HANDS-ON: The Hublot Classic Fusion Ferrari GT
A Hublot with soft, flowing lines. Now there’s a phrase I never thought I’d write. The Ferrari–Hublot collaboration has produced a stream of watches since 2011, each time with a different look and feel: from Big Bang variations to the outstanding MP-05 LaFerrari and, two years ago, the Techframe. But where the Techframe is all straight lines and strong angles, this new Classic Fusion piece is smooth and curvy – Gran Turismo with beautiful coach-building, rather than high-octane motorsport. In designing this watch, Ferrari’s Centro Stile has taken the automotive metaphor further, suspending the round case within the bezel. The resulting void between the two circles adds both visual and physical lightness, as well as creating extra surfaces where the light can play. Four exposed ‘H’ screws (rather than Hublot’s usual six) attach the case to the bezel and on the 3 o’clock side, a wave-shaped flange curves over the crown and pushers. It looks airy and elegant – very different from the chunky angularity we expect in Hublot cases. Although the overall diameter is 45mm, it feels smaller – and therefore really comfortable on the wrist – yet still oozes strength and presence. In both the King Gold and…
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Bronze — that gold-toned alloy that only gets better with age — has continued its domination of the watch world, and the latest brand to be converted is TAG Heuer, who this week released two bronze versions of their brand new three-handed Autavia. Structurally, it’s the same as the steel Autavias — 42mm across, powered by a Calibre 5 movement running the impressive new Isograph spring, and worn with straps that utilise a smart new quick-change system. But on the aesthetic front, the warm metal, shiny ceramic bezel, smoky green dial, and aged ivory luminous material create a compelling synergy that’s exemplary of the current retro-modern trend. But what I really want to know is – will we end up seeing more bronze in the TAG Heuer assortment in the near future? It could work. I guess that’s a somewhat long-winded way of saying that this watch just looks really great on the wrist. 
It’s testament to the power and ongoing evolution of Tudor’s blue-chip Black Bay family that our top three picks from Baselworld 2019 are all Black Bays, and also — from a distance at least — look very different indeed. Without a doubt, the most discussed and most genuinely novel watch of the bunch (and perhaps of the whole fair) is the Black Bay P01. While the dial bears a lot of the hallmarks of the Black Bay, the case is Something. Else. Entirely. Long, with a blocky crown guard at four, and a steel bi-directional 12-hour bezel that’s held in place by the articulated bracelet end link at 12. I’m pretty sure absolutely no one saw this coming, and people are taking their time to get used to the concept. I will say though, this watch is very comfy on the wrist. The other two watches are far more conventional offerings. The slate grey-dialled Black Bay Bronze replaces the brown version, and the new colour (and the fact that it’s shaded) certainly adds plenty of drama and contrast to the watch. And then there’s the Black Bay Chrono S&G, which adds some flash to the Chrono, and a more sophisticated profile to…
In the weeks and days leading up to Basel, the tension, speculation and near-hysteria around Rolex’s impending releases is palpable, and this year was no different. And while the popular predictions in the lead-up to Baselworld 2019 were the usual mix of near misses and safe guesses, that didn’t stop the Rolex watches — especially the sports watches — from being the most talked-about pieces of the fair. The Yacht-Master on Oysterflex has, since its debut in 2015, been one of the most distinctively modern models, with its matt cerachrom bezel and understated bracelet. This year saw two significant changes to the model. Firstly, it was offered in white gold, which only adds to the under-the-radar appearance; secondly, it’s bigger than ever, with a 42mm case — both these elements have been generally well received in the Halls. And then there’s the new version of the GMT-Master BLNR. It’s packing the new 3285 calibre, which means a new case. It’s also got a new Jubilee strap, giving the Batman a whole new look. But the real story here is the news that all steel GMT-Masters are only available on Jubilee, and that all GMT-Masters with a single colour bezel (i.e.…
TAG Heuer’s Basel 2019 collection had a particularly clear focus, and that focus was Autavia. It’s a watch inspired by TAG Heuer’s enviable heritage — Autavia is a combination of automotive and aviation, and dates back to when Heuer was making cockpit timers in the 1930s. This latest version is a clear nod to the past, without being a fully blown reissue. It’s got details to boot too, like Arabic numerals made from solid blocks of luminous material, a series in subtle rich colours that, thanks to their texture and airbrushed finish, are eye-catching and interesting. The insides are also notable, thanks to TAG Heuer’s brand new Isograph technology — the hairspring is made using the proprietary carbon process the brand first showed us in January on the Tourbillon Nanograph. That watch was on hand, too (and did not disappoint the second time around). For women, there was a bunch of new Carreras on offer — and it’s easy to see the appeal of this crisp design paired with a shimmering mother-of-pearl dial. And finally, there’s the Modular Connected Golf Edition, made for people who care about their putting game. TAG Heuer Autavia TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 02T Tourbillon Nanograph…
