EDITOR’S PICK: The truth about bezel screws
Editor’s note: After the seemingly despised date window, one of the hottest of hot-button topics in the world of watches is bezel screws. If you say “I really hate it when the bezel screws on a watch aren’t lined up” out loud, it sounds a little ridiculous, but when you really, really care about something, the details all make the difference. But should those screws be aligned? And are they even screws? Read on … “Such a shame they don’t take the time to align their screws. I wouldn’t buy one purely because of this.” Every time we post a picture of a watch with exposed bezel screws (mostly Hublot or Bell & Ross) we get a variation of this comment. And I’m well and truly over it. While many brands use exposed screws on bezels, the most commonly cited example is that of the iconic Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet. It’s certainly what all the commenters on our social feeds reference when they’re lambasting other brands for their inability to align screws. But you know the funny thing? The screws on the AP’s bezels aren’t screws. In fact, they’re threaded nuts which fit neatly and immovably into the perfectly…
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Famous for her iconic straps, Erika has always been one for a new challenge or adventure. She’ll take any chance to jump into her roofless series 3 Land Rover and drive over small, preferably unpaved roads, exploring the beautiful Spanish countryside. Hi Erika, how did you find yourself making watch straps? It is pure chance that I ended up making watch straps. A few years ago, just for the fun of it, I started making custom leather sandals, initially because with my size feet, it is almost impossible to buy anything off the shelf. But when friends started raving about them, I soon was working full-time making bespoke leather sandals and eventually leather watch straps. So what’s your daily watch and why? I don’t have a daily watch. I wear a variety of new and vintage watches. When travelling, I like to wear my — which I’m almost afraid to admit — Apple Watch. I nearly got kicked out of Baselworld earlier this year for wearing it. It’s just because I can see all incoming messages and emails and, if necessary, I can act immediately without having to stare at my phone all day long. What else is in your collection? Have…
Editors note: I wrote this story back in 2015, and I’m pleased to say that the passage of time has somewhat vindicated my opinion. Some brands, like Tudor, Oris and IWC, have been releasing new 36mm watches with unisex appeal, so the size seems to be catching on. And while the 47mm big boys of the industry are still there, they’re not as omnipresent as they were a decade ago. Is the swing back to smaller sizes a return to sanity, or just another trend? If you ever have the opportunity to try on a watch made before the ’50s, we’re willing to bet you’ll be astounded at how small it feels. Back then, anywhere between 30mm and 36mm was considered normal, while everything more than that tended to be described in auction catalogues as ‘oversized’. And often these smaller pieces languish, unsold, unloved and unworn. How did it come to this? For decades, men were as comfortable with petite models as they were their bulkier brothers, but things started changing in the ’90s. Spurred on by the rising popularity of brands such as Panerai and IWC, we witnessed the birth of the ‘Big Watch’ trend, as average diameters crept…
There are all kinds of forces at work when you’re under pressure to come up with your ‘best of the year’ lists. There’s end of year fatigue. There’s the hype around new releases, late in the piece. There’s bias of every possible variety. It’s much more clear-eyed in September of the year after. So here goes. What I said in December 2017, or Jan 2018 versus all of the settling and objectivity that comes with nine months distance. Audemars Piguet Extra-Thin ‘Jumbo’ Royal Oak (Ref 15202) Then: “Yellow gold combined with navy dials always catch my eye, but the fascination I have for this ‘Golden Oak’ 40th Anniversary edition, released at SIHH in January, endured the year.” Now: No. Not one of the watches of the year. Yes, still a classic. Yes, arguably the best combination of materials and colourway for the AP ET J RO. But one of the best 10 releases? I was letting my envy of a local guy, who has the watch and still walks past me most days on the way to the office, get in the way. Cartier Drive de Cartier Extra-Flat Then: “At first, the Cartier Drive was mostly masculine, but now — care of the svelte…
