Finding satisfaction at the Melbourne Rolex Service Centre
Editor’s note: A couple of years ago, life got a lot easier for the Melbourne Rolex collector. Rolex Australia blessed the coffee-obsessed city with a shiny new service centre, a move that made the already appealing prospect of buying a Rolex even more appealing, with the knowledge that a repair would be as pain-free as possible. Let’s take a look back at when Felix got to visit the centre shortly after it opened. One of the biggest issues in this industry is what happens to a watch long after it leaves the boutique on the wrist of its happy new owner. Aftersales support and servicing may not be as glamorous as releasing shiny new watches, but it matters. A lot. There’s no quicker way to ruin goodwill towards a brand than with a negative service or repair situation and, from the anecdotal stories I hear, it’s happening all too often, with common complaints including long wait times, unexpected costs, and processes that can be baffling in their bureaucracy. Still, it’s easy to see why aftersales support doesn’t get the attention it deserves. There are no immediate returns to be had by investing in servicing. If you had to sign off…
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Editor’s note: The Australian Watch Forum has gone from strength to strength over the last 18 months, tripling its membership to 9000 members. Based on Facebook, their presence has been felt well outside of social media, with regular meet-ups and get-togethers in major cities across Australia. Here’s a throwback to Cam’s nod to their first venture with a big watch brand, when they partnered with Zenith last year to release a bronzed-case Pilot Type 20 Extra Special, featuring a special Southern Cross on the dial. During a time when planes were more fabric than steel, and I’m sure the phrase “on a wing and a prayer” had a much more literal meaning, Zenith were pioneering the use of pilot watches, with French aviator Louis Blériot wearing a Zenith on his wrist as he made the first ever flight across the English Channel in 1909. In fact, Zenith were so early to reach the skies that they are the only brand that can use the word “Pilot” on a watch dial, thanks to them being marketing-savvy and trademarking the term. All this is a roundabout way of saying that Zenith’s Pilot collection has some serious cred. This year, the well-received bronzed-case…
Editor’s note: Everyone knows Doxa make a great dive watch, but not as many people know they also produced excellent chronographs in the 1940s and ’50s. This is the story of one of those watches, a black dial Doxa chronograph with a spiral telemeter scale, worth significantly more than the €1200 Paul originally laid down for it. Enjoy. WHAT IS THE STORY OF THIS WATCH? I bought it at the Munich Watch Fair a few years back for 1200 euro. I’ve since been offered 5000 euro for it. I’ve collected watches since I was 11. My grandfather gave me a wristwatch and I’ve been hooked since then. It was an American brand, Gruen Curvex. As a young boy I’d go to flea markets and fairs. It was mechanics and all that. The thing about chronographs is that people don’t use them. It seems to be more about the dial layout. The balance perhaps? This one is beautiful with the outer telemeter scale and the spiral tachymeter scale — very much of the times. It’s a bit like an ironing board, you don’t really use it that often. I actually race cars and I do use a chronograph then, but it’s usually…
When a name renowned for its personalisation of higher-end pieces announces an off-the-shelf offering, it tends to raise eyebrows. However, the Bamford brand has defied expectations not once, but twice, now with the Bamford London GMT. Housing the self-winding Sellita SW330-1 25, it has already been widely pointed out that the Bamford GMT case and dial configuration is strongly reminiscent of the Zenith Sub Sea from the 1960s. But fixating on the fact that Bamford made a GMT watch that looks like something that already exists is ignoring the fact that’s kind of what Bamford is known for … They take an existing design and modify it to suit the desires of their customer. Where the Bamford DNA shines through is their highly effective use of contrast: penetrating combinations of ice blue, bright oranges and other unconventional colours against a matt black or brushed steel backdrop. In this respect, the new London GMT is consistent with Bamford’s design language. There is a lot to like about this GMT. The case itself is a wonderful blend of curved surfaces and sharp angles, which far from being incongruent, actually adds some visual interest to an otherwise bulky silhouette. The dial text is…
Editor’s note: In the world of luxury steel sports watches, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato family is underrated. More than two centuries since they started making watches, the Laureato is made by a brand that has some of the richest history in horology. In that time, Girard-Perregaux have added significantly to the art of mechanical watchmaking, with their three golden bridges tourbillon movement and their design of the first high-frequency watch which beats ten times per second. The Laureato family is also dripping in a ’70s charm that stems from the mix of curves and angles, and the blending of polished and brushed surfaces for an eye-catching finish on a watch. In terms of scarcity, Girard-Perregaux also produce significantly fewer watches than the other big players in the steel sports watch game. They manufacture approximately 10,000 watches per year, next to 40,000 from Audemars Piguet and 50,000 from Patek Philippe. All things considered, the Laureato represents a sleeper, which at the moment is vastly underappreciated by much of the watch buying community. A little while ago, we put together a list of luxury sports watches and it went – to use a technical term – bananas. There’s something about the combination of…
The Patek Philippe Calatrava is probably the most recognisable time-only collection of watches in Swiss watchmaking. Simple, three-handed watches made in precious metal that represent what Patek Philippe is about in its most distilled form – restrained classicism made to exacting standards. In this article by The Hour Glass, the history of the Calatrava is investigated, focusing on the most important models made in the nearly 90 years since the first reference was produced. Even though the core elements of the Calatrava have stayed the same, the number of variations over the years has seen the establishment of collectors-inspired scholarship to document the sheer number of different examples. If you’re looking for some Sunday reading that digs a little deeper, we’ve got you covered.
