Watch Dandy

A chronograph is an important part of any watch collection, but the decision regarding which brand or model to buy can be a tough one. Time+Tide reader Jeremy talks us through the decision to pull the trigger on what was not only his first chronograph, but his first-ever Swiss watch, a silver dial example of the Maurice Lacroix Pontos Chronographe. When did you first see/hear about it? I first heard about Maurice Lacroix when quality and advertising was ramped up in the early 2010s. Their watches looked nice in magazines and I found out that they are amongst a handful of independent and large luxury brands putting out reasonably priced value propositions. I got a lot more interested in the brand when FC Barcelona signed a sponsorship deal with them in 2014. Any story behind the purchase? I liked the fact that the independent brand was turning 40 and doing it in style with FC Barcelona. The watch was for my 40th birthday, and it can lay claim to being my first Swiss watch. What was the deciding factor? I love an ‘everyday’ watch, something a bit conservative but with a mark of difference. I investigated a few options and…

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To say that we’ve been humbled by the support we’ve received from our peers in the watch industry would be understating it. Discovering, through this crisis, the depth of feeling others have for our country, our people and our wildlife has been truly unforgettable. A searing, life-affirming experience. If I could choose one quote to sum it up — and I’m spoiled for choice here, as so many carefully considered, perfectly phrased words were written about the auction — it would be this one by Brice Goulard from Monochrome: “For once, all together, we can let our love for watches go a long way further than our wrists. We can make our passion be a solution to raise funds to help a cause.” Well, we’re just a couple of days into the auction, and the passion of our little cohort has already resulted in more than $100,000 Australian dollars worth of donations. What can I say, but a heartfelt thank you. If we were all in a bar, the drinks would be on me, including spirits — and that would be expensive, knowing some of the drinkers in this wolf pack. In addition to the generosity, the craft and the skill on show as this talented cohort has…

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Maverick survivalist, TV host and ex-British special forces soldier Bear Grylls has teamed up with Californian-based watchmaker Luminox to create the ultimate range of tough and ready timepieces. Judiciously called the Bear Grylls Survival Collection, there will be six watches in total to … bear Bear’s name. In fact, each and every one of the timepiece’s case backs will feature Grylls’ name, logo, signature and his famed motto: “Never Give Up”. The rugged watches have been designed and purpose-built from the outset, with Grylls’ advice and expertise, to go anywhere and withstand the rigours of a life filled with adventure. The collection will be spread into three different categories — master, land and sea — and depending on the model, the benefits and features will be tailored to excel in their given disciplines. All of the watches will come equipped with a Swiss-made Ronda 515 HF 6 quartz movement, a workhorse of the industry that offers up approximately 45 months of battery life and an accuracy of -10/+20 seconds per month. Likewise, all of the cases will be hewn from Luminox’s CARBONOX material. This will ensure a level of lightness and robustness that is deeply impressive, especially considering the sizes of the…

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