FRIDAY WIND DOWN: 7th October, 2016 – the paradise edition
This is the strangest feeling Friday in a very long time. For starters, I associate Friday with relaxing, with kicking back and maybe getting away. Hitting the road and heading out to the beach, for example. Considering I’ve just returned from 48 hours in one of the most pristine islands and beaches in the world with Vacheron Constantin, it has more of a weekend’s over, back to reality vibe. Felix, on the other hand, is still well and truly ensconced on his island home – he’s in Japan embedded with Seiko, studying organisational charts and dust particles by the looks of social media? He’s also being sorely tempted by boutique-only Seiko models the rest of the world hasn’t even heard about. Given our blissful isolation, this week’s wind down has a distinctly tropical flavour – so serve with a passionfruit daiquiri and freshly sliced mango. What happened Patek fans – and PP brand competitors – that had been holding their breath since January could finally exhale… the 40th Anniversary Nautilus emerged (in the strangest of places, GQ magazine), big, blue and boldly engraved. Bouquets and brickbats were immediately flying on social media. In the following comment storm on our Instagram @tourbillon001 called…
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Though the devastatingly cool new steel Daytona is the Rolex chronograph de jour, this year the brand also released new variations of their classic chrono in white and yellow gold. Today, we’re having a look at the reference 116508, in 18 carat yellow gold with a new green dial – a colour combination that no Aussie can resist. The reference 116508 is the same 40mm Oyster case, powered by the calibre 4130, accurate to within -2/+2 a day. Indeed, the only difference between this reference and earlier models is the dial. But what a dial. Yellow gold versions of the Daytona are most commonly seen with black or champagne dials – the green is stunning in its sheen and richness. Of course, green is a special colour for Rolex, but in this instance it’s a green not like the bright tones of the green Submariner or the mossy green of the new Day-Date 40. It’s a rich colour, somewhere between pine trees and British racing green, finished in a starburst technique that at once complements and contrasts with the case – to stunning effect. Of course, it’s a solid-gold Rolex, so it’s not exactly the most unassuming of timepieces. But then again why…
Are you sitting down? You’d better be, because I’m about to drop a truth bomb of bunker-busting proportions. Most dive watches out there in the real world never see anything deeper than the local pool. Shocking, I know. The truth is, there’s plenty of dive watches out there that look the business, but are less than optimal underwater. Others though, are quite capable of multitasking – looking just as good in office or marine environments. The Tudor Pelagos is one such watch. Here’s four reasons why. #1 – Distinctive design While the Pelagos takes its dial-side inspiration from the watches of French naval divers, the bold visual language of the snowflake hands and chunky hour indices makes just an equally strong style statement. It doesn’t matter if your hero is Cousteau or Le Courbusier, the Pelagos can handle either challenge #- Best in class bracelet One of the best features of the Pelagos is the titanium bracelet and clasp, which can be extended and micro-adjusted on the wrist. This means it will always be the perfect fit, whether you’re wearing it over your wetsuit, or with your work suit. #3 – Titanium tough The sharp, scratch-resistant titanium case and ceramic bezel…
It’s a milestone year for the 4810, as the popular collection celebrates its tenth birthday. To commemorate the big 1-0 Montblanc has released a swathe of new models and limited editions that continue to explore their overarching themes of navigation and exploration. There’s the cruise ship inspired ExoTourbillon Slim, as well as the more accessible 4810 Day-Date. Sitting neatly in between is the Twinfly Chronograph. The Twinfly, first released in 2011, has been a hit for the brand, and we suspect that this updated, somewhat aristocratic travellers watch will be no different. At a glance there’s a lot going on. Not only does the watch display a second time zone via the skeletonized hour hand, but there’s also a 24-hour time display showing the hometime at the top of the dial (in Montblanc’s now characteristic globe motif), there’s also a small seconds counter at six – with a date thrown in for good measure – as well as blue and gold chronograph seconds and minutes hands. Oh, and the chronograph is also a flyback. All this complexity is powered by the new MB LL100.1 – a column wheel chrono with a respectable 72 hours of power reserve So, even before we get to…
Last night, at a closed function for family, friends and Western Bulldogs football club staff, Tissot Australia brand manager Scott Jungwirth followed the lead of Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge by presenting injured skipper Bob Murphy with a Tissot Premiership Watch to celebrate the team’s first premiership in 62 years. Not only did the Bulldogs break the longest drought in AFL history, they also made history as the first team to win the flag from way down in seventh place. The watch has only ever been given to the coach and 22 players selected to play in the winning team on Grand Final day, but Jungwirth decided that he, like Beveridge he would make an exception and include Murphy, who is regarded the ‘spiritual leader’ of the club, among the recipients. Hours earlier, Beveridge had done something on “the spur of the moment” never seen before by calling Murphy onto the podium at the award ceremony and placing his own medallion around Murphy’s neck, saying “This is yours mate. You deserve it more than anyone.” “It’s unprecedented that we’d present a Premiership watch to someone that didn’t play on the day,” Jungwirth said. “But ‘Murph’ is such an integral part of the…
Editor’s Note: Meteorite dials are nothing new – but we rarely see this exotic dial material on otherwise conservative pieces. The juxtaposition creates a truly special watch with a one-of-a-kind dial that we’d never get tired of staring at. One of the watches we were most looking forward to seeing in the metal at SIHH 2015 was the brand new, meteorite dialled Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar Meteorite dialled watch. From the press shots we weren’t sure if we’d love this watch or (how do we say this politely) – prefer the traditional dialled version. Luckily for all concerned the watch wears very well – the meteorite doesn’t overpower the traditional aesthetic of the JLC Master Calendar, but rather the depth and texture of the dial compliments and contrasts with the sobriety of the calendar design. The dial is a single thin slice of meteorite, treated to show of the iron rich structure of the stone – which makes it a very difficult material to work with, but the results are worth it. I think the combination of pink gold and grey dial is a particularly handsome combination. Somewhat surprisingly, these watches are not limited edition, but rather limited production. This meteorite dial…
