HANDS-ON: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked
One of the finest openworked watches on the market right now (and one that, paradoxically, didn’t make our list of skeletonised watches) is the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked from Audemars Piguet. Visually, this pink gold case with predominantly steel movement architecture is everything you’d expect — that classic RO case and bracelet looking boss, with a deep, complex openworked dial. And while legibility is the main concern here (there’s not a heap of contrast between the movement and those gold hands, compared to earlier versions with a grey movement finish), it quickly becomes apparent that the titular double balance, nestled at eight o’clock is the star of the show. What, I hear you ask, precisely is a double balance? Well, the role of a balance is to regulate the accuracy of the watch. This watch offers not one, but two balance wheels — which is good, as more mass equals more accuracy. What’s more, the balance wheels are set against each other to hopefully offset any variance in its twin. The case measures in at 37mm across, making it a solid, and solidly opulent, choice for more slender wrists. But regardless of whether it’s worn by a king…
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By now, you’ve seen the news everywhere. Phillips auctions touting their upcoming sale with headlines like “Phillips to Sell Steve McQueen’s Rolex Submariner”, and lines that read as “a historically important and previously unknown Rolex Submariner owned and worn by Steve McQueen.” (copied directly from the Phillips Auctions website at time of writing). As soon as this hit the news, I had to read and re-read what was being presented, as I – and numerous collectors and industry professionals – couldn’t help but question some of the details of what some would interpret as an intricately woven tale of a long-lost watch brought back from the dead. While there are a handful of hard facts about this watch that’s coming up for sale, there are quite a few missing puzzle pieces that stand between the watch and its educated buying public. Before we get into the nitty-gritty about this watch, there is some air that needs to be cleared. Through my investigation I spoke with numerous collectors, auction specialists, as well as a few people who have actually seen the watch in person prior to its restoration. The most interesting bit, and not surprising given how big and rightfully well-respected…
Editor’s note: Work. It’s one of life’s unavoidable necessities. And for us watch folk, a place that if we’re not careful, our choice of wrist-wear and love of watches can lead to a spot of trouble. Especially now, when the year’s brand-new releases are hitting the storefronts and there is research and shortlisting to be done. While HR are no use, we have your back here at T+T. And although we can’t help you towards an early retirement, or even write you a sick note, we can help you hide your obsession in the office with these 9 helpful hints from Mr Andy Green. Odds are that if you’ve found your way to our website and landed on an article titled ‘How to hide your watch obsession’ then you’re pretty passionate about your watches. After all, they say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. But I’m not here to solve anyone’s problems — I’m here to help you hide them. To the uninitiated, spending what seems like abhorrent amounts of money on watches might seem ridiculous. To make matters worse, it can send the wrong idea. After all, fine mechanical watches are expensive, so lots of expensive…
Editor’s note: Add a splash of maritime to the wrist with fine naval details dispersed from its bow to its stern. Recently we covered the latest super-yacht-friendly release from the master of complications, the Franck Muller Vanguard S6 Yachting. So what better time to revisit the seagoing origins of the Yachting collection? And take a look back to where it all began, with this blue-dialled version that’s equally as nautical and just as vanguard. The last time we had Franck Muller in the office it was a bold Vanguard clad in sinister black and red – a watch that was at once sporty and menacing. Today we’re looking at another take on their trademark curved shape, and while the case and dial layout are similar to the Vanguard, the overall look and feel couldn’t be more different. The name gives the game away a little, but the Yachting watch offers a fresh nautical feel on the wrist. The marine allusions start with the dial, a shimmering navy blue that pairs well with the bright white Arabic hour markers. On top of that, the centre of the dial displays a compass rose, a navigational motif that is picked up in the outer section of the dial (complete…
