Fight Club: We pit Conor McGregor's watch collection against one another
As I’m sure most of you are aware, “The Notorious” Conor McGregor made a triumphant return to the UFC octagon last weekend, knocking out his opponent, seasoned veteran Donald Cerrone, within 40 seconds of the very first round. It was a resounding statement from the Irishman (those shoulder charges!) and it will no doubt again spark his rise to the very highest echelon of the mixed martial arts arena. While some were surprised by the sheer dominance and efficacy of the victory, anyone who follows McGregor on Instagram will know that the 31-year-old had been steadfast in his preparation for this fight. And, whether you’re a rank novice or the quintessence of a horological enthusiast, if you’re into watches and you’ve visited McGregor’s Instagram page, you will have also noticed that the man loves his watches. In fact, his collection is so impressive and vast, that we thought we’d classify his assemblage of timepieces in different “weight classes” and then pit them against one another. So, without further ado, let the fights begin! Lightweight Title: Rolex Day-Date 40 Ref.228235 Vs. Rolex Yacht-Master II Ref.116688 Winner: Rolex Day-Date 40 Ref.228235 OK, yes, these two solid 18k gold watches are anything but…
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We’re not even a month into 2020 but already Bulgari has released a collection of stunning new references in the Octo Finissimo range, with two standout pieces in steel and ceramic. But which piece is more compelling? The team share their thoughts. James Robinson – Team Steel The biggest news, by far, coming out of LMVH’s Watch Week in Dubai was Bulgari’s announcement that the Octo Finissimo will be made available in a stainless steel case. Mark my words – this watch has the potential to well and truly shake up the watch industry. Not only does the Octo Finissimo exemplify the Italian marque’s commitment to haute horology, it’s also a watch that can now go toe-to-toe with the stalwarts of the luxury integrated steel sports watch genre. And, from where I’m sitting, it beats pretty much every one of its perceived contemporaries – it’s miles cheaper, slimmer and, to my eyes, more attractive. There’s a huge amount of trepidation at my end regarding trying this watch on, however. Why? Well, because I’m pretty sure I’ll immediately want to buy it. Luke Benedictus – Bet on Black What do you get when you cross a stealth bomber with a panther?…
Wear and tear often bolsters the appeal of a vintage watch. Picture a chronograph dial aged to a warm tropical hue, or a pilot’s watch overshadowed with caramel patina. Rather than signs of decay, such well-worn details are celebrated as adding character and authenticity. Like the laughter lines on an old man’s face, they’re testimony to a life well-lived. Yet there are limits … It wasn’t an expensive watch. I’d picked up my Omega Seamaster about 20 years ago in Melbourne’s Block Arcade. Hailing from the 1950s, this was a pleasantly discreet timepiece, a steel-cased dress watch with gold hands and hour markers. Subbing out the leather strap for a NATO number, I wore it almost every day. Its untimely demise was hastened by the type of self-sabotaging hi-jinks that only blight your life when you’re an excitable 20-something and it’s the Friday night of a long weekend. The specifics of the evening’s shenanigans thankfully remain hazy. But it involved half a dozen bars and a godawful drum and bass club (where I somehow lost my phone), before I eventually stumbled back to my Sydney apartment just before 5am. Eventually surfacing in the early afternoon, I padded around the flat…
The English Premier League (or EPL as some people insist on calling it these days) is known for its fast, physical style of play that rarely translates to international success for the three lions. But with many famous Socceroos having plied their trade in England’s top flight, the league has strong exposure Down Under. Under the bright lights, the managers of the best and brightest talents in England’s first division would be wise to don a reliable timepiece so they can track just how many extra seconds of stoppage time the ref is (or isn’t) giving their team. But some of the guys in charge of marshalling their teams to success have taken things a step further by investing in really top-quality wristwatches. Here, in reverse order, are our top picks from the 2019-2020 season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United – TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 01 Automatic Chronograph Limited Edition Red Devil Manchester United This particular TAG Heuer Carrera might have come in higher on this list had it not been blessed with such a mind-numbingly long name. Currently calling the wrist of everyone’s favourite baby-faced assassin home, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had better hope his watch takes care of…
