Opinion Archives - Page 2 of 149

How my grandfather’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos taught me to appreciate every moment

Opinion

17.12.23

2347

How my grandfather’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos taught me to appreciate every moment

The simplest of gifts can be important if there is a story behind them. It also helps if it happens to be a JLC Atmos…

Breitling just bought Universal Genève. Now what?

News

13.12.23

2950

Breitling just bought Universal Genève. Now what?

They've bought the name, so how can Breitling honour the Universal Genève legacy?

Opinion

03.12.23

3190

Every watch is a tool watch

Is a gold Sub a tool watch? Or how about a Cartier Tank? D.C. certainly seems to think so.

Five winners and underdogs from GPHG 2023

News

11.11.23

2822

Five winners and underdogs from GPHG 2023

We bring you the scoop on Watch Oscars 2023.

Move over, CasiOak, G-Shock has its next hype piece

Opinion

09.11.23

34321

Move over, CasiOak, G-Shock has its next hype piece

Remember the ludicrous prices CasiOaks used to demand? Well, G-Shock's next contender may continue the trend

Which watch trends survived the pandemic?

Opinion

30.10.23

4740

Which watch trends survived the pandemic?

The effects of the coronavirus pandemic were obviously widespread, but the wristwatch industry didn’t suffer nearly as much as was predicted. Some companies even managed…

A collector’s first foray into vintage, and why you should consider it too

Opinion

25.10.23

4894

A collector’s first foray into vintage, and why you should consider it too

My watch collecting journey started when I was very young. Something inexplicable attracted me to these collectible wrist companions, and I can safely say I’ve…

WHAT IF… Breguet were also able to use the co-axial escapement?

Opinion

24.10.23

2714

WHAT IF… Breguet were also able to use the co-axial escapement?

Forget teaming up with Swatch: Zach speculates what would happen if Breguet took a leaf out of Omega's book.

Marlon Brando’s Rolex GMT-Master is up for auction again. What will Kurtz’s watch bring this time?

Opinion

24.10.23

4077

Marlon Brando’s Rolex GMT-Master is up for auction again. What will Kurtz’s watch bring this time?

Starring in Apocalypse Now, the bezelless GMT-Master is being offered by Christie's in November.

Case thickness dictates the difference between a good watch design and a great one

Opinion

15.10.23

20776

Case thickness dictates the difference between a good watch design and a great one

Looking at the headline, you are probably thinking “WTF Zach… what are you on about?” Of course, key metrics include diameter, lug-to-lug, material, depth rating,…

The Tudor Pelagos FXD Alinghi edition is a crazy value proposition

Opinion

14.10.23

2790

The Tudor Pelagos FXD Alinghi edition is a crazy value proposition

Can a $5,000 watch really be considered a value proposition? We certainly think so - here's why.

The future of luxury watch marketing is 3D

Opinion

07.10.23

2194

The future of luxury watch marketing is 3D

Watches are big business, and despite periodic highs and lows, the industry is estimated to wind up 2023 at nearly US$100 billion. Naturally, competition is…

Letting go of a grail: Why I am selling my near-perfect Omega Speedmaster

Opinion

01.10.23

25094

Letting go of a grail: Why I am selling my near-perfect Omega Speedmaster

I never thought these words would come out of my mouth, but I am letting go of one of the holiest grails in my collection,…

Why Blancpain’s epic marketing flex didn’t involve a single watch

Opinion

30.09.23

3099

Why Blancpain’s epic marketing flex didn’t involve a single watch

In the early 1950s, Blancpain’s CEO Jean-Jacques Fiechter was diving off the coast of Cannes when he lost track of time. It almost proved a…

Has the hype watch launch gotten out of hand?

Opinion

28.09.23

6262

Has the hype watch launch gotten out of hand?

In this post-MoonSwatch world, are too many brands trying to take advantage of hype culture?

I’ve found the perfect watch, but it’s gigantic

Opinion

25.09.23

5757

I’ve found the perfect watch, but it’s gigantic

Size does matter, especially so when you come across a watch that is perfect - except that it doesn't fit your wrist whatsoever.

