Hands On Archives - Page 4 of 53

Hands On

01.01.23

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HANDS-ON: The Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono offers a sportier version on an integrated rubber strap

With the heat from integrated-bracelet sports watches showing no signs of cooling off, more and more brands are getting into the game. And in some…

VIDEO: The Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon DeepQuest II Ceramic is a beast of a dive watch – and that’s a good thing

Hands On

29.12.22

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VIDEO: The Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon DeepQuest II Ceramic is a beast of a dive watch – and that’s a good thing

Ball may not be the most recognisable name in Swiss watchmaking, but their heritage goes all the way back to 1891, and the heyday of…

Hands On

28.12.22

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HANDS-ON: The Seiko SPB333 Save The Ocean Limited Edition

If you are familiar with Seiko, then you know the corporation loves to celebrate an anniversary and 2023 will mark the 110th anniversary of its…

Hands On

25.12.22

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HANDS-ON: The CODE41 Mecascape is a truly unique timekeeping device

The practicality of a wristwatch is a controversial topic in a world of smartphones and atomic clocks, especially when you can get a bulletproof digital…

Hands On

24.12.22

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HANDS-ON: The Omega Speedmaster 321 is the grail-Speedy of the modern catalogue

Omega’s main point of distinction in the modern era is their METAS-certified Master Chronometer co-axial movements. They have superb build qualities inside and out, and…

Hands On

16.12.22

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HANDS-ON: The BA111OD Chapter 4.1 T.V.D. is the latest watch from a young brand with big ideas

The wristwatch hobby is often full of lore and ritual, with prescribed traditions and a general consensus that old age legitimises worth. BA111OD are an…

Hands On

12.12.22

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HANDS-ON: The rose-gold Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT is sleek, sculptural and downright sexy

We all know the Bulgari Octo Finissimo series as some of the most in-demand timepieces on the market today. You’ll find them peeking out of…

Hands On

10.12.22

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HANDS-ON: The Chopard Alpine Eagle 41mm we are all pining for

There’s definitely not a shortage of stainless-steel sports watches in the marketplace. It’s a truly saturated category due to the high demand, so if you’re…

Hands On

08.12.22

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HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Summer Purple embodies the best of the brand

Newton’s third law: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. When a brand, in any industry, gets super popular, it can become fashionable to…

Hands On

07.12.22

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HANDS-ON: The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph offers retro vibes with grab-and-go convenience

Seiko has a long history in chronographs, including their first manually wound model from 1964, and the iconic 6139 – the first automatic chrono to…

Hands On

04.12.22

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HANDS-ON: The Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Chronograph is a salmon-dialled beauty

While Vacheron Constantin’s contribution to the watch world has mostly been focused on the Overseas and the newly re-introduced 222, the Geneva-based maker has quietly…

Hands On

03.12.22

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HANDS-ON: Baume & Mercier take us to the moon with the Riviera Phases de Lune

The Baume and Mercier Riviera is fast becoming one of my favourite integrated sports watches. In a sea of watches that have recently jumped on…

Hands On

03.12.22

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HANDS-ON: The Grand Seiko SBGY023 GS9 Club USA Limited Edition is yet another GS we wish was standard production

I know many of us jest at the frequency with which Grand Seiko releases limited editions. To be fair, plenty of other brands are guilty…

Hands On

25.11.22

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HANDS-ON: Hublot flex their collab muscles with the Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross

Watch collaborations have become a large part of the watch industry. In the last decade, numerous brands have come together in the hopes of maximizing…

Hands On

24.11.22

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HANDS-ON: The new IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar IW344601 and IW344602

Most people associate IWC with pilot’s watches, which makes total sense due to their rich aviation history and classics like the Mark and Big Pilot…

Hands On

22.11.22

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HANDS-ON: The Hamilton Khaki Field Murph is now available in 38mm

Hamilton is an industry leader for watch cameos in film. Their timepieces have been interwoven into many silver screen narratives, with recent Christopher Nolan movies…

Hands On

20.11.22

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HANDS-ON: The HYT Moon Runner Supernova Red Magma and White Neon

