Crime or Sublime: Wearing jewellery with watches
In this week’s head-to-head battle of words, James Robinson squares off against Editor Luke Benedictus, as Nicholas Kenyon is still recovering from Robinson’s knockout blow in last week’s Crime or Sublime. This may well be Benedictus’s first time in the figurative ring, but he’s come out swinging. And the topic for this week’s literary battle? Wearing jewellery with watches … Crime or Sublime? Luke Benedictus – The For Argument Oh please. Surely you’ve mustered enough self-confidence by now that you can get dressed without meekly submitting to one person’s entirely subjective rulebook. The truth is that, for some people, anything goes. They can get dressed with maverick flair and blithe disregard for convention and it works for them, too. Admittedly, their rock-star swagger and charisma often stems from the fact that they are, in fact, bona fide rock stars (or similar). I’m talking about the usual suspects you find in the best-dressed lists: Jared Leto, LeBron James, David Beckham, André 3000, Mark Ronson, Jeff Goldblum, ASAP Rocky et al. Do the aforementioned actually wear watches and jewellery? Frankly, I have no idea (although as luck would have it, LeBron appears to be doing so in the first photo I googled).…
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Google Maps has done a good job of ruining the job of the safari-suited explorer, taking crystal clear pictures of the entire surface of the rock we call home. Where there is hope for the Indiana Jones’ of the world is what lies beneath the surface, where under the white-capped waves of the world’s oceans only five per cent has been properly explored. It is this unknown factor, and the consequential opportunity for discovery, which gets ocean explorer, diver and conservationist Fabien Cousteau out of bed each morning. While it certainly isn’t a career path that high school counsellors are pushing you towards, Fabien has continued the good work of his family, which was most notably carried out by Fabien’s grandfather, the world-renowned French naval officer and explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Other than a life spent in the water, both Jacques-Yves and Fabien shared a love of diving watches, with Jacques-Yves known to wear DOXA, Blancpain and Rolex, and Fabien who is rarely seen without a Seiko on his wrist. I had the chance to sit down with Fabien and discuss this in a little more detail, where he explained his position as a global brand ambassador for Seiko Prospex. “I…
The sheer breadth of microbrands currently occupying the horological hemisphere is nothing short of miraculous, and for us enthusiasts, it’s a very good time to be into watches. There have been numerous examples of microbrands knocking it out of the park over the last 12 months, and while we’d like to mention all of them, these three timepieces really stood out: MING 17.06 COPPER For a brand that has only been producing watches for two years, Ming have managed to create a remarkably consistent – and eminently recognisable – design language. This is clear in their new 17.06 Copper, an update to their original model, the 17.01. While the flared lugs express the panache of a brand making a name for themselves on the world stage, the gem hiding in plain sight on this watch is the dial. Its coppery warmth evokes the salmon tone used so commonly on the dials of mid-century Swiss watches. Ref No: 17.06C / Case size: 38mm / Case material: Steel / Movement: ETA 2824-2 / Price: CHF1250 CREUX AUTOMATIQ DIAMONDBACK Creux’s bid for more attention in the world of microbrands is likely to be achieved with the release of the Diamondback series. While the…
Stetz & Co recently published an interview with one of the foremost vintage watch aficionados on the planet, Mr Roni Madhvani. Madhvani — or as he goes by on Instagram, @roni_m_29 — has a truly unbelievable collection of some of the rarest and most eccentric timepieces from the likes of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Cartier. His Instagram page is the stuff of legend and, rather surprisingly, it’s one of the few watch ‘gram pages that isn’t littered with steel sports watches. No, Madhvani’s assemblage of watches all have two things in common: precious metal and unique case shapes. Whether it’s a Cartier Crash, Audemars Piguet “Disco Volante” or a Gilbert Albert-designed Patek Philippe, his Instagram feed is a veritable cornucopia of the strangest and most left-field watches out there. And, rather interestingly, Madhvani admits that since his appearance on Hodinkee’s Talking Watches back in 2016, the main focus of his collecting has been mid-20th century Audemars Piguet, and the reason for this interest is mainly because of the “increasing unaffordability of vintage Patek”. It’s a great interview, and if you’ve got the time, it’s definitely worth a read. Hit this link for the full interview.
