David Beckham's Tudors prove that old, messed up watches are the best
Editor’s note: A little while back, old mate Becks did some promo videos with his watch brand of choice – Tudor. Turns out that Mr Beckham isn’t one to baby his timepieces, something we fully endorse. Kick on, Becks. Tudor shared two short videos with their premier ambassador, Mr David Beckham, that looked at two of his Tudor watches. And I’ve got to say, as far as showing what a brand is all about, they’re pretty hard to beat. The first video looks at the first Tudor watch Beckham owned and wore, a 1969 Snowflake Sub, which Beckham describes as an “old, messed up watch”. And while I wouldn’t go quite so far as to say it’s messed up, it has certainly lived a life, with a beautifully faded ghost bezel and some real age on the dial. What’s better than the watch, though, is Beckham’s attitude towards it: he appreciated the authenticity of old objects and, given that he wears it most days, “likes to think he’s added a scratch or two”. Now, there is absolutely no doubt that Beckham has added a scratch or two to his Tudor Black Bay Blue, a watch that he’s taken riding, and…
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There’s no doubt that Bulgari like the GPHG. In 2017 they won the men’s category for their Octo Finissimo Automatic and the Tourbillon prize for the Finissimo Skeleton. A few years earlier, in 2014, they took home the Jewellery prize for their Diva High Jewellery Emeralds. Their odds are looking strong for the 2019 edition of the awards too, with five watches shortlisted. Now, it would be crazy for all five watches to win, but much like Katniss Everdeen, we hope the odds are forever in Bulgari’s favour. Mechanical Exception – Bulgari Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie Perpetual Calendar Let’s kick off with the big guy. I was pretty lucky to get a look at this incredible watch at Basel earlier in the year — given that it’s an LE of eight pieces. And given the fact that it packs in a ton of high-end complication (and the repeater sounds beautiful), the big surprise for me was the lightness – the carbon case weighs next to nothing. The same can’t be said for the price, which is a hefty 820,000 CHF. Ladies – Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Pink Gold and Diamonds I’m pretty open to wearing watches made with women in mind, and…
Johnny Dowell has been on the watch world’s radar for some time (heck, we interviewed him here), having worked with Urwerk and others on some pretty spectacular production pieces, as well as numerous custom jobs. But, perhaps unsurprisingly, Johnny’s career in engraving didn’t start with watches — he went through the far more traditional route of fine long gun engraving. And he didn’t mess around either, starting at the top of the tree with James Purdey & Sons (a Richemont property, for those into the corporate ownership of luxury brands). I’ve never made a big mistake on a gun, like where you slip across the entire surface and leave a huge scratch. That kind of thing just doesn’t happen, you wouldn’t be allowed to engrave a gun if that was a possibility. The kind of mistakes that will happen aren’t visible to the naked eye, or they are easily correctible. So, if you’ve ever wanted a solid insight into the world of high-end, super-cool artisanal crafts in 2019, this interview over on A Collected Man is worth a read.
Editor’s note: The watches of Montblanc have been getting better and better over the last few years. Newer, cleaner designs and a streamlined product, along with smart value propositions mean that it’s a brand that should be on your radar. Don’t believe us? Here are five 2019 releases you should get across. Since Davide Cerrato took the gig as Montblanc’s top watch guy, the brand’s timepiece offerings have been steadily ramping up, becoming more focused and more appealing. To my mind, Montblanc’s SIHH 2019 saw the brand in high gear, on the inside track and with the intensity of a winner. Two hero collections and a range of watches to appeal to a wide range of tastes. Here are our five picks. Montblanc 1858 Geosphere LE Last year’s complicated two timer was already a good-looking beast of a watch, and this year the Geosphere’s gone green, making it even more Hulk-like. Montblanc 1858 Chronograph While it might not have the same incredible engine as its Minerva brethren, the 1858 Chronograph, with its bronze case and mossy green dial, is one undeniably attractive piece of kit. Montblanc Heritage Automatic While the 1858 family was all about the green, the freshly minted…
Reintroducing their debut 17.01 model, the Ming 17.06 Copper and Monolith boast major construction improvements over their predecessors, as well as making some subtle design tweaks. With two new models, let’s first take a look at the 17.06 Copper. Offering warm earthy tones set within a polished stainless steel case, the 17.06 Copper is easily the dressier, more ‘traditional’ looking of the two. When it comes to the level of texture and detail within the dial pattern, the 17.06 Copper has confidently entered territory previously dominated by the likes of Grand Seiko. The combination of a mirror finish polished case and the gentle lustre of the pinkish copper dial is wonderfully soothing, and not often seen outside of the highest echelons of haute horology. Finally, the gentle outward flick of the lugs is an elegant twist that brings some sharpness to balance out the round case. After reading so far, you might not be surprised to learn that the 17.06 Copper is a finalist in this year’s GPHG. Not bad for a brand that started only two years ago. Turning now to the 17.06 Monolith, we find something totally different. The matt black DLC bead blasted case gives the Monolith…
