HODINKEE Radio: Episode 37: Scott Schuman
The Sartorialist himself came by to talk about, well, a bit of everything.
Hands-on – Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Metrographe Rose Gold and Blue Dial
When Parmigiani Fleurier launched the Tonda Metrographe (this version) in 2014, it wasn’t love at first sight. Although there was a lot to like about this new Parmigiani Chronograph – its distinctive yet elegant case design and the traditional overall quality of Parmigiani – somehow I felt it was not a watch I’d like to […]
LIST: Quick! Change! 5 of the best hot-swappable straps on the market right now
It took Apple, and their eponymous watch, to really hammer home the point that the traditional fine watch industry was stuck in the past. No, not with regards to the watch itself — I’m still plenty fine with gears and wheels — no, the real revelation was that it doesn’t have to be so hard to change a strap. As someone who’s sworn at more flying spring bars than I’d care to admit, that first, buttery-smooth Apple was a revelation. And clearly not just for me. In the following years, the number of tool-free strap-changing methods has increased significantly, heralding a new wave of user-friendliness (and more proprietary straps, which doesn’t hurt the bottom line). So without any further ado, here’s our pick of the systems that might usurp the spring bar. Cartier Santos de Cartier The renaissance of the Santos is real, and one of the major features, along with the new case, was the elegant and sturdy QuickSwitch. It’s excellent, and will be familiar in functionality to Apple Watch owners. Hublot One Click Hublot’s widely used One Click strap system lives up to the name – a distinctive button on the outside of the case is used to activate…
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NEWS: RedBar New Zealand teams up with Magrette to raise money for Christchurch shooting victims
A few weeks ago, New Zealand, Australia and indeed the world were shocked by the horrific violence perpetrated against the Muslim community in Christchurch. In the aftermath of this event, what stood out was the overwhelming response, on all fronts, from political leaders, through to local and international communities. It can be seen in the watch community too, as the New Zealand chapter of RedBar has teamed up with Dion, from Kiwi watch company Magrette, to raffle off two watches, with all funds being donated to the Victim Support’s Christchurch Shooting Victims’ Fund. The watches being raffled off are a limited edition Magrette Mania (#4 of 25), featuring a stunning hand-engraved case back, with a RRP of $1875 USD, and a Magrette Moana Pacific Professional Kara LE, worth $775 USD. Winners will randomly be drawn at the next RedBar NZ meetup on April 13, and announced on RedBarNZ’s Instagram and Facebook. Raffle tickets are $10 USD each. To purchase, email redbarraffle@gmail.com with your full name, location and the number of tickets you would like to buy. Payment details will be sent to all entrants (PayPal available), and ticket numbers provided once payment is successfully received. Well done to the guys…
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Midnight diver – the Longines Legend in black
Editor’s note: The Longines Legend Diver got a dark makeover last year, and even though it’s 12 months on, we still can’t get enough of this all-black look. Can you blame us? The Longines Legend Diver Watch, a reimagined version of a diving watch from the 1960s, had a dramatic reintroduction in 2017, care of the Milanese bracelet addition — perhaps the best strap hack of the year, period — and now it’s going to set pulses racing even faster with a new version in black PVD. Vital statistics Apart from the PVD, the Legend Diver remains true to the bold styling that made the original timepiece something of an icon in the Longines canon. It houses Longines’ L888 caliber. In terms of design, the lines of the original watch have been preserved, including the boxed glass (but in sapphire crystal) and the bidirectional internal turning diving bezel. While upholding the 1960s spirit of this legendary timepiece, Longines have also equipped it with contemporary and high-performance technical characteristics, including a black PVD coating for a resolutely modern design, a sapphire crystal, two crowns and a screw-down back to guarantee water-resistance to 30 bar. The bezel is activated and stopped by the crown…
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VIDEO: Holding JFK’s Omega Ultra-Thin watch gave me some strange feels
John F. Kennedy was a watch guy. He was rarely, if ever, sighted without one. A personal favourite of his was this Omega Ultra-Thin ref OT3980 gifted to him by his friend and former member of the Florida State House of Representatives Grant Stockdale. When we visited Omega’s headquarters in Bienne last year, we were fortunate enough to be given a tour of the museum, with a rare invitation to handle any watch that caught our eye. This was absolutely one of them. How to describe the feeling of holding in your hand an object with the human detritus of JFK visible on the strap, around the lugs and so on? He wore this watch frequently. You can tell. It was oddly unsettling. Powerful. I go on after this experience to handle Elvis’ watch, too. It wasn’t the same experience. I can’t advance any theories here, just an observation. An interesting backstory of this watch, aside from my esoteric rambling, is that Stockdale engraved and gifted the watch to JFK the summer before the November election, such was his faith in JFK. In December of 2005, Omega purchased the watch at auction for $350,000 USD. There’s much more to the…
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Sunday Rewind: Extremely Deep And Incredibly Special
A first-hand look at two ultra rare monsters of the Marianas Trench.
Buying Guide – 10 of the Coolest Dive Watches of Baselworld 2019
Dive watches are one the most popular categories in the watch world and, without surprises, Baselworld wrapped up with plenty of new models to sate aficionados… If these comply with strict standards, you do not need to be a diver to love these utilitarian tools. They make great daily wearers on the dry land too. Here are some of the best dive watches with 10 models that particularly caught our eye at Baselworld 2019.
Is this the best Swiss watch you can get for less than a grand?
Editor’s note: Many (many) times we’re asked to recommend a ‘good’ watch at the roughly $1000 price point. The Tissot Visodate, one of the brand’s staple heritage pieces, is always high on the list. It’s not a new release, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an incredible piece of kit. Here at Time+Tide we spend a goodly amount of time talking about the latest watch releases. Well, this isn’t one of those times. Instead, today we’re talking about a stone-cold classic that’s as good today as when it was first released – the Tissot Visodate. The Visodate is an historical reissue of a mid-century watch that was novel for its inclusion of – wait for it – the mighty (and occasionally maligned) date window. While these days the date is de rigueur, it’s easy to forget that back in the day it was a big deal. The re-release honours the original not just in the snazzy name but also with a date display that’s deliberate in its style and placement. For me, though, the charm of the Visodate extends well beyond this complication. The case shape, the opaline dial finish, the arrowhead markers. All perfectly on point for a dressy…
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What’s featherlight, heavyweight and striped like a tiger? The Panerai Submersible Carbotech
Editor’s note: Few brands have the on-the-wrist presence of a Panerai. Pair that with the futuristic look of Carbotech and you’re onto a winner. Read our review from last year to find out why we love it. At first glance, Panerai’s watches share a reassuring familiarity — large cases, large crown guards and a dial design that puts legibility front and centre. A close look at the catalogue will show that the brand born from its Italian diving heritage has quite a lot of diversity on offer, particularly when it comes to case materials. From bronze to ceramic and (most recently) Bulk Metallic Glass, Panerai has strong form when it comes to material innovation. And today we’re having a closer look at one of the most interesting examples from recent times: Carbotech. Before we talk about the case material, let’s step back for a second and look at the bigger picture. PAM00616 is a 47mm Luminor Submersible, one of the brand’s beefiest cases, good for 300m of depth, and a standout thanks to the solid dive bezel and that patented crown guard. The watch is impressive on the inside, too, with a big P.9000 calibre ticking away, a double-barrelled beauty…
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