3 Longines for under $5K on their online store that represent value propositions
One of the greatest things about Longines is their history — the Swiss marque was established almost two centuries ago, way back in 1832. This heritage gives the brand an advantage, and it gives the Longines wearer an edge, too. The depth and versatility of Longines timepieces is utterly expansive – and the back catalogue is a constant source of rich pickings, at prices available to the not-just-rich. This history, which has been focused on large-scale production of superior timepieces, hints at why Longines watches are lauded for always representing a value proposition — 187 years at the pointy end of the horological spear means that their R&D, innovation, manufacturing practices and techniques are so efficient and, more importantly, effective, that the savings are passed on to the wearer. $5000 Aussie dollars, for example, unlocks a veritable cornucopia of different timepieces from Longines’ vast catalogue, and chances are, no matter what sort of timekeeping you’re into, for a cool $5K, there’s going to be a wristwatch that ticks the boxes. With that goal in mind, finding the best of the brand at that budget, we present three markedly different timepieces that can be had for less than five big ones and can be…
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Vertex is a brand with a wonderful history. Founded in 1916 by Claude Lyons, the brand produced watches for Allied troops in the Second World War, following the specifications of the British Ministry of Defence, alongside 11 other brands (a group of manufacturers now known by collectors as the Dirty Dozen). The brand continued to produce watches in the post-war years, until Vertex was forced to close its doors in February 1972, due to the quartz era which wreaked havoc on the watch industry. The brand remained the subject of history books until 43 years later, in 2015, when Don Cochrane, the great-grandson of Claude Lyons, revived the brand and produced their first watch in 2016. This watch was the M100, which was directly inspired by the Cal 59 watch that Vertex had produced for the military in 1944. The second watch to come out of the second-coming of the brand was the Vertex MP45 chronograph. A monopusher chronograph with similar links to military timepieces from the middle of the last century, it was a watch that James (@twentysix____) was so enamoured with, he bought it. When did you first see/hear about it? Military watches have always held a special…
Much as it shames me to admit it, until writing about this watch, I rather naively thought that Stan Smith was a shoe designer … how very Gen Y of me. As it turns out, Smith is rather more than a proponent of Adidas’s enduringly vogue white sneaker – he was a legend of the tennis court in the 1970s, with 100 professional tournament wins credited to his name. To celebrate this illustrious career, watchmaker Maurice de Mauriac has teamed up with the superstar of the sport to release this – the Stan Smith Signature Watch. Limited to just 100 watches each (see what they did there?) in green, blue and red, the Stan Smith Watch presents a clean and pared-back aesthetic, much like the sneakers that bear his name. According to Maurice de Mauriac, the timepiece is the result of two years of development between Smith and the watchmaker’s founders, Daniel, Massimo and Leonard Dreifuss. Additionally, Maurice de Mauriac reckon this limited edition timepiece can more than capably handle the rigours of a tense five-setter on the court, due to its tough and dependable build quality, as well as bearing the tennis star’s name. The traditional-looking case, which is…
If you’ve ever been on the internet you will have noticed one million and one articles about the watches James Bond has worn throughout his long and many-faced career. If this is your first time on the World Wide Web, welcome and, trust me, 90 per cent of what you’ve been missing out on comprises James Bond watch articles and funny cat videos. But here at Time+Tide, we want to take you on a journey to an alternate dimension. Here, we pick nine of the best James Bond outings and outfit the famous British spy with a timepiece more suited to either the plot, setting, or our incorrigible whimsy. Without further ado, allow us to present the watches James Bond should have worn but never did. From Russia With Love – Konstantin Chaykin Russian Time Russia is massive. So massive it has seven time zones. The Konstantin Chaykin not only allows the wearer to access all seven time zones with ease, but the graphical display is also a thing of beauty. It might also help charm the KGB agents into going easy on him if he’s caught wearing an example of Russian craftsmanship rather than a Rolex, which, let’s face…
Unlike Ferrari’s frankly dismal efforts in Formula 1 this year, 2019 has been a great 12 months for the Italian supercar manufacturer in terms of their commercial and creative partnership with watchmaking vanguards, Hublot. The curvaceous and inimitable Classic Fusion Ferrari GT was not only one of my personal favourites from the provocative Swiss marque, it was one of my favourite watches of 2019. Period. However, the other big standout wristwatch to bear the famed Prancing Horse badge this year – the Hublot Big Bang Scuderia Ferrari 90th Anniversary Sapphire – is by no means something forgettable. On the contrary, this leviathan of a watch perfectly demonstrates why Hublot is talked about time and time again as one of the industry leaders when it comes to material innovation. The gargantuan case, which measures 45mm across, is formed from solid sapphire with a polished finishing, and if that wasn’t impressive enough, the case is capped by a carbon-ceramic bezel. What makes the bezel not only interesting, but just downright cool, is that it’s been shaped to look like a Ferrari’s brake disc, and carbon-ceramic is the actual material the Italian marque uses for said brake discs. The dial is another standout…
