Loupe. The Magazine of Christopher Ward.
Because it's there Compiling Loupe 18 has been a lesson in the power of community – in particular, CW’s watch community, where a truly exceptional new design (or, in the case of the C65 Super Compressor, an iconic, reimagined design) has the enduring power to bring likeminded people closer together. Senior contributing editor Ken Kessler deconstructs the C65 Super Compressor’s case on p14. Elsewhere, we explore the new C60 Lympstone with the Royal Marines, cruise for a bruising with Tony Teasdale on the controversial subscription sport phenomenon of white-collar boxing, and get lost in surreal landscapes with rockstar artist Roger Dean. I hope reading Loupe 18 brings you closer to CW. Helen McCall
Editor: Helen McCall Art Director: Jamie Gallagher Designer: Sam Burn Photography: Peter Canning
Incorrectly attributed to Edmund Hillary when he and Tenzing Norgay were asked why they wanted to conquer Everest – it was actually George Leigh Mallory who had said “Because it’s there” when asked the same question three decades earlier – it remains the perfect justification of a seemingly unjustifiable ambition. Although not in the same league of either ambition or conquest, creating the C65 Super Compressor, which adorns the cover of this magazine, represents our own “Everest”. A challenge that no watch brand had attempted for nearly 50 years could hardly be described as completely rational nor, as you can read on page 14, without some horological high-hurdling! Maybe it’s as much to do with “because we can” as “because it’s there” as being unencumbered by the often top heavy cultures of many of our much larger and more illustrious competitors we are freer to follow our instincts (and those of our customers) and attempt the sort of challenges that would never get through their selection committees and focus groups. We think Hillary and Tenzing would be pleased we created the C65 Super Compressor though – and that is good enough for us!
Mike & Peter
Cover: C65 Super Compressor
1 Park St, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1SL christopherward.com
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Contents Features 14 – 25
Set to compress
38 – 41
Who. Watch. Wear
Overlord of the watch illuminati Ken Kessler takes the new C65 Super Compressor through its paces, including a 2-page compressor history cheat sheet. Spoiler alert – he loved it
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New for this issue of Loupe, we inspect culture from around the world and give our opinion – and we want to hear from you
42 – 45
Island life
Out of the box
Rock and roll album cover artist Roger Dean’s hallucinatory artworks are set to become a narrative art book – we delve into his colour-soaked backstory
32 – 37
City slickers bashing each other for exercise, or a controversial sport that’s on the ropes? Anthony Teasdale climbs into the ring
Ultra marine
Baby’s (not) got the bends 14 — 25
Commando spirit you can wear on your wrist – we explore the training regimes of the UK’s elite fighting force, and try the new C60 Lympstone
Rock painting
26 — 29
Go commando
32 — 37
Regulars 6 – 13
46 – 51
The Brief
Insight
Check out all the latest new watch releases, keep up with Olympic Gold medallist Will Satch’s news and see CW’s new collab with marine charity BLUE. Plus: stamp collecting
What we do and how we do it. Horological polymath and tame watch geek Adrian Hailwood tutors us in watch collecting, while we check out the best Friend (Rachel, of course)’s watch collection
Contributors
Ken Kessler
Adrian Hailwood
Anthony Teasdale
A watch aficionado for over 40 years, Ken has written for Revolution, GQ, Esquire, FT, The Telegraph and over 100 other journals
Watch consultant, watch specialist, watch valuer, speaker, author and lecturer, Adrian’s the watch-buying wingman of dreams
Tony edits Umbrella and Quintessentially when he’s not admiring the brutalist architecture of Benidorm or watching football 5
News, reports & innovations. This issue: New toys, new watches and new hopes for the Olympics
Deep red Check on the SOTC and prepare to make room…
New watches Return of the native One of CW’s best sellers, the C60 Trident Bronze, is back in Trident 3 case form – and at the sweet spot size of 40mm too. The “light-catcher” case really shows the bronze patina off, making the Trident Bronze look better than ever. It’s available on various quick-release straps including the new canvas quality and our hybrid rubber strap. Available now, from £850 / $970 / €1020 christopherward.com 6
This latest version of the best-selling C65 Trident Automatic is as cool as the smooth 1960s era that inspired it. A classic combination of a deep red aluminium bezel and black dial with Old Radium lume, it’s a sure conversation starter. Available now, from £740 / $845 / €885 christopherward.com
d… You asked… ...so CW created the new white-dial C60 Trident Pro 600. With a high-shine ceramic bezel and a 40mm diameter, it’ll sit pretty on any wrist. Available now, from £740 / $845 / €885 christopherward.com
Gold Olympic medal-winner Will Satch (MBE) has been a Christopher Ward Challenger since his early career as a rower at nearby Henley-onThames’ Leander Club. We caught up with him as his thoughts turn to the Tokyo Olympics, now to be held in 2021. “It could have been easy to finish on the glory of Rio. Getting to the Olympics was a childhood dream, and it would have been easy to end it there,” says Will. How’s the postponement – owing to the Coronavirus pandemic – of the 2020 games to 2021 affecting things? “I’m happy the decision was made; the right decision saves lives,” says Will. “It’s a big change, but we can do this again. The final team may be even better with another year of training under the belt.” 2021’s still a long way off though, right? “There might be more changes to the team and boats before we get to Tokyo in 2021, but I’m determined – I’ve given my life to this, and especially after winning a gold medal at Rio in 2016 it would be hard to hang up the oar now. I love the sport. I want to go to Tokyo, I want to finish my career at an Olympics.”
