VIDEO: “We need to talk” – a Valentine’s Day letter to Swiss watches
Happy Valentine’s Day! Now, for the downer. What are the words people use when a relationship starts to break down? American songwriter Ryan Adams suggests, “We need to talk.” “I’m confused.” “Maybe later, you can come over?” Elise, our French intern, may be searching for similar phrases right now, because her so-called ‘love letter’ to Swiss watches ends up in some, uh, different places…
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Of all the Apples to Apples battles so far, this is pound for pound the closest fight. Today our airborne aces are the Breitling Navitimer 01 (46mm) and the IWC Pilot’s Chronograph. Both watches have histories – and credibility – written in the skies, both are priced at about the same price point, and both are worn with passion by real pilots. So, with a lot of curiosity and anticipation we’re sending this video down the runway. If you’d like to vote, hit up Facebook or comment on YouTube. We reckon this one will go down to the wire. Hope you enjoy the third episode of Apples to Apples! 
When Hublot released two takes on sapphire Big Bangs last year – the Unico Sapphire and the All Black version – we suspected that wouldn’t be the last we’d see of the clear case material. Lo and behold, our hunch has proved correct with the release of the Big Bang Unico Magic Sapphire. Compared to 2016’s white-on-white and jet black limited editions, the Magic Sapphire feels far less ghostly and much more tangible. This is largely down to the smart design. By using their ‘Black Magic’ visual style with its contrasting elements, such as the black strap and texture-heavy dial with red accents, Hublot has made the spectacular 45mm sapphire case shine. So while the specs of the Magic Sapphire are essentially the same as before, the result is a completely different watch, and one that really pops IRL. Significant wrist appeal is only part of the picture. One of the most impressive aspects of this watch is the fact Hublot can make it at volume. Though it’s a limited edition of 500, being able to produce so many cases from sapphire – a material that’s notoriously tricky to work with – is no mean feat, and one the brand is rightly…
The buzzword is ‘pivot’. And at this year’s first major watch fair, SIHH in Geneva in January, IWC ‘pivoted’ in a big way with just about everything they did. The booth was fitted out to emulate a vast Florentine dome, the watches were Engineered for Women and, rather than safe sport-watch territory, the controls were very much set to ‘dress’. And in this single, boldly different territory, they did impress. These are the four watches that Felix and I couldn’t get out of our heads, now with extra-smoking fire effects and dance moves. Prepare yourself for Da Vinci (and some dramatic Felix voiceover effects)…
Bulgari has unveiled some of its latest collection in advance of Baselworld, and we were lucky enough to get our hands on a few key pieces. One model that particularly took our fancy was this crimson and black take on the Octo Ultranero. The changes on this latest version of the Octo are purely cosmetic – it’s still a 41mm black DLC-treated steel case rated to 100m, powered by Bulgari’s in-house BVL 193, mounted on sporty black rubber strap – but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a different story to tell. The dial is black lacquer, polished to a gloss black finish. On top of this, Bulgari has added blood-red indices and hands to the mix. The result is impressively moody, adding a touch of drama to the typically stealthy Octonero. Red is a pretty bold colour choice, typically associated with passion and danger – especially against the slick black backdrop of the Ultranero, but this watch also amps up the sports factor. The rubber strap and primary colour highlight means it doesn’t look out of place in more causal settings – as you can see it wears well with denim – though while I appreciate the contrast of the case and the matt…
Turns out Matthew McConaughey isn’t just a superb actor, he’s also a mighty fine storyteller. We’re not sure if it’s the intense eyes, the Texan drawl or the overwhelming sense that he has lived life to the fullest. Whatever the reason, this Screen Test video for W Magazine definitely proves the man can spin a mean tale. Ostensibly, McConaughey is talking about the inspiration for his character Kenny Wells in Gold – an ’80s businessman with a sketchy plan – and even sketchier haircut. Apparently, McConaughey’s portrayal of Wells is an impression of his own father, a man who would “much rather do a shady deal with some fun people than a good deal with a bunch of straight-asses”. And while the whole five and half minutes is pretty entertaining, we’re all about the watches. For us it starts getting really interesting 45 seconds in. McConaughey relates the story of how, aged 16, he accompanied his dad Christmas shopping, and along the way meets the excellently named Chicago John in the deserted car park of an abandoned strip mall (naturally), to get a once-in-a-lifetime deal on a titanium Rolex. Now, perhaps old man McConaughey should have paid more attention to the…
In the first episode of Apples to Apples, I brought the proverbial boys to the yard by surprising Felix with a milkshake in the form of two very similar looking worldtimer watches by Frederique Constant and Baume & Mercier. To be completely honest, I thought Felix out-argued me. I thought he won. The results of the social media poll, where we opened the floor to you, told a very different story. And so, the scene is set for the series to play out. We flip. We make our cases. We hand over to you to be the final judge. In episode two, it’s a battle of wristborn titans; the mighty Panerai Luminor Submersible vs the Cartier Santos 100. 
