HODINKEE Radio: How ‘Grand’ Should Grand Seiko Really Be?
Growing and evolving while staying true to yourself is tough stuff. But we think Grand Seiko can pull it off.
RECOMMENDED WATCHING: 3 reasons why watches are so horribly expensive
When one of your non-watch friends asks how much your watch cost, they’ll probably be shocked or straight up appalled that anyone could spend thousands, never mind tens of thousands of dollars on something that tells the time “just like your phone”. So how do you explain the reason why watches are so horribly expensive? More to the point, how do you justify a hobby that has the potential to be ruinously expensive? The team over at the Wall Street Journal just took a look at three big reasons why watches are so costly and the first two might be a little more comfortable to explain than the third. The materials used in watchmaking are expensive It’s true, for a very long time watches and even pocket watches have been produced using precious metals. The use of precious materials definitely isn’t restricted to the cases of watches with gem-setting on cases and dials, as well as a select group of watchmakers such as Journe even making movements out of gold. Watchmakers are very highly trained, which makes the craftsmanship expensive I remember speaking with Stephen Forsey about why his Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1 had such a price tag of…
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Introducing – The Sinn U1 DS With Grinding Dial
If you’re a dive watch or instrument watch enthusiast, the Sinn U1 should be no stranger to you. It is indeed the brand’s signature diver-oriented model… Modern-looking, utilitarian, over-engineered and very German indeed, up to the material used for the case and bracelet. What Sinn has recently been presenting is a new edition of its […]
Value Proposition – The Circula SuperSport Compressor, And A Look At The Brand
Gone are the days when microbrands were dismissed as pariahs of the industry. Second class timekeepers to more familiar, established brands. While not all microbrands are created equal, the subset has evolved into bonafide players that give the old pros a run for their money. Given the much smaller scale and freedom from corporate interference, […]
MICRO MONDAYS: Furlan Marri deliver retro chronographs at a great price in their assured debut collection
The 1940s were peak years for twin register chronographs with some notable greats from Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Lemania. As the functional sports watches of that era, the typical twin register layout was balanced with a delicate design language and an often whimsical art-deco flourish to the graphics. In 2021, their intricate detail and compact 34-35mm cases make them perfect dress watches. But the combination of their high value and frail mechanical movements means they often languish in display cases and safes rather than getting the daily wear they deserve. Admittedly, there is much to be said for staring mesmerised through a loupe at the busy dial of an early vintage chronograph. But what if you could have your horological cake and eat it? Furlan Marri may present the solution. The microbrand openly takes inspiration from Patek, Vacheron and the greats of the game – one of the models in the launch portfolio is the Tasti Tondi, the Italian nickname of a chronograph grail from Patek. Significantly, however, Furlan Marri’s first collection comes with a VK64 mecha quartz movement from Seiko that’s solid, dependable and accessibly priced. The upshot is that you get classic looks in a robust form…
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Fresh and unfiltered – why Dimepiece could be the shake-up that watch culture needs
If you want youthful edge and attitude, watch marketing is probably the last place in the known universe that you’re going to find it. Brands invariably take a strait-laced approach, heaping laboured emphasis on their luxury credentials, heritage and technical prowess. All of which is pretty dull. But it also risks turning off an entire generation. Brynn Wallner is the mastermind behind @dimepiece.co – an Instagram account with plans to evolve into something much bigger. The launch-pad for all this happened in 2019 when she spent a year working with the Sotheby’s editorial team in New York and was tasked with creating content to connect with a younger audience. As part of this, Brynn produced a series called G.O.A.T on the greatest watches of all time. “At the time, I didn’t know anything about watches,” she admits. Undeterred, Brynn sourced a specialist watch writer and dived into the process, taking responsibility for all the production, image research, fact-checking and editing. As a result, she received a crash course in brand histories, movements and references. “It was this whole new world that was totally foreign to me,” Brynn tells Time+Tide over Zoom. “I had to learn about it pretty quickly in…
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Sunday Rewind: The Rolex Two-Tone Tool Watch
Take a dive to the depths of the sea with gold and steel.
A WEEK ON THE WRIST: The Hublot Big Bang Integral King Gold is a watch that demands attention
Editor’s note: Andrew walked through the door of the Time+Tide office one afternoon in February and looked down at his wrist. “It’s a watch that can wear you if you’re not careful,” he said, gaze still fixed on the Hublot Big Bang Integral King Gold that he was wearing. A strong statement from a man who has spent the last decade or so with an untold number of watches. So why does it have such an impact? After spending a week with the Hublot Big Bang Integral King Gold, Andrew explains what this new design offers in gold. T+T: When did you first see it and what was your first impression? Andrew McUtchen: I first saw it at Dubai Watch Week and was immediately captivated by the reflections on the bracelet and the way that the bracelet locked up with that recognisable case in a way that, to me, reinvented the Big Bang as a design proposition. Why is the Integral such a significant design change for the Big Bang collection? The reason the bracelet is such a big deal is because the Big Bang has been built on a of the “art of fusion” ever since its launch. This…
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Video – Reviewing The New Fortis Flieger Collection, The “Flieger Reimagined”
“There is no function without design and there is no design without function…” This is how Fortis, a brand best-known for crafting rugged, functional pilot’s watches, set the tone when introducing its new, fully reimagined Flieger collection last year. Since 1987, the Fortis Flieger collection has been a reference for pilot watches. Instrumental, no-nonsense watches with durability […]
Moser to discontinue Pioneer Cosmic Green, while Andrew talks about his Pioneer Midnight Blue on Monochrome
Editor’s note: In some kind of cosmic coincidence, Edouard Meylan from H. Moser & Cie just announced that the Cosmic Green Pioneer will be discontinued on the same day that our Dutch broers at Monochrome Watches published an interview with me about my discontinued Pioneer Midnight Blue as part of their Collector’s Series. Weird. “Following @moserwatches strategy of keeping our watches very rare, we have decided to discontinue the Pioneer Cosmic Green. The last batch is in production, and then… that’s it,” owner Ed Meylan announced on Instagram at @edmeylan. “I will miss this one.” To celebrate, and commiserate, we thought we’d publish some pretty extraordinary new Pioneer images that accompany the Monochrome ‘Collector’s Series’ that were taken by long-time friend Dale Mracek, who you can keep up with at @mracekproductions. At the footer, you can find the video of the Pioneer Cosmic Green we shot way back in 2018. As I said to Frank Geelen in the Monochrome interview: “If some brands are all sizzle and no steak, Moser is sizzle AND the best fucking steak you’ve had in years. With fries. And a very funny waiter, too. The thing about Moser that can catch you completely off guard is that…
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