VIDEO: Two precious metal Grand Seiko First references to celebrate the 60th anniversary
Grand Seiko are marking the 60th anniversary of their first watch with a small collection of dress watches that are based on the first ever watches to be made with Grand Seiko on the dial. These classically styled time-only dress watches set the foundation for what Grand Seiko are becoming known for today; a knack for traditional watchmaking expressed in simple and coherent designs. We took a closer look at two of the three watches in this collection, the SBGW257 in platinum and the SBGW258 in yellow gold, which are two precious metal watches that offer different experiences of the same watch design. While the platinum is both more luxurious and subtle, it also has a coolness to it with a sharper edge. The SBGW258 in yellow gold, on the other hand, is more clearly a gold dress watch in the most classical sense, mostly due to the warmth of the coloured precious metal. The three watches in this collection are not limited in their production numbers, giving everyone the opportunity to wear a piece of Japanese watchmaking history on their wrist. Australian pricing of the Grand Seiko First in platinum and yellow gold: The Grand Seiko SBGW257 in platinum…
The post VIDEO: Two precious metal Grand Seiko First references to celebrate the 60th anniversary appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
The Home Delivery Watch Fair is back, with Part 2 of (pretend) Baselworld! In this episode we have Rolex predictions with Frank from Monochrome, a live schnitzel dinner with beers, and watches from a slew of brands including Rado, Blancpain, Hublot and H. Moser & Cie. Video Giveaways In each of these Home Delivery Watch Fair and Watch & Chill episodes we give something away. The first episode was a Collector’s Pack of NOW Magazines. In Baselworld Part 2, we’re once again offering two viewers a Time+Tide strap changing tool and an orange single watch pouch, worth a pretty penny. To be eligible, just list your five favourite watches from Part 2 of Baselworld 2020 in the comments. Voting on whether or not the #coronabeard should stay remains voluntary. Stay tuned for episode three of the Home Delivery Watch Fair, Basel Edition, dropping at the same time next week! 12pm AEST, 10pm in NYC and 7pm in LA. If you missed part one, find it right here:
Editor’s note: This one’s an oldie but a goodie by Luke that stuck in my, and many other reader’s heads. Whenever I see people at a wedding sneaking off for a wristshot, I think of it. And I’ve recently seen a couple of fresh examples that I’ve added here. So we’ll consider it a rolling list that we can update for the times. Let’s get this straight at the outset: you should go easy on the watch shots full-stop. As normal as it might be among your watch loving pals, standing in the middle of a casino, trying to frame up your watch and the Singapore Slipper in your hand just so, with enough DOF to show where you are is a weird look. And potentially an invitation to get mugged if the watch you’re drawing attention to is any good. But there are scenarios where it’s not just foolish, but expressly forbidden. Doing anything dangerous Walking the tightrope. Riding a motorcycle. Going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. These are activities that require every iota of mental and physical focus — there’s minimal room for human error. We understand that you bought this rugged sports watch to reflect your inner…
Jaeger-LeCoultre must be strong proponents of the adage “you can never have too much of a good thing”. Why? Well, it’s not even been two months since the Le Sentier outfit unveiled their excellent 2020 novelties at this year’s digital Watches & Wonders, and already they’re dropping two new models that are sure to have us watch enthusiasts … chiming. That’s right, JLC has bestowed us with not one, but two new iterations of the Memovox; the Master Control Memovox and Master Control Memovox Timer. These new timepieces carry on a complication that JLC themselves lament is, often times, too easily forgotten. We are, of course, talking about the alarm complication. Seldom seen today but still a mightily helpful feature, the first Memovox that JLC created dates back to the late 1940s. These two new interpretations represent the brand’s desire to revive the popularity of this useful complication, and they appear to have done so with aplomb. Borrowing stylistic cues from both vintage JLCs of the 1950s, as well as the overarching design languages of the current Master Control family, both of these Memovox models are going to appeal to a very broad range of enthusiasts. The stainless steel cases of…
If you are the kind of person that thinks the watch media should “stay in [their] lane” when it comes to commenting on anything but the latest watch releases, then it’s best you scroll on to the next story. This one, like many recent posts by brands and individuals in the industry, is about this week in the world and not just this week in watches. I respect that Time+Tide is a refuge from reality for some and I am not offended if you prefer to leave it that way. Ultimately though, this is a message of hope and optimism. And lastly, of pride, to be in the watch industry at this time when it is bravely pivoting to be a voice for change, regardless of the cost. “Each time a [person] stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centres of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” Robert Kennedy This week we are blacking out the Friday Wind Down as a…
