MY 6 WEEKS WITH: The Sorna World Timer
If you want to know how hard you need to slap a chicken to cook it, the internet is almost too ready to give you an answer. On the other hand, if you google any combination and permutation of the words ‘Sorna’, ‘World Timer’ and ‘watches’, you’ll find four to five relevant searches that are older than most high schoolers. Even Wikipedia, the all-knowing and all-seeing, doesn’t seem to acknowledge the existence of this watch and brand. If that isn’t the bleakest affirmation of obscurity, then I don’t know what is. What follows is a distillation of all the research I have compiled and experience I have gained in the month and a half of owning the Sorna World Timer. The original Sorna Watch Company (apparently no association to the Kickstarter brand sharing its name) suffered a fate similar to many other Swiss brands during the quartz crisis. The company went into liquidation, but the name was purchased by an unknown company that continued to produce watches faithfully replicating the original ’70s chronograph designs, but using an ebauche movement that removed the chronograph function and replaced it with a day-month one. Sorna did apparently have some connection to racing, collaborating…
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Editor’s note: The other week, the Bond-centric rumour mill (which is an oddly specific, but proliferate sub-genre of the internet) went wild over (entirely unsubstantiated) reports of 007 being replaced by Lashana Lynch (note, she’s cited as being the next 007, not the next Bond). It seems like the sort of story tailor-made to drive the internet into a frenzy — flipping the gender switch on traditional masculine icons seems to be quite en vogue right now. And while a black, female 007 is something we can very much get behind, the real question is what would her watch be? Omega, obviously, but from what family? Well, history suggests it’ll be a Seamaster … James Bond is always running out of time. Every second that slips away sees the missile nearer to launching, the girl’s life slipping further away, global catastrophe looming ever closer. Time matters for Bond in a way few of us can understand, and this, along with his unfailingly suave style, go a long way to explaining why what this man wears on his wrist is such a big deal. Die Another Day Pierce Brosnan’s 2002 Bond swansong was the last time he slipped on the iconic Seamaster Professional…
The Swatch Group have published their 2019 Half-Year Report, revealing some interesting information. The group has reported an increase in their inventory levels, which include components, movements and watches, to a total of 7.1 billion Swiss francs (up 2.6 per cent from 2018). More broadly, the group, which owns brands such as Tissot, Longines and Omega, has reported a 3.7 per cent dip in sales compared to the previous year, attributing a portion of this negative result to efforts against the grey market, which undercut their retail channels by selling watches at heavily reduced prices. Swatch Group have taken “uncompromising action against grey-market dealers, especially in Europe, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South America, at the expense of a short-term negative impact on sales in the first half year in the triple-digit millions. In the long term, this will lead to positive effects, especially in the major markets.” One part of this effort was explained as a “suspension of deliveries to grey-market dealers”, clearly attempting to dry up their access to stock by limiting the number of watches that leave Swatch Group production facilities. However, these numbers have reached concerning heights, with the 7.1 billion Swiss francs…
The new Call of Duty trailer was dropped last week, and it featured an interesting horological detail that was noticed by one eagle-eyed Reddit user. As discussed in an article by Kotaku, the time displayed on the wrists of the game characters will read the local time of the person playing, adding a very cool in-game detail. While here at Time+Tide we are less concerned with the “grave ludonarrative consequences” (yes, I had to look up what ludonarrative meant) and more interested in how this could add another way for players to customise their characters. So while we don’t anticipate that this will be infinitely customisable to allow players to be able to rock a Ref. A/6538 Rolex MilSub, we thought we would still add our suggestions for Call of Duty watches that would rise to the occasion. Casio G-Shock GMW-B5000V In a war zone, robustness is required. If something isn’t literally bulletproof, it had better be as good as, and that is what this full metal G-Shock offers. It’ll survive falling off a roof, as well as any underwater diving you need to do, and will do it all for about a decade without complaint. In addition, thanks to…
Editor’s note: Flipping is one of the hot-button watch issues of 2019, and TBH we’re a little over it. So here’s the other side of the equation — what makes a watch a keeper? In this story from a few years back we asked our readers what made their watches keepers, and then we chimed in on the personal keepers … Without getting too first-year political science on you – the basis of modern life is disposability. We live in a consumer society. And that’s what we do – we consume. Everything is designed to be discarded and replaced with something newer and more expensive — from our clothes to coffee cups to computers. It’s a vicious cycle that can be hard to escape, but if you’re reading this, chances are you have an appreciation of things built the old-fashioned way. Much of the appeal of fine watches is that they’re machines designed to endure, to serve us faithfully for the course of our lives, and often beyond. Of course, just because something’s designed to be forever doesn’t mean it will be (just look at the divorce rate or the lifespan of a political promise). And so it is with watches.…
