INTRODUCING: The critics were wrong, and the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time flies again, this time as the 7234G-001
The Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time in its first iteration, ref 5524G-001 definitely caught our attention when it was released. We called it the most confusing watch of Baselworld 2015. Patek Philippe had anticipated the sceptical reaction, and the opening line of their press release about the watch sought to quickly legitimise it – referring to the two-hour angle pilot watches from the ’30s whose style codes it extends. But, despite the fact that PP holds its turnover cards close to its chest, word since then is that it has sold better than expected with its sharp and unexpected style. Journalists don’t buy watches, after all. And we learned in our own travels, that pilots do. Sebastian told us all about his Travel Time, here. The previous model came at the cusp of the new age of small-case goodness, coming in at a large 42mm with its prominent pushers and crown. Perfect for what in essence is a tough, functional pilot’s watch – a description that makes me equally sad as tool-watch happy, because we know how likely it is that many of these models have ended up living a rather quiet life. Forever rotating aimlessly in slow motion inside a…
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Shinola is an American luxury design brand that manufactures various products – from timepieces, leather goods, jewellery, and even audio equipment. Founded in 2011, the company operates an in-house watch and leather factory based within the fifth floor of the historic Argonaut Building, where a team of artisans hand assembles timepieces and crafts premium leather straps. A year after Shinola was founded, in 2012, they transformed 12,000 square feet of raw space into their very own state-of-the-art watch factory in Detroit. Their watch teams continually participate in extensive training with their Swiss partner Ronda AG. The factory assembles between 500 and 700 watches per day, with more than 30 people participating in the assembly of a single watch. The brand is known for accessibly priced watches that have a clear American influence. Their products range from more basic “fashion watches” to a growing lineup of mechanical watches. While the parts are typically sourced from Swiss and international vendors, every Shinola watch is built and assembled in their Detroit HQ. This is their latest release: the “I Voted” Shinola Detrola 43mm Limited Edition Watch. With the election coming up here in the states, Shinola is trying to do their part by encouraging…
This year has been a big one for Longines — for a couple of reasons. They have continued down the purist pathway of vintage reissues through their Heritage collection, as well as continuing to build their other enthusiast-favourite families such as the Record and HydroConquest collections. But the biggest news from Longines in 2020 was the launch of the Spirit collection, an event that certainly doesn’t happen every year at the Saint-Imier based manufacture. For Longines, the Spirit collection represents the meeting of past and future for the first thorough and meaningful way, blending their important history as instrument suppliers to the pioneers of aviation with more contemporary design cues and modern watchmaking technology. Longines HydroConquest Green The HydroConquest collection is Longines’ approach to a no-nonsense, robustly built and affordable dive watch. We’ve seen it expressed in a range of forms, from on a steel bracelet to a full black ceramic case, but this year we got the same approachable design and functionality in khaki green. This particular shade of muted, almost military, green has been increasingly popular in recent years, offering a quenching tonic against the never-ending procession of black and blue dive watches. At 41mm it is a feasible…
For fans of the prolific Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli, the name Porco Rosso will be familiar to you. He’s the ace biplane pilot who learned the art of flying in World War I, before being turned into a pig and then, turning his skills to fighting pirate crime. He has legions of fans around the world. What does this have to do with Seiko? Well, the Japanese watchmaker has teamed up with the Japanese animation studio to produce two (legitimately limited) limited edition watches, one of which is the Seiko Presage SRQ033J1 Porco Rosso Limited Edition, in only 600 pieces. The stylish pilot’s chronograph features a number of subtle nods to the Italian flying pig, including the stripes of the Italian flag in the 3 o’clock sub-dial, which matches the red, white and green stitches in the crocodile leather strap. If you flip the watch over, you’ll be greeted by Porco Rosso’s face on the sapphire crystal caseback, as well as the engraving, “Un maiale che non vola è solo un maiale”, which translates as, “A pig that does not fly is just a pig”. If that wasn’t enough, the 42mm steel watch also features a stunning enamel dial…
Zero West is a new British brand of boutique, heritage-inspired watches. All of their watches are designed and assembled on the South Coast of the UK (with assembly performed by a third-generation watchmaker 10 miles away from where the watches are designed). Zero West was founded by Andrew Brabyn, a designer, and Graham Collins, an ex-black ops military engineer, which explains the emphasis on designs with a military flavour. Zero West produces three lines of watches: Aviation, Marine and Automotive — all of which are limited editions. Each watch reference has a rich backstory rooted in British history. The recently released Zero West Spitfire S4-P9427 watch is the perfect example of the brand’s spirit and how they tangibly leverage true military history in the production of their watches. The story The Spitfire S4-P9427 Pilot’s watch is based on an air speed indicator found on a Mark I Spitfire plane. The watch itself is fabricated with parts from a genuine WWII Spitfire plane engine – a plane that fought and flew very, very close to their headquarters in Hampshire, UK. The release date of the watch, September 15, was specifically chosen by the brand as it marks 80 years since the Battle…
