OPINION: Sky-high Rolex prices are the best thing to happen to vintage and modern Omega since Bond
Last weekend we saw Geneva play host to a handful of watch auctions, with the likes of Christie’s, Phillips, and Sotheby’s descending on the city and dropping some hammers. As the dust settled, it yet again became clear that vintage Rolex reigns supreme, with the Daytona Ultimatum sale at Phillips selling all 32 of its lots, and bringing in over 22,000,000 CHF. The big one in the mix – the one-of-a-kind white gold Daytona, dubbed the “Unicorn” – gave buyers some kind of a horn, selling for 5,937,500 CHF, making it the second most expensive Rolex ever sold at auction. While the conversation around casa de Time+Tide this week has been mostly centred around the ever-increasing demand for vintage Daytonas (and all vintage Rolex for that matter), and whether their astronomical prices are even sustainable, what also started to emerge as a trending topic was the apparent flow-on effect these high prices are having on other brands like Omega, who smashed their Geneva auction estimates right out of the park, and even broke a few records of their own. First up there was a diamond-studded, Tiffany-stamped Omega that once belonged to a Mr Elvis Presley. Sure, it had the celebrity factor. But…
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Holding a watch in your hands, and wearing it on your wrist is one thing. But seeing where that small, highly precise piece of machinery was designed, and how it comes to life is something completely different, as I found out when I visited Jaeger-LeCoultre’s manufacture in the Vallée de Joux earlier this year, and saw, firsthand, how the Polaris is made. Of course I had seen the watches before, when the new collection was presented at SIHH, but seeing them at the Salon, accompanied by glossy power points, held by white-gloved hands in orderly display trays, is completely different to seeing them in their birthplace. There are certain phrases that we’re prone to trotting out in the watch industry, expressions like ‘in-house’ and ‘hand-finished’, which become a lot more real when you visit that house, and shake the hands of the people who do the finishing. Seeing the very human care and time that goes into these watches — on every step of the way — is a really worthwhile reminder that these watches are about so much more than telling the time. 
It sort of feels like all we’ve been hearing about from Zenith through the last year leading up to Baselworld 2018 has been all things Defy. And fair enough, the Defy Lab is technically the biggest thing since the horological equivalent of sliced bread (the winding rotor perhaps?). As we got closer to the fair, it was clear that there’s no way a production version of the Defy Lab could be ready in time. Instead, Zenith have treated us to a couple of new models in the collection, including an entry-level offering that takes a healthy dose of design cues from its groundbreaking sibling. Vital statistics A star-like pattern resting above an open dial really couldn’t be a more blatant attempt to draw parallels between the Defy Classic and the Defy Lab, though the two watches couldn’t be more different from one another, other than their shared case design. The Defy Classic is powered by the Elite 670 SK self-winding movement, rather than an El Primero — no doubt to be able to push a lower entry price. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Zenith Elite calibers, so this isn’t really a con. The big selling feature on the Defy…
When Raymond Weil designed the Calibre RW1212, their first ever in-house design (produced by Sellita), I suspect part of the mandate was to show it off, hence the open escapement prominently on display — literally showing off a movement they’re rightfully proud of. Well, Raymond Weil doubled down at Basel 2018, exposing not just the escapement but the whole dial, thanks to a new series of skeletonised Freelancers. As you’d expect, there’s a range of new offerings on the table, but the one that impressed us was this modern sporty number, with what remains of the dial done in crisp white, with contrasting blue hands and hour markers, with their appealing, slightly bulbous shape. It’s also worth noting that both hands and hours are lumed — a nice, useful addition. But really, the dial is dominated by the, well, lack of dial. The open-worked dial really gives you a look behind the scenes, showing off not only the escapement but the power barrel at 12 (which could, in a pinch, be used as a very, very rough power reserve indicator), and the power train on the nine o’clock side. The crown gearing is partially obscured by the Raymond Weil branding, the…
The story in a second: Two stripes are all it takes to amp up the legacy and motorsports heritage of the Monaco. I’m willing to put the success of the Monaco down to two things. The Steve McQueen link, and the square shape. I’m sure there are numerous other factors, like the Calibre 11, at play. But really, it’s the fact that this watch is so distinctive, and was worn by someone so cool that the Monaco has stayed strong throughout the decades. The latest brightly striped Gulf Special Edition takes both these factors to the next level. The dial Typically with in-depth reviews I start with the case, as it provides the foundational framework of the watch. But today I’m going with the dial, because this watch is all about the dial, and not just because of those stripes. The square Monaco dial is already pretty distinctive, due to its shape and those matching, rounded-off registers. This version takes as a base the blue starburst finish of the Cal. 12, and the dial layout (horizontal indices FTW) of the heritage, Heuer-only model. Of course you might not notice that the first few times you look at it, as overlaid…
