How to justify your watch purchases to your partner, a new series, starting with 'The Heirloom Defence'
MEET THE ENABLER: Defending the indefensible is a tiresome but necessary business. Obviously, we understand that you’ve found a new must-have watch to add to your collection (congratulations!). But the next step, making it happen, may not always fly with non-believers whose reactions will likely range from horror to derision to divorce. That’s where The Enabler comes in … Use his advanced levels of sophistry to validate your latest, or next, acquisition. The problem is that, to your wife, it’s yet another ludicrous act of self-indulgence. As far as she’s concerned, this watch is a totally unnecessary purchase. You’ve just shelled out on another pointless extravagance, siphoning funds from your joint bank account that could be spent on dozens of more useful things (repaving the patio, paying the school fees, buying her mother a less startling set of false teeth …). As a result, your wife isn’t happy. In fact, she’s appalled by your inherent shallowness and brazen disregard for your family’s welfare. It’s at this point that you take your partner’s head in both hands and gaze into her eyes with a patient smile. “You poor, sweet thing,” you say gently. “I don’t think you quite understand. This watch isn’t…
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$16,450 – that’s the Australian recommended retail price of the Oystersteel Rolex Daytona ref. 116500LN. But, as I’m sure 99 per cent of people reading this are already patently aware, if you actually want to own one of these fabled watches, you can’t merely walk into an AD and pick one up. No, if you want a “Panda” Daytona, you’ve got to venture into the slightly murky and occasionally insalubrious world of the grey/secondhand market. And even then, the steel Daytona is almost an anomalous object, and if you do manage to find one, you’re paying at least $35K all day long. In other words, it’s almost an effort in futility even entertaining the idea of one day having one slapped on your wrist. This is the same story for the majority of Rolex’s Oystersteel Professional range – be it Submariner, GMT-Master II, Sea-Dweller … this list goes on. However, there are certain steel “sports” watches in Rolex’s esteemed catalogue that you can still buy at retail, from a local authorised dealer. Mind you, you’re probably not going to be able to merely walk in, see one on the counter and slap your plastic against the EFTPOS machine. But if…
Longines is on an absolute roll in 2019, and it seems like only yesterday that we were treated to one of their hottest watches of the year – the sector dial Longines Heritage Classic. Not wanting to rest on its blue-handed laurels, Longines has just dropped this bombshell of a vintage reissue, and they’re calling it the Longines Heritage Military 1938. Based on a Longines military watch that was made on the cusp of the Second World War in 1938, this homage piece is ticking all the right boxes of a great mil-spec wristwatch. The case is hewn from stainless steel and takes several styling cues from the original Swiss military watch, such as a bevelled bezel and quintessential onion-shaped crown. And unlike the aforementioned Longines Heritage Classic, the new Heritage Military 1938 is not a small watch, measuring in at a sizeable 43mm across, ensuring wrist presence. The dial has been given the same aesthetic treatment as the original, and features creamy baton hands and yellowed Arabic numerals, both of which are covered in a coating of Super-LumiNova, and set against a granular black background. There’s a simplistic and period-correct running seconds sub-dial located at six o’clock, and a…
Editor’s note: Early last year, our fearless leader Andrew McUtchen was fortunate enough to breach the inner sanctum of Hublot’s High Complication Department and have a chat with the boss, Emmanuel Missillier. What’s more, Mr Missillier proceeded to pull apart one of Hublot’s intricate tourbillon movements, all for our viewing pleasure. Hublot have made big strides in recent years to establish watchmaking credibility as a counterweight to its heavy-hitting celebrity power. Regular nominations in various GPHG categories – across women’s and men’s watches – have been a meaningful benchmark for progress, and new crowd-pleasers, such as the delightful movement architecture of the Meca-10, have opened up a fresh conversation with watch lovers about what wearing a Hublot actually means in the modern day. To this end, when we were invited to the manufacture in Nyon to better get to know the brand, we were immediately interested in the High Complication Department and thought we might use its expertise to get inside the cases of some of the most popular, desirable and useful complications that Hublot offer. So, prepare yourself, we have a little three-part miniseries coming your way – each honing in on a complication. But rather than telling the story from…
