Watch Dandy

First Look – Bulgari Octo Roma, When The Iconic Octogonal Watch Becomes Softer

Since over a decade now (designed by Bulgari’s Roman design department in 2004), the Octo has become the iconic watch collection of the brand, known for its delicate and precious jewellery creations but also now for some distinctive watchmaking products (see the Finissimo collection and you’ll understand…) Yet, as desirable this watch is, it is a razor-sharp design, with no fewer than 110 facets and a shape that can’t go unnoticed. This year, the brand gives an answer to those for whom the Octo is simply too bold, with a more delicate and softer creation, still impregnated with the Octagonal DNA, the Bulgari Octo Roma.

The Best ‘His & Hers’ Watches For Couples

To many couples, the idea of a his-and-hers watch duo is appealing. We round up many of the most classic and appealing watches in equally appealing men’s and women’s variants that further demonstrate the importance and power of truly versatile watch designs.

The Curious Legacy of Audemars Piguet Calendar Watches Part 1.

While the geometrical and avant garde case design of the octogonal Royal Oak might have captured our imaginations since the 70s, the legacy of Audemars Piguet’s watchmaking primacy goes beyond Genta’s winning design. Indeed, vintage Audemars Piguet Calendar watches have have long been recognized by collectors for their…

Speedy Tuesday – Early Bird Speedmaster Professional 105.012-63

For a long time, it was assumed that the Speedmaster became ‘Professional’ after the watch was certified by NASA. However, the earlier use of the ‘Professional’ addition has been discovered some time ago. An example is this early bird Omega Speedmaster Professional 105.012-63 from 1964. Speedmaster Professional 105.012-63 Yesterday, one of our readers and Speedmaster […]

Breitling Avenger Hurricane 12H Watch

The new-for-2017 Breitling Avenger Hurricane is still set in the same 50mm “Breitlight” polymer case as its predecessor but is now paired with Breitling’s in-house manufacture Caliber 01 12-hour chronograph movement.

HANDS-ON: Reach for the skies with the Oris Pro-Pilot Big Crown Day Date

For a few weeks in March, Avalon (part-way between Melbourne and Geelong) will become one of the busiest air spaces in the country. The normally sleepy airport will be transformed when state-of-the-art planes including the gigantic RAF Atlas airlifter and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (in its first Australian sighting), will thunder down from the skies. The reason, of course, is the bi-annual Avalon airshow, the world’s third largest aviation trade show, and if you’re in the market for a private jet or just looking to stock up on heat-seeking missiles, no doubt it’s already in the diary. We’ll be there for a more down-to-earth purpose, spending time with event sponsors Oris, a brand with its eyes firmly on the skies. What better time to talk about the Big Crown Day Date, from their Pro-Pilot collection. Typically, pilot’s watches are pared-back, utilitarian affairs with simple cases and black and white dials, so this offering from Oris is definitely at the dressier end of the spectrum. While the bold printed Arabic numerals (that 4!) and highly readable hands are still present, the dial finish is a rich grey starburst, which makes a pleasant change from plain black. And though the 45mm case means there’s plenty of space, the…

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Baselworld 2017: Introducing the Corum Golden Bridge Rectangle

Soon to be officially launched at Baselworld 2017, the Golden Bridge Rectangle puts Corum‘s best known movement inside an oblong case that harks back to its forerunner. Invented by independent watchmaker Vincent Calabrese, who was one of the co-founders of the AHCI and an expert in tiny form movements, the Golden Bridge made its debut in […]

VIDEO: “We need to talk” – a Valentine’s Day letter to Swiss watches

Elise-v-day-slider-2 Happy Valentine’s Day! Now, for the downer. What are the words people use when a relationship starts to break down? American songwriter Ryan Adams suggests, “We need to talk.” “I’m confused.” “Maybe later, you can come over?” Elise, our French intern, may be searching for similar phrases right now, because her so-called ‘love letter’ to Swiss watches ends up in some, uh, different places…

The post VIDEO: “We need to talk” – a Valentine’s Day letter to Swiss watches appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.

Watch of the Week: Blancpain L-Evolution Tourbillon Carrousel

While having two, or even more, timekeeping regulators in a single watch is not that unusual anymore, this Blancpain L-Evolution unites two different types of regulators in a single watch: the tourbillon and the more exotic carrousel. Even more extraordinary is

Hands-On: The Jaquet Droz Charming Bird, A Musical Automaton Wristwatch

The Jaquet Droz Charming Bird wristwatch is as far from the world of useful, utilitarian tool watches as it is possible for a watch to be. In fact, it’s barely a wristwatch at all – in architecture, you’d call something like this a “folly.” A building is called a folly when it’s either purely decorative, with a form that suggests a practical function, or when it’s simply extremely decorative. The thrill you get out of the Charming Bird watch, on the assumption that you find this sort of thing thrilling to begin with – whimsy leaves a lot of people cold – is the same you get out of watching an especially good magic trick. It’s a piece of mechanical sleight of hand that, unlike actual stage magic, is more fun the more you know about how it works.