The Australian Watch Forum's first collaboration watch
Editor’s note: The Australian Watch Forum has gone from strength to strength over the last 18 months, tripling its membership to 9000 members. Based on Facebook, their presence has been felt well outside of social media, with regular meet-ups and get-togethers in major cities across Australia. Here’s a throwback to Cam’s nod to their first venture with a big watch brand, when they partnered with Zenith last year to release a bronzed-case Pilot Type 20 Extra Special, featuring a special Southern Cross on the dial. During a time when planes were more fabric than steel, and I’m sure the phrase “on a wing and a prayer” had a much more literal meaning, Zenith were pioneering the use of pilot watches, with French aviator Louis Blériot wearing a Zenith on his wrist as he made the first ever flight across the English Channel in 1909. In fact, Zenith were so early to reach the skies that they are the only brand that can use the word “Pilot” on a watch dial, thanks to them being marketing-savvy and trademarking the term. All this is a roundabout way of saying that Zenith’s Pilot collection has some serious cred. This year, the well-received bronzed-case…
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Editor’s note: Everyone knows Doxa make a great dive watch, but not as many people know they also produced excellent chronographs in the 1940s and ’50s. This is the story of one of those watches, a black dial Doxa chronograph with a spiral telemeter scale, worth significantly more than the €1200 Paul originally laid down for it. Enjoy. WHAT IS THE STORY OF THIS WATCH? I bought it at the Munich Watch Fair a few years back for 1200 euro. I’ve since been offered 5000 euro for it. I’ve collected watches since I was 11. My grandfather gave me a wristwatch and I’ve been hooked since then. It was an American brand, Gruen Curvex. As a young boy I’d go to flea markets and fairs. It was mechanics and all that. The thing about chronographs is that people don’t use them. It seems to be more about the dial layout. The balance perhaps? This one is beautiful with the outer telemeter scale and the spiral tachymeter scale — very much of the times. It’s a bit like an ironing board, you don’t really use it that often. I actually race cars and I do use a chronograph then, but it’s usually…
When a name renowned for its personalisation of higher-end pieces announces an off-the-shelf offering, it tends to raise eyebrows. However, the Bamford brand has defied expectations not once, but twice, now with the Bamford London GMT. Housing the self-winding Sellita SW330-1 25, it has already been widely pointed out that the Bamford GMT case and dial configuration is strongly reminiscent of the Zenith Sub Sea from the 1960s. But fixating on the fact that Bamford made a GMT watch that looks like something that already exists is ignoring the fact that’s kind of what Bamford is known for … They take an existing design and modify it to suit the desires of their customer. Where the Bamford DNA shines through is their highly effective use of contrast: penetrating combinations of ice blue, bright oranges and other unconventional colours against a matt black or brushed steel backdrop. In this respect, the new London GMT is consistent with Bamford’s design language. There is a lot to like about this GMT. The case itself is a wonderful blend of curved surfaces and sharp angles, which far from being incongruent, actually adds some visual interest to an otherwise bulky silhouette. The dial text is…
Editor’s note: In the world of luxury steel sports watches, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato family is underrated. More than two centuries since they started making watches, the Laureato is made by a brand that has some of the richest history in horology. In that time, Girard-Perregaux have added significantly to the art of mechanical watchmaking, with their three golden bridges tourbillon movement and their design of the first high-frequency watch which beats ten times per second. The Laureato family is also dripping in a ’70s charm that stems from the mix of curves and angles, and the blending of polished and brushed surfaces for an eye-catching finish on a watch. In terms of scarcity, Girard-Perregaux also produce significantly fewer watches than the other big players in the steel sports watch game. They manufacture approximately 10,000 watches per year, next to 40,000 from Audemars Piguet and 50,000 from Patek Philippe. All things considered, the Laureato represents a sleeper, which at the moment is vastly underappreciated by much of the watch buying community. A little while ago, we put together a list of luxury sports watches and it went – to use a technical term – bananas. There’s something about the combination of…
The Patek Philippe Calatrava is probably the most recognisable time-only collection of watches in Swiss watchmaking. Simple, three-handed watches made in precious metal that represent what Patek Philippe is about in its most distilled form – restrained classicism made to exacting standards. In this article by The Hour Glass, the history of the Calatrava is investigated, focusing on the most important models made in the nearly 90 years since the first reference was produced. Even though the core elements of the Calatrava have stayed the same, the number of variations over the years has seen the establishment of collectors-inspired scholarship to document the sheer number of different examples. If you’re looking for some Sunday reading that digs a little deeper, we’ve got you covered.
