available online, direct from the brand. It’s something that would have been unimaginable even a few years ago — a major Swiss brand, selling directly online. But it’s 2019 and the future is digital. Well, except for the watches, that is — they’re resolutely analogue, and proudly mechanical. In celebration of this upcoming e-commerce launch, Andrew dropped into the boutique to choose his picks that are now available online. It’s worth noting that some of the hot models will only be available online or in boutiques. But, without any further ado, here’s Andrew’s top three … Longines Master Collection Moonphase Is there anything more romantic than the moon (phase)? Well, maybe there is, but this is about as close as it gets, especially when you factor in that dreamy blue dial. Longines Heritage Flagship Heritage looks and a sweet case size. It’s easy to see why this little beauty was a winner. Longines Record Two tones, classic style and COSC accuracy. It’s easy to see why…
The story in a second: One of the best, most interesting watches of 2019. The case Wow. What a difference a case makes. Hublot, along with their friends at Ferrari’s Centro Stile, has taken the traditional Hublot design codes, deconstructed them, put them through the ringer a few times, and re-assembled them into something that’s very Hublot, but also completely fresh. The lines are dramatically softened, and the overall look is reminiscent of that bubbly, biomorphic school of watch design that had an extended moment in the ’90s. Having said that, it’s clearly a Hublot — the bezel, complete with exposed screws, the big 45mm case, that oversized machine-like crown. All present and correct. But there’s a lack of blockiness that is so refreshing, and entirely well suited to the Classic Fusion family. The soft, satiny finish of this titanium version is also super compelling and (it must be said) supremely photogenic. This watch rates in Jason — our main photo man’s — top watches of 2019. And I agree. The dial Again, all the Hublot goodness is there, but in a reframed way. It’s an open-worked chronograph (obvs), with radial Arabic numerals alternating with baton markers. The numerals liven…
Welcome to the Time+Tide 2019 Reader Survey! That time when we put some hard-hitting questions into a survey program, work some internet magic and set it free, for all you good people out there to answer. One lucky Australian survey respondent will win a TAG Heuer Autavia chronograph for their troubles. Take the survey now You should be familiar with this heritage-inspired chronograph, but if you’re not — here’s what you need to know. International folks are welcome to take part, and we encourage you to, but sadly the international competition logistics make it practically impossible to open such a high-value prize up to the world. Accept our apologies, please. Why do we do surveys like this? There’s a great Faith No More album called We Care a Lot — it sums up how we feel about you taking the time to do this. We care a whole lot about your answers. Edge of our seats might sound like a bit of an overstatement but it’s pretty true. We love this time of the year. Literally every response (and there were 3400 last time, so you can imagine how much work we got done over that period) is like a…