INTRODUCING: The Melbourne born and bred John Robert Wristwatches Archetype collection
It isn’t often that the brands we review are homegrown right here in Melbourne, but that’s exactly the case with John Robert Wristwatches. Melbourne is a really, really long way from Switzerland (just ask Andrew about the long-haul flights to Baselworld over the years). But despite the tyranny of distance, the first John Robert Wristwatches Archetype collection has several compelling features that are cause for serious consideration. In essence, the Archetype is a modern realisation of a mid-century dress watch. And if you’re looking for a place in horological history to plant a flag for your first watch, the unofficial but universally regarded golden age of watch design is a good place to do it. The Archetype is available with either a Swiss-made automatic or quartz movement, as well as three different dial colours of blue, white and charcoal, which offer a good range of options right from the word go. The particularly interesting thing about all six of the new Archetype references is that the closer you look, the more details you see that make you realise this is a collection that’s been meticulously thought through. While the Sellita SW200 powering the automatic references is relatively ubiquitous for a…
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Editor’s note: For many desirable watches, the ‘waiting list’ is now not even an option. And as for a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711, it’s well and truly closed, with the announcement this week that it will be discontinued. As a result there’s a good deal of cynicism about the whole concept. Which is why, when this video – about Tom’s lucky day – was nostalgically raised at an editorial meeting this week, we all glazed over. See, there WAS a time when the system worked. When you put your name down and got “the call”. We thought we’d revisit it on the site. These days may be gone, and the prices on the 5711 rising like the level of this cup tea in a post by @hautetime , but here’s the proof they did exist… View this post on Instagram A post shared by Time+Tide (@timetidewatches) In the first episode of a new Time+Tide video series called ‘Every Watch Tells A Story’ — in which we ask people to choose a watch in their collection with a memorable backstory — Tom explains how he came to be the proud owner of a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711, a watch that has had arguably more attention in…
“I’m a working class lad from Lancashire,” Michael Bisping said in a recent interview. “I’ve got a solid gold Rolex but I never wear it, because I feel like an absolute wanker.” Right there, with the concussive force of one of his left hooks, the former MMA fighter nails that vague sense of unease that every owner of a gold Rolex must navigate. That’s because no other watch can trigger such a flood of polarising emotions that range from searing envy to sanctimonious disdain. A gold Rolex isn’t just a watch, it’s a divisive psychodrama with more baggage than a luggage carousel. We don’t know which specific watch Bisping was referring to here. Was it the classic Day-Date with its fluted bezel perched aloft that distinctive president bracelet? The Datejust with the honeyed sheen of its champagne dial? The Cosmograph Daytona with its bejewelled rainbow bezel? To be honest, it doesn’t really matter. Whatever Rolex he owns, Bisping has earned it. The British fighter certainly did the hard yards to become a UFC Hall of Famer. Before his career in the Octagon took off, Bisping was forced to graft away in a series of low paid jobs that included stints…
More often then not, when we take a deep dive into a watch release, we explore creations billed for men. The idea of gendered watches is becoming more and more contested and, quite frankly, when it comes to spending your hard-earned money you should be able to wear whatever you want. The Bulgari Serpenti, however, is completely designed with a lady’s wrist in mind – although gentlemen feel free to explore if you think you have the fashion chops to pull it off. As the Roman Jeweller of Time, Bulgari has the ability to create watches that showcase how the externals of a watch can be just as complex as its internals. As a brand they experiment with distinct design formats and gem-setting that can only stem from their in-house expertise and know-how. This fusion of top-notch artisanal skillsets has resulted in the latest trio of updates to the Serpenti Spiga line of watches that were originally introduced in 2014. The Serpenti Spiga watch, as its name implies, takes the shape of a serpent or snake. It’s coiled design conforms to the wrist, like a snake trapping its prey – the difference here being you get to decide how tight.…
Happy New Year (better late than never)! We’re nearly at the end of January, so hopefully any ill-advised resolutions to buy fewer watches have already been abandoned. After all, there have already been a number of pretty exciting new releases to lead you astray thanks to LVMH Watch Week. But forgetting watches for just a few moments, I’d like to say from everyone here at Time+Tide: thank you and well done. Thank you for all of your support throughout 2020, reading the site, watching our videos and helping us sell out our first ever Time+Tide collaboration watch with Bamford Watch Department. We couldn’t have done it without you. And well done for making it through 2020 (hopefully) intact, because that was one tricky son of a gun to navigate. This year has already served up a few shocks. The surging popularity of GameStop, Australia’s nail-biting defeat in the cricket to India and Patek Philippe discontinuing the Nautilus 5711. But hopefully 2021 will also deliver some nice surprises in the watch department. Thankfully, LVMH Watch Week has got us off to a decent start with a number of strong releases from the likes of Bulgari, Hublot and Zenith. So with that…
