HANDS-ON: Chase the blues away – 3 new models added to Raymond Weil’s classical Maestro family
One of the Raymond Weil’s great strengths has always been stylish, sharp, everyday dress pieces, something that’s really epitomised in the Maestro line. Well, at Basel that line got a little bigger, with the addition of three new, blue-dialled options. These watches, like many things in the world of Raymond Weil, take their inspiration from the world of music — remember, the collection is called ‘Maestro’. But the Maestros we’re talking here aren’t your Chopins or Shostakoviches — no, as you’d expect, these blue dials pay homage to that most American of genres: blues. And while it’s a broad church, incorporating the haunting vocals of Billie Holiday, the visceral chords of John Lee Hooker, and everything in between, it’s a genre that is, at its heart, about emotion. And really, aside from the obvious blue connotation, these three watches do pull on the heart strings just a little. First of all, let’s look at the date version. Housed in a 40mm rose gold PVD case, the dial of this watch is a thing of beauty: the blue is dark and rich, caught somewhere between the deep sea and the sky at dusk. It’s made even more captivating by the mix…
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It’s no secret that the vintage watch market is booming. Take a peek at recent results from the big watch auctions by the likes of Phillips and Christie’s and you’ll see that prices are on the rise. Great news for those who have collections that are more akin to a retirement nest egg. But for us lesser folk who are just looking to find our way into the game, it’s becoming increasingly hard to find good value vintage timepieces. However, while the market may be dark and full of terrors, there’s still hope. Take two-tone, for example. Once trendy steel and yellow watches typically costing less than their all stainless-steel counterparts, their cool factor is finally on the rise again, making it the perfect time for bargain hunting. As always, when buying vintage, it’s wise to tread carefully. And the combination of steel and gold is not without its own pitfalls. With things to be aware of, like the dangers of gold plating and the obvious Patrick Bateman association. However, if you do your homework and can learn to embrace the two-tone, there’s still plenty of value to be found. Patek Philippe Nautilus 3800 A slightly smaller version of the…
Self-described ‘WIS Globetrotter’, @Horonation likes to keep his identity secret — preferring the moniker ‘Mr X’. To say he’s serious about his watches would just about be the understatement of the year. Hey mate, what is your ‘daily watch’ and why? I rotate and wear all my watches. But I find it very comfortable wearing vintage Rolexes and white metal on a daily basis rather than wearing those dressy rose gold pieces. But no particular ‘daily beater’ for me. I wear my double tourbillon, Greubel Forsey, as much as I wear my other watches. Perhaps I usually select what I wear on my wrist to match my outfit of the day. How did your love of watches start? When did it escalate to the point you realised it was a serious addiction? I was first attracted to horology when my father-in-law bought me a piece. The visit to the watch retailer was an eye-opener as I didn’t know that the horology world was so vast. At that time I was only aware of two brands – Rolex and TAG Heuer as the most popular brands among Indonesians. Fuelled by my curiosity and eagerness to learn, I started reading about horology and joining local…
At Baselworld this year, I met Mr Biver for the very first time. And I can say, with complete conviction, that he was every bit the personality and man I expected him to be. He is one of the rare few who has well and truly left his mark on Swiss watchmaking. And played a big part in bringing the industry back from the brink of the ’70s “quartz crisis”. He’s also at his absolute best in this short interview with Wired, where he gives insight into his time in the industry and how he makes the most of his time. From a hippie commune to CEO, he explains why you shouldn’t work, never sleep, and only use email.
There’s no point sugar-coating it. Gem-set watches aren’t for everyone. For one, all that ice racks up the price tag (so much so that all the watches below are POA), and for another, it takes a certain type of person to appreciate the — occasionally over-the-top — artistry it takes to make a watch shine like the proverbial crazy diamond, sapphire or peridot. But even if it’s not your thing, you can’t deny the power of the bling. Rolex Rainbow Daytona in Everose One of the major standouts of Basel 2018, the latest model to get Rolex’s famous (and divisive) rainbow bezel treatment is the Everose Daytona, and it is a knockout (and one of my favourite watches of the fair). On top of the usual Daytona awesomeness, you get 36 baguette sapphires on the bezel, and another 56 diamonds on the case. The final touch is the pink gold crystal registers. You need to see this watch IRL to appreciate just how awesome it is. Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Sapphire Rainbow The second, and indeed final, rainbow set watch on this list could not be any more stylistically different to the Daytona. Hublot’s big tonneau, the Spirit of Big…