VIDEO: We polled people about the Panerai Luminor vs the Radiomir and the results are in
Well, at the end of a week that has focused on Panerai watches, the votes are in. In a recent Instagram poll, 66 per cent of you said that the Luminor is their preferred collection. About the same split could be seen in the comments on various posts. There’s little mystery as to why it wins. It’s all about that ingenious crown guard, that beefs up the cushion case and gives the Luminor its iconic, recognisable presence on the wrist. It could also have something to do with the sheer volume of movie and celebrity appearances the Luminor pulls each year. It’s a heavyweight fighter in the watch world and, given Panerai’s relatively diminutive size as a company compared to the big box brands, it punches well above its weight. To round out the week’s mini-series which compared them in the same video, then split out into two individual reviews, we have a Luminor Marina 8 Days Acciaio PAM 00590 in front of the lens now.
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TAG Heuer have, much like Marty McFly and Doc Brown, gone back to the future with their latest partnership, with Gulf Oil International. If you’re not familiar with the world of historic Heuer, the pairing of the Swiss watchmaker and venerable oil company is perhaps surprising, but one larger-than-life character pulls it all together: Steve McQueen. In 1971, during the film Le Mans, McQueen wore a Heuer Monaco while driving a Porsche 917 emblazoned with Gulf’s distinctive blue and orange stripes. Vital statistics Now, it’s not just the car that has the livery, it’s also the special edition Monaco Gulf, a regular calibre 11-powered Monaco (much like this one), with a blue sunburst base, and bold powder blue and orange stripes on the right-hand side of the dial, and a Gulf Oil logo above the date at six. The strap is a nice blue perforated calf, with contrasting orange stitch. First thoughts Now, this isn’t the first Gulf-striped Monaco TAG Heuer have produced, not by a long shot, but this is a particularly nice interpretation, thanks largely to the choice of the classic calibre 11 Monaco as a base. And while the big bold stripes aren’t to everyone’s tastes, if…
Editor’s note: It’s just 37 days until the 2018 Commonwealth Games, to be held on Australia’s glorious high-rise holiday haven, the Gold Coast. This alarming reminder brings one of the oddest, in its way quite refreshing, watch releases of the year sharply back into focus; the Conquest V.H.P. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games edition. I don’t know if it’s just us, but the topic of quartz-movement powered watchmaking also seems to be back on the agenda more than usual, with, for example, the recent release of Grand Seiko’s 25th anniversary of the 9F, with two limited editions, the SBGT241 and SBGV238. Whatever the case, the old crystal-oscillating enemy ain’t what she used to be, and curiosity about quartz is on the rise. Longines is the official partner and timekeeper of the XXI Commonwealth Games to be held on the Gold Coast, Australia in April 2018 and they have just announced the watch of the Games, the ‘Conquest V.H.P. (Very High Precision) Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games’. The Conquest V.H.P. sees Longines turning back the clock to a particularly golden year for both naming components: 1954. It was the year the first Conquest watch was released and it was also the year Longines launched the world’s…
Andre is a Sydney-based collector with a penchant for rare vintage chronographs. We find out more … Hi Andre, what’s your daily watch and why? I’m currently wearing my Rolex 6542 GMT as my daily watch. While wearing the very first Rolex GMT reference as an everyday watch sounds crazy to most people, it’s one of the most wearable watches in my collection. Most of my watches are from the 1940s-50s, so a lot of them are a lot more fragile than the Rolex. Especially the early 1940s watches that don’t have Incabloc (shock absorber), and are not water resistant, let alone waterproof. What else is in your collection, is there a favourite? I’m a multi-brand kind of guy because I love all watches. I have other brands in my collection, like Gallet, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Omega, but my orbit of existence is Universal Genève (UG), and my absolute favourite piece is an oversize stainless steel UG Tri-Compax ref 22536 circa 1944. What’s that next piece you’re looking to buy? Vintage Longines chronograph with the legendary 13ZN movement. I’ve been waiting for the past two years for the “right” one to pop up; fingers crossed, 2018 is the year for it!…
Since its surprise reveal a little over a year ago, the Laureato has become an increasingly significant player in the luxury sports category, thanks to its crowd-pleasing good looks and impressive mechanics. SIHH 2018 showed us that the Laureato is an increasingly important part of GP’s lineup too, as handsome new chronograph variants dominated their latest batch novelties. But I was particularly taken by this black ceramic-on-rubber offering. Announced late last year, to me this Laureato really lives up to its sporty pedigree, thanks to its hard-wearing 42mm lightweight ceramic construction and rubber strap. Now, typically I’d advocate for the bracelet variant, especially on a integrated case style like this, but here I think the rubber really works. It makes the Laureato far more casual, and really wearer-friendly, and better honours the casual spirit of the design. While the bracelet versions of this watch (whatever the material), look quite work-ready, this Laureato really needs to be worn with short sleeves, preferably on a teak deck somewhere unseasonably warm. And with its 100m of water resistance, super-hard case and general air of masculine charm, this watch is more than up for whatever adventure you might have planned. This watch proves that…