This weekend, I wore my DOXA SUB 200 130th Anniversary and went out in search of what other like-minded individuals had decided to attach to their wrist, and this is what I found out in the wild: Kosta’s Grand Seiko 9F quartz GMT SBGN005 Kosta’s passion for timepieces is still very much in its infancy (only two years, to be precise), but in that time, his tastes and preferences for watches have evolved just about how you’d expect. It started off small, with a rather nice Hamilton, then came a Seiko Presage, and then a TAG Heuer. But it wasn’t long before Kosta well and truly sent it off the deep end and dived head-first down the rabbit hole of horology. And whether you scour the forums, browse YouTube or peruse the endless pages on Instagram, an inordinate amount of adoration is heaped on Grand Seiko … for good reason. Kosta immediately fell in love with the sporty characteristics and undeniable practicality of the Grand Seiko 9F quartz GMT SBGN005 — the sunburst blue dial, contrasting red GMT hand, 39mm stainless steel case and the finishing … well, we all know about the finishing. So, sacrifices were made, dollars were saved…
In many ways, outer space and space exploration have become a routine part of life. We all carry a device that listens to signals from space in the form of our mobile phone. Most can receive messages from GPS satellites in medium earth orbit more than 20,000km away. Just as space is now entwined with our lives, so is timekeeping inseparable from space. GPS relies upon clocks. A satellite sends a signal that says “I sent this at time X.” Your phone provides the time, Y, when the signal was received. The elapsed time between sending and receiving (Y minus X seconds) when combined with the known speed of the signal (Z km/s, from physics) reveals your distance from the satellite ( (Y-X)*Z). If your distance from three satellites is determined, your location can be trilateralated. The three distances are the diameter of three unique circles, each with a GPS satellite at its centre. Those three circles intersect at only one point and that point is your location. What is truly remarkable about timekeeping and outer space is that when astronauts are in this treacherous vacuum they typically employ a mechanical device to mark the time. No circuitry, no battery,…
Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR As transatlantic commercial flying routes increased in the early 1950s, prominent US airline Pan Am requested that Rolex develop a watch for their crews that could accurately display multiple time zones at once. In response, Rolex launched the world’s first GMT watch – the GMT-Master in 1954. Pros: Accuracy of ± 2 seconds per day, it’s Rolex Con: No anti-reflective coating IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Heritage IW501004 The Flieger design has offered wearers precision readability since its World War II origin when companies such as A. Lange & Söhne, Stowa and IWC mass produced these tool watches for the Luftwaffe. Today’s IWC Big Pilot is one of the most recognisable modern Flieger representations and has gained favour with watch collectors around the world. Pros: 7-day power reserve, superb legibility Con: At more than 46mm it won’t suit all wrists Cartier Santos de Cartier WSSA0009 While Cartier is not usually a brand that people associate with aviation, they actually hold the distinction of producing the first ever pilot’s watch. In 1904, Brazilian pilot and aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont complained to his friend Louis Cartier that pocket watches were not practical for use in flight. Cartier responded with…
Editor’s note: Ever wanted to know why Grand Seiko is so revered in the horological hemisphere? Well, this video perfectly sums up why the doyen of Japanese watchmaking is considered the crème de la crème on so many levels. So, if you’ve got the time, sit back and enjoy an explanation as to why Grand Seiko’s movements, cases and dials are some of the best on the market, regardless of price. For years, Grand Seiko was a very underground, for-those-in-the-know type brand; its visibility outside of Japan was limited, and its passionate supporters revelled in the arcana of cryptic reference numbers, nicknames and shorthand galore. All that changed a few years ago when Grand Seiko went global, but there’s still an air of mystique around the Japanese brand. So, to help clear a few things up, I decided to run through a short explainer, providing a flying overview of some of the key details, covering off the basics around movements, cases and dials. So, if you don’t know your Snowflakes from your Spring Drives, aren’t too sure if you’re team 9S or 9F, or have ever wondered just what Zaratsu actually is, this video is for you. We can’t explain…
Tissot had a resolutely excellent end to the decade, releasing plenty of exciting new timepieces in 2019 that got the watch community talking. What’s more, the Swiss watchmaker made a conscious effort to cater to both people just getting into watches, as well as the dyed-in-the-wool veterans. We won’t cover every new timepiece Tissot unveiled in 2019, but these were the three most important: TISSOT CHRONO XL CLASSIC Extra-large is an apt description for this 45mm wide, 15mm thick stainless steel monster. The Tissot XL Classic emphasises size and presence rather than high-tech horology. Powered by a Swiss quartz chronograph movement, the sub-dial layout is typical of a battery-powered module (with all three sub-dials bunched in a triangle formation around the centre of the dial). Three classic colourways exist for this model. This grey sunray reference is a smart and versatile option. Ref No: T116.617.16.057.00 / Case size: 45mm / Case material: Steel / Movement: Quartz / Price: $475 TISSOT HERITAGE 1973 CHRONOGRAPH The Tissot Heritage 1973 Chronograph is a handsome vintage timepiece and one of the finest in the Tissot range in terms of its attention to detail. The ETA 7753 movement powering the show is respected by watchmakers…