IN-DEPTH: An independent watchmaker explains why the new Grand Seiko 9SA5 caliber is so remarkable
Editor’s note: Grand Seiko turned heads at the start of 2020 with the announcement of a brand new in-house movement – the Grand Seiko 9SA5 caliber. It was first launched in the Grand Seiko SLGH002 60th Anniversary Limited Edition, a quintessential yellow gold dress watch from the Japanese watchmaking firm, and it left jaws on the floor with what it had achieved. We saw the 9SA5 caliber again earlier this month in the Grand Seiko SLGH003, this time in a sportier watch in stainless steel that was a statement of intent from Grand Seiko. But what makes this new movement so special? We thought we’d get an independent watchmaker to answer that question, our friend Reuben Schoots. We first spoke with Reuben in NOW Magazine Issue II, about his journey building a tourbillon pocket watch according to the George Daniels method. By hand. You read that right. The first of its kind in Australia. By hand. So without further ado, here’s Reuben. Grand Seiko’s new movement, the 9SA5, boasts 80 hours of power reserve, a new movement architecture, a new escapement, a new balance, a beat rate of 36,000 vph, +5 to -3 seconds accuracy per day, oh, and the…
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Within the watch community, you will hear the phrase “in the metal” a fair bit. With some watches it is as simple as paying a quick visit to an authorised dealer to become more acclimated with a watch. However, not all watches are available to view in-store – and no, this is not a conversation about Rolex. The Eichi II, from Credor, is a watch most people do not have an option of seeing on-demand. It typically hits stores for showings for special events put together in honour of trade fairs or VIP customer gatherings. Thankfully, for those who have not had the fortune of seeing one in person, we have the next best thing: photos and videos from macro maestro @horomariobro. Andrew McUtchen: Now this one is a very simple one and a very beautiful one. Or seemingly simple, I should say … @Horomariobro: Definitely. With the Eichi II, I am trying to show three things. One is the dial — I want to show how smooth and white the dial is. The dial is not made of enamel. A lot of people will think it’s an enamel dial, but it’s not, it’s made of porcelain. It’s extremely white. I actually had…
Editor’s note: Arguably, the GMT complication is the most practical in a watch. Everyone has at least one other time zone they want to track, but there aren’t many people using their chronographs to measure F1 lap times. The GMT complication also offers an opportunity to think about the world at large. It reminds you of how big the world is, and presents an opportunity to forget the moment-to-moment stresses that we all face in our lives. If that wasn’t enough, the wristwatch GMT complication has been imagined in innumerable ways over the decades, and are an exciting and creative corner of the watch world. So with that in mind, we wanted to look at what we think are some of the best GMTs of 2020 over $10K. Let’s go. AP Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon GMT The Concept range by Audemars Piguet is a latter-day classic, and since its introduction in 2002, has attracted a new clientèle to the brand. Hell, the cutting-edge angular weaponry of the Concept will blow even the flashiest Offshore out of the water, and that says a lot for its imposing presence. As Fergus Nash underlined in our in-depth story here, the AP Royal Oak…
The people have spoken, and it is clear that within the Fantasy Watch Collection 10K I was the people’s champion. I take great pride in my victory, listening to Queen’s “We Are the Champions” as I type this story. But I recognise I could not have won without your support, and thank you, the readers, for declaring me the winner of this segment. While I must confess that the two watches I selected were safely definitive crowd-pleasers, I truly stand by my choices and picked them without a desire to win the competition – these are genuinely the two watches I would pick within the 10K parameter. Let’s quickly explore why the two watches — that are seemingly similar — actually complement each other and make for a diverse and all-purpose collection. The case for the Black Bay Fifty-Eight “Navy Blue” Full disclosure, I was a tad biased in my BB58 Navy Blue pick as I actually own the watch on a bracelet – and it has had a lot of wrist time (arguably the most) throughout the course of the pandemic. It was really my first thought when tasked with building a Fantasy Watch Collection 10K, as its price gave me…
We will have to wait to see who wins the election next week in the race for the presidency of the United States. In the meantime, we thought it would be a good time to check in and see what watches President Trump and former Vice President Biden have been wearing as of late. Politics is politics, watches are watches. The twain shall not necessarily meet in this contest. Two men, two different philosophies, and two different watch collections – politics aside, just which candidate has the better watch collection? Joe Biden Omega Seamaster 300M The most frequently spotted watch on Joe Biden’s wrist, whether during debates or campaign rallies, is his Omega Seamaster. Even when he served with President Barack Obama, he was continually seen during photo ops wearing the now discontinued ETA-based models popularised by the Pierce Brosnan Bond films of the ’90s. It makes sense that a true fan of the model would add the more recent and robust Seamaster 300M to his collection, in a black dial to complement his vintage white dial and blue dial models. The watch is a great daily wearer, and one that expresses his more pragmatic sensibilities. Seiko 7T32-6M90 Chronograph While…
