VIDEO: 5 standout Longines from Baselworld 2018, including a smart GMT and a brand new Legend
Longines have a well-earned reputation for exceptionally strong heritage releases, and while their Baselworld 2018 collection featured a particularly hot blacked-out Legend Diver, it was newer lines, like the extensions to Record and V.H.P. that really stood out. On the one hand, the new gold and two-tone additions to the traditionally styled Record impressed with their simplicity and everyday wearability, while on the other, Longines added a chronograph and a GMT to their super-accurate V.H.P. collection. This line in general is well beyond your average quartz collection, but the GMT is particularly impressive, as the smart crown allows you to quickly swap between local and home time, and you can even set the time using your phone, thanks to an intriguing bit of technology called flash setting, which uses a photo detector integrated into the ‘12’ marker. Longines’ Baselworld 2018 collection goes to show that this twin focus on making quartz cool and COSC-level accuracy accessible seems to be a real winning formula for the brand.
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Russell Crowe. A New Zealander who became an actor. The actor who became a star. The star who became a watch collector. Late last year, Russell Crowe announced that he was auctioning off some of his possessions, from movie props to art and, intriguingly for us, watches. In early February, Rusty tweeted again, giving us some more detail on the watches he was selling. This auction I’m having April 7th in SYDNEY will feature no less than 29 watches !! Representing over half my collection . 21 or so of the ones on sale are Chronographs. Never had a flash watch as a kid. Certainly made up for it as an adult haha — Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) February 2, 2018 The tweet included a blurry picture of a Panerai, and subsequent posts ran through some of the brands he was selling, and that the watches – in many cases – related to specific films or projects. Crowe also noted that the watches represented half his collection. It was clear that Crowe wasn’t just a man who owned a few nice watches, he was a collector. And given that the April 7 auction was happening in our own backyard, we knew…
The Omega Seamaster Railmaster was one of the surprise hits of last year’s Basel fair. So it’s vaguely appropriate that as we’re busy speculating what we’ll see Omega release at Baselworld 2018, we look back on one of their hottest from last season. Not that we realised it at the time – the regular production Seamaster Railmaster was more of a slow burn. It’s a deceptively simple piece, lacking the hero status of its limited edition sibling, and somewhat lacking in obvious bells and whistles. Rather than being a weakness, this simplicity is the Railmaster’s greatest strength. Clean, pure design, of the sort that Omega excels at: classic, but with fine details — like the brushed dial and Railmaster text — that reward close inspection. But even though I’d be completely happy with this watch on my wrist, there’s a part of me holding out to see what gets unveiled next week …
If I’m completely honest, women’s watches aren’t my speciality, largely because they tend (notable exceptions aside) not to look the greatest on my fairly hairy 21cm wrist. But luckily — and thankfully — Sandra Lane is on the team. So rather than flounder my way through the intricacies of stone-setting and satin straps, I defer to Sandra’s insight and expertise. And what better setting for this than that most exclusive of Maisons (and SIHH newcomer) Hermès. Ironically enough, the Hermès Sandra opted for, the Carré H, isn’t a feminine model per se, but when it comes to some of her other picks — from the likes of Van Cleef & Arpels, the below Parmigiani Fleurier, and Audemars Piguet — there’s no doubt they’re intended for women’s wrists.
If you know a little bit about how the world of watches works, you’ll likely know that it’s a space dominated by a few big groups (namely Richemont, Swatch and LVMH), each with their own stable of brands. SIHH is a show dominated by Richemont brands — big names like Cartier, IWC and Montblanc. But they’re not the only show in town at the Salon. Some larger independent brands, such as Richard Mille, show as well, as do a a select group of smaller names. These smaller names — low in production numbers but high in quality, innovation and prestige — congregate in the Carré des Horlogers, an opulent cul-de-sac, populated by some of the most exceptional (and expensive) watches at a fair all about exceptional (and expensive) watches. Who better to show us around than Andrew and sometime contributor and full-time indie-lover Justin Mastine-Frost. Over to you, Justin …
When I told a Panerai-loving friend that after years of looking only at the Luminor I was starting to favour the Radiomir, he wasn’t at all surprised. “It’s called maturity,” he said. While that seems unlikely, there is definitely something more refined and self-assured in the smooth, uninterrupted lines of the Radiomir’s cushion case. Something perhaps more versatile and classic in its application, too; a man for, if not all, then more seasons? Whatever the case, the reasons for choosing the Radiomir as your next Panerai extend well beyond its considerable aesthetic charms. The Radiomir — as I discovered in the video that explores the contrasts in Panerai’s two main collections — tells the lion’s share of the brand’s interesting history, despite the younger, more muscled and glamorous younger brother getting the limelight. This review of the PAM 00514 Radiomir 1940 should help acquaint you with more of the details that make the watch special in its own right.
I’m putting myself out there in this video, which aims to establish whether the Panerai Luminor or Radiomir collection is more your jam. I’m pulling zero punches when I admit, in the opening few seconds, that at the time I bought my first ‘real’ watch, a Luminor PAM 177, I didn’t even know the Radiomir collection existed. This video is for people who are still unsure where they would stand if push turned to Panerai purchase, but want to explore. Is the slightly more svelte Radiomir, with its rounded cushion case, right? Or are you more connected to the big old Luminor crown guard? Beyond the looks, what about their histories? The stories that explain why they exist? If you’ve ever considered any of these questions, we hopefully have the answers for you right here. Back to that first luxury watch love of mine, the Luminor. The truth is, it wouldn’t have made much difference at the time if I had been more educated. I’d seen it in a magazine I was editing. It was a profound case of love at first sight. As bizarre as it might seem now, I’d never been much into watches before that moment. Little did I…
A. Lange & Söhne is a serious watchmaking brand. Everything they do is deliberate, and relentlessly on message. It would be easy to assume — based on this and the generally traditional nature of their timepieces — that the German brand is sober to the point of dullness, but the reality is exactly the opposite. Not only are their press presentations amongst the most consistently amusing (and informative) I’ve ever attended, but the watches themselves have fully fledged personalities that are anything but boring. Take the Saxonia Thin in Copper Blue. The Aventurine dial is fun, endlessly fascinating, and a perfect match for the minimal Saxonia model. Then there’s the Little Lange 1, a pint-sized model offered in three confident, but not over-the-top, colour schemes. And then there’s the Triple Split. Of all the A. Lange & Söhne 2018 releases it’s the one that, for me, most epitomises the values of the brand. Sublime watchmaking, made not to meet a clear and pressing need, but simply because they can. And made with such a sense of style and panache. Wunderbar.
Well, here we are. The ‘sky’s-the-limit’/‘mortgage-the-house’ level of watch. And if you’re going to drop that sort of coin on something that (you’d hope) tells the time, SIHH is the place to do it. There were some truly exceptional offerings at the top end of the table and – just quietly – we definitely picked the best six (Justin and Sandra were greedy and went with two each). Again, you’ll have to watch to see just what we went with, but I suspect it’s absolutely zero surprise that the A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split made the cut. Andrew chose it, summing it up nicely: “It’s just triple the amazing.” He’s not wrong. Thanks for watching our SIHH 2018 panel series, and tell us what you think in the YouTube comments.