RECOMMENDED READING: The ultimate guide to the vintage Heuer Monaco
The Monaco Grand Prix kicks off on May 26, and amidst the high octane and hairpin turns, it’s widely expected that we’re going to get some sort of announcement from TAG Heuer that’s celebrating the 50th anniversary of what’s arguably TAG Heuer’s most famous watch, the Monaco. And while we can’t be sure about details like the dial and other specifics, we can be pretty sure that it will be a chronograph, and certain that the case will be square. And while we’ve certainly looked at some of the greatest modern Monacos, our work doesn’t have a patch on Calibre 11, who have assembled an exceptionally comprehensive guide to the vintage Heuer Monaco. The backstory and the finer details in the Monaco story are well worth a read. Something you can do here.
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The use of bronze as a case material in watchmaking has surpassed trend to establish itself as a mainstay. Certain bronzed, beautiful models have achieved legend status, such as the Panerai Bronzo, the OG of modern bronze watches, but just as many go undiscovered and unheralded – we compiled a quartet of very different offerings, from big and square, to a very cool indie execution from an Asian-based brand, to the extremely odd pairing of bronze with ceramic. All watches are taken from our recent Buying Guide, which you can access free, and in full, here. Zelos Mako 500 Singapore-based Zelos Watches are a prime example of why microbrands matter, by using unusual materials like carbon fibre, meteorite and, in this case, bronze. The brand offers great quality at a more than reasonable price. That’s evident here, with a wavy radial patterned dial that adds visual depth and reminds you that this diver is good for 500 metres. Case size 40mm Case material CuSn8 Bronze Movement SW200 Price $799 USD Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Bronze In 2017, Bell & Ross caused a splash and introduced their first ever square cased dive watch. This year they’ve done it again,…
It takes a lot of physical abuse to make a watch as iconic as an Omega Speedmaster verge on unrecognisable. But the owner of this watch tried. When photos of a badly beaten 1969 Omega Speedmaster started doing the rounds on Instagram, it had our immediate attention. So many questions: What the hell are ‘welding warts’? And what are they doing all over the case and pushers? What kind of monster does this to a Speedy, or any watch? And, most importantly, what kind of a maniac would take on a restoration project like this in the first place? “He was merciless. For him, the Speedy was not a status symbol, [or a] collector’s item, he could not care less about Omega or Moon missions, landings or space exploration. He just loved it, full stop.” To answer those questions in turn, welding warts are blobs of hardened solder, and they usually coat the area around where a welder is doing their work, and whatever is on their person. The monster who did this is indeed a welder. And the lunatic that agreed to try to restore the watch is Australian watchmaker Nick Hacko. We contacted him as soon as the…
The Grande Seconde is perhaps Jaquet Droz’s most recognisable design, with an outsize second hand and characteristic figure 8 layout that you can spot from across a room. It’s also a versatile design that’s been called into service for a range of complications. But never a chronograph. Until this week’s release of the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Chronograph. This release isn’t just a single watch, but rather a fully formed collection. There’s a nice limited version, and a brace of steel-cased models, with asymmetrical dials. The dial options on offer are blue, taupe grey and sand-blasted silver. The blue will be — I suspect — the popular choice, but I was quite drawn to the grey: it has a modern, monochromatic look that plays well with the off-centre design and contrasts Jaquet Droz’s typically classic aesthetic. It’s also quite a textural dial, with several layers and a nice contrast between the sandblasted and satin finished sections. The fact that this stylish timer is a monopusher goes a long way to ensuring that the overall package remains elegant. The movement (calibre 26M5R) is made by Blancpain, and exclusive to Jaquet Droz. It’s an interesting layout, with timekeeping on the smaller dial…
Think Glashütte Original and the chances are good that ‘diver’ isn’t a category that immediately springs to mind. The German brand is known for many things – from 3/4 plates to Panorama dates – but undersea adventure isn’t really one of them. That’s not to say that the brand doesn’t have form in the area. Fifty years ago the brand did indeed make a specialist underwater watch, for both military and civilian markets, and now they’ve decided to take the plunge again, with a brace of SeaQ watches. There’s a limited edition piece, and a version that comes in a few different dials with a Panorama date, but today we’re looking at the regular production SeaQ. The Glashütte Original SeaQ is a well-sized, handsome watch that ticks all the right boxes. It’s 39.5mm wide, 12.5mm tall, comes with a nice galvanic black sunray dial, large numerals and hands in a pleasingly vintage style (down to the Super-LumiNova, in a shade that echoes old radium), and a date that fits nicely into the overall equation of the dial. Likewise, the case shape is simple, with a hint of the mid-century skin diver about it in the angles and the style of crown. …
