Turns out hand-painting watch dials is hard. Here’s the proof
Editor’s note: Look, we never thought it was easy. This is, after all, skilled manual labour. But Andrew discovered just how difficult hand-painting a watch dial is when he visited Franck Muller in Geneva … I’m not above admitting it. I’m more than just a bit painful when it comes to painted versus printed dials. “Is this painted or printed?” is a question I’ve asked countless times. Receiving countless eye-rolls, I might add. And, full disclosure, I’ve always assumed that the colour, paint volume and line-perfect proportions of Franck Muller dials are the latter. Printed. But when I attended the Franck Muller ‘chalet’ (such a more appropriate descriptor than ‘manufacture’) for a second time, early in 2017, I asked the question and was met with a very different answer, which also happened to be a question. “They’re painted,” said my soon-to-be nemesis from Franck Muller, Laura Bondi. “Would you like to try painting one yourself?” Sure, but only if she tried to paint one, too. The next hour of my life taught me a lot about the extraordinary skill required to make the watches we love — mostly by showing me how ordinary my own skills are in comparison.
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Editor’s note: I ran into the lovely Erika a few times back at Baselworld, and it was clear she was having a good time. Her watches were flying off the shelves, and she had a collab with Bell & Ross that looked great. Her elastic parachute material straps offer a superb mix of comfort, style and story. Personalities like Erika are what make the watch industry great. If you need a primer on what Erika’s Originals straps are all about, here’s our interview from last year … Hi Erika, how did you find yourself making watch straps? It is pure chance that I ended up making watch straps. A few years ago, just for the fun of it, I started making custom leather sandals, initially because with my size feet, it is almost impossible to buy anything off the shelf. But when friends started raving about them, I soon was working full-time making bespoke leather sandals and eventually leather watch straps. So what’s your daily watch and why? I don’t have a daily watch. I wear a variety of new and vintage watches. When travelling, I like to wear my — which I’m almost afraid to admit — Apple Watch. I nearly…
Cars and TAG Heuer is a match made not just in heaven but also in heritage, no doubt something that the marketing departments of other watch brands envy deeply. If you’re in any doubt, have a look at this history of timekeeping in F1. But, back to the matter at hand — the TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01 Aston Martin special edition. This watch was created (in part) to celebrate the partnership between the prestigious car marque and the Swiss house. And I’ve got to say, it’s a pretty attractive proposition. The honeycomb dial (inspired by the DBS Superleggera, natch) is attractive, as is the extra detail on the case middle and lugs. Of course it’s a watch made with car guys in mind, but it’s got enough oomph to stand on its own quite comfortably. TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01 Aston Martin special edition Australian pricing TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01 Aston Martin special edition, $8450
This watch is not for the faint of heart. Not only does the Casio MTG-B1000RB possess the legendary qualities of toughness for which G-Shock is famous, it’s also got one heckuva strong look. The look is achieved via vivid treatment of the metal bezel portion of the watch; it’s a rainbow-hued ion-plating treatment and, boy, is it a sight to behold. But before I wax lyrical about the glory of rainbow bezels, how about some backstory. The MT-G family was introduced by Casio way back in 1999, which means (and the maths wizards are already three steps ahead here) that the line celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. MT-G as a concept adds metal to the traditional G-Shock mix, adding an extra layer of toughness. This version ups the ante by adding an extra layer of dazzle — the treatment on the bezel is vividly chromatic, and changes, depending on the light. Casio say it’s inspired by the subtle lunar rainbow, but the reality is this watch is anything but subtle. Aside from the looks, it’s got everything you’d expect from a G-Shock: 200m water resistance, low-energy Bluetooth connectivity, solar power supply, more digital functions than you likely need and…