Bell & Ross Promotion - BR03-90 Power Reserve

2012 May 16

For a limited time and while supplies last, we are offering the new Bell & Ross BR03-90 Reserve de Marche (Power Reserve, with big date) for 3995$ plus tax - regular MSRP 5280$.

Omega Seamaster 300

2012 April 23

Omega is one of the top Swiss brands in the world today, and is increasingly becoming a serious competitor against Rolex. The brand has evolved considerably in the last 10 years, and is gaining in popularity each year. The new series of watches are making use of finely engineered in-house calibres that offer a lot of watch for the money. It used to be that Omega was the more reasonable choice for a fine Swiss watch – less expensive than Rolex and the like, but exceptionally well made and very reliable. This was especially true from the 1950 to mid 70s - Omega’s golden era.

Bell & Ross BR01 Red Radar

2012 March 30

Matt Baily was the first Bell & Ross retailer in Canada, and we have witnessed the evolution of the company from a quirky producer of professional watches into a powerhouse brand driven by distinctive industrial designs. Their BR01 and BR03 Instrument series are still the benchmark for modern military-industrial watches. To keep the design fresh, Bell & Ross has introduced numerous colour variations and complications over the years; the Red Radar limited edition in particular has garnered a lot of press in the watch media as a seriously cool design that takes the Instrument to another level.

Basel 2012 - Bell & Ross WW1 Jump Hour

2012 March 08

The latest news from Bell & Ross - an updated Jump Hour model in the WW1 line available in 18k rose gold and platinum.

Basel 2012 - Bell & Ross BR01 Horizon

2012 March 07

New from Bell & Ross - the BR01 Horizon

Luck and Bell & Ross - a Story from a Client

2012 March 01

This week we share an interesting story of loss and recovery from one of our clients.

Pre-Basel 2012 - New Rado Hyperchrome Watches

2012 February 23

Baselworld 2012 is approaching, and we have more news from Rado about a new series of ceramic watches for men and women called the Hyperchrome.

Graham Chronofighter RAC

2012 February 20

I’ve written about Graham watches in the blog before. It’s an interesting brand that has its roots in classical English watchmaking (though nowadays everything is made in Switzerland). What I have here is the prototypical Graham Chronofighter RAC, a classic design that, along with the Swordfish, has come to define the Graham style. While most people are familiar with the Oversize series of gigantic watches, not that many are aware of Graham’s more modestly sized offerings. While the Oversize is a sport watch that will dominate the wrist, the classic Chronofighter is an elegant, distinctly English design that straddles the line between classic and sport.

Oris BC4 Retrograde Pilot Watch

2012 February 06

This week we here at Matt Baily received a new line of Swiss watches – Oris. Continuing our tradition of seeking out interesting small brands that offer good value for nice timepieces, we took on Oris as a way to round out our collection of cool sport watches. And the brand doesn’t disappoint – they offer a number of interesting models that are well made, good looking, and reasonably priced. One model in particular caught my eye – the BC4 Retrograde, a pilot-style watch with a cool complication that sets it apart from the crowd.

Alpina Extreme Sailing Automatic

2012 January 23

Alpina has been on a roll lately, after introducing several cool new models (including the Startimer and Extreme Sailing, and the upcoming Heritage Pilot) that have really put the spotlight back onto the brand. The new theme seems to be better design, better quality, and lowered retail prices overall. The new Extreme Sailing Automatic in particular offers exceptional value; it’s a clean, functional and good-looking watch that appears far more expensive than it is.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Safari

2012 January 16

When it comes to big, bold, haute-horlogerie sport watches Audemars Piguet is the brand to beat. Since 1972 their signature Royal Oak series has become a legendary model that has aged gracefully and received numerous evolutionary updates over the decades to keep it fresh. The Royal Oak Offshore, in particular, has become a huge hit for the brand since it was introduced in 1993, and it remains their signature model. This week I will be profiling one of the most popular Offshores, the so-called “Safari” edition.

Orbita Watchwinders

2012 January 09

Rado D-Star 200 Diver Announced

2012 January 05

Matt Baily is Montreal’s latest Rado retailer, and we brought in the brand in anticipation of their new releases for 2012 that promised to bring the brand into the fore of the high-tech watch market after years of conservative design. Now we have our first glimpse of the direction that Rado is going with the new D-Star 200 diving models, announced this week on the Rado website.

