HANDS-ON: Is the Bell & Ross BR 126 Aeronavale the best (and boldest) Vintage model yet?
Bell & Ross has never been afraid of colour. And their bold, highly graphical square instrument watches are a natural canvas for creative experimentation. The brand’s more traditional round watches are a little bit of a different story – inherently more conservative; B&R tend to play things safer with their Vintage collection. Which is why the Aeronavale range is such a big old bolt from the blue – and boy, did the risk pay off. While the form of the Vintage BR 126 Aeronavale (and indeed the simpler BR 123) is the same as regular versions, the execution is simply stunning. Bell & Ross has managed to turned a 43mm steel chronograph, running off an ETA-based movement into a glittering jewel. Key to this transformation is the rich blue starburst dial, with radial brushing. The twin subdials contrast nicely, thanks to the fine circular engraving. Thanks to this ever-changing finish the watch already dances and plays in different lights, but when you add gold toned hands and applied hour markers you get a watch that doesn’t stop. It looks incredible on the wrist. In low lights it looks dark, almost reserved, but as soon as you a stray beam catches it at the…
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The idea is at once compelling and faintly ridiculous. Ask Oscar Hunt Tailors, who specialise in made to measure suits, to tailor a suit to a watch. That’s right. Treat a watch like a person – look at its shoulders, its shape and move to accentuate, flatter and embrace it with perfectly matched suiting. Not just any watch, though; the Cartier Clé de Cartier, one of our favourite releases of 2015, which charms with its ‘shape in shape’ case design, quite a breach from Cartier’s usually faithful one-shape story. Like Felix said at the time, it presents a soft geometric curve surrounding a circular dial and evokes Cartier’s spirit of classic elegance while giving a nod to the bold designs that characterised ’60s and ’70s watch design.” The mission was simple enough. The response required, it turns out, a lot of thought.
Editor’s Note: Every single watch journalist in the world has a readymade answer / answers to the question, “So, watch writer, what should I buy if I’m going to get just one good watch?” This was a recent stab at it for Executive Style in Melbourne. The Mark Zuckerberg bombshell regarding his wardrobe choices should be received as very good news for those wanting to buy one great watch, and be done with it. Quizzed on his daily ensemble, which consists primarily of a grey t-shirt, he said in a Q&A session with the Telegraph: “I want to clear my life so that I have to make as few decisions as possible about anything except how to best serve this community. There’s a psychology theory that even making small decisions around what you wear…or things like that make you tired and consume your energy.” With this in, mind we felt that it would be prudent to hunt down the very best single watch you could invest in for everyday wear. So your mind, like Zuck’s, can be free to focus on greatness. Let us be clear. ‘Everyday wear’ means all the days of the week. The work days, the weekends…
The story in a second Bell & Ross ditch the tactical style of the flight deck in favour of the formality of the parade ground. Ever since I reviewed the surprisingly seductive beige dialled Vintage BR 123 way back in the early days of Time+Tide I’ve had a soft spot for Bell & Ross’s round watches. The Vintage line offers a solid platform for the design-oriented brand play with colour, materials and military codes. Don’t believe me? Look at the watch above, then compare it to the beige dialled version, and finally check out this blacked-out chrono. Same essential platform – three completely different results. The unifying factor? A link back to the world of aviation. In the case of the Aeronavale the inspiration is more parade ground and less flight deck – the distinctive blue and gold livery comes from the dress uniforms of French naval pilots – the Aeronavale. The dial It seems the French navy know a classic colour combo when they see one, because the deep blue and shining gold of the Aeronavale is a real winner. It translates well on the wrist too. The sunburst blue dial and applied gold tone markers and hands look sharp…
The story of the watch ended up being bigger than the act of me having the watch… This is perhaps the best video proof we have so far of the fact that watches can take on a depth of personal meaning to a wearer that will literally bring tears to their eyes when they’re asked about it. Even if that wearer’s one of the most hardened tequila drinkers out there… A little while ago Ben Cooper, Executive Chef of Chin Chin, Kong, Baby and Hawker Hall (phew, that’s quite a gig) invited us to his house for a stir-fry. There’s just no way to #humblebrag that. It was unreal, everything you might hope, full of flavours, beers and feels. While we were there Ben imparted some of the secrets of getting chilli-drunk, correct wok-technique and why chefs are so into watches. Coops also introduced us to his kitchen wrist-ware of choice, the Hublot Big Bang. Today Ben goes one step further and tells us the story of how he came to be wearing it. And in the immortal words of Big Chris (Vinnie Jones) from Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, “it’s emotional”.Thanks for your openness chef. Watch and as Ben would say, enjoy.
