Is this double-denim Omega Seamaster Railmaster fashion-forward or a faux pas?
Editor’s note: We could always tell by the way the Omega Seamaster Railmaster ‘Blue Denim’ used its walk that it walked a fine line between a strong look and something else. The winds of sartorial change have changed direction since it was first released in 2018, with Levi’s recently re-releasing their ‘Engineered’ range, 20 years after it was first introduced in the ’90s. Where does that leave the Omega Seamaster Railmaster ‘Blue Denim’? Well, ‘double denim’ was once a fashion crime. It was a simple dressing rule that would help people avoid ridicule in public. For example, should I wear this denim shirt with jeans? No mam, change it out for cotton. Should I wear this denim jacket with a denim shirt? Not unless you are a real-life cowboy, sir. But fashion is mercurial, and what was once a laughing stock can become legendary in the simple changing of a season. Where does it stand, now? Is it the long-lost link between workwear and watchmaking? The story in a second: Workwear meets watchmaking in Omega’s latest colourful take on the Railmaster. One of last year’s most compelling releases from Omega was the revamped Railmaster. This new take on an old…
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When we came up with the concept for ‘what sealed the deal’, it was all about those micro-details and micro-decisions that happen in the final stages of a purchase. Tiny things you can’t get out of your head about a watch. That case shape. Those burnt orange indices that are coloured not by paint, but by oxidisation. Most of the factors that sealed the deal on my TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 11 were documented in this video below, but there is always more to the story, so here it is. When did you first see/hear about it? This is a weird way to meet a Monaco, but the first one I saw was in the mid-2000s and it was a V4, that wild creation comprised of belts, ceramic balls and magic. Of course, I’d seen them on wrists before that, but it wasn’t until GQ needed a story on the V4 that I properly deep-dived. At that point, to be completely honest, I found it occupied a weird polarised place, with this insanely innovative and amazing (cough, expensive) version and other really retro models that were out of vogue in the mid-2000s. There was certainly nothing as pitch-perfect as the…
One of the strongest themes in Grand Seiko’s Basel 2019 showing was the pivot to dressy, slightly thinner pieces. We saw two new movements (both mechanical and Spring Drive) cased in a range of (typically gorgeous) new models. And while Grand Seiko’s design hallmarks are there — namely in the exceptional dials and the quality of finish — there were a few elements that set a significant new tone for the brand, particularly the thinner, more ergonomic case profiles, and manually wound movements. It’s a strong start, and it’s also just that — a start. We’re going to see lots more of these watches in the future … Grand Seiko SBGK002 Gold case, red urushi lacquer dial with a stunning Mt. Iwate finish. What’s not to like? Grand Seiko SBGK005 Well, if gold is a little rich for your blood, keep things more sedate with steel. Still stunning with a blue Mt. Iwate dial. Grand Seiko SBGY002 The snowflake has never looked so stunning, thanks to the thinner, smaller case in yellow gold. Grand Seiko SBGY003 Steel case, radial guilloché dial and slender profile. Only possible complaint — limited issue. 
Editor’s note: Despite us pretty much living in the watches game, plenty of watches slip under our radar. Last year, Felix sketched out a list from various price points of lesser known low-key watches that are still, undeniably, lit. From the blue pops and sweet bracelet of the 44mm Panerai Luminor Marina Logo 3 Days Acciaio to the gradient dial and attractive price tag of the Tissot Seamaster to the Longines Master Collection Annual Calendar (another one with a pretty hot value proposition), it covers some ground and unearths some beauties. Sometimes I like to think of the watch industry’s annual releases like an epic, sprawling house party — the sort where everybody shows up. There’s the classy guys who show up at the scheduled start time (SIHH) with nice wine and house gifts, and then, when it’s all settling into polite chit-chat mode, talking about the latest highbrow TV shows, the rest of the party shows up (Baselworld) and it starts getting hectic. Like all good parties, there are cliques, frenemies and drama. Pretty soon all eyes are on the cool kids — your Pepsi GMTs and the like — and you get caught up in the excitement with everyone else.…
Editor’s note: This year’s SIHH from JLC was very much a return to their core – high complications and Reversos. Don’t forget, though, that last year saw the brand break out with a bold, sporty collection – the Polaris. We take another look at the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Automatic. The Polaris is one of those truly iconic watches conceived in a golden age, not just of watchmaking but also of global exploration. This year the Polaris got the nod for the remake and revamp treatment, being offered in five new models, starting with the deceptively simple Polaris Automatic. The uncomplicated, no fuss Polaris Automatic is the entry-level ticket to JLC’s brand new sports watch collection. The dual crowns hark back to the original, but this is no Memovox. Instead, one crown governs time-setting and the other looks after the internal bezel. At first glance, the dial is uncomplicated, devoid even of a date. But look closer and you notice the mixture of sunray, grained, and opaline treatments, with applied numerals and trapezoidal hour markers filled with luminous material that matches the hands. It’s exactly the sort of accomplished offering you’d expect from JLC, and it elevates the Polaris Automatic above the typical sports-casual…