Rolex 16710 GMT Master II

2012 January 02

When it comes to Rolex sport watches, the GMT-Master is one of the top choices among collectors and watch lovers the world over. More elegant and functional than the Submariner, and more popular than the Explorer, the GMT-Master is a modern classic that has been a brand favourite for over 50 years. The example we have here is the last of the traditional GMT-Masters, the 16710 with “coke” bezel.

New U-Boat U-42 Chronograph and 47mm Limited Editions

2011 December 12

Last year U-Boat came out with the U-42 limited edition series, a 53mm titanium monster based on a diver’s watch designed in 1942 by Ilvo Fontana, grandfather of company president Italo Fontana. The U-42 was a very distinctive watch that offered a totally unique look in the U-Boat line, one that competed more with the likes of Panerai and Audemars Piguet (but for much less money). This year U-Boat has expanded the U-42 lineup to include an automatic chronograph, as well as a midsize 47mm model to suit more average wrist sizes.

New Bell & Ross WW1 Military and Heritage

2011 December 05

Bell & Ross watches have long been a Montreal favourite. We were the first dealer in Canada for the brand, and had them before they released their iconic Instrument series. Nowadays the Instrument is BR’s flagship, but they also produce a series of interesting round designs in the Vintage series. The latest additions to the Vintage line are the WW1 wristwatches, a series inspired by very early military watches that were adapted from pocketwatches.

Rolex Explorer I 214270

2011 October 10

Rolex has many storied models that have become legendary among watch aficionados and collectors alike. There are the ubiquitous Submariner and Sea-Dweller models, and the pilot’s favourite GMT Masters, and of course the ever-popular Datejust and Day-Date models that have become symbols of classic style and distinction. But one model range is often forgotten in favour of its more glamourous siblings – the Explorer series. Reaching back over 50 years, the Explorer has long been an understated and rugged sport model that has a rich history that should put it into the pantheon of other Rolex sport models.

New Hamilton Jazzmaster Auto Chrono

2011 September 26

Hamilton has long been a Matt Baily favourite here in Montreal, offering superb value for reasonable money. Hamiltons have elegant designs, are well built, nicely finished, and offer exceptional bang for buck compared to most Swiss brands. The latest Jazzmaster chronograph continues the tradition, while offering a subtle evolutionary upgrade of the existing series.

Bell & Ross Military Ceramic

2011 September 12

Ceramic is the latest trend in watch technology, having been dormant for many years (ceramic watches first emerged in the 1960s). The recent popularity of ceramic watches like the Chanel J12, not to mention the ceramic accents on high-tech watches from Hublot and Audemars Piguet, has created a demand for more and more ceramic designs from a variety of manufacturers. Entering the fray is Bell & Ross with a variety of new ceramic models, including the BR03-92 Military Ceramic (green, as we have here, and blue due later this year) and the upcoming BR01-92 Ceramic.

Frederique Constant Peking to Paris Chronograph

2011 August 22

Frederique Constant (and sister company Alpina) have a history of interesting sports sponsorships. Alpina sponsors the 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race, while Frederique Constant has been a part of the Lake Geneva Regatta for classic boats (commemorated by the Runabout series), and has also worked with the Austin Healey owners club for the Healey line. The latest limited edition from Frederique follows that same idea of a classic watch for a classic event – the Peking to Paris chronograph commemorates the legendary automobile rally between China and France.

New Alpina Startimers

2011 August 01

Since we introduced Alpina to the Montreal market some three years ago, we here at Matt Baily’s have seen the brand evolve from a small manufacturer of quirky sport watches into a well-respected marque producing very desirable watches for very reasonable prices. This year Alpina has introduced a slew of new entry-level models that are very reasonably priced while still showing a marked improvement in quality. Chief among these new models is the Startimer Pilot series, which was announced earlier this year alongside the Sailing collection. After several months of anticipation, we finally have the Startimer collection in store, and they do not disappoint.

New U-Boat U-1001 47 In Store

2011 July 25

This week on the blog we introduce the U-Boat Classico U-1001 47mm Limited Edition, a scaled down and dressed up version of the U-1001 diving watch, now available in-store at Matt Baily's.

