Glashütte Original are having a breakout 2020, this video celebrates our favourite models
Glashütte Original has had a year that few, if anyone, could have ever predicted. They have gone from eye-catching but niche Sixties Editions in lurid colours in 2019 and 2018 to what was declared by many that watched our video earlier in the year to be the best watch released at Virtual Basel – the Sixties Edition with Glacier Blue Dial. The momentum has been further intensified by mainstream dive watch beauties in the new SeaQ divers, in fetching and once again eye-catching combinations of two-tone and even diamonds in a 39.5mm model. It’s all vibrant, and exciting stuff from a brand that may still be considered obscure to many. At this rate, they won’t remain that way. Enjoy this quick recap of the watches that caught everyone’s attention in 2020. For the full-length Basel videos, check out the below!
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Girard-Perregaux was established in 1856 in the watchmaking town of La Chaux-de-Fonds, thanks to the marriage of Constant Girard and Marie Perregaux. The workshops origins were actually as early as 1791, but were not acquired by Girard-Perregaux completely until 1906. Though its history and heritage is in line with brands such as Patek Philippe (1839), Vacheron Constantin (1755), and Audemars Piguet (1875), Girard-Perregaux has not necessarily achieved the same brand power as the holy trinity mentioned prior. That being said, the brand has always made great watches both aesthetically and horologically — and the new Laureato Infinity Editions are a powerful case that the brand deserves a seat at the top table. A year before the introduction of the Patek Philippe Nautilus, and three years after the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Girard-Perregaux was one of the first to offer a sporty elegant model equipped with an octagonal bezel and an integrated steel bracelet in 1975. The design of the Laureato stands out in this category with contrasting lines and curves through a blend of polished and satin-brushed surfaces. Girard-Perregaux’s goal was to create a ‘sporty-chic’ watch, complementing both casual/sporting and formal attire. It is an extremely versatile watch in function, form and…
While it pains us as Victorians to write this, for we remain in the dark depths of our second lockdown, the Sydney Hublot boutique is open for business. And with Father’s Day just a few days away, it had us thinking we should loudly remind you of that fact, and then go virtually shopping for six of the best watches currently in stock. The challenge for this list was – like all the different dads out there – about showing diversity, which was in fact, not as difficult as it once was. The brand may have re-entered the world with the Big Bang, and one setting, which was full on, all the time. But now it’s different. There is light and shade. And there is the chance once again to gratuitously showing Andrew’s favourite bracelet of the year, the Hublot Big Bang Integral in King Gold. Hublot Big Bang Integral in King Gold The Hublot Big Bang Integral in King Gold was launched at the LVMH watch fair in Dubai earlier this year to resounding praise for its bracelet that is as innovative as it is spectacular. As the name suggests, the bracelet integrates perfectly with the case of the…
During my visit to the Grand Seiko “Nature of Time” exhibition, in my home town of New York City, I was fortunate to learn some lesser-known facts that have whet my appetite for the brand even more. Here is Part 2. If you missed Part 1, be sure to check it out here. 4. How the hands are blued Many brands will chemically dye watch parts blue, or blue them in batches via an oven-like machine that can lack consistency. This is the reason why the craftsmen at Grand Seiko will only heat-blue the hands one hand at a time. Aside from independents, the vast majority of brands blue them in batches, whether it be 20 hands at a time or possibly more. This can lead to a high defective rate. When the specialist at Grand Seiko is blueing the hand, this is what they do all day. They stare at second hands or even smaller power reserve hands. There’s no timer. They have to tell completely by their trained eye that it’s the perfect shade of blue. Only then will they take it off the heat. With this time-consuming method, the consistency is more perfect. The blue is matching every…
The launch of any new Rolex model this year is a hugely exciting event, but the complete overhaul of the Submariner collection is a moment in time that will be looked back on as the beginning of a new chapter in the history of one of the most celebrated watches ever. Typically, when Rolex moves to update a specific model, they move gradually, perhaps introducing a reference in precious metal or two-tone, before adopting the update across the stainless steel references. But 2020 is no normal year, and after fears we would see no new models from the Big Crown this year, we have the opposite outcome – the entire Rolex Submariner collection has been updated. Included in this update is the new Rolex Submariner Ref. 124060 41mm no-date, which may be the most distilled expression of the dive watch, and now with a different movement, case size and bracelet. The Rolex formula for success can be boiled down to a simple core idea – evolution, not revolution. And this doesn’t mean being out of touch with the times. It refers to the gradual and considered progress that each of their watches goes through and how, over decades and decades,…