I was equal parts excited and curious when a package from Sotheby’s Australia landed on Felix’s desk last month. Upon opening, it revealed a catalogue for their upcoming Important Jewels auction, and while the jewellery portion of the catalogue was full of fabulous gems and precious metals, I was obviously much more interested in the wristwatches on offer. While reading the catalogue I noticed that despite watch lots being comparatively few in number, there were several great pieces, including representation from Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, and Heuer. One of the rarer pieces heading for the block was a Heuer Autavia “Jo Siffert” Chronograph ref. 1163, so named because it was worn by the racing champion in the late ’60s. Astutely, this was selected as his pick of the lots by the owner of the catalogue I was reading; however, I fell in love with a yellow gold Cartier Tank Américaine. I got in contact with the man responsible for the auction, Hamish Sharma (who has the best job title in the world — the Head of Jewels at Sotheby’s Australia), and he was kind enough to meet with me and show me the watches that had been consigned. I went to the…
Editor’s note: Jerry Seinfeld has dropped another series of the excellent Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, so we thought we’d repost Dan’s wrap from last year of some of the most interesting watches worn on the series. Stay tuned for the update … Jerry Seinfeld can do no wrong, and after having been streamed more than 100 million times, Seinfeld’s pet project, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, recently premiered its new season on Netflix after nine seasons as a web series on the digital network Crackle. Staying true to the title’s premise, this simple yet compelling series sees Jerry introduce a new celebrity comedian in each episode, picking them up in a unique vintage car and heading out for coffee. The pair then riff, unscripted, on all manner of topics to varying comedic degree. It’s safe to say that where there are celebrities there are luxury watches. We take a look at some of the best from this season and those that preceded it. Season 10, Episode 1: Jerry Seinfeld wears a G-Shock ‘Rangeman’ In this episode, Jerry picks up The Hangover star and Between Two Ferns host Zach Galifianakis in a ridiculous VW Thing. Based on the German World War II equivalent of the Jeep,…
There are many potential pitfalls you could encounter when buying a luxury watch. Especially if it’s your first time. The desire to make a seasoned choice right off the bat is understandable, but it’s important you don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get it exactly right first time. In fact, making mistakes is part of the fun, and definitely part of the learning process. It certainly doesn’t feel like a barrel of laughs when you make a purchase that turns out to be a total waste of money, but you’ll never make that mistake again. If you find yourself really nervous about buying, owning and, crucially, wearing a luxury watch for the first time, one of the avenues you could explore to make the experience a little less stressful is the vintage route. Buying pre-owned (or pre-loved as we are wont to say these days) has a few advantages. Firstly, in almost all instances, it is cheaper. That should be a load off your mind when the relatively expensive item on your wrist threatens to catch itself on every door, bannister, and brick wall as you get used to it being there over the first few days. Secondly,…
Editor’s note: Last year we did a team whip around and asked ourselves what watches we bought, not for us, but because other people told us we should. We might not like to admit it, but it’s true. So here we go, the watches we’ve bought because of peer pressure. Humans are, by and large, social creatures. We thrive in communities, and derive strength, support and inspiration from others. At least, that’s the view if you’re an optimist. If you’re a glass half empty kinda person, feel free to replace the word community with mob. Either way, these broad general principles apply to watches. The true lone wolf is rare, and most of us look to others for our wrist-based inspiration and validation. And it’s true of us, too. Come with us, as the T+T team share the tales of watches they bought because other people told them to. Cam’s herd mentality Halios To be honest, I’ve never really bought a watch because someone directly told me to, but I do like to do my research before I buy. And the lovely folk around the various online watch forums can be a wealth of information, as well as a little…
What do collectors really look for when they are already at the top of the watch game? Rarity? Provenance? Complexity? All are true for different collectors, with some placing value on the design of a timepiece, and others on condition. This variety is what keeps it interesting in the stratospheric peaks of the collecting world, where money is no object and the hunt is the source of the thrill. For collector Leon Botstein, president of Bard College and orchestra conductor, his interest lies in both pocket watches and wristwatches that were produced without the aid of computers. He describes his collection of watches as “amazing works of art”, ranging from the 19th century to the 1960s, when technology began to unwelcomely intrude in the production process. For him, the beauty of a piece lies in the complexity of its functions, and the history of a watch that shows it was once a tool of practical day-to-day use. He also shares an uncommon sentiment, that the drop in pocket watch values is “scandalous”, which forced him to consider wristwatches, when his passion was clearly held in the hand. Quoted in an article by Barron’s, Leon Botstein also discusses the modern watches…