TAG Heuer has just unveiled the all-new Monaco 02, and it’s a big deal because it’s the first Monaco in the storied watch’s 50-year history to utilise a completely in-house movement. As a result, the Swiss watchmaker is kissing goodbye to the old Sellita SW300-based Calibre 12 movement, which has been a stalwart of the Monaco for quite some time. However, the Calibre 12 has been a true workhorse of a movement, and TAG is keen to give the automatic movement the send-off it deserves. Which brings us to this, the limited TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 12 Final Edition. Limited to 1000 pieces, the Final Edition is a particularly good-looking example of the Monaco breed, thanks in no small part to the gorgeous aesthetic that the dial presents. It’s hewn from something called Ruthenium, chemical symbol Ru and atomic number 44 (for all you chemistry boffins out there), and it sits in the platinum group on the periodic table. It is a handsome metal to behold and, according to TAG, the metal presents real iridescent quality that changes hews as it catches the light. Brush finished, the steely dial is complemented by a white chapter ring, black sub-dials at nine…
To work at one of the largest international auction houses in the world, you need to know your stuff, which makes you very good at evaluating the world’s rarest watches and also passing that knowledge onto collectors and enthusiasts. One such watch auction expert is Dr Andrew Hildreth, who is responsible for presenting and writing Christie’s online course, “History of Watches: 1700 to Now”, a comprehensive overview of just about everything you might need to know about the last 300 years of horological history. The man seriously knows what he’s talking about, with his favorite vintage watch being a unique Patek Philippe ref. 2458 that was commissioned by the American lawyer J.B. Champion in 1952, and his grail modern watch is a Greubel Forsey Quantum Perpetual (“because it solves all the problems that have plagued the perpetual calendar complication”). In an interview with Christie’s, Dr Hildreth reveals the truth about who really invented the balance spring, why Fidel Castro was such a Rolex fanboy, and the seriously collectible vintage watches he believes aren’t on everyone’s radar yet. Find the link to the full article on Christie’s site here.
This year, the brand known for their focus on avant-garde techniques has updated one of their most iconic sporting chronographs, to produce the best-looking TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 in recent years. With an aesthetic of clean refinement, the less-is-more approach has come up trumps in a watch that prioritises robust functionality over notions of new-age minimalism. While the template of black dials with red highlights has been a successful one for the Calibre 16 over the last few years, this version has been updated with less busy dial markings and text. Additionally, the bold rhodium-plated indexes are less visually cluttered than the previously used Arabic numerals, without losing any of their high-contrast impact. Another new addition to this Calibre 16 is the use of a full ceramic bezel around the perimeter of the dial. The glossy material plays with the light nicely, while keeping the tachymeter scale as crisp as can be. The 41mm steel case is well sized to comfortably fit most wrists, and the perforated “rally” style calf leather strap is comfortable and features a deployment clasp that will extend the life of the leather substantially. TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 price and availability The TAG Heuer…
Welcome to the Time+Tide Club, where you are a number — with an individually numbered Time+Tide x Erika’s Originals strap — and a member. Six years into the Time+Tide journey, we are introducing the Time+Tide Club, with one thing front of mind. To take the subscriber experience to a whole new level. Join up now at www.timeandtide.club And to give our most loyal friends, both Australian and international, some proper recognition. We know how long many of you have followed Time+Tide. “Since the beginning…” is a rallying call we hear at every event and fair. “Since 2014,” is usually thrown at us in a booming voice, too. What do Club Members get for their money? So, to brass tacks. What do club members get for their annual fee of $129 AUD per year (or $149 AUD — which is circa $100 USD — for international club members to cover shipping)? A Time+Tide Club x Erika’s Originals MN™ strap – value, $120 A copy of NOW Magazine Buying Guide for 2019/2020 (shipping next week!) – value, $24.95 (+P&H) Member pricing on the soon-to-be-launched Time+Tide Marketplace Access to special deals and discounts Access to Clubhouse events in Melbourne and Sydney Firstly, our equivalent of a bikie club…
Editor’s note: Question: What do David Gandy, Gerard Butler, Eric Bana, Bradley Cooper and Adrien Brody all have in common? Answer: They’ve all been spotted wearing a Bulgari Octo. And apart from being five exceedingly good-looking dudes, they’re all rather tall gents. So naturally, our fearless leader Andrew McUtchen pondered, “What would this beefcake collective be like if they were to join forces and start a basketball team?”. And spare a thought for the celebs who have been relegated to the bench, because let’s face it, 175cm ain’t gonna cut it on this team … Jeremy Renner! Golden State Warriors, you are on notice. If our A-list line-up of regular Bulgari Octo wearers decided to, mythically speaking, join forces on a basketball court in their on-screen personas, you’d be done. Crushed. Eliminated. Defused. Skewered. From snipers to Spartan warriors, Moonlight Sonatas (lovely Adrien, just lovely) and devastating good looks, our Octo Octet has every possible scenario covered, on and off the court. Maybe we’ve had too much time on our hands, or spent too long analysing Met Gala wristwear, but we’ve gone ahead and drawn up, not just the Octo’s starting five (with allocated positions), but a pretty hard-hitting bench too.…