Watch Dandy

Seiko and its Grand sibling are well known for their technical skill in case finishing. This style of highly reflective polishing was first introduced into the Seiko family by watch designer Taro Tanaka, who came into the Japanese company to produce a holistic design language that was called “The Grammar of Design”. One of the main tenants of this design language was for all of the flat surfaces of the watch case and hands to be polished to a mirror finish using a method called Zaratsu polishing. By maximising the interaction of the light with the flat surfaces of the case, the case gave an impression of extreme precision, with super-crisp case lines, a reflection you could see yourself in. This same method of polishing has been used by Citizen in their higher-end watches, suggesting a fondness for this method of polishing in Japanese watch firms. In fact, watch companies around the world use broadly similar techniques to achieve this level of polish, with many Swiss watch manufacturers using the term black polishing for a technique they typically use to finish parts of their movements. While not an identical technique between black and zaratsu polishing — with black polishing typically done by…

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First uncovered in the tomb of a 17th century Genevan clockmaker, the words which are now passed into lore: “Every time someone says the GPHG is the Oscars of the watch world, a bunny dies.” So as to avoid the death of any more happy hoppers, I’ll describe the GPHG as the biggest prize in watches each year. In saying that, there’s a problem with the GPHG. While the GPHG is the biggest prize to be won, the competition is, as Felix eloquently put, “notably free of crowns and calatravas”, bringing the elephant at the GPHG clearly into view. Some brands are not represented, because all competitors have to self-nominate. While this may be viewed as an administrative hurdle from the perspective of the GPHG organisation, it results in a field of competitors that doesn’t reflect a global market. In this article for the FHH Journal, Franco Cologni also comments on the discrepancy between the average sum paid for a luxury watch across the globe, and the average price of the winning watches of the GPHG 2018 — CHF 260,000. If the GPHG prize winners don’t reflect reality, what do they reflect? Find his full article here.

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Editor’s note: This year we’ve been a little guilty of gushing all over the brand spanking new Octo Finissimo Chronograph, but it’s worth remembering that this shiny new star isn’t the only Octo Chrono in the mix. Meet the definitely not thin Bulgari Octo Chronograph …  One of the marks of a strong watch design is that it can be reimagined without losing its potency. Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso or pretty well any Rolex are all excellent examples of this rule. The same goes for the Octo — a distinct watch that didn’t actually begin its life with the name Bulgari on the dial. It was originally the work of Gérald Genta, the famous designer of both the Nautilus and the Royal Oak, who clearly had a thing for multifaceted shapes. His brand was acquired by Bulgari in 1999, and since then the Octo has gone from strength to strength, constantly building on the remarkably strong foundation of its angular case. Take, for example, this Octo Chronograph in pink gold, first released at Baselworld 2014. It’s a straight-up power watch. A massive, uncompromising slab of gold that can’t help but look amazing thanks to the combination of multiple brushed…

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Editor’s note: The darling of the independent watch space, MB&F show no signs of slowing their release of weird and wonderful watches. Timepieces that often elicit a confused reception at first glance, MB&F clocks and watches become more delightful the longer you look at them, as you realise the playfulness at the heart of their designs. Let’s take another look at why the brand matters, even if you aren’t likely to become a customer. Recently we were invited to Sydney as guests of The Hour Glass for the hotly anticipated launch of MB&F (Maximilian Büsser & Friends) Horological Machine 6, aka the ‘Space Pirate’. In our conversation with MB&F Head of Communications Charris Yadigaroglou we discovered a watch brand almost like no other. Writing up the interview I was struck by the role a brand like MB&F plays for the wider watch industry. Their ability to live free creative lives — and start their creative process at a wild, completely pre-rational idea, instead of working around the limitations of a watch movement — leads to a singular and unique stream of watchmaking. We walked into the meeting room in the Sydney CBD office curious, if not a little sceptical, and walked out…

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