HANDS-ON: The Gavox Avidiver
Summer has officially landed here in Australia. The days are long and sun-soaked, while the nights are humid and restless. With temps rising, there are only two things on my mind: whether the aircon can be reprogrammed to go colder than 16°C, and the upcoming summer holidays. It might not be much help with the AC, but one watch that was made for an island getaway is the Gavox Avidiver. A hybrid of air and sea, it combines the legibility of a pilot’s watch with the water resistance of a diver. As well as boasting an extra trick up its sleeve – or rather, its bezel. As the official watchmaker and supplier for two of Belgium’s air force squadrons, it’s no surprise that Gavox dabbles mostly in aviation-inspired designs. Just one look at the Avidiver and you can immediately see that it’s flight-ready. Large numerals at three, six, and nine o’clock combined with gauge-inspired sword hands make for a dial that’s seriously easy to read – especially in the dark when a liberal heaping of SuperLuminova lights the way. And a four-layer sandwich design that’s available in a selection of different colours – white, black or blue – adds a…
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A parcel recently landed on my desk. It had made the journey all the way from the United Kingdom, and it contained two pieces from British microbrand Farer Universal. Launched earlier this year, these models made waves with their colourful dials and brightly accentuated designs. So when the opportunity arose to test drive a piece, just in time for Australian summer, I dived right in and put the Farer Universal Aqua Compressor Hecla through its paces. The first thing I noticed was — of course — the striking blue floating dial, with a wave-cut pattern, which changed gradients with the shadows. It was the perfect base for the raised polished numerals, which added some nice sophistication to the dial. In terms of legibility, we have the extra-large handset, with white Super LumiNova — a great colour choice given the rich blue dial. A final touch: a warm and bright yellow Farer logo arrow tip on the seconds hand. On the case, it’s shaped a little differently to your standard dive watches. The curves are a little more accentuated, giving it somewhat of an elongated shape. Aesthetically, it looks a little bit unusual when not being worn, and gives the perception…
The sky’s the limit in this final instalment of the best watches of 2017 – and the entry price to this exclusive club starts at a cool $20K. For this you can expect hot ceramic, classical tourbillons, cutting-edge design, ingenious engineering, and finishing to die for. Breguet Marine Équation Marchante 5887 Ah, the equation of time! It’s one of the most esoteric complications in the world of high horology, and Breguet’s innovative and deceptively simple display means that telling the difference between civil and solar time has never been this simple. $296,000 A. Lange & Söhne Tourbograph Perpetual ‘Pour le Mérite’ When it comes to mic-dropping virtuosity, no one can do it quite like the Germans. More functions than anyone rationally needs, incredible tourbillon and a fusée and chain? Yes, please. POA Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar (Ref 26579CE) What makes AP’s ever-popular perpetual calendar even hotter? Black ceramic, and lots of it. This is the first all-ceramic Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet, and we certainly hope it’s not the last. $123,000 Hublot Big Bang Meca-10 King Gold The Big Bang is a watch that isn’t afraid of making a statement, and when the Big Bang in question is the…
Things start getting serious in the $10-20k price point. In our fourth (and penultimate) ‘best watches of 2017’ video we showcase innovative materials, double dials, big crowns, thin winners and more. Panerai Submersible 1950 BMG-Tech 3 Days Automatic – 47mm Smart style and an even smarter case material ensures that Panerai’s BMG-Tech made our list, proving there’s always a place for a big, bad, 47mm diver. $13,850 Rolex Sky-Dweller No surprises here. The new Rolesor Sky-Dweller is up there with the hottest watches of 2017, offering a compelling combination of Rolex brand power, complication and a smartly streamlined dial design. From $18,250 Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic Slim is in! Bulgari’s latest evolution of their Finissimo family is the simplest yet, and offers an angular, edgy alternative to the typical delicate ultra-thin options. $19,250 on bracelet. Girard-Perregaux Laureato The return of the Laureato was one of the big stories from SIHH 2017, and Girard-Perregaux’s high-end sports option offers both form and function. And while there’s plenty of precious options, it’s hard to go past the full steel version. $16,080 Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Moon What’s better than one rectangular dress watch? Two! The JLC Reverso Tribute Moon in steel offers double the…
For the third instalment in our video series of the best watches of 2017, we’re talking about watches priced between $5000 and $10,000, including a versatile Omega, a couple of chronos and some more dressy options. Tudor Heritage Black Bay Chrono The Tudor Black Bay landscape got a little complicated this year with the addition of a chronograph to the family. And the extra detail isn’t just on the dial side — the movement, the result of a new partnership with Breitling, is quite interesting too. From $5690 Tag Heuer Autavia Heritage Heuer fans rejoice! The Autavia was re-released in 2017, and in exceptionally fine form. The inverse panda dial, the distressed camel strap and, excitingly, powered by the revamped CH80 movement … From $6600 Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Date Jaeger-LeCoultre had a banner year in 2017, thanks largely to their well-received Master Control trilogy. And while there are three options to choose from, we find it hard to go past the simplicity of the Master Control Date. $8300 Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Master Chronometer Omega’s do-everything Aqua Terra was dear to our hearts this year, a classically styled three-hander that offers just the right mix of flash and function. From $7250…