Grand Seiko has just announced its latest releases at Basel 2019 and, boy, does the Spring Drive — that unique trifecta of electronic, kinetic and magnetic energy — feature strongly. But not just the Spring Drives you know and love, with that arching power reserve at eight. No, in honour of the movement’s 20th anniversary, there are new manually wound versions, including this super-slender, refined and dressy option. Shown here in steel, it’s known as SBGY003 This is a Grand Seiko like you’ve never seen before. First, the case is so well-sized — 38.5mm across by 10.2mm thick is elegant, restrained proportion. With a simple case, with swooping lugs, a grippy crown (important for manual winding) and a black alligator strap, it’s a refined piece. It’s interesting to note that this is one of the few GS models where the lugs aren’t drilled. Of course, the dial is impressive, too: a radial starburst-like guillochage, reminiscent of the popular Seiko Cocktail Time; it’s bright and crisp, with all the details you’d expect from the masters of the art. It’s also very clean, with no date or power reserve on show, as you might expect. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean…
There’s a unifying theme to Grand Seiko’s 2019 collection – and no, it’s not the exquisite dials or case work, though those are all very much in evidence. No, this year it’s all about the mighty Spring Drive, a movement (which we’ve explained here) that is unique to Grand Seiko, and appropriately enough, 20 years old. There’s a new take on the most complicated Spring Drive of all, the 9R96, with a GMT and Chronograph. This year we see it like never before — in a watch that’s a suitably plus-sized tribute to Japan’s most famous monster, Godzilla. The SBGC231G is a truly gargantuan titanium watch that is about as statement watch as they come. No, the real evolution of the Spring Drive family is a new movement, the 9S63, a manually wound offering that sees small seconds and power reserve neatly balanced across the dial, which — thanks to that superb dial execution — results in a watch that’s a joy to look at. And thanks to the slimmer case profile (11.6mm), the watch is a joy on the wrist, too — the domed sapphire and rounded bezel certainly help in this regard. Grand Seiko’s offering has been increasingly…
Prospex is Seiko-speak for “Professional Specification”, a family of professionally oriented tool-watches that was born in 1968 and built to last. And, Seiko being Seiko, that build quality is legendary. As such, these watches have attracted a cult following, in both the actual and desk-diving fraternities. Now, at their press conference at Baselworld 2019, Seiko just upped the stakes once more, with the Prospex LX. A series of (for now) six watches that are gloriously over-specced, premium Prospex watches. There are three watches in plain steel, and three blacked-out variants. Prospex LX — built around the timeless pillars of sea, land and sky — is a series that has the Swiss mainstream sports watches firmly in their sights. And they’re priced to match. Australian RRPs for the line are in the range of $7000-9000, which I suspect might have more than a few fans (and professional peers) doing a quick double take. For a Seiko-labelled watch, these are definitely premium prices, but does the quality match up? Well, from my handling of these pre-production prototypes, I’ve got to say yes. The cases have many of the hallmarks you’d associate with Grand Seiko, and the movements, well, they’re Spring Drive. But design-wise, these watches…
Tudor’s Baselworld 2019 collection is always a hotly anticipated affair, and this year the Shield offered some stylish new takes on existing models, and a distinctive diver no one saw coming. Tudor Black Bay P01 One of the more interesting, unexpected and downright surprising releases of Baselworld 2019 has to be the Tudor Black Bay P01. To paraphrase that guy from Star Trek: it’s a Black Bay, Jim — but not as we know it. Based on a prototype watch developed in the late 1960s with the US Navy in mind, this Black Bay is pure tool watch. The party trick here is that the bi-directional bezel (which is graduated for hours — something I’ve been wanting on a Black Bay since forever) is locked in place via the ingenious mobile end link at 12. And for all its blocky shape, this 42mm works really well on the wrist. 3750 CHF Tudor Black Bay Bronze The Black Bay Bronze is dead! Long live the Black Bay Bronze! Well, by that I mean the original brown-dialled bronze Black Bay has been removed from the catalogue, replaced by this handsome fellow. All details are unchanged, except for the dial, which is now a shaded…
It’s no secret that the Octo Finissimo has been a watch that’s kick-started the heart of Bulgari’s recent string of critical hits. And now the collection has — in addition to the core time-only model, minute repeaters and tourbillons — a chronograph. And not just any chronograph, the world’s thinnest. This watch took Bulgari almost three years to develop (which, in watch terms, is rather quick), and the movement is a slim 3.3mm, shredding a fair bit of width off the previous thinnest – a 4.65mm manually wound movement from Piaget. This movement isn’t just thin — it’s got a peripheral winding rotor and a nicely finished movement. It’s also got a second time zone display at three, which is set in sync with the main hands. Altering local time is a cinch, as hitting the pusher at nine advances the hour hand in one-hour increments. Design-wise, not too much has changed. We’re still looking at that classic sandblasted titanium case — only now with a bit more going on with the dial. I really love just how integrated the faceted pushers are to the case. From a distance you’d struggle to know more. It wears just as well as you’d expect on…