"It was our last night in Venice, and I happened to walk past the boutique …" – Teesan's Omega Speedmaster CK2998
Travelling with a watch fan is always a fraught affair. You’re always pulled into random vintage shops or glittering boutiques, in search of the elusive, the rare, or the unique. It’s a lesson that Teesan’s wife learned … It was our last night in Venice, and I happened to walk past the boutique … Teesan isn’t new to the watch collecting game (25 years and still going strong, apparently), but it’s still a hard call when you’re suddenly confronted with the object of your lust in a Venetian boutique. Luckily, everything aligned for Teesan, and he walked away with one of the coolest Speedies of recent years, the CK2998, which, with its blue colourway and Alpha hands, is a real winner. Props also to Teesan for swapping out the stock strap for a mesh. Not a call we would have made, but it looks great.
The post “It was our last night in Venice, and I happened to walk past the boutique …” – Teesan’s Omega Speedmaster CK2998 appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
Earlier in the week we posted a list of worthy Father’s Day gifts, with a strong bent towards straps and accessories that are actually available in the T+T store. Well, today we’re doubling down on the dad, with a handful of watches suited to the father figure in your life. Grand Seiko 9F86 Quartz GMT If your dad is anything like mine, all they want is a ‘good watch’ — which is code for something that will do the job (any job really) without needing to be overly precious. If that rings true to you, let me suggest these quartz GMTs from Grand Seiko. Perfect size, impeccable quality, useful functions and absolutely zero fuss. Hard to beat. $4400 Tissot Seastar 1000 Another watch that’s hard to beat on the value-proposition front, the Tissot Seastar 1000 offers a lot of the bells and whistles that make a modern Swiss watch great (80 hours of power reserve, ceramic bezel and a fancy dial), in a package that’s good looking and unostentatious. $1000 Montblanc Summit 2 Dad is into his connected devices but needs to level up in the wrist department? How about the stylish Montblanc Summit 2? Smaller, and much more wearable…
It might surprise you to learn that one of my favourite watches from this year’s SIHH show was the Dazzling Rendez-Vous from Jaeger-LeCoultre. The Rendez-Vous has been a strong women’s offering for some time, but this Dazzling version really ups the ante. This is thanks largely to that outer ring of 36 diamonds, which dominate the bezel. And while the size and clarity of these rocks is impressive, what really makes them shine is the setting — they use a griffe, or claw-like setting, which shows off much more of the surface of the stones and lets in more light, which equals … you guessed it, more dazzle. And this latest addition to the JLC DRV (as I’ve taken to calling it) is more dazzling still, thanks to the fully set case and bracelet. Really, it’s outstanding. The bracelet boasts 310 stones weighing 22.27 carats, which is more than enough to sink your teeth into. And then there’s the profusion of stones on the case and the inner bezel. But even though this timepiece is positively dripping, there’s plenty of delicacy at play too. The mother-of-pearl dial is rich, with a finely detailed outer section that is ’tiled’ and, of…
It’s somewhat paradoxical, but the explosion of interest in fine timepieces, fuelled by the internet and social media, has also resulted in the increased popularity of offline meetings. And they’ve always been there — before Instagram and Facebook were the prime drivers of the ‘watchfam’, it was the various watch forums, like Timezone and Purists, that resulted in that weird ritual of online-friends-but-offline-strangers meeting in public, and piling lots of watches out onto tables, much to the bemusement of strangers. More recently still, this get together culture has evolved again, thanks to events such as Fratello Watches Speedy Tuesday world tour and Worn & Wound’s Windup Watch Fair. These events bring together more fans, brands and other players in the space than is practical otherwise. To date, though, there’s not been a lot happening on this front in Australia, something that Paxton Wong is hoping to change with Watchfest, a collector event taking place in Sydney on the 6th and 7th of September. So, we spent a few minutes chatting to Mr Wong to find out more. What’s the idea behind Watchfest? “I wanted to bring the collectors together. I wanted to bring the collectors to influence the new people.…
