INTRODUCING: The Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition
Oris have just unveiled the latest take on their popular Divers Sixty-Five line — the Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition, a follow-up to 2016’s popular bronze LE, named in honour of US Navy Master Diver Carl Brashear. The overall look and feel of this 43mm LE is familiar: a bronze case with deep, inky blue dial — with one notable difference. This is a chronograph, and a really neatly executed one at that. The dial is clean, with the large sub registers offering balance and symmetry, with no half-eaten numbers, date windows or overly busy scales to detract from the clean, simple good looks of the watch. Oris decided to keep the rotating elapsed time bezel, which I think is the right call. The crown and pushers are all bronze, and, interestingly, the chrono pushers don’t screw down, which goes some way to explaining the 100m of water resistance. Of course, this calls into question the dive watch bona fides of the Carl Brashear Chronograph, but honestly, it’s more of a lifestyle diver — a great-looking watch inspired by the marine world. Yes, purists will moan about it, but I don’t think that really matters. The watch is powered by…
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In the last days of last year we decamped from our regular, air-conditioned office for a sun-drenched bar high above the Melbourne CBD. But unlike every other company who had the same idea, we were more work-y, less party. We were recording a series of ‘best of’ lists … like this wrap-up of the year’s best watches of 2017 under $1000. Seiko Presage Cocktail Time The international launch of Seiko’s dressy Presage Cocktail Time caused a stir (or is that a muddle?) this year, and with one of the best dials under $1K it’s very easy to see why. From $650 Timex Marlin If you had told me three years ago that Timex would release a heritage, mechanical reissue in 2017 I would have called you a liar. And I would have been proved wrong. This little guy is a winner. $199 USD Seiko Prospex SRPB53K ‘Samurai’ It should come as no surprise that Seiko know their way around a well-priced diver, and this year they delivered again with a revamped Samurai, with just the right balance of classic and contemporary. From $675 Halios Seaforth This summery little stunner is from Canadian microbrand Halios, and with its sensible design and…
In 2017 the Black Bay is a force to be reckoned with, a retro reissue that has fuelled Tudor’s ascendancy to the powerhouse it is today. And while these days we’re used to having a range of colours and case finishing to play with, it’s hard to overstate just how hot this watch was when it was first released in 2012, and how it got even hotter the following year, when the blue version dropped. The Black Bay isn’t just a (very excellent) dive watch, it’s a tribal marker of community. So we thought it was the perfect opportunity to get as many Bays as we could lay our hands on in the one place, and run through the evolution of this modern-day classic. 
Ah, the heritage reissue. AKA vintage-inspired or revival watchmaking. Whatever you call it, it’s clear that this trend is here to stay, with vintage-inspired designs running the full gamut of incredibly faithful reproductions of historic models to more modern interpretations with a retro feel. Omega Railmaster We know the Railmaster had to make this list, but the only question is — which one? Do you go for the super legit, super limited reissue of the 1957 original, or go with the vintage-esque vibes of the regular production, Master Chronometer version? Availability and a seriously smart price meant we opted for the latter. RRP from $6525 Seiko SLA017 Have you ever wondered what sells quicker than hotcakes? The answer — Seiko’s SLA017, a reissue of their first ever dive watch, the 62MAS. Like all of Seiko’s greatest models, the 62MAS has a serious fanbase, and they couldn’t get enough of this high-end Seiko, limited to 2000 pieces. RRP $5500 Grand Seiko re-creation Seiko don’t have a monopoly on smart remakes of mid-century designs, as this very straight up and down remake of Grand Seiko’s first watch (from 1960) proves. No bells. No whistles. But pure class. RRP $25,200 in yellow gold. …
Tonight at midnight we will launch our shop and with it there will be an extremely limited allocation of a watch we’re all pretty struck by: the Seiko Presage SPB069 ‘Moonlit Night’, with a stunning blue enamel dial. What? Shop? Did he say shop? There’s no Time+Tide shop! More about this development tomorrow; this post is dedicated to the watch. Because there is, surprisingly – as the Japanese brand has a habit of leaving the editorialising to the media – quite a bit of detail and colour to report. Other key details, it is 40.5mm wide, has a sapphire crystal and is powered by a 6R15 movement. It comes on a blue alligator strap. The name gives much away about its romantic, dare we even say, poetic roots. Seiko do not usually name their watches. This makes them very difficult to tell your friends about. Unless, of course, you have a beautiful mind, and can rattle off Seiko references. Which describes no one in the Time+Tide team. So, long before we saw any images, when we heard the ‘SPB069’ was going to be named the ‘Moonlit Night’ our interest was piqued. Seiko have gone from one extreme to the other with this evocative timepiece.…
