EDITOR’S PICK: How to lose at Geneva watch auctions – a handy guide
Editor’s Note: Given that the dog and pony show that is the big Geneva auctions has just wrapped up (after breaking another bunch of records), we thought it was the perfect time to publish Time+Tide reader Julian Sack’s account of trying to buy a watch in Geneva, which we originally published one year ago – to the day. Now, Julian is no noob – he’s an experienced collector with a penchant for the Rolex Prince and Patek Philippe. So if you’ve got dreams to head to Switzerland and make a killing in the big auctions, this is a must-read. I’d never before attended any of the big Geneva watch auctions, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. My first stop after clearing customs was Christie’s, to get a closer look at some lots I had my eye on. The atmosphere was busy, but calm. An hour and some 15 watches later, I had a better idea of what I wanted to bid on. Some watches that I liked from pictures didn’t deliver in the flesh, so I’d already had my first lesson – that it’s essential to see the pieces in real life. Next stop was Phillips. I’d missed the epic Start-Stop-Reset, but…
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The ‘Paul Newman’ Daytona is one of THE legendary watches. At its most basic level it’s an exotic dialled variant of the (already iconic) Rolex Daytona. Unpopular when it was originally released, things kicked off for the watch when pictures of Paul Newman wearing a ref. 6239 emerged and the once-obscure chronograph became one of the hottest tickets in town. And, like the story of all mythical creatures, that of the Paul Newman is a nugget of truth surrounded by a whole lot of rumour, speculation and downright BS. The reason is simple – Paul Newmans are worth big dollars. For example, a particularly primo gold ref. 6263 sold just the other weekend, setting a new record with its whopping $3.7m USD hammer price. In a little over 24 hours, Sotheby’s Australia will be auctioning off a Paul Newman in Sydney, not something seen too often around here. And while this particular watch won’t be pulling in millions, it’s still an interesting lot. A transitional ref. 6262, produced for only one year in 1970, this is a pre-Oyster case model, powered by a Valjoux 727, beating at 21,600 bph, with the classic panda dial configuration. For Australian collectors, tomorrow’s auction is…
It’s been a strong year for the Submersible collection, with Panerai hitting home runs with the latest Bronzo, the ingenious BMG-Tech and the luxe lusciousness of the solid gold PAM 684. And while all these models offer a little something extra, be it limited edition exclusivity, material innovation or a solid chunk of gold, there’s also a Submersible for the rest of us, and that’s the PAM 682. Cased in plain brushed steel, on a rubber strap, the PAM 682 is the essence of the Submersible – tool-like, utilitarian and unquestionably Panerai. It’s also 42mm, which opens the traditionally beefy diver up to a whole new audience. The case size is the only thing that’s been reduced, all other components remain as high-quality as ever, including the movement. The robust P.9010 is visible through the clear caseback, ticking away at 4hz, and good for three days of power reserve. The broad-shouldered Luminor 1950 case is still the hero of the show, thanks to the trademark crown guard. Appropriately enough for a diver (the watch is good to 300m), legibility is the name of the game for the dial, with only the blue small seconds hand relieving the otherwise black and white…
Franck Muller has the impressive title of ‘The Master of Complications’ – and this wristwatch is the reason why. The Aeternitas Mega features a staggering 36 complications, 21 hands and a movement with no fewer than 1483 parts. Reading the watch takes more than a little getting used to and adjusting it requires a PhD in advanced horology. But whatever you do, don’t let it run out of power – resetting it would be a pain.
We all have friends who wear watches made by brands like Daniel Wellington and The Horse. We also all know that these watches are, essentially, identical. Yet somehow these simple quartz dress watch look-a-likes seem to net their savvy owners massive piles of dosh. Some of us may have even wondered about starting our own brand like this (I know I have). Well, wonder no more as someone (who has chosen to remain anonymous) has uploaded a helpful guide to imgur. Here’s the original, but we’ve reposted it in full below. Bravo, mystery writer. Enjoy.
