INTRODUCING: Steely splendour – the Panerai Luminor Marina PAM00977 and PAM00978
Bracelets aren’t something you see strapped to Panerai watches too often, which is, I think, a bit of a shame, as that half-moon design is quite distinctive and stylish. But that’s something that’s set to change with two new, silver and steel additions to Panerai’s Luminor Marina family, the PAM00977 and PAM00978. Offered in two case sizes — 977 is the 42mm, and 978 is 44mm — the overall form of the Luminor Marina is well established by now, but aside from the bracelets, there’s a few things worth pointing out. Most obviously, the dial. I don’t know about you, but I expect Panerai to offer dial options verging on the dark and serious, which is what made this brushed silver number such a pleasant surprise. It offers a fresh take on the old favourite, and when combined with the bracelet, adds up to quite a flashy package. There are applied markers, a date, and a lovely little blue detail on the seconds hand. Ticking away behind the scenes is the P.9010 movement, an in-house number with three days of juice. It’s not your typical Panerai, but hey, it’s 2019. Is there such a thing as a ‘typical’ Panerai anymore?…
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Editor’s note: The Rado Thinline Ceramos — one of the brand’s most interesting (materially speaking) pieces from last year — has hit Aussie shores. Time to have another look. When it comes to materials, it’s hard to beat Rado. The brand is a master of innovative materials. They pioneered ultra-hard metals and ceramics, and continue to push the realms of the possible. The latest is Ceramos, an alloy of ceramic and metal that offers the best of both worlds — the lightness and scratch-resistance of ceramic, paired with the finish and lustre of metal. Here they’ve chosen to deploy Ceramos on the relatively conservative DiaMaster Thinline, a classic two-hander with a date. So, if you like your tradition with a healthy dose of technical, check out the Rado DiaMaster Thinline Ceramos. Rado DiaMaster Thinline Ceramos Australian pricing Rado DiaMaster Thinline Ceramos, $3025
Editor’s note: Last year, Andy Green did what he does, and had an intense Instagram browsing session to come up with this list of five celebs who are more likely than most to rock some serious wrist hardware. Given John Mayer’s recent redux of his Hodinkee Talk Watches piece, we thought the time was ripe to re-share it now … Recently I wrote a list of watch brand CEOs to follow on Instagram, which led to a series of other ideas around interesting ‘lists’ of collectors. Today, we’re looking at a list of five celebrity watch collectors you should be following on Instagram. And no, we’re not talking about rich celebs with cash to burn; we’re digging deeper to take a closer look at whether they’re actually into their watches. And no, we haven’t taken the easy option of calling out brand ambassadors, no matter how many times we’ve spotted them ‘off brand’ wearing competitors’ watches. Watch guys, this isn’t your usual list of celebrity watch collectors. It makes perfect sense to kick this list off with one of the biggest celebrity watch collectors, John Mayer. JM gets a special mention for his impressive collection, which he isn’t afraid to share…
I can remember very clearly what it was like to be on the other side of my first ‘good’ watch. I would trawl daily the second-hand sites for incomings, researching models and brands. I would stare in wonder at the pages I was laying out in a magazine for a watch retailer – mentally filing models by price, availability and location. I would have loved a video like this at that phase of life. One that pulls together three contenders from the latest crop – catering to different tastes but a budget of under $3000. Well, to be fair, there are two divers here, so if you don’t like divers, it’s a full metal jacket for you, soldier. As usual, there are plenty I’d add in retrospect, but primarily the already sold-out Zodiac Aerospace GMT – so fate took care of that one for me in the end. Doxa Sub 200 130 Years Doxa turned heads this year with a solid gold Sub celebrating the brand’s 130th birthday and a clickbait price tag of $70,000 USD. However, the Sub 200 anniversary model snuck under the radar as possibly Basel’s best value proposition, at circa $1600 AUD, limited to 130 pieces.…
Editor’s note: One of the greatest watch releases of 2018 was the brand new, revamped Seamaster Professional from Omega. A compelling combination of good design, great construction and a price that is competitive to say the least. It all adds up to a watch that’s hard to beat as an all day, every day contender. Here’s our review from last year. Story in a second: The much-loved diver just got a serious makeover. Omega’s Seamaster Professional 300M is a true legend of the watch world, a watch that will be eternally associated with Bond – specifically Pierce Brosnan, the Bond who brought the franchise out of the wilderness, and once again into the spotlight. Like I said – legendary. And, as everyone knows, you don’t mess with legends. So I can only imagine that the pressure must have been high in the Omega product department in the lead up to the 25th anniversary makeover of the line, released earlier this year. And, broadly speaking, the refresh is restrained and balanced, providing upgrades where needed, but otherwise keeping the key elements right where they are. The case One of the most heated reactions to the ‘new’ Seamaster Professional was the size increase.…