Tokyo
Will is part of Christopher Ward’s Challenger Programme, which supports athletes and artists with extraordinary dreams to achieve them. Read more about the Challenger Programme - including about Will - online. christopherward.com/cwchallengers
The global Covid-19 pandemic has forced businesses to think out of the box, and the CW Showroom is no different with a new virtual showroom service offering personal shopping appointments online via Zoom video call. See, discuss and buy with showroom manager Declan Strange from the comfort of your own home, making
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the Showroom’s services available to customers worldwide, rather than just those within striking distance of the Showroom’s physical location in Maidenhead, UK. Reserve your appointment at christopherward.com/showroom
Magic isle What is it about the Isle of Man? Death-defying motorbike racing (you need nerves of steel just to watch), greeting fairies as you cross the Fairy Bridge (woe betide you if you scorn the wee folk) and a penchant for distilling gin, it’s a UNESCO biosphere bursting with tradition. Lesser known maybe is its horological significance, and the extraordinary watchmakers the Isle has fathered through time; John Harwood, George Daniels and Roger Smith. A new ‘Master Watchmakers of the Isle of Man’ UK stamps issue is due out on August 11th from the Isle of Man Post Office. Philatelists, take note.
Deeply giving A new collaboration between CW and Blue Marine Foundation is about to splash down – a 500-piece Limited Edition of the best-selling C60 Trident Pro 600 using a piece of sapphire crystal. Enhancing this LE’s ecological credentials, its strap will be crafted from #Tide, a highly technical fabric granulated in Switzerland from waste plastics collected from the ocean. CW will be donating all profits from the watch to mark the marine charity’s 10th year. “We plan to raise over £200,000 for this important cause, which protects marine life through ocean conservation and improved governance,” says Mike France, CEO. “BLUE's existing partnership with CW has really helped us to start a network of national parks in the sea around the UK. The chance to see a beautiful, sustainable watch built in support of marine conservation is incredible and happens to coincide
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exactly with our 10th birthday. BLUE works towards protecting 30 percent of oceans by 2030 and this partnership will strongly advance our progress. We couldn’t be more excited,” said Dan Crockett, development director at BLUE. CW’s contribution will support BLUE’s work in securing and restoring protected habitats, developing sustainable fishing, and connecting people with the sea. Which could mean you, going for a dip. Waterproof to 600m down, you’ll definitely be able to take the watch in with you. Available from November, from £895 / $1025 / €1070 christopherward.com
Team spirit
A day in the life A man of many spreadsheets, head of trading and dad of two James Hillard keeps CW’s website up to scratch and watches in stock, using performance data to decide what gets sold and when Early morning – what’s your routine? I have two young children who are early risers, so I don’t need to set an alarm! I get in the office for 7.30 most days, although over the summer I simply walked into the spare room to start work. I live fairly close to work, so I’d normally take the train in to the office and then run home in the evenings. At the moment, I’m trying to avoid public transport completely, so I’ve started commuting by bike. First thing I do at my desk is check the sales from the day before, then I check my diary commitments and (long!) to do list for the day. What do you do, exactly? I manage the merchandising team, who bring stock in at the right time, according to a plan that delivers our strategy of price, range and newness. All with a view to delivering a range of products that we feel our customers will love. I also oversee our website to ensure our customer experience is as clear and enjoyable as possible.