Netflix’s latest blockbuster, Uncut Gems, follows the story of a deeply flawed and shady jewellery dealer, Howard Ratner, played by Hollywood funnyman Adam Sandler. It’s an … interesting film, that essentially involves Sandler yelling and screaming profanities A LOT in a pretty unconvincing manner. OK, I’m going to be brutally honest here, it’s actually a straight-up dumpster fire of a film. But there are some cool … and some not-so-cool watches featured in it, so enthusiasts may feel compelled to watch it. DON’T – it goes for two hours and it’s time that you’ll never get back. Good bloke that I am, I’ve taken one for the team and watched it, and made note of the watches, so you don’t have to. You’re welcome. Rolex Day-Date 36 Deary me, this one definitely falls into the not-so-cool category of wristwatches featured in the film. Unfortunately, however, the brutalisation of this solid 18k yellow gold Rolex Day-Date 36 is commonplace in the States, especially amongst the many independent jewellery dealers you’ll find in places like Miami, Manhattan and Los Angeles. Yes, what was once the quintessence of class is now anything but. Gone is the signature 18k yellow gold fluted bezel found on…
Editor’s note: The one-watch collection is forever in the back of the minds of watch collectors, as a consideration of how one’s tastes might look when reduced to a single timepiece. A fun extension of this thought is what one might wear during the apocalypse, and you’d be hard pressed to arrive at a better contender than the Casio G-Shock GMW-B5000V. Be it an apocalypse of the zombie, nuclear or garden (read: ecological) variety, this G-Shock is as tough as it seems. Let’s take another look at the watch that is right out of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. Casio’s G-Shock has a reputation — and a well-deserved one, I might add — for being one of the toughest watches ever made. Way back in 1983, Kikuo Ibe, the man behind the watch, decreed that the watch needed to meet some pretty tough criteria: a 10-year battery life, water resistance of 10 bar, and the ability to survive a 10-metre fall onto a hard surface. In the decades since, the combination of extreme functionality and even more extreme durability has made the G-Shock the go-to choice for people who need a watch that can *really* take a beating. And, of course, this…
A few weeks ago, Nicholas Kenyon and I got into a bit of a row over whether it was a crime or indeed sublime to double wrist a mechanical wristwatch and an Apple Watch. Kenyon was firmly in the sublime camp, whereas I was, well … you can read my thoughts on the matter right here. Anyway, we posited the question to you, the enthusiasts, on our Facebook page, and judging from the comments, I well and truly trounced Kenyon on this particular occasion. So, sit back, relax and enjoy some of the finest, Zuckerberg-approved commentary on the interwebs about whether or not it’s OK to double wrist with a mechanical and Apple Watch: Nic wrote: “This is a grave crime against fashion.” Sam wrote: “Anyone that wears two watches is an a***-candle. Fitbits and fitness devices excepted.” Rhys wrote: “Jail time.” Quentin wrote: “Life, no possibility of parole.” Alex also wrote: “Crime, capital punishment.” Richard wrote: “That’s like wearing two pairs of pants, pick one for the occasion and move on.” Pierre wrote: “Because less is often more, a single watch is enough to me …” Michael wrote: “I did a couple of times, felt wrong and never again.”…
At the time of writing, the Coronavirus outbreak has already infected more than 70,500 people in China and resulted in 1770 deaths. It’s forced the quarantine of more than 50 million people in China and resulted in travel and visa restrictions to more than 70 countries. If that’s not bad enough, a new article in The New York Times suggests the disease might also plunge the watch industry into crisis. Here’s why … 1. Luxury retail worldwide is massively dependent on Chinese shoppers The article describes how, right now, the luxury shopping precincts of London, Paris, Dubai and Hong Kong are deserted. That’s because the influx of Chinese tourists has suddenly been cut off. This isn’t good news for watch brands, as the NYT explains. The investment bank Jefferies estimates that Chinese buyers accounted for 40 per cent of the 281 billion euros, or $US305 billion, spent on luxury goods globally last year, and drove 80 per cent of the past year’s sales growth in the sector, making them the fastest-growing luxury shopper demographic in the world. François-Henri Pinault is the chief executive of Kering, the international luxury group whose stable includes Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga as well…
Launching a completely new watch collection (starting-from-a-blank-page new, not variations on an existing line) is a high-risk game that involves huge costs: the cost of design and development – and if it’s not a resounding success (heaven forbid), the cost to both brand equity and bottom line. No wonder it’s a rare event. Even rarer is the launch of an entirely new collection for women. Partly for the above reasons and also because women, to this day, remain a bit of an afterthought in much of the watch industry. The old “give her something with diamonds and a quartz movement” school of thought has remarkable stamina. So the first whisper that Vacheron Constantin was planning a new women’s collection prompted a discussion with some girlfriends – if there were such a thing as an ideal watch for the 21st-century woman, what would it be? On several points we were unanimous: it should have real presence on the wrist (no fluffy, girly nonsense – and bland is utterly taboo); its design should exude character and confidence (like the women who will wear it); it should be packed with beautifully crafted details; it should show some self-control in the bling department (yes,…
While watches equipped with a moon phase complication aren’t without their detractors, for the astronomically inclined, they are wonderful devices. And, from an aesthetic standpoint, timepieces just tend to look better when they sport some form of moon on their dial. Don’t believe us? Well, take a look at these four watches … maybe they’ll change your mind. CHRISTOPHER WARD C1 MOONGLOW The Christopher Ward C1 Moonglow takes the whimsical moon phase complication and presents it in a fashion that belies its entry-level price bracket. With a galaxy of excellent moon-inspired watches released in July to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing (July 20, 1969), picking a favourite was never going to be easy. But this one, from the British watchmaker known for putting together a fine value proposition, might just be it. Ref No: C01-40AMP1-S00K0-CK / Case size: 40.5mm / Case material: Steel / Movement: JJ04 / Price: $2530 LONGINES 1832 Classically proportioned at 40mm, this watch strikes the challenging balance of having both a presence on the wrist as well as an understated charm that makes it suitable for just about any occasion where you’re wearing a tie or a T-shirt. Offering a date display around…