MICRO MONDAYS: The William Wood Triumph collection is a set of chronographs ready to catch fire
William Wood is known for their well built and accessibly priced timepieces, all of which are inspired by fire rescue and the brave people who put their lives on the line every day. We’ve covered the full backstory of the brand and its name before, but just to recap: William Wood was the name of brand founder Jonny Garrett’s late grandfather. For more than 25 years, William Wood served in the British Fire Service, winning commendations for his acts of bravery. Sadly, he passed away in 2009, but his legacy lives on through Jonny and the William Wood watch manufacture that upcycles rescue service materials into beautiful timepieces while donating to international firefighting charities. Today the William Wood collection expands further, introducing their first ever Swiss chronograph watches with the William Wood Triumph collection. Each of the new trio are inspired by the three elements required to start a fire: fuel, oxygen, and heat (seen below from left to right). The 316L stainless-steel case of each Triumph watch is 40.5mm in diameter, 15.5mm thick, and 100 metres water-resistant (admirable for a chronograph watch). The watch has a common lug width of 20mm, which means if for any reason you…
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Your first good watch is an important step in your watch collecting journey. It represents your first serious commitment to the hobby and probably the first time you spend an amount of money that most people would consider completely preposterous on a wristwatch. But because of that commitment, inevitably your first good watch will always be a memorable one in your collecting journey and represents the beginning of what is likely to be a headfirst dive into the weird and wonderful world of watch fanaticism. What was my first good watch? It was a choice that was off the beaten path, not because it wasn’t a great watch, but because it was quartz. That’s right, my first good watch was the Grand Seiko SBGN007. Why did I choose this instead of something that might have cost a similar amount, but was more traditional in the fact that it was a mechanical watch? Well, I knew at that point a decent proportion of the watches I’d bought were vintage Seikos, many of which were quartz, so I wasn’t starting from a position of only appreciating mechanical watches from Switzerland. The other reason was that for the cost of the Grand Seiko…
You’ll notice I wrote “tool watch” in the headline and will undoubtedly be challenged on this on two counts, so I’ll address them before the temperature rises. Because the Rolex Professional range does indeed consist of archetypal tool watches, no matter their value and luxurious status. We all know the other two greats, but both the Submariner and Sea-Dweller’s impressive tool-stats are often forgotten due to the brand’s high-end standing. The fact that they also fit very well under a suit jacket doesn’t help, but they are still rugged tool watches at heart, believe me. The Explorer II on the other hand, is refreshingly simple and a tad more casual. With it’s brushed case and no nonsense steel bezel, it’s unashamed of its purpose, and that is one of Exploration. If you don’t know Rolex that well you might be a little surprised by its no-nonsense austere look, detailed instrument-like dial, and very un-premium white tool hand set. And, of course, my favourite detail, that massive orange arrow the size of a racket. What’s behind that gigantic GMT arrow? It’s there because the original Explorer II, released in 1971, was aimed specifically for speleologists or cave divers, so maybe it…
Two-tone watches were all the rage in the 90s, but today many collectors have shunned the configuration out of fear they will look like Jordan Belfort. But not all two-tone is created equal, and Rolex has came up with a more youthful interpretation. The Rolex GMT Master II 126711CHNR Rootbeer is a modern take on two-tone, blending Everose gold and 904L stainless steel to create something you would have never seen in two-tone’s hey-day. The black and brown ceramic bezel creates a really interesting tone, the brown ceramic akin to a cup of coffee with a touch of milk. The 40mm case is still of the maxi era, which benefits its design as the modern lug stance distances the watch from two-tone creations of yesteryear. While it incorporates precious metal into its build, the Rolex GMT Master II 126711CHNR Rootbeer is every bit as robust as its full steel brethren. It is Trip-Lock secured with 100 metres water resistance and an Everose screw-down crown. As its proprietary blend name suggests, the rose gold is created never to lose its luster and shine – even over the course of active wear. While not as scratch-resistant as rhodium flashed white gold, rose…
As a hobby, watch collecting is often full of little surprises. When it comes to the resale value of a watch, I can get a little obsessed. Part of the fun for me is chasing down the best bargain, trying to figure out what it’s worth, and wondering whether or not I’d be able to make my money back if I end up selling something down the line. While most people, correctly, say that watch collecting should never be about monetary investment, I can’t help but get a little spark of joy when I see the value of something I own creeping up over time. This story was originally going to be about “one that got away” — a watch I sold too soon — but a quick bit of research actually revealed that I got quite lucky in the case of a King Seiko 5626-7000. Now, to be clear, I have never bought a watch purely to sell it. As much as I get excited by the money aspect, I’ve only ever bought them because I’ve wanted to wear them, and selling them on only happens when I feel like that initial attachment has worn off. I don’t have…
