SPOTTED! BY AG: Dispatch 19, November 2018 – the second edition
November was such a big month of watches for the Time+Tide crew, and, subsequently, an even bigger month of watch spotting for me. Jam-packed with watch events, magazine launches, and other fun activities, this month’s special second edition of #SpottedByAG is a bit of a mixed bag (you did read the first one, right?). First up … While out and about at Cars and Coffee, it was hard to miss this vintage piece on the wrist of Melbourne photographer Issey. Issey spent quite some time hunting this vintage Hamilton Chronograph B (ref 7723), before ultimately locating it interstate. Issey’s fantastic photography skills have overlapped into his passion for vintage automotive and watches, and we’re excited to see where it takes him. With a passion for vintage cars, a vintage chronograph makes perfect sense, and this isn’t the only one in his collection — nor is it the only one Issey’s got his eyes on. Now, I usually keep an eye out for nice watches when at car events, and lately I’ve noticed a pretty strong correlation between the two hobbies. Whether it’s new or vintage, there’s a strong connection between those who love watches and those who love cars. Speaking of modern pieces,…
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With the end of year celebrations well and truly underway, SIHH 2019 will soon be rolling around the corner. And I, for one, cannot wait. Especially as the fair’s pre-releases are already whetting appetites with enticing novelties like this brand-new version of Panerai’s Submersible Chronograph – otherwise known as the PAM00982 for all you reference number heads out there – with a design inspired by French freediving champion Guillaume Néry. Needless to say, this is one that’s built for the underwater world. A world that Guillaume Néry has championed, breaking four constant weight freediving world records as well as being twice crowned world champion. Retiring from the sport, Guillaume now dedicates his time to sharing his passion for the sea with others, creating stunning imagery and films of his underwater experiences. It’s this love for the ocean that Panerai have instilled in their latest release. Water resistant to 300 metres, the 47mm titanium case features the distinctive Panerai crown lock, as well as dual chronograph pushers that sit opposite on its left, to gently balance the design. A unidirectional rotating bezel then tops the case in a matching titanium construction with an applied blue ceramic insert that mirrors the blue…
To talk about this watch, we need to talk about Daniel Roth. Daniel Roth is an immensely talented watchmaker, making his name at Audemars Piguet and honing his skills at Breguet until he left in 1987. After that exceptional grounding, Daniel Roth decided to found his own, eponymous brand, which launched in 1989. With a focus on high-end, complicated offerings, heavy on tourbillons, repeaters and chimes and, of course, that unique squared-off oval shape. And while the Daniel Roth brand — like so many small watchmakers — didn’t make it in the long run, the name lives on. The brand — along with those distinctive cases — was acquired by Bulgari in 2000. Which brings us to this particular Bulgari Daniel Roth. With a large 45mm rose gold case, in the aforementioned elliptical shape, this watch has undeniable presence on the wrist. It’s chunky and masculine, but also unusual and possessing distinctive charms. Charms that extend beyond the refined lines of the case. While most watches make do with conventional hands, this Papillon is not most watches. It’s a jump hour with wandering minutes display — the tip of either of those central lozenge-shaped indicators points to the current minute. It’s…
The Triple Bridges holds a special place in the history of Girard-Perregaux, as does the tourbillon. In 1867, a watch with three bridges and one tourbillon won a prize for chronometry at Neuchâtel Observatory, and the distinctive design became a de facto logo for the brand. The striking design of the triple arrow-headed bridges is undeniably pleasing, but its origins weren’t aesthetic. Constant Girard conceived this design as a method of ensuring the tourbillon was as accurate as possible. From its initial appearance in 1867, the design evolved, and was patented (with the US Patent Office) in 1884. In 1889, the watchmaker unveiled Esmeralda, a tour de force pocket watch with three golden bridges, a tourbillon and a pivoted detent escapement. This was at the Paris Universal Exhibition, where it won the gold medal and became forever enshrined in the canon of Girard-Perregaux’s watchmaking. In the subsequent 100-odd years, GP has made many more tourbillons with triple bridges, holding true to a design that is undeniably classic but still remarkably relevant, as you can see from this well-sized 40mm version in pink gold. Girard-Perregaux has smartly pared back everything else, aside from the titular bridges and tourbillon. Nothing detracts the…
You’d be forgiven if you missed the Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Relief Dog when it was released at Baselworld as a novelty piece as part of the brand’s Ateliers d’Art collection. However, once you’ve seen it, it truly is hard to forget. The JD PHM Relief Dog was created specifically to celebrate The Year of the Dog, which is the eleventh of the 12-year cycle of animals that appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. Now, aside from the caseback, which we will get to, the dial on the PHM Relief Dog really is something special, thanks to an extraordinary amount of detail and craftsmanship. With just hour and minute hands, Jaquet Droz have kept functionality simple on this time-only watch, creating a piece that is about the more delicate details. The dial really is a showpiece, featuring an 18k yellow gold hand-engraved Pekingese dog playing with butterflies under plum trees, which are made from 23k yellow gold. A black onyx subdial pops against the passionate red cuprite dial, which itself is an unusual dial material (cuprite is an oxide mineral composite). Movement-wise, the in-house Jaquet Droz 2653.Si, with a 68-hour power reserve, will keep the…
