OPINION: Sky-high Rolex prices are the best thing to happen to vintage and modern Omega since Bond
Last weekend we saw Geneva play host to a handful of watch auctions, with the likes of Christie’s, Phillips, and Sotheby’s descending on the city and dropping some hammers. As the dust settled, it yet again became clear that vintage Rolex reigns supreme, with the Daytona Ultimatum sale at Phillips selling all 32 of its lots, and bringing in over 22,000,000 CHF. The big one in the mix – the one-of-a-kind white gold Daytona, dubbed the “Unicorn” – gave buyers some kind of a horn, selling for 5,937,500 CHF, making it the second most expensive Rolex ever sold at auction. While the conversation around casa de Time+Tide this week has been mostly centred around the ever-increasing demand for vintage Daytonas (and all vintage Rolex for that matter), and whether their astronomical prices are even sustainable, what also started to emerge as a trending topic was the apparent flow-on effect these high prices are having on other brands like Omega, who smashed their Geneva auction estimates right out of the park, and even broke a few records of their own. First up there was a diamond-studded, Tiffany-stamped Omega that once belonged to a Mr Elvis Presley. Sure, it had the celebrity factor. But…
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I backed up Baselworld, with a solid stint in London, where — let me tell you — I did some serious watch spotting. So much spotting in fact, we had to split it out. Here we go! Kicking things off, in true British fashion, a London boutique-only edition Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. This is one of only 26, and belongs to my good friend Silas, from @A_Collected_Man. Silas had been on the lookout for one of these for a long time before finally snagging one. I could be wrong, but I believe this to be one of JLC’s most limited watches ever made. There’s really only one way to describe this watch: Stunning. As I settled into London, I caught up with Pat (@Mr.Cosmograph), who has a love for Rolex sports models (don’t we all), and a knack for beating those waitlists. His piece of choice for our coffee was his prized Daytona, which, with a ceramic bezel, looks as sharp as ever. Pat was pretty impressed by the Tudor Black Bay GMT and has already put his name down for one, preferring it to the Rolex ‘Pepsi’ GMT-Master II in steel, also released this year at Baselworld. Next up — @APKStyle and his Audemars Piguet…
It was clear from Zenith’s 2018 collection that the Defy line was a major priority. Because while there were Pilot, Chronomaster and Elite models on offer, the Defy was the star of the show, with everything from the awesomely complex El Primero Zero G through to the comparatively simple, but still quality, Defy Classics. It’s easy to see why this line is the focus — it’s a bold, distinctive look, with a modern case shape and a tendency towards contemporary materials, but the overall package is still stylistically versatile. But perhaps most important of all, it’s a look that will perhaps open the brand up to a whole new audience.
Lex Kittichoke is a Thai businessman with a love for family, travel, and a huge passion for vintage timepieces. You might know him on Instagram under the handle @VintageRolexMania. Hi Lex, what’s your daily watch and why? I don’t have a daily watch, I change my wristwatch every day. It brings me joy to see a different watch, and take the time to look at the dial and case under the loupe. To me, that’s the ultimate experience. What else is in your collection? Have you got a favourite? In case of watches collection, when I got new one whatever expensive or cheap, That’s means I fall in love with it. Not only Vintage Rolex, I love all watches that make me stunning, such as Omega, Patek or Seiko. What is it you love about vintage Rolex? About 15 years ago, whilst I was at the park with my family, I saw a foreigner wearing a nice patina’d ‘Red Sub’ (Rolex Submariner Reference 1680). He saw my Green Submariner (50th Anniversary ‘Kermit’) and showed me his watch. At that moment I fell in love and it was the exact moment I decided to change my collection to focus on vintage.…
Today we’re following up on last week’s batch of blue-dialled watches with seven of the freshest green dials on the block. Green is shaping up to be the new en vogue colour, and I suspect that if we ran this list next year, we’d easily be able to double the number of entrants. Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph Limited Edition Let’s kick off with one of the first green watches of 2018, the oh-so-hot 1858 Monopusher from Montblanc. And while the smoky, graduated green dial is a looker, the real winning features are that the case is 40mm, and in the people’s metal — steel! 28,000 euro Seiko 1968 Automatic Diver’s Commemorative Limited Edition There’s one thing about dive watches … they can be a tad, how do we say, monochromatic. Well, that’s not the issue with this limited edition Seiko; not only is the dial a deep, dark, mossy green, but there’s also a green ceramic bezel. The only issue will be getting your hands on one. $5300 Omega Seamaster 300 Malachite This Omega is pretty much the polar opposite of the Seiko, except for the green ceramic bezel. Yellow gold and seductive dial cut from malachite, a semi-precious stone, is…
