RECOMMENDED READING: Could your PlayStation 5 controller screw up your watch by emitting magnetic fields?
Magnets are useful for many things. They’ve helped decorate the outside of countless fridges, inspired the name of a seminal New York rap group (the Ultramagnetic MCs), and given Wile E Coyote various half-baked ideas in his doomed attempt to catch Road Runner. But magnets are less benign when it comes to your mechanical watch. Proximity to even small magnets can sabotage the balance spring and make your watch run fast, slow or even stop altogether. That’s why a new story on psu.com is potentially daunting. It highlights a thread on Reddit that clams the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller can magnetise your mechanical watch. “According to (Reddit) user Saguchi, the DualSense is able to emit strong magnetic fields ‘not only at the speaker level (which is to be expected) but also at the grips themselves’,” psu.com report. Saguchi purports the issues are likely down to the controller’s Inertial Measurement Unit (no, me neither), and that the ones tested out by the user are on par with “fully-fledged laptop speakers and can, I think, lead to magnetism”. Other posters on the thread concur that “the DualSense is more magnetic than the DualShock 4”. PSU has so far been unable to verify…
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Ceramic was once a fairly rare material for watch cases with many manufacturers yet to tame the robust case medium. Now there are a plethora of options to choose from, all in varying colours, sizes, styles, and price points to choose from. Brands like Rolex and Omega use ceramic bezels on their divers (among other watches as well) in order to provide better resistance to the scratching and deterioration than is found on their metallic counterparts: aluminum or steel. So if this is the way to increase the longevity of a bezel, why not increase the durability of an entire case by rendering it entirely in ceramic? Now manufacturers are doing just that. Sure, under extraordinary circumstances, it is possible to chip ceramic, but odds are you will never be moving fast enough or in a sufficiently dangerous manner to make that happen. Without further ado, here are six great ceramic watches to consider. Longines HydroConquest Black Ceramic How about this beautiful diver from Longines – the HydroConquest Black Ceramic. At 43mm in diameter it is not necessarily for the small of wrist. But for those complaining a 40mm Submariner is too tiny (how?) you can save almost a third…
H. Moser & Cie. is a watch brand and manufacturer known for having fun and exploring a wide spectrum of colours and materials to fabricate their creations. But now they are taking a moment to get serious through a gorgeous green duo of timepieces. The new H. Moser & Cie. Cure ALS Pioneer Collection is a partnership between Moser and Duke University. As brand CEO Edouard Meylan explains, “Time is a precious, yet finite resource; we are thrilled to present these today to help find a cure for ALS.” The watches were designed in collaboration with Loy Stewart – a US businessman who owned Detyens Shipyards, one of the largest commercial shipyards in the world. He was diagnosed with ALS (a nervous system disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical function) in the early 2000s, after which he set out to find a cure. According to Moser, “An inspiring entrepreneur and avid watch collector, Loy was ecstatic to work with his close friend, George Wendt, and H. Moser to design a watch to raise funds for a disease that robs too many of their mobility, speaking ability and eventually life.” Unfortunately, Loy is no longer with us today. Wendt explains,…
Last year, James Robinson covered the wristwear of two of the biggest superstars in the game both known for their killer timepieces – Drake and Jay-Z. Not only do we uncover their favourite references, we also pit them against each other in what we call a Celebrity Death Match. Curious to know the winner? Then read on below! There’s going to be four rounds in this horological heavyweight showdown, spread across four different categories – dress watch to die for, modded and murdered out mayhem, weekend warrior, and deathblow, the ultimate flex piece. Whose watches will come out on top in this instalment of Celebrity Death Match? There’s only one way to find out. Dress watch to die for: Jay-Z – Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra-Thin Tribute to 1931 Pink Gold Ref. 2782521 Image: dayandnightmagazine.com A more classic dress watch we struggle to think of. Jay-Z’s JLC is a straight-up killer choice for the myriad red carpets the hip hop mogul would find himself on. In fact, the Reverso, although not initially designed as a dress watch, today may well be one of the archetypal models of the genre. This Reverso, in particular, the uber-rare Ultra-Thin Tribute to 1931 Pink Gold…
When it comes to a significant anniversary, a diamond ring is always a welcome gift that’ll make her positively swoon with gratitude for a day or two. But why not invest in a matching set of watches? “His and hers” might conjure up slightly naff images, but the reality can actually prove to be a genuine win-win. Not only will you ensure your partner has something nice for their wrist that reminds you both of that special day, it’s also a cunning way to justify a new addition to your collection that you can enjoy with each new wristroll. Here are some options to consider. Longines HydroConquest On a premium-economy budget, you can’t get more of a classic diver than the strong lines of the Longines HydroConquest series. With a broad-shouldered case design and a 41mm case for him, you can’t go wrong with that gorgeous dark navy sunray dial. While channelling some well-known design cues from sports watch icons, it still has very much its own identity. The classic Longines design protocol has long swoopy lugs in the recipe, so the 41mm might be the best medium-sized choice, with a beautiful ergonomic curve they make the HydroConquest sit beautifully…