The Time+Tide team picks their favourite waitlisted watches

Lists

22.09.23

5734

The Time+Tide team picks their favourite waitlisted watches

In a world where hype is seemingly king, there are watches that us regular mortals are unlikely to ever be able to obtain. Waitlist numbers…

The O-Boy Satellite Rescue can save your hide anywhere in the world

Opinion

16.09.23

3676

The O-Boy Satellite Rescue can save your hide anywhere in the world

Are you an aspiring adventurer, but can't splash the cash for a Breitling Emergency? O-Boy, have we the watch for you.

WHAT IF… The quartz crisis never happened?

Opinion

29.08.23

2444

WHAT IF… The quartz crisis never happened?

Likely the most significant horological event of the previous century, the quartz crisis (or revolution, depending on which side you stood), not only signalled the…

Unholy Grail: the spaciest Speedy ever, the Omega Speedmaster ‘Teutonic’

Opinion

19.08.23

7020

Unholy Grail: the spaciest Speedy ever, the Omega Speedmaster ‘Teutonic’

No matter how tasteful your watch collection, no matter how stuffed your portfolio is with blue chip stocks like no-date Subs, classic Heuers, or the…

Why have colourful watches only recently become the norm?

Opinion

19.08.23

3678

Why have colourful watches only recently become the norm?

Watchmaking is not at all a recent development. Even if you’re only counting from when pocket watches were widespread, that’s still coming up on 300…

3 reasons you may want to take Leica seriously as a watchmaker

Opinion

17.08.23

12792

3 reasons you may want to take Leica seriously as a watchmaker

What business does this German camera brand have making luxury watches? Well, it's not as much of a stretch as you might think.

The best kinds of watches you should buy for a 21st birthday

Opinion

15.08.23

7746

The best kinds of watches you should buy for a 21st birthday

You may have a general idea of the watches a list like this would include. Of course, going for timeless and classic designs is going…

WHAT IF… Casio made the gold G-Shock a (more) regular thing?

Opinion

05.08.23

3663

WHAT IF… Casio made the gold G-Shock a (more) regular thing?

The WHAT IF…? idea is a versatile one, concerned with wishful thinking, hopes of market-changing releases, and nostalgic pleas. Sometimes, however, it might as well…

Opinion

05.08.23

2329

Football is running on Hublot time

As I settled into the cushioned seats metres away from the meticulously groomed turf of AAMI Park (or Melbourne Rectangular Stadium if you prefer a…

Making the case: Solid casebacks need to make a comeback

Opinion

30.07.23

9748

Making the case: Solid casebacks need to make a comeback

It wasn’t so long ago that exhibition casebacks were reserved for either exquisite pieces of high horology or oddities like the Ernest Borel kaleidoscope watches.…

How colour theory affects your watch collection

Lists

18.07.23

5366

How colour theory affects your watch collection

Given the huge variety in colours, gradients and and textures on dials these days, it’s more important than ever to understand how colour actually works.…

Microbrand dealbreakers: Don’t make these mistakes when launching your new watch

Opinion

09.07.23

4125

Microbrand dealbreakers: Don’t make these mistakes when launching your new watch

Some microbrands just get it. Their designs are elegant, their execution flawless, their carefully chosen components top-notch, and their customer experience first-rate. But for every…

I think I have hit a wall in my watch-collecting journey…

The Collector's Crossroads

25.06.23

11173

I think I have hit a wall in my watch-collecting journey…

Not to force a pun here, but I really am at a crossroads in my collecting journey. I don’t wanna sound too braggadocious, but ultimately…

Close but no cigar: Why I welcome horological deal breakers

Opinion

22.06.23

6584

Close but no cigar: Why I welcome horological deal breakers

At this specific moment in my life, there’s no way I should even think about buying another watch. On the back of a series of…

When “tropical” and “ghost bezel” don’t cut it. Describe the condition of this Rolex salvaged from the bottom of the ocean

Opinion

15.06.23

16372

When “tropical” and “ghost bezel” don’t cut it. Describe the condition of this Rolex salvaged from the bottom of the ocean

For people selling watches, “vintage” is the polite word for “old”. It’s easy to understand why this has become such a necessary euphemism when it…

Opinion

04.06.23

4485

WHAT IF… Universal Genève was revived?

