Should you take off your watch before having sex?
We turn now to one of the great philosophical dilemmas of our time. It’s a profound and complex question that lies at the knotty intersection between primal desire, technology, psychology, gender equality and the mood-killing potential of trying to undo a particularly fiddly NATO strap. I refer, of course, to the ticklish conundrum: should you take off your watch before having sex? It’s actually a more divisive issue than it sounds. When Men’s Health conducted a Twitter poll on the subject in January 2019 the jury was pretty inconclusive with 57% of respondents saying that wearing a watch during sex was perfectly fine, while 43% took the view that you should just “put the damn thing on your bedside table already” before getting down to business. The gender issue At this point, we need to establish some ground rules. Without getting too intrusive: are you a man or a woman? I don’t mean to pry, you understand, but this makes a fundamental difference to the question at hand. Because expectations of complete nudity during jiggery-pokery are not the same for both genders. Let me explain. Whenever I make a cack-handed attempt to coax my long-suffering wife into conjugal activities, she’s…
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Earlier this week, aptly on a #speedytuesday in Switzerland, Omega has released a new generation of Omega Speedmaster watches. The upgrade has been long-awaited with the previous references largely unchanged for the past 50 years. The Omega Speedmaster 3861 models announced introduce master chronometer co-axial technology to the professional moon watch – with subtle changes to its case, dial and bezel, plus an overhauled bracelet. Let’s take a closer look at the new watches and what they may mean for prospective buyers worldwide. The 2021 Omega Speedmaster 3861 Collection The new-generation Omega Speedmaster 3861 collection comes in the form of four watches in eight configurations – two in steel and two in precious metals (Sedna Gold and Canopus Gold). Each can be bought on either a strap or new-generation bracelet depending on your preference. The cases of the Omega Speedmaster 3861 collection are directly inspired by the fourth generation Omega Speedmaster ST 105.012 worn by Apollo 11 astronauts on the moon. The 42mm case is both satin-brushed and mirror-polished, with twisted lyre-style lugs that feature a mirror-polished bevelling. Omega has returned the double-stepped caseback to the new line, which will make the wear experience that much more akin to the original…
In spite of some not inconsiderable distractions, there were some pretty decent watches released in 2020. Quite a few of them actually. Omega relaunched their serially produced caliber 321, Bulgari executed the Octo Finissimo in steel, Grand Seiko launched an entirely new escapement in their SLGH002 and DOXA brought their most iconic design into the 21st century with a forged carbon case. But that wasn’t all. Moser joined the sports watch game with a “Matrix green” three-hander, Audemars Piguet launched a sensationally designed Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon for women and Rolex served up a colourful nod to the Stella dials of the 1970s. Amid all of these exciting new horological treats, it isn’t easy selecting a trio of favourites, but I’ve done just that, and picked the three amigos that I’d be more than happy to bolster my collection with. In fact, I’ve added one of them already. Cartier Santos-Dumont “La Demoiselle” Limited Edition in platinum Cartier continued their development of the Santos-Dumont collection that they’d begun to revitalise in 2019 with a number of new quartz references. Last year’s references focused on mechanical movements instead, as well as an expansion of precious metal cases, and several very exciting new…
Fact: we are stuck in the strap-technology stone age while the world is moving on. Is the 100-year-old technology of the spring bar beautiful nostalgia? Or simply large manufacturers being lazy? We all have a story of that one time, changing a strap to match up that outfit, fiddling with a screwdriver, scratching the lug, only for the spring bar to go ping! Off into the world, never to be seen again and you obviously didn’t have a spare 20mm one. Let’s face it: we need new easy solutions. Can anyone beat Apple at the comfort game, or has someone already found the solution? Because Apple seems to have it sussed for comfort. Ironically I’m not a huge fan of the Apple Watch, mainly because I still enjoy the notion of cogs, a hairspring and a balance wheel rotating inside the case. But credit where credit’s due, their strap tech is superb and should be a call to arms for the Swiss and Japanese. The original Apple Sport Loop is a minimalist’s dream in its innate simplicity, and smooth fit to the case, eminently adjustable and secure. It’s a great strap if you don’t want holes, and enjoy the rough…
The term “grail watch” is used to refer to the ultimate collection piece. It might be a rare vintage treasure or a modern horological marvel depending on your personal taste. Effectively though it represents the Mount Everest of your watch-buying ambitions and is likely to be financially ruinous. Grail watches traditionally therefore conjure up images of serious heavyweight timepieces – a Patek Philippe grand complication perhaps or an early Rolex Submariner with a tropical dial. But what happens when the best manufacturers in the business launch their haute horlogerie on the utilitarian sportiness of a soft rubber strap? It’s a divisive move sure that’s likely to split watch lovers between horror and delight. Here, we’re firmly in the latter party. The reason? A rubber strap makes your grail infinitely more wearable and watches, however valuable, are ultimately made to be enjoyed on the wrist rather than gather dust in a safe. A rubber strap means being able to wear your grail during your favourite activities while also making it more accessible and unobtrusive in a year where bling feels increasingly inappropriate. We say that’s a proper win-win. Here are five of the most wildly desirable grail watches on rubber straps.…