Editor’s note: The perennially popular IWC Pilot’s Chronograph is one of those iconic modern tool watches that can pull off almost any occasion, thanks to its handsomely utilitarian design. To prove just how versatile it is, Andy recently spent some time with the Spitfire at Goodwood. And while I could start waxing lyrical about the much loved classic or by quoting Top Gun, I’ll stop myself and hand it over to my wingman Felix to buzz the tower (sorry not sorry). If you’ve been paying even marginal attention to IWC over the past seven months, you’ll have noticed it’s on a bit of an aviation kick, refreshing the entire Pilot’s family and adding some tantalising novelties like the limited edition ‘Le Petit Prince’ edition of the Big Pilot and the ingenious Timezoner. Impressive as these are, they’re not the bread and butter of IWC’s Pilot’s line. That falls to fresh faces like the Mark XVIII, and updated stalwarts like this one, the Pilot’s Chronograph. If you were to look quickly at this new reference (IW377710, or IW377709 on Santoni leather) next to the outgoing IW377701 you could be forgiven for thinking they were the same watch. But take another look, and numerous small tweaks become…
In an unusually candid on-stage interview, Chris Hemsworth has revealed that he often buys watches for his support staff when a movie wraps and that his relationship with TAG Heuer started when he was gifted a watch after the 2013 movie Rush. “I think TAG Heuer probably realised I was into the brand when I started buying more of them for myself and my team to celebrate the end of a movie. I don’t mean hundreds of people, just my chef, my trainer, my stuntman.” Hemsworth, who became one of the brand’s global ambassadors in 2015, was the guest of honour at the ’55 Years of Carrera’ event at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art that also housed an exhibition of rare TAG Heuer and Heuer Carrera models, dating back to the first ever Carrera from 1963, which was named after the legendary Carrera Panamericana Mexico road race. Since the mid-’90s, the Carrera has emerged as the centrepiece of TAG Heuer’s range and has evolved into three distinct pillars – retro, contemporary and futuristic – that we will soon explore in a video. Called ‘Museum in Motion’, the exhibition also features modern Carreras, including the new TAG Heuer Carrera Tête de…
Editor’s note: Well, it’s been a year since this one was first published. And while a lot has changed over the last 12 months, a few things remain the same. I keep getting older, like a kid on Christmas morning I still look forward to even-numbered days, and I still love a strap change. Most importantly, though, the LHD is still on my wrist and it looks and feels as good today as it did when I first picked it up. Late last year I celebrated a milestone birthday, turning the big three-zero. After coming to terms with the death of my twenties and realising that the big moments in life should be celebrated not mourned, I decided the occasion needed to be marked with a new watch. Thankfully, my wife agreed, so a budget was set and the search was on: I began the task of shortlisting contenders. The top pick changed more times than I feel comfortable admitting, but finally, one watch prevailed — the practical and modern Tudor Pelagos. The only thing left to decide was the dial colour. The easily wearable black dial? Or the vibrant blue? Then, to throw a spanner in the works, the week I was ready to…
Skeletonised watches — where the solid dial, and in some cases the entire movement, has been pared down and stripped away to leave the bare bones of the architecture — can be something of an acquired taste. And, as with all watches, the look can vary greatly, from ultra traditional to modern, depending on the execution. But at their heart, skeleton watches allow you to see more of your watch, exposing the complicated beauty to the wider world. Here are six of the best skeleton watches we’ve seen this year. Panerai L’Astronomo Luminor 1950 Tourbillon Moon Phases Equation of Time Let’s kick things off with one of the big dogs of SIHH: the Panerai L’Astronomo Luminor 1950 Tourbillon Moon Phases Equation of Time. Epic name, epic watch. Believe it or not, this is the first time Panerai has ever made a moon phase watch. But, as you can see, this is so much more than that, with an intricate, exceptional tourbillon and detail for days. Raymond Weil Freelancer Calibre RW1212 A little simpler, but no less skeletonised than the Panerai, is Raymond Weil’s latest take on their RW1212, a movement they’re justifiably proud of, and clearly keen to show off to…