Why the Longines Heritage Collection is going from strength to strength
Owning a watch that has been given to you as a gift has a sentimental element that can get even more meaningful over time. Anyone who has been fortunate enough to have received a watch as a gift, a milestone or something to mark an achievement, will know what I’m on about – it’s an emotional thing, it becomes more than ‘just a watch’. …if you’re contemplating buying a watch for someone you care about, you should abide by one simple rule: keep it classic. But not all watch gifts are equal. What can make the experience slightly less nostalgic as the years go on is if the watch in question was made with a particular aesthetic or trend that is no longer en vogue … think the vast majority of fashion watches from the ’90s, for example. That’s why, if you’re contemplating buying a watch for someone you care about, you should abide by one simple rule: keep it classic. And the parameters set by Longines’ range of heritage timepieces are some very safe guide-rails indeed. Why? Because they offer tried and tested watch designs with a high level of refinement that’s verging on unparalleled in the price bracket. And,…
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One of the greatest things about Longines is their history — the Swiss marque was established almost two centuries ago, way back in 1832. This heritage gives the brand an advantage, and it gives the Longines wearer an edge, too. The depth and versatility of Longines timepieces is utterly expansive – and the back catalogue is a constant source of rich pickings, at prices available to the not-just-rich. This history, which has been focused on large-scale production of superior timepieces, hints at why Longines watches are lauded for always representing a value proposition — 187 years at the pointy end of the horological spear means that their R&D, innovation, manufacturing practices and techniques are so efficient and, more importantly, effective, that the savings are passed on to the wearer. $5000 Aussie dollars, for example, unlocks a veritable cornucopia of different timepieces from Longines’ vast catalogue, and chances are, no matter what sort of timekeeping you’re into, for a cool $5K, there’s going to be a wristwatch that ticks the boxes. With that goal in mind, finding the best of the brand at that budget, we present three markedly different timepieces that can be had for less than five big ones and can be…
If you’ve ever been on the internet you will have noticed one million and one articles about the watches James Bond has worn throughout his long and many-faced career. If this is your first time on the World Wide Web, welcome and, trust me, 90 per cent of what you’ve been missing out on comprises James Bond watch articles and funny cat videos. But here at Time+Tide, we want to take you on a journey to an alternate dimension. Here, we pick nine of the best James Bond outings and outfit the famous British spy with a timepiece more suited to either the plot, setting, or our incorrigible whimsy. Without further ado, allow us to present the watches James Bond should have worn but never did. From Russia With Love – Konstantin Chaykin Russian Time Russia is massive. So massive it has seven time zones. The Konstantin Chaykin not only allows the wearer to access all seven time zones with ease, but the graphical display is also a thing of beauty. It might also help charm the KGB agents into going easy on him if he’s caught wearing an example of Russian craftsmanship rather than a Rolex, which, let’s face…
Martin Scorsese’s latest crime film, The Irishman, is released on Netflix in Australia on November 27. It is based on the book I Heard You Paint Houses, which chronicles the life of Frank Sheeran, a mafia hitman who claims to have killed Jimmy Hoffa, the former president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union. Playing the title character of Sheeran is Robert De Niro, the Oscar-winning actor best known for starring in Casino, Goodfellas, Heat, The Godfather Part II and Raging Bull. Two other Oscar-winning actors play important characters in the film — Al Pacino portrays Jimmy Hoffa, and Joe Pesci plays Russell Bufalino, the head of the Pennsylvania Mafia. We thought it would be a good time to reflect on some of the interesting watches De Niro has worn on screen. De Niro has a fondness for wearing Rolex watches in movies and has done so on two occasions, in addition to a couple of other interesting pieces ranging from vintage to modern. In the 1978 war drama The Deer Hunter he wore a Rolex Sea-Dweller on an Oyster bracelet. You can see it very clearly near the end of the film, when he tries to persuade his friend to…
In a city as affluent as Dubai, it isn’t a surprise to see some pretty wild watches come out to play at the city’s own Dubai Watch Week. While there are some of the usual suspects to be seen, such as Rolex and Patek Philippe, Dubai also showed its sophisticated side with some less common contemporary pieces and even rarer vintage watches. So while I wasn’t able to capture anything close to the full spectrum of interesting timepieces donning the wrists of those wandering the exhibiting booths, this is a small smattering that shows just how varied and articulate the tastes of Dubai Watch Week attendees are. A piece from independent watchmaker F.Rozon. A powerful A. Lange & Söhne duo on the wrists of @mjbiercuk. A collection of watches shown at the launch of the FERO 150 Steel Chronographs book, written by Andrea Mattioli and Franco Basile.
