VIDEO: Keeping it classy with the Breguet Classique 5177
Of all of the high-quality, well-finished and technically impressive Breguet watches, it is probably the Breguet Classique 5177 that you think of when you consider modern watches from the brand, and there’s a very good reason for that. Its spartan conservatism forces you to look for any notes of flair or extravagance, and you’re rewarded all the more for it. Amidst the inky depths of the expansive Grand Feu enamel dial, you are treated to the classically proportioned silver Arabic numerals, finished with an expressive serif that speaks to its discreet élan. As we discuss in the video, while Breguet are known for their mastery of the guilloché technique on all manner of surface materials, they employ some of the best enamel dials on earth, exemplified in the dial of the Breguet Classique 5177. While the dial is sparse, the restraint offers one of the most perfect expressions of a modern dress watch on the market. Far from being dull, the thoughtfulness of each element shows exactly what can be achieved when more than 200 years of collective expertise is distilled into a single watch. Breguet Classique 5177 price The Breguet Classique 5177 has an RRP of AUD $32,000 For more…
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We have recommended taking a look at the master watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin deconstructing various watches in the past, and that’s because how interesting it is to get a proper look into some of the most popular watches out there. What makes this deconstruction by Peter interesting is that it is with the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat GMT, a watch from a brand that has carved a name for itself thanks to the unparalleled levels of finishing to its cases and dials. But it does beg the question: is the interior of their watch movements — usually hidden from even the most prying eyes — as well finished as the exterior? As you’ll see, the more closely you look at the 9S86 movement, the more impressive it gets. From skeletonised escape wheels and pallet forks, to the stunningly even application of the Tokyo stripes, it is certainly a sight to behold. To watch the video and see the full deconstruction explained, visit The Naked Watchmaker right here.
Editor’s note: As summer is swiftly approaching (in the Southern Hemisphere), a couple of friends who are into watches and I have been increasingly keen on picking up a summer watch. The thing about a summer watch is that you don’t want to break the bank when buying one, just in case you do only wear it during the summer. Which led me to thinking about the best watches that live for the summer months, but are also relatively affordable. Have a read, and let us know your favourite affordable watch for summer in the socials comments. Not everybody can afford the big guns: Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Lange & Söhne, Breguet … These brands are, for many of us, a little out of reach (unfortunately). But that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate them from afar. Nor does it mean that we can’t find watches within our grasp that offer enough bang for their buck to earn the approval of even the snobbiest of watch snobs (well, okay, maybe not the snobbiest). Not all of the brands on this list of the best budget watch brands look a lot like any of the watches produced by the haute…
Exotic stone dials have always been popular with watch collectors, not only for their stunning beauty but also their typical rarity and the unique patterning from stone to stone. This same dial technique has been used in the two examples of stone dial Omega Seamaster 300s, a classic dive watch that is typically considered to be an under-the-radar daily wear watch – until you make the case in precious metal and the dial out of a semi-precious stone. Both the Omega Seamaster 300 with a lapis lazuli dial and a malachite dial express a kind of opulent excess that is deeply attractive in a way that evokes guilt and wonder in equal measure. Part of your brain questions the motivation behind its existence, and the other part can’t help but stare in the same slack-jawed awe you experience while looking up at the ceiling of St Mark’s Basilica. It is certainly unnecessary, but it is also beautiful, which is a justification in and of itself. Firstly focusing on the lapis lazuli example: the richly flecked blue dial is cased in 41mm of a platinum-gold, while the hands are 18k white gold and the bezel is polished blue ceramic. Probably to…
Editor’s note: A couple of years ago, Andrew and the team were lucky enough to travel to Lord Howe Island to explore the Vacheron Constantin Overseas collection and, in the process, enjoy the unbelievable scenery of volcanic spires and fish-filled shallows. While the setting was one of the most remarkable on earth, the focus was on one of the most remarkable brands on earth with a collection of watches that boast the Geneva Seal in a very sporty package. Enjoy the video! We gave a glimpse of our 48 hours in paradise with the Vacheron Constantin Overseas collection a month ago, but now, with the watches officially revealed and reviewed, it’s time to turn up the envy to unforeseen levels. In addition to mouthwatering shots of the collection, hands-down one of the best in the steel sports category this year, we’re also showing here just how spectacular Lord Howe Island is. From the volcanic peaks, to the friendly schools of fish that mill around your ankles in the shallows, to the outlook from the luxury Capella Lodge where my room had, just months before, been home to Blake Lively during the shooting of shark-as-villain thriller The Shallows. It’s all here,…