Longines was making stellar heritage reissues well before it was cool. Case in point is the stylish ’60s-inspired Legend Diver, first released way back in 2007. And while it’s become de rigueur for most major brands to release one or two retro pieces a year, the Longines Legend Diver (LLD) pioneered the reissue genre, and still holds its own, thanks to a well-balanced trifecta of timeless good looks, clear vintage style and cracking value. First off, let’s tackle the style. The internal rotating bezel and twin crowns of the Legend draw their inspiration from a type of dive watch that was popular in the ’60s and ’70s called the Super Compressor. Most dive watches rely on thick cases, crystals and gaskets to create an impermeable wall to keep moisture out. The Super Compressor’s approach however, was slightly different. Developed by case-maker E. Piquerez SA (EPSA), it relied on the external pressure of the water to aid the water resistance of the watch – the deeper you went, the tighter the seal. It’s a clever system and was widely used by a range of watchmakers from the ’50s through to the ’70s – with notable examples including Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Hamilton and of course, Longines. A…
Ulysse Nardin pulled out all the stops for its first SIHH showing. In a fair charactered by conservative product releases, the Le Locle-based manufacturer presented a strong line-up of novelties, with a strong nautical theme, highlights including the new regatta timer, the technically impressive Marine Grand Deck, as well as this watch – the Classico Manufacture Grand Feu. This very traditional timepiece is jam-packed with smart details and offered at a highly competitive price. At 40mm across, the round steel case is hard to dislike, with its wide polished bezel, slightly clawed lugs set into the case middle and a crown that’s simple, sturdy and not at all fiddly. Nice though the case is, it doesn’t hold a candle to what’s within. The movement is the UN-320 caliber, made entirely in-house, down to the silicium hairspring and escapement – a feat of which the brand is rightly proud (the oft-repeated message at SIHH was that none of the other exhibiting brands made their own silicon hairsprings). The movement finishing is neat, though not astonishing. The rotor, with its blue anchor logo and wave pattern is quite pleasing on the eye. The dial is another story. It’s a ‘grand feu’ enamel dial in vivid,…
For many consumers and manufacturers, now is not the time for extravagant, outlandish watches. That’s not to say SIHH doesn’t have its fair share of outlandish, extravagant and (it must be said) amazing timepieces – but they’re very much a niche proposition. The vast majority of real-world buyers are after something simpler and in a soft and uncertain economy the versatile round steel watch, free of gimmick and full of quality is an appealing option. Happily, this year SIHH is delivering quite a few watches that fit this bill. For me, one of the best is the revivified Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control collection. For the past 25 years, these clean, round watches have been the starting point for many who’ve wanted to get into the brand, but (for whatever reason) haven’t heeded the call of the Reverso. These new Master Controls are pitch perfect heritage-ish watches that do everything right. The collection includes a dual time and a chronograph that we’ll show you down the track, but for now we’d like to focus on the Master Control Date. Before we get to that stunning dial, it would be remiss of us not to mention the well-proportioned 39mm steel case, which is très slim…