VIDEO: 4 of the best Grand Seiko watches from Basel 2018 – including an incredible quartz
The story of Grand Seiko at Baselworld 2018 is really the story of two movements. The legendary quartz 9F, which turns 25 this year, and the high-end workhorse that is the 9S, which marks its 20th anniversary. Both calibres received special tribute models, which really showcase the movement — literally in the case of the SBGV238. Quartz movements typically don’t receive the sapphire case-back treatment, and I believe this is the first time the 9F ever has. And really, it’s quite amazing to look at, as is the rest of the watch, especially that intricate dial. The 9S tribute models also have typically stunning dials. We didn’t shoot it, but the platinum one is phenomenal, and quite subtle. The two steel versions are strong too, in brown and blue, with a radial mosaic-style pattern. And finally there’s a sporty-looking GMT to round out the family. All told, a calm, considered and confident collection from Grand Seiko.
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It very quickly became apparent — after only a few hours on the ground at Basel 2018 — that GMTs were everywhere, and not just the obvious Pepsi-bezelled, Jubilee-braceleted option from the Big Crown. So Andy and I took some time out from our busy schedules to discuss this phenomena, and some prime examples. So, in addition to the Rolex GMT-Master II, we noted that Patek had doubled down on their Calatrava Travel Time. TAG Heuer added a little more complication to their Carrera Heuer 02, adding a blue and black bezelled GMT into the family. And finally Tudor, not to be outdone, announced their own two-timer — a Black Bay that borrows its GMT bezel from both the BB Red and the BB Blue. So there you have it. GMTs in 2018, trend status — confirmed.
TAG Heuer’s 2018 line-up is, as you’d expect, dominated by chronographs. But just because one complication is the focus, it comes in a surprisingly diverse range of forms. First up is the Carrera Calibre 16, a round steel number with a pleasingly retro dial offered in blue or black. It’s a good looking watch, and one squarely aimed at the vintage lovers out there. Also on the vintage side of the fence is the boldly striped Monaco Gulf 2018 Special Edition. For the more modern types there’s the latest take on the modular-cased Carrera, the Carrera Heuer 02 GMT Chronograph. This large 45mm is quite distinctive, with a blue and black ceramic bezel and red GMT. While blue and black might not be the colour we historically associate with Heuer GMTs, it has appeared in their catalogue in recent years. Keeping with the big and bold theme, there’s a very cool blue ceramic tourbillon, with an even cooler name — the Tête de Vipère, or viper’s head. And finally there’s the smaller version of the Connected, the Modular 41, which essentially is still the same watch, just a little smaller, which is, I think, a very good thing.
Seeing Seiko at Basel 2018 can be a pretty overwhelming experience. There’s. Just. So. Many. Watches. Trays and trays of them. It’s easy to get distracted, to lose sense of the bigger picture and be bogged down in the minutiae of Presage dials or the subtly tweaked new cases. But we managed to stay above the fray this time ’round, to use our limited time to focus on the surefire hits from the line-up. Like the new blue enamel-dialled Presage, the significantly re-worked Astron, and Prospex. Lots of Prospex. There’s the new limited edition Turtle, with an incredible dial inspired by a blue whale. Then there’s the epic re-creation of the first quartz saturation diver. And finally, the real stars of the show, the 1968 Automatic Diver’s models. But you know what, we’re only scratching the surface with these watches. There’s still plenty of Seiko stories to tell this year …
In the wee hours of this morning, as I was recording this voice-over, it occurred to me that the only watch from the new Rolex GMT-Master II collection currently not receiving a massive amount of coverage at Basel 2018 was the one in the middle – with both Oystersteel and Everose elements, the two-tone, or as Rolex call it, Rolesor model. It just so happens that, at this point in time, it’s the one I’m most fixated on. I think, without stealing too much of my own thunder, it’s the way that all the colours, finishings, materials, and fine details come together – and play off one another. I’m sure that once the Pepsi sugar high has worn off a little, the glittering Rolex GMT-Master II in Oystersteel and Everose will have its time in the sun, but we thought we’d shine a little light on it early.
I always feel a slight apprehension walking into the Tudor press presentation at Baselworld. My expectation levels are maxed, and I’m always worried that the new range won’t live up to the high standards of the previous year. And, as usual, I needn’t have worried, as Tudor’s Basel 2018 collection is STRONG. New dials, movements, complications and collections — Tudor has it all. First of all, there’s a brand-new line, the 1926, a dressy, everyday option with strong hints of vintage and a decent dash of bling. Speaking of bling, there’s a new dial for the S&G — a new, molten gold champagne dial that really amps up the lux-factor of the already showy Black Bay. But it’s the Black Bay Fifty-Eight where things really start getting interesting. Ostensibly a smaller, 39mm Black Bay; for me the real charm of this watch lies in the slimmer profile, giving it a completely different (and really good) on the wrist feel. All these new additions are pretty great on their own, but the one that has everyone talking is the Black Bay GMT. And it’s easy to see why. Powered by a new movement, this GMT is integrated, meaning you can jump the…
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. 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.
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…