5 watch releases that you might have missed in 2020, including a $200k+ Omega tourbillon
You’d be forgiven for not really caring about whether or not there’s been any new watches released this year – there are definitely more serious matters at hand. But, nevertheless, watchmakers have continued doing what they do best and there have been a plethora of great timepieces unveiled. Now, we’re not going to attempt to talk about all of them — there are not enough hours in the day, and many have already graced the site. But we thought we’d share with you our favourite five watches that you might have missed this year. Omega De Ville Central Tourbillon Omega really went to town with this one. It’s the watchmaker’s first-ever manually wound tourbillon to be Master Chronometer certified, and the centrally mounted mechanism looks stunning against its black backdrop and precious metal case hewn from an intoxicating blend of 18k Sedna and Canopus gold. Price circa $168,000USD. Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Off-Centered Chronograph Jaquet Droz may well be one of the oldest brands in the game of horology, but this Grande Seconde Off-Centered Chronograph with gorgeous onyx dial proves the watchmaker has still got what it takes to make us step back and just say wow. If we had…
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Editor’s note: The Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon AeroGMT II USA-only edition is available now in the Time+Tide marketplace, alongside the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Original, a vintage-styled diver with some similar muscle. The Ball Watch Company is a brand founded on the principles of practical and robust solutions to timekeeping problems. They were established in the United States in the late 1800s after a series of tragic accidents on the country’s quickly expanding railway networks. There was no standard time that trains ran to, meaning that a deviation of a local train station’s clock could result in a train leaving too early or late, causing an accident. After one head-on collision between two trains in Ohio, Webb C. Ball founded the Ball Watch Company to comply with the newly established “Rail Road Standard” time that aimed to solve the problem. Today, Ball Watch Company continue to make watches in this ethos, prioritising legibility, accuracy and durability. The Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon AeroGMT II is one such watch that embodies this ethos, built as a practical modern tool watch. The 42mm steel case is built to withstand a lot, be it water intrusion, magnetism or shock. The case is specifically designed to be able…
Legends are made quickly in the microbrand world. In the case of the Halios Seaforth Bronze, news of its popularity could barely keep up with the speed at which it sold out, and while rumours of a second production run have been teased since January, second-hand Seaforths in bronze have been selling for more than their prior RRP. Not to be outshone, the French emerging mainstay Baltic have released their own bronze-cased, 200M, time-only watch, dripping in vintage character and with similarly perfect proportions. While these two watches are by no means clones of each other, no doubt they’ll be fighting over territory on your wrist. The case The dimensions of these two watches both sit in that masculine sweet spot for those who want big impact in a non-overbearing package. The Seaforth’s 40mm diameter and 48mm lug-to-lug should ensure a comfortable fit on smaller than average wrists, and the same goes for the Aquascaphe’s 39mm width and 47mm lug-to-lug. Both measure in at a modest 12mm high, including their domed sapphire crystals, so neither will provide too much of an obstacle to sliding under a cuff, if that’s the kind of environment you’ll be wearing it in. Although the…
The first time I held the Seiko Prospex SNR045J in my hands, I laughed, turned to my left, and said to Deputy Editor Nick Kenyon, “What on earth is this?” To describe the limited edition dive watch as evocative is more than an understatement – it conjures up many, many thoughts in my mind, scrambles them, and leaves me feeling very confused, for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s yet another (ir)regular Seiko that blurs the lines between Seiko and Grand Seiko. Secondly, look at the size of it! Who is this watch made for? And thirdly, why can’t I stop staring? And why is it only looking and feeling better the longer I have it attached to my wrist? Well, as a consequence of these perplexing queries, I spent the next 48 hours wearing the Hulky puck, steadfast that I’d get to the bottom of my curiosities, which, I hazard to guess, might be some of your curiosities too. The case BIG … it’s bloody big. How big? Enormous. More specifically – 44.8mm across and a positively chonky 15.7mm thick. And these measurements only tell half the story. Because the lugs are short and quite stubby, and the overall…
Editor’s note:The furore over the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 in recent years – that we have covered exhaustively – is interesting to consider in the context of this piece, that was written way back in 2014. It is essentially a long and detailed review of the new Nautilus models that were released that year. It was quite a collection, too. For Nautilus fans, this year had everything. And, from the perspective of 2020, which so far has been lean to say the least, this is a gluttonous feast. Along the way, we also mused on the history of the Nautilus and the era from whence it came. It’s a great read for those wanting to better understand the mythologised status of the Nautilus, which remains practically inaccessible (at RRP at least) to this day. In the rarefied air of the high-end sports watch, the Patek Philippe Nautilus is still the King. You could fill your day reading pages of passionate prose that argue the merits of the watch relative to others, but there is something about the Nautilus that sets it apart from a less cerebral point of view. Pure feel. In fact, when the Time+Tide editorial team sat down earlier this year…