We tried to buy a watch at Bob Hawke's estate auction, this is what happened
Bob Hawke’s estate auction offered a chance to reflect on a man known equally well for his capacity to skol a pint of beer in record time (he broke a beer drinking Guinness World Record in 1954) and being a past Prime Minister of Australia. The auction took place in a venue that could only be described as aptly representative of our country’s cross-sectional majority – an RSL in inner Sydney. It was an appropriate venue to celebrate the collected objects of one of Australia’s most fondly remembered leaders, as it grounded you in a sense of not taking it all too seriously, a reminder offered by the noise and flashing lights of the pokies room. Upon arrival there was an immediate sense of the man we were all here for. A crowd of close to 300 Sydney-siders filled the space, leaving standing room only. But there was no joy or excitement in the air. Instead, it was a state of respectful sobriety (yes, strange for an RSL), with people silently flicking through their catalogue or murmuring to their neighbour. There was a recognition that we were not gathered for an auction, but a memorial which offered insights into a…
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We’ve been having a bit of a lunar week with Longines this week — checking out their new Master Moonphase in the boutique and in our studio. And we thought we’d stick with the theme this Friday. Today we’re taking a closer look at the stylish, chic and generally handsome Longines 1832 Moonphase. If the Master Moonphase is a contemporary piece with heritage notes, the 1832 is the other way around: strong, full-bodied heritage overtones with solid underpinnings of modern construction. To me, the whole package exudes old-world charm, but it’s the dial that sings strongest. The dial is beige, with a finely grained finish, that looks incredible up close. On this matt surface there’s a whole lot of charming applied features — the winged hourglass logo, with finely printed text on either side, the faceted, polished, chocolate-block-like hour markers and even the minute dots. All these elements play together to add to the overall air of sophistication and polish, The polished arrow-shaped hands, with small lines of Super-LumiNova, work well in this context. And the well-proportioned moon and date display, nestled in the lower half of the dial, adds in some colour and breaks up the expanse. There’s a reason…
Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve begun our descent. Now that we’ve completed our overview of the Top Gun, Spitfire and Classic collections we’d ask you to stow your tray tables and please pay attention to the final instalment in our series – the IWC Pilot’s St Exupéry collection. Now, IWC’s St Exupéry watches are named for the famed author of Le Petit Prince, who was also, it turns out, a pioneering aviator, and he was lost during a reconnaissance flight over the Mediterranean in 1944. IWC’s watches honouring the man and his works take two main forms — the Le Petit Prince and the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Andrew looks at one of each. IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Antoine de Saint-Exupéry” The classic chronograph takes a decadent twist thanks to the glossy brown dial that’s a hallmark of the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry line. Rich, warm and irresistible. IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Edition “Le Petit Prince” IWC’s big boy gets a blue facelift with a beautiful blue starburst treatment, which elevates the utilitarian dial design into far dressier territory. Made in partnership with IWC. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.