Earlier this year, Time+Tide celebrated the arrival of the 2019 Breguet collection in Australia. For those who attended, it was a night nobody would forget in a hurry, in part due to the impeccable setting, but mainly thanks to the sensational watches that were on display. Of these sensational watches, the real hero of the evening was the Breguet Marine Collection, which has a number of new additions to the family this year. In this collection, the thoughtful use of materials is immediately obvious. The titanium cases and bracelets of the Marine Alarme Musicale 5547 and of the time-only Marine 5517 give a sensation of weightless effortlessness, while still offering a tactile robustness in their build quality. On the more feminine side of the collection, the Breguet Marine Dame 9518 reference presents a range of dial, bezel and strap options, including a stunning mother-of-pearl dial that has been guillochéd by the hands of a master craftsman. Another option within the Marine Dame 9518 reference is a dial that is as blue and liquid as the ocean itself, and delivers a depth of texture that is rarely seen. While these four watches show the depth and breadth of the Breguet Marine Collection,…
Editor’s note: Blancpain have been looking into their rich trove of dive watch archives to great success recently, reviving a number of classics that we have covered here, and here, as well as producing a stunning unique piece for Only Watch 2019 that James took a closer look at. But for those who might be slightly newer to the brand, exactly what makes a Blancpain dive watch so good? Well, a little while ago, Cameron Wong did some digging into exactly that question, and showed how Blancpain helped everyone from military spies to Hollywood actors with their dive watch needs. Enjoy the history lesson! They say legends aren’t born, they’re made. And the immortal story of the archetypal diver’s watch, Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms, is as legendary as they come. Beginning with tales of clandestine underwater missions and Oscar-winning performances. Following a long and ultimately unsuccessful search for a watch that would suit all their aquatic espionage needs, in 1952, Captain Robert “Bob” Maloubier and Lieutenant Claude Riffaud – two commanding officers from the then recently established French combat diving corps – sat down with a drawing pad and pencil, and set out to design a watch that would not only…
Later this year, Phillips, in association with Bacs & Russo, are hosting the Game Changers auction, which will be offering some of the most important watches to ever meet the public market, including watches owned by golfer Jack Nicklaus, and actors Marlon Brando and Robert Downey Jr, as well as incredibly rare vintage examples of Patek Philippe, Rolex and LeCoultre. While the full catalogue for the Phillips Game Changers auction has not yet been made public, let’s take a closer look at some of the highlights that are likely to get paddles in the air. The Jack Nicklaus’ Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1803 Jack Nicklaus is considered by many to be one of, if not the greatest golfer of all time, having won 18 major championships over his career. He wore his Rolex Day-Date for the majority of his career, after he received it in 1966 through his relationship with Rolex as a golf tournament sponsor. The Marlon Brando ‘Apocalypse Now’ Rolex GMT-Master, Ref. 1675 The sale of this bezel-less Rolex GMT-Master was announced in July this year, and immediately turned heads, as the intoxicating blend of Rolex, Hollywood provenance, and first time to market (which saw the Paul Newman “Paul…
This year we were lucky enough to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the TAG Heuer Monaco. It was in the last year of the 1960s that the brand (just Heuer at the time) released their iconic watch that was one of the first ever automatic chronographs, and was cemented as a legend when it was seen on the wrist of Steve McQueen in the cinema classic Le Mans. To celebrate this very special watch, in 2019 they have released a series of five TAG Heuer Monaco limited edition watches (of 169 pieces per watch), with each part of the series representing a decade in the life of the Monaco. The fifth and final watch was released last week, so we wanted to take a look at the full picture, now the last piece of the puzzle had been placed. TAG Heuer Monaco 1969-1979 Limited Edition The first cab off the rank was the Monaco 1969-1979, with a deep green dial and, unusually, Côtes de Genève finishing on the dial, a technique that is most commonly used to decorate movements. With a brown leather rally strap, and the red and yellow dial highlights, it oozes with the cool of the ’70s. Read…
Omega’s eponymous collection of Seamaster timepieces are as varied as they are capable, and no matter the occasion, chances are Omega makes a water-ready timepiece that’s right for you. Genuinely, the Swiss marque’s famed dive watches are available in so many different iterations that one could conceivably own several different variants from the same family of watches. With that in mind, we thought we’d take a look at three versions of the Omega Seamaster that will look great on your wrist, no matter the occasion. Omega Planet Ocean 600M Co‑Axial Master Chronometer 39.5mm For a daily timepiece, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M presents as a pretty compelling proposition. For a start, the stainless steel sports watch’s 39.5mm case size lands it smack bang in the middle of the “Goldilocks zone”, ensuring that you can wear it with just about anything. Furthermore, the Planet Ocean’s uniformly black dial backs up the versatility of the case size, and gives the PO a great amount of bandwidth. And when you take into account that the Planet Ocean hosts Omega’s Calibre 8800 movement, which is not only self-winding but also master chronometer certified, magnetic resistant to 15,000 gauss and offers up 55 hours…