FRIDAY WIND DOWN: A belated recap of the Parisian Breguet Type XX/20 event
Zach BlassHey folks! Back in the Friday Wind Down saddle. I would have loved to share my experience during the Paris Breguet trip last week, but alas I was in transit to Geneva and could not punch it out in time. But, back in New York City, I wanted to give you a peek into what I was up to during the trip
On the launch day of the new Type XX/20, Breguet brought us over to the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace (Paris Air & Space Museum) to get a better sense of Breguet’s rich ties with aviation.
But, when I say Breguet, I largely mean Louis Breguet – the great-great-grandson of the legendary watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet.
During our tour, we walked through the large space passing by various aircraft designed by Louis Breguet and it became immediately clear the Breguet family has strong engineering genes. I cannot say that I was familiar with Louis Breguet, but I quickly learned just how massive his contributions were in regard to the design and production of various aircrafts.
One of the most interesting things we learned about was how much of Louis Breguet’s work paved the way for the invention of the helicopter. His 1905 gyroplane, a model of which is pictured above, was an early forerunner of the helicopter that really embodied the genius of both Breguet, his brother Jacques and his partner Charles Richet. Their contribution to the nascent aviation industry showed why the Breguet watch manufacture had an interest in creating an aviation watch.
Our museum visit was not only about taking in the various aircraft, but also a specially set-up exhibition of all three generations of Type XX/20 watches. We were able to get a closer look at effectively every reference ever created within the collection, spanning from the first in 1953 to the last of the third generation in 2018. Then, we were able to get a closer look at the debuting calibre 728 for the fourth generation watches that debuted later in the evening. Once again, it was abundantly clear to me I do not have the hands for movement assembly.
Closing out my museum visit was lunch in the Concorde Hall of the museum, a hanger which housed not one, but two Concorde jets. Again, cannot say I am an aviation expert or enthusiast, but getting a closer look at these famous planes was really neat.
After showering and suiting up back at the hotel, the 380 attending guests headed over to the black tie gala dinner over at the Le Petit Palais art museum, a name that does not really seem fitting when you consider how large and expansive the exterior and interior feels.
In this stunning venue after some cocktails in the museum courtyard we were treated to an exclusive dinner from Chef Pierre Sang – a 2011 finalist on the French version of Top Chef. It was among one of the best dinners I have ever had, each course offering familiar ingredients in a fresh and inventive way.
Glasses empty and bellies full, the moment we had all waited for finally arrived. The main event. Breguet CEO Lionel a Marca and Breguet Vice President, Head of Patrimony Emmanuel Breguet (a seventh generation descendent of Abraham-Louis Breguet) proceeded to introduce the fourth generation of Type XX/20 watches: the ref. 2057 and 2067. After enjoying another “in the metal” look at the new watches, we then headed back outside into courtyard, starry sky above, to enjoy a curated selection of cigars and cocktails. I confess, events like these are among the best part of being a watch journalist.
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Zach
Watch meme of the week: Which colour banana do you see?
Well, I guess if the banana says so…
Wrist shot of the week: 24 Hours of Le Mans Daytona at Le Mans
I completely understand why Rolex held back the unveiling of the watch until the 2023 edition of 24 Hours of Le Mans. But, man, had this centenary-celebrating white gold Daytona 24 Hour of Le Mans Edition been released at Watches & Wonders it probably would have been the most talked-about watch of the fair. On the surface it may seem like just another Daytona, but its if-you-know-you-know Paul-Newman Daytona inspired aesthetic is a massive deal as Rolex typically does not engage in any sort of throwback indulgence. Absolute boss shot from Eric here, one of the lucky select crowd to get to see the watch “in the metal” at the race.
Time+Tide Shop selects of the week:
Tissot PRX 35mm Powermatic 80
Tissot adds the latest PRX timepiece to its collection – the PRX 35mm Powermatic 80. The PRX 35mm returns to its original 1970s case size and now incorporates an automatic movement and Nivachron balance hairspring. The 35mm Powermatic 80 collection breathes new life into this timeless design, seamlessly blending vintage charm with modern functionality. Features includes its distinctive deep green waffle dial, engraved crown and stainless-steel case with polished and satin-finished details, while it’s paired with an integrated stainless-steel bracelet with triple-blade folding steel clasp.
Order now in the Time+Tide Shop (AU deliveries only). Price: A$1,100
Mido Multifort TV Big Date
In a revival of a cult classic shape, created 50 years ago by Mido, the TV-shaped case makes a long-awaited comeback, this time honouring the Multifort collection. Its dynamic and modern design is emphasised by a stunning light-reflecting dial – which reveals a captivating dégradé effect that fades from blue to black – featuring a pronounced horizontal brushed finish, along with its distinctive function: the BIG DATE at 12 o’clock. Behind its TV screen, the ever-reliable Calibre 80 marks the time with precision.
Order now in the Time+Tide Shop (AU deliveries only). Price: A$1,675
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week:
We just reached 100K subs on YouTube! So we’re celebrating with a 5 WATCH GIVEAWAY. Here is how to enter…
We felt extremely grateful and validated in our labour of love when we recently reached a huge milestone for Time+Tide: 100,000 subscribers on our YouTube Channel. So, we want to celebrate this milestone properly with a five watch GIVEAWAY! Time+Tide and About Effing Time Creative Director Marcus Flack reveals the details of the giveaway in the video above.
HANDS-ON: The Grand Seiko SLGC001 Tentagraph puts the evolution in Evolution 9
At Watches & Wonders 2023, it was exciting to see Grand Seiko present their first-ever fully mechanical chronograph watch: the Grand Seiko SLGC001 Tentagraph. We feel the SLGC001 really puts the “evolution” in Evolution 9 with a first-ever not just for the collection, but for the brand as a whole. Check out our hands-on review here, or head to directly to the video above.
When “tropical” and “ghost bezel” don’t cut it. Describe the condition of this Rolex salvaged from the bottom of the ocean
Our Editor-At-Large Luke Benedictus considers how even the most silver-tongued watch seller would try and sell the recent discovery of Australian surfer Matt Cuddihy, who salvaged a Rolex Submariner resting at the bottom of the ocean.
The Longines Spirit Zulu Time 39 offers a more compact and ergonomic take on the prior 42
The Longines Spirit lineup has become a go-to collection to recommend when someone asks what a great option would be for an entry-level Swiss luxury watch. Born initially in 2020 with 40mm and 42mm time and date models, at present the collection now includes a flyback chronograph segment and a GMT segment. Within the time and date models, a more recent evolution was to introduce 37mm models to better cater to smaller wrist sizes and, perhaps, to extend an olive branch to women who wanted to break into the “men’s” collection but found the 40mm/42mm too large. This same trend now applies to their Spirit Zulu Time segment, with a more compact and ergonomic Longines Spirit Zulu Time 39 collection making its debut. Read my hands-on coverage here.