HANDS-ON: This Rado Golden Horse 1957 is one of the best watches of 2019
2019 has spawned a literal plethora of new watches for all us timekeeping enthusiasts out there in the horological ether to enjoy. And while not all of them have been unmitigated successes *cough, cough*, the best watches of the year, in my opinion, have been the rather large assortment of reissue and homage pieces. Chief among these new reinterpretations of classic watches is Rado’s Golden Horse collection. First released in 1957, the Golden Horse represented a convincing interpretation of a go-anywhere, do-anything wristwatch that adhered to the fundamentals that make up a ubiquitous timepiece. Reintroduced in early 2019, the new Golden Horse collection picks up where the original left off, and let me start by clearing something up from the get-go: there isn’t a single bad model in the new Golden Horse Collection – they are all very impressive watches, especially when you consider the price point. But, personally, anecdotally, this limited edition 1957 is the best new Golden Horse. Sporting a highly polished 36.5mm stainless steel case that stays very true to the original watch’s dimensions, this rarified timepiece is straight-up gorgeous. The concentrically patterned, shimmering glossy black dial is an utter joy, and the way it manages to…
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Editor’s note: Can you judge the success of a watch’s overall aesthetic based purely on its subdials? If you could, then this Seiko Presage Urushi Byakudan-nuri Limited Edition SPB085 would be an instant success. The calendar subdials of this watch, located at three and six o’clock, feature a gorgeous deep red tinge that is created through a process called the Byakudan-nuri technique. It makes for a very handsome look indeed, and it’s no wonder why this watch sold out so quickly when it went on sale late last year. Over the last few years, Seiko has made a habit of releasing limited editions with exceptional enamel dials at very reasonable prices. First, there was the Moonlit Night, then the Shippo enamel, and now, the Urushi Byakudan-nuri. The vehicle for these delicate, incredible dials is the Presage collection. A classic round steel watch that marries dependability with dressability. But really, this 40.5mm case, and the 6R21 movement behind it are known quantities, and not what we’re here for. Honestly, we’re here for the dial. As is common with Seiko’s watches, especially the special, limited ones, there’s a story to this dial. It has been designed to evoke the look of the night sky…
Created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Grand Seiko’s prolific Spring Drive movement, SBGY002 is a limited edition dress watch for discerning fans of the Japanese watchmaker’s signature snowflake dial. Hewn from solid 18k yellow gold, the case of the rarified timepiece is signature SBGY and, as a result, measures in at just 38.5mm and 10.2mm, ensuring that it will more than comfortably fit under even the tightest of cuffs. The dial is nothing short of mesmerising, with the famed textured snowflake aesthetic doing what it does best — leaving the wearer in complete awe regarding the level of intricacy and detail. The dial is complemented by a solid 18k yellow gold implementation of Grand Seiko’s classic dauphine hour and minute hands, while, perhaps strangely, the seconds hand is blued steel. And while I admit there was a hint of trepidation about the almost jarring contrast between yellow and blue when I first saw images of the SBGY002, the dichotomy of colours works wonders in the flesh. Powering the dress watch is the Japanese firm’s Calibre 9R31, which is skilfully crafted by hand in the watchmaker’s Shinshu watch studio, which, incidentally, is where the first-ever spring drive movement was created.…
Ever since its shock unveiling at Baselworld 2017, Rado’s exciting range of Captain Cooks has represented a compelling proposition for anyone who’s in the market for a solid, fit-for-purpose dive watch on a budget. However, most of the collection is on the larger size, measuring in at a fashionable and contemporary 42mm. Fans fond of the original Captain Cook, which was first unveiled in 1962, shouldn’t fear however, because those who are after a smaller and more faithful reinterpretation of the Captain Cook need look no further than the limited edition ref. R32500315. Possessing the same exact dimensions as the first Captain Cook, the diminutive limited edition timepiece’s stainless steel case measures a period-correct 37.3mm across. The vintage aesthetics don’t stop there, though, as this watch also sports a gorgeous sunburst bronze dial that harkens back to the ’60s aesthetic, as does the fauxtina-lumed hour indices and accompanying handset, which comes complete with an exacting oversized arrow head of the hour hand. The vintage-inspired case is capped with a highly domed sapphire crystal, which is treated with an anti-reflective coating, ensuring legibility no matter the conditions. As a result of the crystal sitting proud of the case itself, and contrasting…
USP – the acronym for “unique selling point”. A watchmaker’s USP is paramount to their success, and if you look at the general consensus of what’s considered the best brands out there, they’ve all got it — they each excel at something that puts them a cut above the rest. Whether it’s Rolex and their storied robustness, A. Lange & Söhne and their prolific levels of movement finishing, or Patek Philippe and their ability to make a steel sports watch so damned hard to purchase. What these USPs translate to, most importantly, is sales – if a brand is considered to be the pinnacle in a discipline of watchmaking, they will always be desirable. Grand Seiko’s USP is their dials – in the eyes of many, including my own, they represent the zenith of the horological industry in both design and finishing. No word of a lie, you need to look at their dials through a loupe to properly appreciate the aesthetic, craftsmanship and attention to detail on offer with these timepieces. Made to mimic the snow that falls around Grand Seiko’s Shinshu watch studio –the birthplace of the marque’s fabled Spring Drive movement – the Grand Seiko SBGA407 Snowflake Blue…
