Hype beasts – 5 of this year's most unobtainable watches

5 most unattainable watchesWhile there are some enthusiasts out there who feel as though the vast majority of new watches released at this year’s Baselworld and SIHH were a bit … safe, there were still some real stunners unveiled from legacy outfits like Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. And, because the collective products of these three aforementioned watchmakers are arguably the most desirable in the horological hemisphere right now, they’re particularly hard to actually get a hand on. So, chances are you’re not going to be able to walk into your local AD and pick up one of these wrist-worn rock stars, but here are five of the hottest and hardest watches to purchase in 2019: Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR While it might have come as a surprise to some, being released so soon after its predecessor was discontinued, the new GMT-Master II ref. 126710BLNR “Batman” or, as it’s being referred to by some, “Batgirl”, caused quite the stir when it was revealed at Baselworld 2019. The black and blue GMT now features Rolex’s latest Calibre 3285 movement and, in keeping with the other steel GMT Rolex currently offers, the “Pepsi”, ditches the Oyster bracelet in favour of the prodigious Jubilee bracelet.…

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4 years ago

EVENT: A Crazy few Hours with Franck Muller in Melbourne

Franck Muller in MelbourneThe Franck Muller Vanguard Crazy Hours landed in Melbourne last week, and not only was I fortunate to take a closer look at it, but the kind people at Franck Muller invited me to celebrate it with them at a dining event with some of their important local clients. It was a great opportunity to view the new collection, as well as share a meal with a group of like-minded watch enthusiasts. There were some special people seated around the dining table, including Franck Muller’s global COO, Nicholas Rudaz, and Franck Muller’s General Manager of Australia, Mr Heng, both of whom enthusiastically shared their passion for mechanical watches and Franck Muller alike. Watches from the new collection were dotted around the room in display cases, as well as a number of pieces from other current collections that are available at boutiques, including the Happy Magpie from the Long Island collection, a charming rectangular watch with an immaculately hand-painted dial. Unsurprisingly, Nicholas Rudaz was carrying some serious horological heat, with a watch on each wrist. On one wrist, he wore a Franck Muller Crazy Hours, which he described as his “party watch” (and you can’t disagree with him on that), with…

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4 years ago

Looking back at the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ChronographEditor’s note: Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak is unquestionably one of the most important wristwatches of all time and it is steeped in history for so many reasons. For a start, the unique aesthetics of the now iconic watch and integrated bracelet were designed by the doyen of horological design, Gérald Genta, in less than 24 hours. Let that sink in: the timepiece that completely changed the game of luxury sports watches forever was conceived in less time than it would take us to fly to Geneva. What’s more, when it was released in 1972, the Royal Oak cost 3300 Swiss franc … for a steel sports watch! To put that in context, you could have bought close to a dozen Rolex Submariners for the same money at the time. Anyway, we could go on forever about this wonderful watch but, instead, we thought it would be worth drawing your attention back to the time we went hands-on with the solid yellow gold Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph. HANDS-ON: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph in yellow gold STORY IN A SECOND: When the first Royal Oak was released in 1972 in steel it was a revelation. Now, in 2016, there’s a milder…

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5 years ago

Buying Guide – 5 Recently-Launched Tool Watches Ready For Adventure

The concept of tool watches isn’t clearly defined. It can be a diver, it can be a chronograph, it can be a pilot’s watch. But what we’ll look at today are instrument pieces for adventure, watches that can perform in most situations: on land, in the air or below the sea level. Tools in their purest […]

5 years ago

INTRODUCING: The Hublot Big Bang Unico SORAI

Hublot has teamed up with the initiative Save Our Rhino Africa/India (SORAI) to create the fetching, limited edition Hublot Big Bang Unico SORAI. Stylised to mimic the tonal colours of Africa’s vast bush land, the new Big Bang Unico SORAI’s 45mm case is finished in microblasted beige ceramic, as is the watch’s bezel. Providing a stark contrast, the chronograph pushers and the crown of the limited edition watch are finished in a black composite resin. The dial of the Unico SORAI has been given the same aesthetic treatment, and the openwork-skeletonised movement is finished in matt beige, while the running seconds sub-dial displays the distinctive SORAI logo – a white rhino. The movement itself is Hublot’s self-winding HUB1242, and in addition to featuring a flyback chronograph complication containing both a column wheel and dual clutches, the watch also features a date complication and offers customers up to 72 hours of power reserve. The Unico SORAI is paired with two different straps: a beige NATO bracelet and a camouflage rubber bracelet that features some world-first technology. Essentially, through the employment of an innovative vulcanisation technique, Hublot is able to create a distinctive camouflage theme that is drawn onto the rubber bracelet…

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5 years ago

The Rado True Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier

Rado True Thinline Les Couleurs Le CorbusierPaying homage to a man widely regarded as the father of modernism, Le Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret), Rado’s stunning range of True Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier could definitely be worth a look as your next summer watch. Le Corbusier, the visionary Swiss designer, architect and writer, created the concept of Architectural Polychromy – a palette that employs 63 different colours of architectural significance to assist with the portrayal of depth and space. These 63 colours are then grouped into nine different categories: vibrant, velvety, balanced, bold, powerful, expressive, luminous, impressive and pure. Rado’s new True Thinline collection wonderfully encapsulates these nine different palettes, and each of the watches distinct colours, nine in total, has an equally vibrant name to match. What’s more, when paired with Rado’s storied expertise in creating ceramic timepieces, which dates back more than 30 years, the combination makes for a compelling proposition, not least for the fact that ceramic is scratch resistant, light and hypoallergenic. The True Thinline watch itself is a very well proportioned wristwatch, thanks to a versatile 39mm case size that’s just 5mm thick. Housed inside the slim ceramic case is a 13-jewel quartz movement that powers the watch’s hour and minute hand.…

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5 years ago

Rediscovering the Rolex GMT-Master II "Pepsi"

Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi”Editor’s note: Almost two years on from its release at 2018’s Baselworld, Rolex’s GMT-Master II 126710 BLRO or “Pepsi”, as it’s colloquially known across the globe, is still an incredibly desirable timepiece. And it’s pretty easy to understand why – 904L steel or “Oyster Steel” construction, Jubilee bracelet, bidirectional Cerachrom bezel, chronometer certification with an accuracy rating of +2/-2 seconds a day, waterproof to 100 metres, GMT complication – this watch has just got so much to offer. A first of its kind, Rolex’s Pepsi GMT is also steeped in an incredibly rich history, and dates back to the mid-1950s, when Rolex worked with Pan American Airways on creating a wristwatch Pan Am pilots could use to track two different time zones at once while flying intercontinentally. So it’s not hard to fathom why this fabled timepiece still commands such a high price tag in the secondhand watch market, very often achieving more than double its recommended retail price of $12,250 AUD. Anyway, we were lucky enough to go hands-on with the watch late last year, and it’s definitely worth the read. HANDS-ON: The Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi (ref. 126710 BLRO) Anticipation was high for a GMT-Master II release at…

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5 years ago