As far as boss complications go, the world timer is pretty up there. Not only is it technically impressive, it’s also visually arresting: the city ring and typically colourful layout make walking around with one of these on your wrist the watch equivalent of playing Beyoncé’s ‘Run the World (Girls)’ wherever you go. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Geophysic Tourbillon Universal Time takes it to the next level by adding — yes, you guessed it — a flying tourbillon into the mix, for that extra horological pop. But before we get to the tourbillon, let’s take a step back and talk Geophysic. The Geophysic collection, relaunched a few years ago, is a typically sober and not-too-dressy take on a scientist’s watch. A key feature of the line is the true second, which sees the hand move in crisp, one-second increments rather than the typical mechanical sweep. The true second featured on the regular production world timer, but hasn’t made it to this Tourbillon model. In fact, any form of seconds hand has dropped from the equation, to give all the more space for the flying tourbillon (the first ever integrated into a world timer), that forms the heart of calibre 948. For me, the…
Last year, Jaquet Droz rolled out a first round of the Grande Seconde Moon in three editions, including two steel models, and an ivory-coloured enamel dial cased in red gold. Building on the model’s success (and the growing popularity of black and gold wristwatches across the board), the brand added a fourth model to the collection at Baselworld 2018 in the form of this elegant-yet-modern black enamel model cased in red gold. Given how smitten I was with the first iterations — especially the beautiful level of detail in the execution of their moonphase complication — I couldn’t wait to take a closer look. Vital statistics As noted, the changes with this new model are entirely visual. Powered by the self-winding caliber 2660QL3, which features a silicon hairspring and a pair of mainspring barrels delivering at 68-hour power reserve, its moonphase complication was executed to maintain accuracy for 122 years and 46 days before requiring a 1-day correction. I always find these sort of stats a little humorous, as this accuracy is effectively useless unless the caliber is maintained fully wound and running for that duration of time (which, by the way, is impossible considering the need for servicing along the way).…
This year saw Bell & Ross expand their popular Renault Sport collection, and add a smaller, regular dialled version. I had the pleasure of chatting with Bell & Ross co-founder and CEO, Carlos Rosillo, to discuss the new models, and hear his thoughts on the ongoing partnership with Renault Sport. Most people know Bell & Ross for their iconic aviation-inspired timepieces; however, Carlos sees the partnership with Renault as a natural fit, highlighting their fondness of Bell & Ross, and Renault’s Chairman and CEO, Carlos Ghosn, as key reasons for the partnership coming to fruition. Launching into F1 was foreign territory for Bell & Ross, but partnering with a fellow French brand makes sense. Now in year three of the partnership, Carlos has gained several insights into the sport, and what it takes to be successful — placing a high emphasis on teamwork and collaboration. CR: It’s like in any business – it’s all about teamwork. You need the right car and the right team; if you do, you have a better chance to succeed. Looking at the collection itself, we saw an additional model added, the BR 03-94, which features a ‘regular’ carbon fibre dial, and comes in at 42mm…
For a watch lover, Baselworld is the big dance. It is every birthday rolled into one. It is Vegas, it is Christmas, it is a jolt back to childhood, when you would count sleeps before a special day. It’s awesome. And, I think you will be able to quickly establish from the video, we get ever so slightly overstimulated by all the lights, jetlag, cameras and the watch action. In the days leading up to Basel, speculation runs rife about who will release what. Those adept at Photoshop design the watches they’d like to see, and social media, the new hive for the world watch community, escalates into a buzz louder than the engines of the A380 we took to get over there. Did Rolex keep the crown for the most-hyped release? Did the reinvented Bond watch by Omega dazzle or disappoint? What about those challenger brands from Germany and Japan, did they shake the Swiss? Longines – Legend Diver The Legend Diver is not a new watch, but a fully blacked out version, including a black rubber strap molded to look like a ‘Milanese’ style bracelet, is beyond surprising, it’s astonishing. Longines excel every year at heritage reissues, their…