LIST: 5 impulse buys – the perfect way to spend your tax return
Here in Australia the financial year ends tomorrow, which means that some of us — if we’re lucky/fiscally savvy — can expect a windfall of funds, care of the Australian Taxation Office. Now, if we were really responsible we’d be using that cash to pay down debt and knock off some of those big expenses, but that’s no fun. So earlier this week I set a challenge for the team. Assume you’re getting a return (and because I don’t know too much about my co-workers’ finances, I put an arbitrary cap of $3-4k), pick one watch you could and would buy right now, without the need for waiting for it to be released, wait on a wait list, or hem and haw about it. We’re talking money in and out of bank account in less than 24 hours. Responsible? Maybe not. Fun? Yes. Andy’s pick — the Nomos Club neomatik I’ve always had a real soft spot for Nomos, their quirky yet serious quality, and definitely the way they do things their own way. For an impulse buy, I reckon you can’t go wrong with this colourful new member of their Aqua family. Super fun dial, 200m rating and their awesome neomatik…
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It’s FIFA World Cup time! And with the 2018 competition well underway, it’s been easy to tell who the soccer fans are in Australia right now. We’re the bleary-eyed zombies passed out at our desks or aimlessly shuffling about the streets. The ones who have spent the last two weeks staying up way too late and starting our days way too early, trying to catch every minute of football action (ah, the joys of living on the other side of the world). And while the world game tournament has been more than entertaining for us football fanatics – though perhaps a little disappointing if you’re a fan of the Socceroos or defending champs, Germany – it’s also proved the perfect backdrop to do some watch spotting. And with Hublot serving as the Official Timekeeper, a partnership that has seen them kit out all the referees with the brand’s own goal-detecting smart watch, we thought we’d take one eye off the games and see what other Hublots we could spot off the pitch. Diego Maradona Probably the most famous hands in football history (if you don’t know what I’m talking about just google “Hand of God goal”), this one was easy…
A little while ago we got mildly excited about the fact that Longines were auctioning off a watch (and an awesome experience package) in aid of brand ambassador Kate Winslet’s charity. Well, they’re at it again, only this time with a sporty twist. Longines, along with Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi (who both have been Longines Ambassadors of Elegance for a decade now), have cooked up a one-off set of 10 pairs of Conquest V.H.P. watches to be auctioned off to raise funds for the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education and Graf’s charity of choice, Children for Tomorrow. Well, nine sets will be auctioned, the 10th will remain in the Longines Museum. The clock is ticking down on the auction, though, with a little over three days on the clock, and at this point most pairs are sitting around the $10-11K USD mark, which, we’ve got to say, represents some decent value when you factor in the fact that you not only get a special pair of watches (on some truly excellent rubber straps BTW), but you also get personally presented the watch by one of the greats, during a visit to either Graf’s charity in Hamburg or Agassi’s foundation…
Earlier this week, Girard-Perregaux presented their latest and greatest in Sydney. Sadly, Melbourne-based team Time+Tide was not able to attend, but we managed the next best thing — a chat to GP’s man of the moment, Global Marketing and Communications Director, Fabrice Dangeli. Now, Mr Dangeli is a well-travelled man of the world, so rather than ask him the particulars of his new products, we thought we’d pose him a little exercise … Now that the Laureato line encompasses everything from time-only to tourbillons, we thought we’d see if he could pick the right Laureato for three distinct types (or is that stereotypes?) of Australians. And yes, we know one of the watches isn’t a Laureato … yet. The sporty sun-and-surf-loving Australian “For this type of Australian, the person who loves nature and the outdoors and the beach, it has to be the 42mm steel Laureato, on a steel bracelet, with a blue dial — the watch I’m wearing right now actually.” The cultured, urban Australian “Ah, for me it has to be our new Laureato Chronograph, with the panda-style dial in grey and black. This watch you can wear anywhere, at the gym or with a suit —…
