EDITOR’S PICK: Another look at the latest Omega Aqua Terra
Editor’s note: What with this year’s impressive overhaul of the Seamaster Professional, and last year’s revamp of the Aqua Terra, it looks like Omega’s main lines are getting some major love at the moment, which is good news for people who like high quality, great value watches (which, tbh, is all of us). But anyway, in case you missed it, here’s our deep dive into the AT … The story in a second: The Aqua Terra received a major upgrade in 2017, and now we’re seeing Omega’s staple in a whole new light. Since it first surfaced in 2003, Omega’s Aqua Terra has been a versatile everyman: stylish and sartorial, but tough enough for the real world. This year, the collection levelled-up to Master Chronometer status and we thought we’d take this sparkly 41mm rubberclad model for a spin. The case The case of the Aqua Terra hasn’t changed too obviously, it’s still the same classic shape, with sporty, swooping, twisted lugs and polished surfaces aplenty. It’s a combination of casual style and dressy finish that helps the Aqua Terra’s chameleon-factor. All models are offered in 38 or 41mm widths, a slight reduction from the previous generation, in line with changing…
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Sometimes I like to think of the watch industry’s annual releases like an epic, sprawling house party — the sort where everybody shows up. There’s the classy guys who show up at the scheduled start time (SIHH) with nice wine and house gifts, and then, when it’s all settling into polite chit-chat mode, talking about the latest highbrow TV shows, the rest of the party shows up (Baselworld) and it starts getting hectic. Like all good parties, there are cliques, frenemies and drama. Pretty soon all eyes are on the cool kids — your Pepsi GMTs and the like — and you get caught up in the excitement with everyone else. Next thing you know it’s 4am and you’re having an awesome conversation with six randoms you hadn’t noticed before, but who are absolute legends in their own right. These are those six watches. Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 Rolex’s hottest 2018 releases are pretty flashy – Pepsi bezels, rainbow bezels, Everose cases, jubilee bracelets … and the new black and white dial OP 39s are as classic as they come. Zero complication, but still all the hallmarks that make Rolex great. $7150 Panerai Luminor Marina Logo 3 Days Acciaio – 44mm (PAM…
Breguet, Blancpain, Jaquet Droz and Glashütte Original, representing the Swatch Group’s top tier watch brands, have teamed up to show off their latest and greatest at a 10-day exhibition hosted by retailer Monards at their Crown boutique. The exhibition kicked off last night, and while excellent company and sparkling drinks are all well and good, the real drawcard was the promise of the first chance to see more than 40 brand new products, fresh from Baselworld. And while the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon Black Enamel and the Breguet Marine 5517 were major drawcards, our eyes were drawn to some other — quite diverse — watches. So, without any further ado, here are four of our in-stock favourites from last night … Glashütte Original Sixties Panorama Date This green dial was one of the real standouts of Basel and, as you can expect, it attracted quite a crowd. But it’s not just the bold colour that makes this classic steel three-hander stand out, it’s the texture and those funky numerals. $11,900 Blancpain Bathyscaphe Annual Calendar The Bathyscaphe is the Blancpain diver for those who prefer a sleeker, slightly more modern profile on their dive watch. Add Blancpain’s distinctive annual calendar…
Filmgoers have had a fascination with mobsters since before the advent of the talkies, all the way back to the first ever gangster film, The Black Hand, in 1906. Beginning in the 1970s, filmmakers started exploring the New York mafioso culture in classic movies like The Godfather, Mean Streets and Goodfellas. Now it’s John Travolta’s turn to “don” the overcoat in this year’s Gotti, exploring the life, and death, of Gambino family boss John Gotti. To get into character, Travolta spent time with the Gotti family and with Gotti’s personal effects, including several watches owned by the (in)famous mobster. Which got us thinking about other notorious gangsters and the timepieces they owned throughout their lives … John Travolta, Piaget Ultra-Thin White Gold (diamond dial), owned by John Gotti, worn in the movie Gotti John Travolta takes his turn at playing notorious crime boss John Gotti in this year’s Gotti. Gotti Sr was famously known as the ‘Dapper Don’ for his always impeccable appearance and love of quality threads. Former New York gangster John Gotti Jr, son of the famous ‘Teflon Don’, acted as a consultant on the film, supplying Travolta with several of his father’s personal possessions, including overcoats, Brioni ties and Piaget watches. Tom…
There are watches we wear in our real lives and there are watches we imagine we would be brave enough to wear in our imaginary lives. There are watches we wear based on our budget, and there are watches we would buy should money be no object. This is a story about people wearing those kind of watches with no single trace of self-consciousness. With total and utter authority. There’s a lot we can learn about owning our wrist choices from these people. So here goes, a guide to wearing a bosstown, big-boy watch like nobody is watching. Jeff Goldblum – Cartier Tank in gold Many of us have admitted to wanting to wear a solid gold Cartier Tank, in concept. Mr Goldblum doesn’t do concept. He just lives his life as large as possible, while being asked to play himself in fictitious movies. It’s no wonder the man is experiencing something of a renaissance at the moment. After several scene-stealing performances in Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Grand Budapest Hotel, and more recently joining the Marvel universe in Thor: Ragnarok, the king of self-actualised cool is slated to appear in no less than five films in 2018,…
