INTRODUCING: The Seiko Presage Enamel collection – 4 new looks for last year’s surprise hit, starting at $1800
If you’re into watches and haven’t heard about the Presage Chronograph from Seiko, we’re sorry to be the ones to tell you, but you’ve been living under a rock. It was, without doubt, the winning curveball of 2016, and for good reason. It ticked all the boxes: pedigree, style, mechanics, value and an incredibly handsome dial. The only problem is that it was a limited edition. Well, that’s not the case with the four new regular production additions to the Presage line, still based on Seiko’s historical ‘Laurel’ model, and all featuring lustrous hand-fired enamel dials and classic style, replete with Roman numerals. Here are our initial thoughts on the collection, though we know these will be watches that look even better in the metal, so stay tuned for Baselworld. Seiko Presage Enamel Automatic Chronograph (ref. SRQ023) Without doubt, this will be the most popular of the collection, given that it’s virtually the same as last year’s breakout model. The most obvious change is Roman numerals replacing the Breguet-style Arabics. The other changes are the addition of ‘Presage’ dial text at 12, the new typeface for ‘automatic’ and a slightly tweaked hour hand. All small changes, but the overall result is a dressier-looking chronograph. The price…
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We’re all taught the colours of the rainbow from pre-school, so it’s amazing how many of us grow up to wear only black. Anything brighter is definitely viewed as a risk, which is why smaller wardrobe items are a great starting point for that gamble. For guys, it might be a patterned pocket square or the flash of contrasting sock, while ladies can dabble with a broader palette through make-up and jewellery. Across the board, though, one place that’s perfect for introducing colour is the wrist. My first thoughts on seeing the Ulysse Nardin Classico Automatic Lady, fresh for 2017, was that it is very, very bright. But, as is so often the case with watches, you really need to spend some quality time with it before jumping to conclusions. Up close, the translucent blue enamel dial is so vibrant, it’s on the cusp of purple – and in daylight, it’s hard to take your eyes off the sun ray guilloché. It really is show-stopping, to the point that the 60 diamonds circling the case are really just a support act. The leaf-shaped hands are elegantly tapered, pointing towards Roman numerals at 3, 6, 9 and 12, with indices in between keeping…
Editor’s Note: With Baselworld just around the corner we can’t help but wonder if Omega will treat us to some more thrills (hopefully not spills) courtesy of the Globemaster. The first version of this retro-ish watch exploded onto wrists in 2015 to very near universal acclaim, followed in 2016 by this much more polarising Annual Calendar. So, where could Omega take the Globemaster in 2017? New complications, sizes or materials? We don’t know, but it’s fun to speculate. Until then, take a few minutes to bask in the glory of these stunning shots of the controversial watch. Story in a second Omega adds an extra hand, two millimetres and a whole lot of text to their Constellation-inspired Globemaster. The Globemaster was one of the breakthrough watches of 2015, and it would have been naive to think that Omega wouldn’t extend the collection. And, while predicting a calendar version would have been a pretty safe bet, no one expected it to look quite like this. Given that the collection will be hitting Australian shores soon, we thought it was time to take a closer look at the Omega Globemaster Annual Calendar. The dial When I saw the press images of this watch I was worried that Omega…
It gets boring waiting in lines, especially when you’re hungry. So if by chance this finds you outside Chin Chin (Australia’s top-ranked restaurant, located in Flinders Lane, Melbourne which has a wait-time of around the average romantic comedy in length), you’re in luck, because we’re going to help you kill at least two minutes. And if you watch it 45 times, you are golden, you’ll be up. Fact is, you could probably do both – start with Must Love Dogs and finish with this, because it will get you in the mood for Chin Chin’s patented blast of freshness, flavour and chilli. In the video, Chin Chin head chef Ben Cooper asks why chefs love watches so much, while giving plainspeak instructions about how to knock up a simple beef stir fry. Bon appetit!
