Top 3 watches that could save your life
To the uninitiated, it may come as a surprise to learn that watches can actually do a fair bit more than merely tell you what time it is. In fact, the myriad complications that can currently be housed inside a timepiece are actually a little bit staggering when you stop to think about it. Weekly calendar, annual calendar, perpetual calendar, minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph, moon phase … the list goes on and on. But here’s one thing that I bet even the most astute of watch enthusiasts may not have considered – some watches can save your life, and here are the top three candidates that could conceivably do just that: Apple Watch Series 4 and 5 Hypotheticals aside, the Apple Watch Series 4 and 5, equipped with the “fall detection” feature, have quite literally saved lives. Just last month, for example, a mountain bike rider in Spokane, Washington, had a hard fall and knocked himself unconscious. Through the use of its gyroscopic and accelerometer sensors, the Apple Watch was able to detect the hard impact. And once it had, not only did the smart watch alert his next of kin about the accident and his location, the watch…
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Editor’s note: Watch people love nothing more than popping watches into genres or tropes. And while a lot of the time these categorisations can be a little, how shall we put it — arbitrary — in the case of Breguet’s Classique 7147 we’re pretty comfortable declaring this as a dress watch, and a dress watch in the truest and most classical sense. The Classique 7147 is the definition of a quiet achiever. It’s a simple, sturdy watch that does everything asked of it with style, and it does so with a sense of reserved assurance that only a watch with ‘Breguet’ on the dial can adequately muster. The purpose of this Breguet is to be a dress watch without equal. If you need a black-tie timepiece that speaks to tradition and classical style, without being yet another ho-hum exercise in derivative design, we suggest you make a beeline for the Classique 7147. The case The first thing you need to know about the 7147 is that it’s not a completely new design. Rather, it’s an update of the Classique 5140. From a distance these two timepieces look indistinguishable, but up close the 7147’s new body-work stands out. At 40mm it’s…
The story in a second: One of the best watch designs of recent times gets complicated. I know I’m not alone in thinking that the Octo Finissimo family is one of the most important commercial watch designs of the last decade or so. Sure, it’s based on an old Genta design, but the Octo has evolved so far under the careful ministrations of Bulgari’s design team so as to legitimately stand tall on its own merits. It’s a strong design, one that deigns to ape the past and provides a compelling argument for modernity and a versatile platform that looks great in numerous metals and treatments. And while the Octo exists in Bulgari’s ‘regular’ watches, the Octo Finissimo takes the design to its logical, breathtaking conclusion. And the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT proves that, and then some. The case There are two things that really struck me about the case of this watch. Firstly, just how well it works as a chronograph. Now, many watch designs look a little ordinary when that smooth profile has been marred by a few pushers popping out all over the place. Not so here. In fact, if it wasn’t for those registers on the…
One of the most interesting watch ‘releases’ this year was Panerai’s series of experiential watches. Basically, the brand released a series of watches with a particular focus — diving, exploration, the armed forces — each with an associated ambassador or partner. One release was the regular version of the watch, and the second was a very exclusive limited edition, a twist on the watch that came with the opportunity to take part in an pretty exceptional money-can’t-buy experience. A few weeks ago, one of these experiences went down in Italy. Owners of the exclusive Marina Militare PAM961 (the less limited version is the PAM979, which you can check out below) spent a pretty serious 72 hours with the Italian Navy (AKA the Marina Militare). Of course, the Italian Navy link is one deeply seated in the lore and legend of Panerai, but the lucky few PAM961 wearers saw that link in a whole other light, putting their Panerai through the paces with the Italian Navy’s special forces, known as the Comsubin. From the vantage point of my desk chair, this experience looks pretty exhausting, and I’m sure it represented the merest fraction of what the actual Comsubin guys go through.…
Audemars Piguet have once again stunned everyone with their latest full-ceramic piece of timekeeping wonderment – the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked. Showcasing the Swiss marque’s ceramic prowess, the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar’s 41mm black ceramic case and conforming bracelet are finished to exquisite detail, and feature both brushed and polished elements. And when combined and contrasted with the gorgeously warm tones of the openworked dial’s pink gold accents, this makes for one of the most aesthetically appealing watches AP has released this year. Speaking of the openworked movement, it’s Audemars Piguet’s prodigious, in-house Caliber 5135, a self-winding work of art that houses a perpetual calendar complication, which intricately displays the day, week, month, date, leap year and moon phase. In addition, the mesmerising movement is fitted with no less than 374 parts, 38 jewels, and offers customers up to 40 hours of power reserve and beats away at a calm 19,800vph (2.75Hz). Surprisingly, this isn’t, strictly speaking, a limited edition timepiece. However, it is a boutique exclusive, which means that the closest store for Australians is Audemars Piguet’s Singaporean boutique … and we’re going to go out on a limb here and guess that the waiting list…
Most of the time we spend talking about Bulgari at the moment is dedicated to the gorgeous Octo, which, if I’m frank, makes perfect sense. But that’s far from the only arrow in Bulgari’s gem-set quiver. On the more feminine side of the fence there’s also the venerable (and not at all venomous) Serpenti, which saw a significant revision at Baselworld this year in the form of the Serpenti Seduttori, billed as a more everyday take on the serpentine icon. And while it’s the 33mm diamond-shaped head that is the focal point, for me the slinky bracelet is the centrepiece. The links are made to represent scales, and the effect is gorgeous. For this review we opted for the yellow gold model, because honestly, while pink gold is cool, it’s hard to beat the power and presence of yellow gold. The OG precious metal. Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori price Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori, yellow gold with diamonds, $40,900 AUD Made in partnership with Bulgari. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.