The Bremont Supermarine, first released in 2009, has long been a serious dive watch, and one that stood out from the rest of the submersible pack. Last year, Bremont released the S300, a smaller, more civilian-friendly take on the genre that was, unsurprisingly, wildly popular. So it was inevitable that the larger S500 received a makeover, a cosmetic upgrade to keep the look in line with the S300. Vital statistics Two watches, the S500/BL and S500/BK (in blue and black respectively), are evolutions of existing models: the dial has been redesigned, with the blue being altered to match the tone of its S300 sibling. The blue model now has Arabic numerals at the cardinal points. The sapphire bezel is now a solid colour. The black version has also been given a makeover, with a new ceramic bezel, and design cues, like the handset and red details, in keeping with the S300. Both models still have solid casebacks showing the Supermarine S6B Seaplane. The real talking point is the S501, a bulked up version of the vintage-inspired S301 we looked at last year. Not only does this version show off the BE-36AE movement through a clear caseback (a first for a…
Following on from 2014’s Terra Nova limited edition, Bremont have once again teamed up with polar explorer Ben Saunders to release the Bremont Endurance. Retracing Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated journey across the South Pole, Ben wore the Endurance as he attempted to make a record-breaking first ever solo and unassisted trek across Antarctica. After 52 days, and having crossed 1086km, Ben reached the South Pole; however, without enough food to continue, he was forced to halt progress and return home. Nonetheless, he still became the first person to complete solo ski expeditions to both the North and South Poles without support or assistance. Vital statistics Weight being a top priority, the case of the Endurance is constructed from lightweight titanium, with special attention given to protecting the movement from some of the most extreme conditions on Earth. Starting with a 43mm Supermarine case, there’s an automatic helium escape valve and patented anti-shock movement mount. Water resistance is kept to 500m while an exhibition display case back opens a window for the first time to the 42-hour BE-93-2AE Bremont modified ETA 2893 chronometer movement inside. And an orange North indicator on the GMT hand combines with orange compass markings on the…
Bremont have always been (rightfully) proud of their strong relationships with various military services, squadrons and organisations, be they active or off-duty. Nowhere is that lineage more evident than the U-2, originally designed for squadrons flying Lockheed U-2s, reconnaissance and spy planes that are, incidentally, among the few planes to be in active service for more than 50 years. So it’s only logical that the latest version, the U-2/51-JET, is a decidedly stealthy take on the model. Vital statistics While the U-2 was originally inspired by the eponymous spy plane, this iteration takes its cues from the Hawk TI Jets flown by the RAF’s 100 Squadron, and their trademark black livery – originally intended to suit their purpose as night bombers. But this isn’t as simple as a new variant of the U-2/DLC. To achieve a deeper black, Bremont have used a new anodising technique, resulting in a darker colour, especially on the knurled bezel. Black 43mm case aside, the luminous material is in Bremont’s vintage-toned ‘51’ shade, and the hands are blued steel. Red details complete the picture. The jet black strap and dark sapphire caseback complete the stealthy look. First thoughts The combination of the military-industrial appeal of…
Yesterday, we ran through our picks of SIHH 2018 at the more accessible end of the spectrum, bearing in mind that the HH in SIHH stands for ‘High Horology’. Today, we kick it up a notch, looking at watches that come in between $10-$20k. There are a lot of meaty options in this price point, something that’s reflected in the fairly diverse opinions of Sandra, Andrew, Justin and myself – as we’ve picked out simple, time-only pieces as well as some more complex pieces. I’m not going to spoil the surprise (or the LOLs), but take, for example, Justin’s pick – the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Chronograph WT, a watch that is just over the top end of our budget but offers a strong mix of world time and chronograph complication in a stylish sports case and with a pretty exceptional movement. Or, as Justin puts it: “I’ve always found it hard to find a nice world time chronograph with more then 30-minute registers. It drives me bonkers.” We hear you, Justin, we hear you. Now, onto our top watches of SIHH 2018, between $10,000 and $20,000, Stay tuned as things get more expensive tomorrow.
Welcome to February or, as we like to call it, ‘that spacer between SIHH and Baselworld’. The T+T team is taking a quick breather to digest exactly what happened at SIHH, as we brace ourselves for a hectic upcoming trip to Basel. I kicked off this month with a trip to my tailor, Carl Navè, for a bit of a wardrobe refresh (Baselworld is just weeks away, after all). Carl was sporting some new wristwear — a recently acquired Oris Aquis, which was a 40th birthday present. He thought long and hard about the watch that would best suit his personality and, more importantly, his lifestyle. Carl was drawn in by the gorgeous gradient blue dial and the utilitarian design. It’s not exactly a design that jumps to mind when you think ‘tailor’, but Carl wasn’t looking for a refined dress watch but something a little more rugged and casual — which is much more his personal style. Carl consulted the entire T+T team, and we expected him to jump at the Oris Divers Sixty-Five; however, already owning a vintage Tissot Seastar, he was definitely after a modern piece. The Oris Aquis Date ticked all those boxes — and the rest is history.…