Hublot’s Spirit of Big Bang collection is unquestionably one of the most varied and nuanced in the Swiss watchmaker’s catalogue. The quintessentially tonneau-shaped timepiece, which has only been around since 2014, has spawned quite a few different iterations, in a number of different sizes and materials, since its inception. In fact, as of right now, there are more than 30 different examples of the inimitable timepiece on offer. So, to save you the hassle, we thought we’d pick through extensive offerings and choose three of our favourite models that can cater for different occasions: Hublot Spirit Of Big Bang Moonphase Titanium 42mm – The daily spirit This particular example of the Hublot Spirit Of Big Bang would be ideal as a daily wearer. Why? Well, for a start, the mid-sized 42mm case ensures that it’s versatile enough to fit under things like a cuff, and the fact that it’s made from titanium also means that it’s lightweight, adding to its breadth of ability. Equally, because it comes fitted on Hublot’s signature natural rubber strap, comfortability is optimised. And, if we’re being honest, it’s just a hot watch. $24,300 Hublot Spirit Of Big Bang White Ceramic 45mm – The weekend…
Summer is now thankfully just around the corner, which means we can ditch the black on black garb and finally bring some colour back into our lives and, more importantly, onto our wrists. And luckily, we’re now stocking DOXA’s entire collection of colourful timepieces, including the SUB 200, SUB 300T and SUB 1500T. These watches feature vivaciously coloured dials that are perfect for December through February, and will look on point whether you’re headed to the beach, rooftop bar or the bottom of the ocean floor. We’ve picked out five of the hottest examples, and you better break out the sunglasses, because these bad boys are bright! DOXA SUB 300T Aquamarine Featuring what many are referring to as the “Tiffany Dial”, the SUB 300T Aquamarine presents a powerful summer aesthetic that’s sure to bring out your best when the thermostat cracks 30 degrees. $2990 DOXA SUB 1200T This wouldn’t be a list about DOXA watches without mentioning a timepiece with a “DOXA Orange” dial. This SUB 1200T is a special wristwatch, not least for the fact that it’s limited to just 1200 examples worldwide, and it features the famed helium escape valve. $2990 DOXA SUB 1500T Searambler This SUB 1500T…
Ever since its unveiling way back in 2005 at Baselworld, Hublot’s Big Bang has been not only an inimitable collection of timepieces but also a provocateur in the horological landscape that has challenged the notion of what a timepiece can and should be. As we’re sure many of you will already know, the Big Bang is the brainchild of a true doyen of the watchmaking world, Mr Jean-Claude Biver. Mr Biver, who came onboard with Hublot in 2004, was tasked with reinvigorating the brand and taking it to the next level. His answer was the Big Bang. Its distinctive portal-shaped case, paired with Carlo Crocco’s signature natural rubber strap, marked it out as a distinctly different timepiece compared to its contemporary rivals and, to this day, you can still spot a Big Bang on the wrist from miles away – it’s that iconic. And here are three of our favourite iterations: Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Power Reserve 5 Days Blue Sapphire This watch perfectly sums up what Hublot is all about – technical and material innovation that’s at the very forefront of the industry. You see, not only is the Big Bang Tourbillon Power Reserve 5 Days Blue hewn from…
As much as it pains me to say it, for most people out there, spending anything more than a few hundred dollars for a wristwatch is a faintly absurd idea. However – as I’m sure most people reading this will agree – once you get bitten by the particularly costly watch bug, all of a sudden the rationale around what a “reasonable” sum of money is for a new timepiece suddenly escalates … greatly. It’s a predicament that a good friend of mine finds himself in at the moment. Just a few short months ago he thought the notion of paying anything close to a grand for a wristwatch was plain batty. And then, at a house party one evening, he saw my Longines HydroConquest, and he couldn’t stop staring at it. I let him wear it for the rest of the night, and any further attempts made by him to remain social that evening flew out the window. His eyes stayed glued to the watch. What happened next to my friend is what perennially happens to anyone when they find themselves going down the horological rabbit hole for the first time. Hours, maybe even days, were lost on the…
TAG Heuer has been using its venerable chronograph-equipped Calibre 16 movement for more than two decades now. In fact, the storied movement has been utilised by the Swiss watchmaker in a great many of its models since 2005, when it was first released in the then new and completely overhauled Carrera. It’s pretty easy to understand why TAG has used the Calibre 16 so religiously across its model line-ups for so long – this is a workhorse of a movement that benefits from a great many features, including self-winding, chronograph complication, date complication, 12-hour counter, 30-minute counter, running seconds, 42 hours of power reserve and an operating frequency of 28,800 (4Hz) vibrations per hour. It also has a bit of a reputation as being bulletproof, thanks to its strong and well-documented lineage to the Valjoux 7750 – one of the greatest chronograph movements of the 20th century. So, with all this in mind, we thought we’d take a look at three of our favourite TAG Heuer watches that are rocking a Calibre 16. TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Ref. CV201AR.BA0715 We’ve actually been fortunate enough to spend a fair bit of time with this particular TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre…