HANDS-ON: Fancy a date? How about the Nomos Tangente neomatik 41 Update
Surely there is no more contentious complication in the world of watchmaking than a seemingly humble date display? It’s hard to believe that something so useful, and seemingly ubiquitous, can be so divisive. One way to end the date/no date feud is to include it, but with a twist. And a twist is certainly what the Tangente neomatik 41 Update offers. The date is shown in the radial fashion, at the outermost extremity of the dial — already alleviating the issue of a dial-disfiguring date window, and working with the Nomos’ signature pared back vibe. And the Tangente, with its ultra slim and super subtle, serif-y Arabic numerals, is the purest and most pared back of the lot, even when it’s the larger 41mm version. Back to that date, though. It’s not as simple as being a radial date; you’ll notice that the date is indicated by being bracketed between two little lozenges of red, proving that a little bit of colour goes a long way. It’s a neat implementation to be honest, which allows the radial date to occupy a fairly narrow amount of real estate (less than putting a coloured aperture above or below a number), and maintains…
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Editor’s note: More and more men are opting for tailored suits and a properly fitted outfit. Harking back to the days of style, when refinement and elegance were elements that defined a man. And as most watch fans know, no suit is complete without an accompanying piece of fine wrist wear. So before you step in for your next custom measure, it’s worth considering what will be strapped to your wrist. Perhaps Cartier’s charmingly romantic Drive de Cartier Moon Phases? In our recently published interview, Arnaud Carrez, Cartier’s Head of Marketing and Communications, said the Drive represented a different kind of masculinity, one that wasn’t defined by “muscles, sport, achievement, performance”, but by “elegance, and style, and refinement”. Looking at the Drive de Cartier Moon Phases, you can see what he means. It’s a confident watch that takes the dressy Drive design and, by adding the eternally romantic moon phase at six, elevates it to the next level of elegance. Introduced at SIHH in stainless steel and pink gold, the Drive Moon Phases took a bit of a back seat to the critically acclaimed Extra Flat, but for me the Moon Phases is the perfect embodiment of what Drive is all about. In gold,…
Editor’s note: I first wrote this story back in April 2017. And, in those more innocent days, I hoped I’d become a better person and not abuse those old favourites of the watch world. But you know what? Today I hang my head in shame. In the 18 months since this first published, I’ve written about innovation and icons a-plenty. I can be better. I will try to be better. This I pledge. A large part of my job is sifting through press releases. After a while they all start reading the same, thanks to the seemingly limited vocabulary of most marketing departments. And you know what the greatest irony is? While these communications have been designed to make the watch they’re talking about stand out and sound unique, the constant, jargonistic repetition of these rote phrases has precisely the opposite effect. Now, it’s only fair to point out that I’m far from guilt-free in this situation. I’m pretty sure I’ve abused all the below words at some point. But you know what they say – admitting you have a problem is the first step on the road to recovery. Icon A quick Google suggests that, outside of specific religious meanings,…
If you’re not familiar with the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (AKA the FHH), it’s one of the industry’s peak bodies, founded in 2005 to promote fine watchmaking in Switzerland and across the world. It’s an organisation with 43 partner brands, the most recent being Breitling. This development should come as no massive surprise if you’ve been following the recent developments around Breitling, spearheaded by Georges Kern, who stepped away from Richemont to take Breitling’s top job. Mr Kern has worked his trademark magic on the blue-chip brand, seriously shaking up the Saint-Imier-based manufacture, including a streamlined product offering. And while membership of the FHH, and alignment with spreading the message of fine watchmaking seems like a nice symbolic gesture, there’s actually a very tangible reason why it matters. The FHH is the organising body of the SIHH, and many FHH members (in addition to Richemont Group brands that dominate the Salon) also exhibit at the Salon. Does this announcement mean that an announcement about Breitling showing at SIHH is just around the corner?
Around these horological parts, we really love a good four-letter acronym – SIHH, GPHG, COSC … I think you get the idea. In fact, have a conversation with any random watch enthusiast, and chances are that at least one of these terms will come up. However, one that we don’t hear a lot about on this side of the world is SIAR. It stands for Salón Internacional Alta Relojería — the Latin American luxury watch show, which has been held in Mexico City for the past 12 years. Taking place right now, from October 16 to 18, every year sees a convergence of some of the biggest names in the industry, as well as more and more watches dedicated to the Mexican and Latin American markets. And this year is no different, with Zenith releasing a set of exclusive special-editions of their mind-boggling Defy Zero G. In all, there are three different takes of the Zero G, and each one is available in a choice of titanium, yellow gold, or rose gold. They all feature the same 44mm case with a matching bracelet and clasp, and all still house the manually wound El Primero 8812 S calibre, with its 50-hour…
If there’s one thing Bell & Ross love more than aviation, it’s skulls. They have been regularly releasing models adorned with the macabre motif since 2009. However, the two themes aren’t mutually exclusive, with their skull-emblazoned pieces referencing the military airborne units of WWII, who used the Jolly Roger as a not-so-subtle symbol of their ferocity in battle as well as to remind them of their own mortality. This year, Bell & Ross continue the tradition, introducing the very clever and, quite frankly, badass BR 01 Laughing Skull. There’s no doubt about it: if skull watches are your thing then chances are so is wrist presence. And here it’s delivered in spades. With a large 46mm square case decorated by a “Clous de Paris” pattern and inspiring thoughts of cutlasses and daggers with its matt microblasted finish. However, it’s the dial that immediately draws your eye. Resembling 2016’s BR 01 Burning Skull, the literal sword-shaped hands are filled with black Super-LumiNova and lowered slightly to now rest over the centre of the skull’s nasal cavity. There are also now glimpses of something new inside, as the skeletonised stage is set for something truly special. You see, by manually winding the crown, the…
Expertly finished cases, captivating fumé dials, and incredibly fine watchmaking … these are a few of our favourite Moser things. And, once again, all three are combined in the “very rare” brand’s latest Pioneer offering – the Moser Pioneer Tourbillon. More suitable for everyday wear, with a more robust steel case and a more casual design, the Pioneer collection is Moser’s answer to an entry-level luxury sports watch. Which, with the introduction of a flying tourbillon to the line-up, is an answer that was just made a little more complicated, but in the absolute best possible way. Still on offer is the same 42.8mm stainless-steel case with a water-resistance of 120 metres, as well as a midnight-blue fumé dial – a Moser specialty – with luminescent elements dotted around the dial and filling the semi-skeletonised hands, and an in-house movement with a 3-day power reserve. However, that movement is now the manufacturer calibre HMC 804. Featuring an 18-carat red gold rotor that quickly winds the barrel fully via a bi-directional pawl winding system, and a pair of in-house designed and produced flat hairsprings that work in opposition to one another to improve accuracy and isochronism by correcting the point of…
In Las Vegas, a little over a week ago, rapper Drake was spotted wearing the Richard Mille Erotic Tourbillon RM 69 at his concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. He took to Instagram to show off the seductive ‘oracle’ complication, which seems the perfect fit for the man known for a few suggestive lyrics of his own. But what good is the complication if you can’t see it in action? And this is one that’s all but guaranteed to see some action. So sit back, relax, and watch this video from a few years ago, where Andrew chats to Richard Mille’s chief horologist, Mr Theodore Diehl. Discovering just how the innovative brand brought Drake’s sexy watch to life.
One thing you can be sure of with smart/connected watches is the regular (if not annual) upgrade. It’s true for all the big players in the space, and the luxury sector is no different. And today Montblanc announced their latest — the Summit 2. The topline summary is: smaller, faster and more versatile. And there’s also a new, chronograph-esque form factor. The watch is down to a very wearable 42mm, a welcome downsizing from the 46mm case size of the first generation offering. It’s offered in a range of case materials — steel, titanium, black DLC, and a stealthy take on two-tone in steel and black DLC. Strap options are also (as you’d expect) numerous. The design of the case is broadly unchanged from the 1858-inspired original, with the obvious exception of those pushers, which offer you a few more non-touch ways to interact with your watch. The insides have been upgraded, too. The Summit 2 runs off the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset, which keeps things snappy. There’s also a mode that keeps the watch in time-only mode, extending the battery from a day to a week, which is a smart play. The operating system is Google’s Wear OS.…
It’s hard to overstate the significance of the Polaris collection for Jaeger-LeCoultre. In a world dominated by the round steel sports watch, JLC’s line-up has leaned heavily towards the dressy and rectangular. The Polaris, a fully evolved collection, changed that landscape overnight, and did it in style. One of the strongest offerings is the chronograph. It’s a watch that does a lot of things right, many of which should be immediately apparent. First of all, there’s the size — 42mm is just about right for this sort of sporty classic style, and at 11.9mm high it’s not as top heavy as you might expect. And then there’s the lack of a date window. Sure, it’s not practical, but it’s a move that’s sure to win lots of discerning nods from the watch cognoscenti. The dual register design is strong, and results in a very well-balanced dial, and a remarkably uncluttered one for a chrono. The Polaris DNA is there, too: the ‘12’ and ‘6’, the oversized trapezoid-shaped markers. All present and correct. The combination of rich, summery blue in a range of textures ensures this watch is a looker from all angles, and even moving away from the dial, there’s…