MICRO MONDAYS: Vario modernises the first wristwatch with their 1918 Trench line
Military watches, or tool watches, are incredibly popular in today’s marketplace – with heritage becoming a huge emotional driver behind watch purchases. The Vario 1918 Trench Watch is a new and affordable option for buyers looking for a detail-driven and military-inspired timepiece. Vario carefully considers each component utilised within their Trench watches, working to provide the best build and value to the end consumer. The story Most tools and products are born as solutions to encumbrances and problems. To make our lives easier than they were previously. During the First World War, soldiers and officers utilised pocket watches that were integral to strategic efforts on the battlefield. But with shrapnel flying around, bullets ripping through the air overhead, every second counted – and any pauses to their effort, or time spent distracted in the pursuit of information, was an unwelcome vulnerability. Imagine, in the throes of battle, having to pull out your pocket watch and open the protective lid with gloved hands. In a setting where a second could be the difference between life and death, this configuration would no longer be acceptable. Further detriments of the utilised pocket watches of the time included a lack of luminescent material, and glass crystals that…
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Sydney-based watch brand Bausele has been confirmed to produce two watches with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to mark their centenary. The RAAF’s 100th anniversary will be marked by two special watches that contain parts of RAAF aircraft. The last time the RAAF actually commissioned a watch was in the 1940s, when they commissioned the likes of IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre, so this is something of a breakthrough in the short history of Bausele, which was only founded in 2011. The sense of occasion, and the connection it provides Bausele with a long and rich history, has spurred the brand on to their greatest heights in terms of design and contemporary appeal. These are far and away the most attractive, and on point, models in their broader range, which so far has yet to land on an identifiable design language. Founder of Bausele, Christophe Hoppe, worked very closely with the RAAF design team to perfect the two different watches, using the theme of the Air Force Centenary — “Then. Now. Always.” — as inspiration. In this spirit, the first watch is the Airfield, which looks back on those RAAF watches from the ’40s, and takes their clean tool watch aesthetic into…
When people think of Omega, the usual suspects are the Omega Speedmaster and Seamaster. But the truth is the catalogue is so much more than those two collections. The Aqua Terra is an unsung hero, and is arguably Omega’s answer to the Datejust – but with even more technical prowess. These watches feature casual builds with professional-level technology – and can even frequently be spotted in Bond films as the famous spy’s watch of choice. With Lashana Lynch set to wear a 38mm black dial Aqua Terra in No Time to Die, we thought it would be good to review in-depth the lesser discussed Aqua Terra 150M. The story in a second: The Aqua Terra recently received a major upgrade, and now we’re seeing Omega’s staple in a whole new light. Since it first surfaced in 2003, Omega’s Aqua Terra has been a versatile everyman: stylish and sartorial, but tough enough for the real world. This year the collection levelled-up to Master Chronometer status and we thought we’d take this sparkly 41mm rubberclad model for a spin. The case The case of the Aqua Terra hasn’t changed too obviously — it’s still the same classic shape, with sporty, swooping, twisted lugs and polished surfaces…
Hypebeast recently dropped the orange-flavoured candy of the Nike Air Force 1 ’07 LV8 Total Orange, a searchlight-bright version of the iconic trainer. As if the zesty orange wasn’t enough, they have teamed up with 3M for the metallic silver highlights, in an unashamed flash of reflections from the tiniest sliver of sunlight. This is the perfect time to crank up the volume on colour and to match orange with yet more orange. Matchy-matchy goes atomic level when paired with the new DOXA SUB 200 C-Graph. No matter if you’re just released into the world from isolation and back to work – or in a second-wave lockdown, this is a surefire way to pump up the mood of the day, paired with the latest orange dial SUB 200 C-Graph DOXA. Pick yourself up with the black and orange cheer-me-up factor from the trainers, and enjoy the matchup with what could be this year’s boldest, brightest chronograph. Killer look? Sorted. If you’ve had enough of monochrome tool watches or NATO-strapped divers, the vintage bling and superb comfort of the beads-of-rice bracelet strikes a perfect balance of eye candy and pure functionality. Price: $4350 AUD. Read up on Hypebeast about the Nike Air Force…
Dress watches are the epitome of traditional horology. I know, sports watches are trendy and consume a large portion of the conversation – but there is something, whether tangible or intangible, that dress watches provide that a sports watch simply cannot and never will. They may not be your daily wearer, you certainly won’t take a dress watch to the beach. But for those crucial moments, whether a wedding or a job interview, the formal dress watch provides a certain kind of gentlemanly confidence boost that you just can’t find in professional tool watches. When I go out into the world as Zach Blass, I wear my Black Bay Fifty-Eight – but in those moments when I need to be Mr Zachary B. Blass, only a dress watch such as my Lange 1815 Up/Down 221.021 can truly elevate me to the task at hand. While they do not always get as much time in the spotlight as they deserve, let’s take a look at eight of the best dress watches of 2020 over $10K. Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept I have to confess I have a bit of a bias here, as once upon a time I did work for…
Editor’s note: Before you ask, yes we have a date. April 2, 2021. It ain’t exactly days away, but at least we know how long the advent calendar has to be. A fair bit of chocolate is the upside. We are happy to report that one of the largest entertainment-related casualties of the pandemic, the delay of Daniel Craig’s last outing as James Bond in No Time to Die, can at least have closure with a release date. The anticipation factor being this high not unusual. Bond films have been eagerly anticipated pieces of cinema for the last 50 years, causing great buzz and excitement when they are announced. For watch enthusiasts though, it doesn’t mean there is only a new movie to watch – it means a new Bond watch to lust and drool after. From Rolex, Seiko, Hamilton, and most recently Omega, actors who have taken on the role of 007 have always had some spectacular timepieces on their wrists. For the first time however, a Bond actor has actually had a role in the design of the watch worn in a film, with Daniel Craig playing an advisory role in creating the last watch he will wear as…
Earlier this week, we shared our thoughts on phrases we are completely guilty of using at times, but wondered if it would be best to retire them. We’re not declaring right or wrong here, but rather just initiating a bit of a thought experiment and evaluating what effect our cultural rhetoric (so to speak) has on our industry and collecting community. It is no secret that tastes have homogenised quite a bit, and a case could be made that our common vernacular is one of the roots of the problem. Arguably, it creates a code of buyer conduct – rules that dictate our purchase decisions and remove independent thought from the equation. Worse still, it engenders yet more snobbery in a pastime that already has a bad rep for being, for lack of a better phrase, up itself and not as inclusive as, say, model trains. We put the question to you, the readers, and now present #shitcollectorssay: the Reader Choice Edition. A quick note that some reader responses were purely words and phrases some find objectionable: “timepiece”, “in-house”, “lightplay” for example, and even overused adjectives such as “stunning”. Thanks to all for getting involved, and answering the call. Giving…