VIDEO: Full speed ahead with Ulysse Nardin’s Marine Chronometer Torpilleur
For years, Ulysse Nardin has been something of an insider’s brand with a solid heritage and catalogue boasting some legitimately impressive horology (we’re looking at you, Freak). Their strongest line has, in my opinion, always been the historically inspired Marine collection, based on the brand’s historic marine chronometers which date back to the middle of the 19th century. These days the Marine watches are less about navigation and more about a mix of everyday classicism with a sporty edge. Dressy Roman numerals paired with integrated lugs and rubber straps. The recently released Marine Torpilleur evolves this concept further and is a watch designed to appeal to a broader audience. Like the torpedo boats it was named after, the Torpilleur packs a hefty punch in a slim, deceptively simple package. The case is significantly simplified, paired with a very handsome dial and powered by the brand’s own silicone-packed calibre. All this offered at quite a competitive price point. It’s a watch intended to get UN’s name out there, and, combined with headline grabbers like the Marine Regatta and the InnoVision 2, the Torpilleur is well placed to play a key role in the rise of Ulysse Nardin. Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer…
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When you visit the heart and home of Longines, at Saint Imier in the Switzerland’s Jura valley, the brand’s link with skiing is immediately demystified. This is a skiers paradise, and in the early days of the sport’s timekeeping in the 1920s, the Longines watchmakers would not have had to travel far to test their latest custom-built mechanical chronometre. What I also discovered at the Longines museum was that their involvement in sport has spanned more than just equestrian and Alpine skiing related events. The list of innovations in the pursuit of timekeeping precision is impressive and pretty cool to witness firsthand. Today’s focus though, is skiing – and how a simple (but monstrously large) chronograph to time downhill events has evolved into some cutting-edge tech, as explained by Longines President Walter von Känel. 
The story in a second Got a blacked-out 488 rolling in and looking for the perfect watch to match? Read on. Hublot are masters of both the high-level partnership and the limited edition. Both of these traits are very much to the fore in their freshest round of Ferrari-themed Big Bangs. I recently had the pleasure of spending some time with this not at all under-the-radar carbon version. The case When the Big Bang was first introduced way back in 2005, it was simultaneously outré and appealing. These days the large and (dare we say) iconic modern sports watch is very much an accepted part of the landscape. But familiarity hasn’t lessened the potency of the Big Bang as, like many great designs, it’s a surprisingly malleable canvas, where almost every single element can be changed, while still managing to be clearly recognisable from 10 paces. These days the large and (dare we say) iconic modern sports watch is very much an accepted part of the landscape. But familiarity hasn’t lessened the potency of the Big Bang. Key to this versatility is the case. The modular construction and Hublot’s own dedication to their Art of Fusion design approach means that the…
Last year, Cartier launched a brand-new collection: the automotive-inspired Drive de Cartier. However, unlike much of the brand’s other offerings which have cross-gender appeal, the Drive de Cartier is intended solely for men. It has proven to be a hit the world over, with a case that is neither round nor square. Instead, its elegant curves form a rounded cushion shape, which is unmistakably masculine – but not in a macho kind of way. To use an automotive analogy, it’s less brute Mustang muscle and more the sophistication of an Aston Martin. The crowning achievement of the collection is the Drive de Cartier Flying Tourbillon with its in-house, mechanical tourbillon, caliber 9452 MC movement that’s been hand finished to a high degree to meet the standards of the Geneva Seal certification. However, it’s not just the movement that is impeccable. The dial is a richly contrasting display of satin-brushed surfaces and intricate guilloche finishing. Cartier has created a sense of depth by open-working the outer dial that displays the markings for the hours, minutes and seconds, and exposing the white galvanised guilloche below. Despite the elaborate interplaying layers, the dial layout manages to come across as simple and elegant. The…