While other manufactures rely on hands or discs to convey information, HYT developed a means of utilising fluid to show the time – carving out…

Hands On

20.11.22

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HANDS-ON: The Titoni Airmaster delivers classic vibes and a dial in ‘glacier turquoise’

Having produced watches under the names Felca and Felco throughout the 1920s to ‘50s, the brand morphed into the more modern-sounding Titoni in the slick…

Hands On

16.11.22

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HANDS-ON: The Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition is a sporty refresh of the best value Swiss GMT around

Special edition watches can celebrate anniversaries, achievements or celebrity tie-ins, but sometimes a special edition can just exist because the watch is special. Mido’s latest…

Hands On

16.11.22

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HANDS-ON: The IWC Portugieser Automatic IW500715 is handsome and powerful

I recently tackled the new IWC Portugieser Chronograph IW371620, a solid summer watch that brings the youthful summer vibes to a classic and storied collection…

Hands On

14.11.22

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HANDS-ON: The Panerai Submersible Carbotech and Blu Abisso deliver brooding looks and high-tech attitude

Love them or hate them, the journey of Panerai has been an incredible evolution. Since the practical yet eccentric cushion-cased dive watches of the 1930s…

VIDEO: Grand Seiko’s elemental SBGW293 and SBGW291 are a celebration of fine details

Hands On

11.11.22

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VIDEO: Grand Seiko’s elemental SBGW293 and SBGW291 are a celebration of fine details

Grand Seiko and special releases – name a better love story. The duo we’re looking at today, the air-inspired silvery SBGW291 Kuuki and earthy SBGW293…

Hands On

09.11.22

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HANDS-ON: The Delma Montego is a bold chronograph with plenty of macho swagger

A company had to muster real tenacity to make it through the Quartz Crisis, but Delma managed to thrive instead of survive during those tough…

Hands On

09.11.22

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HANDS-ON: The Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force P.03 for Collective looks to make high horology more casual

Collaborative limited editions are nothing new to the industry. It would seem over the last few years we see one debut every month, and the…

Hands On

08.11.22

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HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Essential Grey Limited Edition

With a collection name like Big Bang, the word “discrete” usually would not come to mind. But the Hublot Big Bang Unico Essential Grey and…

Hands On

03.11.22

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HANDS-ON: The Depancel Serie-R Cruiser draws high-octane inspiration from the world of motorcycling

Motosports get a lot of love from the world of watches, from the smallest microbrand homage to Rolex sponsoring almost all of the Formula 1…

Hands On

03.11.22

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HANDS-ON: Rado’s new Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic is a statement piece and material flex

On the long list of watch brands known to excel with ceramic, Rado easily finds its place in the top five. Going beyond just a…

Hands On

31.10.22

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HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Gourmet cooks up something special with its Damascus steel case

Steel is a ubiquitous metal within the watch industry, but leave it to Hublot to find a twist that makes the commonly used metal much more…

Hands On

31.10.22

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HANDS-ON: The Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro eSteel is green in multiple ways

Panerai is a brand that has successfully riffed off the same formula since their inception, producing an impressively diverse portfolio considering the tightly focused design…

Hands On

26.10.22

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HANDS-ON: The Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro hits the goldilocks size

There’s really nothing else like the look of a Panerai, such is its visual singularity. A long-time favourite of Hollywood (and real-life) tough guys, it’s…

Hands On

22.10.22

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HANDS-ON: The Laco Scorpion 39 collection delivers rugged, 39mm dive watches with a sense of fun

Laco are phenomenally popular with Flieger wearers as they’re one of the affordable brands to have made those original pilot’s watches during WWII. Now, the…

Hands On

19.10.22

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HANDS-ON: The Bulova Marine Star Series C divers meld style with rugged capability

Bulova’s Marine Star line has provided the brand’s answer to a fashionable, sporty watch for decades. They’re not super-tough, military-style divers. But nor are they…

VIDEO: The Le Jour Le Mans Chronograph collection is hotwired with 1960s racing vibes

