INTRODUCING: The Franck Muller Vanguard Grande Date
A few days ago, we introduced you to the opulent curves of Franck Muller’s Cintrée Curvex Grande Date, a curvaceously cased complicated chronograph with a big date and semi-skeletonised dial. Well, today we’ve got something just as Grande in the date department: the Franck Muller Vanguard Grande Date, with a dial that’s a little more openworked, and a case that’s still plenty curvy. Vanguard by both name and nature, Franck Muller’s Vanguard collection extends on those oh-so-well-rounded proportions of the brand’s famed Cintrée Curvex case design, with bolder styling, larger dimensions and equally as strong curves. The tonneau-shaped case of this particular Vanguard Grande Date measures 44mm across by 53.7mm from top to bottom, with a thickness of 12.8mm, and is available in a variety of materials, from stainless-steel or titanium, to carbon or 18k rose gold (as pictured here). A larger case also means more room for the things that delight our eyes, with the inner architecture of the automatic in-house manufactured movement put on full display through the openworked dial on the front and a sapphire crystal on the back. It is only obscured by large lume-filled hour markers and semi-skeletonised hands, and the outer rings of small…
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Hublot has built its brand on the twin pillars of big and bold — I mean, they don’t call it a Big Bang for nothing. This year the brand changed tack with the announcement of a scaled-down Big Bang, clocking in at a much more wrist-friendly 42mm. Just quietly, I think this is an awesome development: 42mm means that the watch will comfortably fit more wrists than ever before, while still offering maximalist impact. And it’s just the beginning, with fairly core models being offered in this smaller diameter, but I suspect that will change soon … So, if you’ve never tried on a Hublot for fear of it overwhelming your wrist, I’d strongly suggest trying the 42mm Big Bang on for size. Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium Chronograph 42mm Australian pricing Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium Chronograph 42mm, $22,100.
A shy, sheepish, shrinking violet is not how I would describe this particular version of Franck Muller’s Cintrée Curvex Grande Date. But then again, it’s not a piece that was designed to sit quietly in a corner. Instead, it’s a showcase of all that defines Franck Muller’s most iconic collection, from its wonderfully proportioned case curves to whimsical numeral designs and complicated movements. It’s actually best if we don’t leave all the describing to mere words, either. The old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words is no truer than right here, where it’s multiplied tenfold by the elegantly rounded curves of the Cintrée Curvex case and its dazzling array of diamonds. Measuring 39.5mm across by 55.3mm from top to bottom, the sweeping lines of the manufacturer’s most recognisable case form can also be had sans diamonds (for those more reserved folk) – in stainless-steel, and 18k rose or white gold. And a seamlessly integrated sapphire crystal continues the case’s contours and domes over the top of a semi-openworked dial, with a window that cuts through to the collection’s more technical side. Peeking through the familiar sunray guilloché-patterned white dial, with its instantly recognisable Arabic numerals, is a…
Editor’s note: The ever-changing beauty of the moon meets the constant charms of Raymond Weil’s musically inspired Maestro. The results are powerful. Call me a romantic, but the moon phase complication is amongst my favourites. Paradoxically, it’s also amongst the least functional — tracking the waxing and waning of our most significant satellite isn’t something that’s high on my list of life priorities. And when the topic does come up, I can, you know, look at the sky. But, really, that’s not the point of a moon phase. It’s a complication of wonder, one that speaks — on a scale far broader than hours or minutes — to the passing of time. It also reminds you that time isn’t an abstract concept, it’s linked to astronomical events — the earth, sun and moon etc. Raymond Weil has done well to capture this overall sense of stargazing whimsy in their Maestro Moon Phase. I mean, sure, the perfectly sized 39.5mm steel case is plain and simple, living up to the classic principles of the Maestro family. The dial, though, is where it really comes alive. Blue tones are the order of the day, but the effect on the wrist is far…
Late last week, Time+Tide was honoured to co-host an exclusive event at the Sydney Chopard boutique that centred around a tour of the key features of a genuine rockstar of a watch – the 2017 GPHG Aiguille d’Or winner, the extraordinary Chopard L.U.C Full Strike. Also attending the event were members of the Trivett Bespoke and Cure Cancer teams as well as some Baselworld 2018 Chopard L.U.C pieces. I explained to an intimate luxury cellar of just 25 people, in reverent tones, that standing next to the Full Strike, not just the model (which has been sold out worldwide since launch) but the actual watch that was on stage at the 2017 GPHG is, for a watch person, like standing next to the actual Bradley Cooper. But, in lots of ways, Chopard L.U.C winning the GPHG is far more impressive than Cooper’s potential Oscar win this year as a 43-year-old man. Because Chopard L.U.C is a mere 22-year-old. Chopard L.U.C was launched in 1996. The signs that it would go on to great things, and quickly, were there from the start. The first Chopard L.U.C movement developed, the 1.96, was declared by WatchTime in 1996 to be the “finest automatic movement being…
