“The grey market is a creation of the brands, and they need to address it.” The virtual Horology Forum 2020, brought to you by Dubai Watch Week, kicks off with a bang
It feels like a lifetime ago that I was heading home from the DOXA Australia Launch Event to pack my bags for Dubai Watch Week 2019. Since then, the global pandemic put a stop to any in-person watch events (with the exception of the LVMH Watch Week and more recently at a socially distanced Geneva Watch Days), which included the demise of the longest-running watch event in the world – Baselworld. But the youth of Dubai Watch Week gives it an advantage against the traditional trade show. Flexibility. And this year the organisers of Dubai Watch Week are demonstrating their dynamism with the Horology Forum 2020 to be held virtually. The Horology Forum 2020 began last night in earnest, with a panel debating the nature of the grey market. RedBar founder Adam Craniotes said in the session, which can be viewed at the link below, that “the grey market is a creation of the brands, and they need to address it, instead of kicking the can down the road.” The final session is to be held on November 9. Last year’s speakers included Jean-Claude Biver, Mohammed Abdulmagied Seddiqi, Aldis Hodge, Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani and even @shameonwrist, and this year the line-up…
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Never, in my life, have I had more comments on my watch. From friends. From strangers. No one can help but notice my full metal gold-tone G-Shock (the Casio G-Shock Full Metal GMW-B5000GD-9). But if you’ve met me, or follow me on Instagram, you’ll likely know that I tend to lean towards simple, cleanly designed watches with two or three hands. I love watches that manufacturers like Cartier produce for this very reason, as well as anything else that strives for balance and proportion above all else. So why did I add one of the loudest and most gaudy timepieces released in recent memory to my collection? Mainly because I also love watches that don’t take themselves too seriously. Of course many of the most desirable watches on earth are expensive, and must be treated with appropriate respect – especially in the important world of vintage watch collecting. But I’m undeniably attracted to watches that can poke some fun, or offer reference to something they are diametrically opposed to. This might be the brilliant H. Moser Swiss Alp Concept Black, a minute repeater tourbillon without hands that costs $350,000, which reminds of a certain mass-produced tech product. Or it might…
Editor’s note: If you missed the first part of this series, make sure you check out eleven of our favourite chronographs of 2020 under $10K right here. In this part we are looking at the other side of the coin – the best chronographs of 2020 that ring the till at $10K and over. Here we go. Audemars Piguet [Re]master01 Selfwinding Chronograph This was one of the 2020 high points for AP, engaging Andrew in our big feature here, and myself as soon as we saw the press photos. It sparked much discussion on the mighty internet; to me it is a delectable vision of the colourful past made future proof. If you are an ascetic minimalist, look away now, as the aesthetic mixes colour and materiality unlike any other reference in their catalogue, with the high-tech heart of the renowned movement from the CODE 11.59. The shape is delightfully round, with an unfeasibly smooth transition from pink gold bezel to case side, with oblong pushers and vintage-styled crown as proportionate as they are delightful. The functionality is as strong as the gold dial is vibrant, with blued hands and teardrop lugs completing a pure vintage composition of delightful contrasts…
One of the key pillars of a well-made watch is legibility. Consumers are always critical of how a dial is laid out and how strong and visible the luminescent material becomes once it’s in a darker setting. The Bulgari x The Rake x Revolution “White Light” Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT brightens up 2020 with its fully lumed dial. This watch is seriously lit. The case The Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT is the world’s slimmest self-winding watch with a chronograph and GMT function, with a 42mm extra-thin titanium case that is only 6.90mm thick. The case maintains the baroque faceted profile, but differs from the production version through the inclusion of a tachymeter scale etched into the bezel of the watch – which only increases the level of utility and functionality on an already complex watch. The titanium push-down crown is set with a ceramic element, and the watch has a depth rating of 30 metres. The dial The dial shares the same layout as the production model, but is taken to new heights with its “White Light” makeover. Like an F.P. Journe Élégante, the dial is entirely made of a luminescent material that creates a positive display, in favour of…
There’s no doubt that 2020 has been a strong year for chronograph releases. From vintage reissues to thoroughly modern expressions of the wrist-worn stopwatch, the range of offerings has been diverse and exciting. Let’s take a look at 11 of the best chronographs of 2020 under $10K. TAG Heuer Carrera 160th Silver True to its pure ’60s inspiration, the TAG Heuer Carrera 160th Silver is sharp enough to straddle three categories, and still come up trumps. As a pitch-perfect vintage chronograph it retains the original inspiration, as viewed through a non-reflective Leica lens in perfect filtered daylight. The functionality and legibility is superb through one of the purest silver sunray dials out there, with razor-sharp print and clean-cut black hands. With its versatile 39mm size and slender case it sits as well with an Italian suit as a pure dress watch and, with its versatile clean-cut style, would make a perfect one-watch collection. Should you want more pizzazz and colours in the same case, read on. Price: $9350AU. Montblanc Heritage Monopusher Chronograph salmon dial Another great introduction to 1940s and ’50s vintage style is the delicious salmon-coloured dial of the Monopusher Chronograph introduced this year by Montblanc. While this is…
