Today MONOCHROME is visiting Schwarz Etienne, an independent watchmaker with an impressive level of vertical integration. We will first explore the brand and its nicely manufactured watches. Also, we’ll discover one of the best-kept secrets of the watch industry, the manufacturing of one of the most crucial parts of a watch: the hairspring. The hairspring, […]
A little while ago I made my way down to Cartier’s Collins Street boutique in Melbourne, spent a little time amidst the glittering plinths and picked out some watches that, for me at least, really epitomise what makes the Maison’s watchmaking so great. Of course there are numerous shapes in attendance, from the circle of the Ballon Bleu through to the bold rectangles of the Tank. Really, though, the common thread through these eight watches is the overall strength of design, and the timelessness of it. All eight of these watches — regardless of shape, case metal and even complications — are classics, in the truest sense of the word. And that’s what makes them great.
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A little while ago I posited that the Tissot Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80 was the best-value diver of 2018, a bold claim I still back. Today, it’s time to meet the Seastar’s dressy cousin, the Chemin des Tourelles. This watch is powered by the same, quite impressive Powermatic 80 as the Seastar, but on the surface it’s a completely different looking beast. A 42mm case, with a flashy blue starburst dial with an outer level of quite fancy Clous de Paris style finishing, which goes well with the applied numerals. This Tissot hits a lot of familiar, friendly notes, and is a perfect contender for daily wear in a semi-formal context. And with a RRP of just on $1000 it offers a heck of a lot of value. Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Australian pricing Tissot Chemin des Tourelles, steel on leather, $1000
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At its heart, Panerai is about diving. The brand was born under the waves and continues to call the underwater world home. Which is why we found ourselves, several weeks ago, watching — slightly nervously — as a brace of Panerai Submersibles dipped into a giant tank full of rays, sharks and other (less threatening) fish at the Melbourne Aquarium. Thankfully, the watches were attached to the wrists of professional divers, who put them through their paces, leaving us in the position to debate the various merits of three stars in the Submersible line-up: the Submersible Carbotech, the Submersible in 42mm stainless steel, and the Submersible BMG-Tech. And while these three watches are all rock-solid, purpose-built dive watches, they also show off Panerai’s expertise when it comes to materials science. The Carbotech, named for the carbon composite it’s made from, is aggressive-looking, light-weight and downright cool. The 42mm steel model is classic in its construction and design. Finally, the BMG-Tech offers a bit of both: traditional Panerai styling with decidedly non-traditional material science in the form of the amorphous alloy case. For all that the superficial look is the same, these three watches are decidedly different.
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When it comes to materials, it’s hard to beat Rado. The brand is a master of innovative materials. They pioneered ultra hard metals and ceramics, and continue to push the realms of the possible. The latest is Ceramos, an alloy of ceramic and metal that offers the best of both worlds — the lightness and scratch-resistance of ceramic, paired with the finish and lustre of metal. Here they’ve chosen to deploy Ceramos on the relatively conservative DiaMaster Thinline, a classic two-hander with a date. So, if you like your tradition with a healthy dose of technical, check out the Rado DiaMaster Thinline Ceramos. Rado DiaMaster Thinline Ceramos Australian pricing Rado DiaMaster Thinline Ceramos, $3025.
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Hublot has built its brand on the twin pillars of big and bold — I mean, they don’t call it a Big Bang for nothing. This year the brand changed tack with the announcement of a scaled-down Big Bang, clocking in at a much more wrist-friendly 42mm. Just quietly, I think this is an awesome development: 42mm means that the watch will comfortably fit more wrists than ever before, while still offering maximalist impact. And it’s just the beginning, with fairly core models being offered in this smaller diameter, but I suspect that will change soon … So, if you’ve never tried on a Hublot for fear of it overwhelming your wrist, I’d strongly suggest trying the 42mm Big Bang on for size. Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium Chronograph 42mm Australian pricing Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium Chronograph 42mm, $22,100.
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Rado’s DiaMaster Petite Seconde is a great contender for a go-to daily wearer, as it offers a pretty good taste of both worlds. The style is restrained without being boring — there are heritage touches there, like the leaf-shaped hands and small seconds, but it’s also pleasingly up to date in terms of fine design details and current colour palettes. Where Rado really stands out, though, is with the strength of the case. And here I mean that literally, as the case is ceramic, and pretty much scratch-proof. The movement, as with most of Rado’s modern movements, is solid, too, with a silicon spiral and 80 hours of power reserve. All told, the DiaMaster Petite Seconde is a solid-looking and performing piece that offers very solid value. Rado DiaMaster Petite Seconde Australian pricing Rado DiaMaster Petite Seconde, $3450
The post VIDEO: Timeless style in a 21st century body – the Rado DiaMaster Petite Seconde appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
This year, TAG Heuer is celebrating the 55th anniversary of its most iconic watch, the Carrera. Born in 1963, designed by Jack Heuer himself to answer the needs of motorsports pilots, named after one of the most legendary races (the Carrera Panamericana), the recipe was simple: a clean, uncluttered, ultra-legible and reliable instrument to measure […]
We’ve spent a bit of time this week going back and forth over the finer points of Seiko’s latest Executive Sports Astrons, from the blingy SSE170J to the tennis-y SSE174J. Today, we’re having a look at another member of the family, which is, I have to say, my pick of the bunch: the blue-detailed SSE167J. Not only am I a sucker for a blue dial, but, for me, that glossy, three-dimensional ceramic bezel is a winner. Having said that, the surprise hit for me was that small mother-of-pearl second time zone display. Mother-of-pearl (or MOP to its friends) is a material typically found on more female-focused watches, but I’ll be darned if it doesn’t work a treat on this space-age Seiko. Watch the video and you’ll see what I mean. Seiko Astron Executive Sports SSE167J Australian pricing Seiko Astron SSE167J, $4200
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Watches — the best watches at least — do more than tell the time. They transcend their function to evoke an atmosphere or a mood. Tissot’s latest heritage piece, the Petite Seconde, is a quite wonderful example of this. Sure, it’s a 42mm steel piece with a classic manually winding movement, and a pretty classic dial. But it’s actually a lot more than that. It’s like a warm, shining pebble on the wrist, a watch full of gentle curves and pleasing details. Like the daily winding of the movement, or that dial, it’s got a soft, almost satiny brushed finish and some truly lovely printed Arabic numerals. In short, it’s everything you want from a heritage-inspired piece, and a great value proposition. TLDR; it’s a really nice watch. Tissot Heritage Petite Seconde Australian pricing Tissot Heritage Petite Seconde, $1425. The Tissot Heritage Petite Seconde is available to purchase from the Time+Tide shop.
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