Hands On

19.10.22

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VIDEO: The Le Jour Le Mans Chronograph collection is hotwired with 1960s racing vibes

Having distributed watches for Yema and Heuer in the 1970s alongside producing their own spectacular chronographs, it’s surprising that Le Jour have so far focused…

The Chopard Alpine Eagle Chrono is more eye-catching than ever on an integrated rubber strap

Hands On

17.10.22

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The Chopard Alpine Eagle Chrono is more eye-catching than ever on an integrated rubber strap

Chopard has long produced complicated and/or highly decorated pieces in their L.U.C collection as well as sport-oriented watches like the Mille Miglia, but a space…

Hands On

17.10.22

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HANDS-ON: The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Sejima Edition reflects on the “Invisible Train”

When people call watches “art” it may seem like fluff and romance. Prior to smartphones and quartz timekeepers, mechanical watches were known as tools –…

Tissot’s new Telemeter 1938 brings vintage style to a thoroughly modern chronograph

Hands On

16.10.22

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Tissot’s new Telemeter 1938 brings vintage style to a thoroughly modern chronograph

Swiss watchmaker Tissot has been the name on everyone’s lips recently since the release of their category-disrupting integrated bracelet juggernaut, the ’70s-tastic PRX. But the…

Hands On

16.10.22

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HANDS-ON: The new IWC Portugeiser Chronograph IW371620 is a near-perfect warm weather watch

The IWC Portugieser collection is rooted in both class and utility. It was an elegant solution, originally presented in 1939, due to demand for a…

Hands On

12.10.22

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HANDS-ON: Simpler and more compact – the NOMOS Club Sport neomatik 37

We’ve sung many praises for the unique way that NOMOS integrates their Bauhaus-driven design language even when creating tough, water-resistant watches like the Ahoi. The…

The seconde/seconde/ Smart(ass) makes you love to hate yourself

Hands On

10.10.22

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The seconde/seconde/ Smart(ass) makes you love to hate yourself

The popularity of smartwatches has risen massively over the last few years. Where they fail to strike a chord with many watch enthusiasts, however, is…

VIDEO: The Omega Speedmaster ’57 is a funtastic take on a classic

Hands On

08.10.22

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VIDEO: The Omega Speedmaster ’57 is a funtastic take on a classic

The Omega Speedmaster is certainly deserving of being called an icon. I won’t bore you with its historical provenance, nor the space-dwelling efforts of the…

VIDEO: TAG Heuer rev up to pay tribute to the first Porsche Carrera

Hands On

05.10.22

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VIDEO: TAG Heuer rev up to pay tribute to the first Porsche Carrera

TAG Heuer and Porsche have been on a high-octane roll since their partnership began last year, releasing collaborative models left, right and centre. The brand…

Hands On

05.10.22

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HANDS-ON: The new IWC Mark XX is a huge upgrade with its new dials and bracelet

Whether or not you are a seasoned collector, every collection needs a staple watch. A watch that excels in its simplicity, its versatility and reliability…

This new IWC Portugieser duo are more wearable, more affordable and a lot more green

Hands On

03.10.22

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This new IWC Portugieser duo are more wearable, more affordable and a lot more green

The IWC Portugieser is a staple in the Schaffhausen watchmaker’s collection, with its signature Arabics, feuille hands and railroad minute track designs originating in 1939,…

Hands On

30.09.22

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HANDS-ON: Test your limits with the new Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic

Imagine you’re a watch brand. If you had a 20 year old watch model in your catalogue, what would you do? How would you breathe…

Hands On

27.09.22

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HANDS-ON: The new Bulova Parking Meter delivers that wheel good factor

“I’m going to the archives”. If a movie about the current state of the watch industry were to be released, that would be the main…

The Grand Seiko SBGW291 and SBGW293 condense dazzling dials into 36.5mm cases

Hands On

25.09.22

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The Grand Seiko SBGW291 and SBGW293 condense dazzling dials into 36.5mm cases

The 44GS case has been a staple in Grand Seiko’s line-up for a long time, with the Japanese luxury giant paying tribute to its 55th…

