HANDS-ON: The Martenero Kerrison
Since 2014, New York-based Martenero have been quietly making a name for themselves amongst the enthusiasts of the microbrand watch community. Their formula is of simple dials with bright pops of colour, paired with a twisted lug case – with the exception of their straight-edged Edgemere – brought to life by a desire to create classically-styled watches with a clean and modern look. This year they’ve taken a far-reaching approach to expand their five-watch catalogue, with their sixth release launched via crowdfunding website Kickstarter. The Kerrison more than tripled its pledge goal and I expect we’ll see it become a regular part of the stable next year. If you’re already familiar with Martenero, you might recognise the Kerrison’s basic design and silhouette. It’s a reimagining of one of their earlier models, the Marquis. The brand’s dressiest option and their most traditional. However, the Kerrison takes on a more casual everyday vibe that, in a pinch, can also answer the call up to suit duty. Some fine-tuning and a selection of brighter colourways. And it’s their most versatile watch to date. Spanning the line between dressy and sporty. Starting with a face that’s largely unchanged. The Kerrison uses the same dial…
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Editor’s note: Matt Hranek’s now sold-out book, A Man and His Watch, is one of the real standouts of the watch year, a beautiful and thoughtful text, packed with 76 stories of watches and the people who wear them. So taken were we by this book, we asked Matt if it would be possible to republish a few of his interviews. He kindly said yes. JAMES H. RAGAN former aerospace engineer, NASA Omega Speedmaster Moonwatches I didn’t get to NASA until the start of the Gemini days, and watches were just one of many, many pieces I tested and procured as part of the flight equipment. It was crucial for each astronaut to have a flight watch to time an event or experiment. Mission control did the critical timing, but if they lost communication with the astronauts — like when they were out on the lunar surface — the astronauts needed watches as a backup. Otherwise, they wouldn’t know how much time was left on their suits before they ran out of oxygen. As a government entity, you can’t just go out and buy pieces of hardware and look at them — you have to do a competitive government procurement,…
I’ve been a big fan of Hublot’s Meccano-inspired Meca-10 ever since I saw it in the metal. For me it manages to be super new and exciting for Hublot, yet also 100 per cent on brand. At the heart of this watch (and its appeal) is the movement. The HUB1201 is a big old manual wind, with two barrels packing in a potent 10 days of power reserve (hence the 10 in the name), and spiced up with some typically Hublot skeletonised architecture. It’s a cool movement, but this new golden incarnation gives it a whole new mood. Other versions play to contrast, all black and steel. This version, however, is suffused with light, giving you an unobstructed view into the depths of the movement, every barrel and bridge lit up like they’re under lights. And the whole (very pretty) picture is framed beautifully by the King Gold case. Years ago, Hublot came to fame for their big, bold and brash designs. These days, they’re certainly still big and bold, but there’s also an increased level of sophistication and unique style at play in their watches. Hublot Big Bang Meca-10 in King Gold Australian pricing Hublot Big Bang Meca-10 in…