If, like me, indecisiveness is your middle name, choosing your next watch can be hard. That may seem like nothing more than a #firstworldproblem to the uninitiated, but to me, I prefer to think of it as a rewarding methodical process, a “journey to better beginnings” if you will. Let’s face it, though, sometimes it’s just too damn hard. It’s a journey that friend of Time+Tide, Anthony Do, knows all too well. An avid photographer and self-confessed watchnerd, the struggle is real for Anthony as he goes to and fro over the pros and cons of which of TAG Heuer’s astounding Autavia re-releases is for him. Well, we’re here for you, Anthony – even if it’s just to tempt you and make it that little bit harder for you to decide. I’ve compiled a list of every reimagination of the awesome Heuer-02 Autavia I could find. First up, where did it all begin? My watch journey started with a TAG Heuer Carrera Chrono, gifted to me by my now wife for our engagement about a decade ago. Since then, many watches have come and left my collection. In fact, my friends think of me as a ‘serial watch flipper’, but I like…
In a battle that’s been brewing since the dawn of Time (and Tide, in 2014), Andrew and Felix finally pick up the tools and take on the challenge of taking apart and then rebuilding a manually wound movement. We lay our scene at the Omega Service Centre in Melbourne, and the occasion is somewhat of a celebration around the announcement that Omega has upgraded its Manufacturer’s Warranty on all watches to a whopping five years — three years longer than the industry’s standard warranty of two years, which is demanded by European law. Unlike most other manufacturers that offer five years warranty on certain models, Omega is offering it on all of them. To prove the importance of servicing, we thought it was an opportune time to reveal the delicate innards of your watch and the expertise you are employing when you have a trained watchmaker see to its servicing. To make it interesting, we thought it would be fun to play watchmakers for a day, while engaging in a deadly serious (lol) rebuild battle across three criteria: speed, efficiency and accuracy. We asked you in a poll who you thought would win. The results were in favour of Felix to the…
Editor’s note: While people who collect/amass/hoard watches might find it hard to believe, most people have only one or two good watches, and those watches need to do a whole lot of things beyond tell the time. One of the most crucial things is they need to fit into your life, be able to handle ongoing, daily wear without skipping a beat, and look good while doing it. So, here you go. Are you under sartorial pressure in your nine to five? Feel the need to up your office attire? Well, we can’t help you with suits and shoes, but wrists? We’ve got you covered. We’ve found four perfect daily wearers that will dazzle your peers, no matter how dull your PowerPoint is. Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41 Over the decades the Datejust has become the definitive everyday casual option, and with its combination of refinement and rugged construction, it’s easy to see why. The Datejust 41, just released in steel, brings the classic up to a modern size and adds a next-generation movement to the mix. $9300 Oris Divers Sixty-Five I know what you’re thinking — a dive watch as an everyday dress piece? Madness, right? Hear us out.…
Named after Blancpain’s picturesque Swiss village home, the Villeret collection represents the spiritual heart and soul of the brand. Marking the point at which the Maison’s centuries-old elegance meets modern-day innovation, with each model designed with pure lines, slim case profiles, and clean dials that embody the enduring respect Blancpain holds for traditional watchmaking. The latest addition to the Villeret family is the Grande Date Jour Rétrograde, which, if your French happens to be tres magnifique (and much, much better than mine), you may already recognise as a classical Villeret with both a large date and a retrograde day display. The very first time we’ve seen a retrograde indicator used for the day of the week in the Villeret collection, the display fans out from 9 to 7 o’clock, snapping back from Sunday to Monday with the beginning of each new week. While sitting asymmetrically, just opposite, are dual Grande date windows that, along with the blue hand of the retrograde display, instantaneously change at the turning of each new day. This off-centred look adds a degree of interest to an otherwise cleanly styled opaline dial, with golden hour markers fashioned in the familiar Roman numeral style that’s found throughout…
You know who you are, and you know why you’re here — and it’s totally fine. You’ve found yourself at the inevitable crossroad that all collectors come to. You’re finally in the position to buy something that you never thought you’d like, but as your tastes have evolved, you’re struggling to resist it. When you first started collecting watches, you swore it was too obnoxious, gaudy and ‘flashy’ … yet, here you are, lusting after a gold watch — not knowing how to handle it. Firstly, it’s okay. Like I said, we’ve all been there, often without realising. Maybe it happened when you were at your local dealer, who only had that model you wanted in white gold. Maybe you tried on a friend’s piece and fell in love with the weight of the metal. You want gold, and you’re trying to work out if you can pull it off, and, ultimately, whether it’s the right decision for you. Well, here’s everything you need to know. Obstacles Now, before we tackle the various ‘obstacles’ (in #firstworldproblems air quotes) to buying a gold watch, it’s important to see where you fit in the customer type. There are a few different types of gold watch…