A relative newcomer on the watch scene (debuting in 2016), Gorilla is a brand that isn’t shy about throwing its weight around. The brainchild of Octavio Garcia and Lukas Gopp (formerly designers at Audemars Piguet), Gorilla does things its own way, and doesn’t mess around. Inspired by comic culture and American muscle cars of the 1970s, the Fastback GT is a big 44mm watch (48.5mm if you count the crown guard) with a blocky case construction, and decidedly automotive dial layout. It’s distinctive, but not outrageously or unwearably so, and — commendably for a watch at this price point — is a genuinely original design. Sure, some might raise their eyebrows at the Miyota 90S5 movement, but, as you can see, the case more than makes up for it. With a clever sandwich construction — comprising here of a forged carbon base, orange anodised aluminium ‘pinstripe’ and a large, square ceramic bezel — this is an exceptionally technical offering, and appears to be finely finished. For me, though, it’s the hooded lugs and chunky, multicoloured, perforated rubber strap that really seal the deal. Attention-grabbing looks aside, the Gorilla Fastback GT is very smart design. The modular approach also lends itself to short…
One of Girard-Perregaux’s leitmotifs is the golden bridge. Typically deployed in a trio, the golden bridges — with their broad, arrow-headed shoulders and pleasing, perfectly aligned symmetry — have been holding the brand’s wheels and balances in place since 1860. The golden bridges first showed up in a wristwatch in 1981, and these days it serves as a de facto logo. Girard-Perregaux has also been playing with tradition, with their modernist neo-bridges watches and this new, more accessible model, the Classic Bridges, which sees two bridges take pride of place on the dial; the smaller of the two looking after a balance wheel instead of the loftier tourbillon. That’s not to say that the Classic Bridges isn’t an impressive piece — this 40mm version (there’s also a suitably more epic 45mm option) is pure flex, with a large, no-nonsense pink gold case, and exceptionally finished, partially openworked dial. The satin polished steel components provide a nice contrast to those bridges and the broad, brushed hour and minute hands (there’s no seconds hand). The combination of contrast and power is compelling enough, but for me it’s the balance of the in-house movement that takes the Classic Bridges to the next level. The bridges are…
One of the things I love most in watches is when a brand challenges my preconceptions. That’s exactly what happened in Jaquet Droz’s Basel booth earlier this year. I was surrounded by writing machines, jewelled butterflies, automata of all shapes and sizes (well, not really, but you get my point), and then BAM! I saw the Skelet-One. I mean, sure, technically it’s part of the Grande Seconde family (just like the Tribute), but to my mind it’s aggressive modernity meets classical proportion and peerless finish. A seductive mix, indeed. In and of itself the skeletonisation is very cool, but the real deal-sealer is the sapphire subdial. Not only does it look like the titular seconds hand is floating on air, it allows maximum light into that golden case, to great effect. Minimal dial. Maximum impact. Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Skelet-One Australian Pricing Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Skelet-One, $44,950.
Editor’s note: In the land of watches, it’s easy to fall into an endless hole of segmentation. Dive watch begets dive chronograph begets dive chronograph in rose gold etc. And, fun as this never-ending narrowing of focus is, we should never forget that the number of people in the market for a rose gold dive chronograph is comparatively small. But you know what lots of people do want? A good, solid watch to wear every day. Which is why Andy Green’s round-up of eight of last year’s best all day, every day watches is such a winner. I like to think of myself as a very ‘everyday’ kind of guy who, for the most part, lives a life wearing smart casual. I’m talking that perfect balance of comfort, function and style. This balance, of course, extends to my tastes in watches, as versatility is paramount — and I like to be prepared. Today we’re looking at the best ‘everyday’ watches of 2017, and only the most versatile made the cut. We’re talking watches that you can start your day with at the gym, wear through a day at the office, and then out to a nice dinner. Tudor Heritage Black Bay…
It was always going to be a tough ask, Australia taking on the powerhouse French team. And in the end the 2-1 score proved the point, but didn’t tell the whole tale. Before we return to the game, let’s take a step back and ask the (very valid) question: Why is Time+Tide talking about the World Cup? Well, there are two answers. A: everyone is, and B: Hublot. It was an invitation from Hublot that found me sipping an Old Fashioned high above the Sydney skyline while I kicked footballs — in perhaps the most un-World Cup worthy manner ever seen — into a neon Hublot Loves Football goal, on the balcony of The Ivy’s Penthouse. As the minutes ticked down to kick-off time, I shouldered my way through the pack near the screens (clearly, Hublot’s party was one of the hotter tickets in town) to secure a prime position. But first, a surprise. Joel Ruiz, Hublot’s Brand Manager (a man who, commendably, made no bones about his hopes for an Australian win, even though no one would have blamed him for supporting the other side, given his French background), thanked us all for attending, and spoke about Hublot’s love…