HANDS-ON: Return of the reasonably sized diver – the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 38mm
Dive watches, almost by their very definition, tend to be oversized creatures from the deep. Historically the reasons for the chunky cases and gargantuan proportions were very clear, these watches were pushing the boundaries of what was possible – serious tools for a serious purpose. Somewhere along the way the functionality started driving the aesthetic, to a point where helium escape valves, 100 bar ratings and innovative bezel lock systems were implemented on watches that barely (if ever) saw any bottom time. It was starting to get a little ridiculous. If you wanted a solid timepiece you could swim with that didn’t do double duty as a dive weight your options were limited. Baselworld 2017 changed all that. Restraint was the order of the day all round, and the underwater world was no exception. There was a marked resurgence in the reasonably sized (sub 40mm) diver, and just as in the ‘50s, Blancpain led the charge with their 38mm Bathyscaphe model. The Bathyscaphe, originally released a few years after the first Fifty Fathoms, was always the civilian younger brother to the more military-minded original, so it makes perfect sense for the brand to shave 5mm off the diameter, and 2.63mm…
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Some people’s love of their timepiece is intensely personal, to a point where it’s hard to fathom for an outsider. Others are entirely easy to understand. Aussie entrepreneur Mark Bouris, who you might know from as the TV face of the local version of The Apprentice and its celebrity offshoot. When he’s not busy being a financial guru he has a lot of love for his IWC Perpetual Calendar, that he refers to – with sweet emotion – as his ‘Double Moon’. It’s a love that knows itself. Here, he lists just how accurate the moon phase is, in detail. It’s also an exclusive love, with Mark listing its rarity – the only blue dial version in Australia to his knowledge – as a key charm. We won’t spoil the surprise any further. But needless to say, his affection for the watch is easy to share in. Let the #grail talk begin. Who’s in?
Last year’s slim Breguet Classique 7147 had a spectacular dial, with a central section in detailed engine-turned guilloche and a subdial in a delicate crosshatch pattern. It was, not to overstate things, the star of the show. It’s a very difficult art to master, but there’s no doubt that Breguet has the technique down pat. So, imagine our surprise when we were presented this year’s update of the 7147 and there was not a hobnail or brushed finish to be seen. In its place is a single piece of lustrous grand feu enamel – an equally tricky technique to master – and this single change creates a completely new look for this dressy design. Thanks to the multiple firings the white enamel is of a brightness and lightness, and has an undulating sensuality, that’s hard to capture in photos (and even harder in words). It also has delicately hand-painted Breguet numerals (of course) and a delightful minute track (the non-cardinal markers are stylised fleur de lys) . The best bit though is the delicate dip that constitutes the small seconds subdial. The hands are pure Breguet, and made of hand-blued steel. Looking beyond the dial, everything is as it was with guilloche…
On some matters you can trust us unreservedly. Like on the topic of watches, for example. But when things get tricky, and we verge into how to wear them, and what to wear them with, we tend to consult the experts. We were lucky enough to have the ex-Editor of GQ on staff for some time, which neatly covered the area off. And, on a trip to Florence in May last year, we had someone whose life revolves around sartorial choices: Chris Edwards, co-founder of Australian tailors, Oscar Hunt with us. Because you need backup at a gig like Pitti Uomo. We are mere watch geeks after all. We asked him how he’d go about wearing a gold watch. This is what he said. If you’re in the mood, see below for Chris’ review of a watch he now owns – the Cartier Drive. Warning: This watch review with a difference may contain traces of mancrush. So let’s address the chiselled jaw on the elephant in the room. We envy the hero of this shoot, Mr Chris Edwards, more than just a little bit. Let us count the ways. He surfs and still dresses as sharply as anyone in the…
One watch leapt out at me from Oris’ 2017 collection – the Chronoris Date. Not only is the colour scheme and tonneau case shape pretty eye-catching, but it’s also an honest and authentic homage to the timepieces of the ‘70s. In fact the Chronoris name refers to a 1970 design that was the brand’s first chronograph. This reinterpretation isn’t a chrono, but it’s certainly an era appropriate design. Given that I’ve got an incredibly soft spot for this sort of fun and funky design (I’ve been wanting an Omega Memomatic for ages, and – until it died – a compressor cased Bulova Accutron was one of my all time faves) my attraction to the Chronoris is perhaps unsurprising. Personal bias aside, the Chronoris Date is a winner of a watch, with a solid 39mm cushion shaped case with a pleasing radial brushed finish, paired with a domed sapphire crystal, 100m of water resistance and, as we’ve come to expect from Oris, it comes on a range of solid strap options. However, my favourite part of this watch is the dial. Seriously, look at it. The colour scheme of white, grey and black, with orange accents is just hot. I particularly…