Watches by material: 7 carbon watches that are lightweight, futuristic and hard as nails
Watchmaking is a heritage and tradition-driven industry that does not always feel the need to explore modern design and materials. But fortunately some manufacturers have realised there is a segment of consumers itching for brands to do just that. In previous articles I have noted the rather homogenised nature of watches on the market which, to be fair, is largely a result of our purchasing behaviors that steer the course that companies take. But the growing presence of carbon in watchmaking today constitutes a rebel outpost that is countering this aspect of the industry. Carbon has the benefit of being a very robust and light alternative to more common metal cases. It is easier to tame on a manufacturing line than titanium, but provides comparable shock resistance and heft to the lightweight metal. Carbon naturally provides a new texture and distinctive aesthetic previously not found in timepieces and more brands are beginning to experiment with the futuristic material. Here are seven carbon watches you should check out, all at varying price points. Victorinox I.N.O.X. Carbon Mechanical Because carbon is fairly new to the industry, the pricing of the watches can be at times quite high – usually to offset the…
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Conor McGregor is a larger-than-life personality within the world of MMA. When you’re as successful as the “The Notorious” Irishman, you can not only afford to strut your stuff in the manner he does, but also spend ludicrous sums of money on watches. Yesterday, McGregor shared a window into his extraordinary life, filming his visit to a Jacob & Co boutique to purchase not just one watch but two! The brand’s watches by no means come cheap, incorporating high jewellry and horology into wildly original and creative timepieces. With an already knockout watch collection, McGregor spent nearly £2.2 million on a Astronomia Tourbillon Baguette in rose gold and a Rasputin Diamond Erotic Minute Repeater – both brazen choices to match his bold personality. Jacob & Co Astronomia Tourbillion Baguette in rose gold View this post on Instagram A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma) The Astronomia watch from Jacob & Co is a very intricate and complex mechanism that results in a very distinct and beautiful watch. There are four arms that rotate beneath its domed globe like sapphire crystal – making a full rotation every ten minutes. The four “satellites” on the arms are comprised of…
Mark Cavendish is arguably the greatest cycling sprinter of the modern era. But despite having a little less speed in his legs than he once did, his change of teams to Deceuninck–Quick-Step has sparked much excitement among cycling fans. As both a cycling nerd and watch enthusiast, today I got even more excited when I saw his Instagram story during a training ride with new teammate Julian Alaphilippe. Why? Because they were both wearing their Richard Milles. Alaphilippe came to our attention late last year during the delayed edition of the 2020 Tour de France, when he was spotted cruising along mid-race with a AUD$168,000 RM 67-02 on his wrist. Like Richard Mille himself, Alaphilippe is a Frenchman and one of the more recent athletes to join the select group of RM-wearing sportsmen. Mark Cavendish has been a part of the Richard Mille stable for a number of years now, a well suited athlete to wear such a technically advanced and robustly built watch while racing. Cavendish will begin his 15th season at the highest level of cycling, and has one of the most impressive race resumes on the planet. The 35-year-old has 30 Tour de France stage wins to…
Many, many people out there view the ubiquitous Rolex Submariner as the forefather of all amphibious timepieces. And they’re dead wrong. In fact, the first truly fit-for-purpose dive watch was made by one of the oldest Swiss watchmakers in the game – Blancpain. The story of the world’s first dive watch is an interesting one, and it all started with a man nicknamed “The French James Bond”. Captain Robert “Bob” Maloubier was a French national who, at the beginning of 1940, enlisted in Winston Churchill’s secretive Special Operations Executive. SOE was an organisation that focused on espionage and unorthodox combat tactics in occupied Europe during the Second World War. Maloubier would become one of the firm’s foremost spies and, after parachuting into occupied France, he was responsible for spying on and sabotaging the Nazi war machine as well as supporting the French Resistance. At the close of WW2, Maloubier would enlist in the Marine Nationale (French Navy), and it was during his time at “Le Royale” that he and fellow compatriot, Lieutenant Claude Riffaud, would establish the French military’s combat diving corps, more commonly known as the “French Frogmen”. In the course of their training and clandestine missions, it became…