We recently reported on Jean-Claude Biver’s view of the pandemic, after he sat down on a Zoom call with our European Editor Mike. The larger piece of work there was this extraordinary historical document, celebrating a wild 24 years with Hublot. But this digression, where Biver assesses the damage done to the industry by COVID-19 is worth sharing. Four watches from Jean-Claude Biver’s personal collection Jean-Claude Biver is quoted so often on all matters relating to the luxury watch industry because he is nothing short of a horological superhero. The legendary watch entrepreneur brought Blancpain back to life, resuscitated Omega and turned Hublot into a super-brand for which LVMH paid almost half a billion dollars. As a result, he’s assembled a private watch collection that would do King Midas proud. Auction house Phillips understands the appeal, which is why they’ve launched a touring exhibition of Biver’s personal timepieces. After stints in Hong Kong and New York, the collection has now pitched up in London until the end of the month (details here). Here are four highlights from it. Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Reference 1518 “There are some pieces I bought for the history and then there are some pieces…
The Bulgari Octo Finissimo has seen the update it was waiting for this year, with the announcement in January that it was going to be produced in steel. The months since that announcement have felt both very slow and very fast at the same time, and some may have missed that the Bulgari Octo Finissimo satin-polished steel is now available in both black and blue dial colours, giving fans of the brand the option of dialling up the dress or sport factor. Recently, Time+Tide was fortunate enough to spend some time with the blue dial reference at Geneva Watch Days, where we took the time to soak up what may well be the best new sports watch of 2020, with the heavily faceted case engineered to be water resistant to 100m. The blue dial is certainly the most viable option as a daily wear within the Octo Finissimo range, with the black dial perhaps a more suitable evening companion. Bulgari Octo Finissimo satin-polished steel with blue dial price and availability: The Bulgari Octo Finissimo satin-polished steel with blue dial is $17,800AU and is available from both Bulgari boutiques and authorised dealers across the country. Made in partnership with Bulgari. However,…
Jeff Jenkins is the author of the last article published on Time+Tide, about a scandal engulfing Australia Post. It is his first-ever story on Time+Tide. In a nutshell, the CEO of Australia Post Christine Holgate gifted four Cartier watches to her staff, each worth around $3000. You can read more below. The point isn’t the story, what seems on face value to be yet another 2020 example of dodgy corporate behaviour. The point is the name of the author. You’ll know Jeff Jenkins if you’re one of two things. A music nut: for he has written multiple biographies of famous music personalities, including Molly Meldrum. (And a book we wrote together in our past lives, with a friend Barry about the Australian guitar-maker Maton – one for the guitar geeks in the crowd.) He also co-hosted a cult Community TV show Chartbusting ’80s, which he’d probably prefer we didn’t link to. Either that, or the name rings a bell because you’re a writer for Time+Tide. Because Jeff is the person you send your copy to. Jeff is our proofreader. Jeff scrutinises every single story that goes up on the site. One glaring exception is this one, because I want to surprise…
What would you think if the boss handed out a stack of Cartier watches to reward you for your efforts this year? We’d say that sounds like a pretty great place to work. (And, yes, this story is a thinly veiled hint to T+T boss, Andrew, as he plans this year’s Christmas bonuses) ((Dream on, guys – Andrew)). Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate has admitted she spent $12,000 on Cartier watches to thank four executives for closing a deal with Australia’s big banks. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was “shocked” by the largesse — “I was appalled, it’s disgraceful and it’s not on,” he said in parliament. He ordered Holgate to stand aside, pending an investigation. Holgate clearly likes her wristwear. At the Senate grilling, she was sporting a Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas, which retails for up to $48,300 in Australia. Sandra Lane wrote about the Serpenti here, while Andrew McUtchen called the Serpenti Tubogas “point blank one of the most elegant feminine statements in watchmaking … it can’t help but be a conversation starter.” The Cartier controversy has certainly ignited a conversation in Australia, splitting readers at news sites. A commenter on a recent post about this story, “Mr Natural”, praised Holgate,…
In Scandinavia we have a traditional saying: all good things come in threes. And, boy, does this apply to clocks in 2020. First, the Hodinkee table clock that broke the internet and brutally maimed the comments section, then the futuristic T-Rex from Massena LAB, MB&F and L’Epée. And here comes lucky number three – the Hublot Meca-10 Clock. Hublot’s impressive in-house Meca-10 movement was released four years ago, and this year made its debut in the fabulous tonneau-shaped Spirit of Big Bang, to our micro-mechanical marvelling delight. So, as an answer to your question, no, this is not a small paperweight, but the entire Meca-10 movement made four times larger, measuring 19.6cm by 18.1cm. Despite this enlargement, it fully preserves the 10-day power reserve, and original specifications – including its knock-out skeletonised movement. And, once again, the clock-masters at L’Epée are the go-to collaborators in the venture, solidifying their position alongside JLC as the masters of static timepieces. This comes in two tantalising versions (yes, still talking about a table clock here) — black PVD or satin and polished steel with transparent composite. While Hublot aren’t afraid of providing their wristwatches with large, easy to use crowns, the Hublot Meca-10 Clock…