James Marsden has no time for safe queens and thinks a $150,000 watch is meant to be worn
Editor’s note: At SIHH 2017 I had the chance to chat with James Marsden, an IWC ambassador. At that time, I was fairly obsessed with Westworld. I was seeing a fair bit of James Marsden in my living room. Now, it’s happening again. This time, he’s a rich guy with fairly elastic morals in Dead To Me. It’s excellent, and so is he. It reminded me of this story, and how, in a refreshing change of pace from many brand ambassadors, it turns out Marsden’s watch knowledge is A+. Read on for more … One of the last people I saw before I left Australia for SIHH in January was James Marsden. He was on television, in dusty dungarees, with a vest, boots and a cowboy hat. His face was etched with pain. He’d just been shot by Ed Harris. Again. The television show is Westworld, the character is Teddy, and my wife and I remain obsessed with both. We’d binged our way through the first season in a matter of days, and then, a 27-hour flight and a broken night of sleep later, there I was with that very same character (Teddy) in real life. Reassuringly for you, dear reader, my interview questions extend well…
The post James Marsden has no time for safe queens and thinks a $150,000 watch is meant to be worn appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.
Increasingly, I’m finding myself drawn to watches that are understated, unassuming expressions of classical perfection. Which goes a long way to explaining why I was so into the Blancpain Villeret Extra Flat. This is an exquisitely simple watch. Two hands, no date and a manually wound movement. A pure expression of classical watchmaking if ever I saw one. It’s also very classic in its proportions – the steel (also offered in gold) case is 40mm across by a svelte 7.4mm thin — truly deserving of that extra flat name. But just because it’s pared back the essentials, that doesn’t mean that Blancpain has sacrificed style or technical know-how. The look is instantly Villeret, with applied, stylised Roman numerals, leaf-shaped hands and that double-stepped bezel. Very Blancpain. The mechanics are impressive too. For all that it’s slender, the manufacture 11A4B doesn’t sacrifice on performance, offering 4 days of wind off two barrels, which allow for a consistent energy pulse, resulting in greater accuracy at low power. In a nod to user-friendliness there’s also a power reserve indicator discreetly displayed on the sapphire caseback. The Blancpain Villeret Extra Flat 6605 doesn’t aim to raise eyebrows in terms of ‘novelty’ factor, but it…
Ever since the Swatch Group clamped down on the availability of the once ubiquitous ETA movements, the name Sellita has become ever more more prominent in the world of third-party movement supply. But we’re willing to bet you don’t know much about the Sellita itself, beside the fact that their movements are in an awful lot of watches. Which is where this excellent behind-the-scenes look at Sellita from QP fills in the gaps. For example, did you know Sellita was the third-largest Swiss movement manufacture, (just after the Swatch Group and before Rolex), and that they’ve been around since 1950? True facts. What’s also interesting is how Sellita is diversifying their business model, hiring some impressive talent and planning to move outside of their tried and tested area of ‘workhorse’ mechanical movements (like the ETA 2824 clone, the SW200). A fascinating read if you’re interested in what might make your watch tick …
Editor’s note: Well, if it’s not the coolest, it’s certainly on the shortlist. And while this green and gold LE is a particular fave of ours, any of the 9F GMT movements work well. They’re effortless, and so perfectly proportioned on the wrist. Plus, the work that goes into the quartz is so gosh-darned impressive … Quartz isn’t something that comes across my desk too often, so you know when it does that it’s something special — and this Grand Seiko is definitely something special. There’s a handful of truly exceptional, iconic quartz movements out there, and the 9F is amongst the finest. And now, with the addition of a GMT, the 9F just got that much cooler. So before we get to the watch, let’s talk about what makes the movement so special. This year, the 9F turns 25, and it is — in the best way possible — completely over the top. It’s super accurate (regular versions are within 10 seconds a year, though this specially regulated version is good to within five seconds a year), thanks to the in-house, specially aged quartz crystals to optimise the frequency, and thereby accuracy. There are numerous other smart micro-engineering features, like the…
Editor’s note: Few brands can manage the delicate dance of design, beauty and function as deftly as A. Lange & Söhne, as their Saxonia Outsize Date, first released last year, demonstrates. Sandra tells us more … While the rules about how a man should dress for formal occasions are more relaxed than in the past, they are still governed by the principles of timelessness: elegance, discretion, refinement and restraint. Self-expression and individuality are all very well, but wearing a chunky, sporty watch with a dinner suit (or even a formal business suit) will forever remain a stylistic faux pas. And that’s as much a question of aesthetics as social convention. It follows that a dress watch should be slim, relatively small (by today’s standards), made of precious metal, and with a white, cream or black dial that – preferably – displays nothing more than the hours, minutes and seconds by way of simple indexes. If you’re at all familiar with Lange’s line-up you will have noticed that I just described its Saxonia time-only collection. When elegance is as pure as that, it’s a bit risky to add another element – especially one that is as visually strong as Lange’s signature…
Linde Werdelin is one of those brands that knows what it does, and does it well. And what they do is complex cases with numerous cutouts. It’s a strong look, and one that the brand has sensibly stayed loyal to over the years. Their latest limited edition SpidoSpeed Arktis continues the theme. The 44mm case is complex, the outer part being made from three pieces, in an aggressively modern cushion shape, with a satin finish. The dial is also somewhat openworked — finished in two tones: silver and Linde Werdelin’s signature blue. The hour and minute tracks form part of the cutouts, with printed numbers only appearing on the subdials, which are themselves distinct thanks to the cheese grater-like holes. The movement — a solid, externally supplied number dubbed the LW03 — is nicely finished, with an open rotor. And the integrated rubber strap is entirely in keeping with the offering. This 10th anniversary Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed Arktis might not break new ground, but it excels in what LW has always excelled in — sophisticated, razor-sharp cases that feel good on the wrist and don’t look like every other sports chrono out there. A solid proposition. Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed Arktis price Linde Werdelin…
Editor’s note: It’s 2019, and along with the feeling that drone-delivered pizza is imminent, many people are also experiencing some form of existential apocalyptic angst. And rather than tell you that it’s all going to be OK, we’d suggest you prepare by watching a few series of Doomsday Preppers and reading this list. We’re sure you’ll be fine. Every generation or so has its own particular flavour of apocalyptic angst. From mutually assured destruction to pandemic plagues or even rogue asteroids. Nowadays, we seem to be blessed with a profusion of options for end times, some of which are looking increasingly (and worryingly) plausible. Even if climate change doesn’t give us some entirely new coastal real estate options, Kim and Donald seem pretty intent on their game of nuclear brinksmanship. And that can only end well. So rather than focus on the bleak reality, we thought we’d engage in some lighthearted list-making while we stock up on canned goods. Oh, and for those playing at home, Viggo wore a Hamilton Jazzmaster Viewmatic in The Road. Rolex Submariner Over its long life, the Submariner has earned a stellar reputation for toughness and reliability in less than ideal situations. This dependability makes…