Universal Genève’s story is one of the highest of highs and lowest of lows. The brand experienced fruitful periods for much of its lifetime, only…

Opinion

30.05.23

4959

Why Boldr is the enthusiast brand that you should have on your radar

Their name may not be as recognised as Rolex by the hoi polloi, but Singaporean microbrand Boldr Supply Co. has long been something of an…

WHAT IF… TAG Heuer created their own MoonSwatch moment with a retro Formula 1?

Opinion

28.05.23

7037

WHAT IF… TAG Heuer created their own MoonSwatch moment with a retro Formula 1?

Welcome to another episode of WHAT IF…, where we ruminate on the alternate reality of a watch industry in a parallel universe. For this installment,…

Can you ever really retire from being a watch collector or enthusiast?

Opinion

28.05.23

3651

Can you ever really retire from being a watch collector or enthusiast?

As I always say, I was a watch enthusiast long before I was a watch journalist. I will always first and foremost be a watch…

WHAT IF… There were no more Rolex waitlists?

Opinion

21.05.23

10879

WHAT IF… There were no more Rolex waitlists?

If you ask the average person to name a watch brand, they’ll most likely say Rolex. Such is the power of the company which arguably…

5 reasons you need to be familiar with the Omega Speedmaster Reduced

Opinion

21.05.23

17846

5 reasons you need to be familiar with the Omega Speedmaster Reduced

It’s fair to say that the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch is one of the most famous watches of all time, up there even in the minds…

Should watch brands cancel orders placed with the intention of immediately flipping them?

Opinion

19.05.23

3850

Should watch brands cancel orders placed with the intention of immediately flipping them?

Watch flipping. The practice, depending on which side of the coin you are on, poses one of the biggest problems or opportunities within the watch…

WHAT IF… Grand Seiko finally made a smaller dive watch

Opinion

10.05.23

4998

WHAT IF… Grand Seiko finally made a smaller dive watch

Editor’s note: What if? It can be a prefix of imagination, wonder and hope. On the other side of the coin, it can also provoke…

Opinion

20.04.23

2950

Say goodbye to the Rolex Milgauss

Coming up to Watches and Wonders, many were excited to see a new Rolex Milgauss model or an updated version of the one running since…

Opinion

17.04.23

1524

The Audemars Piguet Skeleton BA4266P002 is an intriguing vintage piece that demonstrates the brand’s history and craftmanship

Humans are strange creatures. We flock to what’s “hot” and turn our noses up at what’s “not” in order to feel a part of something.…

New releases show platinum is the heavy metal that it’s still OK to like

Opinion

13.04.23

1077

New releases show platinum is the heavy metal that it’s still OK to like

The English physicist and mathmatician Sir Isaac Newton believed that for every action there is an equal opposite reaction. Chinese cosmology stands by a similar…

With the new Tudor Black Bay 41 and Black Bay 54, is the BB58 in danger of becoming obsolete?

Opinion

11.04.23

14650

With the new Tudor Black Bay 41 and Black Bay 54, is the BB58 in danger of becoming obsolete?

The response to the new Tudor Black Bay 54 has been massive, with many on our Instagram dubbing it the release of the fair and,…

Opinion

09.04.23

1605

Why watch puns tick me off

In the world of horological journalism, where centuries-old companies lord over a multi-billion dollar industry and push the boundaries of mechanical engineering and art simultaneously,…

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part 6: Hublot big love

Opinion

07.04.23

1696

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part 6: Hublot big love

Today we enter the world of the Hublot Big Bang, yes that’s right, Hublot one of the most polarising watch brands on the market. They…

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part 5: The best deep divers for slim wrists

Opinion

25.03.23

8965

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part 5: The best deep divers for slim wrists

If the moon was the frontier of the 1960s, then the deepest sea has been the frontier ever since – specifically the Mariana Trench in…

Invicta on pole position with a marketing masterclass in Formula 2

News

20.03.23

7804

Invicta on pole position with a marketing masterclass in Formula 2

Editor’s note: As soon as Invicta is mentioned in the presence of watch enthusiasts, jests and jeers are inevitable. The brand has long strayed from…

Opinion

18.03.23

5073

How Swiss is Swiss enough?