When we set out to write our first Buying Guide, which is now free to access in digital form, we pushed everyone in the team to go as far afield as possible in sourcing watches at all price points, especially at the under $1000 range, where value propositions are harder to find. This would be for print, after all. It had to have real value. It was obviously worth it, because only a couple of boxes of our first edition remain, with issue two going into production any day now. Every time I pick it up, I’m refreshed by brands I don’t see every day on Time+Tide. Baltic. Bamford. Certina. Laco. There’s some genuinely cool things going on with these brands, at a very favourable price. In the first of a series of surprise and delight posts, where we cherry pick some of our favourites from the early pages, we’re delving in to the entry level. To browse the full – and extensive – range of watches from $200 to over $200,000, be sure to visit the digital magazine. Please note all prices are approximate and in Australian dollars. Bamford Mayfair In 2017 the Bamford Watch Department, the kings of…
When we were shown the new Blancpain products at Time to Move, we expected to see Fifty Fathoms and Villeret. We did not expect a pilot’s chronograph. But, oh boy, was the Blancpain Air Command a pleasant surprise. On its face, this 500-piece limited edition is a very handsome heritage-styled number, with a 42.5mm steel case, topped with glass box sapphire and a distinctly Fifty Fathoms-esque rotating bezel, with that lozenge-shaped pip at 12. The handset is particularly elegant, with matchstick-shaped hands in white, filled with an ivory-toned, vintage-look lume. The heritage feel is picked up on the dial, which is a bi-compax flyback, with the same vintage-look luminous Arabic numerals, and a tachymeter scale. The movement is the F388B, a 5Hz movement that is buttery smooth to actuate. The overall historic tone of the piece is finished off with a nicely patina’d calf strap. It might not have been the Blancpain we were expecting, but it’s very, very nice indeed. Blancpain Air Command price Blancpain Air Command, limited to 500 pieces, $24,750 AUD
Last year, Breguet introduced a stunningly simple, surprisingly asymmetrical addition to the Classique family, the Tourbillon Extra-Flat. This year, at Time to Move, they’ve premiered the next chapter. It’s still a Classique Tourbillon, but it’s been dramatically skeletonised. Meet the Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Flat Skeleton 5395. First things first – the fundamentals: 41mm across by a truly slender 7.7mm thick, offered in platinum or rose gold cases. The dial is sapphire, to show off the movement. The hands are (obviously) Breguet. On paper, the 3mm thin movement, designated 581SQ (for squelette, or skeleton), is the same as the existing 581. But in reality it’s a completely different beast, and absolutely beautiful. Firstly, and most obviously, the closed dial is gone, leaving the inner workings of the watch exposed. And those inner workings have been significantly stripped back, with about 50 per cent of the mass of the movement removed, leaving a fine tracery of extensively hand-worked bridges. These bridges are made from a specific red gold alloy that is harder than usual, so as to effectively support the weight of the movement. Not much of that weight is coming from the off-centre tourbillon — the titanium and silicon carriage weighs in…
The Seamaster Planet Ocean, with its bright orange details, is a favourite in the modern Omega lineup, a compelling combination of brightness and brown. And now we’ve been treated to a brand new version. First of all, this watch is large: 45.5mm across, and tall on the wrist. It’s also heavy thanks to the steel case. If you really want to double down on the weight, there’s a steel bracelet option, which sees the entire package weigh a hefty 260 grams. If that sounds a little too intense, there are options on a NATO strap — Omega is offering two different bright 5-stripe straps, which are lovely. The other notable new feature is the orange ceramic. The colour is less bold than previous iterations, as adding certain colours to ceramic is notoriously difficult. To my eye, it’s more of a burnt orange — perhaps even pumpkin. It’s an attractive look. The design of the bezel has been updated to bring it in line with the third-generation PO bezel designs, with all the salient numerals and hash marks filled with white liquid ceramic and Super-LumiNova. Finally, there’s the dial. The soft, matt grey dial is a nice foil for the shiny, bright…
Like it or not, the origin story of Blancpain’s famous diver is inseparable from that of naval warfare. The development of the original watch was driven by two men, Captain Robert Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud, who were in charge of a newly formed French unit, the Combat Swimmers — or Nageurs de Combat. They came up with a list of ideal characteristics for the perfect underwater wristwatch, one suited to their very specific needs. And, in 1953, Blancpain managed to meet these requirements, which came to define the needs of modern dive watches. To celebrate this legacy, Blancpain has released a limited edition Fifty Fathoms (of 300 pieces). And even though the shape is familiar, the overall effect is far more tactical than we’re used to. The 45mm case is steel, with a black dial and bezel. The caseback is solid with a very nice engraving of the Combat Diver Qualification Badge, an anchor flanked by winged seahorses. This detailed caseback means you don’t get a look at the 135 automatic movement, which is pacing a silicon balance and 5 days of power thanks to the three barrels. As you’d expect, this watch is good to 300m. The final subtle…