Just when we had finally sussed out the design language of Moser they have another ace up their sleeve and it seems to be a very big sleeve indeed. The H.Moser & Cie Streamliner Flyback Chronograph still feels new, even after being out for almost a year and, with its timeless vibe, I suspect that’ll still be the case after many years, especially with this new and alluring dial. While the holy trinity of legacy brands tweak their tried and tested icons by a millimetre or two, that safe path is not for Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser. This is a marked difference to what we’re used to seeing, especially in the hotly contested integrated bracelet category. But I think that’s exactly what we need. Here, instead of homage, we have retro futurism inspired by the streamlined designs of 1920s trains and cars, delivered in a fresh and innovative way. The H.Moser & Cie Streamliner Flyback Chronograph is a reference for which the word “curvilinear” seems to fit. Angular is not a term Moser needs to express themselves, and this is one of the distinct details that sets them apart. Images will not prepare you for the firm yet…
Johnny Dowell, a.k.a King Nerd – who was one of our Londoners featured recently in a series by European Editor Mike Christensen – is a watch customizer with a very sharp point of difference. He is an engraver, and applies his craft to watches, among other things – it’s a world of traditional craftsmanship you wouldn’t necessarily associate with street cool wristwear. Today I’m knocked out by his flamboyant collaboration with on-the-march G-Shock in the King Nerd x G-Shock GM-6900GKING-9ER. In this gold version of their tough GM-6900, the IP-plated case and über-cool King Nerd designed patterned strap turn our perceptions of a traditional high tech tool watches upside down, and I love it. From sharpening his skills at Bamford after working for the world renowned gunsmiths James Purdey & Sons, Johnny has become the go-to for some of the wildest, most exciting collaborations in the world of independent watchmaking. from Linde Werdelin to Urwerk, and from coins to camera cases. Johnny has an otherworldly skill, that has put a delicate twist to the alien pod-like creations of Urwerk and the unbreakable tool aesthetic of Linde Werdelin. From coin-based artwork to the intricate dinosaur-motifs, Johnny is proving to be money. G-Shock…
Rolex bracelets are some of the best in the business and the Oyster bracelet with Glidelock on the ref. 114060 Rolex Submariner (featured below in other guises) is a prime example of their incredible construction and fit. But sometimes it is nice to switch things up, especially if you do not have a box full of watches to swap between. Swapping straps is a great way to rejuvenate a watch in your collection and make it feel new with a fresh aesthetic. It can give your daily wearer a different aesthetic and also help you preserve the condition of the bracelet if you are so inclined. Before you take the Oyster bracelet off your Sub, we figured we’d help you to get the party started by putting together five looks and configurations that we think work particularly well with a Rolex Submariner watch. Rolex Submariner on olive tropical strap Tropical straps are a great option for a more casual look and work really well in the summer months of the year. They are very resistant to daily wear as they’re hard to scratch or tear and offer high resistance to water and sweat. The olive green pictured above injects some…
Heritage is the key buzzword when it comes to watches right now. With many consumers enamored with timepieces of the past, it’s a no-brainer for manufacturers to revive coveted designs and give buyers a chance to acquire new watches inspired by the references of yesteryear. The IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Tribute to 3705” is a classic example of this trend, with the brand faithfully reviving a cult watch from 1994. The IWC Ceramic Fliegerchronograph (ref. 3705) is now considered one of the most sought-after models from the brand’s recent history. After briefly fading into obscurity, it re-gained widespread attention thanks to the patina potential of its classic tritium dial and a ceramic case that was ahead of its time. In fact, one piece from the personal collection of former IWC director Günter Blümlein was auctioned for a staggering $53,750 USD. The new IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Tribute to 3705” maintains the crucial DNA of the original design, but incorporates subtle upgrades to make the watch stack up against the brand’s modern collection. Instead of using ceramic, it features a 41mm case made of Ceratanium® – a proprietary blend of ceramic and titanium developed by IWC. Arguably the most…
One of the biggest complaints about the Grand Seiko ‘Four Seasons’ collection had nothing to do with the watches themselves, but the fact that they were only available to the US market. Their nature-inspired dials were lauded for their colour and texture, making the international market envious of what was available in the States. Today a new set of sekki (seasonal phase) inspired dials have been released in the new Grand Seiko GMT Seasons Collection – a line-up of four GMT watches, two of which are powered by the automatic hi-beat caliber 9S86, with the other duo powered by the Spring Drive caliber 9R66. The Hi-Beat models Shunbun – SBGJ251 While the previous Shunbun inspired model SBGA413 was outfitted with a pink-hued cherry blossom dial, within the new Grand Seiko GMT Seasons Collection it takes on a new tone and texture. Due to the darker tone of the dial, the hours, minutes and GMT hands have a satin-brushed surface on their top facing facet that under direct light will brighten against the deep green dial. The bright pink-gold toned GMT hand symbolises the cherry blossoms that begin to peer out from the trees in spring. According to Grand Seiko, “The…