Few things excite Seiko fans as much as a solid historical reissue (or re-creation in Seiko’s parlance), and this year’s limited edition, the SLA033, is about as exciting as they come. First of all, it’s based on a diver. Indeed, for many of the Seiko cognoscenti, it’s based on the diver, the 6105, a watch that — thanks to its reliability and corresponding popularity with American servicemen involved in the Vietnam War — contributed to growing the popularity of the Japanese brand in America. But what really ensured this humble diver’s place in the history books was its (period-correct) placement on the wrist of Apocalypse Now’s protagonist Captain Willard, perfectly played by Martin Sheen. And when Seiko say re-creation, they mean it. This watch is, aesthetically, virtually identical to the original, and technically much improved — watch tech has come a long way in nearly 50 years. As a result, the SLA033 offers the best of both worlds. Seiko Diver’s Re-Creation Limited Edition SLA033 Australian pricing and availability Seiko SLA033, limited to 2500 pieces, $7000
If you’ve been reading or watching Time+Tide for more than five minutes, you might have noticed that I’ve got something of a soft spot for watches that are both sublime and ridiculous. And honestly, Baselworld is the best place to see these rare, beautiful birds all in one place. Before they fly the coop into the boutiques, bank vaults and wrists of the international connoisseur cognoscenti. Now, before we get into the timepieces themselves, a quick caveat. When I say “over the top” I mean that in the best possible way. In many ways, this sort of horology represents the very best elements of the craft — artisanal skill and ingenious engineering meeting in the middle to result in something that transcends both. Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 No one does diamonds quite like Rolex. But you know what, the thing that really charms me about this piece is the batons. Perfectly graduated rainbow indices. Amazing. Chanel Première Midnight in Vendôme Nobody needs a giant gold frog with a clock in its mouth. And that’s why it’s perfect. MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT The latest addition to MB&F’s Legacy Machine line has been made with women in mind. A highly domed…
Editor’s note: Batman has been on my mind a bit recently, what with his bracelet upgrade. Which brought back this photographic comparison from a few years ago. Cue dramatic theme music … Earlier this year, we witnessed a chance encounter between two giants of both the superhuman and horological pantheons. The showdown took place at dusk, on the shores of Lake Geneva, at Franck Muller’s Watchland. The combatants? None other than the Batman, in the form of Rolex’s GMT-Master II BLNR, versus Superman, in the shape of the Franck Muller Vanguard Carbon Krypton. The Rolex will be a known quantity to most, but just in case, here’s an excellent review by Bruce (Duguay, not Wayne). Its opponent, however, is probably new to you, a variant of Franck Muller’s sporty Vanguard, the Carbon Krypton. This eye-catching creation features a highly unusual case and dial combination of carbon fibre flecked with Super-LumiNova. By day, the watch is Clark Kent, with a good-looking face and a broad-shouldered 44mm body. By night, the watch transforms into Superman, suffused with the glow of deadly Kryptonite, making it look meaner than ever. In this battle, the winner won’t be determined by case shape or mechanical prowess, but rather…
I don’t know about you, but when the price point of a timepiece starts to creep beyond the realms of the everyday, things like price points start to get a little abstract. And, let’s be real here — for most people (though perhaps not most people reading this), watches with a sticker price north of $35,000 are definitely not an everyday proposition. But Baselworld is something of a fantasy land, so we thought it only right and proper to indulge in some hypothetical high-end watch speculation. Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726/1A In the land of high-end steel sports watches, the Nautilus is king. Baselworld 2019 saw that reign (and corresponding waitlist) grow longer with the release of the complex and symmetrical reference 5726/1A, which added a gradient blue to that famous striped dial. Also, I think Andrew’s a little bit in love. De Bethune DB28 Yellow Tones Speaking of love … It might be a many splendored thing, but in the straight-up splendour stakes, De Bethune’s latest take on their classic, sculptural DB28 has it beat, thanks to a rich yellow gold treatment of the titanium case. Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon And finally, Hublot. One of my metrics for…
In a watch that was — surprisingly — not shown to media at the brand’s recent townhouse events, Bremont has added to their ‘tested beyond endurance’ tagline with a new strap option for their Supermarine family. Details around the strap are scarce, but the press release describes how, in the event of a marine mishap, a simple pull of a ripcord causes the rubber strap to inflate, like a life cuff, improving your buoyancy, and the chances of the watch surviving the mishap unharmed. No official word on who Bremont worked with in the development of this technology, but given the brand’s close working relationship with a range of aviation partners, I have no doubt they’re well connected in the marine safety sector. However, I suspect that the technology is proprietary to Bremont. Also unclear is whether this innovative strap will be offered on other timepieces, or for purchase separately. For one, I would love to see this offered across their marine releases.