Next up in our holiday season wrap-up of the great value watches, we’re talking about the best watches of 2017 priced between $1000 and $5000. Same rooftop bar, same banter, but new shirts and (more importantly) new watches. Oris Big Crown ProPilot Worldtimer It makes perfect sense for a Pilot’s watch to have a second time zone. It makes even more sense for that time zone to be easily and intuitively adjusted. And adjustments don’t come much more easy or intuitive than the quick bezel change on this Oris. $5000 Longines Avigation BigEye The well-priced winner of the GPHG’s revival prize – Longines’ Avigation BigEye – was a clean-looking chrono and a surefire entrant into this list … $3450 Nomos Club Campus Nomos’ Club collection got a new member in 2017, the fresh and youthful Club Campus. And while it’s geared towards graduates and new entrants into the world of watches, its quality and design ensures that it stands tall on its own merits. From $1870 Bremont Supermarine Type S301 Bremont might be better known for their tough-as aviation watches, but it turns out they’re a dab hand at divers too. The Supermarine Type S301 adds some serious vintage charms to…
We’ve been rolling pretty list heavy at Time+Tide over the past few weeks, and typically those lists are the result of (sometimes vigourous) team discussion. Well, this one is different in that’s its 100 per cent Felix, for better or (as Andrew found out) more surprising. So, in no particular order, here’s my top 10… Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Master Chronometer Timeless style and a seriously impressive movement ensured the Aqua Terra won over the pragmatic side of my heart. My only dilemma is — which version? Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic I’ve loved this watch from the first time I saw it. Impressive engineering and avant garde style makes for an irresistible combination for me. Apple Watch Series 3 Shock! Horror! Apple Watch! Not only am I continually impressed by how well Apple does luxury in their consumer products, the prospect of freeing myself from the tyranny of my iPhone is seriously compelling. Cartier Drive de Cartier Extra Flat I was really impressed by the Cartier Drive when it first came out, and even more impressed by this slimmed-down, simplified take on the model. Cartier at its purist. Ulysse Nardin Marine Regatta Yacht timers aren’t typically my thing, but the under-friendliness…
Editor’s note: The Autavia is one of the most storied chronographs in history, and its return to form at Baselworld 2017 was highly anticipated. Thankfully for fans, the reissue did not disappoint — the new model not only looked the part but also delivered a serious movement upgrade. We can’t wait to find out what Autavia-shaped surprises this year’s Basel fair holds … The new Autavia is finally here. Twelve months after TAG Heuer announced the Autavia Cup — an innovative, open design process that allowed fans to have their say on the look of the final product — the new Autavia has arrived, and it’s quite the looker. The Autavia, a portmanteau combination of automobile and aviation, was first released by Jack Heuer in 1962 and was the first chronograph wristwatch with a rotating bezel, a feature that added even more functionality to the already utilitarian watch. And, as is the case with all of Heuer’s chronographs, the identity of the Autavia is inseparable from the world of racing – it was a model worn by legendary racers such as Jo Siffert, Mario Andretti and Jochen Rindt. The combination of classic chiselled-jaw manliness and heady nostalgia for the golden age of racing…
They’re always problematic, best-of lists. Best? On what grounds? When it comes to these personal Top 10s, they’re purely based on the things that we, as individuals, like about watches. Best, says who? For this video, it’s best, says me. And, to that end, what I like most about watches is the way they make me feel — it’s all the intangibles, like how it rests on the wrist, what part it could play in my life, what unspoken, metal to skin story it tells about the people that made it. And then, when worn on my wrist, what it might say about me to the world. As for the magic of television and whether or not we collaborated on our personal Top 10s, I have my hand on my heart: Felix and I actually succeeded in keeping our favourite watches of 2017 away from each other right up until the date this was filmed. And that’s no easy task in an office like ours. So, be assured, this video definitely contains traces of real incredulity. Really? That one? No! Not that one! Etc etc. As for my list, it chopped, it changed, it was pulled from a shortlist that was actually very…
I’m writing this, alone in the office on the last day of the year, with a whiskey and a mango on my desk (don’t ask), and it seems like the perfect time to look back on the year that was — savouring a brief, indulgent moment of reflection about 2017, before jumping, feet first into 2018. And while there are a few routes I could follow down memory lane, for me it can all be neatly summed up in three numbers … 565: We’ve published 565 stories in the last year, which is (from where I’m sitting at least) quite a lot. Luckily, Andrew and I have had more help than ever this year. Andy Green has spent the year spotting things and telling us who to follow on Instagram. Sandra Lane and Melissa Pearce have joined the team, adding some pretty serious skillsets (and style). And finally, Cameron Wong has added his fresh perspective to the mix. And behind the bylines there’s an elite team who keep the wheels of Time+Tide smoothly rolling. 183: And while we published significantly more stories this year than any other, the real exponential leap has been in videos. We got onto YouTube in a big…