A WEEK ON THE WRIST: The Hublot Big Bang Integral King Gold is a watch that demands attention
Editor’s note: Andrew walked through the door of the Time+Tide office one afternoon in February and looked down at his wrist. “It’s a watch that can wear you if you’re not careful,” he said, gaze still fixed on the Hublot Big Bang Integral King Gold that he was wearing. A strong statement from a man who has spent the last decade or so with an untold number of watches. So why does it have such an impact? After spending a week with the Hublot Big Bang Integral King Gold, Andrew explains what this new design offers in gold. T+T: When did you first see it and what was your first impression? Andrew McUtchen: I first saw it at Dubai Watch Week and was immediately captivated by the reflections on the bracelet and the way that the bracelet locked up with that recognisable case in a way that, to me, reinvented the Big Bang as a design proposition. Why is the Integral such a significant design change for the Big Bang collection? The reason the bracelet is such a big deal is because the Big Bang has been built on a of the “art of fusion” ever since its launch. This…
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In 2021, every brand has a luxury stainless-steel sports watch. But when the concept was born in the 1970s, there was less than a handful of brands who made the leap into the brave new world that left precious metal in the past. One of those brands was Vacheron Constantin with the ref. 222 designed by the German watchmaker Jorg Hysek. In 1996, the design had new life breathed into it with the Overseas collection, which stood tall as a luxury sports watch that delivered fine watchmaking for an active lifestyle. Today, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas collection continues to evolve. The current third generation features arguably the most practical luxury steel sports watch yet in terms of functionality, in the form of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time with black dial. With a 41mm stainless steel case, this watch arrives with three strap choices. Immediately the focus is clear. It’s a watch that you can dress up or down as a collection cornerstone for any enthusiast looking to get maximum mileage out of their watches. From the bezel to the bracelet, there are references to the Maltese cross that forms the Vacheron Constantin emblem with the level of finishing you…
Each of the models in the Rolex Professional series is a tool watch made for a man on a mission. While the Submariner and Sea-Dweller are diving watches, the Rolex Explorer II was originally built in 1971 for speleologists or cave explorers who required a sturdy, functional and highly legible watch while working in almost total darkness. Fortunately, it’s proven to be sufficiently versatile for other pursuits. The Rolex Explorer II Ref. 216570 is the model’s most recent incarnation and, if you know Rolex by their divers, you’ll be surprised by its no-nonsense toughness, instrument-like dial, and crisp black and white hand set. My favourite detail? That would have to be the big orange GMT arrow. The 42mm case is true to its size and, while the black dial version might slim it down a tad, the polar white dial here is intensely legible and perfectly balanced. There’s something alluring about the perfect whiteness of the dial surface which, with its chunky indices framed in black, works so well with the black Mercedes hands. It might all have been a bit too perfect and monochrome had it not been for the zingy EXPLORER II wording and GMT hand that are…
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…
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…
A few years ago Hollywood superstar Russell Crowe caught the attention of the watch world. Why? He was selling most of his impressive watch collection in a sale titled, Russell Crowe: The Art of Divorce, through Sotheby’s Australia. While the circumstances of the sale were unfortunate, it was an interesting opportunity to hear straight from Crowe about the watches that he owned and the stories behind them. And not only were the watches exciting in their own right, but the stories that surrounded the watches were even better. When the auction was announced, Time+Tide immediately flew to Sydney to see the watches up close and in the metal. While we were there, we produced a video that looked at all of the watch lots, and then heard straight from Crowe about each of the pieces and what they meant to him in his life. That video was first published back in early 2018, and recently it became the first T+T video to hit 1m views on YouTube. So we wanted to take the opportunity to look back on that important event in the Australian watch-collecting landscape and remember a few key lots in the sale. Andrew has picked his five…
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…