James: a man with a plan
What’s your experience and how did it lead you to your current role? I’ve always worked in fashion. Before I came to CW, I did 12 years at River Island and eight years at Primark, merchandising virtually all areas of clothing including Men’s, Women’s and Kidswear. What’s your typical day at work? I work closely with the other company directors in marketing, finance, operations and design, reporting directly to Mike (France) and Peter (Ellis). I get involved with most areas of the business as stock passes through all functions. I spend a lot of my time in various meetings, where it’ll be me and one or two other people, or a full room. I really enjoy working in such a dynamic environment; big businesses spend a long time thinking up ideas and new ways of working, then spend twice as long trying to have everyone agree them. At CW, everyone’s coming up with really great ideas all the time and we don’t waste any time implementing them if they ultimately benefit our customers.
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What are the worst and best parts of the job? The worst part of the job is when you feel you’ve let a customer down – if we’ve been taken by surprise from successful sales and not had enough stock to fulfil customer demand. The best part is the opposite everything I do ultimately has to lead back to making our customers happy. I can prioritise my to do list very easily by using customer happiness as a guide! My Plan B (if I wasn’t a merchandiser, I’d be a….) Tough question, although I never had a plan B or A; I did a marketing degree but always kept an open mind about my career. My dad was a civil engineer who says he never grew out of Lego, my mum was a nurse who says she always had it in her nature to care for people. Ultimately, I think we all want do what is in our nature and things that excite our inner child. On stressful days though, I wish I’d become a librarian…
Drawing board
Power
reserved We watched. We waited. It’s finally happening. The in-house Calibre SH21 power reserve complication, with a power reserve subdial, meets the Trident 3 contemporary dive collection. Oh yes, my friends. It’s on. Picking up where sold-out sensation the C60 Apex left off, this is sure to be a power piece. We already know the twin-barrels of the Calibre SH21 movement deliver a whopping 5-day power reserve, and SH21’s modular design is built to house horological functions with chronometer accuracy.
We know the Trident 3 collection means superlative case design and build quality that assures chronometer accuracy at 600 metres below the waves. As for details of the red and black dial... well, we’ll just have to wait and see. We’re promised the C60 Abyss SH21, as an open series, in November. Start preparing your letters to Santa now. Available November, price to be confirmed.
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New comms
New slang Christopher Ward fans are somewhat used to seeing changes from the brand. A fast-growing brand staffed by creative and energetic people is never going to stand still for long. But with a new look ad campaign in the pipe, what’s the thinking behind it? Loupe spoke to the advertising team: Mike France, CW’s CEO; Francesca Robinson, CW’s marketing director; Sam Fowler, Craft media partner, who’s shaping where and when CW’s new ad campaigns will be seen; and Tim from creative agency Beehive, who are making the ads. 12
Loupe: So what’s the impetus for the new look ads that we’re starting to see? Sam: A brand, as Stephen King (the adman, not the novelist) observed, is a “longterm thing” - a collection of many different parts and aspects that elevate the watch from ‘tells time’ to ‘desirability’. Tim: It’s a very crowded watch marketplace, so, standing out is hard. We need to set out a very different stall to everyone else, to reflect our unique nature and offer, to be noticed, especially by new customers.
"we think about who is ‘thinking’ or ‘curious’ and what drives that curiosity of mind in their lives"
Mike: 2020 has been the year to initiate a change in how we think about who we talk to, and how we present the brand, with increased funding and an ambition to build US sales. Loupe: Sounds exciting. What will we see, and is it going to be any good? Tim: Yes, it’s going to be great! To become distinctive, we’re inventing a new verbal and visual language, which reflects the English Swiss duality of the company. The new end-line “ingeniously English, unsurprisingly Swiss” is an example of that. Visually, we’re treating watches and watch parts as celebrated works of art, that will be shot in a unique way. Sam: The way we think and talk about our audience has also moved on; now we think about who is ‘thinking’ or ‘curious’ and what drives that curiosity of mind in their lives?
