How to justify your next watch #2, the 'Hey, it could be coke and hookers' defence
NOTE: The problem is that some people just don’t get it. They don’t understand how important, nay, how essential, your next watch is. Not just to your happiness, but also to your sense of purpose, your ability to be a complete person. Against the blockers in your life, we have a new weapon. The Enabler. He is here to flex advanced levels of sophistry in debating to validate your next or latest acquisition. Over to you, Enabler. But first a warning. This defence, should you ever call on it, requires genuine bravery and brings with it a high level of risk. Be bold out there, but be careful. In a recent interview, Rod Stewart shared the best piece of advice he’d ever got from his father. “To be properly contented, son,” he was told, “a man needs three things: a job, a sport and a hobby.” “So in my case,” Rod continued, “my job is singer, my sport is football, my hobby is model railroading.” Gloss over the weird decision to play with toy trains past the age of six and this is all sound advice. But Stewart Snr omitted one vital piece of the contentment puzzle. Having a job, a sport and…
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What a time to be alive for Melbourne watch lovers. The embarrassment of riches in terms of local brand boutiques has had another glittering jewel added to the CBD war chest as T+T welcomed guests to an evening at the brand new Vacheron Constantin boutique at the ‘Paris end’ of Collins Street. Last night we were honoured to host its launch.
MC-ed by myself and Boutique Manager Peter Kelly — formerly the Boutique Manager at Rolex Chadstone — the evening focused on Les Collectionneurs, a concept that sees vintage Vacheron Constantin pieces — acquired through ‘auctions and personal connections’ — masterfully and meticulously reconditioned by Vacheron Constantin watchmakers to their former glory. And to their former guarantee and warranty — all pieces in the collection come with a guarantee and a two-year warranty. Vintage watches with new-watch protections. And new-watch feels. I joked in my speech that you could walk past the cabinet thinking the pieces were gleaming new models; if you inspect them, I’m sure you’ll agree. They are in magnificent, practically mint, condition. As part of the formalities, we each spoke of the individual watches that remain for sale from the original nine — just six are still available. I gave a little bit away…
Editor’s note: Well, this is something that you’re probably not going to see every day, not least because, apart from the Rado Tradition 1965 presenting a very eccentric aesthetic, the rectangular wonder was limited to just 1965 examples, in both its medium and XL iterations. It’s got to be one of the more quirky releases of 2019, and what’s really ironic about this watch is that it shouldn’t work … but it does. On the wrist, there’s a funky je ne sais quoi persona, a devil-may-care attitude that just feels resolutely right. At the start of the year, we were fortunate enough to go hands-on with the misshapen beauty, and if you’ve got the time, the video is definitely worth a watch. There’s few things I like more in watchland than being surprised. Sadly, it doesn’t happen too often. But when it does, it’s always memorable. And being in Rado’s booth at Basel last year was one of those moments. I had seen the large Tradition 1965 on display and dismissed it without a thought. Who needs a plus-sized rectangular watch, I thought to myself. Turns out, me. When I put this watch on I was blown away at how comfortable…
On Monday night, Melbourne opened its arms – and uncorked many, many bottles of Four Pillars Gin, the best gin in the world – in celebration of the fact that, finally, dive watch kings Doxa have a home in this country. Fittingly for a brand that is dive watch royalty, the crowd of 120+ drank like sailors and gathered in droves around the treasure chest display of the 2019 collection. There were SUB 200 models in all six colours, with three released since Baselworld. Six SUB 300T models, again with another three dial colours dropped. And there were a range of large and in charge 1500T models, adding some serious heft and size to the range offering. The cabinets also contained three Limited Edition models; the discontinued and limited 1200T, the astonishing 200 T.Graph, powered by a historical mid-70s Valjoux 7734 movement, and of course, the Golden Boy itself. The solid gold 200 T.Graph in 18K gold, also rocking a Valjoux 7734 movement which is limited to just 13 pieces. You could practically see people’s faces lit up by it as they gazed through the glass in astonishment (often simply asking, why?) like the faces illuminated by the open suitcase…
We’ve said it before, but if you ask a watch geek their thoughts on the humble G-Shock, chances are they’ll give it the tick of approval. Because when it comes to the G-Shock, not only are they incredibly robust watches that are basically bulletproof, but they also exist beyond the horizon of haute horology and have passed into the lands of a more popular culture, where a normal person who has never heard of a tourbillon or a GMT-hand will wear a G-Shock and be proud that it is both cool and comfy. In addition to their broader social recognition, Casio, the manufacturer of the G-Shock, are very good at making wristwatches. Every now and then they pull out all the stops to produce a watch that is still G-Shock at the core, but is finished to such a high standard that you couldn’t be blamed for comparing it to a five-figure peer. That’s exactly what Albert has with his rainbow Casio MTG-B1000RB, and this is the story of why he decided to seal the deal. When did you first see/hear about it? I was looking at the official G-Shock site just to see what the latest models were, as…
