FRIDAY WIND DOWN: The full down-low on the Time+Tide Watch Discovery Studio
Borna BošnjakWhat a week it’s been. Mere days after announcing that our Watch Discovery Studio is open to the public, we’ve already seen many of you visit, experiencing the brands we carry and chatting all things watches. So, before anything else, thank you for your ongoing support. For those who haven’t braved the rainy Melbourne weather to visit the Collins St location, here’s some more info on what the Studio is all about. The Time+Tide idea has always been to be the home of watch culture, offering a somewhat laid-back take on the happening of the horological world. The Studio hopes to be an extension of what you’ve seen, read and listened to – a place that welcomes those looking for their very first watch as much as those with endgame collections – whether it’s telling stories of brand hosting temporary showcases or offering hands-on experiences with brands otherwise unavailable in brick-and-mortar stores.
As for the brands we carry, it’s a healthy mix of cult classics like Doxa, Hamilton, and Zodiac, alongside in-demand microbrands and independents like Studio Underd0g, Furlan Marri, Fears, Norqain, and so many more. Apart from the aforementioned brands, the Time+Tide Studio is also home to Bamford, Baltic, Bausele, Blok, Boldr Supply Co., Mido, Nivada Grenchen, and Tissot.
Alongside bringing you the hottest new releases and enthusiast-level classics, the new space was created as a hub for brand launches and events, made possible thanks to the many partners we work with and allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the discovery aspect of the Studio name.
I leave you with a quote from our own Andrew McUtchen – enjoy the weekend ahead!
“This is not a pivot, but an organic extension of Time+Tide’s brand and business. Actions speak louder than words, and for years we have provided a refreshingly open-minded take on watches. Now we can make it all real, with a space that is as welcoming, sophisticated and exciting to explore as our content has been for the last decade. They say you should ‘be the change you want to see in the world’. This is literally the watch destination of my dreams – and every single brand in it is one I believe in and stand behind.”
Watch meme of the week
View this post on Instagram
As a serial hoarder, I don’t relate to this one personally, but having heard many stories of regret, I can only imagine the pain.
Wrist shot of the week: Omega’s new ambassadors
View this post on Instagram
Looking to the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, Omega is recruiting a new line-up of ambassadors – only fitting considering they’ve been official timekeepers since 1932. Bebe Vio, a three-time world champion, four-time European champion, and two-time Olympic gold medallist, will be looking to add to her medal collection – and now watch collection, too.
Time+Tide Shop pick of the week: NOW Magazine Issue 7
Though the magazine just about takes the cake for the piece of content that is most difficult to plan and execute, it is also just about one of our favourites. From the features to the Buying Guide, the brand new NOW Magazine Issue 7 is here, this time in resplendent aqua with the new IWC Ingenieur gracing the front cover. From stories about drunk watch purchases to an in-depth read on the history of the TAG Heuer Skipper, you can pick up your own copy in a printed or digital format, right from the Time+Tide Shop. Price: A$19.95 (print + digital), A$7.95 (digital)
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week
A Question of Time: 10 questions with the Time+Tide team – Jamie Weiss
Meet Jamie Weiss, T+T’s new Australian Editor, as he takes you through his horological quirks, from his very first watch to what tweaks his tourb.
HANDS-ON: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces is the brand’s first full lume dial
When asked about pilot’s watches, the first brand Zach think of is IWC. The brand largely deals in sensible, legible designs, especially when it comes to their pilot’s watches, where such a quality is paramount. The new Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces introduces the first regular-production full-lume dial for IWC, resplendent in black ceramic.
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 beginning of the end for many smaller watch manufactures, but also influenced the way we look at watches to this very day. Quartz is often looked down upon, and incorrectly so if I may add, as the lesser technology, and any notion of a quartz watch being remotely collectible for its internals is mostly unheard of, save for the tastes of the most die-hard enthusiasts. Though the writing was seemingly on the wall for mechanical movements, they were saved by the vanity of man, and the gravitational appeal of luxury. I shouldn’t poke too much fun, though, it is kind of what I do these days, though it did leave me wondering – what if there was never a quartz crisis in the first place? I concede that this would require a significant shift in not just horological history, though, for the purpose of this thought experiment, bear with me. Here are three (im)plausible scenarios.
HANDS-ON: The Ulysse Nardin Blast Free Wheel Marquetry is the ultimate tribute to silicon
While certainly versed in more classically styled timepieces as well, over the last 22 year, Ulysse Nardin has become a haven for outside-the-box and highly technical designs. Long ahead of the curve, their 2001 Freak was the first watch to use silicon in its movement – something other still haven’t gotten around to doing these days. Today, Ulysse Nardin pays tribute to their pioneering silicon work with a new Blast Free Wheel Marquetry flying tourbillon that not only uses silicon in the movement, but on the dial as well.