A smaller case, a more contemporary design and a chronometer-certified manufacture movement inside; there’s a lot to like about the new monochromatic Chopard L.U.C Chrono One Flyback. Not to mention the fact that this model is offered in steel – albeit in a limited edition of only 250 pieces. Given that previous iterations have only […]
It’s been a big one.
Yes, the technology almost single-handedly destroyed the Swiss watch industry, but whether you want to admit it or not, quartz watches are brilliantly impressive, and they have been the main proponents in democratising timepieces as we know them today. Ever since the ingenious battery-powered Seiko Astron first burst onto the scene on December 25, 1969, the Japanese watchmaker has been at the forefront of the uber-accurate mechanisms. But, crucially, many watchmakers now employ the use of quartz power, and we thought we’d take a look at four of the best quartz watches of 2019. GRAND SEIKO SBGN009 Released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first quartz watch, the SBGN009’s luscious blue dial has the kind of repeating pattern in the background that very few brands can pull off without it looking chintzy. Cue Grand Seiko, whose reputation for remarkable dial designs is now well entrenched. The colour-matched seconds hand, GMT hand, logo, and chapter ring provide true chromatic harmony with the two shades of blue on show. Limited to 2,019 pieces. Ref No: SBGN009 / Case size: 40mm / Case material: Steel / Movement: 9F86 / Price: $4000 UNIMATIC MODELLO TRE Every watch collector should make space for a…
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I asked Jason, Time+Tide’s resident photographer, if he could tell me his favourite watch photos from 2019 that he had captured, without quite realising the sheer scope of the work that he had done this year. I soon found out. “Hey Jason, how many photos have you taken this year?” “How many have I edited, or how many have been published?” “No, how many times have you pressed the button on your camera?” “Oh, that’s a big number. Tens of thousands, easy.” So out of the tens of thousands of shutter clicks that happened since we last lapped the sun (these were my favourites), these are Jason’s favourites, in no particular order, for reasons he articulates below. Franck Muller Double Mystery Symmetry, colour and diamonds. So many diamonds. And such cute jewelled indices. Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph I spent time over this shot (I hope it shows). Itʼs crisp where it should be crisp, smooth where it should be smooth. The light shines beautifully off the brushed metal. Itʼs everything I like in a watch shot. Seiko Prospex SRPD50K Black on black is one of my favourite styles of shooting: just catching edges, reflections and highlights to bring the watch out…
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If a regulator wristwatch comes up in conversation, odds are that Chronoswiss is a part of it. The brand was first to produce a regulator wristwatch in series with the Régulateur, a simple and elegant piece that led to the company’s signature style. Rare examples of regulator wristwatches existed prior to this, but none were […]
2019 has seen the rise of many, many trends in watchmaking — steel sports watches with integrated bracelets, bronze cases, limited editions … you get the drift. Another incredibly vogue tendency has been watch manufacturers introducing homage models or watches that aesthetically borrow heavily from vintage timepieces. And, unquestionably, the genre of watches that has most felt the effects of this yesteryear savoir faire is pilot’s watches. Don’t get us wrong, though, that’s not a bad thing … not at all. In fact, this year has given birth to some of the most arresting examples of pilot’s watches that we’ve seen in quite some time, and here are three of our favourites: BLANCPAIN AIR COMMAND While most would think of diving watches (specifically the Fifty Fathoms and the Bathyscaphe) or dress watches when the name Blancpain pops up in conversation, the oldest surviving watchmaker in the world (founded in 1735) is also a dab hand at producing watches for the skies. The Blancpain Air Command is a particularly retro pilot’s flyback chronograph brought up to date by modern manufacturing techniques. Limited to 500 pieces, this one is unlikely to hang around in the hangar for long. Ref No: AC01-1130-63A / Case…
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Some boardroom discussions would be fascinating to observe. The brand decisions presumably make sense at the time, but can appear a little odd to the rest of us. Every so often, however, a brand makes a bold play to distinguish itself from its price-point competitors and it kind of works. Sometimes because the brand chose credibility and congruity over celebrity status, and other times because it’s so wacky, it’s hard to forget (and thus achieving its objective). So, let’s get to know a few watchmaking ambassadors from lesser followed sports. How good a fit do you think these men and woman are for the brands they represent? Breitling: Luke Bannister – Drone pilot It would be easy to treat this appointment cynically, but it seems likely that as little as drone racing had to do with watchmaking’s past, it may well have a fair bit to do with its future. As aviation evolves, so too must aviators. Luke is Breitling’s spokesperson for the next generation. Chamberlain: Stuart Bingham – Snooker This partnership is enough to put Chamberlain on the map (even if it is just for Bingham’s adorable mug shot on the website). The 2015 World Champion may not have…
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Looking back six years, these are Ben’s picks for discontinued but not-to-be-forgotten watches, do they still deserve a second look?
As a Managing Editor, I love to challenge the redaction team at MONOCHROME. So a few weeks ago, I gathered most of our editors and contributors and came with THE big question, one that seems simple at first, but in fact, isn’t. One short question: “choose your favourite watch of 2019”, with no other rule […]
Many people who I respect in this industry have opined that 2019 hasn’t been a particularly exciting or fruitful year for watch releases … and I couldn’t disagree more. This, the final year of the decade, has given birth to an absolute plethora of new and innovative timepieces that have captured the imagination of many a horological enthusiast. And while I could wax lyrical for hours about said cornucopia of new releases, I’ve had to whittle down all of them and pick my five favourites. Here they are (in no particular order): DOXA SUB 200 130th Anniversary One of the biggest shocks of 2019, DOXA’s sublime GPHG-nominated SUB 200 caused quite the stir when it was unveiled at Baselworld, and it’s very easy to understand why. Here is a fit-for-purpose dive watch that looks great, offers a shedload of heritage, genuine water-resistant credentials and is powered by one of the most bulletproof movements in the game – the ETA 2824/2. This particular example, the limited edition 130th Anniversary, caught my eye immediately. Everything about it was just inherently right, and I adored the playful splashes of DOXA’s signature orange on the second hand and “130 Years” text emblazoned on the…
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