Rado’s DiaMaster Petite Seconde is a great contender for a go-to daily wearer, as it offers a pretty good taste of both worlds. The style is restrained without being boring — there are heritage touches there, like the leaf-shaped hands and small seconds, but it’s also pleasingly up to date in terms of fine design details and current colour palettes. Where Rado really stands out, though, is with the strength of the case. And here I mean that literally, as the case is ceramic, and pretty much scratch-proof. The movement, as with most of Rado’s modern movements, is solid, too, with a silicon spiral and 80 hours of power reserve. All told, the DiaMaster Petite Seconde is a solid-looking and performing piece that offers very solid value. Rado DiaMaster Petite Seconde Australian pricing Rado DiaMaster Petite Seconde, $3450
Last week, Piaget opened their first ever Australian Boutique, and we were lucky enough to attend the opening. Piaget has joined several of their Richemont cohort, including Cartier, Montblanc and Panerai, at Melbourne’s iconic Chadstone Shopping Centre. The upscale apartment vibe provides a more relaxed approach to retail, with nice design touches, like informal seating options. The overall atmosphere is inviting and intimate rather than stuffy. As Gaspard Barthelemy, Brand Manager Piaget Australia, walked me through the store, he excitedly showed off the extensive range of novelty pieces and high jewellery watches on display. From your standard stainless steel Polo S Watch to Tourbillons to Ultra-thin Altiplano Gem-set pieces (there’s 259 brilliant-cut diamonds and 78 baguette-cut diamonds), the new store is well-stocked, colourful and full of variety. My pick of the night? Aside from a stunning iced-out Altiplano Gem-set Skeleton watch on Gaspard’s wrist, I’d take the Polo S Watch in rose gold. The contrasting blue alligator strap and fresh white dial really makes for a beautiful combination — and a fantastic summer look as we enter the Australian summer. And, don’t worry: this particular watch comes with an additional brown mahogany strap — perfect for those on the other side of the world entering winter. For…
It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. And that’s largely because there’s an uncomfortable pressure mounting to buy presents and to have an answer when your friends, family and beloved ask, “what do you want this year?” The answer might just be one of our gift packs, available for a limited time in the Time+Tide shop. We are here to help, and for the first time, we’re making it easier than ever to buy for the watch people in your life with a range of carefully selected assortments of our superior quality watch products. If anyone you know is into watches, they’re going to be into these packs – we can personally vouch for them. There is a travel theme here, as the focus in our first range of accessories has been on watch carry – we are constantly on the move (Australia being considerably removed from the world watch action) and found this an area where a lot of value can be added to even the most kitted out connoisseur with our pouches, tools and deluxe watch boxes, all designed for the road. In addition, we are firm believers that a new strap is the watch world’s answer to fashion’s layering,…
I love this time of year: the decorations, the food, the festivities, and, of course, the pre-SIHH announcements. And one brand that never fails to excite during this joyous season is IWC, with the Schaffhausen manufacturer gearing up for 2019 with the beginnings of what looks like another wonderful year for the Pilot’s watch. The first flight off the deck is this one, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition. Dedicated to the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” project, which next year will see a beautifully restored (and slickly chromed out) Supermarine Spitfire take off from London, covering more than 43,000 kilometres over several months on a round-the-world flight. Regular readers, and fans of IWC, will know that this isn’t the first model to bear the Spitfire, or for that matter, the Timezoner name. And this version is based on a chronograph we first saw back in 2016. However, this is the very first to combine IWC’s patented Timezoner mechanism with an entirely in-house made IWC movement – the calibre 82760 with automatic Pellaton winding, ceramic components, and a 60-hour power reserve. Essentially, the watch is a three-handed Pilot’s watch with a 24-hour display in the top half of…
This watch is pure flex. And not just because it’s a beast on the wrist, thanks largely to that hugely tall domed sapphire crystal. No, the reason the Breguet Tradition 7047 is such a power watch is the movement. Not only is there a whopping great tourbillon whirring away — taking up the top half of the dial — but there’s one full-on fusee and chain mechanism going on at the bottom of the dial. This very old regulating method is very technical and very cool. For me it also takes the Tradition collection’s ongoing juxtaposition of old school watchmaking know-how and modern style to its natural — and ultimate — conclusion. Breguet Tradition 7047 Australian pricing Breguet Tradition 7047, $225,600