Two brands, both brash, bold, loud and cutting edge. Well, OK, not loud in the same sense as a V12 engine, but Hublot is a perfect fit as the watchmaking partner to Ferrari. This time, it is a celebration of Ferrari’s 1000th Grand Prix, a milestone in Formula One’s 70th anniversary year and, yes, it took place last weekend at the Mugello circuit in Italy. The bright red steeds of Ferrari are interlinked with F1 like no other brand in history, and after a few changes in their suppliers of racing engines for the wrist, they found the perfect match in 2010 — the wrist-worn art of Hublot, a bold brand with the same cutting-edge approach to materials and innovation. Hublot have launched two limited editions of 20 pieces each from their popular Big Bang series for Ferrari’s milestone participation in Formula One. Without being too bold, I’d say this could be the perfect pair, or even Exit Duo, if big sports watches scratch your horological itch. They are polished or tough, day or night – boardroom versus racetrack or any other suggestions you might have for this intriguingly symbiotic pair of wristwatches. The White Gold version The recognisable shape of…
The democratisation of watch modification has been sinking in for a few years, moving from diamond-encrusted Rolex watches, all the way down to swapping out a set of hands on your favourite Seiko SKX. In recent times, it’s become apparent that watch brands are trying to cover their bases and provide the unique look of a modified watch in a completely stock package. We’ve seen it with the new Seiko 5 Sport line, and we’ve seen it with Rolex reintroducing their vibrant Stella dials of the past. Even Casio aren’t immune, with the latest “Casi-Oak” being hewn from a GA2100 and an aftermarket steel case to look even more like the famed AP Royal Oak. Well, now G-SHOCK are showing the world their intentions by teaming up with Bamford Watch Department — one of the world’s premier modifiers of luxury Swiss watches. This isn’t our first rodeo with Bamford Watch Department, having picked through their catalogue of mostly high-end watches from the LVMH group. The sleek designs of George Bamford are always clinically crisp, with the high-contrast neon colours creating an almost two-dimensional spectre of a watch for your wrist. While the modifier may focus on luxury brands such as…
The Seiko Alpinist series is a beloved staple of enthusiasts on watch forums and Instagram, with its comfortable shape, size and particular Japanese take on a sophisticated field watch with a rich history. Earlier this year, changes came to the lineup, with the Alpinist logo no longer present, and the Prospex X above the historical “Automatic” vintage font logo at 6. I observed the discussions that ensued, and was left with the positives of the excellent 6R35 movement easily tipping the scales on the plus side. This time the new Seiko Alpinist SPB155J and its siblings SPB157J and SPB159J are not simply improved, but rather redesigned from the case up, with the only instantly recognisable feature being the charming Alpinist cathedral hands, ready for a new audience. We are looking at a svelte, perfectly shaped 38mm case with the Alpinist name, yet it takes nothing away from the rich history. I, for one, am excited by these latest models, the SPB155J, SPB157J and SPB159J. How Seiko has managed to completely redesign the Alpinist range in a year with a plethora of new releases frankly boggles the mind, because this is no simple re-hash. Hopefully it will manage the feat of…
Unimatic’s tough Italian exterior gets the touch of Japanese designer Mihara Yasuhiro in a marriage of crisp white Cerakote™ and extreme minimalism. Unimatic, based in Milan, has a strong reputation for their no-nonsense tough 40mm tool watches, with their bold cases and stubby-perfect 49mm lug-to-lug length. With the Unimatic x Mihara Yasuhiro they have managed to bridge the divide between horology and Hypebeast. This is their second collaborative project this year, with the previous project being the instantly sold out Unimatic x Massena Lab neo-vintage version of this same U1. This time they’re back with a focus on purity, both in terms of aesthetic and shade, cranking the minimalist Unimatic design language up a notch – or a calm downturn, depending on your point of view. One thing is certain, in a world of lookalike vintage divers, this is a super-fresh ticket to a proper summer watch, not just in name but in nature, disguising what is a solid 300m Goldilocks-sized diver. Apparently stealth no longer comes only in black or grey, as a crisp white case can conceal a bulletproof tool watch. Upon closer inspection you will recognise the Unimatic language of the dial – highly legible round applied…
Every now and then you’ll come across something that makes you think, “Why doesn’t everyone do this?” This was what came to mind when I was considering the Rado Captain Cook with interchangeable straps, which offers a pretty practical solution to the limited versatility of a watch that only comes with one bracelet or strap. In this expression of the Rado Captain Cook, you are getting everything you would expect to in a piece from the collection, and a little more, so let’s take a closer look. After all, a different strap is almost as good as a new watch. The case The 42mm stainless steel case is based on the first Captain Cook dive watches from the 1960s, which were released in response to the boom in enthusiasm for scuba diving, and the need to accurately time these underwater adventures. While the original vintage references were produced in smaller case sizes, the modern 42mm case maintains similar proportions and holds true to the original inspiration. The flattened surfaces of the lugs have been finished with a high polish that nicely reflects the light and adds to the feeling of integration with the three-link bracelet that is also polished on…