I was equal parts excited and curious when a package from Sotheby’s Australia landed on Felix’s desk last month. Upon opening, it revealed a catalogue for their upcoming Important Jewels auction, and while the jewellery portion of the catalogue was full of fabulous gems and precious metals, I was obviously much more interested in the wristwatches on offer. While reading the catalogue I noticed that despite watch lots being comparatively few in number, there were several great pieces, including representation from Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, and Heuer. One of the rarer pieces heading for the block was a Heuer Autavia “Jo Siffert” Chronograph ref. 1163, so named because it was worn by the racing champion in the late ’60s. Astutely, this was selected as his pick of the lots by the owner of the catalogue I was reading; however, I fell in love with a yellow gold Cartier Tank Américaine. I got in contact with the man responsible for the auction, Hamish Sharma (who has the best job title in the world — the Head of Jewels at Sotheby’s Australia), and he was kind enough to meet with me and show me the watches that had been consigned. I went to the…
Earlier this year, Andrew spent some (very) quality time in New Zealand with Louis Vuitton and some of their most serious watchmaking. If you haven’t seen the video, it’s definitely worth a look (as is this one), but we reckon this watch, the Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon ‘Poinçon de Genève’ is worth a second look, as our photographer Jason Reekie has worked wonders with his macro lens. If you’re in the mood for a seriously high-end statement piece, this should be of interest to you. The 42.5mm case is in Louis Vuitton’s classic ‘tambour’ shape — inspired by a hand drum, with an inwardly curving case. But the case is playing second fiddle here to the elaborate, open-worked movement. And what a movement. It’s Geneva Seal certified, so you know it’s quality (and made within the Canton of Geneva to boot). The design is also charming — the functional elements are arranged vertically in a series of overlapping circles, with the tourbillon at six garnering the most attention. And even though it’s solid gold and very serious, you can’t help but be captured by the light and airy atmosphere of this lovely Louis Vuitton. 
IWC is famous for their pilot’s watches, and rightfully so — they’re instantly recognisable and a genuinely iconic modern design. And while the design born in the middle of last century was for a very specific purpose — as a navigational tool for aviators — the passing of time has seen the collection grow and evolve. Today, IWC’s pilot’s family consists of four distinct sub-collections: Spitfire, the Saint Exupéry watches, the Classics, and the boldly modern Top Gun selection. Over the next four weeks we’re going to explore each of these groups in detail, kicking off with Top Gun. Top Gun, named for the Naval Air Station school in Miramar, is where IWC’s pilot’s watches look to the future. The collection is heavy on chronographs, with dark, modern aesthetics, and in more high-tech materials than elsewhere in the line-up. Andrew visited the brand’s Melbourne boutique to inspect three models in more detail. IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Top Gun Ceratanium This 44mm watch made a big impression when it was released at SIHH this year. And not just because the double chronograph is a famous complication for IWC, but because of the novel use of Ceratanium, an alloy of titanium and…
Editor’s note: Last year we did a team whip around and asked ourselves what watches we bought, not for us, but because other people told us we should. We might not like to admit it, but it’s true. So here we go, the watches we’ve bought because of peer pressure. Humans are, by and large, social creatures. We thrive in communities, and derive strength, support and inspiration from others. At least, that’s the view if you’re an optimist. If you’re a glass half empty kinda person, feel free to replace the word community with mob. Either way, these broad general principles apply to watches. The true lone wolf is rare, and most of us look to others for our wrist-based inspiration and validation. And it’s true of us, too. Come with us, as the T+T team share the tales of watches they bought because other people told them to. Cam’s herd mentality Halios To be honest, I’ve never really bought a watch because someone directly told me to, but I do like to do my research before I buy. And the lovely folk around the various online watch forums can be a wealth of information, as well as a little…