If you’re a regular reader of Time+Tide, you’re likely to sit somewhere on the scale of watch addiction. From unrelenting curiosity to full-blown collecting mania, you should know that you aren’t alone in your unquenchable thirst for that next addition to the collection. And what better way to start the year than by getting a new watch? Especially a vintage one. Here, we are taking a look at several vintage pieces on eBay that are currently available and all offer different elements of watch-collecting intrigue. If you’ve never bought a vintage watch before, let alone a vintage watch online, it can definitely seem like an intimidating morass of questionable authenticity and watches you might think are NQR. Recently, however, eBay has taken a big step to making this potential minefield of hunting and gathering more approachable by offering their Authenticity Guarantee on watch sales $2000US and over. This means that when an eligible watch is sold, it will be sent to eBay’s third-party verifier, who will issue it with an authenticity report card, before sending it on to the buyer. That means more time searching for your next dream watch, without worrying you might stumble across something that is less…
At the turn of the millennium, Hugh Grant was the man. In 1994, he won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for his performance in Four Weddings and a Funeral and, in 1995, Empire magazine proclaimed him to be one of the “100 Sexiest Stars” in film history. Grant’s breakout role was in Four Weddings and a Funeral and he continued winning hearts with his very English brand of twinkle-eyed, floppy-haired, bumbling charm in Notting Hill (1999), Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) and Love Actually (2003). But for all his middle-class faux modesty, the watches that Grant wears on screen are about as alpha-male as they come and appear to reflect his personal taste. Let’s take a closer look. Panerai Ref. OP 6560 Luminor Marina – Bridget Jones’s Diary, 2001 Bridget Jones’s Diary is one of the most famous romcoms of the last two decades, and Grant (playing the caddish Daniel Cleaver) was out there flexing on everyone with a stainless-steel Panerai on a bracelet. While it’s tough to get a perfect look at the watch, the camera does linger while he helps Renée Zellweger get dressed for a Tarts and Vicars costume party, and you can see the beefy cushion…
Most owners of a platinum Rolex would be fearful of tampering with such an insanely valuable watch. One false move, after all, could eventuate in scratching away thousands of dollars of value from that frightfully expensive platinum Oyster bracelet. But Jack Wong is not most owners. The Singapore-based collector – whose stunning array of watches can be viewed at his Instagram account @jackwongyf – was meddling with the bracelet of his diamond-studded Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona when he made a startling discovery. Inadvertently, Jack stumbled upon the hitherto unknown fact that within the platinum links of the bracelet, Rolex inserts minuscule ceramic tubes. These are designed to increase the bracelet’s longevity by protecting the precious metal. As Jack reported in his Instagram post on this horological revelation, “When the bracelet moves … it reduces friction as the ceramic tube ensures that the metal pin does not grind the metal bracelet especially when it’s dirty, with grime and dust acting like sandpaper. Great innovation and I have not seen this being used in other brands.” Time+Tide caught up with Jack to hear more … T+T: What instigated this chat are the fantastic macro shots you put on Instagram of this widely…
When the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 was announced back in September, I was pleasantly surprised by the colourful Stella-inspired dials. Like a pack of Starburst candy though, the pink was my clear favourite. It just seemed so out of the crown’s wheelhouse, a gorgeous middle finger to everything you know and expect from the brand. The candy pink reference is definitely a peacocking dial, and I decided to put my name on the waiting list, figuring I could mull over if I was prepared to strap one on my wrist while I endured the inevitable wait. I sat by the phone for three months, waiting for one of three authorised dealers to call me with good news. One of the dealers even told me that it wouldn’t take too long – boy was this sales rep wrong. It was really frustrating, especially because it was an entry Rolex model outside of the professional sports watch segment of their collection. But ultimately it ended up working in my favour – and this is where the Grand Seiko SBGA413 enters the picture. The SBGA413 is the Spring watch within the Four Seasons collection exclusive to the US market. It’s cherry blossom dial…
Jimmy Carr is one of my favourite comedians. His quick wit consistently incites belly laughs while his risqué punchlines are some of the best in the business. What’s less known about the British comedian is his incredible taste for watches, which he puts on full display throughout the comedy show Your Face or Mine that he co-hosts with fellow comedian Katherine Ryan (also hysterical). As you watch him masterfully roast guests who come on the show, you will also notice some astounding timepieces that make cameos throughout. Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5712/1A and 5712/R More often than not, you will spot Carr wearing his go-to Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712 in stainless steel. The 5712 is a more complicated 5711, including a power-reserve indicator and moonphase into the real estate of the blue dial. While some may prefer the plainer dial of the standard time and date only Nautilus, the 5712 has its benefits as well. Aside from the added complication, which may or may not be up your alley, I think we can all agree its usage of the Caliber 240 PS IRM C LU is a welcome upgrade. The 324 SC in the 5711 uses a winding rotor that obstructs…