Additionally, it stands out for being a comprehensive tide indicator, while still maintaining a clean, two-register dial that is reminiscent of the Yacht Club chronograph. That makes the Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide fairly special, being the only tide-indicator watch offered by a major brand today. In 1992, Corum debuted the Admiral’s Cup Tides, which included three tide-related displays and is still in production today as the Admiral AC-One Tides. At the other end of the spectrum is the artistic Real Moon Tides from independent watchmaker Christiaan van der Klaauw.īut worthy of special mention is the pioneer of the high-end tide indication in modern watchmaking. The complication exists in but a handful of watches spread across a diversity of price points, depending on the complexity of the tide indication.Īt the entry level is the affordable Sinn 240 St GZ with a no-frills tide-calculator bezel and a price tag of under US$2,000. In reality, mechanical tide indications occupy an esoteric area of watchmaking. Tide indications should be of broader interest, being useful to fishermen, surfers, sailors, at least in theory. In fact, they can be seen as an elaboration on the moon phase, because tides are the terrestrial result of the fluctuating gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and Sun on the Earth. However, the tidal complication remained relatively rare compared to the regatta timers that had a straightforward application in sailing, making it more commercially successful.īut while regatta timers were designed to countdown to the start of a sailing race, tide indications are astronomical in nature. L ike regatta timers for boating, tide-indicator watches were specialised timers created to cater to the growing popularity of recreational and competitive sailing in the 1950s. The tide-indicator complication first appeared in a wristwatch in 1949 when Heuer unveiled the Solunar, which was followed by the Seafarer that combined a tidal display with a chronograph. The only downside is the rose-gold case, resulting in a steep price tag hopefully a steel or titanium version comes along (and it probably will). More that below.)Īt the same time, the watch overall is constructed to IWC’s usual levels of quality, which is to say excellent. It is not a flaw, but just a nature of the complication. (But like all tide-indicator watches, the new Yacht Club has a caveat: IWC points out it “works reliably on all coasts with two equally strong high and low tides per day”. And the tidal displays are combined with IWC’s trademark double moon phase, making it a bit more compelling. One of the very rare, comprehensive tide-display watches on the market, the Yacht Club Moon & Tide incorporates twin tidal displays, which are useless for most but fascinating, not just because they are rare but also because they are, in essence, an astronomical complication. The Yacht Club Moon & Tide is a big, heavy and shiny sports watch with twin sub-dials, but it is far more interesting than the typical watch in this category (which is almost always a chronograph). The Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide is a first for IWC, introducing a brand-new complication to its line-up – a tide indication that tracks the ocean’s ebbs and flows. The flagship of IWC’s new Portugieser watches unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2020 is not the most complicated, but it is certainly the most unusual. Share Facebook Linkedin Twitter Weibo Instagram
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