If it’s ever possible for one watch to represent an entire industry, heck an entire cultural phenomenon, that watch would be the Rolex Submariner. Call it what you like. Iconic. Ubiquitous. Classy. Crass. Whichever side of the fence you sit on, there is no denying the long-standing influence of this inherently simple timekeeper. It has […]
Homage watches within the enthusiast community can be quite a contentious topic at times. Are they rip-offs? Cash cows? Sell-outs? Unoriginal? The reality is opinions can vary, but the true metric or equaliser of any watch to an extent is how they perform on the grey or second-hand market. While the objective of most homage watches is to supply a mass-produced low-cost alternative to widely renowned designs, the Gevril Tribeca has established itself as the textbook example of how to release an homage watch. The watch is so desirable that it now sells at practically three times or more its final retail price of $2900. The last watches sold at retail were in 2018 when Revolution sourced 67 NOS watches that had yet to be assembled from Gevril. A year later, at Christie’s (in an online auction in partnership with The Keystone), one was sold without box and papers for $9375! So, what makes this watch the king of homage? Let’s explore the curious case of the Gevril Tribeca… I know what you are thinking: Zach, it’s a Paul Newman Daytona homage … of course it’s desirable. Upon closer examination, however, this is not the full story. As an example,…
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“Completely irrational”, “a horrible affliction”, “the disease” … that’s how Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary described his obsession with watch collecting in a Time+Tide interview (read it here). It’s easy to understand O’Leary’s ambivalence about his hobby. After all, viewed from a certain perspective, watch collecting doesn’t make an awful lot of sense. Watches are not only often wincingly expensive, they’re also functionally redundant in that you can always tell the time by glancing at your phone. The desire to collect multiple watches can therefore seem even more nonsensical. Particularly if you keep most of them stashed in a safe. So why do we devote so much time, effort and resources to such an illogical pursuit? Dr Richard Moulding is a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer at Deakin University and specialises in compulsive behaviour. He believes that timepieces are particularly desirable things to collect due to their multi-faceted nature. “People collect things they’re passionate about and get enjoyment from,” Dr Moulding says. “Watches tick a lot of boxes in terms of collectibles. There’s the technological side in terms of their movements, the different finishes and the advancements in precision. But watches are also aesthetic objects – some look better than…
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I have had enough of vintage Rolex. Really, enough. Hyped out. Even in the darkest days of lockdown I would skip Hodinkee’s Talking Watches episodes focusing on GMT-Master references and vintage Rolex collections … bring me some carbon fibre! Why, then, do I find myself standing here outside the house of the owner of a 1969 Rolex GMT-Master 1675 feeling sick and wanting to leave? Caressing the scratched lug for the last time, trying to read the surface like braille, encoding the history within. I did not want to hand it back. A weekend with the iconic Rolex “Pepsi” 1675 I’m once again struggling to fit an objective lens for this review, with one of the icons of watchmaking on the wrist. The GMT of GMTs, the Pepsi of Pepsis, most people have an opinion on this classic travel tool from Rolex. History is richly embedded in the bracelet of this compact sports watch, a GMT-Master from around 1969. There is something special about recognising the shape and colours of a model that has been in production for more than 60 years, the same struggle with objectivity as when you sit in a classic 911. Today, the GMT-Master is bigger, bolder…
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I have had enough of vintage Rolex. Really, enough. Hyped out. Even in the darkest days of lockdown I would skip Hodinkee’s Talking Watches episodes focusing on GMT-Master references and vintage Rolex collections … bring me some carbon fibre! Why, then, do I find myself standing here outside the house of the owner of a 1969 Rolex GMT-Master 1675 feeling sick and wanting to leave? Caressing the scratched lug for the last time, trying to read the surface like braille, encoding the history within. I did not want to hand it back. A weekend with the iconic Rolex “Pepsi” 1675 I’m once again struggling to fit an objective lens for this review, with one of the icons of watchmaking on the wrist. The GMT of GMTs, the Pepsi of Pepsis, most people have an opinion on this classic travel tool from Rolex. History is richly embedded in the bracelet of this compact sports watch, a GMT-Master from around 1969. There is something special about recognising the shape and colours of a model that has been in production for more than 60 years, the same struggle with objectivity as when you sit in a classic 911. Today, the GMT-Master is bigger, bolder…