Horological disruptors Hublot are hosting an exhibition right now at the Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts (MUDAC) in Lausanne, Switzerland … but it’s not for watches. No, the Swiss watchmaker is hosting what is said to be one of the best sneaker exhibitions ever assembled. And while this may sound slightly off-brand for a watchmaker, it’s not the first time that Hublot has dipped its toes in the vogue sneaker industry. Back in 2016, Hublot collaborated with luxury footwear maker Lavati to create the Lavati x Hublot ‘All Black’, a high top leather-clad sneaker with some serious clout. Released in Miami at DJ Khaled’s 41st birthday (obviously), the sneaker was limited to just 100 pairs, and commanded a price tag in excess of 1000 bucks a pop. The new exhibition, aptly dubbed Sneaker Collab, focuses on — as the name would suggest — limited edition sneakers that have been created in collaboration with celebrities, fashion industry heavyweights, street artists and pop culture icons. The kicks on display won’t just be Adidas either – Nike, Balenciaga, Gucci … any recent hype beast sneaker freaker that you can think of, chances are it’s at this exhibition. In addition, Hublot will also be unveiling…
A relationship with a watch can be a complex one, fraught with the tensions between longing and expectation, and the quotidian reality that it is just an object, full of as much meaning as you are able to maintain within it. If you buy a watch brand new, you can bask in the pleasure of the boutique experience, but are inevitably faced with the anguish of the drawing of first blood as you notice a single scratch on an otherwise pristine surface. If you buy vintage, you inherit the imperfect character of the watch as you recognise that you are merely the caretaker of an artefact, rather than Smaug sitting on a pile of greedy wealth. But as the caretaker of a crumbling chateau understands, being responsible for an artefact of the past is to accept that its condition will never be as good again as it is in that moment. But the real question (which is what this column is really trying to get at) is why do you want this watch instead of that watch, and why. Time+Tide reader Gilbert articulately explains why he made the decision on a Rolex Kermit, over another collectible vintage Rolex. When did…
The story in a second: The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 blue dial is a familiar face, which has been sleekly refined. If you know TAG Heuer, you’ll know the Carrera chronograph, a wristwatch that has been trackside at motorsport events for decades, offering those behind the wheel a functional timing tool. While some of the design detail has been adjusted over the years to suit the evolving tastes of the gentleman driver, the DNA of the watch has remained the same since its birth in the 1960s. Last year, we were presented with an interpretation of the Carrera Calibre 16 that while maintaining an under the radar presence on the wrist, popped with colour under closer inspection and stole not only our attention but also the industry at large for its boldness. This year we have the same blue dial, the same layout of date with three sub-dials, and the same options for both steel bracelet or perforated rally-style leather strap. But while last year it was a party of colour and celebration, this year we are offered a more subtle approach that speaks to the more serious collector as well as the automotive enthusiast. The dial The dial…
Editor’s note: With so much attention and speculation surrounding the all-steel variants of Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak 15400 and now 15500, it’s easy to forget that the Holy Trinity watchmaker also offers their most prized timepiece in two-tone steel and 18k Pink Gold. And while it’s easy to comprehend why the stainless steel variants are so highly revered, there’s something of an old-world charm about the way the two-tone iteration goes about its business — it’s antiquated … but in a good way. A couple of years ago, we were lucky enough to slide one of these mixed metal marvels onto our wrist, and these were our first thoughts. I’ve been saying for years that two-tone is making a comeback. And with the release of the Audemars Piguet Two-Tone Royal Oak, it looks like the market is finally catching up to my prediction. This watch is everything you would expect from the Genta-designed icon: classic and casual, and one of the best bracelets ever made, but this time with the added sparkle of 18k gold. The combination of silver grand tapisserie dial, solid pink gold bezel, crown and centre links, amid brushed and bevelled stainless steel, is compelling. It’s a watch…
The only thing thrown around more often than the word iconic by watch media is watch media cleverly saying how often the word iconic is being thrown around. But despite committing both sins in one paragraph, Sunday confession would be a comfortable one if you were talking about IWC pilot’s watches as iconic. With designs unchanged for decades, it is the archetype of the pilot’s watch, with large luminous hour markers and hands that contrast against a dark dial, and essentially offer everything the modern world is looking for in an everyday watch. Chris was kind enough to speak with us about his own experience of pulling the trigger on his IWC 3706 Fliegerchronograph, and how it almost ended in heartbreak. When did you first see/hear about it? I first saw my 3706 Fliegerchronograph in the window of my local vintage watch store, right in the heart of Perth, Western Australia. I’m an expat kid, and I grew up around in-flight magazines and duty free all through the ’80s and ’90s, so I know an IWC when I see one, but I’d never come across the 3706 before. It was sitting in the display right next to a beautiful Mark…