RECOMMENDED READING: Wei Koh's 8000-word watch review is peak pandemic, and we can get behind it
As a journalist, you strive for a long-form commission. A piece to stretch your legs. That you can properly research. That your audience will be forced to create quality time to imbibe. I was reminded of this recently when Josh Shanks from our friends at Watchonista posted a shout-out to the greatest long-form piece of all time on his Facebook: Frank Sinatra Has a Cold by Gay Talese. I hit the link, started reading and then – lo and behold – I stopped multitasking. I sat down. Ten minutes in, I got up and fixed myself a drink. Fifteen minutes in, I actually took the time to set a fire (now that the bushfires have passed in Australia, we are being hit with sub 10-degree cold snaps, so, great). I lit it, arranged a comfortable chair nearby, set my drink next to chair. I was stalling, because this piece was so good, so utterly relishable for the reader that I didn’t want it to end. If you haven’t read this masterwork, you simply must. And after that, you can schedule in a second, or third Old Fashioned to accompany you through Wei Koh’s 8000-word dissertation on Patek Philippe chronographs. I suspect…
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This year might be one of the most unusual ever when it comes to new watches being released. While brands were already seeking different ways to share their new releases with the watch-loving community, the global pandemic that we are still watching unfold has put a stop to almost any plans that brands might have had for the year. That means watches are being released in slow drops at the moment, not able to capitalise on the big moments such as Watches & Wonders or Baselworld where the industry is all in one place (though we did our best to make a moment with our coverage of Watches & Wonders Online). To make sure you aren’t missing any of the new watches that are being released at the moment, we wanted to take a look at a few pieces that have been released a little more quietly over the last few weeks, including great pieces from Omega, Bulgari and Casio. Omega Aqua Terra, now in green and blue The Omega Aqua Terra is a crowd favourite for its clean design, bulletproof movement and comfort on the wrist. They have been produced in a range of metals and dial colours —…
This year, Piaget has focused on the two strengths that most clearly define the Maison: on one hand, ultra-thin men’s watches (taken to their most technically demanding extreme) and on the other, boldly designed and extravagantly gem-set women’s watches. Altiplano Ultimate Concept Nobody could reasonably dispute that this insanely thin new watch is quite mind-blowing. But to properly understand it, a bit of context is needed. Its genesis dates back to 2014, when Piaget introduced the Altiplano 900P. At an unfeasibly skinny 3.65mm, it was the thinnest hand-wound watch ever made and it redefined our assumptions about the limits of ultra-thin watchmaking. The stroke of genius had been to reject the traditional binary notion of case plus movement, and instead to use the caseback as the baseplate. However, Piaget was already a serial record-breaker in ultra-thin watchmaking. In 1960, three years after launching the hand-wound Calibre 9P (at 2mm, it was one of the world’s slimmest movements), the 2.3mm thick Calibre 12P set a new record as the thinnest self-winding movement. Since the millennium, other records have followed: thinnest tourbillon, thinnest minute repeater, thinnest skeletonised movements – and more. Then, at SIHH 2018, Piaget introduced us to the Altiplano Ultimate…
From Humphrey Bogart’s wide-brimmed fedora in Casablanca to Indiana Jones’ whip in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the right prop has defined many big-screen characters. Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy of Batman films contains an object deserving similar recognition. Except you don’t notice it. The reason why is that it’s so exquisitely tuned to its owner’s personality that it’s barely perceptible as a standalone item. What I’m getting at, of course, is Bruce Wayne’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. After Joel Schumacher’s disastrous attempts at the superhero franchise (the director even publicly apologised for Batman & Robin), Nolan’s films were very different. Batman Begins was a grittily realistic take on the caped crusader that pointedly avoided camp flourishes. It delved into the Batman origin story and didn’t flinch from exploring the psychological angst simmering beneath. What about the watches? Well, in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne wears a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Grand Taille, while in The Dark Knight Rises he wears a JLC Reverso Grand Date. Here’s why they’re such inspired choices for the man behind the mask. A Logical Choice On the basic screen-test of horological plausibility, the Reverso ticks all the right boxes. Understated but refined, this…
Irish-born mixed martial artist and boxer Conor McGregor is known for his time spent in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was the featherweight and lightweight champion. He also fought boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr, which drew 4.3 million pay per viewers, the second most in history. During these uncertain times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone is practising social distancing and isolation, which means no events, and unfortunately for me, no photographs of attendees. But McGregor provided us with a new watch unboxing today. We know McGregor is a watch guy, having in the past worn numerous pieces from Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and Rolex, in various guises from blinged-out models to more restrained pieces in precious metals. McGregor on his Instragram account this morning showed his newest acquisition from Patek Philippe. He unboxed a new Patek Philippe Ref 5905 Annual Calendar Chronograph in platinum and matching cufflinks. His new watch has an Irish twist. He explains in his post that the watch is a limited edition of 25 pieces made for Irish jeweller Weir & Sons and that he got number 12. Weir & Sons was established in 1869 and last year celebrated their 150th Anniversary. They are an…