Sick of the same old in your Insta-feed? We can highly recommend the account of watch lover and leather goods wizard N G Lester of UK-based Noble & Graff. Get ready for a screen full of his creations, punctuated with pics of many (many) watches. Oh, and poodles. There are poodles. NAME: N G Lester OCCUPATION: Crafter of luxury trunks and fine leather goods, and vintage watch connoisseur HANDLE: @NobleandGraff FOLLOWERS: 8091 LOCATION: London Time+Tide: How did you end up making luggage? N G Lester: I started my career in men’s tailoring, and my first encounter working with leather was at the Alexander McQueen studio. They were short-staffed and I got moved to the accessories department, where I made belts and key chain prototypes for manufacturing. My passion for making luggage didn’t really start until about 12 years ago when I purchased my first trunk on eBay that was made in 1960. When it arrived, I was in shock at the level of detail. The finishing, personalisation, the lid corner, the hinges, bolts… The little details were fascinating. Ever since, I’ve been studying them and finding places where I could learn this almost-lost craft, to bring back the true bespoke trunk service using those old techniques. T+T:…
When it comes to watches that are described as unisex, quite honestly, very few do a good job of straddling the gender divide equally. Sure, there are plenty of women who’ll happily wear hefty, so-called masculine watches, but it’s a rare Aussie bloke who’ll strap into anything involving diamonds and pastels, even if it’s marketed evenly at both the XX and XY camps. Sound the gender-neutral klaxon then, because today’s watch sits as squarely in the middle as we’ve ever seen – pun fully intended. The latest evolution of the Bell & Ross BR S Rose Gold, which landed in Australian boutiques in December, was squabbled over by everyone at T+T HQ when it arrived last week. Everyone. And you can see why. The signature Bell & Ross silhouette is in full effect, complete with the usual aviation influences, but in this instance the result is far more elegant – thanks primarily to the materials used. The satin-brushed 18-carat rose gold of the case contrasts nicely with the polished screws. The glossy alligator strap matches beautifully with the moody black starburst dial. In place of the small seconds of previous versions, we see a sweeping second hand that makes for a cleaner, less…
Some weeks, the Wind Down is full of momentous news and calamitous happenings. Brands being sold, records broken – that sort of thing. This is not one of those weeks. We’re in the eye of the SIHH/Baselworld storm, and, on the surface at least, everything is calm. At this point we’re going to get all choose-your-own-adventure on you. Do you a: Enjoy this moment of peace, and pour yourself something light and sparkly? Or do you b: Hunker down in the corner with a tankard of foul-smelling swill and mutter cantankerously about ‘trouble-a-brewin’ in a thick rural accent. Either way, read on. What happened Depending on your relationship status, Tuesday was a day of blissful romance or a gross commercial exploitation of love. To celebrate, our homesick French intern Elise penned a note to the Swiss watch industry… but was it a bawdy love letter, or a breakup? Later in the week, perhaps in a moment of remorse, Elise convinced us to run a little comp, giving away a love letter writing kit (basically a bottle of great red wine, a fancy pen and a posh notebook) to the viewer who could identify all the watches shown in her video. This proved to…
If you’re feeling brave, type ‘wristies’ into the Google machine, and you’ll be rewarded with an eye-opening array of results. Who knew, for example, that they were a type of fingerless gloves? Fascinating stuff. Those are not the wristies we’re focusing on today – nor will we be broaching any other varieties, thank you very much. Instead, we’re here to talk about the humble watch wristshot. Many take them, but ever fewer succeed at pulling a like, heart or share, because, well, it’s been years now, and the game is a whole lot harder. So in an effort to make the process a touch more sciency, we’ve combed Instagram in its entirety (it certainly feels that way), to compile 15 of our favourite shots. Once harvested, these clustered themselves quite naturally into five distinct categories which we’ve broken down just for you. Look and learn, people . The Detail Shot Probably the best excuse for taking a wristshot is that you find yourself wearing a beautiful watch, and want to show the world. Perhaps it’s a vintage piece you’ve unearthed, or maybe you managed to snag a limited edition while the great unwashed languish on the waitlist for the next 18 months.…
If you like watches (you do) and exist in a digital age (also affirmative) there’s a good chance you’ve encountered the garrulous Adam Craniotes – heck you might have even seen his tour of NYC. And if you’ve come across @Craniotes, you’ve probably heard the story of his IWC Perpetual Calendar, and how he had to borrow cash off his mum to get it, and the Delilah-esque toll she exacted. (We’re not going to tell you that story, but you can read up on it here if you like.) On this occasion, we asked Adam to tell us about his Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Alarm Navy SEALs (the Incursion Edition, just in case you were wondering). As with all things this modern-day raconteur is involved with, there’s a tale behind the watch. A tale of deceit and skulduggery we’re sure will resonate with many of you…
Panerai kicked off 2017 with a bang. The brand that artfully bolts together ‘Italian design and Swiss precision’ showed a cohesive range with a strong material focus at SIHH in January. At the collection’s core was the mighty Luminor Submersible in many shapes and sizes. Andrew and I picked our three favourite takes on this diver’s diver, and it quickly became clear just how versatile the Submersible is: from dressy to everyday to downright lustworthy. All that’s needed is a change of case metal and a new dial. The only question is, which watch wouldn’t Andrew shut up about?