The Alps – a large mountain range stretching 1,200 kilometres from France, across Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, all the way to Slovenia – are known for some of the most beautiful roads in the world. That was the setting for Passione Engadina, a rally dedicated to the beauty of Italian sports cars. This […]
Editor’s note: Let’s be honest, there are a few fashion mistakes from the ’70s that are best left forgotten. But it wasn’t all platforms and hip-huggers, no. When it comes to watches, there are some standout design hits that are more than deserving of a remastered tribute. Take Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s for example… We’ve come to associate Fifty Fathoms with minimalistic dials, so this Day Date model – one of three new pieces released at Baselworld 2018 to mark the 65th anniversary of the original diving watch – is a real shift in style. This doesn’t mean that Blancpain are suddenly getting all decorative, though; rather, they have looked to their 1970s archive for the design cues. Vital Statistics While the aesthetic is retro, everything else is bang-up to the minute, with all of the technical advances that Blancpain have brought to their dive watches in recent years. The movement is based on the acclaimed calibre 1315: the balance is non-magnetic silicium and the three barrels deliver a mighty five-day power reserve. The Day Date 70s comes in the same 43mm brushed steel case and its unidirectional bezel has a ceramic insert and markers filled with…
The post EDITOR’S PICK: Forget about bell-bottom jeans, the ’70s was all about stellar watch designs appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
What I love about the microbrand watch companies is that they’re run by guys and gals like you and me. The kind of people that appreciate watches, and find excitement in a unique dial or case design while getting a buzz out of a new complication or movement. That’s not to say that the bigger brands aren’t equally as passionate. In fact, some of the most enthusiastic folk I’ve met are in charge of the biggest names in the business. It’s just that seeing someone who’s just like me start up a watch company and design the type of watch that they’d love to wear is inspiring. And when they can offer that sort of passion and enthusiasm for less than $500, it’s all the sweeter. Auteur Revolution II Minimalist does not have to mean boring. And French/Hong Kong microbrand Auteur proves that without a doubt. The Revolution II takes its pebble-shaped case and outlines it with a solid walnut wood ring – meaning no two look the same. With the only let-down (if there must be one) being the rather ubiquitous two-handed quartz movement inside. But when a watch looks this good, should it even matter? RRP $299 USD…
The post LIST: 5 microbrand watches for $500 and under appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
This pair is all about pure, back-to-basics Panerai design.
The Moon phase function is the simplest and most prevalent astronomical complication. It is also one of the most attractive and bewitching of complications, a reminder of the beauty and mystery of our neighbouring satellite. Considered more of an aesthetic choice than a complication of intrinsic utility, moon phase watches have become a perennial favourite with their miniature recreations of the different phases of the Moon displayed in an aperture on the dial. So, take a look at our A-V Top Ten moon phase models and get ready to be moonstruck by their beauty – both superficial and mechanical – and in some cases, by their astronomical prices!
After months of controversy, the saga of a stuntman’s watch finally comes to a close.
This week’s round-up of vintage watches from around the world.
With its Métiers d’art collection, Blancpain has been exploring new artistic and expressive horizons, nurturing traditional skills with different expressions. Case in point: recently, the craftsmen of the Metiers d’art workshop in Le Brassus presented Shakudo dials. Of Japanese origin, Shakudo is an alloy principally composed of copper and gold, which acquires a dark patina between blue and black, according to variations in its composition and texture. This year, Japan has once again become an inspiration to Blancpain. One of the manufacture’s latest artistic creations features a Binchōtan dial.
Editor’s note: A couple of days ago I announced that Sotheby’s would be auctioning 44 watches from the collection of the late great Robin Williams. And from the response it received — and in my own observations — it seems that a few of the estimates were a little modest. So just how much is the celeb factor worth? I thought I’d take us back to this one by our own numbers man, Mr Daniel Senia. And help shed some more light on the subject. One final note: We ran this story just before Russell Crowe’s ‘Art of Divorce’ auction. Here’s how his watches performed. The power of ‘celebrity’ is not a new concept. As far back as the ancient pharaohs, celebrities have been put on a pedestal (sometimes literally) and we’ve obsessed into the lives of the powerful, the wealthy and the beautiful. These days, technology puts the beautiful people at our fingertips, and this all-access, always-on, microscope into famous lives continues to fuel the celebrity fire. And that desire for fame through association is at its strongest when it comes to celebrity-owned objects. Tonight, Russell Crowe will auction off a collection of movie memorabilia, jewellery and watches at Sotheby’s in…
The post EDITOR’S PICK: 8 watches that show just how much the celebrity factor is worth appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
I think we’ve all found ourselves in a similar situation. You’re at a BBQ, surrounded by friends and family, and everything is going great. The food is good, the drinks are cold, and the stereo is pumping out banger after banger, like it was playing straight from your Spotify playlist. While all around you the conversations are flowing and everyone is happily mingling. Next thing you find yourself chatting to a friend of a friend who you’ve heard of but never actually met. And they’ve just found out that you’re a watch guy. “So, you’re into watches, huh … how many do you have?” And that instant feeling rushes over you. You know the one. It’s kind of like when you’re on a date and they ask that other inevitable “number of” question. And even though you knew it would come eventually, you’re still put on the spot and have to suddenly do the quick math in your head and remember if you’re supposed to divide or multiply the actual number by three. Well, just like me in that situation, there’s really no correct answer. But I always try my best to gauge the type of response my interrogator wants…
The post OPINION: Why I lie about the number of watches I own appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.