Editor’s note: The Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph might not be the first watch that comes to mind when you think of IWC (it’s not a Pilot for example), but really, maybe you should change that. Just look at Jason’s snaps from our 2018 review. The story in a second: The sportiest member of the Portugieser family is busy living its best life. IWC’s Portugieser family is, large diameter aside, a fairly dressy affair. Classic style, leaf hands, all that jazz. It’s the classic business watch. Except, of course, for the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph, a watch that is business casual at best. The Yacht Club Chronograph is a timepiece in tune with its fun side, the sort of watch that can transition seamlessly from business to party. And looks great doing it. The dial Slate grey, which is the formal name of this dial, hardly sounds exciting. But the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. This dial is rich in detail and generally stunning. While the base of the dial is a rich slate sunburst, it’s all the other rich details that take it to the next level. The applied golden Arabic numerals, the printed white railroad chapter with…
Editor’s note: There’s a knock on the Time+Tide HQ front door. It pushes open and a face pokes around. Is this Time and Tide, the watch website? (There’s no signage, so it takes logo recognition to find us.) Felix, Emma, Sarah or I jump up, walk over and say, yes it is, how are you, etc. Conversation turns quickly to watches — when they discovered us, what’s next for their wrist. And then, in all seriousness, seven times out of 10, it lands on the fact that you can’t buy a recent Rolex. Why? We usually steer the conversation in a positive direction. You CAN buy a recent Rolex and we show them pics of the DJ41, which is among our favourites of the last few years — along with the stunning grey-dialled OP39 (also widely available), a watch that one day will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine. Sure, it’s not as racy as a GMT Master-II, or as shiny as a ceramic bezelled Sub. It’s not as stealthy as a 2017 Sea-Dweller, but it has all the Rolex hallmarks in spades — to the extent that when it was released in 2017, Felix actually named it as his best Rolex in show.…
It’s been an excellent crop of new releases for Grand Seiko, and hiding amidst a healthy assortment of models came this gem — the yellow gold SBGY002. Using a new hand-winding 9R31 Spring Drive movement with a power reserve of 72 hours, the new piece mates a variation of the brand’s iconic Snowflake dial with a more traditional and slender dress watch casing. Coming in north of $25K, it’s obviously a different beast to the classic Snowflake model; however, the new piece is yet another example of how Grand Seiko just isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to delivering impeccable design, finishing, and attention to detail when compared to any of their Swiss competition. This piece is one of four new models in the same vein; it is flanked by a pair of platinum-cased models at the upper register, and a more restrained steel model at the other end of the spectrum. All four models were launched as part of Grand Seiko’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of Spring Drive. While our topic at hand (as well as the steel model) are manufactured in the Shinshu Watch Studio, where all other Spring Drive watches are made, the platinum models are…
Editor’s note: The rise and rise of not just the quality, but the cachet of German watchmaking in recent years has all but put to rest the notion that fine watchmaking is the preserve of the Swiss alone. It’s no longer an argument that has any heat — or any credibility. Therefore, a list of great German watchmakers in 2019 (first published in 2018, the superfans will tell you) borders on a no-brainer. But that said, there may be one or two discoveries in there. Felix runs us through some of his favourites, one or two of which he wears on a very regular basis. Though, sadly, not ‘The Felix’ — seriously, how good would that be. Not so long ago, Cam — fortified with a strong cup of tea and some crumpets — ran us through eight of the finest watches from British brands. Well, today I’ve had my cold cuts and pumpernickel for breakfast and selected eight of Germany’s most serious timepieces to start your day off right. Now, while Germany might not be the watchmaking powerhouse that their neutral neighbour Switzerland is, they’re no slouches either. The industry is based around two towns: Glashütte, in the east, is the best known, as it’s the oldest…
Editor’s note: There were some notable absences at Baselworld 2019. A new Milgauss from Rolex, a new Monaco from TAG Heuer; in fact, the only birthday that happened on schedule, apart from the barnstorming return of Doxa in time for its 130th, was the glorious profusion of Zenith El Primero models. But no missing model was quite as glaring to us as the absence of the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight, a watch introduced in 2018 that chiselled back the slab sides of the original Black Bay by circa 20 per cent and revealed a shapely, infinitely more ergonomic body. Will we have to wait a full year for more versions? Just imagine for a moment … A BB Fifty-Eight GMT (the obvious one), a chrono … Will Tudor eschew the ‘one big drop’ mentality of years past and surprise us mid-year? Who knows, but in the meantime, let’s remind ourselves what Yannick Chan thought of his Fifty-Eight after a month on the wrist. Being a Tudor enthusiast (or, for lack of a better word, a bit of a fanboy), the Black Bay Fifty-Eight was the watch that really caught my eye amongst the new releases from Tudor at Baselworld 2018. Yes, like everyone…