Hands On

24.09.22

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HANDS-ON: Le Régulateur Louis Erard travels to the darkside with Label Noir

A couple of years ago I wrote a few articles under the name The Modifier’s Series, providing an overview of the few brands capable of…

The shining stars of the Chopard L.U.C collection

Hands On

18.09.22

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The shining stars of the Chopard L.U.C collection

Chopard is a brand fighting on many fronts. Their offering encompasses jewellery and watches, with the watch side of the maison covering everything from sporty…

“I don’t like cricket – I love it!” Why the new Vulcain Cricket is one of the best vintage re-issues to date

Hands On

15.09.22

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“I don’t like cricket – I love it!” Why the new Vulcain Cricket is one of the best vintage re-issues to date

As the first mechanical alarm wristwatch and a watch that graced the wrists of presidents since 1953 – the Vulcain Cricket was always a great…

Hands On

14.09.22

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HANDS-ON: The Longines Master Collection 190th Anniversary delivers a classically handsome dress watch

This year marks Longines’ 190th anniversary and they’re celebrating with an exclusive timepiece from their top-of-the-range Master Collection. Since 2005 , the Master Collection has…

Hands On

13.09.22

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HANDS-ON: The Speake-Marin One & Two Openworked Tourbillon blends the best of youth and tradition

Homogenous design. In a marketplace where it seems consumers have tunnel vision towards particular design segments, watch manufacturers have often bent to the trend of…

The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor is clean, serene and wears like a dream

Hands On

12.09.22

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The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor is clean, serene and wears like a dream

A luxury, integrated-bracelet sports watch is nothing new. The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor – a luxury, integrated-bracelet sports watch that’s executed oh-so well, however,…

INTRODUCING: The Depancel Serie-A Stradale

Hands On

10.09.22

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INTRODUCING: The Depancel Serie-A Stradale

The young French microbrand Depancel are back with their fourth instalment in their Serie-A collection, this time honing in on a much more retro look.…

Hands On

08.09.22

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HANDS-ON: The Yema Navygraf Forces Sous-Marines is a dive watch brimming with ’70s charm

One of my very first articles for Time+Tide was a short overview on Yema and their key models, and since then their growth has been…

Hands On

30.08.22

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HANDS-ON: Czapek unveils reworked SXH1 calibre in two new Quai des Bergues watches

While conglomerate brands from groups like Swatch and LVMH have a large presence, arguably the sector of watchmaking that is drawing the most interest from…

The Sequent Smart-Ass is bound to excite your inner couch potato

Hands On

30.08.22

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The Sequent Smart-Ass is bound to excite your inner couch potato

Smart watches are among the more divisive topics in horological circles. Some call for them to be lynched as they threaten the pure, mechanical souls…

Hands On

25.08.22

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HANDS ON: The ecstasy of Moser’s new Gold Streamliner

A gold watch. What do you think of when I say those words? A gaudy piece of jewellery that shows you have more money than…

How the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Skeleton changed my perception of openworking

Hands On

23.08.22

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How the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Skeleton changed my perception of openworking

The human brain is a curious thing. Having written many a review and introducing post, I feel like I’ve become increasingly more selective about the…

The Seiko Presage SPB293 is the essence of Japanese porcelain mastery

Hands On

20.08.22

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The Seiko Presage SPB293 is the essence of Japanese porcelain mastery

The Seiko Presage line has long been a great value proposition. From the evergreen Cocktail Time range, the patterned Sharp Edge to this, the Craftsmanship…

Hands On

18.08.22

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HANDS ON: Is this green Omega Seamaster 300 the most attractive ever?

Green, green, oh… green. In 2021, green was the undisputed colour of the year with every watch manufacture under the sun presenting a design in…

The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda chronograph is the essence of sporty luxury

Hands On

17.08.22

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The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda chronograph is the essence of sporty luxury

Parmigiani Fleurier’s approach to design has taken a minimalist turn of late, most notably with the Tonda PF collection. Nevertheless, as a maker of luxury…