A different kind of luxury sports watch – the Breguet Marine 5817 Big Date
Editor’s note: The Marine is Breguet’s star of the show at the moment, with a profusion of new models in the house — including some chic titanium options — but we can’t help but have a soft spot for this elegant beast, the Breguet Marine 5817 Big Date. What a looker … We’re willing to bet that when you think of Breguet, the first thing that comes to mind is slim elegance, or maybe the old-world charm of their vintage chronos. But a casual/luxury sports watch? Not so much. Nevertheless, that’s exactly what the Marine 5817 is – Breguet’s take on a breezy weekender. Sure, it’s got all the brand’s classic hallmarks: the fluted middle case, the very particular lugs and, of course, that guilloche dial. But this is no delicate dandy. Water resistance is solid at 100m, there’s lume, the crown is protected by some unique, curved crown guard and it has a presence on the wrist far beyond what you’d expect for a 39mm x 11.82mm watch. While no one’s suggesting you complete an ultra-marathon in this guy, there’s no doubt it’s ready to tackle whatever life might throw at it, and it will do so in inimitable Breguet…
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For Longines, elegance is an attitude — and that’s something they’ve embodied very nicely indeed with the new Conquest Classic, a watch made with exceptional women (and exceptional wearability) in mind. The Longines Conquest Classic is offered in two case sizes — 29.5mm and 34mm — and in diamond or non-diamond options. The case is (for now) steel, and the dial options offer a sweep of stylish options: sunray blue black or silver, as well as mother-of-pearl in black or white. And while the diamond and the dial colour options tweak the overall vibe of the watch, it’s a tweak, and the overall appeal of this Conquest comes from the solid, easy elegance of its design. A classic round case with distinguished, softly flared lugs and a nice, broad bezel, accompanied perfectly by the versatile H-link bracelet. It’s a classic recipe for success — a solid base that can be adapted and flavoured to taste. Longines Conquest Classic price Longines Conquest Classic, from $1175 AUD
Editor’s note: We, along with the rest of the world, have been on a pretty heavy space-nostalgia trip of late. A trip that naturally led us back to Andrew’s 2015 trip with Omega, to the Space Centre in Houston, a place that was, in many ways, ground zero for the mythos that surrounds the Speedy. Andrew’s main question before this trip: Does the Speedy live up to the myth? Read on to find out … You don’t need to be in the watch industry very long to work out that it survives not on product but on stories. Watches without stories? Well, they’re just objects. No matter how pretty they are, or how precious the material, it’s really hard to sell a cold hard object. The magic that gives an object true meaning is the story that is told about it. Some of the best stories are ones that present an unbroken line from the past, to the present, to the future. And the best storytellers in the luxury watch business, who, not accidentally, happen to charge the highest prices for their watches, join the dots. They remind us that a real watch is never owned, it is “merely held…
As a category, highly paid athletes are known for the occasional BIG flex. Bespoke cars, planes and all the rest are de rigueur for these guys. And, of course, the wristwatch, being both highly visible and highly valuable, is a great example of this. Now, wearing those factory diamonds on your downtime is one thing, but wearing a cool quarter of a million on the wrist while you’re working is something else entirely. And this is where NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham schools pretty much everyone on how it’s done, wearing a Richard Mille RM 011 on the field for his debut match with the Cleveland Browns against the Tennessee Titans. Now, Richard Mille is a familiar sight for sports fans, as Yohan Blake, Rafael Nadal and Bubba Watson are three high-profile ambassadors for the brand, who famously wear the watch while they play. But NFL is something else entirely — it’s an incredibly hard-hitting sport, and fine mechanical watches and heavy tackles aren’t really the best combination. It’s also worth noting that Beckham does not appear to have a formal relationship with Richard Mille (though that might well change) after all the press he has been getting. The final…
Editor’s note: You don’t need to be a naval captain (or even a cook) to appreciate the lovely case shape and bold details of the Rado Captain Cook Mk III. So funky, so so smooth. The other day we showed you the very heritage-inspired Captain Cook Mark II from Rado. Well, now it’s time for the other side of the coin, the modern take on an old classic. Meet the Rado Tradition Captain Cook Mark III. On paper, it’s a titanium-cased diver with an internal bezel. On the wrist, it’s so much more. The titanium case is large (46mm large), but not overwhelmingly so, thanks to a curvy, lugless case design. And while the Mark II is reflection city, this guy sucks up the light like nobody’s business, thanks to the super-hard matt finish. The domed sapphire crystal is something else, showing every tiny popping yellow detail on the dial below. And while all the individual elements are pretty good, what I appreciate the most about this watch is the whole picture — it’s a modern dive watch that’s fit for purpose, and one that manages to be its own creation rather than an homage (knowing or otherwise) to other…
