Grief, frustration and regret: The watches that got away…
I may sound mad to anyone not consumed with a boggle-eyed obsession for watches. But as many of you know, the watches that get away can hurt just as much to talk about as a failed relationship. In the dazed aftermath, processing your heartache often requires some long and painful soul-searching. How can you ever come to terms with the fact that you allowed yourself to lose her? Obviously, I’m talking about the watch here … Even if I don’t have any million-dollar tales of missing out on a scratched Explorer in a second-hand shop for $10, I feel equally sad and frustrated when those pitch-perfect limited-edition drops disappear within the minute it takes to put them in my online basket. While this happens more often than before in the current market, it doesn’t make the loss any easier to stomach. Bottom-line: missing out on any watch still stings. The Bamford Watch Department x G-Shock, missed by less than 5 minutes The classic G-Shock Square – the 5000-series in its ’80s resin splendour – is one of the few cheap digital watches respected in the world of serious watch enthusiasts and can often to be found in a watch case…
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Who doesn’t love a good watch spot? You know you’re in the presence of a true watch geek if they feel the need to pause the film every time a timepiece makes a cameo. But at times, these discoveries can feel a bit predictable. Musicians are constantly found wearing AP Royal Oaks or Nautilus references, while Rolex always makes regular appearances. But every now and then, we spot a familiar brand end up on a rather surprising wrist – or in a surprising moment. Here are six of the most unexpected watch spots we have ever seen. Philippe Dufour’s Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” With all the Rolex hate we see today, many of those who rage against the Crown proclaim the brand does not produce true horological marvels. Denouncers misguidedly cry “overrated” and “mass produced”, yet Rolex gets a heavyweight nod of approval each time watchmaking legend Philippe Dufour is spotted wearing his Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” 126710BLRO. The watch seems to be the casual daily wearer for Dufour, AKA the king of watch decoration and finishing. Considering he designs all aspects of his watches, down to even the smallest components, respect is clearly due for Rolex’s creations if Dufour…
Sooo difficult! This has been a bastard year, in which one of the few ways to cheer yourself up in the Home Office has been to keep the collection in rotation and flip some unworn wrist machines. But still, within my changing collection, there are a handful of watches that have stuck with me. I wanted to pretend that my favourite two watches were also the ones I wore the most – namely my Holthinrichs Ornament or the inky black Grand Seiko SBGR053. But even as I enjoy reading about scratched-up Subs and dented Daytonas, my OCD tendencies demand a safety-first approach to my wristwear. As a result, my best pieces tend to stay mollycoddled as, God forbid, I should scratch a hand-finished bespoke case or sully the name of the mirror-like Zaratsu. But, like WOW, did watches cheer me up in lockdown. Safely protected from the elements, what better pieces to wear (again and again) than an adventure-inspiring diver’s watch named after a mysterious natural phenomenon known as The Great Blue Hole (the Seiko Prospex SPB083J1), the pilot’s tool watch Sinn 104 and the Lorier Neptune? Numero Uno for wrist time, the Seiko Prospex SPB083J1 The one I wore…
It is no secret Gael Monfils is an absolute superstar on the tennis court. He is known for his lively and exciting matches where his acrobatic and daredevil style really entertains fans of the sport. We recently covered his bonkers experiment with Greubel Forsey, where he was enlisted by the brand to wear their GMT Sport watch during practice and even smash a few serves full speed directly at the $500,000 timepiece and its front-facing sapphire crystal. A lesser-known fact about the top-ranking tennis player is that he is a fully-fledged horology addict and watch enthusiast who even has a dedicated Instagram profile to share his passion for the hobby. With his success in the ATP, and various brand sponsorships, Gael has a fair amount of dough to allocate towards his watch addiction. As a result, the watches he owns and shares are some serious high-level creations – think Patek Philippe, Blancpain, Breguet, Audemars Piguet … the list goes on and on. Here are my top three he has shared so far. MB&F LM Thunderdome View this post on Instagram A post shared by @myson.watches Adding this watch to your collection is the perfect wrist-statement to proclaim…
This year has sucked with the suction power of an industrial vacuum cleaner hoovering up a barrel full of straws. So we all hope that 2021 salvages this grim situation with new opportunities, experiences and an overall healthier world. Considering the chaos of the year, watch releases were actually pretty strong, yet there is always room for improvement. The watch industry and even its community of devoted fans have room to grow and this is (hopefully) the year to make it happen. We need more innovation, creativity and value in both product and perspective to spice things up. So 2021, please be better. And to help in this self-improvement challenge, here are five new year’s resolutions to apply within the world of watches. You are no longer a cool contrarian when making sarcastic Rolex jokes (guilty) Look, it definitely sucks we are not all able to get Rolex watches at retail. It seems unfathomable that the barrier to entry is not simply saving up the money to buy one and the frustration is very real as a result. We see it all the time on Instagram and Facebook – people are increasingly fed up with the brand and turning on…