Hanhart is no stranger to pilot’s watches with models like the TachyTele Pilot’s Chronograph and Primus Monochrome Pilot. Although the German brand started with mechanical stopwatches and remains a leader in that market, it’s arguably best known today for aviation-inspired instruments. The new S-Series pays tribute to the Austrian Air Force Saab 105, a Swedish […]
Michael Jordan is an NBA legend who many consider to be the greatest player of all time, the GOAT, or, if on social media, simply the goat emoji. Jordan won a total of six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and is nicknamed “Air Jordan” and “His Airness” for his ability to hang in the air on the way to the basket. Stopping time. When it comes to timepieces, Jordan has shown an eye for purchasing models that have been less known to the masses at the time. As one commenter on an Instagram thread put it, “When you’re the goat, you don’t have to follow the herd.” A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Probably one of the coolest finds of 2020 that I uncovered was Jordan sporting a first generation A. Lange & Söhne Datograph in platinum on matching platinum bracelet back in 2002. The Datograph was a revelation when it was unveiled at Baselworld 1999 and at the time not too many people would have been aware of the brand in the early 2000s. Seeing MJ rocking one in 2002 was definitely eye opening! Franck Muller Long Island Perpetual Calendar At 6ft 6 inches, Michael Jordan is a tall…
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Remember the moral of The Emperor’s New Clothes? When something is universally praised, you become unwilling to speak out, even if something is gravely wrong on a fundamental level. That’s how I feel about the Cartier Tank. I know this is wildly sacrilegious. The Cartier Tank is, after all, one of the most iconic watches of all time, whose classic design has withstood the fluctuating whims of fashion for more than a century. Since Louis Cartier rolled it out in 1919, the Tank has graced the wrists of a veritable Who’s Who of movers and shakers. You want names? OK, let’s start with Clark Gable, Rudolph Valentino, Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Truman Capote, Fred Astaire, Gary Cooper and Jackie Onassis. More? Alright then, how about Steve McQueen, Muhammad Ali, Calvin Klein, Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren, Patti Smith, Claudia Schiffer, Sofia Coppola, Angelina Jolie and Michelle Obama. Yet all these illustrious go-getters turned a blind eye to what, I believe, is a truly strange and unnerving detail. And when you take another look at the Tank, I think you might agree. Personally, whenever I see that watch, I suddenly come over like a die-hard…
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A Heuer diver that demands more of your attention.
What’s old is new again. Gradient or “fumé” (smoked) dials are back in fashion. Popular in the 1970s, forgotten for a while and brought back on the scene recently, these colourful dials stand out with lighter tones in the centre that gradually darken towards the edges. Their gradient colour gives a rich depth to the […]
The Swatch Sistem51 collection centres its value proposition around two things the rest of the Swiss watch industry finds very much at odds — technical innovation and affordability. With the new Swatch Sistem51 Petite Seconde, we get both of those things in a classically dressed-up package, with the centre seconds of previous models moved to a sub-dial at six. After gaining global recognition as the Swiss answer to the quartz era, Swatch were limited by their own success for a period, as they only produced quartz-powered watches that were incredibly varied in style and relatively disposable in nature. This changed at Baselworld in 2013 when Swatch announced their Sistem51 technology, which made claims at being the first-ever mechanical watch that was totally machine made. The mechanical movement housed only 51 parts in total, boasted 90 hours of power reserve, and was built entirely in Switzerland by a series of machines along a conveyor belt. Despite the lack of human touch, the Sistem51 was also remarkably accurate, ticking along at an impressive +/- 7 seconds per day. Impressive because these watches are not regulated for accuracy by watchmakers, and are actually hermetically sealed, which has the benefit of keeping dust and moisture…
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Editor’s note: The Cartier Pasha is a watch surrounded by curiosity. Legend has it that it was commissioned in the 1930s by the Pasha of Marrakesh, who wanted a watch he could take into the water. The design then lay dormant for decades, before it was revived in 1985 by one of the most creative minds the watch industry has ever seen, Gérald Genta. It isn’t a watch you see very often, in part because Cartier no longer produce it, and also because the generously embowed case, Vendome-style lugs and chained crown guard are no longer in white-hot vogue. To arrest some of the blinding spotlight from the onslaught of blue dial steel sports watches that are currently enjoying it, let’s take a closer look at why Fergus decided to pick up one of these unusual Cartier watches. I think I was actually actively seeking out something that had a gold dive bezel, as well as some actual water resistance. I’ve got my Great Grandad’s old Omega Seamaster, which was the first watch I ever owned, and when I got that, I thought: “Well, this is it, I’m never going to need another watch again, this watch is so good.”…
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You may have heard the news that Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson contracted coronavirus while filming the untitled Elvis Presley biopic in Australia; they are both reportedly recovering well, but Elvis fanatics will be champing at the bit for the production to ramp back up. It, like life as we know it, has been postponed. While the film is on hold, fans now have the chance to own one of The King’s personal timepieces – one that has had a torrid, and fairly low-rent ride through various auctions over the years, never achieving a fraction of the value of either, more prized timepieces. Such as this Omega, which was sold by Phillips in 2018, and took the crown for the highest price ever achieved by an Omega at US$1,812,318, an eye-watering amount, and an indication of how far some fans will go to bring a part of musical history into their collections. But this result does not explain the case of a yellow gold Universal Genève owned by Elvis, which has been up for sale at auction no less than four times, and is now for sale again for $34,500 USD plus premiums. Currently being offered by M.S. Rau…
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Hit some golf balls with Bill Murray.
The watchmaking industry is never short of innovations. Whether in the field of materials, movement architectures, displays or regulating organs, this industry never ceases to amaze with technical solutions to improve the accuracy of our beloved mechanical watches. However, when it comes to production at an industrial level, innovation is far more scarce. If you […]