The watches we bought because someone told us to
Editor’s note: Last year we did a team whip around and asked ourselves what watches we bought, not for us, but because other people told us we should. We might not like to admit it, but it’s true. So here we go, the watches we’ve bought because of peer pressure. Humans are, by and large, social creatures. We thrive in communities, and derive strength, support and inspiration from others. At least, that’s the view if you’re an optimist. If you’re a glass half empty kinda person, feel free to replace the word community with mob. Either way, these broad general principles apply to watches. The true lone wolf is rare, and most of us look to others for our wrist-based inspiration and validation. And it’s true of us, too. Come with us, as the T+T team share the tales of watches they bought because other people told them to. Cam’s herd mentality Halios To be honest, I’ve never really bought a watch because someone directly told me to, but I do like to do my research before I buy. And the lovely folk around the various online watch forums can be a wealth of information, as well as a little…
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A few weeks ago we were treated to an evening with Piaget, and their thintastic Altiplano collection. And while we had a bunch of watches in our office, and our excellent photographer Jason Reekie on hand, it would have been a shame not to make the most of it. We’ve already seen what the mighty meteorite dial looks like in crisp focus under good lights, and now it’s time for two others — the 40mm Altiplano Date and the Altiplano Chronograph. Piaget Altiplano Chronograph Flyback Dual Time OK, so if you’re anything like me, a chronograph isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Piaget, or indeed of ultra-thin watches. But here we are. And here is Piaget’s take on what’s typically a très sporty watch. First seen in 2015, the Altiplano Chronograph — here in white gold — is impressive, not just for its delicate proportions (41mm wide and only 8.24mm thin for the fully cased watch; the movement is a mere 4.65mm), but also for the fact that this is a new, from-the-ground-up movement, and a manually wound column wheel flyback with a GMT at that. Technique aside, this thing is gorgeous. Clean and stylish…
What do collectors really look for when they are already at the top of the watch game? Rarity? Provenance? Complexity? All are true for different collectors, with some placing value on the design of a timepiece, and others on condition. This variety is what keeps it interesting in the stratospheric peaks of the collecting world, where money is no object and the hunt is the source of the thrill. For collector Leon Botstein, president of Bard College and orchestra conductor, his interest lies in both pocket watches and wristwatches that were produced without the aid of computers. He describes his collection of watches as “amazing works of art”, ranging from the 19th century to the 1960s, when technology began to unwelcomely intrude in the production process. For him, the beauty of a piece lies in the complexity of its functions, and the history of a watch that shows it was once a tool of practical day-to-day use. He also shares an uncommon sentiment, that the drop in pocket watch values is “scandalous”, which forced him to consider wristwatches, when his passion was clearly held in the hand. Quoted in an article by Barron’s, Leon Botstein also discusses the modern watches…
In the early years of the 21st century, Zenith was a brand that looked to the past — honouring their iconic El Primero in its original guise, and taking flights of nostalgic fancy with its Pilot’s collection. All fine watches, but comfortable takes on familiar forms. In 2017, the brand abruptly changed direction, with a thoroughly modern iteration of an old name — Defy — taking centre stage. One of the pillars of this new Zenith vision was the El Primero 21 (a watch we looked at in some detail here), which took the iconic high-frequency chronograph that is the El Primero and rocketed it to the next level. You see, the regular EP runs 5Hz, allowing 1/10th of a second accuracy. The chronograph on the El Primero 21 runs at a boggling 50Hz, meaning that the chrono hand makes a single revolution in a second, and offers 1/100th of a second accuracy. Of course this rate only applies to the chronograph operation; timekeeping runs at a more sedate and less power-hungry 5Hz, which is plenty accurate for day-to-day timekeeping. This year we were treated to a new take on the Defy: the 44mm case is offered here in carbon,…
For decades, the Seiko 5 collection has been some of the best-value mechanical watchmaking on the planet. The ability to buy an automatic watch with an in-house movement for only a few hundred dollars must be responsible for introducing tens of thousands of people around the world to watches. You would be hard-pressed to find many watch collectors out there who haven’t owned a Seiko 5 at one point in their collecting journey. And while many of the big Swiss brands would hate to admit it, the watch industry is a much better place for the existence of the Seiko 5. It is with great excitement then, that Seiko have announced the relaunch of the Seiko 5 Sports Models, with a brand new logo and collection. The new logo is an amalgamation of the “S” in sports, and number “5”, a number specifically used for the requirement of every model to feature the following: a day-date display at the three o’clock position water resistance an automatic movement durable case and bracelet and a recessed crown in the four o’clock position With a list of minimum requirements like that, at the price point of the Seiko 5 it’s very easy to…