Tim: You’ve already seen it in both the creative direction for the C60 Sapphire launch and how and where the advertising turned up, with great effect. Christopher Ward is a unique combination of English attitude and Swiss ability, a partnership of complimentary skillsets. Knowing how important this is to customers, means we can communicate it in a much more compelling, distinctive and desirable way. Loupe: When and where will we see this? Francesca: You’re looking at some of it – the new ads in this issue of Loupe are all inspired by the attention and devotion that our watchmakers apply to even the tiniest pinion; the beauty in the smallness. Mike: What brings together the new website, new ad campaigns and even Loupe – it’s all about the complexity and beauty which goes into watches, the art and science and the wonder of watchmaking. Also, the thing that separates us – the English and Swiss halves of the company. Francesca: The ad team’s first trip to the Biel atelier was eye-opening; we showed them how components are often crafted under microscope, and they were blown away by the beauty that can be found in the smallest of parts. Our new visual language focuses in on those details.
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Sam: There’s already been one TV ad, for the C60 Sapphire, if you keep your eyes peeled you may also see a return to the screen in the coming months, and not just in the UK. Loupe: Can’t wait to see it unfold. Where should I be looking if I want to see it? Sam: Our main focus is a new TV ad to support the amazing C65 Super Compressor, that will play out across the UK and then in specific areas in the US – we’re being selective! Mike: We’ve had strong sales in the US since the start, but the US is a new market for us to advertise in. We’re having to go ‘back to school’, and really focus on being seen in the right places. Sam: Ads will still be featuring in magazines, but Coronavirus has hampered our options; for now, we’ve opted to reduce our focus to UK and US watch titles.
Loupe: Exciting times – what’s next? Mike: The ambition is to bring new customers to the brand. September’s C65 Super Compressor campaign will be our first sizable investment into US advertising, and we expect a good start to 2021. Tim: The new advertising will set the stage, be the beacon. It’s the entrée for what’s to come everywhere else. We’re asking ourselves what we can do to push the limits!
C65 Super Compressor
Diving watch enthusiasts – rejoice! Christopher Ward has gone the extra league to revive the legendary Super Compressor case and we asked the most discerning journalist in the watch industry to review it.
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“the single most important element in keeping a watch healthy: case integrity“
horological mentor impressed upon me the single most important element in keeping a watch healthy: case integrity. While wristwatches have been around for over a century, and the majority of quality timepieces have commendably robust cases, notably Rolex’s Oyster, Bremont’s Trip-Tick and Panerai’s Luminor, one of the toughest and most admired seems to have been lost in the mists of, er, time. Like so many other casualties of the Quartz Crisis, when that technology all but wiped out the entire mechanical watch industry, the Super Compressor case was a victim of one of the most cataclysmic developments in timekeeping. Despite its wide acceptance among a vast range of manufacturers of sporting timepieces, including many of the most respected brands in the diving watch pantheon, the Super Compressor (and the slightly less-robust, non-super variants) simply fell by the wayside. It was forgotten by all but the most dedicated of connoisseurs and collectors. As values of vintage models began to creep up, especially for those Super Compressor-cased watches from prestigious brands such as IWC, Jaeger
Review by
Ken Kessler
Numerous gambits are used by watch companies to distinguish their products from those of their rivals. The most obvious are aesthetic – unusual dial colours or championing new strap types – and which are harmless, commercially savvy, usually affordable and address fashion, style or taste. More serious, though, are the technical elements, which have, for the past 30+ years, included the unearthing of obscure complications or inventing new ones, obsessing over tourbillons, or fixating on bizarre materials. Most of these are either spurious or genuinely useless. Do we really need a watch that’s water-resistant to 4000m? What deserves all the kudos the cognoscenti can muster, on the other hand (or wrist), are features which actually provide real benefits. This writer is notorious for his contempt of most complications, never imagining when I will need, for example, moon phase, but one
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“the company calls it a “labour of love” and that is no exaggeration, given what is involved”
LeCoultre and Longines, something curious happened: the Super Compressor emerged as a design icon, however niche. For the watch industry, which has – ever since the revival of interest in mechanical timepieces started in the early 1990s – revelled in reissuing its classics, many models which were originally Super Compressor-cased were suddenly back in their catalogues. Unfortunately, the reissues reproduced only the look, especially that of the models with two crowns, with one for time-setting and winding, the other for the rotating inner bezel. Christopher Ward has, bravely, decided to go the whole hog with the new C65 Super Compressor, arguably the first new, true Super Compressor-cased watch in a half-century. The company calls it a “labour of love” and that is no exaggeration, given what is involved. Co-founder and CEO Mike France and head of product design Adrian Buchmann acquired an original Super Compressor case, which the team in
Switzerland reverse-engineered, aided and abetted by original drawings. France and Buchmann, however, realised that the resultant timepiece had to be a Super Compressor for the 21st century. It would benefit from lubricants and seals not available to its makers in the period from the mid-1950s to the early-1970s. But any changes would aggravate the pedants and purists. When asked why the C65 Super Compressor featured an exhibition caseback, France said, “We wanted to do something never done before, to allow people to see the compression spring that allows the compressor action. Even though the spring is only 300 microns thick – roughly four times the thickness of a human hair – those with good eyesight (or if you’re like me, a loupe) can see the spring sitting within the compressor ring. I think that’s pretty cool.” Further to disarm purists, he adds, “As you know, with the exacting standards of our modern case manufacture, a sapphire crystal back plate offers the same water resistance as a steel or titanium one.”