Editor’s note: I’m hoping that we can mark 2019 down in the history books as peak Nautilus-mania, but there’s another part of my brain that isn’t quite so sure. Either way, your odds of walking into ye oldie AD, dropping down some fat stacks and walking out with this complicated beauty, the Patek Philippe’s Nautilus Ref. 5740, are veering heavily toward the ‘none’ on a spectrum of slim to none. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Here’s Sandra’s review … One of the big surprises of Baselworld 2018 was Patek Philippe’s decision to add a grand complication model – specifically a perpetual calendar – to the Nautilus line. Or was it? Nautilus-with-complication is an old story (travel time, chronograph, annual calendar have all featured over the years) and the pre-Basel rumour mill was promoting the ‘perpetual’ idea pretty heavily. So when Patek unveiled the ref. 5740 there was a definite sense of “Surprise – what surprise?” Vital statistics The movement is one of Patek’s all-time greats: the ultra-thin self-winding calibre 240 Q – also found in the current collection in the Calatrava-cased ref. 5327. It’s essentially the same movement that was introduced in the landmark ref. 3940 in the mid-1980s…
These days we’re pretty down with the tie-in between the watch industry and motorsports. Because while the association, which had its golden days in the age of Heuer et al, was originally born from necessity, nowadays its main function has to do with the marketing department. And while many brands have history in the area, the history is rarely as personal or intimate as it is at Laurent Ferrier. Laurent Ferrier (the watches) are well regarded high-end independent pieces with curvy lines and funky dials. And sure, Laurent Ferrier (the man) is a well regarded maker of high-end independent pieces, but he’s also a passionate motorsports racer, and one not without talent. In fact, in 1979 his team of plucky amateurs placed third at the Le Mans 24-hour race. Fun fact: Paul Newman came second. It’s stories like this that lie at the heart and soul of watchmaking, and Chris Hall over at QP Magazine has done an excellent job of capturing it. If you can’t hack the long read, at least enjoy this superb shot of the watch Ferrier made to celebrate his long love of racing. 
While collaborations between watch brands and car manufacturers are not a new phenomenon, it’s a much rarer phenomenon to meet a person who owns both the watch and its corresponding car. Once Zak had purchased his Mercedes AMG, he knew he needed to own the IWC Ingenieur AMG edition IW3725, a watch that is cool beyond its automotive inspiration. When did you first see/hear about it? I heard about it a few years ago, but I didn’t like it because of the curves in the case design. It eventually grew on me, and I was planning on saving up for one in steel, but I tried it on and it was super-heavy. Then I got a Mercedes AMG, and I figured I should get this one instead, which has a titanium bracelet and case and is much more comfortable. Any story behind the purchase? I got the AMG, so I also wanted to own the collaboration watch between Mercedes AMG and IWC, which has been going on for a long time. I also just love the Gérald Genta-designed Ingenieur. What was the deciding factor? I needed a watch because I was sick of wearing my Seiko everyday. But I didn’t…
Editor’s note: A little while back, old mate Becks did some promo videos with his watch brand of choice – Tudor. Turns out that Mr Beckham isn’t one to baby his timepieces, something we fully endorse. Kick on, Becks. Tudor shared two short videos with their premier ambassador, Mr David Beckham, that looked at two of his Tudor watches. And I’ve got to say, as far as showing what a brand is all about, they’re pretty hard to beat. The first video looks at the first Tudor watch Beckham owned and wore, a 1969 Snowflake Sub, which Beckham describes as an “old, messed up watch”. And while I wouldn’t go quite so far as to say it’s messed up, it has certainly lived a life, with a beautifully faded ghost bezel and some real age on the dial. What’s better than the watch, though, is Beckham’s attitude towards it: he appreciated the authenticity of old objects and, given that he wears it most days, “likes to think he’s added a scratch or two”. Now, there is absolutely no doubt that Beckham has added a scratch or two to his Tudor Black Bay Blue, a watch that he’s taken riding, and…
There’s no doubt that Bulgari like the GPHG. In 2017 they won the men’s category for their Octo Finissimo Automatic and the Tourbillon prize for the Finissimo Skeleton. A few years earlier, in 2014, they took home the Jewellery prize for their Diva High Jewellery Emeralds. Their odds are looking strong for the 2019 edition of the awards too, with five watches shortlisted. Now, it would be crazy for all five watches to win, but much like Katniss Everdeen, we hope the odds are forever in Bulgari’s favour. Mechanical Exception – Bulgari Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie Perpetual Calendar Let’s kick off with the big guy. I was pretty lucky to get a look at this incredible watch at Basel earlier in the year — given that it’s an LE of eight pieces. And given the fact that it packs in a ton of high-end complication (and the repeater sounds beautiful), the big surprise for me was the lightness – the carbon case weighs next to nothing. The same can’t be said for the price, which is a hefty 820,000 CHF. Ladies – Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Pink Gold and Diamonds I’m pretty open to wearing watches made with women in mind, and…