It takes a very special type of wrist watch lover and science fiction fan to even consider owning a close to $30,000 timepiece with “Star Wars” in the title. It takes an even more special individual to pull off wearing read more…
Almost identical to the Grand Seiko that won the “Petite Aiguille” award in the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2014, Seiko now introduces the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat SBGJ021 with a special dial and oscillating weight. The design of this Grand Seiko is based on the 1967 Grand Seiko 44GS. Let’s have a look at this […]
In terms surprises, at Christmas or at any other time, Omega releasing a new Speedmaster does not rank (sorry Omegamaniacs). In the last few years we’ve seen Speedies offered in every colour and design under the sun. That said, their latest, the in-no-way-economically named Speedmaster Moonphase Chronograph Master Chronometer is, in fact, pretty eye-opening, mouth-watering and wallet-tempting. It’s hot, not just because of the blue colourway, or the new Liquidmetal bezel insert, but also thanks to the new movement powering it. The Caliber 9904 is Master Chronometer certified, and adds a moonphase to the mix. It’s a genius move to bring this astronomical complication to a Speedy, and the execution of this one is particularly nice – the moon is like a tiny reproduction of a NASA photograph, and if you look closely (like through a loupe closely), you can see a minuscule footprint on the moon. Who should you buy this for: Buy this for someone you REALLY love, because it’s a classic with a timeless twist. What’s the damage: Under $14k Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Chronograph Master Chronometer Australian Pricing Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Chronograph Master Chronometer, $13,625
The post ADVENT CALENDAR 2016: December 16 – Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Chronograph Master Chronometer appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
The first post on Time+Tide went live on the 20th of March, 2014, and in the subsequent 33 months we’ve had a blast publishing news, reviews and all the latest and greatest from the world of watches. We’re excited to announce that this edition of the Wind Down marks a significant milestone – it’s our 1000th post! Cue champagne, doves and fireworks! Though not all at once, as that sounds like a serious OH&S/animal cruelty issue. Thanks to everyone who’s supported us over the last 1000, we couldn’t have done it without you! I suspect it won’t take us quite as long to hit the big 2k. What happened? We posted some of our favourite watch photos of 2106 – Jason Reekie’s luscious shots of the lovely Hublot Classic Fusion Racing Grey. Seriously, how hot is this watch? We got flags! While these three strips of fabric don’t make any real difference to our day-to-day, it does make us feel a little more real, and certainly more piratical. What mattered? Rumours and scandal continued to swirl around the Swiss watch industry, with the latest being the news emerging that Switzerland has bought back 3.3 billion Swiss francs’ worth of their luxury timepieces.…
The post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: 16th December, 2016 – the milestone edition appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
Last year A. Lange & Söhne facelifted its most recognisable wristwatch, the Lange 1. The German watchmaker kept the design almost identical, save for minor tweaks here and there, while installing a newly developed, functionally superior movement. Now Lange has done the same with the Lange 1 Moon Phase, but added an extra complication in the form of a […]
Back in 2014, Swatch made waves with the original Sistem51, an innovative and affordable robot-assembled automatic watch. Much like the original Swatch, the Sistem51 was hailed as revolutionary, and touted as radically democratising the Swiss mechanical. While the sub-$200 timepiece was never going to threaten Omega’s market share (for example), it nonetheless featured some impressive technical features – like the single central screw holding the whole affair together, the anti-magnetic construction and 90 hours of power reserve. The initial Sistem51 came in the distinctive jellybean style case of the classic Swatch. Plastic, and fantastic. Earlier this year the Sistem51 got an upgrade to the Irony collection – made from far more durable (and a tad more grown-up) stainless steel. The polished case looks great, and reminds me of Marc Newson’s Biomorphism. The caseback is still clear, showing off the printed movements and peripheral rotor. The best thing though, is the dial. Swatch has released a bunch of new designs, from the fancy (and appropriately named) Tux, through to the very ‘flieger’ stylings of the Arrow. However we opted to check out the vibrant blue dial of the Boreal (which continues the vague astronomical themes of the original release), and the neat…
The post HANDS-ON: The Swatch Sistem51 Irony – perfect for the Christmas stocking appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
When Stephen Urquhart stepped down from his position as President and CEO of Omega, the Swiss watch company decided to promote from within. Raynald Aeschlimann had been with Omega for 20 years, which meant he’d been able to absorb the culture of the company under Urquhart’s direction and participate in its drastic transformation and revitalisation during the Jean-Claude Biver era. Omega’s decision to appoint Aeschlimann to the top post, instead of turning to an executive outside of the Swatch Group, or, even, outside the watch industry, is a strong vote for stability. Here we sit down with Aeschlimann to chat about what Omega will look like under his administration.
The word “badass” gets thrown around a lot these days (we know, because we’re doing a lot of the throwing). However, if the shoe fits, wear it: this is, I’m pretty sure, the single most truly badass – in every way possible – personal daily wear wristwatch I’ve ever seen. This watch contains a tourbillon movement made by Patek Philippe especially for the observatory time trials, and it was cased and worn as a personal watch by Mr. Philippe Stern.
On October 3, 2016, Patek Philippe launched two hotly anticipated limited-edition watches in commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of its Nautilus line. Reaction from the watch community was immediate – and scathing. Yet barely a few weeks later, opinions were much more positive. What happened and what changed?
Swiss luxury horologer IWC Schaffhausen and its retail partner Behbehani Group present a limied Portugieser watch to fete their staunch ties in Kuwait.