In a year devoid of international travel, the humble GMT complication has served little purpose other than keeping track of loved ones across the world. But when that little fourth hand forces your mind to think of another place and another time, that mental holiday can be just as rewarding. As such, 2020 has seen the release of some incredibly creative GMT watches, and here are some of the best GMTs of 2020 under $10,000 AUD. Mido Ocean Star GMT Mido’s new GMT diver just begs to be your next daily wear, with its clear, clean and capable looks being inarguably attractive. The inner 24-hour ring blends well alongside the traditional diving bezel, leaving all functions of the watch perfectly legible. Add the 200m water resistance, 80-hour power reserve with that famous Swatch Group movement, date display and sapphire crystal, and you’re left with a watch that can keep you on time in the office, as well as safe under the waves. At $1825 AUD, the Ocean Star GMT provides all you could possibly want. Zodiac Limited Edition Super Sea Wolf GMT Zodiac have been undergoing a slow but steady rebirth in the 21st century, bit by bit regaining its…
Stainless steel watches have definitely captured the hearts and wallets of collectors, with consumers joining waitlists for desired models and praying they can snag one “at-retail”. The VIP nature of the access, and the level of spend it takes to get in the good graces of dealers, has become so significant it is arguably less expensive to just cough up the premium on the grey market. Still, it can leave a bitter taste in your mouth knowing you’ve paid almost twice as much as the retail price of the watch. It’s just the principle really. But what if you could get your money’s worth without having to give into the infuriating, and enimgatic ecosystem of these hot watches? What if instead, precious metal options were on the table and you could actually save money? Here are three gold sports watches that are cheaper than their steel siblings. Patek Philippe Aquanaut (5167 versus 5066J) The Aquanaut is the most casual line of watches from Patek Philippe. A cousin of the Nautilus, this porthole cushion watch allows the wearer to have the haute mechanical aspects of the brand without the overt flashiness that can come with many haute horology pieces. Paul McCartney,…
It’s fair to say that Andrew has been in the game a little while now. He’s spoken to more than his fair share of weird and wonderful people for Time+Tide, from Hollywood actors and directors, to watch ambassadors and even the man behind the Apple Watch. It takes someone pretty special to raise his heart rate these days. But when he got off a call with Paul de Gelder recently, he was fired up. Seriously fired up. And after hearing what Paul had to say this week, I can see why. Paul is a former navy clearance diver, turned TV show host and is also the incredible survivor of a shark attack in Sydney Harbour. Paul has shared his story to a lot of people as a professional speaker, and 68 people have passed out during his talks – generally when he shows the slide of what a shark did to his arm in those Sydney waters. So, if you’re looking for some inspiration this Friday, or just a remarkable story as you head into the weekend, this is mandatory watching. But I can recommend cracking open a cold beer, or whatever your drink of choice is, because it isn’t…
Editors note: While you might think these uncertain times would lead to a decline in luxury spending, auction houses are still raking in a great deal of money – with collectors assuaging their boredom under lockdown with incredible timepieces that come up for auction. The market for hot vintage watches is still going strong, with even modern in-demand models commanding unexpected premiums. As my colleague Brendan would put it – high-value vintage watches have proven themselves”pandemic-proof“. This reminded me of an article we published some time ago, which explored the hammer prices of celebrity-owned watches, and whether or not the “X factor” they carried translated into greater bids. Since this list was last published, we have seen some historic watches sold at auction. Let’s check in on just how much their celebrity status impacted their sales. Marlon Brando – Rolex GMT-Master “Apocalypse Now” RRP in 1980 — $950 USD Sold at auction in 2019— $1,952,000 USD Buy similar today — $18,691 USD Celebrity premium — 10,343.53% After her husband heard about the success of Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona at auction, Brando’s daughter Petra Fischer-Brando realized there was a great opportunity to raise money for their charity. The proceeds of the sale, as well as Phillips’s portion of the commission,…
Editor’s note: I don’t want to go all salty Kanye West on Taylor Swift at an awards ceremony here, but imma just pop up here to say that Thor has declared himself the winner in the Fantasy Watch Collection under $5000 edition, EVEN THOUGH I polled more likes on Instagram, and was within one, or even tied up in the commenters’ votes. Also, Beyoncé’s video was indisputably better. *mic drop* (Congratulations, Thor) Instagram has given me the Oscar for Watch Journalists, the Emmy of Watchgeeks. I won the all-important $5000 round of #fantasywatchcollectionweekend and to quote the song, I’m walking on sunshine. The honour of being part of this team comes with a degree of pressure. For example, could my place be jeopardised by the potential embarrassment of making the wrong personal choice of wristwear in the team Zoom wrist check? Another example, being on the receiving end of continuous prodding from the Editor and colleagues to buy More, More, and yet More watches with an ever-dwindling budget. I dare you to explain to a group of frustrated locked-down Australians that you are “consolidating the collection” or, even worse, trying the “less is more” argument. But this is all…