According to the BBC, the Swiss chocolate bar, Toblerone, is being forced to remove the image of the iconic Swiss Matterhorn mountain peak on its…

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part IV: Will I ever be able to pull off the Moonwatch?

Opinion

17.03.23

12555

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part IV: Will I ever be able to pull off the Moonwatch?

Frank Sinatra had it right with Fly Me To the Moon. The closest neighbour to planet Earth is the place to be, in fact, in…

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part III: Can I pull off a pilot’s watch?

Opinion

10.03.23

11296

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part III: Can I pull off a pilot’s watch?

When I was young, just like many other kids, I dreamed of being a fighter pilot. Perhaps it was the infectiously catchy Kenny Loggins song…

Some reflections on female watches on International Women’s Day

Opinion

09.03.23

7430

Some reflections on female watches on International Women’s Day

For me, this International Women’s Day feels somehow different or perhaps more poignant to previous years in our horological microcosm. That’s because, I think, perhaps…

You are not a flipper: Three perfectly good reasons for selling a watch right after buying it

Lists

05.03.23

14419

You are not a flipper: Three perfectly good reasons for selling a watch right after buying it

Though I love the watch community as a whole, there are times where I couldn’t disagree more with the direction of its ire. One such…

Chopard L.U.C and the challenges of outgrowing a household name

Opinion

04.03.23

8376

Chopard L.U.C and the challenges of outgrowing a household name

If I asked you what attributes are necessary for a brand to be elevated to the echelons occupied by the likes of the holy trinity,…

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part II: Can I manage a Panerai?

Opinion

03.03.23

16159

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part II: Can I manage a Panerai?

Welcome back to Big Watches, Small Wrists, a series where we look at those big beauties and their size-restrained counterparts to allow you, small-wristed reader,…

Lists

26.02.23

35528

10 signs you’re becoming a watch snob

Watch enthusiasts do not always share the Swiss philosophy of neutrality. Being enthusiastic about something inevitably leads to hot takes, strong and stubborn opinions and,…

Opinion

25.02.23

75704

The 5 watches you’ll regret buying

Making mistakes is often credited as the best way to learn, but in the case of watch collecting your mistakes can be both emotionally and…

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part 1: Rules of Engagement

Opinion

24.02.23

11549

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part 1: Rules of Engagement

Editor’s note: Zach has long carried the torch for the #tinywristtribe, advocating on behalf of all watch lovers with smaller wrists. But today the torch…

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere: My ill-advised quest to pair beer with watches

Opinion

10.02.23

5631

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere: My ill-advised quest to pair beer with watches

They say necessity is the mother of invention. Well, this would be more a case of “idle hands are the devil’s playground”. There is absolutely…

WHAT TWEAKS MY TOURB: Enough with the digital renders – brands need decent photography

Opinion

07.02.23

8691

WHAT TWEAKS MY TOURB: Enough with the digital renders – brands need decent photography

One of the most common tips given to watch shoppers is to go and see their potential purchases in the metal before buying them. Not…

The ‘other’ pink watch: Why I bought the Grand Seiko SBGA413 instead of waiting for the pink Rolex OP 36

Opinion

07.02.23

17112

The ‘other’ pink watch: Why I bought the Grand Seiko SBGA413 instead of waiting for the pink Rolex OP 36

Editor’s note: Zach originally wrote this article back in January 2021, in which he digs into why he bought the Grand Seiko SBGA413 instead of waiting for…

Is your expensive watch a turn-off for lovers and friends?

Opinion

03.02.23

9686

Is your expensive watch a turn-off for lovers and friends?

It was Henry Kissinger who famously claimed that “power is the ultimate aphrodisiac” and, given the philandering of countless politicians, it’s hard to argue with…

Opinion

30.01.23

13083

OPINION: I am simultaneously fawning over, yet frustrated with, the new Grand Seiko SLGA021

Grand Seiko has issued a standard production Lake Suwa sequel to the limited edition SLGA007, the new SLGA021 Includes an Evolution 9 case and bracelet, 9RA2…

What a scene from The Recruit teaches us about gifting a watch

Opinion

28.01.23

11899

What a scene from The Recruit teaches us about gifting a watch

A story as old as time(pieces). I’m sitting at home on a Saturday night. My son and wife are asleep. I’ve got the Netflix all…