3 affordable timepieces that get the nod from watch snobs
There are certain watches out there in the horological ether that are not only lauded by loyal followers but also able to accomplish a hell of a lot for little outlay. Whether it is accuracy, toughness and dependability, innovation, or technicality, these cult-like timepieces are worth far more than the sum of their parts, and we are honour-bound to ensure that you know about them. So, much like a former Aussie cricketer did when he dated a British actress, here are three watches that punch well above their weight: Swatch Sistem51 Whichever way you look at it, the Swatch Sistem51 is a truly brilliant and innovative wristwatch and represents one of the most important technical advancements in horology in the last decade. This is a self-winding mechanical watch that can be had for less that $200 AUD, and it’s accurate to within five seconds a day, and it offers 90 hours of power reserve. How can the Sistem51 be so cheap? Well, the hint is in the name. There are only 51 moving parts in this watch, and the whole thing is assembled entirely by robots. Downsides? Well, the movement is sealed in the case, and if it breaks, it…
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OK, we’ll skip the whole “shaken, not stirred” routine and skip to the salient facts. Omega has just released its latest Bond-themed timepiece, the Omega Seamaster 50th Anniversary of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – and it’s pretty awesome. Limited to just 7007 pieces (see what they did there?), the Bond watch pays homage to, as the name would suggest, the 1969 classic Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. There are quite a few unique styling cues that feature on this bespoke timepiece, and some of them are pretty impressive. For a start, the limited edition wristwatch is based on the standard steel 42mm Seamaster 300M Professional, and features a black ceramic and PVD dial with the signature Bond gun-barrel motif and 9mm bullet hole at its centre. At 12 o’clock, the 18k yellow gold index is stylised to look like the Bond family crest, and the rest of the hour indexes, as well as the hour, minute and second hands, are finished in 18k yellow gold. In addition, adorning the left-hand side of each case is an 18k yellow gold plate engraved with the watch’s individual number and the famed 007 logo. The limited-run timepiece also has a…
Editor’s note: I think it’s fairly safe to say that Gérald Charles Genta is the 20th century’s most notable designer of wristwatches. Many know the list of his accomplishments, but the sheer scope and impact of his unique and inspired design language is still sometimes difficult to grasp. Royal Oak, Nautilus, Constellation, Ingenieur, Golden Ellipse – the list of triumphs goes on and on. However, what many people don’t know is that, in the twilight of his career, Genta established his own watch brand, which was subsequently purchased by Bulgari. And when looking through Bulgari’s current and past collection of timepieces, it’s pretty clear to see the quite profound impact Genta’s designs had on the Italian jewellery and watchmaker. At the beginning of 2019, in order to pay homage to Genta and the five decades it’s been since the establishment of his watchmaking company, Bulgari released the Gérald Genta 50th Anniversary wristwatch, and Time + Tide’s own Mr Felix Scholz was fortunate enough to go hands-on with it. Few names loom larger in the collective consciousness of horological history than Gérald Genta. He’s one of the few individual designers whose name — because of the strength of his work —…