*Minor spoiler alert* It’s not unusual for a watch to play a starring role in a movie. Often it’s the prop that shows a countdown in a race against time, or it’s a sentimental object, or an indicator of personal style. In the rather stupendous Christopher Nolan mega-production that is Dunkirk (I’m still a little woozy on my feet a day after watching it on an IMAX screen), it’s very much the former. Without giving too much away, Tom Hardy’s character, a Spitfire pilot in the Royal Air Force, must use his watch to calculate the amount of fuel he has left when his gauge is smashed by enemy fire. The repeated reference to the watch as the movie hurtles on clearly shows an Omega branded watch, that has been confirmed by an employee at Omega to be the Omega “RAF” 1940, ref CK2129, which was delivered to Great Britain’s ministry of Defence in 1940. Hats off to Christopher Nolan for bothering to research and then source such an authentic watch for the role. Nolan is known for his obsessive attention to detail (read this story about how he made Harry Styles tie his army boots differently to be more true to the era), it’s brilliant…
A few years ago I attended a talk called, ‘How to Start a Collection’. The focus was on vintage rather than modern and the speaker was a prominent collector, so I looked forward to picking up some great tips. His advice was to anchor a collection with some key pieces, and he gave some examples. Impeccable reasoning, but there was a catch: the name of every piece began with Patek, Rolex or Panerai – and none could be had for less than $80,000. Most were some way north of $100k. So, what if you’re a watch addict of far more modest means? One for whom every $500 increment in price gives real pause for thought. And one who both wants and needs to feel that he or she hasn’t done something dumb with their hard-earned money. Someone who, even at a more accessible end of the vintage market, wants the watch to have a fighting chance of holding its value over time, or better still, to appreciate? I asked a range of experts for advice – Jonathan Darracott of Bonhams (London), Pedro Reiser at Sotheby’s (Geneva), Toby Sutton at Watches of Knightsbridge (London) and Alex Ghotbi and Aurel Bacs at Phillips (Geneva). On…
Earlier this year we had a look at one of the classic watches from Longines’ catalogue, the Legend Diver – a heritage diver inspired by old-school super compressors. The Legend has always been popular amongst watch lovers, and an important precursor to the heritage trend that has slowly grown to become all-encompassing. Turns out that the Legend Diver celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and Longines has celebrated by popping on a new strap option – a heavy and handsome Milanese mesh bracelet. And while the watch itself is unchanged, this woven steel bracelet is a great example of the old-watch-chestnut that changing your strap is the next best thing to getting a new watch. The thick and supple Milanese is a choice that’s entirely appropriate for a diver, but functionally it gives the Legend a far more dressy feel — more work, less weekend. Quality-wise the mesh is there too. It’s firm, substantial, and not prone to flopping around on the wrist. It’s also worth noting that I had no issues with pinched hair while it was on my wrist. I’m really pleased that the Legend Diver has enjoyed such a long run, and this latest iteration is a…
When smartwatches burst onto wrists in a big way with the Apple Watch and its Android powered competitors, the response from the Swiss hegemony lacked a single clear message. Some brands spurned the very concept of a luxury smartwatch, while others wholeheartedly embraced this new frontier. A few years on and the landscape has changed, with the large luxury groups seeing potential in this relatively new market segment. At the Richemont group, the smart push is spearheaded by Montblanc and their traditionally styled Summit watch. Funnily enough, it’s the fact that the brand has gone to great efforts to make the Montblanc Summit look as much like a traditional watch as possible that makes it stand out from the other more avant-garde offerings. The Summit is well-suited to be a device cohesively integrated into your life — and not be relegated to the role of a glorified fitness tracker. Prices for the Summit start at $1330 AUD.
I imagine there’d be some decent perks that would go along with being a bud of The Weeknd. You’d probably get to meet Daft Punk. You probably wouldn’t get to meet Justin Bieber. And maybe he’d pick you up to go bowling in a sweet ride with a panther in his passenger seat. Pretty great perks. But the real value of working with, and befriending Abel Makkonen Tesfaye seems to kick in around birthday time. Just ask French Montana, who received an iced out Patek Philippe Nautilus in November last year from The Weeknd, successfully present-shaming the whole world in the process. Now, it seems the birthday-watch is making its way into the pair’s music, with new French Montana song feat. The Weeknd ‘A Lie’ starring both French’s new Nautilus and a rose gold model on leather on The Weeknd. The song drops lines like “A hundred thousand for the time” and “House on my neck / ‘Nother house on my wristband”. As well as this one, which I’m sure we can all relate to: “My life’s invested in bein’ a f*cking legend.” The moral of the story is, even though it’s Saturday, we all need to get closer to The Weeknd.