HOW TO: Wear a gold watch (without looking like you’re trying too hard)
On some matters you can trust us unreservedly. Like on the topic of watches, for example. But when things get tricky, and we verge into how to wear them, and what to wear them with, we tend to consult the experts. We were lucky enough to have the ex-Editor of GQ on staff for some time, which neatly covered the area off. And, on a trip to Florence in May last year, we had someone whose life revolves around sartorial choices: Chris Edwards, co-founder of Australian tailors, Oscar Hunt with us. Because you need backup at a gig like Pitti Uomo. We are mere watch geeks after all. We asked him how he’d go about wearing a gold watch. This is what he said. If you’re in the mood, see below for Chris’ review of a watch he now owns – the Cartier Drive. Warning: This watch review with a difference may contain traces of mancrush. So let’s address the chiselled jaw on the elephant in the room. We envy the hero of this shoot, Mr Chris Edwards, more than just a little bit. Let us count the ways. He surfs and still dresses as sharply as anyone in the…
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The dust is settling on Baselworld 2017, and we’re finally able to step back from the excitement and drama to have a bit more of an objective look at the fair as a whole. And it appears that, overwhelmingly, brands have been playing it calm and cautious. Fewer complications than usual were presented, but smartly priced steel watches were the order of the day. It doesn’t look like Hublot got that memo. One of the brands at the heart of the LVMH watch empire had a big, unashamedly bold line up of releases that made for a refreshing change of pace. You might be able to tell by my tone of voice. I was (and still am) excited. The headline release was the completely new, technical Techframe Ferrari, but they also had some pretty confident line extensions, like the King Gold Sang Bleu and Meca-10 models, as well as a bevy of outrageous new sapphire numbers. There is absolutely no doubt that these aren’t safe, conservative choices designed to appeal to as many wrists as possible. And I think that Hublot deserves some kudos for walking their own path.
The new Autavia is finally here. Twelve months after TAG Heuer announced the Autavia Cup, an innovative, open design process that allowed fans to have their say on the look of the final product is here, and it’s quite the looker. The Autavia, a portmanteau combination of automobile and aviation, was first released by Jack Heuer in 1962 and was the first chronograph wristwatch with a rotating bezel, a feature that added even more functionality to the already utilitarian watch. And, as is the case with all of Heuer’s chronographs, the identity of the Autavia is inseparable from the world of racing – it was a model worn by legendary racers such as Jo Siffert, Mario Andretti and Jochen Rindt. The combination of classic chiselled-jaw manliness and heady nostalgia for the golden age of racing means that the popularity (and value) of vintage Autavia’s has been skyrocketing in recent years. Which brings us to the 2017 reissues. Based on the 1966 ‘Rindt’ model (reference 2446, mark 3), the latest Autavia is a smart blend of vintage style and modern sensibility. Visually the watch is a very close fit to the original, with the most noticeable change being (predictably enough) the dimensions.…
This post is served with an almighty fist pump, because just like our crystal ball ‘predicted’, Longines has announced a 90th Anniversary version of the Lindbergh Hour Angle, a few months ahead of the anniversary celebration. Longines has still managed to pull out a major surprise though. The steel and titanium watch will be limited to just 90 pieces. The hour referenced in the name of the model will be about as long as it takes for the model to sell out. The original ‘hour angle’ watch was designed in a partnership between Charles Lindbergh and Longines following his 33-hour flight from Roosevelt Airport to Le Bourghet, outside Paris. The historic feat was timed by Longines, who were official timekeeper for the World Air Sports Federation. Lindbergh had some ideas about how to determine longitude during long-distance flights using a rotating bezel to allow for the correction of the equation of time and a rotating centre dial that allows for synchronization to the second. The resulting watch, which has had several reissues over the years, indicates the hour angle in degrees and in minutes of arc in addition to indicating hours, minutes and seconds. Pilots and navigators have used the hour…
If Rolex as a brand has mastered any single art – apart from watchmaking in practically all of its forms – it is to both meet and exceed expectations at every single Baselworld watch fair. Granted, this can be a baby step, like last year, when they singlehandedly turned Baselworld into Bezelworld. Or it can be a complete break from tradition, like the bizarre, possibly brilliant Air-King from the same year. Today we have learned once again that the Big Crown delights in the devilishly unpredictable. While the leadup saw speculation reach a fever pitch on the topic of Sea-Dweller anniversaries and ceramic bezelled GMTs, the unveiling we experienced today revealed surprise after surprise, including a Sky-Dweller that suddenly became a lot more attainable…
Tudor has just lifted the lid on the Black Bay Chronograph, and already they’re showingg us another Baselworld 2017 novelty, and surprisingly/unsurprisingly it’s another take on the Black Bay. But rather than offer novel materials or finishes, like last year’s Bronze and Dark version, Tudor has revisited the heart of the collection, and offered another bezel variant to accompany the Red, Blue and Black. Only this time, it’s not a new colour per se, in fact it’s no colour at all. Meet the Black Bay Steel, with its distinctive, and decidedly tool-look radially satin-brushed steel bezel. The observant among you will have noticed that the bezel isn’t the only thing novel about the BB Steel – there is, for the first time, a date window at nestled at the 3 o’clock position. From the vintage/purist point of view, the Black Bay’s perennial lack of date window was a strong tick in its favour, and bucked the trend of other heritage-themed watches. Having said that, the date is an immensely popular complication in the real world, and there must have been quite a few people bemoaning the lack of that handy aperture. We suspect that all BBs will very shortly be…
When Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann recently visited Australia he brought more than just one of the world’s most glamorous women with him. He also gave us an exclusive preview of the Omega 2017 releases. The new boss needed only one take to deliver the news straight down the barrel of the camera, albeit in a hushed voice while Cindy was being interviewed upstairs. A serious professional. While we’ll leave the detail to Raynald, let’s just say that there are new Aqua Terra models, a bold new Planet Ocean ‘Big Blue’, a Speedmaster ‘Apollo XVII’ limited edition, and last but definitely not least, there are incredible new versions of the Speedmaster, Railmaster and Seamaster, offered separately or as a box set.
If you’ve ever looked down at your smart watch and thought, ‘If only I could change that case out for a real mechanical watch by a recognisable Swiss luxury watch brand,’ boy are you in luck because that’s exactly what TAG Heuer’s new Connected Modular 45 allows you to do. Going one step further than just a strap hack, the watch also has a tiny masterstroke in that you can change the lugs too, which can have the effect of changing the whole appearance of the watch. All in all, it does the equivalent of unleashing the Swiss hounds on Silicon Valley, by introducing something new to the smart watch suite that the tech community will never be able to. TAG Heuer’s first Connected was the luxury watch industry’s only serious foray into smart watches and the stakes were high. “This will either be my greatest success or biggest failure,” said TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver at the time. It turned out to be neither, because while the sell-through was apparently very good (Biver would have you believe it was unprecedented and the most sold TH model since it was released), it has just been superseded with a new version that is not, unfortunately for…
Ladies and gentleman, if we could please have your attention during our pre-flight safety demonstration. Our pilots today are Skip Stewart and Jurgis Kairys. During our three-minute flight you will experience some turbulence, along with dizzying aerobatics, death-defying stunts and extreme speed, so we advise you to familiarise yourself with the brace position. If you have any concerns about your heart rate, please consult the pulsometer on the Oris Royal Flying Doctor Service II. We’ll be departing from Avalon Airshow – the most significant event on the Australian aviation calendar – in the safe hands of Oris, who have a proven track record in pilot’s watches since 1917. We hope you enjoy your flight.