Grand Seiko continue to celebrate their 60th anniversary with another limited edition to commemorate the milestone. The latest anniversary model is the Grand Seiko SBGR321, which adds a fifth piece to the first four references that were released earlier this year. The initial four anniversary models included the hi-beat SBGH281, the ladies STGK015, the heritage quartz SBGP007 and the sports quartz SBGP015, which makes this latest limited edition automatic a nice addition to the family. All five of the anniversary limited editions feature striking and expertly finished rich blue dials, with red accents throughout. The latest Grand Seiko SBGR321 is cased in 40mm of steel, measuring a robust 13mm tall and, in line with the rest of the anniversary references, comes complete on a stainless steel bracelet that is secured with a folding clasp. The attractive blue dial features an eye-catching sunburst finish that makes the richness of the blue pop even further, and is uninterrupted, bar the immaculately faceted and polished hour markers and a date window at 3 o’clock. The show really begins, however, when you flip the watch over, with a double-take prompting display caseback that hints at the inspiration behind the watch. Behind the sapphire crystal…
While Grand Seiko has more and more collectors and watch buyers on their radar, with a community of fans growing each day, there is always more to discover when it comes to this esteemed Japanese watch manufacturer. While visiting the Nature of Time Exhibition, going through each of its eight stations and speaking with staff along the way, I was continually taken aback by the facts and tidbits I was learning. While I consider myself quite knowledgeable on the brand, I discovered just how much more there was to learn about their watches and those who craft and assemble them. Here are six things I think will be new and interesting, even to the most devoted Grand Seiko fans. 1. What makes a Grand Seiko a Grand Seiko? The design principles underpinning the brand can be boiled down to four categories/principles: accuracy, durability, legibility, and beauty. Accuracy First and foremost on the list is accuracy. Grand Seiko is not going to make a movement that does not excel in its level of precision. We see this not only in the revolutionary spring drive movements that are accurate within a second per day, but also in their traditional mechanical movements that…
Seiko Presage is the sharp alternative between everyday Seiko and the mythical big brother Grand Seiko, with a price range coinciding with the Prospex range and an emphasis on dressy references with a classic Japanese twist. During the last couple of years, Presage has mainly been known for their very popular Cocktail Time series, with a typical Seiko focus on superb value for money – especially in their choice of colourful and elaborate dials. As with their ever-expanding Prospex series, we are now seeing a proper step up in style with the new Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series. In this new series, we welcome the sight of familiar sharp angles and muscular side profiles we know from the master of dressy sports, Grand Seiko. We saw a glimpse of a more angular Presage future with the unusual 1964 Chronograph re-edition earlier this year and its sharp vintage-style lugs, but this is thoroughly modern, with no curves in sight, and a dial that pops like few others. It’s a dial with the mysterious ability to draw all focus away from other details, so let’s save that for last. The bracelet and case This series comes on leather straps, or a sharp…
The Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller is back – pairing Yellow and Everose versions with Oysterflex bracelets for the first time. Oysterflex has become a fan favorite due to its tough, sporty, and adjustable build. The complicated cosmopolitan of the Rolex catalogue with this new configuration becomes a bit more casual and approachable in terms of look and fit. The case & bezel The two new Sky-Dweller models are, for the moment, limited to yellow and Everose gold cases with sophisticated fluted bezels that blend a sporty watch with formal wear aesthetics. At 42mm in diameter, the watches are by no means classically sized, but are well within the diameter of professional sports watches. While previously on a bracelet with fixed end links, the Oysterflex strap should have a higher degree of conformity around the wrist – possibly making the watch more wearable on smaller wrists intimated by its size. Thanks to its Twinlock crown, they are guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet) – and considering they are now on rubber Oysterflex bracelets, it only makes sense the watch is ready for a dip in a pool, lake or ocean. The dial There are six dial configurations for…
As Georges Kern, Patrick Pruniaux, Jean-Christophe Babin and a dozen-or-so other watch CEOs stood on stage in a moment of solidarity to pose for a group photo, behind them a big Geneva Watch Days sign went largely unnoticed, obstructed from view by the hussy of wrist-displaying head hunchos. Some smiled, some straightened their ties and some were dressed rather fashionably in smart suits and sneakers. Collectively, they looked a mixture of relieved and underwhelmed to be there. That they were stood in front of no more than 70 people – 80 per cent of which were colleagues – is where the real tale is to be told. This would be the only ‘event’ per se, over within 50 minutes and strictly invite only. Adhering to COVID-19 guidelines, one glass of champagne was allowed to be consumed per person (Moët at least), face masks were mandatory as were temperature checks on arrival. But it was quiet and clinical, bearing stark comparison to a pop-up Coronavirus treatment tent. Indeed, it was far from the size and scale the watch industry is renowned for. But after six months of the world largely locked down, two cancelled watch fairs and a global pandemic still…