VIDEO: The top Jaquet Droz watches from Basel 2018 (hint, there’s a lot of Grande Seconde in the mix)
Just because Jaquet Droz is a relative newcomer to Australia doesn’t mean they don’t have history. The brand dates back to the mid-18th century, and, besides watches and clocks, is famous for their incredible automata. And while the incredibly complex, high-end art/engineering pieces are still important for the brand, we thought we’d keep it real and focus on their slightly more down-to-earth offerings from Baselworld 2018, offerings that focused heavily on their signature Grande Seconde model, with its oversized seconds subdial. And like any good signature model, the Grande Seconde is versatile. It excels at traditional — as evidenced by the black enamel moonphase model, and the yellow gold and grand feu Tribute — but can pivot nicely to contemporary, with the addition of a ceramic case or skeletonised treatment. Excellent stuff from a niche brand, with a strong and sophisticated identity.
The post VIDEO: The top Jaquet Droz watches from Basel 2018 (hint, there’s a lot of Grande Seconde in the mix) appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
Given that T+T is an Australian-based site, I’ve spent a fair amount of time over the years looking at watches from local brands. And I’ve got to say, I haven’t seen a single offering as all-round impressive as this Creux Automatiq Ghost Explorer. What I was most impressed (and surprised) by with the Ghost Explorer was the overall build quality. But I’ll get to that in a bit. First, let’s look at the bigger picture. Creux launched in 2016, the passion project of Kiwi rapper-cum-jeweller Dane Rumble. And what initially separates these watches from the rest of the indie/micro/Kickstarter pack is the look. Creux have opted for a more modern aesthetic, a style that owes inspiration to Richard Mille, Audemars Piguet, Hublot et al. The exaggerated tonneau shape, the skeletonised dial, exposed bezel screws, and sporty rubber strap is familiar, but not derivative, or a homage in the pejorative sense. In and of itself, this style is a bold move, enough to instantly set the young brand apart from the majority of its round, dressy or heritage-inspired peers. Not for everyone, sure, but honestly, if this style is your jam, you won’t find much else at this price point. This…
In the wonderful world of Grand Seiko, if it’s not using a quartz crystal – and, yes, that includes the Spring Drive – then inside is a Caliber 9S movement. Introduced in 1998, the Caliber 9S is the staple of all mechanical Grand Seikos and forms the base for everything from humble three-handers to hi-beats and GMTs. This year, Grand Seiko are celebrating the 20th birthday of the 9S with – in addition to quite a few other LEs – the release of the Grand Seiko Blue Ceramic Hi-Beat GMT “Special” Limited Edition. Vital statistics Inside is a very “special” version of the Caliber 9S86 movement. Adjusted to six positions and allowing for changes in temperature, the movement exceeds the already stringent accuracy tolerances set by Grand Seiko, and is accurate to within +4 to -2 seconds per day, while it still features the added functionality of a GMT hand, and runs at 10 beats per second for up to 55 hours. This particular version of the 9S86 is now kept running by an oscillating weight made from titanium and tungsten. Visible through a sapphire crystal case back, the titanium sections of the weight are treated with an anodic oxidation…
When in London, it’d be rude not to drop in and see one of their (very few) British watch brands – Bremont. Luckily, the brand’s co-founder Giles English happened to be around their Mayfair boutique and up for a cup of tea. I might’ve had a coffee, but that didn’t stop Giles and I chatting through some of the brand’s recent releases. As I stepped out of the cold into the warmth of their store, I welcomed by one of the coolest store-fits I’ve ever experienced. If you’ve visited a Bremont Boutique, you know what I’m talking about. It’s not often you see a Martin-Baker ejection seat on display. Immediately, Giles pulled out a piece, the Bremont Endurance, which was worn and tested by polar explorer Ben Saunders in Antarctica. Needless to say, it was impressive to see a watch that lasted 52 days in Antarctica (which is 52 more than I would)! Giles then brought over a tray of new releases. Having been launched just weeks before my visit, I hadn’t had the opportunity to see them in person. Aside from the ice-cool Endurance, three others from the new collection caught my eye. First up was the brand new Bremont Airco…
Though technically introduced ahead of Baselworld 2018, the fair provided the first opportunity to take a first-hand look at the latest Omega watch collection for the 2018 Olympics, and to be perfectly frank, I was more than impressed. More oft than not, Omega’s releases tied to the Olympic Games can be quite hit-and-miss. Case in point, the Mark II Speedmaster launched for Rio in 2016 was a home run, whereas the white dial Seamaster for the Vancouver 2010 Games (with a cherry-red bezel) was a bit lacklustre. This year, a collection of five dressy vintage-inspired Seamaster watches (one in each of the ring colours) have been unveiled, taking design cues from an Omega stopwatch created for the 1976 Montreal Games, which in press imagery looked like a real winner. Here’s what you need to know. Vital statistics Right out of the gates, there’s a lot to love about these new Seamaster models. Powered by the Co-Axial Master Chronometer certified Calibre 8800, you’re getting top-spec Omega. A 55-hour power reserve, silicon balance spring, and magnetic resistance up to 15,000 Gauss. Shy of the small Olympic rings at six o’clock (below the date), these pieces certainly don’t scream “Olympic edition” but rather…
