VIDEO: Up close and personal with 3 very complicated Vacheron Constantin watches
A little while ago, I had a very good day at work. That’s because my job involved spending some quality time with three exceptional Vacheron Constantin watches, which just happened to be in Melbourne. The first was the Patrimony Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin — a very classic (and slender) execution. Then there was the gorgeous Traditionnelle Tourbillon, with a dial dominated by a mesmerising tourbillon that I could easily get lost in. And finally, the Traditionnelle Grandes Complication Equation of Time – a watch that really shows just what sort of artistic engineering marvels Vacheron Constantin is capable of. Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillon Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Grandes Complication Equation of Time Vacheron Constantin Australian pricing and availability Patrimony Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, $120,000 Traditionnelle Tourbillon, $194,000 Traditionnelle Grandes Complication Equation of Time, $645,000 Available at Monards.
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You can get a pretty good sense of the overarching themes of Baselworld by listening to the chatter in the halls, press centre and even the sausage cart outside. And, along with smaller crowd sizes and uncertain futures, one of the main conversational themes was the size of brand collections. In press conferences, words like ‘focused’ and ‘consolidated’ abounded. In short, brands weren’t releasing many watches. One exception was Seiko. The Japanese powerhouse has so many lines (though to be fair these are becoming increasingly codified and coherent) and plenty to choose from, so much so that I had a real struggle winnowing it down to just six watches — even given the fact that I excluded the fancy Prospex LX watches. There were some diver reissues with some Hollywood provenance, a beautiful new artisanal take on the Presage, as well as a great green Cocktail Time (Midori maybe?), and a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Astron. Seiko SNJ025P Seiko SLA033J Seiko SRPD21K Seiko SRPD37J Seiko SPB093 Seiko SSH021J
Bronze — that gold-toned alloy that only gets better with age — has continued its domination of the watch world, and the latest brand to be converted is TAG Heuer, who this week released two bronze versions of their brand new three-handed Autavia. Structurally, it’s the same as the steel Autavias — 42mm across, powered by a Calibre 5 movement running the impressive new Isograph spring, and worn with straps that utilise a smart new quick-change system. But on the aesthetic front, the warm metal, shiny ceramic bezel, smoky green dial, and aged ivory luminous material create a compelling synergy that’s exemplary of the current retro-modern trend. But what I really want to know is – will we end up seeing more bronze in the TAG Heuer assortment in the near future? It could work. I guess that’s a somewhat long-winded way of saying that this watch just looks really great on the wrist. 
It’s testament to the power and ongoing evolution of Tudor’s blue-chip Black Bay family that our top three picks from Baselworld 2019 are all Black Bays, and also — from a distance at least — look very different indeed. Without a doubt, the most discussed and most genuinely novel watch of the bunch (and perhaps of the whole fair) is the Black Bay P01. While the dial bears a lot of the hallmarks of the Black Bay, the case is Something. Else. Entirely. Long, with a blocky crown guard at four, and a steel bi-directional 12-hour bezel that’s held in place by the articulated bracelet end link at 12. I’m pretty sure absolutely no one saw this coming, and people are taking their time to get used to the concept. I will say though, this watch is very comfy on the wrist. The other two watches are far more conventional offerings. The slate grey-dialled Black Bay Bronze replaces the brown version, and the new colour (and the fact that it’s shaded) certainly adds plenty of drama and contrast to the watch. And then there’s the Black Bay Chrono S&G, which adds some flash to the Chrono, and a more sophisticated profile to…
In the weeks and days leading up to Basel, the tension, speculation and near-hysteria around Rolex’s impending releases is palpable, and this year was no different. And while the popular predictions in the lead-up to Baselworld 2019 were the usual mix of near misses and safe guesses, that didn’t stop the Rolex watches — especially the sports watches — from being the most talked-about pieces of the fair. The Yacht-Master on Oysterflex has, since its debut in 2015, been one of the most distinctively modern models, with its matt cerachrom bezel and understated bracelet. This year saw two significant changes to the model. Firstly, it was offered in white gold, which only adds to the under-the-radar appearance; secondly, it’s bigger than ever, with a 42mm case — both these elements have been generally well received in the Halls. And then there’s the new version of the GMT-Master BLNR. It’s packing the new 3285 calibre, which means a new case. It’s also got a new Jubilee strap, giving the Batman a whole new look. But the real story here is the news that all steel GMT-Masters are only available on Jubilee, and that all GMT-Masters with a single colour bezel (i.e.…
TAG Heuer’s Basel 2019 collection had a particularly clear focus, and that focus was Autavia. It’s a watch inspired by TAG Heuer’s enviable heritage — Autavia is a combination of automotive and aviation, and dates back to when Heuer was making cockpit timers in the 1930s. This latest version is a clear nod to the past, without being a fully blown reissue. It’s got details to boot too, like Arabic numerals made from solid blocks of luminous material, a series in subtle rich colours that, thanks to their texture and airbrushed finish, are eye-catching and interesting. The insides are also notable, thanks to TAG Heuer’s brand new Isograph technology — the hairspring is made using the proprietary carbon process the brand first showed us in January on the Tourbillon Nanograph. That watch was on hand, too (and did not disappoint the second time around). For women, there was a bunch of new Carreras on offer — and it’s easy to see the appeal of this crisp design paired with a shimmering mother-of-pearl dial. And finally, there’s the Modular Connected Golf Edition, made for people who care about their putting game. TAG Heuer Autavia TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 02T Tourbillon Nanograph…
On the off chance that you’re not, Ulysse Nardin is a brand you should be paying attention to. There’s a real energy around the Le Locle-based manufacture – all the burners are firing. And while one of the brand’s most discussed 2019 releases – the exquisitely painted sexy mermaid pieces of the Classico Manara series — is *too rude* for T+T, there’s still plenty of other, less X-rated horology to discuss. Like the new Freak X, a technically toned down take on their iconic rebel that still delivers high impact with less of a hit to the hip pocket. And then there’s the Skeleton X, a modern skeletonised piece that’s technical and cool, especially in the Carbonium case. Finally, if you’re after something a little more everyday and tool-like, there’s a stylish new diver, which offers enough twists on the classic genre to make it worth a second (and third) look. As recently as a few years ago it seemed like Ulysse Nardin was all at sea, but 2019’s tight, focused collection proves the brand is full steam ahead and ready for anything.