The latest young star to join the ranks of Rado is the Australian tennis player Ash Barty, who despite being only 23 has already reached the position of women’s world No. 1. What is most exciting for us, and her fans around the world, is that she has collaborated with Rado to release a watch this year, bringing us the Rado HyperChrome Ashleigh Barty Limited Edition, a white-hot watch that matches perfectly with the uniform of Wimbledon, which was her first junior Grand Slam win. While we obviously love Ash Barty because she’s an Aussie, we also love that she represents what an Australian sports person should be, with her humble nature and hardworking attitude. Ash’s career has been one of meteoric rise, and of a multifaceted athlete very rarely seen today, as she reached a ranking of junior No. 2 in the world at the age of 15 in 2011. It was only three years later that she decided to take an indefinite break from the sport, shocking the tennis world and the Australian sporting community. Reaching such heights at such an early age can often see young athletes taking a break from their sport, or retiring, thanks to…
Getting engaged is an incredibly special moment in anyone’s life, as it spells the beginning of something that will endure to stand the test of time. What better way to celebrate than with a new watch, to match your fiancée’s new ring. This is the story of David and his Pequignet Rue Royale. When did you first see/hear about it? Nearly 10 years ago I read about a brand called Pequignet in one of France’s national papers. I could instantly tell their Rue Royale was a serious machine, with its classic good looks and multiple complications powered by an in-house calibre. The price was definitely right, too: not cheap, but certainly a value proposition compared to similar offerings from established Swiss brands. I realised soon enough that perhaps one factor behind the aggressive pricing was actually that it wasn’t Swiss Made. I’m half-French, so aside from the specs, what intrigued me the most was the inscription on the dial: “Fabriqué en France”. Indeed, these days, Germany and Switzerland get all the attention when it comes to European watchmaking, but few people realise that because of proximity, France also played a major role in the fabrication of watches. Unfortunately, the quartz…
It has been a big year for Panerai’s distinctive Submersible range, with the new and now standalone collection featuring heavily at the watchmaker’s 2019 SIHH showing. The amphibious timepieces, while varied, have been a great opportunity for Panerai to show off some of their newest innovative materials. Case in point is this Submersible, the BMG-TECH 47mm PAM00799. The monolithic timepiece is somewhat of a flag-bearer, not only for the Submersible collection but also two of the Italian marque’s latest and greatest resources – BMG-TECH and Carbotech. BMG-TECH is a complex amalgamation of things like copper, titanium, zirconium, nickel and aluminium, which form an alloy that is said to be highly resistant to magnetism, corrosion and shock while still maintaining a superior level of strength. Carbotech is a composite-like material that shares a great many similarities with regular carbon fibre. Compressing thin films of carbon fibre together at a controlled temperature creates the pioneering material. Panerai was the first watchmaker on the planet to use the material on a wristwatch. Both of these sci-fi materials have been used by Panerai on other models before; however, what sets the PAM00799 apart is it’s the first time we’ve seen these two materials feature…
Believe it or not, somehow there are just 23 short days left until Christmas, and if you haven’t bought your presents yet … you’re in a bit of strife. Thankfully, however, if that special someone in your life is fond of a timepiece or two, then Longines has got you covered with a great many different tool watches for any occasion. With this in mind, we thought we’d take a close look at three distinct wristwatches that each serve a handy and unique purpose, and maybe one of them will be right for you. Longines Legend Diver L3.774.2.50.9 We’re very fortunate Down Under, because unlike a fair chunk of the rest of the world, our Christmases usually have the same thing in common from one year to the next – they’re complete scorchers. Because of this warm weather, it’s fair to say that quite a few of us will be spending time at the beach over the coming holidays. With this in mind, we can’t think of many better watches for the warmer months than this all-black Longines Legend Diver. Apart from the blacked-out PVD treatment making this watch a serious looker, the Legend Diver range is one of our…
Editor’s note:Benvenuto Cellini was an Italian goldsmith and sculptor born in the last year of the 15th century, who would go on to become one of the most important precious metal workers of his time, finding employment with the royal families of Europe and the Vatican. It is this talented artisan who was the inspiration for the Rolex Cellini collection we know today, with clear links between the Mediterranean metalworker and the timeless designs seen throughout the family of watches. While the “W” word has persistently dominated almost all mention of Rolex in recent times, it is worthwhile to take the time to step back from the global obsession with steel, and take a closer look at the Cellini collection, which is every bit as compelling as its Professional sibling, and reminds us that Rolex continue to make exquisite dress watches. When the Rolex Cellini range was relaunched by Rolex in 2014 – including the Cellini Time – the General Manager of Rolex Australia, Patrick Boutellier, chose a line of poetry to announce the news: “The sleeping Prince has been awoken,” he said, or words to that effect, as Felix and I pored over the new range, not quite sure what…