Rockstars rocking vintage watches, Part 2 – Paul Newman Daytonas only
Ever since the “panda” dial Paul Newman Rolex Daytona sold for the GDP of a small African nation, it’s become the preserve of mega-rich rockstars only. And thus, we have just two examples of rockstars wearing it, one from the new school – old mate, Ed Sheeran who is quite the enthusiast and journeyman Eric Clapton. Both on Bund strap, both frequently on stage, and both stellar examples. If there’s ever been inspiration needed to work on your songsmithing to fund your watch habit, surely this is it? Eric Clapton – Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona ref. 6239 white “panda” dial in stainless steel It’s only fitting that a man who needs no introduction wears a watch that needs no introduction as well. Eric Clapton, one of the greatest guitar players who ever lived – and known mentor and hero of John Mayer – presents as the ultimate badass wearing a Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona ref. 6239 routinely during his performances – and on the classic Bund strap Paul Newman made famous. Most of us would think this is the sort of watch you would never be able to forget was on your wrist, but Clapton is a total legend completely immersed…
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The Seiko Corporation, across its various brands, is known for making competitively valued watches with beautiful dials you cannot find from other brands – even at higher price points. The cocktail watches, as of late, have incorporated some gorgeous dial tones and textures, all of which are eye candy to the wearer and those who spot the watch. Seiko raises the bar once again, introducing two new flavours of their cocktail watches with the limited edition Seiko Presage SRPF41J and SRPF43J. The case The case is made of polished stainless steel in a wearable happy medium of proportions that should please all camps of wrist sizes. The diameter is a modern 38.5mm, but with a lug to lug of 45.35mm it is a very compact watch for its size. With a thickness of 11.79mm, this watch and its Hardlex glass crystal will definitely slip under a cuff when attending a nice cocktail hour. The watch is 50 metres water resistant, which is quite robust for a rather dressy piece. Personally, I would not take the watch into the water, but I could see it joining me on a hike or camping trip with friends (at least when that becomes safe…
The luxury watch industry is only growing around the world, and with many online publishers covering the world of horology extensively it has never been easier to learn about timepieces, their value, and the level of demand. One thing I do truly love about this hobby is there is a clear sense of community, a watchfam so to speak, that tries to look out for each other whenever possible. Today I would like to draw our attention to a very unfortunate incident that hit one of the most respected vintage watch dealers in the world: Amsterdam Vintage Watches. Image: Ⓒ DE TELEGRAAF The staff arrived to work on October 22 to find the windows of their store shattered on the pavement and boxes littered in front of the door. More than 40 watches from brands such as Rolex, Cartier and Patek Philippe were taken by the burglars – who clearly knew the value these premium brands command. Below, we have included a list of the references taken, along with their serial numbers, and we urge everyone to please proceed with caution if you happen to be in the process of trying to source one of the models (although it is…
Celebrity watch spotting is a pastime of watch enthusiasts — there is something more genuine about a watch in the wild on a famous wrist than a planted timepiece as part of a contractual ambassadorship. While many opt for flashy precious metal and gemstone-covered watches to convey a sense of status and success that ties to their celebrity, those in the know can tell which celebrities are truly one of us. Usually by displaying impeccable taste with Phillips-worthy vintage creations slapped on their wrists. This kicks off a three-part series of rockstars rocking vintage watches — spotted with some help from Nick Gould — that any mere mortal would kill to have in their collection. Adam Levine – Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3800 in yellow gold While many opt for the coveted 5711/A in stainless steel, Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine proves he is above following trends by pairing his wrist with the classically sized 3800 in yellow gold. While very similar to its modern sibling, the JLC-based movement, smaller proportions, and older dial font have a timelessness that newer versions have seemed to have lost. As the saying goes, respect your elders – and Adam Levine clearly respects the earlier origins…
Editor’s note: If I had to list my most motivational interview of the year, it would be easy. It would be Paul de Gelder. Paul is a former navy clearance diver, turned TV show host and now Seiko ambassador. Paul is an Aussie based in L.A – and his claims to fame are more than just being the last shark attack victim in Sydney Harbour. He has also taught Mike Tyson how to dive. And he is the creator of a COVID-19 lockdown in-house fitness routine involving a broom, shopping bags and lots of canned goods. If you’re looking for a non-standard watch-related video to watch today, you have found it. We hope you enjoy the video, and also this first-person minute-by-minute recap of the day that changed his career, and changed his life. That morning, it was February 11, 2009, 6 in the morning. Overcast, and the water in Sydney Harbour is quite murky, which always makes it a bit nerve-racking. I was swimming near HMAS Kuttabul, which is where we’ve spent thousands of hours working on the warships. I had sharks on the brain. I always have sharks on the brain! I was in the water doing what we…