Watches in Depth - The Chronograph

2011 July 15

One of the most popular complications in watchmaking is the chronograph, the watch that doubles as a stopwatch as well as a timekeeper. It’s been one of the most prolific complication in the 20th century, second only to the basic calendar complication, and are accessible from entry-level Swiss brands all the way up to the top of the watchmaker’s craft. The chronograph has a long history in fine watchmaking, and has long been a symbol of mechanical prowess combined with everyday functionality. After having become so popular and commonplace, many people overlook just how complicated a fine chronograph mechanism really is.

New Frederique Constant and Alpina Models In Store

2011 July 04

New in-store are the latest offerings from Matt Baily favourites Alpina and Frederique-Constant. We have received a number of new luxury watches that run the gamut from supremely elegant to casual sport, including the much-anticipated Frederique Slimline Automatic and Alpina Startimer Chronograph.

Watches in Depth - Mechanical vs Electronic

2011 June 20

Not too long ago I wrote an FAQ on watches and watch technology for the benefit of our readers and clients... In the spirit of my original FAQ I have decided to begin a series of in-depth blogs on specific subjects – different complications and their variations, the engineering and mechanical work involved in a movement, how a watch is serviced, and other topics for people who wish to learn more about luxury watches.

New Hamilton Thin-o-Matic In Store

2011 June 06

As I’ve mentioned in the blog before, we are seeing a return to classic and simple designs in the luxury watch industry after years of huge and bold sporty watches... A perfect example of this trend is the new Hamilton Thin-o-Matic, an updated re-edition of a classic dress watch from Hamilton’s golden age.

Vacheron Constantin Historique Toledo 1952

2011 May 30

Vacheron Constantin has always been a traditional luxury manufacture, preferring to make classic haute gamme timepieces rather than bowing to the market fads. They have made sporty designs in recent years, but they are still best known for their elegant dress watches that combine impeccable quality with a timeless understated style... Case in point – the Toledo 1952 annual calendar, which is part of the Historique collection of classically inspired timepieces...

VIDEO: New U-Boat Classico U-1001 47mm

2011 May 22

A video presentation of the new 2011 U-Boat Classico U-1001 limited edition watches in 47mm, from this year's Baselworld show in Switzerland.

U-Boat Titanium Flightdeck

2011 May 11

The U-Boat range is divided into three main models – Classico, Flightdeck and Thousands of Feet. One of the most popular models is the Flightdeck Chronograph which has become one of U-Boat’s signature designs, featuring an automatic Valjoux chronograph in a sporty case with very legible dials. Traditionally the Flightdeck features a stainless steel case, but a few lesser known variations exist – the ceramic and titanium models. What we have here is one of my favourite U-Boats and the latest addition to the Flightdeck line – reference 1881 in titanium...

A Brief History of the Rolex Daytona - Part III

2011 April 11

In the final instalment of his Rolex Daytona profile, Jason reviews three modern examples of the Daytona - two 116520s in stainless steel and one 116509 in 18K white gold.

IWC Da Vinci Chronograph Review

2011 March 21

Vacheron Constantin Royal Eagle Chronograph

2011 March 14

This week Jason returns to his profiling of interesting pre-owned pieces with a look at the Vacheron Constantin Royal Eagle Chronograph.

Alpina Announces New Startimer Pilot Designs

2011 February 28

Alpina reveals a new series of Pilot watches - the Alpina Startimer automatic.

Azimuth Round 1 Regulator Retrograde

2011 February 26

In this week's blog Jason profiles the cool and quirky Azimuth Round 1 Retrograde Regulator, a very distinctive dress watch from a small manufacturer of interesting complications.

New for 2011 U-Boat Watch Models in Store

2011 February 17

Jason profiles the latest additions to the U-Boat lineup, including the new Titanium Ceramic Classicos, the U-51 Chronograph, the U-42 limited edition, and the U-1001 IPB.

New Bell & Ross Vintages in Store

2011 February 16

In this week's blog, Jason takes a look at the new Bell & Ross Vintage series of watches.

Paul Picot Technograph

2011 January 12

For this week's review, Jason has a look at the unique Paul Picot Technograph. Read more...

Marvin Watch Co. Unveils the LOEB Special Edition

2010 November 05

The Marvin Watch Co. LOEB Limited Edition has been revealed! Jason has the scoop and official photos of the new watch.

Review of the New Hamilton Khaki BASE Jump

2009 August 05

Hamilton's new Khaki BASE Jump watch was released in April at the 2009 Baselworld fair. It will soon be available at the Matt Baily boutique. I had the chance to look at one at the store before I left for Switzerland. Here are some notes.