To update an icon, Omega have always understood that the path must be evolution rather than revolution. So what did they do on the first Speedy Tuesday of 2021? They showed the world what the next step was down the path of the Speedmaster Moonwatch. Eight new references were announced, including options in Sedna gold and Canopus gold, plus steel with hesalite or sapphire crystal over the dial, to welcome in the all new Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Master Chronometer collection. Carefully walking the line between preserving the past and preparing for the future, Omega have updated only a few key areas of the Speedmaster, including a new movement across the entire range, an updated bracelet and a slightly more compact case. These changes retain the core of what makes the Speedy a watch that is as popular as it is historically important, while bringing it into the 21st century of space flight. Without a doubt, this is the most significant overhaul to the Omega Speedmaster in decades, and it is an exciting one. With an improved movement that is more robust, accurate and likely to have longer intervals between services, as well as a redesign of the case and bracelet…
Earlier this week, it was reported that Patek Philippe had discontinued the hottest luxury watch on the market after 15 years: the Nautilus 5711/A. The news was rather shocking when you consider the fact the watch commanded a speculated eight year waitlist – and that is assuming you had earned the privilege of being added to the queue. Alongside the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the Patek Philippe Nautilus helped usher in the integrated steel sports watch craze and helped create a marketplace where at times steel was valued more than gold. With demand far greater than supply, secondhand prices for the 5711 command staggering premiums and with the 5711 discontinued prices are jetting off past the stratosphere into outer space. WatchPro has reported that since news of the discontinuation of the 5711 broke secondhand prices have climbed 50%. According to the chart provided to WatchPro by Chrono24, the rise began when the rumor of the end of its production run began to spread and increased even more when the news officially broke. Buyers scrambled to source one upon the news. According to WatchPro, “Chrono24 says it has received double the number of requests to purchase the 5711 in January compared to…
Vintage-inspired watches have been selling like hotcakes for a few years now, and there’s no sign of their popularity slowing down. And to be honest, I can understand why. Design from the golden age of watchmaking in the middle of last century, blended with all of the perks of modern watchmaking – what’s not to like? It’s like getting in a time machine and not needing to worry that you’ll get stuck in the past without your smartphone. As it turns out, you can have your cake and eat it too. It’s that design ethos that we see in the latest collection from Farer in the Field Watch Collection, which offer the best of no-nonsense British tool watch design, with a robust Swiss-made caliber inside. There are three references to choose from, each with their own personalities thanks to their different coloured dials that all offer a slightly different presence on the wrist. The case The Farer Field Watch Collection features three different watches that share most of the same specifications on paper, apart from the colours on their dials. Measuring an almost universally perfect 38.5mm in diameter and sitting just 12.3mm tall, they are well sized to feel compact,…
Britain has a long history of horological greatness, having lead the way in innovation thanks to the likes of Thomas Tompion and John Harrison. Today, Farer is a brand that continues to fly the flag for passionate UK watchmakers. Established in 2015, Farer has released a number of heritage-inspired collections. Their philosophy is underpinned by seeking the best operators for the task at hand, using the contemporary watchmaking know-how of Switzerland and blending it with their own British watch design. This year they have announced a new collection in the Farer Field Watch Collection that fuses heritage inspiration with a modern vibrancy that is hard to ignore. With three new references sitting within this latest collection, there are options with green, blue and white dials. Apart from the dials, the rest of the specifications are consistent across the collection with stainless-steel cases that measure 38.5mm in diameter and sit a relatively compact 12.3mm off the wrist. With 200m of water resistance guaranteed, these watches will be able to handle all the surf sessions and spelunking trips you can throw at them. If you’re looking for something that can accompany you on your next camping trip, or just a slightly more…