Clad in mother of pearl front and back, the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Tourbillon Mother-of-Pearl is equipped with an unusual movement: a self-winding tourbillon calibre with a seven-day power reserve. The 39mm red gold case is set with diamonds on the bezel and lugs, while the dial is white mother of pearl. It’s laid out […]
In the 1990s, when my interest for mechanical watches sparked, one of the most complicated watches I’d ever seen was the IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar. I was fascinated by the fact that a mechanical timepiece could be ‘programmed’ to have a calendar that won’t need any corrections until a certain year. The Da Vinci […]
Conceived as a circle inside a square, the Hermès Cape Cod TGM – short for très grand modèle, or “very large model” – features the automatic H1912 made by movement specialist Vaucher. The key characteristic distinguishing the H1912-equipped calibre from the quartz models is the dial: the former has a stamped chequerboard decoration in the centre with the date […]
While most eyes were on Roger Federer and the Rolex GMT Master-II BLNR he strapped on to hoist his 18th grand slam trophy at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday night, there were other watches nearby worth noticing. Yes, there was the Richard Mille RM 27-02 tourbillon worn by Nadal throughout all five sets – but that’s not what we’re talking about. Our attention was grabbed by the exceptional piece worn by Mirka Federer, with its emerald bezel and diamond pavé dial. Now, this isn’t your regular stone-strewn Rolex. This watch is special – so special it doesn’t even show up on the Rolex website, even when you type in the reference: 228396TEM. A platinum Day-Date 40 is already a heavy hitter, but what makes Mirka’s stand out is the stones; emeralds on the bezel and cardinal indices, brilliant diamonds all over the dial and a few more large baguettes for the other hour markers. Rolex’s meticulous stone selection and uniform setting is legendary, as this watch certainly demonstrates. And if that wasn’t ‘wow’ enough for you, there’s the price tag – it’s said to come in at a cool 430,000 Euro. Now, that is a kick-ass timepiece – and a most…
The post WATCHSPOTTING: Forget Roger Federer’s Rolex Batman – his wife Mirka’s Day-Date is the real champion appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
Valentine’s Day is around the corner…barely 14 days as we go live with this article. Jaquet Droz introduces a rare gemstone – the astoriet to adorn the dial of the new Petite Heure Minute Astorite just in time for the lovers’ holiday. Here is our take with hands-on impressions of the new watch.…
Turns out Matthew McConaughey isn’t just a superb actor, he’s also a mighty fine storyteller. We’re not sure if it’s the intense eyes, the Texan drawl or the overwhelming sense that he has lived life to the fullest. Whatever the reason, this Screen Test video for W Magazine definitely proves the man can spin a mean tale. Ostensibly, McConaughey is talking about the inspiration for his character Kenny Wells in Gold – an ’80s businessman with a sketchy plan – and even sketchier haircut. Apparently, McConaughey’s portrayal of Wells is an impression of his own father, a man who would “much rather do a shady deal with some fun people than a good deal with a bunch of straight-asses”. And while the whole five and half minutes is pretty entertaining, we’re all about the watches. For us it starts getting really interesting 45 seconds in. McConaughey relates the story of how, aged 16, he accompanied his dad Christmas shopping, and along the way meets the excellently named Chicago John in the deserted car park of an abandoned strip mall (naturally), to get a once-in-a-lifetime deal on a titanium Rolex. Now, perhaps old man McConaughey should have paid more attention to the…
The post VIDEO: “My dad loved shady deals” – Matthew McConaughey and his father’s fake Rolex appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
The idea that consumers have more luxury sports watches to choose from is an exciting one, especially when the newcomers to this growing list are vintage models from the 1970s re-imagined for today. Girard-Perregaux contribution’s came last year, when the company brought back the Laureato as a limited edition. The watch made an encouraging return to its origins in terms of design, but many felt Girard-Perregaux was overreaching in terms of pricing, asking for almost $15,000 for a stainless steel watch that simply didn’t compare to the competition. Girard-Perregaux wasted no time in expanding its offering, releasing a series of new references that are much more in line with consumer demands. Oh, and it’s also added a two-tone tourbillon for good measure. There are a lot of new Laureato models – 34 in total – so let’s take a look at the entire line-up in descending order (of both size and price).
Last year, the Range Rover Special Edition from Zenith really stood out, since it was the very first to use a black ceramicised aluminum case. Its modern look and construction presented an interesting take on the famous El Primero, and only three months later the two El Primero 36,000 vph with panda dials were added to Zenith’s main line-up, again using those black aluminum cases. Those new chronographs offered the opportunity to look back on the Range Rover Special Edition with a bit more context, and to examine once again the result of this cross-industry partnership.
Today in New York, amidst an unexpected but fitting flurry of snow, Glashütte Original debuted a brand new limited edition series of chronographs, the Iconic Sixties Square. The watch comes in five flavors, each with a squared-off cushion case and a bright dial. These are very much in line with what the Sixties collection has been doing for years, but all while offering something a little bit different and new. Here’s a first look at the new limited editions, complete with hands-on photos and pricing.
Remembering Walter Lange, a gentle giant in the world of fine watchmaking. The horological accomplishments of he and his family far outreach his 92 years on this planet.