The September-October 2021 issue of WatchTime is available at retailers (and in our online shop) now. Among the highlights of the issue are our cover feature spotlighting Panerai’s new lineup of chronographs from its Luminor and Submersible collections; a comprehensive retrospective on the history and evolution of the tourbillon; a head-to-head match-up of dive watches from Rolex and Omega; and more. Read on for details.
• In 2021, Panerai returned to the field of chronography with several new releases in the Submersible and Luminor collections, with one of them even offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Roger Ruegger explores them all in the cover story, “Il Ritorno di Cronografo.”
• From its utilitarian roots in the 19th century, the tourbillon has evolved in the modern era to become the ultimate expression of watchmakers’ technical prowess and avant-garde creativity. Mark Bernardo traces this 220-year “Whirlwind Romance” in an in-depth historical essay.
• Rolex and Omega are renowned and admired for their dive watches. In direct comparison, which one of the two leading brands dives deeper, offers more value for the money, and performs better? Jens Koch seeks the answers in “Competition in the Sea.”
• The Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Series 9 SLGH005, powered by the high-beat Caliber 9SA5, is inspired by the white Shirakaba birch trees that grow near the studio in Shizukuishi. In “The Beauty of Nature,” Martina Richter examines how nature and watchmaking are reflected in this latest creation.
• For its 175th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin has introduced an impressive fleet of Marine Torpilleur limited editions. In “Navigating Through the Years,” Ruegger sets sail with one of the collection’s most interesting pieces, a chronograph with an annual calendar on board.
• When it comes to utility, not many mechanical dive watches on the market can compete with the new Oris AquisPro Date (“Pro” as in professional), with the brand’s in-house Caliber 400. Alexander Krupp goes hands-on with “The Pro” in a comprehensive watch test.
• The official partnership between the TAG Heuer watch brand and the Porsche sports car manufacturer was a natural pairing — two companies linked by a strong friendship with common history, stories and values. Yet the news came as a shock; reason enough for the watch manufacturer to launch a special model — and for us to test it straight away in the feature “Among Friends.”
Plus: A showcase of Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms collection; a hands-on review of Bulova’s MIL-SHIPS-W-2181, based on a U.S. Navy prototype from the 1950s; a test of the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925; a roundup of watches with Roman numeral dials; and more,
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