Watch Dandy

Last year we made our foray into the inky world of print with NOW – The Watch Buying Guide. A weighty tome that, in addition to shining a light on some interesting horological tales and factoids, also lived up to its promise — putting more than 200 of the best recent watch releases into one handy, almost encyclopaedic place. It had quite the ring as a proposition: 200 watches from $200 to more than $200,000, though that part was quite accidental. Regardless, it was a happy accident for buyers frustrated by the obfuscation around pricing that we all endure from the brands.   From Swatch to Cartier’s Santos, from A. Lange & Söhne to Zenith. There’s something in there for everyone. As long as your definition of everyone is — people who appreciate fine watchmaking. And even if that’s not the case, flipping through the pages of NOW should convince even the most ardent Apple Watch wearers.  But if you weren’t prepared to get physical with us, our options to get together over NOW proved limited. Up until last week, NOW was only available as an actual object in our shop (there are a mere 300-odd out of the original print run remaining if…

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The substantial and subtly blue IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Edition “Laureus Sport for Good” is the 13th (unlucky for some, but clearly not IWC) edition watch celebrating the Schaffhausen-based brand’s partnership with the Laureus Sport for Good, which leverages the power of sport to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage. It’s a cause as worthy as the watch is good-looking.  The Aquatimer Chronograph is a large, sporty timepiece. It’s 45mm of pure grunt — aggressive case architecture and lots of clever tech: the internal bezel that you operate by turning the external one, the flyback chronograph movement and a case that’s been coated in black rubber, for an under-the-radar look that really stands out. And then, of course, there’s the blue. Subtle, dark and inky like the deep waters it’s been designed to conquer, while there’s still a flash of light visible, thanks to the starburst finish. The colour is well-matched thanks to the textured rubber strap, which is comfortable, and far more stylish than a rubber strap has any right to be. The caseback is engraved with a charming illustration with the theme of ‘Time to Learn’, of children, happily gambolling around — the work of a young Sri Lankan boy named…

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Editor’s note: Think Rolex, and the odds are high that you think sporty, if not straight-up steel. However, there’s a lot more to the brand than Hulking, Pepsi-sipping superheroes. There’s also the dressier, more delicate face of the brand. The side called Cellini, and here Andrew looks at the Rolex Cellini Time …  When the Rolex Cellini range was relaunched by Rolex in 2014 – including the Cellini Time – the General Manager of Rolex Australia, Patrick Boutellier, chose a line of poetry to announce the news: “The sleeping Prince has been awoken,” he said, or words to that effect, as Felix and I pored over the new range, not quite sure what to think. We were certainly intrigued by these classic, luxurious faces amongst other more colourful offerings, such as the white gold ‘Pepsi’ GMT-Master II and the new Milgauss. The light embroidery of poetry and classicism in Patrick’s description somehow attached itself to the watch in that moment, and the more I’ve learned about it, the more this type of fairytale mystery fits. But how would it wear? What would I wear it with? What else would I learn about this seemingly simple design on the wrist? I…

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Editor’s note: It’s no secret that there are heaps of Speedy variants to choose from, and typically we veer towards the more classical versions. Which is why we were so surprised by this Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Chronograph. It’s two-tone, with a silver dial and a green bezel. Not what we’d normally pick. But also, absolutely awesome.  If, at the start of 2016, you’d told me my favourite Omega of the year would be a two-tone Speedmaster (yellow gold, no less!) with a green bezel, I’d have enjoyed a good laugh at your expense. I like a Speedy as much as the next guy, but I like them in the straight-up classical format, à la NASA. Well, fast forward a few months and you’ll have to excuse me as I wipe egg off my face, because here it is, my pick of the Omega 2016 litter – the Speedmaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer Moonphase Chronograph in steel and yellow gold. For me, the real lesson here is to never truly judge a watch until it’s on your wrist. The crush I had on this watch was instant, and real. Earlier this year, I’d seen blue and black versions of the model that were the…

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Editor’s note: Fancy a date? No, we’re not talking Tinder or your other app of choice, we’re delving into the world of the seemingly innocuous date window. Where some see a useful calendar tool, others see a symbol of all that is wrong with the world. So, on which side of the date line do you stand? We’ve got a surprisingly complex relationship with date windows in the Time+Tide office. And not just because we’ve been known to forget to set them on occasion. No, every time we review a vintage reissue, it can be assured that we’ll have a host of comments on various social media platforms that read something like this: “Love the design, but they RUINED it with that ugly date window.” I understand this reaction and, to be fair, there are plenty of sloppily designed date windows out there. But ruining a watch? I’m not so sure. A few years ago we were interviewing Walter von Känel, CEO of Longines, and we mentioned in passing that his heritage collections received near-universal praise, except for the fact that they almost invariably included a date. We asked why he put a date in. To my recollection (it’s a few years ago…

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Broadly speaking, microbrand is a term used to describe smaller watch brands — typically with few staff, outsourced production and a direct-to-consumer business model. The other thing to note is that there is a lot of them, typically waxing and waning in terms of favour. But sometimes these brands gain a critical momentum that starts to stretch the category ‘micro’. Farer is one such brand. I’ve always had a soft spot for the UK-based brand. Initially, their bright and colourful designs drew my magpie eye, and then when we reviewed a GMT and a diver, the quality won me over. And clearly it’s not just me. Chris Hall over at QP has written a great story on their (short) history, and their (bright) future. Read it here. 

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