HANDS-ON: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire hits the mark
The Mark XI was the first watch that really got me ‘into’ watches, and it has endured over the decades as an icon of good, utilitarian design. Its influence has been very visible in IWC’s Pilot’s family over the years, but this watch, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire, might be the closest we’ve seen IWC come in a long time to hitting that mark in a regular production model (sorry about the pun, I couldn’t help it). There are three main reasons why this watch is so great: the dial, the case and the movement. All these elements add up to create a watch that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Let’s break it down. The dial IWC has done a great job with the dial here; it’s a really nice blend of clarity and heritage. All the classic hallmarks are there: crisp white Arabic numerals, surrounded by a minute track with larger hash markers at five-minute intervals. The signature triangle and double dot at 12, along with the cardinal hours, all in a faded, cream-coloured lume, which sits on the right side of the line between vintage-inspired and overbaked. The hands, in the characteristic Spitfire sword…
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A tourbillon inside a steel sports watch? On a rubber strap? It’s enough to bring a watch-purist out in a cold sweat. And when such a watch is launched by one of the most venerable companies in the business? Ohhh … But that’s exactly what makes the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon so cool. Yes, cool. Here’s Vacheron Constantin, showing off its haute horlogerie chops in casual, sports-luxe mode. The tourbillon follows a chronograph, a perpetual calendar and a world timer into the Overseas line but its presence in the collection is both strange and wonderful in a way those other complications are not. It’s not the first time we’ve seen a tourbillon in a sports-luxe line (AP, Richard Mille et al.), but Vacheron usually surrounds its tourbillons with elegant refinement and/or high complications. This is by far the house’s most understated tourbillon watch to date – and here, the delicate and beautiful mechanism sits in splendid isolation, surrounded by an ocean of blue dial. And wrapped up in steel. The case Fasten the watch to your wrist and the case shows its star quality. The proportions are great: wide enough (42.5mm) and thin enough (10.39mm) to look and feel strongly present…
If you head on over to the TAG Heuer website and click on the Carrera collection, you will see a lot of watches (in Australia there are more than 200 individual models on offer). To say you’re spoiled for choice is an understatement. If you delve a little deeper, you’ll quickly discover that while these TAG Heuer Carreras all have the same family name, there’s some serious diversity going on in the looks department. From large modern sports pieces to more slender time-only options, the Carrera really is a broad church. So, in an effort to help you out, we’ve put together a quick comparison of three popular models. Watch it now, and if you want more detail, check out our more detailed reviews, below. TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Chronograph Every time I wore it and looked down at my wrist, I smiled. But, by the same token, I wasn’t constantly conscious of wearing it, which is a win for me. Read our full review of the TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Chronograph here. TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01 As a complete package, the Carrera Heuer 01 is the business. Read our full review of the TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer…
The Defy is playing an increasingly important role in Zenith’s lineup — offering a modern alternative to the Pilot’s line that has dominated the discussion for so long. And there’s a lot to like about it — modern style with a hint of retro flavour. And while the Defy spans the spectrum from accessible to ultra high-end, the watch we’re looking at today — the Zenith Defy El Primero 21 — sits neatly in the middle, adding a quintessentially Zenith complication to the sporty 44mm package. That complication is, of course, the chronograph — and not just any chrono, but the mighty El Primero. Only here it’s the El Primero on steroids — the El Primero 21. The party trick here is the fact that the chronograph is packing two escapements, one for the timekeeping, and one for the chronograph. The real kicker is the beat rate for the chronograph escapement — 360,000 vph. This means that the central hand doesn’t make a full rotation every minute, but every second (that’s 1/100th of a second accuracy). It’s a whirling, mad thing to look at, and super cool. It’s also something of an energy hog, as you might expect, which leads…
