Seeing ghosts with Creux Automatiq
Editor’s note: When we’re talking about fine watches, our eyes are typically drawn to Switzerland and (to a lesser extent) Germany and Japan. But occasionally you can find some quality closer to home. That was the case when the Creux Automatiq Ghost Explorer landed on my desk around this time last year. The quality (especially in the case) is up there with the mid-tier Swiss guys, and the look is a little less cookie-cutter than what you typically get from your average upstart offering. Read on … Given that T+T is an Australian-based site, I’ve spent a fair amount of time over the years looking at watches from local brands. And I’ve got to say, I haven’t seen a single offering as all-round impressive as this Creux Automatiq Ghost Explorer. What I was most impressed (and surprised) by with the Ghost Explorer was the overall build quality. But I’ll get to that in a bit. First, let’s look at the bigger picture. Creux launched in 2016, the passion project of Kiwi rapper-cum-jeweller Dane Rumble. And what initially separates these watches from the rest of the indie/micro/Kickstarter pack is the look. Creux have opted for a more modern aesthetic, a style…
The post Seeing ghosts with Creux Automatiq appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
Brand boutiques are pretty fun spots to visit as a watch lover. Because, choice. And it may surprise you to learn that Tissot very nearly has a boutique for every single day of the year — 361, in fact, including this shiny new example in MidCity Shopping Centre in Pitt Street Mall. It will house by far the largest Tissot collection in Australia, something that was on show to us immediately, when we spotted two lesser-seen models in the first few minutes. You’ll have to watch the video to see what we’re referring to there. Another fact that tends to surprise about Tissot is the sheer volume of watches the brand sells globally. Here’s one to drop at your next dinner party: the Swatch Group brand claim to account for one in every four ‘traditional’ (which we might read to be mechanical) Swiss-made watches sold. But sales are just one part of the equation here. The Sydney Boutique will also house an on-site Watch Technician to support in-store watch repairs. Tissot has not offered a direct customer service offering in Sydney since 2012 — it will specialise in pressure testing watches, battery replacements, link and strap adjustments, performance testing and cleaning. TISSOT Boutique Store,…
Seiko and its Grand sibling are well known for their technical skill in case finishing. This style of highly reflective polishing was first introduced into the Seiko family by watch designer Taro Tanaka, who came into the Japanese company to produce a holistic design language that was called “The Grammar of Design”. One of the main tenants of this design language was for all of the flat surfaces of the watch case and hands to be polished to a mirror finish using a method called Zaratsu polishing. By maximising the interaction of the light with the flat surfaces of the case, the case gave an impression of extreme precision, with super-crisp case lines, a reflection you could see yourself in. This same method of polishing has been used by Citizen in their higher-end watches, suggesting a fondness for this method of polishing in Japanese watch firms. In fact, watch companies around the world use broadly similar techniques to achieve this level of polish, with many Swiss watch manufacturers using the term black polishing for a technique they typically use to finish parts of their movements. While not an identical technique between black and zaratsu polishing — with black polishing typically done by…
First uncovered in the tomb of a 17th century Genevan clockmaker, the words which are now passed into lore: “Every time someone says the GPHG is the Oscars of the watch world, a bunny dies.” So as to avoid the death of any more happy hoppers, I’ll describe the GPHG as the biggest prize in watches each year. In saying that, there’s a problem with the GPHG. While the GPHG is the biggest prize to be won, the competition is, as Felix eloquently put, “notably free of crowns and calatravas”, bringing the elephant at the GPHG clearly into view. Some brands are not represented, because all competitors have to self-nominate. While this may be viewed as an administrative hurdle from the perspective of the GPHG organisation, it results in a field of competitors that doesn’t reflect a global market. In this article for the FHH Journal, Franco Cologni also comments on the discrepancy between the average sum paid for a luxury watch across the globe, and the average price of the winning watches of the GPHG 2018 — CHF 260,000. If the GPHG prize winners don’t reflect reality, what do they reflect? Find his full article here.
