Watch Dandy

Editor’s note: I’m hoping that we can mark 2019 down in the history books as peak Nautilus-mania, but there’s another part of my brain that isn’t quite so sure. Either way, your odds of walking into ye oldie AD, dropping down some fat stacks and walking out with this complicated beauty, the Patek Philippe’s Nautilus Ref. 5740, are veering heavily toward the ‘none’ on a spectrum of slim to none. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Here’s Sandra’s review …  One of the big surprises of Baselworld 2018 was Patek Philippe’s decision to add a grand complication model – specifically a perpetual calendar – to the Nautilus line. Or was it? Nautilus-with-complication is an old story (travel time, chronograph, annual calendar have all featured over the years) and the pre-Basel rumour mill was promoting the ‘perpetual’ idea pretty heavily. So when Patek unveiled the ref. 5740 there was a definite sense of “Surprise – what surprise?” Vital statistics The movement is one of Patek’s all-time greats: the ultra-thin self-winding calibre 240 Q – also found in the current collection in the Calatrava-cased ref. 5327. It’s essentially the same movement that was introduced in the landmark ref. 3940 in the mid-1980s…

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These days we’re pretty down with the tie-in between the watch industry and motorsports. Because while the association, which had its golden days in the age of Heuer et al, was originally born from necessity, nowadays its main function has to do with the marketing department.  And while many brands have history in the area, the history is rarely as personal or intimate as it is at Laurent Ferrier. Laurent Ferrier (the watches) are well regarded high-end independent pieces with curvy lines and funky dials. And sure, Laurent Ferrier (the man) is a well regarded maker of high-end independent pieces, but he’s also a passionate motorsports racer, and one not without talent. In fact, in 1979 his team of plucky amateurs placed third at the Le Mans 24-hour race. Fun fact: Paul Newman came second.  It’s stories like this that lie at the heart and soul of watchmaking, and Chris Hall over at QP Magazine has done an excellent job of capturing it. If you can’t hack the long read, at least enjoy this superb shot of the watch Ferrier made to celebrate his long love of racing. 

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While collaborations between watch brands and car manufacturers are not a new phenomenon, it’s a much rarer phenomenon to meet a person who owns both the watch and its corresponding car. Once Zak had purchased his Mercedes AMG, he knew he needed to own the IWC Ingenieur AMG edition IW3725,  a watch that is cool beyond its automotive inspiration. When did you first see/hear about it? I heard about it a few years ago, but I didn’t like it because of the curves in the case design. It eventually grew on me, and I was planning on saving up for one in steel, but I tried it on and it was super-heavy. Then I got a Mercedes AMG, and I figured I should get this one instead, which has a titanium bracelet and case and is much more comfortable. Any story behind the purchase? I got the AMG, so I also wanted to own the collaboration watch between Mercedes AMG and IWC, which has been going on for a long time. I also just love the Gérald Genta-designed Ingenieur. What was the deciding factor? I needed a watch because I was sick of wearing my Seiko everyday. But I didn’t…

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Editor’s note: A little while back, old mate Becks did some promo videos with his watch brand of choice – Tudor. Turns out that Mr Beckham isn’t one to baby his timepieces, something we fully endorse. Kick on, Becks.  Tudor shared two short videos with their premier ambassador, Mr David Beckham, that looked at two of his Tudor watches. And I’ve got to say, as far as showing what a brand is all about, they’re pretty hard to beat. The first video looks at the first Tudor watch Beckham owned and wore, a 1969 Snowflake Sub, which Beckham describes as an “old, messed up watch”. And while I wouldn’t go quite so far as to say it’s messed up, it has certainly lived a life, with a beautifully faded ghost bezel and some real age on the dial. What’s better than the watch, though, is Beckham’s attitude towards it: he appreciated the authenticity of old objects and, given that he wears it most days, “likes to think he’s added a scratch or two”. Now, there is absolutely no doubt that Beckham has added a scratch or two to his Tudor Black Bay Blue, a watch that he’s taken riding, and…

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There’s no doubt that Bulgari like the GPHG. In 2017 they won the men’s category for their Octo Finissimo Automatic and the Tourbillon prize for the Finissimo Skeleton. A few years earlier, in 2014, they took home the Jewellery prize for their Diva High Jewellery Emeralds. Their odds are looking strong for the 2019 edition of the awards too, with five watches shortlisted. Now, it would be crazy for all five watches to win, but much like Katniss Everdeen, we hope the odds are forever in Bulgari’s favour. Mechanical Exception – Bulgari Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie Perpetual Calendar Let’s kick off with the big guy. I was pretty lucky to get a look at this incredible watch at Basel earlier in the year — given that it’s an LE of eight pieces. And given the fact that it packs in a ton of high-end complication (and the repeater sounds beautiful), the big surprise for me was the lightness – the carbon case weighs next to nothing. The same can’t be said for the price, which is a hefty 820,000 CHF. Ladies – Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Pink Gold and Diamonds I’m pretty open to wearing watches made with women in mind, and…

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Johnny Dowell has been on the watch world’s radar for some time (heck, we interviewed him here), having worked with Urwerk and others on some pretty spectacular production pieces, as well as numerous custom jobs. But, perhaps unsurprisingly, Johnny’s career in engraving didn’t start with watches — he went through the far more traditional route of fine long gun engraving. And he didn’t mess around either, starting at the top of the tree with James Purdey & Sons (a Richemont property, for those into the corporate ownership of luxury brands). I’ve never made a big mistake on a gun, like where you slip across the entire surface and leave a huge scratch. That kind of thing just doesn’t happen, you wouldn’t be allowed to engrave a gun if that was a possibility. The kind of mistakes that will happen aren’t visible to the naked eye, or they are easily correctible. So, if you’ve ever wanted a solid insight into the world of high-end, super-cool artisanal crafts in 2019, this interview over on A Collected Man is worth a read.

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