VIDEO: The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Black Magic watch is horological sorcery on the wrist
Hublot is a brand that does not always get its horological due. The movements that the brand does not produce in-house are horological footnotes compared to the movements that they do. At their core, Hublot are a bold, brave and forward-thinking manufacturer, and an excellent example of this temerity is the Meca-10 movement. As its name suggests, the caliber provides a long-lasting 10 days of power reserve and offers a distinctly Hublot aesthetic in form and finish. It’s quite the marvel in the metal, and a feast for the eyes for even the most seasoned gearheads. This is why it is proudly displayed front, back and centre of the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Black Magic. Measuring 45mm in diameter and 14.5mm thick, the black ceramic case is horological sorcery on the wrist. A sizeable watch, with the industrial feel of the Empire’s Death Star, this is surprisingly one of the more tame designs from Hublot. While they are more than capable of injecting colour into their ceramic creations, here they have elected for stealth appeal through an almost entirely black aesthetic. The only deviations from black can be found in four aspects of the watch. The H-shaped screws,…
The post VIDEO: The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Black Magic watch is horological sorcery on the wrist appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
Hublot don’t do things by half. If they do something, they do it full throttle, and you can see that in the in-house movements they produce. You won’t find a simple three-handed caliber; no, instead you’ll find chronographs, tourbillons and some of the most impressive power reserves in the game. Of their in-house movements, this year the famed Meca-10 movement has been adapted to fit into the new home of the tonneau-shaped Spirit of Big Bang case. This has required a movement architecture redesign to fit like a glove into the curved case of the SOBB, and it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t look good. In particular, the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Titanium shows off the movement with an attractively industrial contrast against the blackened bridges and darker metal of the case. The 45mm case is beautifully curved to meet the contour of your wrist, not sacrificing any comfort despite the uncompromising design. Thanks to the skeletonisation of the movement, you are able to see entirely through the watch, with the dial side showing off the power reserve indicator and time, while the winding barrels are engagingly visible through the caseback. It is a technical tour de…
It isn’t an uncommon occurrence for old watch brands to be revived. But for a brand to be resuscitated by the great-great-grandson of the founder is a rarer event. With Eugen Wegner, that’s exactly what happened. The brand was founded way back in 1897 in Gdańsk, Poland, and became successful selling pocket watches and marine chronometers to satiate the demands of those working in the shipping and docking industries nearby. In 2017, the name Eugen Wegner returned to watch dials, thanks to the work of Jonas Bley (the great-great-grandson), who has since gone on to produce a number of heritage-inspired watches including the Eugen Wegner One. The case is inspired by a pocket watch that the brand produced in 1909, but adapted slightly to be worn on the wrist. Measuring 43mm in diameter and 13.6mm thick, with heavily polished case sides, it isn’t a small watch, but it certainly isn’t uncomfortable. The dial is white lacquer, which offers a stunning canvas against the heat-blued steel hands contrast, delivering a pop of colour to the dial. Inside, meanwhile, a Valjoux 7750 caliber powers the timepiece to demonstrate this certainly isn’t a case of style over substance. It all adds up to…
As a brand, Baume & Mercier presents a lot of benefits to its consumers. They have established themselves as a luxury watch manufacturer that aims to present some of the best builds for the best dollar. It would be fair to say that what Longines represents to the Swatch Group is what Baume & Mercier means within the Richemont group. With the Clifton Baumatic Automatic COSC and Day Date Moon Phase, Baume & Mercier bring undeniable value to the consumer with watches that technically punch far above their price point. With upgrades such as silicon hairsprings, 120 hours of power reserve, and quick-release style straps and bracelets, it is really hard to find dealbreakers within the specifications of these offerings. The Automatic COSC is a reliable yet elegant daily wearer, perfect for the office, and the Day Date Moon Phase stretches the offering even further with highly desirable complications. The shaded lacquer dials create an attractive gradient that brings increased depth to the overall aesthetic of each watch, proving that more approachable priced watches do not have to compromise quality and can still compete in today’s marketplace for even the most picky enthusiasts and buyers. Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic…
The Longines Legend Diver Bronze is a noteworthy remix. It takes the tried and true, double-crown, super compressor-style case of the original and breathes fresh life into it with the new material. The warmly toned bronze eliminates all of the conservative, vintage-inspired character of its steel sibling, and dramatically increases the level of rustic charm and associated adventure. While still keeping the same 42mm case size and proportions, the design feels thoroughly refreshed in a way that’s hard to ignore. While the new case material is the main drawcard here, the dial of the Longines Legend Diver Bronze is a feature that immediately grabs your attention. With a gradient effect that emanates from the centre of the dial, the tone shifts from a lush forest green in the middle to near-black around at the circumference. This emphasises the bronze handset, while the black rotating inner bezel acts as a frame for the contrasting green. Longines aren’t trying to revolutionise the dive watch game with this latest release, but they are certainly offering a new and exciting take on a well-loved format. Bronze isn’t a metal that Longines use very often, so we’ll wait in anticipation to see if the warmly…
Just as IWC overhauled their Pilot’s collection in 2019, this year is all about the Portugieser collection for the Schaffhausen-based brand. While there are more than a dozen new references within the 2020 lineup, there’s one particular piece that not only captures the new direction of the collection but also encapsulates what IWC does so well as a watchmaker. We’re talking, of course, about the IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 Boutique Edition, a watch that is both thoughtfully designed and offers a nod to the game-changing work that Kurt Klaus did on perpetual calendar calibers at IWC in the 1980s. This latest expression of the calendar watch features a 42mm case made from 5N gold, which is as warmly toned as it is resistant to wear. The attractive looks are supplemented with the reassuring physical heft of strapping a large gold watch onto your wrist. Despite the head-scratching complexity of the Caliber 82650 powering this watch, the case sits a hair under 14mm off your wrist, which is comfortable and balanced. Another engineering feat that IWC has achieved is that the entire calendar can be set via the crown instead of by the recessed pushers often found on the cases…
The new Omega Speedmaster ‘Silver Snoopy Award’ 50th Anniversary is many things, but limited in numbers it is not. That’s right, for the first time ever, the brand has released a non-limited edition Snoopy Speedy. For many collectors who missed out on the other two references – released in 2003 and 2015 – this is an exciting opportunity to own a part of the history that Omega and NASA share, a history that was first celebrated 50 years ago. But while the news of the normal production run is big, what the watch itself has to offer is also significant. The silver dial contrasts strongly against the navy blue sub-dials and bezel, and the 42mm stainless-steel case serves up everything you would expect from a modern Speedmaster. But the party really starts when you look at the caseback, where Omega have built a mechanical animation that shows Snoopy circling the moon in his own lunar module. This is a complication we’ve never seen from Omega before and we’re thrilled they’ve decided to use the depth of their watchmaking knowledge to bring to life one of the most beloved cartoon characters of the last half-century. But the Silver Snoopy Award also signifies…