Only Watch 2017 – The Unique H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Only Watch
Not only large brands, such as Patek or Tudor, are participating to the Only Watch 2017 auction… There are many more watch companies, including some of the very best independent watchmakers who will also donate one unique, purpose-built timepiece to help research on muscular dystrophy. One of them is a favorite amongst Monochrome team: H. Moser & Cie, and for the 7th edition of the charity auction, they are coming with a one-of-a-kind piece, featuring their now classical “nude” style, and a few details to make it special. Here is the H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Only Watch.
TAG Heuer’s avant-garde new take on the classic Carrera, the Heuer 01, has become an increasingly bright – and big – star in the brand’s firmament since its release in 2015. TAG Heuer have used the modular case as a vehicle to release everything from tourbillons to smartwatches. The only bone of contention thus far has been the size. 45mm is not small by any means, especially when you factor in the height of the Heuer 01 movement. The new (slightly) smaller 43mm version is a smart solution. Make no mistake — it’s still a large statement watch, but slightly less intense on the wrist than the mighty 45mm version. You might say this latest Heuer 01 offers the best of both worlds.
Earlier this year we had a look at one of the classic watches from Longines’ catalogue, the Legend Diver – a heritage diver inspired by old-school super compressors. The Legend has always been popular amongst watch lovers, and an important precursor to the heritage trend that has slowly grown to become all-encompassing. Turns out that the Legend Diver celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and Longines has celebrated by popping on a new strap option – a heavy and handsome Milanese mesh bracelet. And while the watch itself is unchanged, this woven steel bracelet is a great example of the old-watch-chestnut that changing your strap is the next best thing to getting a new watch. The thick and supple Milanese is a choice that’s entirely appropriate for a diver, but functionally it gives the Legend a far more dressy feel — more work, less weekend. Quality-wise the mesh is there too. It’s firm, substantial, and not prone to flopping around on the wrist. It’s also worth noting that I had no issues with pinched hair while it was on my wrist. I’m really pleased that the Legend Diver has enjoyed such a long run, and this latest iteration is a…
This month really flew by, which, going by the past six months, is the new standard. It started with a quick visit from Nick Kavvalos (@Nikokav) who was down from Sydney for ‘work’ with his Omega Planet Ocean. A couple of local watch collectors and I took him out for coffee and some car shopping. Nick is still revelling in his most recent purchase, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver. Later in the month, I snuck along to a meet-up with the RedBar Crew Melbourne Chapter, which is headed up by Ernie Tang, a regular fixture on Time+Tide and the local scene. Like their fellow international chapters, RedBar is held at a secret location (for obvious reasons), tucked away in one of Melbourne’s many laneways. Here are some of the spotting highlights of the night. The first piece that caught my eye as I walked in was an IWC Big Pilot Heritage 48 on the wrist of member Yumie (@Yumie88). It was great to see the ladies well represented on the night, and Yumie was out in force, with a 48mm Big Pilot no less. It turns out Yumie has quite the collection, something we’ll be sure to cover in…
When smartwatches burst onto wrists in a big way with the Apple Watch and its Android powered competitors, the response from the Swiss hegemony lacked a single clear message. Some brands spurned the very concept of a luxury smartwatch, while others wholeheartedly embraced this new frontier. A few years on and the landscape has changed, with the large luxury groups seeing potential in this relatively new market segment. At the Richemont group, the smart push is spearheaded by Montblanc and their traditionally styled Summit watch. Funnily enough, it’s the fact that the brand has gone to great efforts to make the Montblanc Summit look as much like a traditional watch as possible that makes it stand out from the other more avant-garde offerings. The Summit is well-suited to be a device cohesively integrated into your life — and not be relegated to the role of a glorified fitness tracker. Prices for the Summit start at $1330 AUD.