From Hate to Love – A Personal Take on The 2017 Rolex Daytona Gold / Ceramic / Oysterflex
Let’s get straight to the point: I never felt really attracted to the Rolex Daytona. Since the presentation of the automatic version in 1989 (at that time powered by a Zenith-based movement), and until the 2016 Steel/Ceramic 116500LN version, my interest in the Daytona was close to zero. To me it represented kind of an emblematic watch that, on a personal level, never appealed to me. So, what can be the reason why I’ve switched so quickly from hate to love, when seeing the new 2017 Rolex Daytona Gold / Ceramic / Oysterflex (the new references 116515LN, 116518LN and 116519LN)?
The story in a second It’s one of the hottest watches of 2017, and here’s why… For years, the Sky-Dweller has been one of the most interesting and least understood modern Rolexes. It’s one of the most complicated watches in their lineup, as a luxury traveller’s watch, and is the patrician elder brother of the tool-like GMT-Master II. This niche proposition, along with its solid gold offering, always made it something of an outsider Rolex. Until now. The case In some ways the case of the Sky-Dweller remains identical to the version released in 2012, but viewed a different way, the changes to the big 42mm case represent the single biggest shift to the model, which has seen it rocket to the top of many a fan’s list. It’s all about the material. For the first five years of its life, the Sky-Dweller existed only in precious metals: white, yellow or Everose gold. Not only did this place the watch into a premium price bracket, but it was also every inch the solid gold Rolex — unavoidably so with that large, fluted bezel. But, as Baselworld 2017 rolled around and the Rolesor Sky-Dwellers were unveiled, the proposition suddenly changed. Fifty…
The story in a second Got a blacked-out 488 rolling in and looking for the perfect watch to match? Read on. Hublot are masters of both the high-level partnership and the limited edition. Both of these traits are very much to the fore in their freshest round of Ferrari-themed Big Bangs. I recently had the pleasure of spending some time with this not at all under-the-radar carbon version. The case When the Big Bang was first introduced way back in 2005, it was simultaneously outré and appealing. These days the large and (dare we say) iconic modern sports watch is very much an accepted part of the landscape. But familiarity hasn’t lessened the potency of the Big Bang as, like many great designs, it’s a surprisingly malleable canvas, where almost every single element can be changed, while still managing to be clearly recognisable from 10 paces. These days the large and (dare we say) iconic modern sports watch is very much an accepted part of the landscape. But familiarity hasn’t lessened the potency of the Big Bang. Key to this versatility is the case. The modular construction and Hublot’s own dedication to their Art of Fusion design approach means that the…
The story in a second The Black Bay gets complicated and Tudor adds a surprising twist in the movement… Over the years Tudor has proved their mastery of a particular genre of historically revisionist bricolage – most obviously through their fan-favourite diver, the mighty Black Bay. Except now that straight up diver classification doesn’t sit so easy. The 36 and 41 models add a dressy touch, and the Chrono brings a hefty dose of sporty style to the mix. So perhaps the real question is: does the pick and mix approach, which serves Tudor so well with the relatively restrained palette of the ‘regular’ Black Bays – work with this more complicated offering? And then, of course, there’s that movement… The case The 41mm steel case of the BB Chrono is at once familiar and unfamiliar. The shape and high, slab-like sides are classic Black Bay, but the additional pushers and tachymetre bezel are new to the family and quite unfamiliar. Except that they’re kind of not. If you punch “Tudor 79180” into Google you’ll find countless examples of the ‘Big Block’ chronograph, first introduced in 1976 (six years after their first chronograph, the Prince Oysterdate) which shares the engraved steel bezel…
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, rather ironically, is not a saying that appears to be said very often around the watch design department at Bulgari. In the last few years the brand’s unique Octo collection has thrust them to the forefront of watch manufacturing, not only technically – with record-breaking pieces like the thinnest tourbillon, the thinnest minute repeater, and the thinnest automatic movement – but aesthetically as well, with unique eight-sided case designs inspired by the octagonal motifs adorning the domed ceilings of the Basilica of Maxentius in Rome. This year, creating what Bulgari refer to as the “fifth element” of the Octo line, they have released the Octo Roma, with a softer take on this bold, masculine case design. Less square and more round, the 41mm case has been reworked, with its lugs narrowed to 32.5mm, emphasising the circular bezel and greatly reducing the number of facets from 110 to 58. However, the Octo’s iconic case shape is not lost. Instead, the Octo Roma has brought the design back to its purest form, the octagon, but in a more rounded way. Available in steel, 18k pink gold, or a combination of both, the Octo Roma is…