Two years after its release, this Tissot is still one of the best value propositions on the market

Tissot Seastar 1000Editor’s note: When you’re looking to buy your next watch, you want to know you’re getting great value for the money you’re spending. This Tissot Seastar 1000 could still be one of the best value watches on the market after its release at Baselworld 2018, and there’s no sign of that changing. Let’s take a closer look at this beautiful example of “bang for buck”.  This is such a great watch. Honestly. I can’t think of many (if any) Swiss-made watches that offer such a punchy package for this sort of price. Not only do you get the impressive Powermatic 80 movement (more than three days of power reserve rocks) in a good-looking, well-made 300m diver, you get nice little features like the gradient dial and ceramic bezel. So much win. On top of that, it fits great on the wrist: 43mm is big, but not obnoxiously so, especially when paired with the height. Even the dial text and date placement is done right. My only possible quibble is the strap. Not the rubber strap itself, which I quite like — Tissot ‘T’ motif and all — no, it’s the slightly odd 21mm width. Given that I’m the kind of guy who…

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6 years ago

Porthole perfection: Our top 5 Hublot watches from 2019

Hublot watches from 2019Horological disruptors Hublot were on a veritable roll last year, releasing a great many new and innovative timepieces that once again show why they are making waves in the watch world. Here are a few special wristwatches that caught our eye. HUBLOT BIG BANG UNICO TEAK ITALIA INDEPENDENT TITANIUM Limited to just 100 pieces, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Teak Italia Independent Titanium 45mm is every teak-freak’s fever dream. With a bezel made of a mixture of teak and carbon fibre (peak ‘art of fusion’ right here, folks), this is the perfect watch for all yacht owners looking to recall the deck of their Sunseeker with a flick of the wrist. Ref No: 411.NQ.5129.NR.ITI19 / Case size: 45mm / Case material: Titanium / Movement: HUB1242 / Price: $31,100 HUBLOT CLASSIC FUSION FERRARI GT 3D CARBON 45MM And now for something completely different. Although Hublot is well known for pushing boundaries when it comes to case design and material science, it would be fair to say that the brand hasn’t really deviated from its classic case silhouette too much over the years. This year is different though. The Classic Fusion Ferrari GT 3D Carbon offers a more rounded bezel and case…

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6 years ago

Hands-on – Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date

Just before Father Christmas made his rounds in 2019, Oris delivered a full bronze version of its Big Crown Pointer Date. When we say full bronze we are referring to a bronze case, a bronze bezel, a bronze crown and even a bronze dial. We reviewed the 80th anniversary models of the Big Crown in […]

6 years ago

AP expert @horoloupe warns against writing off the Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59

Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59First of all, I think it is wonderful news for Audemars Piguet to have had such a strong run at GPHG and Only Watch, but to be completely honest, I expected it. The RD2 winning the Aiguille d’Or was no surprise to me as it is hands down one of the favourite watches in my collection, getting plenty of wrist time throughout the week (it makes the other watches jealous). The fact that the Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 won such a crucial category in GPHG and then fetched 1,000,000 CHF (I believe that it was one of the most expensive Audemars Piguet ever sold) during the Only Watch auction that same week speaks for itself and the future of the line. I will admit that I had my reservations about the collection at first glance, especially on the time-only and chronograph dials. However, over time, I’ve learnt to appreciate the details of the watches and the sheer craftsmanship that goes into making them. I don’t think I can name another watch having reached that level of brand equity (or any mainstream watch brands), with a more complicated and beautifully finished case (sans engraving) for the same price (bearing in mind…

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6 years ago

Value Proposition – Retras Diver, a New Retro-Inspired Watch from NL

At five years old, Axel Schijns found a dive watch during a stroll through the forest. He gave it to his father, who used it as a tool watch for decades. After he got the watch back a couple of years ago, Schijns decided to see if he could make his own watch, inspired by […]

6 years ago

An Omega fan responds to the release of the Omega Speedmaster Caliber 321 (and addresses the 20K elephant in the room)

Omega Speedmaster Caliber 321Putting on my Speedmaster Professional 50th anniversary this morning, I couldn’t help but reflect and smile on the huge announcement from Omega. The decade has just begun and Omega dropped a bombshell with the announcement of the Omega Speedmaster Caliber 321 in stainless steel.  By now, you would have read that this particular watch was inspired by the third-gen style that astronaut Ed White wore during America’s first spacewalk in 1965 (often referred to as the “First Omega in Space”). Making a modern interpretation of a historically significant watch can be very tricky and contentious. We know that a watch can’t just be a carbon copy of the vintage one, but at the same time it needs to pay respect to the one before it. It’s a fine balance, with every detail potentially making or breaking the overall essence of the watch.  Over The Moon This is one beautiful and thoughtfully executed Speedmaster and what I think many Speedmaster lovers have longed-for. The star of the show is, of course, the calibre 321. Unlike the Speedmaster Professional, this piece is 39.7mm, making it a perfect match for my slender wrist. I love the use of ceramic for the bezel, the…

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6 years ago

INTRODUCING: The Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946

Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph 19462020 has barely begun and Longines has already come out swinging with this — the Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946. Representing the latest addition to the Swiss watchmaker’s ever-popular Heritage Collection, the Classic Chronograph 1946 is a faithful re-creation of a timepiece Longines produced back in the ’40s. The pared-back aesthetic of this homage piece is refreshing to say the least, with the simple opaline silver dial providing an arresting blank canvas, which Longines has adorned with two no-nonsense sub-dials, located at three and nine o’clock and displaying running seconds and a 30-minute counter, respectively. As is the way with so many other models in the Heritage Collection (think the Heritage Classic “sector dial”), Longines has seen fit to bestow the new 1946 with a charmingly antiquated blued steel handset, which is complemented with raised Breguet-style Arabic numerals and a diminutive chapter ring – further adding to the handsomely sparse look. Another boon of the new 1946 is its stainless steel case – it measures in at a popular 40mm across, ensuring optimum levels of bandwidth and accessibility. Capping the case is a domed sapphire crystal that has been treated with several layers of an anti-reflective coating, which should make…

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6 years ago