INTRODUCING: The bold and blue Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary
Most brands enjoy celebrating anniversaries based around the centenary, but not Grand Seiko, and it actually makes sense. In watchmaking, the number 60 is significantly more important than 50, as it takes 60 seconds to make a minute, and 60 minutes to make an hour, as well as that in Japan the number 60 signifies the beginning of a new life cycle. As a result, the Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary is being celebrated with the release of a number of new limited editions. The brand has released four new references, and all are offered with stunning blue dials, the signature tone of Grand Seiko. Heritage Collection Hi-Beat 36000 LE SBGH281 The hi-beat 36,000 automatic offers us a steel case that references an original Grand Seiko design from way back in 1967. It was seven years after Grand Seiko had been launched, and the watch manufacturer had employed designer Taro Tanaka to develop an aesthetic philosophy that would help Grand Seiko stand out from its competitors. He did so with The Grammar of Design, based on a series of rules he had developed over prior years, which made its design debut in the 44GS case shape, and lives on in this…
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We’re very proud to announce that the ‘Watch & Act!’ World Watch Auction in aid of the Australian bushfire crisis has raised more than $200,000 Australian dollars, with 100 per cent of the funds going directly to the charities that need it most. This has been a monumental effort from everyone involved and we’re incredibly moved, humbled and thankful to have had the global watch community rally behind and support this incredibly important cause. In the end 24 watches were generously donated by some of the biggest players in the horological hemisphere, and all were bid on in earnest by people across the globe who were eager to help out. Below, in totality, are the results of all 24 watches. And again, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Lot 1: H. Moser & Cie – Pioneer Centre Seconds Limited Edition #1 of 3, Personal Watch of U2 Bass Player, Adam Clayton – $27,200 USD Lot 2: Hodinkee – Oris Divers Sixty-Five Limited Edition #2 of 250, for Hodinkee – $6400 USD Lot 3: Bulgari – Serpenti, Tubogas, 18k Yellow Gold – $15,600 USD Lot 4: Longines – Heritage Diver 1967 – $3600 USD Lot 5: Hublot – Unique…
Blue — that was certainly the colour of this weekend just past. Whether it was Rod Laver’s packed tennis court, the fleeting moments of sky that Melburnians witnessed on Sunday … for about 30 minutes, or indeed the watches that people were wearing — the vogue colour was definitely a recurring theme. Anyway, here are three of the nicest blue dial watches I spotted: James’ Rado Captain Cook Automatic: The irony of James owning a watch called “Captain Cook” isn’t lost on him, but unfortunate name aside, he simply couldn’t resist the glossy dark blue dial of this wristwatch, especially when paired with the factory tan brown leather band. James had been looking for quite some time for a timepiece that reflected a Saturday and Sunday savoir faire, and this Captain Cook’s vintage aesthetics, combined with a modern 42mm case size and the aforementioned colour palette, was, according to James, an absolute no-brainer. He added that the Rado had also been a very versatile timepiece, commenting that it transitioned perfectly from a winter to summer watch by simply swapping out the leather band for a light grey NATO strap. Henry’s TAG Heuer Carrera Henry is a massive petrol head, and when it…
Sometimes you just want a watch that does what watches do best — tell the time. The clean designs and open savannahs of negative space give the wearer of a more simple time-only watch plenty of ground to project their own personality, while also offering a sense of simple refinement. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best time-only watches from 2019, and see if we can be seduced by the more simple life. BALTIC AQUASCAPHE Baltic is fast making a name for itself as a seriously cool microbrand with a vintage range of accessibly priced timepieces. The Aquascaphe is the pick of the bunch, with a clean and clear dial that blends both pad-printed lume with a sandwich construction (the cardinal hours are given the sandwich treatment). A sapphire bezel insert alongside a double-domed sapphire glass gives a luxurious appearance on the wrist and puts it well above its pay-grade in the cost/value stakes. Ref No: Baltic Aquascaphe. Case size: 39mm. Case material: Steel. Movement: Miyota 9039. Price: USD$654 SERICA W.W.W. Serica is a brand that has released their first model this year with the W.W.W, a watch that wants to be on your wrist…
Seventeen-time Grand Slam Champion Novak Djokovic has once again teamed up with long-term sponsor Seiko to create this — the Seiko Astron Novak Djokovic 2020 Limited Edition. Based on the standard Astron SSH019J1, the limited-run watch has been designed to celebrate both the Serbian and Japanese flags. The new Djokovic Astron is a handsome-looking timepiece, thanks to a number of bespoke styling cues. The dial, for example, is finished in a gorgeous shade of blue that symbolises the blue in Serbia’s flag, and in Japanese culture is meant to represent the notion of being victorious. The other two major colour themes of the dial are white and red, which both feature prominently on the Serbian and Japanese flags. The striking white can be found on the UTC indicator ring and sub-dials, and the splashes of bright red can be seen on the tip of the seconds hand, as well as the one and nine numerals of the UTC ring, which represent the Serbian and Japanese time zones. The limited edition Astron also scores a unique ceramic bezel, finished in a matching shade of navy blue as the dial, which also shows off a thin red line in its centre. Measuring…