Editor’s note: We’ve had quite the flurry of Bulgari lately, mostly in celebration of the brand’s 2020 collection. And, increasingly, the pinion of the collection is emerging as this model right here. Make no mistake, it doesn’t rightly deserve to be. It’s a simple dial variation away from the black lacquer dial variation that the satin polished steel Octo Finissimo debuted with in January this year. But that’s the logical take. The emotional response, for the broader team, and not just me it seems – is very much centred around this lavish combination of rich blue dial, and the highly faceted and finished steel of its case and bracelet. Well, we all knew it was coming. There was no way that Bulgari was going to release the Octo Finissimo in satin polished steel, and not create a model with a blue dial. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – the Bulgari Octo Finissimo blue dial in satin polished steel is the best attempt by any watchmaker in recent memory of creating a genuine Patek Philippe Nautilus or Audemars Piguet Royal Oak competitor. Bulgari had to make this watch. And now that it’s here, the burning question on…
For many of you reading, COVID-19 is the virus that will. Not. Go. Away. At first, for most, it was a bit of a quirky change of pace. Fun, even. A blur of Netflix, homemade Negronis and novelties like bare-knuckle fighting for toilet paper. But as it’s ground on, the darkness has subsumed many of us; we now just want it to be behind us, amirite? In Australia, we’re getting there. After 139 days of Stage 4, the most strict lockdown in the world by most reports, Melbourne, our home city is coming out – at 11.59 tonight. Sydney has been out for ages. We’re rejoining normality, whatever that will look like after so long away. So, it’s time to drop a story we’ve been sitting on for months. The idea for this post came up when we did a wristcheck in the Monday meeting on Zoom and – out of seven people – only two of us were actually wearing a watch. Given that we’re technically still in it, the question still very much has the sting of immediacy for the Time+Tide team. What place did our watches have in lockdown? GQ noted in a recent piece that in…
With the ongoing pandemic, everything and everyone has had to adopt new means and methods of connecting and gathering. Each month the Horological Society of New York – who recently visited Melbourne to give watchmaking classes – would have in-person lectures that take a deep dive into the fascinating world of horology and the watch industry as a whole. Back in September, the first-ever virtual lecture was held and featured none other than vintage watch collector and dealer Eric Ku. The idea driving the lecture was “Collecting Watches in the Time of COVID-19”, and, over the course of a little more than an hour, Eric dropped some serious wisdom on viewers such as myself. While I encourage you to watch the lecture in full (when made available to the public), here are four key takeaways I had from the brilliant discussion and its Q&A. Patek Philippe and Rolex are proof the boutique model isn’t going away – at least for the most powerful brands While Eric acknowledges it would take a crystal ball to predict the future with certainty, one thing he did mention that allows me to safely infer the above was when he outlined Patek Philippe’s online sales.…
For us, there was only one effective way to rate and review the luxurious Seiko Challenger diver, the $9995AUD Seiko Prospex SLA037J1, a re-creation of Seiko’s first dive watch, the 62MAS, launched in 1965. And that was to put it up against a brand nobody baulks at spending that kind of money for a diver: Omega with their Seamaster 300 Co-Axial vintage. Once put in the ring, we let them duke it out, spec for spec. And the verdict? I concluded that some will no doubt be attracted to what might be the very pinnacle of Seiko’s dive range, and an entirely new paradigm for quality within the brand collections. Others, of course, will consider that there are too many other options at that price point. Me, I’m in the former camp. The SLA037J1, limited to 1100 pieces, is the very realisation of 62MAS-inspired divers, and comes at the perfect size, under 40mm. The only issue I could muster is the Grand Seiko vibe it emanates. Surely that is pure bliss? Well, yes and no. The finish is so perfect in every sense, with the slight bevel at the end of a lug so pristine that I would compare it to…
The WMB came out in 2019 as an unusual and strong contender from the newly formed French microbrand Serica, through an idea from the only American on the team, author of A Man & His Watch, Matt Hranek. Inspired by the iconic Wrist Watch Waterproof of the armed forces, a tough-looking everyday tool watch with optional dial colours and hands, it hit a perfect note within the horological community. Covered in Nick Kenyon’s story here, where Nick went as far as calling it the revival of the good, affordable watch. Well, I think he might have been right, and here is the new and sharpened second version, the Serica 4512. This time the military field watch monochromatic charm is still ever-present, but distilled – and with a superb vintage bracelet as standard. The feel is one of a small, bulletproof tool, but with a certain je ne sais quoi (indefinable, ed.) that makes it fit for everything from rambling through the woods to brushed off and elegant under a sharp shirt cuff. Unlike many microbrands that naturally enough haven’t got 40 staff on research and design, Serica hit the nail on the head with the all-important proportions first time out.…