VIDEO: Design driven – Hublot’s Big Bang Ferrari Unico in King Gold
I can honestly think of few watch/car matches more perfect than that of Hublot and Ferrari. The two occupy similar positions in their respective ecosystems: big, bold, and yes, even brash — but also instantly recognisable and intensely coveted. But beyond that, the carmaker and watchmaker share a fearless approach to design and performance, and a tendency to do things their own way. Take LaFerrari for example — both the watch and the car. Although, not every collaboration between these two passion invoking brands is quite as intense as LaFerrari, as this latest limited edition Big Bang Unico demonstrates. At first glance, this watch is very, very clearly a Hublot. But on further inspection the automotive touches become clear. There are the dial details – from the obvious horse to the slightly more subtle speedo-esque minutes counter – and Ferrari yellow date wheel. And then there are the design touches that speak more clearly to the principles and values of Ferrari’s approach to design; the ergonomics of the crown shroud, the shape of the chronograph pushers, and the recessed bezel screws. What this means is that the latest generation of the Big Bang Ferrari is the most finely evolved, full of unique…
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When smartwatches burst onto wrists in a big way with the Apple Watch and its Android powered competitors, the response from the Swiss hegemony lacked a single clear message. Some brands spurned the very concept of a luxury smartwatch, while others wholeheartedly embraced this new frontier. A few years on and the landscape has changed, with the large luxury groups seeing potential in this relatively new market segment. At the Richemont group, the smart push is spearheaded by Montblanc and their traditionally styled Summit watch. Funnily enough, it’s the fact that the brand has gone to great efforts to make the Montblanc Summit look as much like a traditional watch as possible that makes it stand out from the other more avant-garde offerings. The Summit is well-suited to be a device cohesively integrated into your life — and not be relegated to the role of a glorified fitness tracker. Prices for the Summit start at $1330 AUD.
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…
You’re never quite sure how a film shoot is going to turn out. On paper, things can be obvious. Both of the couples that are featured here had professed to us an enduring love for Panerai. But it was only when we started exploring that attachment, and asking more detailed questions about it, that things took an interesting turn. How did we even get here, though? The thought process from our side was to address this notion of the Panerai ‘tribe’ – the deeper than average connection many Panerai wearers seem to have to their watches, and to the Panerai story behind them. Is it different for men and women? We asked our passionate subjects to complete this sentence, “My Panerai is…..” This is what they said. If you’d like to share your answer, we’d love to hear it. Use the hashtag #mypanerai on Instagram and Facebook. We’ll be sharing photos all week.
I’m on record as being quite a fan of the Black Bay Steel. For me, it was one of the real highlights of Baselworld 2017. At first this might seem like a bit of an odd choice as the BB Chrono and S&G were the ‘buzzier’ pieces. For me, though, the Steel takes the Black Bay back to what it’s all about — the core of the collection. At its heart, this watch isn’t overly complicated or flashy. It’s a robust, everyday diver with a healthy dose of nostalgia thrown in. And that’s what the Steel delivers in spades. By removing colour from the equation it brings the purposeful design to the fore. I might go so far as to say it’s my favourite Black Bay of all time. Big call, but I’m happy to go there.
