Sunday Rewind: When World Record Watches Start To Get Weird
Sometimes the road to a world record is simple – and sometimes it’s anything but.
In-Depth – Omega and the PloProf Research Programme – Innovation in Professional Dive watches (incl. Pioneering use of 904L Steel for Watches)
By the early 1940s, Emile Gagnan and Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s Aqualung – the first commercially successful self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (a.k.a Scuba)- had become a worldwide phenomenon. Along with the growing popularity of recreational diving, the needs of military and professional divers underscored the paramount importance of reliable sub-aquatic instruments. Developed in 1953, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is often regarded as the archetype of the dive watch: a robust, highly legible watch, water-resistant to great depths (91 meters, in this instance) and equipped with a unidirectional rotating bezel to time dives.
RECOMMENDED READING: Time to learn — the watch industry’s next great challenge
The watch industry is — make no mistake — an industry, driven by bottom lines and production schedules. It’s also a deeply traditional craft with a long and rich lineage. A lineage fine watch brands are exceptionally proud of. And business — by and large — is good. So why are an increasing number of leading watchmakers, brands, and watchmaking bodies worried about an impending crisis? In this article for The New York Times, Robin Swithinbank explores an unintended consequence of the growing popularity of mechanical watches — the death of skills, knowledge and appreciation of the fine art of watchmaking. And while an interest in watches is a good start, it’s just the beginning. Read the full article here.
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Weekend Round-Up: Explaining CIA Disguises, Behind Hockney’s Portrait Of An Artist, And Rare Shots Of Muhammad Ali
The week’s can’t-miss stories from around the web.
OPINION: When to go for gold
You know who you are, and you know why you’re here — and it’s totally fine. You’ve found yourself at the inevitable crossroad that all collectors come to. You’re finally in the position to buy something that you never thought you’d like, but as your tastes have evolved, you’re struggling to resist it. When you first started collecting watches, you swore it was too obnoxious, gaudy and ‘flashy’ … yet, here you are, lusting after a gold watch — not knowing how to handle it. Firstly, it’s okay. Like I said, we’ve all been there, often without realising. Maybe it happened when you were at your local dealer, who only had that model you wanted in white gold. Maybe you tried on a friend’s piece and fell in love with the weight of the metal. You want gold, and you’re trying to work out if you can pull it off, and, ultimately, whether it’s the right decision for you. Well, here’s everything you need to know. Obstacles Now, before we tackle the various ‘obstacles’ (in #firstworldproblems air quotes) to buying a gold watch, it’s important to see where you fit in the customer type. There are a few different types of gold watch…
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EDITOR’S PICK: 10 actors wearing the hell out of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso
Editor’s note: Few watches are as effortlessly elegant and stylish as the venerable Reverso, which is perhaps why they’re a go-to choice for those who strut the silver screen. Don’t believe us? Here are 10 proof points … I’m no prop master, but I know when I’d reach for a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso to dress a character’s wrist. It would be when they had a scene in a suit. It would be at a point in their character trajectory when they were at peak confidence, when their outward style is tapping into the classic, the iconic, the timeless. And also when the brand of badass they’re seeking to project is more brains than brawn. You suspect this was precisely the thought process of the art directors and prop masters that did just that with these kings of the screen. Pierce Brosnan. Ah, Pierce. He may have bombed as Bond but the man knows how to work black tie. The key is having an accessory in the mix that pops on the monochrome backdrop, and few accessories can compete with a gold dress watch with white face and black leather strap. The additional fact that it’s an unusual shape also catches attention.…
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Introducing: The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date 80th Anniversary Edition (Live Pics & Pricing)
A special edition in bronze to mark eight decades of an Oris classic.
Video – The Seamaster Chronicles – Part 1, The History of the Omega Seamaster
Last year, we introduced one of our largest projects ever, the Speedmaster Chronicles. 5 videos with 5 men, including James Ragan (the man who turned the Speedmaster into the Moonwatch), Omega’s CEO, a well-known auctioneer, Mr. Speedy Tuesday and an anonymous collector, who shed their light on one of the most iconic watches ever created, the Omega Speedmaster a.k.a. Moonwatch. Today we’re starting with another big video project, namely “The Seamaster Chronicles” – and you probably guessed it… we will have an in-depth look at Omega’s diving icon, the Seamaster.
Introducing: The Swatch Spot Mickey And Mirror Spot Mickey, Designed By Damien Hirst
To celebrate the iconic character’s 90th birthday, the British artist put his distinct spin on the classic character watch.
Bring a Loupe: A Special Rolex Submariner Ref. 5508, A Heuer Carrera Dato 45, And A Vacheron Constantin Ref. 4308 ‘Cornes De Vache’
This week’s round-up of vintage watches from around the world.