NEWS: The New York Museum of Modern Art thinks these are the most iconic watches of the 20th century
New York’s Museum of Modern Art is showcasing a collection of the 111 items of clothing and accessories that impacted the 20th and 21st centuries entitled Items: Is Fashion Modern? Timeless garments such as Levi’s 501s and the Little Black Dress, and two watches — Rolex and Swatch. But which is more iconic? The battle for the most enduring watch of the 20th century is on … If we measured success in this exhibition on numbers alone, then Swatch is the clear winner. Its tally includes a 1985 Mille Pattes model, designed by Keith Haring, 1983’s GB100 and GK100 Jelly Fish; plus two ’90s models, while a solitary ’70s Rolex Datejust keeps a cool distance. Before you get red-faced, the Rolex Datejust is a bestseller today and there’s no dishonouring Rolex. As a matter of substance, the sturdy, man-of-the-world Rolex, born in 1905, has understated classicism and brand prestige cornered. The Items specimen, a Rolex Datejust Ref. 1601 with a stainless steel Jubilee bracelet and white gold fluted bezel (loaned by Hodinkee, by the way), a successor to the original 1945 Datejust; the first wristwatch with an automatically changing date window. It was a revolution that redefined the relationship to a watch; an innovation that synchronised…
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“Which watch should I get?” It’s the first, and hardest, question to answer for any watch lover (shortly followed by “which watch should I get next?”), and our news and reviews aim to make that question easier for you to answer. Well, today we make it simpler yet, with a series of three short videos that each ask, “How do you know which Tudor is right for you?” We match three key watches from Tudor’s catalogue to three styles of wearer, albeit in a slightly tongue-in-cheek way. First up is Tudor’s mighty technical diver, the Pelagos. So, if the above video resonates with you, you might want to check out our longer review. But you’re not completely off the hook — the next tricky question is: Black, Blue or LHD?
Seiko drop a LOT of watches at Basel. It’s like a candy store, with everything from super-hot limited editions, to Prospex, to Presage. All there in front of you. And I’m sure I only see a fraction of what’s on offer. It can be overwhelming. But even so, a few watches stand out, and they’re not always the ones you expect. For me, one of those watches was the SPB049J, a sober time-and-date tonneau with a classical dial in enamel. Now, a tonneau, or barrel-shaped case, is relatively uncommon, and can be hard to get right. They tend to veer either to the very sporty, or, in this instance, the very traditional. But something about this watch just works. The dial is, as you’d expect from enamel, light and lustrous, the black printed Roman numerals and text is wonderfully crisp, the ideal backdrop for the leaf-shaped blued steel hands and that seconds hand, with its crescent-moon tipped counterweight. They’re hands I’d happily look at all day long. The only slight jarring note in the dial design is the printed square around the date aperture, which is quite roughly finished around the edges. I don’t mind the border per se, but…
