LIST: Justin’s best watches of Baselworld (on a budget)
Baselworld has by now nearly slipped entirely into the ether, yet there’s a small list of watches that I’ve been mulling over ever since leaving the fair. The entry level segment was incredibly strong this year overall (let’s call it the sub-$5K bracket), and though Andrew touched on it during his priceless 3 Under 3k video, I couldn’t help but notice a handful of other watches that had some serious potential. As with most of us at the show I didn’t make it to see everyone in the halls, but of what I saw hands-on it took very little effort to cook up a list of a half-dozen pieces that land in “shut up and take my money” territory, adding to Andrew’s excellent selections. That in mind, let’s cut to the chase. Bell & Ross BR V2-94 Bellytanker Bronze Especially having just seen the Tudor Black Bay Chrono S&G a couple of hours prior, I instantly fell in love with this B&R for the simple fact that (and some of you are going to hate me for saying it) it looks like a better version of the BB for less money. I’ve been a fan of the V2-94s since they…
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Editor’s note: The Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 is an exceptional, nigh perfect, execution of a watch. And last year it was given two new dials, in crisp white and inky black. This is our review … One of the real hits from Rolex’s 2015 collection was the Oyster Perpetual 39 (ref. 114300), a bare bones, simple steel timepiece that was still pure Rolex. Initially offered in a range of youthful, colourful dials, this year the Oyster Perpetual family expanded to include white and black dial variants, and they are, just quietly, awesome. While the case and bracelet are unchanged, it’s worth revisiting them. Of course, the Oyster Perpetual is offered in a wide range of sizes, all the way up to this, the 39mm model, which really will suit a lot of wrists. But if you like your watches smaller, the 36mm is a solid choice, too. The case is Rolex’s classic Oyster case, which hasn’t changed too much over the decades. Made from Oystersteel, it uses Rolex’s Twinlock crown and is rated for 100m. While it might not have the same levels of deep diving capability as the professional line, it’s more than enough for everyday life. The bracelet…
Editor’s note: One of the easiest ways to freshen up a watch is to change the dial colour. Few colours are fresher than green, and in 2019 that trend doesn’t look like going away. Here’s a list we put together last year, of seven of the most envy-instilling green dials. Today we’re following up on last week’s batch of blue-dialled watches with seven of the freshest green dials on the block. Green is shaping up to be the new en vogue colour, and I suspect that if we ran this list next year, we’d easily be able to double the number of entrants. Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph Limited Edition Let’s kick off with one of the first green watches of 2018, the oh-so-hot 1858 Monopusher from Montblanc. And while the smoky, graduated green dial is a looker, the real winning features are that the case is 40mm, and in the people’s metal — steel! 28,000 euro Seiko 1968 Automatic Diver’s Commemorative Limited Edition There’s one thing about dive watches … they can be a tad, how do we say, monochromatic. Well, that’s not the issue with this limited edition Seiko; not only is the dial a deep, dark, mossy green, but…
Worldtimers — which allow you to, at a glance, quickly determine the time anywhere across the globe — aren’t the most common complications. And typically, this level of mechanical wizardry comes at a cost. Typically. This handsome fella, the C1 Grand Malvern Worldtimer from UK-based outfit Christopher Ward, bucks the trend. Before we delve into the details, it’s worth a quick recap of the major types of travel watches. A GMT or dual time watch is simple enough — displaying a second time zone in either 24 or 12 hour time respectively (if the latter, you typically get a day/night indicator as well). And then there’s worldtimers, which rock 24-hour display AND a city disc to help make international travel and telephony a cinch. This system was initially developed in the 1930s by Louis Cottier, and is a complication with quite a prestigious pedigree. And then there are watches that have the city ring, but only show two time zones (but often allows you to quickly adjust them): Glashütte Original and Nomos spring to mind here. So that’s the potted history of worldtimers, so now let’s have a closer look at the Christopher Ward C1 Grand Malvern Worldtimer. As you can see,…
Even though they might not be as premium a name as their Swiss counterparts, Timex is a legendary company with a long history and one of the greatest ad lines of all time. Who hasn’t heard, “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking”? In recent years, Timex has been proactive in exploring that legacy, in a series of limited production pieces. The latest step in this journey is the Timex American Documents #001 collection, which is cool, if a little wordy. The schtick here is the Made in America designation. Timex has used local suppliers for all of the elements (Red Wing straps, Gorilla Glass crystal, etc), except for the Swiss quartz movement. Might not be for everyone, but that Made in America nostalgia-hype is real. Read more over at Worn & Wound.