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It’s been the case for centuries. Pioneers of industry pour plenty into R&D, stretching themselves thin to find that one small breakthrough that will separate them from the rest. It’s hard to imagine a modern TV without YouTube connectivity, a modern car without ABS, or a modern phone without the world at your fingertips, but once upon a time, features such as ceramic bezels were reserved for the upper echelon of luxury goods. Now, you’ve got yourself a nice new Seiko 5 Sports, and you feel like snazzing it up a bit with a ceramic bezel. Hop on eBay, browse the colours, and you can pick one up for less than $10 Aussie. How exactly did it come to this? Well, it’s been a journey. Broadly speaking, ceramic isn’t exactly cutting-edge technology, having been used by humanity at large for the last 26,000 years or so — but in the 21st century its usage has come a long, long way from the earthenware pottery of the stone age. Its immense hardness makes it an ideal material for knives, brake discs on race cars, and extremely durable ball bearings. Jaeger-LeCoultre took advantage of this by putting ceramic bearings in an automatic…
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Quartz is the middle child of the watch industry. Born between the talented mechanical genius of the first-born and the innovative technology of the new smartwatch baby. But while it may have had less attention during critical developmental windows as a child – despite being wildly popular at birth – the quartz watch is hitting puberty in the same way Matthew Lewis (who played Neville Longbottom in Harry Potter) did, successfully finding its feet and getting some mojo of its own as a grown-up. So while quartz has typically been thought of as the cheap and cheerful sibling to the serious and expensive mechanical wristwatch, in 2020 there are some wonderful pieces of high-end quartz watchmaking that come with a price tag to match, both vintage and modern. Let’s take a look at a few very special examples. Citizen Caliber 0100 This is a watch that deserves more recognition. After debuting a solar-powered quartz movement that was accurate to within 1 second per year in a pocket watch in 2018, Citizen released the same movement in a wristwatch the following year. This watch has a laundry list of features that should go a long way to articulating why quartz watchmaking…
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Editor’s note: This week we are taking a look at the brand new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition that is set to hit screens on the wrist of Daniel Craig later this year, and we couldn’t help but think – how does it compare to the rest of the Bond watches? Fortunately, Nick Gould had put together a complete list of the watches James Bond has worn on-screen since the Ian Fleming books were translated onto the silver screen in 1962. We’ve also updated the list to include the most recent watch to be worn by Daniel Craig in his final appearance as 007, wearing the suavely understated titanium Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition that we are looking forward to seeing in action on Bond’s wrist very soon. We all know James Bond, AKA 007, the suave British secret service agent who has been on missions all over the world. Throughout many of the films, he has always had a wristwatch to keep track of the time and, in some cases, help him get out of a jam. Today we take a look at the watches that have featured in the films. Dr. No – Rolex Submariner Reference 6538…
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The Oris Divers Sixty-Five is hugely popular, and rightly so. Any independent brand that makes a well-designed, vintage-inspired tool watch at an affordable price will quickly gain a loyal following, something Oris has done with aplomb since the collection was first released in 2015. What some don’t know, and a key ingredient in their popularity, is the sheer depth and breadth of different offerings within the Divers Sixty-Five collection. Currently there are more than 50 different references, varying in size, dial colour, bracelet and beyond to make sure there is something for everyone. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at a few of the key references within the collection that deserve your attention. Oris Divers Sixty-Five with recycled plastic strap Oris has a long-established connection with ocean conservation, making much of their packaging out of recycled materials and supporting various initiatives including World Cleanup Day. In this Oris Divers Sixty-Five reference we have a blue dial 40mm watch cased in steel, but the strap is where things get interesting. The strap is made from a special material called r-Radyarn®, which is essentially recycled plastic that has very low impact on the environment. It looks great in…
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The pocket watch… No style is more iconic and nothing has endured for as many centuries. These marvels of mechanical engineering have relayed status for elites, advanced transportation needs across land, air and sea, and just kept average folks on schedule. Outfits were even designed specifically to accommodate them. In the 21st century, three-piece suits […]