Editor’s note: Who knew that a fully white ceramic open-worked watch would be one of this year’s freshest looks? No one, that’s who. But that’s OK, a surprise hit wouldn’t be a surprise if everyone saw it coming. Which is somewhat ironic as everyone will see you coming if you’re rocking this bad girl on the wrist … I’m not sure if Lou Reed would have liked this watch (I hope he would have), but I know I certainly do. The modern sports line that is the Defy is an increasing priority for Zenith – a key, future-facing pillar for the brand that is both distinctive and incredibly versatile. This new version, all 41mm of blinding white ceramic, proves this point. Do me a favour: take a minute and check out another version of this self same design. Now, look at the watch below. It’s a marked difference. With the matt ceramic case, open-worked dial (replete with that signature star motif) and textured white rubber strap, there’s little argument that this is a watch intended to make a statement. Legibility, for example, is not the aim of the game. Having said that, in the few minutes I wore this piece (a…
If you’ve ever picked up a glossy magazine or attended a major sporting event it should come as no surprise to learn that marketing is hugely significant in the world of watches. It’s also hugely expensive, competitive and, all-too-often, dull. From awkward posed photographs with A-list celebrities, to baffling brand ambassadors and the most tenuous of partnership tie-ins, for the average watch enthusiast the business of marketing these objects in which they invest so much passion can be confronting at best and alienating at worst. But obviously, it’s a strategy that works for many brands. Not all brands have the deep pockets and infrastructure to support this sort of sweeping approach to marketing, and instead they rely on a more surgical approach. H. Moser & Cie is one such brand. With a boutique approach and comparatively small production (these are ‘Very Rare’ watches, after all), Moser is proud to take a more personal approach with their marketing. Moser takes pride in personally knowing many of their end customers, and this one-on-one relationship between manufacturer and wearer leads to some interesting oppurtunities, like the Pioneer Tour. The Pioneer Tour, or #pioneertour for those on the ‘Gram, is a clever marketing activation…
Editor’s note: This interview is an old one, from SIHH 2015, and the Harmony is a watch that isn’t a massive focus for Vacheron Constantin right now, but the brand’s Creative Director, Mr Christian Selmoni, is one of the most articulate and interesting creative minds in the watch business, and definitely worth a read, especially as much of this speaks to the overall qualities of Vacheron Constantin’s approach to design and watchmaking. T+T: I understand that along with Vacheron Constantin’s 260th birthday you’re celebrating your own milestone – 25 years with Vacheron Constantin – congratulations! What was it like back then? CS: I come from a watchmaking family. When I graduated in the late ’70s none of us chose to go into watchmaking because we all thought it would be dead in a few years. That changed a decade later. A friend called and asked if I was interested in a watchmaking job. I thought, ‘Why not?’ I joined Vacheron Constantin on the 1st of February in 1990, and we were 68 people. Now we are around 1300. So I think that explains how difficult the situation was back then. T+T: It must have been a difficult time to…
Diving is a pursuit — more than most — that relies on gear. Which is why it’s an area full of storied suppliers that are as much a part of pioneering and evolving diving as the divers themselves. Of course, watch brands fall into this matrix — but they’re a relatively small part of the picture. Suits, breathing apparatus and all the other paraphernalia are equally as important. Which is why this watch, the Aquadive Poseidon GMT, is such a nice celebration of this heritage. Aquadive, in case you’re not familiar, is one of those old names in dive watches. Their heyday was in the ’60s and ’70s, that’s making a bit of a splash now, thanks to their revival by the Synchron Group. And Poseidon, when he’s not busy being king under the waves, is a diving gear company dating back to 1958, which lists an innovative fully automatic rebreather, the MkVI, in its list of accomplishments. The brand’s bright yellow logo stands out on the dial. You might recognise Poseidon from their collab with Doxa last year. And while this watch can’t help you in the breathing department, it can certainly handle the timekeeping side of the equation. Steel,…