Watch Dandy

Few topics are as likely to induce eye-twitching spasms in horology’s true believers than the the old chestnut, “Is the Apple Watch a watch?” Well, with the announcement of the Apple Watch Series 4, it seems like Apple might be answering that question in a pretty declarative way. Sure, it’s got watch-like functions, but really — really — it’s a health device. Early generations of the Apple Watch seemed to be a little vague in their purpose, almost like they were working out what this cool thing was for as they were going along. The future got a bit clearer with the Series 3, as Apple added heart rate monitoring, and other fitness functionality. Series 4 dials that functionality up to 11. The Watch, thanks in no small part to its FDA-certified status, can now record electrocardiograms in 30 seconds, with only a touch of the crown. On top of this, it can detect if there are signs of atrial fibrillation — all this data is stored in Apple’s health app. On top of that, this new Apple Watch can also detect if you’ve had a sudden, hard fall, and will automatically notify emergency services and your emergency contacts if…

The post INTRODUCING: The Apple Watch Series 4, you might not think it’s a watch, but it’s definitely a powerful health and fitness tool appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.

I have been collecting for many years now and I have learned to be patient. It must be said, though, that my patience has often cost me a few pieces, as I felt they were too expensive, or not good enough, and another would be found for a better price or in better condition (read, every Paul Newman I have ever been offered and turned down, but that’s another story). Take, for example, this watch. I first learned about it about 10 years ago when the owner proudly disclosed that he had a pristine Daytona with box and papers in his safe. He was not sure of the reference number, but it had a black dial and TWO bezels. One black acrylic on the watch, and the original stainless steel one. My interest was piqued and I enquired further. Are you interested in selling? Maybe? Make me an offer? I hate these conversations … make me an offer is an open invitation to paying premium prices. So, I made him an offer (a very generous one for 2008). He said he’d think about it, and I never heard back. I dropped it, until we caught up a few years later.…

The post WHY I BOUGHT IT: The long game, or why it took me 10 years to buy this Daytona appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.

Raymond Weil’s latest take on their sporty Freelancer Chronograph is – to be blunt – really good-looking. Fundamentally, it’s the same as Freelancer chronos we’ve seen before: 42mm steel case, bulletproof RW500 movement, 12,6,9 subdial layout, day/date and screw-down crown and pushers. It’s a solid piece of kit. What’s new, though, is the colour way. Silver and blue, and plenty of texture to tempt the eye. The panda-esque dial is predominantly silver, with a bright starburst centre and circular grained outer sections, contrasting beautifully with the recessed subdials (including that characteristic frame and single screw around the running seconds at nine). Add to this the blue tachymeter bezel and you’ve got a watch that offers a modern take on a classic, sporty chronograph design. Even the strap – blue calf with a little padding and contrasting white stitching, curved to fit the case – is a great fit, though I would have been just as happy with a tang buckle rather than the single-fold deployant that comes as stock. On the wrist, this watch is everything you’d expect. Large, but not aggressively so — the diameter is fine, but it’s the height (just shy of 15mm by my measurements) that you…

The post HANDS-ON: Raymond Weil’s latest Freelancer Chronograph looks the business appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.