Editor’s note: Almost all reissues of vintage timepieces have an exciting story to tell – that’s just the way it is, otherwise watchmakers wouldn’t bother remaking. Thing is, though, when a watch manufacturer does decide to create an homage timepiece, they usually have the original in their possession. That was not the case when Longines was first shown the original version of their now famed Avigation BigEye. Seriously, the brand had no idea the watch existed — they didn’t have a single example of it in their museum; they only found out because a keen Longines collector brought the watch to their attention. Boy oh boy though, was Longines happy they did, because the tribute timepiece they created went on to win GPHG’s ‘Revival Watch Prize’ in 2017. It’s hands down one of the nicest pilot’s watches the Swiss firm has ever produced. By now it should come as no surprise that Longines is a master when it comes to heritage reissues. The company has a proven track record almost as long and distinguished as its actual archives. From the Legend Diver through to the COSD and the Heritage 1945, the Saint-Imier brand rarely puts a foot wrong when it comes to vintage-themed…
A premier watch auction is an inspiring event. Last week, I joined the bidders at Phillips auction house on Park Avenue in New York. As we progressed through the 74 lots on offer, I was struck by the truly global nature of the vintage watch market. The auctioneer and impresario Aurel Bacs flawlessly switched between English, Italian and French while at one point saying to the phone bank, “I wish I could understand what you’re saying!”, as bidders from around the globe gabbled with house specialists. Earlier, Mr Bacs noted that the highest online bid in any watch auction had just arrived, north of $1 million, from someone on some continent somewhere. The Phillips Game Changers auction was a moment of many such firsts. It was the first time at a US auction that more than five timepieces sold for more than $1 million. We saw the highest valuations for a Rolex GMT-Master, Rolex Presidential, and two Patek perpetual calendar chronographs. And it is highly commendable that Phillips was so successful given the rumblings of global economic uncertainty which have slowly become louder. Over the past three quarters the major world economies have underperformed — a very different context from 2017…
As 2019 draws to a close and I get the opportunity to reflect on the year that was (as well as prepare for endless upcoming jokes on my 2020 vision), it’s impossible not to acknowledge that it has been a massive year for Time+Tide. The team has worked hard on a number of different projects, including Edition Two of NOW Magazine and the Time+Tide Club, all while delivering a very passionate family of watch lovers the news of the watch world every day. Naturally, there’s a feeling of huge thanks to the readers who give such positive (and sometimes passionately constructive) feedback about the stories we write, the rest of the Time+Tide team, and the watch world at large for continuing to be a strange and fascinating place. So, after some digging through the archives (we published a lot of stories in 2019), these are five of my favourites. OPINION: Forget men and women, watches don’t need genders – Sandra Lane The effervescent fount of knowledge that is Sandra Lane made a very strong case earlier this year for the abolition of genders in the descriptions of watches. I couldn’t agree more. The most common elements of a watch that…
Creating a timepiece that needs to pay homage while simultaneously capturing the imagination of the horological community is no mean feat … in fact, it’s fraught with failure. Time and time again, we’ve seen new watches based on vintage timepieces be unveiled, only to have them fall flat on their crystal-domed faces. Unveiled at this year’s Baselworld, the DOXA SUB 200 aims to avoid the same fate as some of its counterparts. Based off the first-ever commercially available timepiece with a helium escape valve, which DOXA famously co-created with Rolex and released in 1967, the new SUB 200 has a lot to live up to. We’ve been able to spend a bit of time with the new amphibious timepiece and, thankfully, the initial impressions are good. For a start, the design of the 316L stainless steel case, which measures 42mm across and 14mm thick, has been very thoroughly thought-out, and gives a decent level of classic flair without looking like a pastiche. It’s more rounded than you may think, and due to shorter, curved lugs, the argument could be made that despite the measurements, the SUB 200 actually wears more like a 41mm watch. Those wanting to take the dive…
Sometimes, it pays to be conservative. It isn’t advice that should be regularly advocated; however, when it comes to what you wear on your wrist, sometimes it is a must to have something that is at the same time classic and crisp. In the case of the Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic white dial, that is exactly what you get, with a watch that tells you everything you need to know with its three hands and date window, and is quietly confident in how well it avoids seeking attention. Its starched white dial is almost vividly clear with minimal text across its surface, covering the Calibre BM13-1975A, which is a chronometer certified workhorse that boasts an impressive five days of power reserve. The 40mm stainless steel case fits nicely on most wrists, and the comfortable leather strap features a quick-change mechanism that allows it to be swapped out without tools in a matter of seconds. If you’re looking for a timepiece that makes no pretensions about what it offers, a wristwatch focused solely on the accurate and easy communication of time, you could do much worse than the Clifton Baumatic with a white dial. The Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic ref.…