Editor’s note: Earlier this week we ran a video that looked at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new Polaris collection. While this video was being put together I found myself referring back to Andy’s article from earlier this year, which looked at the very interesting Polaris backstory. So here it is again, the story behind the Polaris. And, yes, I’m still holding out hope for a Polaris II. Today we’re looking back at the iconic Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Polaris, an extremely rare and somewhat mysterious dive watch — which lately has been garnering a lot of attention. The Memovox Polaris was an extremely functional offering, delivered by Jaeger-LeCoultre during a time when the world was fascinated by deep sea exploration. The 1950s and ’60s are referred to as the ‘golden age’ of dive watchmaking, and the Polaris was certainly a highlight of that period, which is why we’re taking a look at it today. Most of you should be familiar with the famous Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox, given recent reissue pieces and famous ‘barn finds’ in the last few years. But if you’re new to the JLC Memovox Polaris (ref E859), we can understand why. Only 1714 were made — making it far less common than the Memomox timepieces…
J. David Weiss is Founder and ‘Arsonist/Alchemist of Creativity’ for Designova Creative + Assoc. Hi JD, for those who don’t know, who are you and what do you do? Initially, I dreamed of sculpting the shapes of amazing cars, but have ended up in a waterborne version of my dream, designing large custom yachts, but that has opened new doors and allowed me to collaborate with heroes of mine like Neil Ferrier and David Levy, working on other sundries, from insane custom furniture to vehicles for future movies that I’m not allowed to talk about! How do you like to unwind? Again, time with those people, often with a bit of golden Scottish liquid, and sometimes in unexpected corners of the world. The last year or so has had me in India, China, Iceland, about a third of the US states, lots of Europe, and repeated visits to the ‘Yacht Capital’ of the world, Monte Carlo. Often that unwinding will involve some form of transportation device, as that passion never really wanes. Mountain bikes on the east coast, cars in California, trains in India, and, of course, the big boats in Riviera-flavoured places. However, despite (or perhaps because of) all…
When Raymond Weil designed the Calibre RW1212, their first ever in-house design (produced by Sellita), I suspect part of the mandate was to show it off, hence the open escapement prominently on display — literally showing off a movement they’re rightfully proud of. Well, Raymond Weil doubled down at Basel 2018, exposing not just the escapement but the whole dial, thanks to a new series of skeletonised Freelancers. As you’d expect, there’s a range of new offerings on the table, but the one that impressed us was this modern sporty number, with what remains of the dial done in crisp white, with contrasting blue hands and hour markers, with their appealing, slightly bulbous shape. It’s also worth noting that both hands and hours are lumed — a nice, useful addition. But really, the dial is dominated by the, well, lack of dial. The open-worked dial really gives you a look behind the scenes, showing off not only the escapement but the power barrel at 12 (which could, in a pinch, be used as a very, very rough power reserve indicator), and the power train on the nine o’clock side. The crown gearing is partially obscured by the Raymond Weil branding, the…
Wow, what a whirlwind past month. The Time + Tide team again found themselves in the centre of the madness that is Baselworld. This year the fair might’ve been smaller, but we were there in full force, all nine of us. In between what felt like never-ending appointments, I managed to do some spotting. Here’s what I saw. As I entered the fair, one of the first familiar faces and friends I saw was the mysterious @WatchesOfInstagram. The man behind the well-known watch Instagram account likes to keep a low profile. However, over the course of the fair, we caught up several times and discussed our favourites. It’s always hard to pick a favourite watch, especially during the fair, but for Mr WOI it was the new Nomos Glashütte Autobahn that stole his heart this year. I bumped into Robert Velasquez, otherwise known as @SpanishRob, midway through the fair, and he was wearing none other than his famous Patek Philippe Nautilus with a ‘Tiffany Dial’. Nicknamed the ‘Loved Patek’ (or #TheLovedPatek if you’re on Instagram), Rob is famous for enjoying his Nautilus, and not being scared to wear it. Having last seen his Nautilus back in New York three or so years…
Now, IWC is a brand I’ve always admired from afar, but haven’t had substantial personal experience with until last month. The timing worked out well, and I happened to be in the UK at the time of the Goodwood 76th Members’ Meet — an event I’d been dying to attend. Luckily for me, IWC Schaffhausen is the Official Timing Partner of the Goodwood Members’ Meeting and was kind enough to invite me along. Of course, I couldn’t attend such an event without some form of chronograph — and naturally an IWC. I ended up choosing the IWC Spitfire Chronograph on bracelet for my travels. The meet – Goodwood 76th Members’ Meeting As I arrived at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in Chichester, filled with excitement, I was hit by an icy chill. I was seriously underprepared for the unusually cold March day and was feeling the sort of cold I’d never felt before. Lucky for me, IWC had a strong presence at the meet and hosted guests within their multi-level trackside marquee. It was there I sought refuge from the snow, drank copious cups of coffee, and mingled with other guests. One particular guest, who I bumped into as I was leaving the gents, had taken…