“Consumers have demonstrated an appetite to shift away from traditional ownership to newer ways in which to access product.” That was the intro of the “End of Ownership” chapter in “The State of Fashion 2019”, a detailed report by the Business of Fashion and global management consultants McKinsey. The chapter outlined one of the big trends predicted to change the way we shop. “More consumers will see a growing proportion of their wardrobes made up of pre-owned or rented products, especially for high-value items and accessories,” it said. Describing how the prices of top-end watches and jewellery have nearly doubled since 2005, the report suggested that some disruption to the traditional model was inevitable: “Even consumers with six-figure incomes are looking to discounts and alternative models of acquisition for relief.” Given this purported shake-up – that you’d expect to only be aggravated by the financial stress of COVID-19 – a clutch of luxury watch rental services have popped up around the world. These include Vyrent in the US, Borrowed Time in the UK, Luxothèque in France and Acquired Time in Singapore and Hong Kong. News of the existence of Helvetia, an Australian service renting out high-end watches therefore shouldn’t come as a…
Collaborations, no matter the context, are fraught with the potential of being, more often than not a curious reduction in the individual talents involved. Instead of following the apparent logic that it may be ‘twice as good’ as the individual party’s work, it’s commonly quite the opposite. Half as good, if that. And consequently, neither party wins. Allow me to present “Cruisin'” by Huey Lewis & Gwyneth Paltrow as Item A for the prosecution. Sometimes, though, against the odds, two parties can come together and the effect is not a doubling, or a redoubling of the artistic life forces, but an exponential fireworks display of magic. That’s how I’d describe indie watchmaking juggernauts H. Moser & Cie. and MB&F helmsmen Edouard Meylan and Maximilian Büsser’s H. Moser x MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon and MB&F x H. Moser LM101. How did this creative joint venture come about? Well, as Büsser explains, “When I called Edouard to tell him that I wanted to collaborate on a creation, I mentioned that I really liked the double balance-spring, the Moser fumé dials and the Concept watch series. Edouard immediately told me that he would let me borrow these features, but on condition that he…
Entire nations forced under lockdown, airlines teetering on the brink of collapse, fistfights erupting over rolls of toilet paper … Coronavirus has rocked the planet and God knows what life will be like when ‘normality’ resumes. It’s unlikely to be normal as we knew it, that’s for sure. In such desperate times, it may seem crass to speculate on what COV-19 will do to the watch market. But as a website that views life through a watch-centric lens, we’re unapologetically going right there. If nothing else, a little glimmer of a silver lining may be just what you need right now. Here’s one thing we all know: any punter looking to buy a steel sports watch by Rolex, Patek Philippe or Audemars Piguet that is not regularly spending heavy with a retailer faces a grim waiting list (for example, this guy had to wait two years for his 5711. And he was a lucky one). But will the pandemic make it easier for you to buy a similarly in-demand timepiece by removing one of the hungriest buying markets? Right now, many luxury watch boutiques are eerily quiet. That’s because the investment bank Jefferies estimates that Chinese buyers accounted for 40…
For some time now, I think we can all agree, Longines has been on a hot streak like few other brands. All of their additions to the fantastic Heritage Collection have ranged from commendable to award-winning fire, and new iterations of the HydroConquest and Master Collections have continued to punch well above their RRP weight. They have also started to push the winged hourglass’ pitch to more urban and on-trend sensibilities, with models like the all-black Legend Diver remixing a heritage model for decidedly modern tastes. The cornerstone of the Swiss watchmaker’s triumphant last few years has been simple – give the people what they want, give it to them for a fair price, and overdeliver in terms of technicality and build quality. To this day, Longines’ timepieces represent value for money that is practically — and you can come at me in the comments if you like — peerless. Now the Saint-Imier outfit has set its sights on creating a range of pilot’s watches like no other … ladies and gents, I give you the Longines Spirit. It may surprise a fair few of you reading this, but Longines’ history of creating instruments and timekeeping devices purpose-built for air travel is extensive.…
The dial truly is the make or break factor when it comes to a timepiece. Think about human beings in general – we’re largely simple creatures and we’re drawn to pretty things. I mean, just look at the state of the dating world: apps that make you judge a person quite literally on their face value. It’s the exact same in the world of horology. Nobody is swiping right on a watch with a dull ol’ dial. So, we’re singling out the most popular dial types, and listing our favourites, with a few classics thrown in for good measure. First up is a dial design that is a perennial favourite among watchmakers great and small. We are, of course, talking about the sunburst dial. Small note: sunray, sunburst, a well-executed dial by either name looks as sweet – they’re two words for the same thing. Rolex Day-Date 40 Ref.228235 Made to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the iconic Day-Date, Rolex’s Day-Date 40 in solid 18k Everose gold is drop-dead gorgeous. The radially brushed, olive green metallic sunburst dial is stunning and, in combination with its pinkish precious metal, this is the nicest Day-Date 40 that money can buy right now.…