Silas Walton (@A_Collected_Man) is the founder of A Collected Man, an online platform based in London, selling rare watches around the world. Silas loves beautiful watches, well-made clothes, and the inside of a Cessna 152 at 10,000 feet. Hi Silas, what’s your daily watch and why? During the working week I wear a vintage Patek Philippe 3940G. I have relatively slim wrists, love Perpetual Calendars and am fascinated by anything powered by a Micro-Rotor movement, so it’s a natural fit. So, what else is in your collection? Have you got a favourite? I’ve sold a lot of my earlier pieces, but I love wearing the new Omega Speedmaster ’57 in my downtime, and I’ve recently taken delivery of a Laurent Ferrier Micro-Rotor. It’s definitely competing with the 3940G for wrist-time. What do you look for, in terms of criteria, when buying a watch? I’m very grounded when it comes to buying watches. I’ve learnt that I’ve often regretted previous, impulsive decisions, so, first, I make sure I really, genuinely want the watch. I ask myself if it truly fits my taste. My watch is the only important accessory that I wear on a daily basis. It has to fit me…
The story in a second: Maybe it didn’t get to the moon, but this Speedmaster still excites. Earlier this week, we ran a video review of the black-dialled Omega Speedmaster Racing Master Chronometer. Well, we liked it so much we thought we’d go into a little more detail, with the very different feeling grey-dialled version. The case It’s a Speedmaster, so no real surprises with the case. It looks and feels much like every other Speedmaster, except for its contemporary dimensions: it clocks in larger than your regular Speedy, at a not insubstantial 44.25mm wide, but it wears well, and sits comfortably on the wrist, thanks to a very reasonable sub-15mm height. The case is mostly brushed, with the exception of that sinuous polished line that stretches from lug-tip to lug-tip, adding an air of elegance to an otherwise utilitarian case. The dial Speaking of elegance, this dial variation is by far the dandiest. The black we showed you earlier is an undeniable classic, and there’s a white version, but this sunburst grey number is the real winner in my books. And not just because the grey is so mutable in the light. No, what really sets this dial apart…
Seiko dive watches are a perennial favourite. They’re tough-as, look the business, and have a history as long and proud as any. Whether it’s the coveted SLA017, or the classic Turtle, they’ve got a strong rep, and cult following. The Seiko faithful are going to be very happy with this latest limited edition – the SRPC49K, which we’ve taken the liberty of nicknaming ‘the night diver’ (I’m really hoping this catches on). We’re going to let these stunning pictures do most of the talking, but here are the details we have so far: The SRPC49K is a blacked-out variant of the Turtle, with a mix of matt and gloss finishes on the 45mm case, and a matching monochromatic bezel. The dial is classic Seiko diver, with the iconic Lumibrite plots, hands and that day/date display. There are the little details we’ve come to expect, like the Suwa ‘sword’ at 12, and the Prospex logo at six, but, really, it’s all about the colour. Orange is the order of the day, and not the sort of high-vis fluro orange you typically get on dive watches (having said that, the minute hand is pretty bright). No, the orange on display here is…
Today we chat to banker and self-described vintage watch hoarder Jack Wong, who’s not so anonymous online as @jackwongyf. From where we’re sitting, the Jack Wong lyf looks pretty good. Hi Jack, what’s your daily watch and why? To be honest, I don’t have a daily watch, I usually pick something to go with the day’s mood. So then, what is in your collection and have you got a favourite? I do not focus on one brand, or one particular era, as I believe every brand and period has their best. Having said that, I am particularly fond of Longines, Omega, Seiko, Rolex and pieces from the ’30s, ’40s and ’60s. As for my favourite, that’s a tough question. Aesthetically, I love all my sector dial watches. Mechanically, I am still in awe of my FPJ tourbillon. In regards to finishing and innovation, I’d go for my Grand Seiko Spring Drive. Rarity wise, my Longines (Mushroom Pusher) 13zn. You can probably tell by now, I don’t really have a favourite. Tell us about your most recent purchase, why is it special? I have to say it would be my Omega 26.5 CK859 two-tone Sector dial. It is special because, to…