HANDS-ON: One simple word that makes the Longines Record a big deal
Here at Time+Tide we make no bones about being greatly enamoured of Longines’s heritage offerings, so it’s understandable that we made a beeline for the Lindbergh and 1945 models. However, our attention was rapidly drawn to the comparatively pared-back Record, which intrigued us with one simple word on its dial – ‘chronometer’. Now, in case you’re not up with your watch jargon, a chronometer is a essentially a very precise and accurate timepiece. And while in the past the task of certifying chronometers fell to astronomical observatories, these days it’s the duty of Contrôle Officiel Suisses des Chronomètres, Switzerland’s chronometer testing institute. COSC conducts extensive testing of uncased movements over a period of 15 days, ensuring that they achieve an average daily rate of -4/+6 seconds in five positions and at three different temperatures. Some brands, notably Rolex and Breitling, submit all their watches for chronometer certification, but this is the first time Longines has released an entirely COSC-certified collection. The movements that meet this standard are produced by ETA exclusively for the brand, and incorporate a crystal-silicon balance spring. That Longines has committed to this level of accuracy at their competitive price point is impressive, to say the least. So that’s…
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Breguet may not have had the largest collection on display at Basel, but they certainly had one of the most complex. As well as some handsome new additions to the Classique family, Breguet released an epic new grand complication – the Marine Équation Marchante 5887, a completely new watch boasting a perpetual calendar, tourbillon power reserve and, wait for it… a running equation of time. What’s that, I hear you ask? Well, you’ll have watch the video and find out.
When you walk into the Rado booth at Basel you can be pretty confident that you’ll see ceramic – and lots of it. This year the brand did not disappoint, offering up their trademark hi-tech watches in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. There’s the new Ceramica – Rado’s distinctive rectangular design – which has been given an automatic upgrade and a fresh case of matt grey ceramic. Then there’s a brace of True models, made in collaboration with designers of all stripes. Our picks were the topographical True Stratum and the clever bling of the True Blaze. And then of course there’s the obligatory nod to the past, which for Rado means the Captain Cook collection. Several new version were released, including a very faithful reissue as well as a more modern take on the theme.
Montblanc has been supporting UNICEF, the United Nations organisation dedicated to improving the lives of children, since 2004, with a particular focus (appropriately enough) on children’s literacy. To date they’ve donated more than $10m USD, and have pledged another $1.5m within the next 12 months. Their latest UNICEF collection offers a complete suite of luxury lifestyle companions, including leather goods and a set of particularly handsome writing instruments inspired by the Rosetta stone. Of particular interest to us though is the trio of limited edition Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum watches. We’re on record as being fans of Montblanc’s cleverly designed and smartly priced world timer, particularly the colourful Heritage Spirit version. These three charitable versions differ from the regular production model only on the city disc, with Chinese and Arabic scripts joining the more familiar Latin version. And while the regular production model marks Paris as GMT +1, this UNICEF edition replaces it with Geneva, the headquarters of the United Nations. One one level, the UNICEF Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum offers a tweaked version of the regular model, with the cachet of a limited edition. On another (and we’d argue more important) level, with this watch you can look down…
If you spend any time looking at vintage watches, especially insanely high-end vintage watches, there’s a good chance you already know who Alfredo Paramico is. If not, you should. NAME: Alfredo Paramico OCCUPATION: World class watch trader HANDLE: @AlfredoParamico FOLLOWERS: 42.2k LOCATION: Miami Beach Tell us about yourself. I was born in Italy in 1969, and at the age of 24 I started a career in investment banking in New York, before moving over to London where I spent 14 years. After London I moved to Milano, and then Madrid. I’ve always covered important positions in derivatives trading. My passion for watches dates back years and years. As a kid I was very attracted to small and heavy objects – so what better than watches! I’ve been collecting for the last 25 years and I can safely assume I’ve had the best watches on Earth. How do you unwind? Exercise! I practise Crossfit every day. I like sport in general, but I also enjoy hanging out with friends after a long working day. Music and theatre are also a part of my life and a means of relaxing. What’s your daily watch and why? I don’t actually wear watches all that often.…
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, an icon is something regarded as a representative symbol, or worthy of veneration. Now, if we’re all really honest with ourselves, I suspect that we can count the number of genuinely iconic watches on one hand. Easily. Things get a little trickier if we take a step back from the macro, looking at designs that – while they might not be iconic to the average Jane on the street – are nonetheless a…
We’re calling it. Winter is here. We’ve broken out the light knits and switched the office AC from ‘cool’ to ‘heat’. One thing that’s not cooling down (see what I did there) is the always-exciting world of watch news. SIHH and Basel collections are starting to trickle into local markets, and now that the big fairs are out of the way, everyone seems to be getting stuck into the year in earnest. The other important news is that we’ve made the shift from beer to darker spirits for our (now fortnightly) winding down. Chin Chin! What happened Earlier this year Aldo Magada resigned as CEO of Zenith after almost three years in the role. Well, now we know who Magada’s replacement is – Julien Tornare, a man who’s spent the last 17 years working at Vacheron Constantin. We’re hoping that Tornare will bring some stability to Zenith, which has struggled to regain its feet after the infamous (and nearly fatal) reign of Thierry Nataf. This week we’ve had a (quite unintentional) focus on moon watches, though we’ve been talking about astronomical complications rather than astronauts. Omega has had its mind firmly on the latter category as it kicked off its…
There’s a good reason the Portugieser collection is one of IWC’s most popular (in Australia at least). It’s a big, commanding watch that nevertheless possesses a grace and charm that belies its large size. This combination makes it one of the go-to statement watches. But did you know that it’s also got the weight of history behind it? A little while ago we chatted with IWC museum curator and general know-it-all David Seyffer for a quick history lesson on the mighty Portugieser.
Editor’s Note: Most of the time the old adage of a picture being worth a thousand words is tired and overused. But sometimes it’s true. This is one of those cases. Sure, my 500-odd words of information and opinion are great and all (pats self on back), but they pale in comparison to the stunning crispness of the photos. Jason has done an incredible job of capturing this mercurial piece. Hublot should probably get some of the credit too, for creating such a downright desirable watch. If you look at watches on a regular basis (we’re guessing you do), it’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of ever-escalating novelties that defines the industry – because let’s not forget, for all the talk of savoir-faire and timelessness, this is an industry. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing what creativity and innovation can be packed in a 45mm case, but it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that a watch doesn’t need to have a brand new in-house movement, multiple tourbillons laid out in the shape of a swan or a dial crafted from the tears of a fallen angel to be a beautiful, lustworthy object. …a watch doesn’t…
Oris seem to be going from strength to strength, releasing smart watch designs – like the Divers Sixty-Five – that impress critics and customers alike. This year it’s time for their modern diver, the Aquis, to shine. The entire collection has been revamped – it’s still big and bold, but it’s a little less blocky. Oris also released the Artelier Calibre 113, with loads of calendar complications (though truth be told, we’re still wondering who would use a week indicator), as well as some hot new heritage pieces: the old-school pilot that is the Big Crown 1917 and the funky cushion-cased Chronoris Date. All up it’s another strong year for the Hölstein-based brand, which is great news if you’re in the market for a well-priced mechanical.