Editor’s Note: Simple vintage looks, rich tones, a brushed dial and a cinnamon suede strap to die for, all for a very reasonable price. The Longines Heritage 1945 – it’s the perfect watch to fight off that crisp winter weather. One of the highlights on our Baselworld calendar is seeing what heritage re-release Longines has cooked up, and whoo boy, have they pulled out all the stops in 2017 or what. You’re looking at the Heritage 1945, an absolutely on point interpretation of a mid-century dress watch. Based on a 1945 design called the Calatrava by collectors, this watch does everything right. Funnily enough, it’s the exact watch that Sunflowerman illustrated as part of the Watercolour Watch project back in 2015. The 40mm steel case is simple, and not overly fussy, with a flat bezel just the right width and a slender-yet-functional crown. The mid-tan nubuck strap, with single line of reinforcing stitching in contrasting thread, walks a perfectly straight line between dress and casual. The real star is the dial. For such a minimal layout, Longines has packed it full of sexy detail. First of all, there’s the vintage velvet effect of the brushed copper-tone convex dial, then there’s the…
The heart of Panerai’s line-up has to be the entry-level Luminor. A 44mm watch with the classic crown guard-equipped Luminor case and not much in the way of frills. White or black dial, white logo or blue, small seconds or not, and a range of strap options. That’s pretty much it. But you know what? It’s all you need. Because this watch (shown here in its black dial, blue logo, small seconds configuration — AKA the PAM 00777) is the core of the brand. Rugged, authentic and no fuss. It’s one watch you can do pretty much anything in. And now you can do it with the in-house P.6000, which gives you 72 hours of autonomy from a single wind — a big step up from its ETA-based predecessor. Pure Panerai just got even better. Panerai Luminor Marina Logo 3 Days Acciaio – 44mm (PAM 00777) Australian pricing Panerai Luminor Marina Logo 3 Days Acciaio — 44mm, on fabric strap, $6900.
Hublot understands the power of a good partnership, and they don’t come much more powerful than the FIFA World Cup. The World Cup is one of the biggest events in the world. World Cup Brazil reached 3.2 billion viewers across the globe, with one billion alone tuning into the final. Russia looks set to be even bigger. And while many of those eyes will be on the ball, a good proportion will be paying attention to the wrists and Big Bang-shaped boards of the referees, as well as the clocks and countless other locations. But Hublot’s relationship with the beautiful game goes well beyond the World Cup, with some of the sport’s legends amongst the brand’s most significant ambassadors. They also sponsor some of the most famous teams and have numerous limited editions celebrating the game. At the centre of Hublot’s status as Official Timekeeper of the FIFA World Cup is the Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia — the brand’s first ever smart watch. And while this large 49mm titanium piece was offered as a limited edition of 2018 pieces (good luck trying to get one in Australia — apparently our allocation was snapped up very quickly…
So, you’re interested in a TAG Heuer Carrera? Great! But I’m afraid I’m going to need a lot more information. Are you into modern, larger watches? Do you prefer time-only or complications? Ceramic or steel? Do you like Pandas? Because where once ‘Carrera’ was code for sporty, broadly classic-looking chronographs, it can now encompass some decidedly not-vintage inspired designs such as the Heuer-01, and the futuristic Heuer-02 range. So, how do you break down in your mind the three distinct pillars of product in the Carrera family? With Chris Hemsworth of course. His movies are remarkably — and reliably — analogous to the types of watches on offer.
Editor’s note: Sometimes there’s a fine science to what gets posted as an ‘editor’s pick’ — perhaps the watch is newsworthy again, or the story ties into some sort of seasonal holiday (get ready for tax time stories). This time, though, I didn’t overthink it. I was simply scrolling through our YouTube, and spotted the blue steel Laureato and olive bomber combo and was all “yep, that’s a hot look”. Superficial, or just plain super? There’s something about the combination of utility and exclusivity that really appeals to people. And as I look down at the Laureato on my wrist as I type this, I can honestly say, I get it. Sure, tool-like dive watches and sporty chronographs fill a place in our watch-loving hearts that crave functionality and purpose, but a watch like the Laureato offers something more. Purpose and practicality, with ample lashings of beauty. I mean, just look at how that Clous de Paris dial, or those bracelet links, blaze in the light. This watch looks good in pictures, but it comes alive on the wrist. Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm Australian Pricing Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm, in steel on bracelet, $16,080