Watch Dandy

Editor’s note: In one of our favourite Sandra stories of all time, she takes aim at all the sacred cows of watch collecting, and skewers them. In style. When I talk with other women about watch collecting, the most common reaction runs along the lines of, “Oh, that’s just a sad guy thing” or “I totally don’t get why my husband bought such an expensive one/has to own so many/is so geeky about them …” Or even, “Ha! Boys’ toys – you know what they’re a substitute for …” So yeah, a luxury watch is really just a much more portable version of a muscle car or a mid-life Harley-Davidson. Compensation. For something. Sure, it’s also “a reward for all those years of hard work”. But, in truth, that watch/car/bike is a grown-up security blanket. And, as Linus knows, it’s hard for a guy to live without one. OK, so I’m heading deep into cultural/gender stereotyping territory here. But there’s science and study to back it up – from the seriously academic (Cambridge Professor Simon Baron-Cohen) to the pop psychology of John Gray’s Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. (And let me say it now: I do know…

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Omega’s recently updated line of De Ville Trésor presents as a compelling proposition for anyone looking for a beautifully made, elegant dress watch. And, for the first time in the De Ville Trésor family, there’s now the option of steel-cased models, which can be had in a few different iterations. For a start, there’s this gorgeous blue dial example, ref. 435.13.40.21.03.001, which looks positively replete with its almost linen-like textured aesthetic. And when paired with slender and sophisticated 18k white gold indices, as well as hour, minute and second hands, this is a watch that offers a great amount of wrist presence, but without shouting about it – it’s a charming timepiece. In addition, the dial, as well as the sapphire crystal, is domed, which gives the Trésor an impression of real depth. Inside the svelte stainless steel 40mm case, which measures just 10.6mm thick, the new dress watch houses Omega’s prodigious Calibre 8910, a manual-winding movement that benefits from a great many impressive features. These include a date complication, the Swiss marque’s signature Co-Axial escapement, 72 hours of power reserve thanks to twin barrels, Master Chronometer certification approved by METAS, silicon balance spring, and magnetic resistance rated to 15,000…

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Editor’s note: Grand Seiko is typically seen as a restrained brand design-wise (dials excepted), but this 46mm chunk of titanium and ceramic proves that the brand has it in them to pull a modern sports chrono out of the bank when it matters … To be honest, when I first saw Grand Seiko’s contemporary-looking new modular ceramic Spring Drives, I was on the fence. I didn’t expect it, and wasn’t sure what to think. Of course the quality and technical precision were very much in evidence, but the aesthetics were well outside the norm for the brand. But over time the slick looks grew on me – Grand Seiko’s trademark crisp lines look great in black ceramic, and the sporty style was well-suited to the Spring Drive Chrono. So, in the lead up to Basel this year, I was looking forward to seeing where they’d take the nascent collection, and I was not disappointed. It’s fair to say the blue and gold limited edition requires a somewhat outgoing personality to pull off on a daily basis; this black version, while not quite stealthy given the 46.4mm case, is far more restrained on the wrist. I’d go so far as to say…

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The handful of BIG Rolex collectors meet-ups around the world represent the sanctum sanctorum of the vintage watch world, secretive affairs (which is sensible, given the dollar value of watches on the table) that offer a glimpse not just into the ultra-rarefied, and slightly odd, world of very high-end watch collecting, but also where the market is going. So this outsider’s perspective, from GQ’s Cam Wolf, is a very interesting take on the phenomenon, and the aforementioned World Economic Forum comparison is apt (a little too apt for my tastes). Perhaps ironically, a bunch of dudes obsessed with time-keeping devices show an inability to stay on schedule. It’s a good read, and you can read it here.

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