VIDEO: Is the Rolex GMT Master II 126711CHNR “Rootbeer” the best two-tone watch on the market today?
Two-tone watches were all the rage in the 90s, but today many collectors have shunned the configuration out of fear they will look like Jordan Belfort. But not all two-tone is created equal, and Rolex has came up with a more youthful interpretation. The Rolex GMT Master II 126711CHNR Rootbeer is a modern take on two-tone, blending Everose gold and 904L stainless steel to create something you would have never seen in two-tone’s hey-day. The black and brown ceramic bezel creates a really interesting tone, the brown ceramic akin to a cup of coffee with a touch of milk. The 40mm case is still of the maxi era, which benefits its design as the modern lug stance distances the watch from two-tone creations of yesteryear. While it incorporates precious metal into its build, the Rolex GMT Master II 126711CHNR Rootbeer is every bit as robust as its full steel brethren. It is Trip-Lock secured with 100 metres water resistance and an Everose screw-down crown. As its proprietary blend name suggests, the rose gold is created never to lose its luster and shine – even over the course of active wear. While not as scratch-resistant as rhodium flashed white gold, rose…
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A few years ago Hollywood superstar Russell Crowe caught the attention of the watch world. Why? He was selling most of his impressive watch collection in a sale titled, Russell Crowe: The Art of Divorce, through Sotheby’s Australia. While the circumstances of the sale were unfortunate, it was an interesting opportunity to hear straight from Crowe about the watches that he owned and the stories behind them. And not only were the watches exciting in their own right, but the stories that surrounded the watches were even better. When the auction was announced, Time+Tide immediately flew to Sydney to see the watches up close and in the metal. While we were there, we produced a video that looked at all of the watch lots, and then heard straight from Crowe about each of the pieces and what they meant to him in his life. That video was first published back in early 2018, and recently it became the first T+T video to hit 1m views on YouTube. So we wanted to take the opportunity to look back on that important event in the Australian watch-collecting landscape and remember a few key lots in the sale. Andrew has picked his five…
Just when we had finally sussed out the design language of Moser they have another ace up their sleeve and it seems to be a very big sleeve indeed. The H.Moser & Cie Streamliner Flyback Chronograph still feels new, even after being out for almost a year and, with its timeless vibe, I suspect that’ll still be the case after many years, especially with this new and alluring dial. While the holy trinity of legacy brands tweak their tried and tested icons by a millimetre or two, that safe path is not for Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser. This is a marked difference to what we’re used to seeing, especially in the hotly contested integrated bracelet category. But I think that’s exactly what we need. Here, instead of homage, we have retro futurism inspired by the streamlined designs of 1920s trains and cars, delivered in a fresh and innovative way. The H.Moser & Cie Streamliner Flyback Chronograph is a reference for which the word “curvilinear” seems to fit. Angular is not a term Moser needs to express themselves, and this is one of the distinct details that sets them apart. Images will not prepare you for the firm yet…
H.Moser have become central to the revival of deep fumé or degradè dial finishing. Their deep colours captivate your attention like no flat black dial ever could. In this video we check out the the H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds Swiss Mad Red, which certainly lives up to its colourful name. This luscious cherry cocktail offers a tasty take on the everyday sports watch. We know Moser watches from ironic haute horlogerie with their Swiss Alp series and some of last year’s most hypnotising dials with their unexpected collaboration with MB&F. But can they really do everyday? The first impressions of the Pioneer Centre Seconds Swiss Mad Red tick my boxes in a big way. I am a dial man, always have been, and prefer coloured faces to monochrome minimalism – I just can’t help it. I also have a marked preference for three hand watches and the calm state of mind they put you in. There is something soothing about the slow cycle of the seconds hand doing its simple job and not telling you there is yet another email to process. It’s no secret that Moser have mastered the abyss-like depths of fumé and I have…
Collaboration has become the name of the game. Be it in music, fashion or watchmaking, we’ve never seen such a diverse meeting of minds from around the world. But many collaborations leave you scratching your head, especially when two brands that have nothing in common come together to make a product that doesn’t make sense. Those strange and uncomfortably mismatched products serve as a striking contrast to those times when a partnership is, like the cereal, just right. The announcement of the new partnership between TAG Heuer and Porsche feels spot-on, not because they are both successful luxury brands in the 21st century, but because they share a rich history of involvement in motorsports. One that goes all the way back to when the Carrera Panamericana car race first ran in 1950, which makes the TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph a natural distillation of this adrenaline-fuelled legacy. Featuring a 44mm stainless-steel case, the Heuer Carrera DNA is clear for all to see while, on the dial side of the watch, the links to motorsports are immediately obvious. Both partners are integrated here in a way that doesn’t seem remotely forced. Both Porsche and Heuer were inspired by the thrillingly dangerous…
Forever the provocateur of the Swiss watch industry, Moser is up to its old tricks again. Say hello to the Moser Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade, the last chapter in the Swiss Alp Watch saga that began way back in 2016. Half a decade ago it was a totally new release from the manufacturer with a curiously curved rectangular case and eye-catching wire-like lugs. It was a form of sophisticated protest against an emerging threat to the traditional watch business, namely the Apple Watch. Over the last five years the Swiss Alp Watch collection has found a number of different forms, all with the same Jony Ive inspired case design. Except that the Swiss Alp Watch isn’t a smart watch but a timepiece with a mechanical movement. This year in it’s final expression, the Moser Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade features a black DLC-coated stainless steel case, as well as a Vantablack coated dial and blackened hands. The cherry on top? The seconds subdial at the 6 o’clock position of the dial that is designed to imitate a loading icon that you are sure to have seen on your computer more times than you’d care to admit. As the seconds…
If you’re looking for a go anywhere, do anything type of watch, but don’t want to spend a fortune, John Robert Wristwatches might be what you’re looking for. Based in Melbourne, but produced in Switzerland, they recently released their debut collection aptly names the Archetype. This collection was born out of a desire to have your cake and eat it too, by taking design inspiration from the middle of the last century and pairing it with some of the best in contemporary watchmaking techniques. The result? Well, you get a dressy tool watch, of course. The dressy tool watch that is expressed through the Archetype collection measures a modest 38mm in diameter, just like the watch designers of the 1960s would have wanted. But unlike watches from that generation, the Archetype collection is guaranteed to 100m of water resistance. There are six references in total with three different dial colours (white, blue and charcoal) that are available with either an automatic or High Accuracy Quartz (accurate to +/-10secs per year!) caliber housed within. The dials are another winning point of difference. They’re created to offer the impression of a vintage linen dial that is richly textured and delivers a real…
Grand Seiko never disappoints with their novelties. Some creations may not be for your taste or budget, but it is very rare (if ever) you fail to appreciate the supreme value in their timepieces. Gorgeous Zaratsu finishes, colourful and nature-inspired dials, tasty textures throughout – the brand’s grammar of design is a winning formula for sure. While they’ve set the bar high over the years, each new release seems determined to maintain their devout following. Most of their watches are made from either stainless-steel or titanium, but that doesn’t mean they are a stranger to precious metals. The Grand Seiko SBGW264 is not only encased in incredibly well-polished rose gold, it’s outfitted with a green dial that is nothing short of mesmerising. Before anyone accuses me of drinking the Kool-Aid, let me be very clear: I wouldn’t say any of this if I didn’t mean it. The manually wound SBGW264 utilises a rounded 39mm case and lugs finished with a distortion-free polish. This is already an intricate process on the more defined and sharp geometries within the catalogue, but it becomes a bit more complex to execute on a slightly more curved surface. Grand Seiko, however, is always up for…