Watch Dandy

To celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Bauhaus design movement, Swatch have released the Bau Swatch Collection of 25 new watches inspired by the pre-WWII German school of design. The Bauhaus design philosophy has had significant impact on a number of watch designs over the years, including from Patek Philippe, Nomos and Stowa. Now Swatch have joined the fray, with an appropriately designed collection that celebrates the different elements of the design school’s ideas. If you’re interested in browsing the entire 25-watch collection, you’re able to visit them at the Swatch site, but before you do, these are our highlights. Sistem Bau The Sistem Bau is an automatic offering from the new collection, using the genuinely interesting Sistem51 movement (built totally by robots), which uses only 51 parts, and boasts an impressive 90 hours of power reserve. Elementary Referencing the school-time lessons of primary colours and blocky numerals, this one gives you everything you need, and nothing you don’t. SwatchID A post-modern expression of aggressive block lettering, the SwatchID would make Supreme proud of its liberal use of red and white.

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Look, full disclosure. We did not know (or indeed pay) Sherwood to give us this particular answer.  But having said that, it’s quite nice to hear someone say they bought a watch off your review. And honestly, of the many (many) watches I’ve reviewed over the years, you could do a whole lot worse than the Grand Seiko SBGA211 ‘Snowflake’. It’s a real modern classic, and a watch that’s full of character and emblematic of what Grand Seiko is all about. Or, as Sherwood puts it:  When I look at my watch it’s an immediately calming Snowflake presence that just reminds me of what’s not in front of my desk. And Sherwood’s absolutely right — it is an under-the-radar piece, and the Spring Drive technology is absolutely mesmerising. Well done on a great watch, Sherwood, and here’s to the next one. 

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Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who died in May this year, stands as one of the country’s most colourful — and beloved — political figures. He also enjoyed a particularly long tenure as PM, from March 1983 until December 1991, winning four elections as Labor leader. And while his political legacy includes the creation of Medicare and Landcare, the floating of the Australian dollar, and his removal of any UK jurisdiction over Australian affairs, more popularly he’s remembered as a quintessential larrikin: a swearing, drinking PM who was famous for his ability to skol a can of beer and whose most famous line is arguably his statement, after Australia dramatically won the America’s Cup in 1983, that “any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum!” On August 27, Shapiro Auctions is holding the “Bob Hawke & Blanche d’Alpuget Mementos Curiosities Art and Design Auction” at Paddington RSL (an appropriate venue) in Sydney. Amongst the ephemera of a long political career and an obvious love of art, we were struck by four time-related lots:  Lot 99 — Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos clock  By far my pick of the lots is this Atmos clock. If any clock is indicative…

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