In-Depth: Remembering Fricker, The Watchmaker That Drove The Internet Crazy
Looking back at the manufacturer with an online cult following.
Hands-on – De Bethune DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon
Last year, De Bethune celebrated the tenth anniversary of its flagship DB28 model and the second anniversary of its openworked DB28 Steel Wheels. The idea behind the first DB28 Steel Wheels of 2018 was to open the dial to reveal the movement’s contemporary architecture. With this DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon unveiled during Geneva Watch […]
HANDS-ON: The Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 is the return of a sepia-toned legend
This morning a new generation of Omega Speedmaster Professionals were announced, but that was not the only legendary chronograph revival and rejuvenation introduced today. Zenith has unveiled a new tribute to one of their chronographs from 1969: the Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 Gradient Dial. Game-changers in their day, Zenith produced three watches that were not only powered by a then rare high-beat movement, but they also had gradient dials – which Zenith claims was the first smoked dials for the industry at large. Today the Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 brings back the smoked brown gradient dial variant of the initial trio. The Zenith El Primero movement is a horological legend in the watch world – it’s schematics, stamps, and fabrication machinery saved by Charles Vermot and his great defiance and foresight. What could have been lost to the quartz crisis was rescued and the El Primero triumphantly returned thanks to Vermot’s preservation (against orders) of the equipment needed to produce it once again. This meant modern collectors could enjoy watches powered by the first high-beat automatic chronograph movement – a movement so respected even Rolex used a modified version of it in its Daytona watches for some time. The movement…
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VIDEO: One final loving glance at the now phased out (and much cheaper) Omega Speedmaster “Sapphire Sandwich”, which will only be in store while final stocks last
Editor’s note: Today, Omega did what they had been hinting at for months: they launched eight new Speedmaster references across four models, all with the new Master Chronometer Calibre 3861. The four references include regular versions with Hesalite and Sapphire and precious metal versions in Omega’s proprietary Canopus gold and Sedna gold, all with options on bracelets and leather or fabric straps. The most significant updates for all eight references are the new caliber housed within, and the brand new bracelet design. The new movement looks like an evolution rather than revolution. The power reserve is improved from 48 to 50 hours, hacking seconds is now possible, and it’s generally more robust all round. The bracelet now features five links per row instead of three, and each row is slightly smaller, which is sure to make the bracelet even more comfortable. But to get a better idea of what’s changed, let’s have one last loving look back at the now superseded (and more affordable) generation of Omega Speedmaster. More to come on the new collection shortly. The Omega Speedmaster isn’t just another watch. It is an important part of the horological canon and, more importantly, the watch that went to…
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Introducing – The Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385
The El Primero, Zenith’s historical and undoubtedly iconic movement, needs little introduction. Launched in 1969, it was amongst the very first automatic chronograph movements introduced by the watch industry, and with original specifications, having a column wheel, a horizontal clutch and, mostly, a high frequency of 5Hz. But that’s about the engine. There were watches […]
How They Made It: Wooden Wheels With 300 Years Of History
Rick Hale finds inspiration in the work of 18th-century clockmaker John Harrison.
2021 Watch Predictions: Will the Tudor Black Bay 58 replace the 41mm line-up?
Look, I don’t have a crystal ball that can tell me which new watches will or will not drop this year. But when people raise the question of whether or not the Black Bay Fifty-Eight with its 39mm dial will replace the 41mm line in the Tudor catalogue, I am not afraid to share my prediction. The short answer: no. Believe me, as the resident tiny wrister of the Time+Tide team (who regularly and playfully battles with his boss on the issue of ideal case diameters) I would have no qualms if this did actually happen. But if I really try to follow the trends of both marketplace preference and brand manoeuvering, I get the sense that it’s highly unlikely. Here’s why … Rolex made their Submariner 41mm this year and Omega is sticking to the diameter as well Rolex are sticklers when it comes to change. They favour the five-and-out mentality over Hail Mary overhauls (sorry, American Football reference). The incremental modifications they make each year are highly discussed in-house, with the subtle revisions made with extreme caution and care. The Submariner watch has never surpassed 40mm in diameter, but clearly Rolex felt the marketplace would be open to…
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Introducing – The New Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Master Chronometer
Today is Tuesday… and in terms of watches, you know what it means. Omega didn’t wait long in 2021 to bring its first novelty for “Speedy Tuesday” and, clearly, this is a very important one. Today, Omega updates its most iconic watch, a model that has been practically untouched since the late 1960s, with the […]
Introducing: The Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch ‘Master Chronometer’ With Co-Axial Caliber 3861
The newest version of the Moonwatch replaces the cal. 1861 Moonwatch, after five decades.
Introducing – The Ollech & Wajs Navichron Diving Chronograph
Ollech & Wajs might be a niche brand that isn’t known by a broader audience, it is one that has gained a certain famed among seasoned collectors and professional watches aficionados. Almost dormant for several years, the brand has recently been relaunched by a trusted and dedicated collector, who decided to keep the original “tool watch” […]