Roni Madhvani is one of the biggest vintage watch aficionados on the planet. His Instagram page – @roni_m_29 – is the stuff of legend and showcases his treasure trove of some of the rarest and most eccentric timepieces from the likes of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Cartier. Conspicuously, however, it’s one of the few watch ’Gram pages that isn’t littered with steel sports watches. Madhvani’s collection is focused on precious metal and unique case shapes. Whether it’s a Cartier Crash, Audemars Piguet “Disco Volante” or a Gilbert Albert-designed Patek Philippe, his Instagram feed is a wonderland of the strangest and most left-field watches out there. Here, Madhvani offers his thoughts on the steel sports watch phenomenon and explains the benefits in branching out. Nick Kenyon: What are your thoughts on the current hype around stainless steel sports watches? Roni Madhvani: “Horses for courses” as they say! I respect anyone’s tastes, but my personal thoughts are that there is so much out there when it comes to watches and particularly vintage ones, and it’s sometimes good to look out beyond a bit. Others, I suspect, view steel sports watches as an opportunity to flip and be a nice earner. So…
Rolex … oh dear, Rolex … love the watches, hate the limited amount of product available. As much as it would be easy to chalk it up to brand power and allure, the reality is the crown manufacturer makes one hell of a wristwatch. The Rolex name may draw all-comers into purchasing their pieces, but the build quality and tried-and-true aesthetics get top marks from collectors and connoisseurs as well. We ultimately vote with our dollars, dictating the values of watches on the second-hand market. But Rolex has its role in this as well. With the industry equivalent of voter suppression, Rolex knows what it is doing by limiting the number produced each year and how many watches actually reach the cases of authorised dealers worldwide. Rolex GMT-Master II models have continually captured the hearts of buyers worldwide, each model seemingly impossible to obtain at retail. The Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR is no exception, taking the beloved bezel of the already popular Batman model and pairing it with a new movement and Jubilee bracelet. The case: The 904L stainless steel case has the heft of a precious metal on the wrist, an experience you just have to see for yourself…
Editor’s note: Today, Omega did what they had been hinting at for months: they launched eight new Speedmaster references across four models, all with the new Master Chronometer Calibre 3861. The four references include regular versions with Hesalite and Sapphire and precious metal versions in Omega’s proprietary Canopus gold and Sedna gold, all with options on bracelets and leather or fabric straps. The most significant updates for all eight references are the new caliber housed within, and the brand new bracelet design. The new movement looks like an evolution rather than revolution. The power reserve is improved from 48 to 50 hours, hacking seconds is now possible, and it’s generally more robust all round. The bracelet now features five links per row instead of three, and each row is slightly smaller, which is sure to make the bracelet even more comfortable. But to get a better idea of what’s changed, let’s have one last loving look back at the now superseded (and more affordable) generation of Omega Speedmaster. More to come on the new collection shortly. The Omega Speedmaster isn’t just another watch. It is an important part of the horological canon and, more importantly, the watch that went to…
Look, I don’t have a crystal ball that can tell me which new watches will or will not drop this year. But when people raise the question of whether or not the Black Bay Fifty-Eight with its 39mm dial will replace the 41mm line in the Tudor catalogue, I am not afraid to share my prediction. The short answer: no. Believe me, as the resident tiny wrister of the Time+Tide team (who regularly and playfully battles with his boss on the issue of ideal case diameters) I would have no qualms if this did actually happen. But if I really try to follow the trends of both marketplace preference and brand manoeuvering, I get the sense that it’s highly unlikely. Here’s why … Rolex made their Submariner 41mm this year and Omega is sticking to the diameter as well Rolex are sticklers when it comes to change. They favour the five-and-out mentality over Hail Mary overhauls (sorry, American Football reference). The incremental modifications they make each year are highly discussed in-house, with the subtle revisions made with extreme caution and care. The Submariner watch has never surpassed 40mm in diameter, but clearly Rolex felt the marketplace would be open to…
Watchmaking can often seem like an intimidating world that’s inaccessible to all but the most tech-savvy. But Peter Speake-Marin is striving to change that with his fascinating website, The Naked Watchmaker. After exiting his eponymous haute horlogerie watch brand, Speake-Marin has worked as a consultant and started his site with a desire to demystify and inform. Or in his own words: “To bring to a new generation the magic and passion of watchmaking and to increase the knowledge of those already bitten by the horological bug.” Last week he gave us a free ticket into the shadowy world of the mythical COSC labs. The organisation that stands behind those four all-encompassing letters is enveloped in secrecy and, for some of us, embodies the raison d’être for collecting expensive mechanical watches. Because as we all know, no matter how embarrassing it may be, a bargain quartz watch is usually more exact than your mechanical wonder, unless COSC can prove otherwise. COSC was established in 1973 and are based in the heart of the Swiss watch industry, La Chaux-de-Fonds. The Swiss Official Chronometer Control (English language version COSC) is a non-profit association created by the five cantons of Bern, Geneva, Neuchatêl, Solothurn…