The story in a second The most eagerly awaited dive watch release from Seiko…ever? Seiko were relative latecomers to the professional dive watch game, coming some 10 years after the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and the Rolex Submariner. Released in 1965, the legendary Seiko 62MAS (ref. 6217) was Japan’s first professional dive watch and inspired a long tradition of Seiko divers that has seen the brand release some of the most widely used and respected divers on the market. In fact, some of Seiko’s own design innovations contributed to the foundation of the ISO 6425 dive watch standards. So, when the news leaked, that Seiko were finally answering the prayers and wishes of collectors by releasing a re-creation of the iconic 62MAS, the watch world was abuzz with excitement. Was it true? Were the pictures fake? Will they accept MasterCard? All was revealed at Baselworld 2017, when Seiko unveiled one of their most faithful vintage reissues ever, the Prospex SLA017. In fact, if you spotted someone wearing the modern re-creation, you would have a hard time distinguishing it from the original, without resorting to some expert level wrist stalking. The case The SLA017 is an almost exact duplicate of the original…
Forget the fuss about the Sea-Dweller and the palaver over the Sky-Dweller, the real Rolex of 2017 is the Datejust 41 in steel. On the surface, the reasons might not be immediately obvious. After all, the Datejust 41 isn’t new (it was released last year in yellow and Everose Rolesor versions), and its looks are almost the very definition of classic. But despite this – or because of it – we’re confident in predicting that the steel Datejust 41 will be one of their most popular models this year. Let’s step back for just a second. What is a Datejust 41, and where does it fit in the Rolex ecosystem? Well, the second part of the equation, the 41, is simple enough — it refers to the 41mm case size. But the Datejust itself requires a jot more explanation. Originally introduced way back in 1945, the Datejust is a prime example of one of the quiet revolutions that make Rolex the powerhouse it is today. The innovation of the Datejust was that the date ‘jumped’ at midnight, rather than slowly dragging across over a few hours. Simple, but significant. Add to this the iconic elements of the Oyster Case, Cyclops…
At the beginning of the year, IWC declared it the year of the Da Vinci. Saying “arrivederci” to the tonneau style case and returning to the classic round case design of the 80s with those seductive, articulated lugs. The flagship for the new collection is the all new and very complicated Da Vinci Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph. As its name would suggest (and in a first for the company) this watch sports flying tourbillon, chronograph, and retrograde date complications. The trio of functions all wrapped up in the newly designed in-house 89900 movement, adding another branch to the 89000-calibre family tree – the limbs of which are already laden with many of IWC’s other chronograph models, like the recently revised Portugieser Chronograph Classic and the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph. As with the rest of its kin, this new model is a flyback, column-wheel chronograph with a vertical clutch and automatic winding. The power reserve is also kept the same at an impressive 68-hours, even with the addition of the tourbillon — made possible thanks largely to the manufacture of the pallet and escape wheel from a diamond coated silicon, reducing the friction and compensating for the increased power that the…
Girard-Perregaux is one of Swiss watchmaking’s best-kept secrets. The La Chaux-de-Fonds based brand offers a complete — and compelling — package, fine pedigree, and a catalogue that ranges from the highest of high horology, through to some more accessible (yet still exceptional) pieces. But, for whatever reason, GP has long lacked the sort of name recognition they deserve, and which is enjoyed by some of their Helvetican siblings. But it feels like that’s on the cusp of change. Girard-Perregaux is back at the SIHH, with a particularly strong and focused collection. And while the Laureato is their shining star, there are plenty of other worthy offerings in the catalogue. Take, for example, the 1966 WW.TC in steel. The 1966 collection is GP’s clean, classic – and dare we say it, conservative – collection, and this is the first time the WW.TC (short for World Wide Time Control) has joined its ranks. Personally, I don’t think that the brand’s world timer has ever looked more at home. Previous versions of the watch have added chronographs, dates and superfluous complications. The 1966 WW.TC is stripped back to the essentials. A clean, legible city ring, easy to read 24-hour disc and small seconds.…
This Jaeger-LeCoultre is a great example of just how true the old saying about assumptions is. You see, it’s easy to pigeonhole JLC as producing only fine, delicate and dressy watches – classic Reversos, or smart vintage-inspired pieces, for example. And while it’s true that this style of watchmaking is their bread and butter, that doesn’t mean they’re not supremely well-equipped to belt out a truly excellent contemporary piece when they put their mind to it. This latest version of the Master Compressor Chronograph ceramic illustrates the point perfectly. This stealthy-luxe sports watch was released at SIHH with (appropriately enough) zero fanfare, but that’s OK, because the matt black ceramic case with pink gold details makes an impressive statement all on its own. Aside from the new colourway, not much has changed from when the piece was first released in 2014. The case is quite large at 46mm, and the crown features the patented compression key, which, when activated, means the case is good for 100m of water resistance. The calibre 757 movement includes a chronograph and a second timezone, and is good for 65 hours of power reserve. In many ways this watch is similar to a supercar. Sure,…