I have been trying to buy an Omega Speedmaster for a couple of years now. I have to admit I’m finding it nearly impossible to purchase one. Yes, I know they are readily available. That isn’t the problem. In fact, one of the problems is that the Speedmaster universe is infinite and daunting. First, let’s gather some context to quantify that opening statement. Currently listed on the Omega website are nine different categories, three or four different case sizes and an exponential array of material and bracelet/strap choices. If you’re handy with a spring bar tool, the permutations could run into the millions, and that’s just the brand-new ones. Then you have to consider the second-hand market. There have been many Speedys over 60 years of production and they range from bargain basement deals to pricey and sought-after limited editions. You want Snoopy on your Speedy? That’ll cost you, but then again who can resist the Red Baron? If I was just another moon-landing fanatic, the choice would be easy. Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch in 42mm, right? Wrong, and let me explain why. Depending on just how fanatical I was about the history of lunar exploration and the Omega tie-in, I…
Poodle-haired rock god Brian May is world famous as the lead guitarist in Queen who shaped their sound with his nimble-fingered picking and razor-sharp melodies. What’s less well known is that he’s also a die-hard Seiko fan. For years, May has worn one of the brand’s iconic dive watches on his wrist. He’s regularly spotted wearing the Seiko 7548-7010, a diver he picked up while first on tour in Japan back in the 1970s. Now he’s gone one better. May has collaborated with Seiko to create a watch that echoes the design of his homemade guitar that he built with his dad back in 1963. “It took two years and was all done with hand tools using any materials we could lay our hands on,” May told The Guardian in a 2014 interview. “The neck was part of an old fireplace. We hand-carved the inlay on the fret out of old mother-of-pearl buttons and the tremolo arm was made from a bicycle saddlebag holder, topped off with the tip of one of my mum’s knitting needles! “It was a special time and we never really argued. Although Dad did turn the air blue after the chisel slipped and he gouged…
While Patek Philippe are kept most popularly in the mind today through a handful of steel sports watches and the lyrics of chart-topping songs, the company has a history of remarkable innovation that is sometimes overlooked. In the middle of last century — 1950 to be precise — the Genevan firm released a solar-powered table clock, an invention that predated their first-ever automatic wristwatch movement by several years. It is surprising that Patek Philippe were actively investing in light-powered technology so long ago, as even today most watch companies choose not to work with solar power in favour of battery or mechanically powered timekeepers. Despite this, the Patek Philippe Solar Clock is an excellent example of how forward thinking the brand has been over the course of their history. This innovative approach to powering a clock was looked at closely by Walt Odets in a post he wrote on what was the effective birthplace of the watch internet way back in 2002. Walt wasn’t known for his surface interactions with technical topics, so this is a deep dive into one of the more interesting pages of the history of Patek Philippe. You can read his full analysis right here.
Editor’s note: Grand Seiko are known for excellence in most areas of watchmaking, but case finishing and dial execution are up there at the top. The sheer range of dials they have produced over the years boggles the mind, and they aren’t slowing down anytime soon, releasing a host of eye-catching new models in 2019. Included in this recent run of delightful dial design, we got the Grand Seiko SBGR311, with a richly tessellated coco dial that radially spirals away from its centre. It’s a sight to see, so if you haven’t laid eyes on it before, let’s take another look. At the heart of many Grand Seiko watches beats the mighty 9S calibre, which is celebrating its 20th birthday, and the location of the party is Baselworld 2018. There’s a swathe of new offerings on the table, including this deliciously dialled number, the Grand Seiko SBGR311. Vital statistics Excuse me if I rush through the key stats, because, really, I want to talk about that dial. The SBGR311 is 42mm across, steel, with that characteristic mix of exceptional polish and brushed finishes that define Grand Seiko’s Zaratsu-polished cases. From behind there’s the 9S68 (obvs), visible behind a sapphire caseback…
Welcome back to Great ‘Grams, where I pick my favourite Instagram posts of the last week and, my word, were there some great stories that hit the feed. One of the coolest I saw was from Jason Heaton, a watch writer and scuba diver, who was selling a very special DOXA to raise funds for an even more exciting project he is working on. The watch in question was a titanium DOXA that was made specifically for Fabien Cousteau’s Mission 31 expedition, where he and his team would spend 31 days in an underwater habitat to conduct marine research. Jason was lucky enough to visit the habitat on the first day, and pick up one of the 331 watches that DOXA made for the record-breaking mission. He is parting with it to raise money for a new expedition in search of the lost ships of Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador. It’s an insanely cool watch, with an important provenance, and it’s also helping further underwater discovery. Enjoy! @jasonheaton UPDATE: SOLD! Thanks for all the interest and offers! Doxa Mission 31 Professional. From one historic expedition to funding another. Back in 2014, I had the privilege of diving on Day One…