It’s been an excellent crop of new releases for Grand Seiko, and hiding amidst a healthy assortment of models came this gem — the yellow gold SBGY002. Using a new hand-winding 9R31 Spring Drive movement with a power reserve of 72 hours, the new piece mates a variation of the brand’s iconic Snowflake dial with a more traditional and slender dress watch casing. Coming in north of $25K, it’s obviously a different beast to the classic Snowflake model; however, the new piece is yet another example of how Grand Seiko just isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to delivering impeccable design, finishing, and attention to detail when compared to any of their Swiss competition. This piece is one of four new models in the same vein; it is flanked by a pair of platinum-cased models at the upper register, and a more restrained steel model at the other end of the spectrum. All four models were launched as part of Grand Seiko’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of Spring Drive. While our topic at hand (as well as the steel model) are manufactured in the Shinshu Watch Studio, where all other Spring Drive watches are made, the platinum models are…
One of the bigger surprises of Basel was Seiko’s announcement of their high-end Prospex LX collection — big, chunky sports watches that feature a level of fit and finish we’ve seldom seen on a Seiko-labelled watch. And while the initial collection was a drop of six models, the one that we were most interested in, and — I suspect — the most crowd-pleasing number is the SNR029J1, a straight-up-and-down diver — inspired, to no small degree, by the classic Marinemaster 300. If the look is a 2019 update on a tried-and-tested model, the same can be said for the build. It’s a big, sporty watch, with a peerlessly finished titanium case (that zaratsu!), ceramic bezel and the mighty Spring Drive inside. With the high-end finishes and movement comes a higher price point. The Prospex LX family is designed to go toe-to-toe with the biggest Swiss brands’ mainstream sports offerings. Only time will tell if Seiko can succeed in their mission. Seiko Prospex LX SNR029J Australian pricing Seiko Prospex LX SNR029J, $8500
At a Baselworld that failed to excite on many levels, Hublot revved up crowds with an entirely new model, a 90th birthday collaboration that is anything but for the elderly, a totally bonkers tattooist tie-in and a Spirit of Big Bang that is a true blue beauty. Hublot Classic Fusion Ferrari GT Let’s cut the suspense and kick off with that new model – the 45mm Classic Fusion Ferrari GT. Now this has wooed some new fans to the brand for its more subtle stylings. Co-designed by Flavio Manzoni, Senior Vice President of Design at Ferrari, it features a raised, rounded bezel that totally changes the personality of this Hublot. Where the Big Bang shouts power, the Classic Fusion Ferrari GT only needs to whisper it. Some key specs: the movement is the Hublot in-house calibre Unico, a self-winding flyback chronograph with three-day power reserve. The Classic Fusion Ferrari GT Limited Edition is available in three different cases: Titanium, King Gold and 3D Carbon. Hublot Big Bang Scuderia Ferrari 90th Anniversary If you’d prefer a Ferrari-related watch that is more recognisably Hublot, there’s always the Big Bang Scuderia Ferrari 90th Anniversary, which is a symphony of sexy details like the prancing horse…
I’ll be frank: even using the word “unique” in this feature – let alone in its title – is dangerous territory. In this era of overblown, overhyped, and over-exaggerated positioning by brands and their marketing machines filled with a youthful and often naive “we are the next big thing!” mentality, words like unique are thrown around with impunity pretty much every other day. That said, Vacheron Constantin is not one for hype or unwarranted superlatives, and when they say their Les Cabinotiers department offers truly unique watchmaking, well, let’s just say they aren’t playing around. What the brand hangs their hat on here is that they can (and will) build one-off watches. These unique pieces are either created to a client’s specification, or as single watches devised by the department to showcase their immense talents, and give a glimse of what is possible. Sometimes they go so far as to create new calibers and develop new techniques should the commission call for it. That said, the pieces need to remain within the brand’s traditional guidelines to a certain respect. After all, you wouldn’t turn to Vacheron Constantin to build you an oversized, ultra-contemporary sports watch. The brand has gone to great lengths to maintain a high level of skill…
Over at Bulgari, the reign of the Octo Finissimo continues to flourish. At Baselworld 2019 the ultra-thin heavyweight collection gained two strong new members. And over on the women’s side, there’s a new golden serpent to adore. The hero of Bulgari’s set piece is the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT, a very smart addition (in both the style and engineering sense). It’s a completely new movement, and full of nice engineering details. It also boasts a lot of user-focused details, like that GMT. It’s a really useful combination of complications wrapped up in a wafer-thin package. The yin to the Chronograph’s yang is another, darker take on the Octo Finissimo — in fact, an entirely black take. This new ceramic version once again transforms the feel of the watch. Bonus points for opting for a sleek matt finish, and even a fully ceramic folding clasp. Finally, the Serpenti Seduttori, a woman’s watch that’s intended to be a more everyday alternative to the Serpenti Tubogas. The bracelet on this piece is lovely, and more than lives up to the Serpenti name. Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic Ceramic Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori
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…