Editor’s note: Last night, Longines went live with their online shopping facility, and I’ve spent a bit of time browsing what’s on offer. And it should come as no surprise that I’m pretty into the ‘heritage’ section of the site. And one watch, which I saw last year and was really taken by, is the Longines Skin Diver. So I thought the timing was right for another look … Longines heritage reissues are — much like the designs they’re inspired by — the stuff of legend. And speaking of legends, you might notice that the dial design of the Skin Diver resembles that of the Legend, with distinctive hand sets and long hour and minute markers. That’s because both watches trace their origin back to the Nautilus Skin Diver, Longines’ first dive watch. But while the Legend has an internal bezel, the bezel here is very much your traditional bezel, and black to boot. This, combined with the creamy-toned printing and rich, almost pebbly dial texture (offered on either a tropic-style rubber or Milanese mesh) adds up to a watch that more than lives up to its heritage. Also, you’ll be happy to note: no date window. Longines Skin Diver…
Longines has had a big few months in Australia. They opened their first Melbourne boutique a little while back, on Collins Street in the heart of the city’s luxury district. And now their watches are available online, direct from the brand. It’s something that would have been unimaginable even a few years ago — a major Swiss brand, selling directly online. But it’s 2019 and the future is digital. Well, except for the watches, that is — they’re resolutely analogue, and proudly mechanical. In celebration of this upcoming e-commerce launch, Andrew dropped into the boutique to choose his picks that are now available online. It’s worth noting that some of the hot models will only be available online or in boutiques. But, without any further ado, here’s Andrew’s top three … Longines Master Collection Moonphase Is there anything more romantic than the moon (phase)? Well, maybe there is, but this is about as close as it gets, especially when you factor in that dreamy blue dial. Longines Heritage Flagship Heritage looks and a sweet case size. It’s easy to see why this little beauty was a winner. Longines Record Two tones, classic style and COSC accuracy. It’s easy to see why…
Editor’s note: Sometimes, amid all the hullaballoo around specifications, it’s easy to forget what makes watches fun. Sure, helium escape valves can play a part in that. But if we’re completely honest, it’s about how a watch looks on the wrist, and makes us feel. And by those metrics, the Christopher Ward C65 Trident Automatic is a winner … Over the years I’ve had a few run-ins with UK-based brand Christopher Ward, having reviewed some of their older world time and jump hour watches. I’ve never tried one of their more mainline pieces on for size though, but when I saw the press renders for the C65 Trident Automatic I figured it was about time I changed that. The C65 Trident is an attractive piece, a neo-vintage diver that offers a strong blend of today’s practicality and yesterday’s charm. Clocking in at a decent 41mm across, and 11.5mm high, this stylish steel chap is offered in either blue or black dials, with a range of straps. The boldest, and vintagest (is that a word? It is now) option is the blue dial on this ‘vintage oak’ distressed leather strap. The brown, almost saffron, leather strap is a good tonal match…
Down here in Australia, Father’s Day is celebrated on September 1, which happens to be — wait for it — this Sunday, AKA a mere six sleeps away. Which, in the scheme of retail and everyone’s busy life, isn’t that long at all. So, as a helpful reminder, we’ve put together five banging Father’s Day gifts from our shop, which, if you order them quick smart, should make it in time. Failing that, you can always print off the confirmation email and pop it in with a nice card. So whether you’re a watch-loving dad who’s looking to helpfully forward a link to your nearest and dearest, or if your own dad’s timepiece (which he’s looking after for the next generation, natch) needs some loving, here are some solid options. Light brown + white stitch elegant leather strap This 20mm strap, in light, full-grain leather is the bee’s knees. It’s elegant enough for Lange through to Seiko, but also not overly dressy, thanks to the warm tone, rich texture and contrast stitch. Honestly, it looks good with pretty much anything. Plus the taper is hella elegant. $175 AUD Watch tool and case Tools are one of those classic Father’s Day…
Editor’s note: Being a pilot who’s into watches is already cool enough, but when you add in some seriously serious photography skills, that’s the whole ballgame. If you need some watch photography inspiration, this is it. Here’s a story from a while back when Andy caught up with Dale Mracek of @MracekProductions … Hi Dale, what’s your daily watch and why? I don’t have a daily watch per se, though I have my eye on a particular piece right now, so that may change soon! I bought all my watches to wear, so I tend to rotate them as much as possible. When I’m working, I tend to gravitate towards a GMT, as all our flight planning, Dep/Arrival times, weather forecasting etc. is all referenced to Zulu (GMT) time. So, generally, I most likely throw on my Breitling Avenger II GMT or Citizen Nighthawk (great grab and go). I’m a Breitling tragic, and I love the aviation history behind the brand. The original Navitimer 01 is such a classic and beautiful piece, and I have lusted over one since I started flying! One day I would like to add a vintage Navi to the collection. What else is in your…