In the past, owning a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date meant something different to what it does now. It was the President’s watch, worn by those who controlled the destinies of millions around the world, making daily decisions that mattered. Now the perception of the Day-Date is influenced by rappers and Instagram hustlers, offering an ostentatious feeling that hints at missing parental attention during formative childhood years. Sean makes a strong argument to change this with his Love Letter to the Rolex Day-Date. While he acknowledges this unfortunate shift in perception through some contemporary wearers, he focuses our attention on the positive ambassadors for the Day-Date, including one of the most suave athletes on the planet, Roger Federer (as well as the broader Federer clan). I couldn’t agree more with Sean, and would also love to see the SoundCloud beat-makers of the world stick to their after-market ice, and leave this symbol of classical control out of their music videos. Sure, some may say that it is over the top and a disgusting act of opulence. Though they have a point and I do agree that it is loud, all I am calling for is some balance in one’s perspective. Why…
Chronographs are both one of the most popular complications on a wristwatch, as well as one of the most challenging to produce. That said, you don’t have to take out a bank loan to have a quality chronograph in your watch, so we’ve compiled a list of 10 great chronographs under $10K. BALTIC BICOMPAX 001 SLATE GREY Like many of the watch world’s latest start-ups, French brand Baltic had their break on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, raising more than €500,000 and offering customers the choice of two vintage-inspired models – a time-only and a dual register chronograph. Inspired by the step-case designs of the 1940s, the BICOMPAX 001 follows the lines and codes of the vintage school of watchmaking. Case size 38mm, Case material Steel, Movement Seagull ST1901, Price €541 LONGINES CONQUEST V.H.P. CHRONOGRAPH Longines’ achievements in quartz date back to 1954, when their first quartz mechanism set a precision record at the Neuchâtel Observatory. The latest evolution of the V.H.P. (Very High Precision) collection combines precision with the Conquest Chronograph’s instantly recognisable sportiness. It is accurate to an extraordinary +/- 5 seconds a year, and equipped with a Gear Position Detection system that resets the hands in the event of…
Editor’s note: These days, Girard-Perregaux might be best known for their sporty Laureato line, but they have a rich tradition in dressier pieces, which sit in their 1966 collection. This world timer, the Girard-Perregaux 1966 WW.TC, is a case in point — an excellent, dressier take on a complication that traditionally leans to the busier side of life. Read on for the review … Girard-Perregaux is one of Swiss watchmaking’s best-kept secrets. The La Chaux-de-Fonds based brand offers a complete — and compelling — package, fine pedigree, and a catalogue that ranges from the highest of high horology through to some more accessible (yet still exceptional) pieces. But, for whatever reason, GP has long lacked the sort of name recognition they deserve, and which is enjoyed by some of their Helvetican siblings. But it feels like that’s on the cusp of change. Girard-Perregaux is back at the SIHH, with a particularly strong and focused collection. And while the Laureato is their shining star, there are plenty of other worthy offerings in the catalogue. Take, for example, the 1966 WW.TC in steel. The 1966 collection is GP’s clean, classic — and, dare we say it, conservative — collection, and this is the first…
When most watch collectors hear the word quartz they think cheap, mass-produced and soulless. If a watch isn’t mechanical, it isn’t worth talking about, thinking about, and definitely not buying, which are sentiments I broadly agree with. As I wrote here, mechanical watches have a combination of nostalgic charm and independent reliability that I love alongside thousands of watch enthusiasts around the world. So why then did I buy a quartz watch that costs the same as some mechanical Swiss watches? Let me explain why I bought the Grand Seiko SBGN007, and how I feel about the purchase six months later. I’ll start by explaining that when I started collecting watches, I collected vintage Seiko. This is a great way to get started in the hobby, as you don’t have to spend a lot of money to experience a bunch of different watches. For someone starting their collection, this is the perfect scenario. I think starting out this way also stops you from getting any notions that the only good watches are made in a landlocked country in Europe and cost $10,000. It makes you appreciate watches that aren’t necessarily luxury, and how different brands approach watchmaking in a way…
Editor’s note: This year, the Bulgari watch department celebrated its fifth year in a row of record-breaking watches with the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic. While some in the watch industry are still coming to terms with the horological success of a brand with roots in jewellery, Bulgari have actually been making watches since 1975. A couple of years ago, Andrew had the opportunity to see the first ever watch from the brand, the Bulgari Roma, when it was on display at the Tokyo National Museum. He captured his impressions at the time, and told the legend of why it was first produced. Surrounded by dazzling diamonds and gemstones is a digital wristwatch, on a frayed woven rope strap. With its simple LCD display in a yellow gold case, the watch looks a little out of place amid the delicate, glittering finery that surrounds it. But this is the Art of Bulgari exhibition, which celebrated 130 years of the brand at the Tokyo National Museum. And this watch — the Bulgari Roma — is very important to the Italian jewellery house. It’s the brand’s first ever wristwatch, and the tale behind its genesis and their almost accidental entry into the world of…