Editor’s note: This year we’ve been a little guilty of gushing all over the brand spanking new Octo Finissimo Chronograph, but it’s worth remembering that this shiny new star isn’t the only Octo Chrono in the mix. Meet the definitely not thin Bulgari Octo Chronograph … One of the marks of a strong watch design is that it can be reimagined without losing its potency. Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso or pretty well any Rolex are all excellent examples of this rule. The same goes for the Octo — a distinct watch that didn’t actually begin its life with the name Bulgari on the dial. It was originally the work of Gérald Genta, the famous designer of both the Nautilus and the Royal Oak, who clearly had a thing for multifaceted shapes. His brand was acquired by Bulgari in 1999, and since then the Octo has gone from strength to strength, constantly building on the remarkably strong foundation of its angular case. Take, for example, this Octo Chronograph in pink gold, first released at Baselworld 2014. It’s a straight-up power watch. A massive, uncompromising slab of gold that can’t help but look amazing thanks to the combination of multiple brushed…
Editor’s note: The darling of the independent watch space, MB&F show no signs of slowing their release of weird and wonderful watches. Timepieces that often elicit a confused reception at first glance, MB&F clocks and watches become more delightful the longer you look at them, as you realise the playfulness at the heart of their designs. Let’s take another look at why the brand matters, even if you aren’t likely to become a customer. Recently we were invited to Sydney as guests of The Hour Glass for the hotly anticipated launch of MB&F (Maximilian Büsser & Friends) Horological Machine 6, aka the ‘Space Pirate’. In our conversation with MB&F Head of Communications Charris Yadigaroglou we discovered a watch brand almost like no other. Writing up the interview I was struck by the role a brand like MB&F plays for the wider watch industry. Their ability to live free creative lives — and start their creative process at a wild, completely pre-rational idea, instead of working around the limitations of a watch movement — leads to a singular and unique stream of watchmaking. We walked into the meeting room in the Sydney CBD office curious, if not a little sceptical, and walked out…
Editor’s note: These days, Ball is a bit of a niche brand, but even though they’re not front of mind, they’re in no danger of fading away, thanks to their exceptional lume. Cam has a look at one of their modern divers, the Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II. Read on … The watch industry is a well-oiled novelty-making machine. Every year it produces a sea of new releases that quickly turns the tide of attention from the old towards the latest and greatest in the world of watchmaking. Occasionally, though, it’s nice to stop and look back on the watches that we might have missed. Watches like this one: the Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II. With a brand history that dates back to the American railroad in 1891, and more than a couple of technically nifty details, I quickly jumped at the chance to try one out in the metal. Vital statistics Released in 2015, the design of the Skindiver II is inspired by a 1962 version of the Ball Skindiver, retaining the classic look of the Skindiver case, and upsizing it to 43mm wide and 14mm thick. With the larger case comes an improved water resistance of 500…
Vacheron Constantin’s Fiftysix collection — first released in 2018 — is a refreshingly upbeat take on mid-century design, full of personality and warmth. And this new Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Complete Calendar in petrol blue keeps the tempo up. The case looks simple at first glance, but quickly gathers sophistication the more you study it. I particularly like the slight cushiony flaring around the crown, and the flare (or is that flair?) of the lugs, which are wide at the flanks but quite short, resulting in a timepiece that’s comfortable on the wrist. The proportions on the calendar model add to the comfort factor — the steel case is 40mm wide by 11.6mm tall. Of course, on this particular model the dial is the story. Not the layout, but rather the colour. Before we get to the impact of petrol blue, let’s talk about that layout. It’s really classic, in the best possible way. Day and month are nested under the brand at the top, and that wide moon display provides some vertical balance at six. The pointer date is very old-world, and the choice of delicate printed numerals — especially those open 6s and 9s — is charming. But there’s…
Editor’s note: Earlier this week we had a look at a few TAG Heuer Tourbillons, including the impressive new Nanograph — with its fancy new carbon escapement and yellow highlights. But we’ve also still got the hots for one of the original models, this all-black beauty clad in ultra-tough ceramic. Dark, meet handsome. Owning a tourbillon is a dream for many watch-loving folks. The little, eternally whirling cages, designed to counteract the effects of gravity on a timepiece’s isochronism, aren’t particularly practical, though they hold within them a charm that in many ways sums up the appeal of mechanical watches. But for many, the dream of strapping the pinnacle of watchmaking’s craft onto your wrist would always be just that — as, traditionally, tourbillons have come with a very high price tag. And while no one is suggesting that $20,000 is pocket change, when TAG Heuer introduced a Swiss, automatic tourbillon at this very aggressive price point, the industry as a whole took notice. It’s worth pointing out that TAG Heuer was able to achieve this by using more industrial processes in creating the tourbillon, as well as making them at a greater volume than other brands. But still, the…
Watch companies are pretty happy to jump on board as sponsors of all number of sporting teams, including Formula 1, boxing or tennis, for the obvious reasons that they have massive viewerships and highly engaged fans. One sport that definitely isn’t structured as a spectator-friendly sport is triathlon, begging the question as to why the Breitling Triathlon Squad exists. In the couple of years since current CEO Georges Kern took the helm of the company, Breitling has been gathering “squads” of notable people in trios of ambassadors. You might have heard of #squadonamission if you’ve ever visited the Breitling website, relating to their respective Jet, Surfer, Explorer, and Cinema squads, but there is no mention of a triathlon squad, at least on the site. That isn’t to say the Breitling Triathlon Squad doesn’t exist, or that Breitling doesn’t have a partnership with Ironman, the company that organises triathlon events around the world – after all, they just released a limited edition Superocean 44mm. The idea behind these squads is to keep the aviation heritage of Breitling at the front of mind through building highly visible teams connected through a united mission objective, just as a squad would in an airforce. While…