Now, IWC is a brand I’ve always admired from afar, but haven’t had substantial personal experience with until last month. The timing worked out well, and I happened to be in the UK at the time of the Goodwood 76th Members’ Meet — an event I’d been dying to attend. Luckily for me, IWC Schaffhausen is the Official Timing Partner of the Goodwood Members’ Meeting and was kind enough to invite me along. Of course, I couldn’t attend such an event without some form of chronograph — and naturally an IWC. I ended up choosing the IWC Spitfire Chronograph on bracelet for my travels. The meet – Goodwood 76th Members’ Meeting As I arrived at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in Chichester, filled with excitement, I was hit by an icy chill. I was seriously underprepared for the unusually cold March day and was feeling the sort of cold I’d never felt before. Lucky for me, IWC had a strong presence at the meet and hosted guests within their multi-level trackside marquee. It was there I sought refuge from the snow, drank copious cups of coffee, and mingled with other guests. One particular guest, who I bumped into as I was leaving the gents, had taken…
The dust of Baselworld 2018 has finally settled, and while there was a ton of quick news to hammer through, there are certain topics that require a little more digestion. Case in point: the world of small independent watchmaking had a lot on offer this year, both outlandish and understated. Having seen and handled innumerable watches during the duration of the fair, sifting through the archives to come to a decision on who led the pack required both patience and a healthy dose of decompression. Of course, there were some obvious frontrunners from the likes of H. Moser, Angelus, and something truly bonkers from Urwerk; however, there were a healthy number of releases both conservative and outlandish from all over this category. Sarpaneva Moonment Many of us in the industry have had a soft spot for Stepan Sarpaneva’s wild creations, but in 2018 he has upped the game by launching his first ever in-house caliber. The hand-wound caliber is partially exposed beneath Sarpaneva’s trademark cage-style dial, and features a unique interpretation of the brand’s iconic moonphase complication. Using vertically stacked optic fibre, and a solid rotating moonphase disc, the moonphase has a fascinating eclipse-like appearance that changes dramatically depending on…
Editor’s note: Along with dive watches, we seem to have an insatiable fascination with pilot’s watches — even though pretty much no one who wears one knows how to fly, and even if we did, they’ve been largely superseded by modern cockpit instrumentation. But this is a case of practicality being beside the point, as Cam explores in his excellent list … First things first, just what is a pilot’s watch? While I think most of us could instantly recognise one, there isn’t an exact formula like there is when it comes to dive watches — and there’s a lot more to it than simply being a watch a pilot would wear. Ultimately (since you asked), a pilot’s watch is one that is instantly readable at a glance, whether in simple time-only form, or more complicated with functions that a pilot might find useful. And while we can’t all be Maverick or Iceman (no one wants to be Goose), we can still live out the fantasy and feel the need for speed with these … Longines Avigation BigEye We love it, you love it, even the who’s who of the watch industry love it, with this Avigation claiming “Revival of the Year”…
There’s a lot of important planning that happens in the lead up to Baselworld. But perhaps the single most important question is — what watch do I wear? In previous years I’ve taken a handful of pieces, something I wasn’t keen to do this year, as I find it vaguely stressful travelling with more than one (what if I leave it on a plane!), and I typically end up wearing only one the whole week. So this year I decided to travel with just one, and I also thought it was the perfect opportunity to put a travel-oriented watch through its paces in a real-world setting. So, a bit of back and forth later, one watch emerged at the top of my short list. The Montblanc Orbis Terrarum, released back in 2015. I’ve always liked this watch; it looks good and offers great value, and over the years I’ve done my darndest to get some more meaningful time with it. Well, this time around the stars aligned, and I found myself looking down at that little blue world as I jetted my way to Switzerland. Once I put it on, it felt … refreshingly wearable. I often find complicated watches a…
Oh what a difference a strap makes. Last year, when Longines chose to pair their mighty Legend Diver — a watch the Vice President calls the most successful heritage model ever — with a Milanese loop bracelet, they succeeded in creating a third wave of interest in the model that made its way to the door of Time+Tide in Melbourne. The first wave was at its launch in 2007, auspiciously without date. The second wave was the date version that inevitably followed, and the third was the 2017 release with Milanese bracelet. With its heavy, supple bracelet in polished steel making the polished case shine even brighter, we looked at the watch with completely fresh eyes. Now, like eager surfers, we await even more sets of surprising and surging waves from the winged hourglass brand, which has chosen this versatile all-rounder as the shape of many new things to come.