Sometimes the endless parade of circular watches gets a little monotonous. We’ve been conditioned by decades of design to default to the round in watches. By and large that’s fine, but sometimes we want something just outside the norm – still versatile, still stylish, but a little less same same. And there’s where the squares come in. Now, a word of warning. What constitutes a ‘square’ in watchmaking is a subjective business. Is it the dial? Is it the case? It’s tricky, because fine watch design is not as black and white as geometry would have you believe. Well, we’ve found six squares to suit all tastes – from architects to action men. Nomos Tetra neomatik With their clean lines and sparse dials it’s easy to see why Nomos is a brand beloved by architects, creative directors and anyone with a professional interest in good design. Of all their watches, the Tetra is perhaps the most stylistically uncompromising, thanks to its aggressively simple case and classic stepped lugs. And even though the case measures 33mm across, it wears well on men’s wrists thanks to its shape and formal style. Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Horolum You can’t have a list…
In 1939 when two Portuguese merchants approached IWC about making a wristwatch with the same levels of accuracy usually seen in marine chronometer pocket watches, they had no idea it would be the beginning of a legend and the birth of one of IWC’s most popular collections. With a new slightly revised design, IWC have launched an updated version of their Portugieser Chronograph Classic – which we first saw back in 2013 (Ref. IW3904). The updates are few and subtle but they have culminated in a watch that accentuates the classic styling fans of the Portugieser love. Comparing new with old, the removal of the 1/5th of a second markings from the railway-track style chapter ring and the omission of the red accents from the chronograph markings have made for a cleaner looking dial that bolsters the family connection. Coupled with the now slightly slimmer feuille (leaf) hands and applied Arabic numerals, there is no doubting to which collection the Chronograph Classic belongs – especially when it sits beside its aperture-heavy brother, the Portugieser Annual Calendar. The 42mm case with a thickness of 14.5mm is largely unchanged, and is available in either stainless steel or 18k red gold. The stainless steel has two…
At first glance the Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic True Second seems simple enough, with its round 39.6mm case in satin-brushed steel and uncluttered dial. Closer examination reveals the unmistakable quality, the frosted silver opaline dial, the mirror-polished applied batons and slender hands. The strength of the case and the judicious use of luminous material let you know that the Geophysic isn’t strictly a dress watch. Even when you flip it over and gaze at the excellent finishing and handsomely skeletonised pink gold rotor, you probably won’t spot anything that marks this watch as something truly special. No, you need to see the ticking of the seconds hands to realise that the True Second JLC is referring to is in fact a dead-beat seconds, one of the coolest and stealthiest complications around.
Editor’s Note: We’re not ashamed to say that pretty much all of us at Time+Tide are on board with the weekly chicanery of one James ‘Jimmy’ McGill in Better Call Saul, now in its third season. The morning after each episode we get a coffee and debrief. One of the bones of contention lately has been Jimmy’s unusual gold watch, which is cushion-cased and appears to have an LED display. Much harder to trace than the gold watches in episode four, which we covered here. If you have any information about Jimmy’s current wrist ride please let us know. WATCHSPOTTING: BETTER CALL SAUL It seems episode 4 of Better Call Saul was designed and written by Vince Gilligan to appear on Time+Tide. Not just because the opening scene of episode four – scripted in full below, sans the twist, which is awesome – revolves around a watch. But also because, for the first time in any Vince Gilligan TV show in living memory, including X Files and Breaking Bad, the episode name-checks Australia. After an unexpected windfall of cash, Goodman does what all discerning gentlemen do when they find themselves flush, he goes to a tailor. When he is asked about the cloth he wants for his…
It’s easy to get distracted by the brightest, shiniest watches of Baselworld; the watches that live up to the marketing parlance of ‘novelties’. But sometimes the real winners are the quiet achievers. I suspect Omega’s redesigned Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m will be one of these winners. The AT (as it’s often called) has long been the go-to casual dress Omega, the obvious choice for those looking for an alternative to the storied Speedmaster or the sporty Seamaster. This year that choice just got easier. The dial has been significantly improved, with less busy text, a new horizontal stripe, and a newly positioned date window at six, giving the whole dial really strong vertical balance, which looks great on the wrist. The changes don’t stop there either – the case (in 41mm and 38mm) has been subtly updated, and the crown has been modified to make it slightly more ergonomic. And of course they’re Master Chronometers, powered by mighty METAS-certified calibres. This particular model comes in at $7250.