Steeling the show … Jason Statham's love affair with Rolex
What is it about leading actors and their affinity for Rolex’s range of stainless steel sports watches? It almost seems like it’s a rite of passage – become a famous thespian and then immediately adorn one’s wrist with a steel 6263. Whether it’s Steve McQueen, Paul Newman (obviously), Daniel Craig … the list just goes on and on. And then there’s Hollywood’s current “hard man”, Jason Statham. Statham loves a vintage steel Rolex, as evidenced by the countless paparazzi photos that have caught the British actor sporting quite a few different iterations of old-school professional models. Perhaps most notably, Statham has, for quite some time, worn an awesome example of the Rolex Explorer II ref. 1655 “Steve McQueen”, which is an easy one to spot thanks to its iconic bright orange 24-hour hand. What’s more, whether it’s clairvoyance or just good taste, Statham has owned this famed timepiece for quite some time before the prices skyrocketed. In addition, Statham has posted several photos of himself on his Instagram wearing a couple of particularly nice variants of the ultimate “hype beast” vintage Rolex, the Paul Newman Daytona, more specifically the aforementioned ref. 6263. The Brit is also rather keen on rocking…
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TAG Heuer’s fabled Monaco wristwatch, a timepiece immortalised in the annals of motorsport as a result of Steve McQueen sporting one in the 1971 film Le Mans, is for the first time in its history being produced with an in-house movement. That’s right, whether you were aware of it or not, the TAG Heuer Monaco has, since its inception in 1969, been produced with an externally sourced movement. Back in 1969 it was the Calibre 11, and throughout the course of the next 50 years of its production the Monaco would employ a number of different third-party movements, such as the Calibre 12, Calibre 17 or Valjoux 7740. Sure, there have been exceptions to this rule, like, for example, the anomalous TAG Heuer Monaco V4, which was first unveiled in 2004 and utilised a highly experimental belt-driven movement made by TAG Heuer that was meant to replicate the appearance of a Formula 1 car’s pistons. However, besides these very limited outliers, the Monaco has always remained a timepiece powered by a third-party movement … until now. TAG Heuer has seen fit to bestow the iconic timepiece with its own in-house Calibre 02, which was first unveiled in 2017, housed inside…
It’s been a very busy week of watches in Geneva, with Only Watch 2019 setting new records, and the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) awarding prizes to some of the best watches of the year (which included some upsets). Amidst the clamour and drama of the GPHG, where the pitting of brands head to head can increase the blood pressure of some ardent watch enthusiasts, the focus can sometimes miss the truly impressive feats of technical engineering that are on display. One of these feats is the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar, a watch that not only offers a complex calendar function, but also does it with a power reserve of 65 days. Here’s how more than two months of power reserve is possible. Most mechanical watches are regulated by a single balance spring that oscillates at a set rate (either measured in hertz, which can be converted to vibrations per hour), and the steady in and out breathing of this spring is what keeps the watch running on good time. A slower number of oscillations from the balance spring can make the watch less accurate, but can extend the power reserve, while a faster rate of…
Editor’s note: If you’re in the market for a steel sports watch with a chronograph complication, you really are spoilt for choice. Rolex’s Daytona, Omega’s Speedmaster, Tudor’s Black Bay Chronograph … the list goes on. However, if you’re looking for a timepiece that meets all of the aforementioned criteria, while still possessing a real and genuine point of difference, then the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Chronograph is a great option. JLC, known colloquially as the “watchmaker’s watchmaker”, have made movements for just abut every watchmaker in the game at some time or another. And this technical innovation and knowhow is really showcased in the Polaris chronograph. Late last year, we were fortunate enough to go hands-on with the grade-A chrono, and these were our initial thoughts. It’s hard to overstate the significance of the Polaris collection for Jaeger-LeCoultre. In a world dominated by the round steel sports watch, JLC’s line-up has leaned heavily towards the dressy and rectangular. The Polaris, a fully evolved collection, changed that landscape overnight, and did it in style. One of the strongest offerings is the chronograph. It’s a watch that does a lot of things right, many of which should be immediately apparent. First of all, there’s the size —…
Most of the hype around the results of Only Watch 2019 has been wholly and solely squared at the monumental, record-breaking price achieved by the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A, and it’s pretty easy to understand why … it sold for $31 million CHF (roughly $52 million AUD)! However, away from the white noise of the staggering price of the stainless steel Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A, there were actually a fair few bargains (relative term) to be had at this year’s Only Watch. In fact, some pièce unique examples actually sold for less than the regular variants of the watches they were based off, which is pretty absurd when you think about it. Anyway, here are the five biggest bargains from Only Watch 2019: Lot 2 – H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept Only Watch – $48,000 CHF ($70,300 AUD) I think this one took quite a few people by surprise. Here is a one-of-a-kind timepiece that features a truly unique dial that’s been created by one of the best dial makers in the horological game … and it sold for a mere 15 grand more than its regular steel counterpart. Someone out there did very well…
Patek Philippe’s entry into Only Watch 2019, the one-of-a-kind stainless steel Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A, has just smashed, in fact obliterated, the record for the most expensive watch ever sold at auction. But it wasn’t just the Patek that stretched into the seven-figure stratosphere at the charitable auction last night, as two other pièce unique watches garnered tremendous amounts of attention and, more importantly, bids. Keep in mind, if like us at times, you feel despair at the runaway nature of high-end auctions, that this is for the good of the world. They are going to be able to research the heck out of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy after 2019. Here are the three watches we have to thank for that: Lot 28 – Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A – $31 million CHF (roughly $52 million AUD) Let’s just let that number sink in for a moment … $52 million Aussie dollars, for a steel wristwatch. Ever heard of the saying, “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry”? It’s far and away the most expensive timepiece in the world, easily eclipsing the previous record holder, another Patek Philippe, the Henry Graves Jr. Supercomplication pocket watch, which sold…