Editor’s Note: I wrote this piece a few years ago, and reading it now, all I feel compelled to add is this: learn your bracelets. If you can tell a Jubilee from a Link, or if you can spot the subtle differences between a Bulgari, Vacheron and Audemars Piguet bracelet, you’re well and truly on your way to the brand and model. Stay safe out there spotters, nobody likes a stalker. Watch spotting. Don’t be shy, we all do it, and with varying levels of sophistication. Some among us are smooth as silk, spotting a watch half a room away, approaching the wearer with a smile and leaving shortly after with a photo, a story and the holy grail – a price. If you’re not already that guy, you can be. The scenario should be familiar. You’re walking down the street with your beloved and you spot a beautiful creature coming towards you. Whatever spins your tourbillon cage – Ryan Gosling’s junk, Nicki Minaj’s trunk – picture it, and squeeze it into something tight. You look down, sideways, anywhere but in their direction. You squeeze your partner’s hand tightly. All of a sudden you become intensely interested in shop displays, the pavement,…
I remember the first Vacheron Constantin I ever laid eyes on. It was in a magazine for an Australian retailer. It was an Overseas model and it was a chronograph, but thanks to an interesting take on the bezel, it didn’t strike me as ‘just sporty’ like chronos can be. It had an edge to it. Literally. The Maltese cross tips cut out of the polished bezel made it dressy and daring. The backstory told in a full page ad opposite the watch – of a brand founded on an island in the middle of Lake Geneva that’s been in continuous production since 1755 – only added another layer of intrigue. It was almost Da Vinci Code-like in its imagery and storytelling. I was fascinated. Fast forward to 2016 and several of the elements that first introduced me to the brand are in play. I’m on an island. Lord Howe Island. I’m in possession of the brand new Overseas range in its entirety, including all the interchangeable strap options. All that’s missing is a conspiracy theory, and Audrey Tatou, which is a shame. Over the 48 hours we spent on the island my wrist was exclusively dressed by Vacheron Constantin.…
Today’s Wind Down is dedicated to all the winners out there. Maybe you found $2 on the street, maybe you’ve just got a positive attitude, or maybe, just maybe, you’re lucky enough to win a watch. So, take pride in your achievements (be they big or small), have a cold drink and take four minutes and 56 seconds out of your day to enjoy this slice of Swedish victory. What actually mattered Let’s cut to the chase. The lucky entrant in our 2016 Reader Survey is (we’re going to pull the Bandaid off quick here…) Alan from Sydney. Congratulations Alan! *Fireworks, high-fives, fist-bumps, awkward manhugs, cheering, cheersing etc* When I spoke to Alan on Monday he was, how shall we say, shocked to a point of disbelief. For those who missed out on the biscuits this year, be assured, you’re losing to a grateful guy; Alan has never won any sort of competition before, and still can’t quite believe this is happening. Alan, THIS IS HAPPENING. We suspect it will become a little more real when he straps his new Oris on in the next few days. The only question is, which Oris Divers Sixty Five did Alan choose? “Well, initially I thought the…
Even though there’s no doubt that the darlings of A. Lange & Söhne’s lineup are the more contemporarily styled pieces like the Lange One and the Zeitwerk, there’s still a place for deeply traditional design the catalogue of Glashütte’s favourite son – and that’s the 1815 collection. Named for the year of founder Ferdinand A. Lange’s birth, the 1815 family of watches takes as its inspiration early marine chronometres. First developed in the 18th Century, these ship-bound timepieces were extremely accurate, and a vital tool in navigation. And while the design isn’t what we’d associate with tool watches these days, make no mistake, legibility and reliability were the name of the game. It’s logical that Lange, those masters of function and style, adopt this distinctive look as the trademark for their 1815 collection. With the blued sword-style hands, railroad minute track (with the brand’s distinctive triple dot at the cardinal points) and the ornate, Jugendstil numerals the 1815 Up/Down would look just as stylish in 1915 as it does today. For me though, the most charming feature of this watch is the bottom-heavy subdial layout, a sure sign (if any were needed from Lange) that the L051.2 movement definitely…
Editor’s Note: In these uncertain times there’s a noticeable shift away from big, bold statement pieces, the sort of watches Panerai traditionally excel at. But that’s not to say the Italian brand can’t tap into its national reputation for style and do a cracking job on smaller pieces too, as this 42mm PAM 655 proves. Panerai is very much a ‘what you see is what you get’ sort of brand, with an identity built around being the archetypal ‘tough guy’ watch. Which was why the PAM 655 surprised us. Sure, it’s still got the iconic cushion-shaped Radiomir case, but apart from that, there’s a lightness and airiness to this watch that’s refreshing. Partially that’s thanks to its size; the 42mm case is far from overwhelming on the wrist, and the P.4000 movement helps make it quite slender too. But it’s also the dial – because this is the first time white has been seen on this case design. Meanwhile, even though this watch is less Sly and more sartorial, the Panerai hallmarks are very much in evidence: the ecru hands and luminous plots, the simple dial and of course that excellent strap. If you weren’t a PAM fan before, this watch could well bring…