We turn now to one of the great philosophical dilemmas of our time. It’s a profound and complex question that lies at the knotty intersection between primal desire, technology, psychology, gender equality and the mood-killing potential of trying to undo a particularly fiddly NATO strap. I refer, of course, to the ticklish conundrum: should you take off your watch before having sex? It’s actually a more divisive issue than it sounds. When Men’s Health conducted a Twitter poll on the subject in January 2019 the jury was pretty inconclusive with 57% of respondents saying that wearing a watch during sex was perfectly fine, while 43% took the view that you should just “put the damn thing on your bedside table already” before getting down to business. The gender issue At this point, we need to establish some ground rules. Without getting too intrusive: are you a man or a woman? I don’t mean to pry, you understand, but this makes a fundamental difference to the question at hand. Because expectations of complete nudity during jiggery-pokery are not the same for both genders. Let me explain. Whenever I make a cack-handed attempt to coax my long-suffering wife into conjugal activities, she’s…
Earlier this week, aptly on a #speedytuesday in Switzerland, Omega has released a new generation of Omega Speedmaster watches. The upgrade has been long-awaited with the previous references largely unchanged for the past 50 years. The Omega Speedmaster 3861 models announced introduce master chronometer co-axial technology to the professional moon watch – with subtle changes to its case, dial and bezel, plus an overhauled bracelet. Let’s take a closer look at the new watches and what they may mean for prospective buyers worldwide. The 2021 Omega Speedmaster 3861 Collection The new-generation Omega Speedmaster 3861 collection comes in the form of four watches in eight configurations – two in steel and two in precious metals (Sedna Gold and Canopus Gold). Each can be bought on either a strap or new-generation bracelet depending on your preference. The cases of the Omega Speedmaster 3861 collection are directly inspired by the fourth generation Omega Speedmaster ST 105.012 worn by Apollo 11 astronauts on the moon. The 42mm case is both satin-brushed and mirror-polished, with twisted lyre-style lugs that feature a mirror-polished bevelling. Omega has returned the double-stepped caseback to the new line, which will make the wear experience that much more akin to the original…
In spite of some not inconsiderable distractions, there were some pretty decent watches released in 2020. Quite a few of them actually. Omega relaunched their serially produced caliber 321, Bulgari executed the Octo Finissimo in steel, Grand Seiko launched an entirely new escapement in their SLGH002 and DOXA brought their most iconic design into the 21st century with a forged carbon case. But that wasn’t all. Moser joined the sports watch game with a “Matrix green” three-hander, Audemars Piguet launched a sensationally designed Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon for women and Rolex served up a colourful nod to the Stella dials of the 1970s. Amid all of these exciting new horological treats, it isn’t easy selecting a trio of favourites, but I’ve done just that, and picked the three amigos that I’d be more than happy to bolster my collection with. In fact, I’ve added one of them already. Cartier Santos-Dumont “La Demoiselle” Limited Edition in platinum Cartier continued their development of the Santos-Dumont collection that they’d begun to revitalise in 2019 with a number of new quartz references. Last year’s references focused on mechanical movements instead, as well as an expansion of precious metal cases, and several very exciting new…
Fact: we are stuck in the strap-technology stone age while the world is moving on. Is the 100-year-old technology of the spring bar beautiful nostalgia? Or simply large manufacturers being lazy? We all have a story of that one time, changing a strap to match up that outfit, fiddling with a screwdriver, scratching the lug, only for the spring bar to go ping! Off into the world, never to be seen again and you obviously didn’t have a spare 20mm one. Let’s face it: we need new easy solutions. Can anyone beat Apple at the comfort game, or has someone already found the solution? Because Apple seems to have it sussed for comfort. Ironically I’m not a huge fan of the Apple Watch, mainly because I still enjoy the notion of cogs, a hairspring and a balance wheel rotating inside the case. But credit where credit’s due, their strap tech is superb and should be a call to arms for the Swiss and Japanese. The original Apple Sport Loop is a minimalist’s dream in its innate simplicity, and smooth fit to the case, eminently adjustable and secure. It’s a great strap if you don’t want holes, and enjoy the rough…
The term “grail watch” is used to refer to the ultimate collection piece. It might be a rare vintage treasure or a modern horological marvel depending on your personal taste. Effectively though it represents the Mount Everest of your watch-buying ambitions and is likely to be financially ruinous. Grail watches traditionally therefore conjure up images of serious heavyweight timepieces – a Patek Philippe grand complication perhaps or an early Rolex Submariner with a tropical dial. But what happens when the best manufacturers in the business launch their haute horlogerie on the utilitarian sportiness of a soft rubber strap? It’s a divisive move sure that’s likely to split watch lovers between horror and delight. Here, we’re firmly in the latter party. The reason? A rubber strap makes your grail infinitely more wearable and watches, however valuable, are ultimately made to be enjoyed on the wrist rather than gather dust in a safe. A rubber strap means being able to wear your grail during your favourite activities while also making it more accessible and unobtrusive in a year where bling feels increasingly inappropriate. We say that’s a proper win-win. Here are five of the most wildly desirable grail watches on rubber straps.…