Watch Dandy

In the underwater realm of dive watches, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is an undisputed master. Initially released in 1953, this prototypical dive watch was instrumental in reframing the rules of the game, and defining the modern dive watch.  It’s to be expected then that the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms has been an enduring feature of our horological landscape ever since, being realised in countless different versions over the years. And this is the latest.  The big story here is the titanium case: 45mm across, and rated to 300m, but refreshingly lightweight. Into that mix we get the traditional black Fifty Fathoms dial and bezel (with that charming sapphire insert), and silky sunburst dial texture, with Super-LumiNova packed hands and markers. The movement is the Blancpain 1315, with a hefty five days of power and a silicon balance spring. It’s visible through the sapphire caseback.  This new titanium take on the Fifty Fathoms offers a strong combination of classic style and contemporary convenience. 

The post INTRODUCING: The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms in titanium appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.

Watch brands love to hang their proverbial hat on the strength and resilience of their timepieces, but oftentimes these claims are just that — claims. Sometimes, though, these slightly-too-tall tales are backed up with hard facts. That’s the case with these five watches here, from Rolex’s deepest of divers (and bonus James Cameron) to Casio’s epically tough G-Shock and Bremont’s high-flyer. All feats of derring-do and destruction are illustrated in eye-wincing detail. Head to Gear Patrol for the wrap-up … if you can handle it. 

The post RECOMMENDED READING: Proof these 5 watches are tougher than you could ever be appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.

Editor’s note: If I look a little flustered and stiff in this video, it’s because I’m not entirely comfortable when I’m invited to get a lab coat on in a watch manufacture. Too many times, humiliation has followed. I don’t come at watches from a technical perspective, and that’s largely because I don’t have that kind of brain. When I’m asked to reconstruct an escapement, I want to escape, basically. Know thyself, right? While some dignity was restored recently, when I went up against the venerable @fkscholz in a watchmaking challenge 101, I’m unlikely to be buying a set of tools any time soon. I’ll leave that to the experts, like the fine people at Hublot’s headquarters in Nyon, who give us a tour here inside a Hublot tourbillon cage. It’s among the most popular technical videos we’ve ever created, which I’m sure has a lot to do with the magic and the mystery of the tourbillon, not to mention the mastery required to play with them.    Hublot have made big strides in recent years to establish watchmaking credibility as a counterweight to its heavy-hitting celebrity power. Regular nominations in various GPHG categories – across womens and mens watches – have been a meaningful…

The post VIDEO: A five-minute crash course on how a tourbillon works and what it’s comprised of appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.

Editor’s note: If I look a little flustered and stiff in this video, it’s because I’m not entirely comfortable when I’m invited to get a lab coat on in a watch manufacture. Too many times, humiliation has followed. I don’t come at watches from a technical perspective, and that’s largely because I don’t have that kind of brain. When I’m asked to reconstruct an escapement, I want to escape, basically. Know thyself, right? While some dignity was restored recently, when I went up against the venerable @fkscholz in a watchmaking challenge 101, I’m unlikely to be buying a set of tools any time soon. I’ll leave that to the experts, like the fine people at Hublot’s headquarters in Nyon, who give us a tour here inside a Hublot tourbillon cage. It’s among the most popular technical videos we’ve ever created, which I’m sure has a lot to do with the magic and the mystery of the tourbillon, not to mention the mastery required to play with them.    Hublot have made big strides in recent years to establish watchmaking credibility as a counterweight to its heavy-hitting celebrity power. Regular nominations in various GPHG categories – across womens and mens watches – have been a meaningful…

The post VIDEO: A five-minute crash course on how a tourbillon works and what it’s comprised of appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.