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Another change from the original, which relied on superior O-rings, was fitting a screw-down crown. Explains France, “This has become one of the features watch reviewers often tick off as being a requirement on a modern watch. Even though it isn’t necessary for optimum water resistance, given the modern tolerances of the case and the high quality of modern gaskets, we wanted our customers to have a real sense of security which a screw-down crown gives, so we made an early decision to include it in the design.” As for the lack of screw-down capability on the crown that operates the rotating inner bezel, he says, “It’s not necessary as it’s a single position crown – it doesn’t open – and it needs to be easy to used by the diver, which a screwdown crown isn’t. Although the chance of water ingress is remote, we have further added to the water resistance by using four gaskets in total around this crown: two outer and two internal. Your average duck would be more than happy with this arrangement.”
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Get to know
Super Compressor
“the price – for a brand-new Super Compressor watch – is less than one would pay for even a well-used original”
Examining pre-production examples, this fan of Super Compressors noted the appeal of its svelte 41mm case. The view through the back affords the opportunity to examine the compressor spring encircling the Sellita SW200 automatic movement; it’s orange so you can’t miss it. Orange is also used to accent the crown for the inner bezel, the triangle at 12 o’clock, the minute hand and the tip of the seconds hand – chosen for optimum legibility. Seasoned Super Compressor fans will have much to admire. Two more equally remarkable aspects of the C65 Super Compressor project must be added to the fact the Super Compressor was revived with such authenticity. The first is that it was achieved in under two years, from the moment in October 2018 when customer Marc Schulteis posited the idea, until production models reached customers’ wrists. The second is that the price – for a brand-new Super Compressor watch – is less than one would pay for even a well-used original. Impressed? No, make that compressed.
Diameter: 41mm Height: 13.05mm Weight: 72g Calibre: Sellita SW200 Case: Stainless steel Crown: Screw-down Water resistance: 15 ATM (150 metres) Vibrations: 28’800 per hour (4 Hz) Time tolerance: -20/+20 seconds per day Dial colour: Ocean Blue or Black Sand
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Lume: Super-LumiNova® Grade X1 GL C1 Strap width: 22mm Lug to lug: 47.12mm Bezel diameter: 39mm Movement diameter: 25.60mm Movement height: 4.60mm Available now, from £895 / $1025 / €1070 christopherward.com
History
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Calibre K825 from a Jaeger LeCoultre Polaris E859
by
Ken Kessler Littering the annals of Swiss watchmaking are numerous specialty houses that were either absorbed by larger firms or simply disappeared in the wake of the Quartz Crisis. E. Piquerez S.A. (EPSA) was one of those lost suppliers, taking with it the Super Compressor case, which it developed in the mid-1950s. This unique case was born during the most fecund period in the history of the diving watch, the period after WWII seeing the arrival of the Rolex Submariner and the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, the demand for such watches driven by the ascent (rather than descent) of scuba diving. What was so radical and clever about the Super Compressor case was that its strength and integrity increased with depth, becoming even more water-tight, thanks to the technical element which gave it its name. As the diver descended further, greater external pressure was exerted on the caseback, further compressing the O-ring gasket. This earned Super Compressor watches a rating to 600ft.
While there were the lesser Compressor and Compressor 2 models, the Super Compressor is the most revered, especially the two-crown version which inspired Christopher Ward. The crown at 2 o’clock operated an inner bezel, but there were compressors with conventional, external bezels and thus needed only a single crown. Numerous other details identified Super Compressors, such as the cross-hatch patterns on the crowns (some replaced with individual brands’ logos), the diving helmet emblem – shades of Capt. Nemo – and massive screw-down casebacks. Models were offered with and without date. For enthusiasts, collecting Super Compressors brings both good news and bad. First, the latter: these were sold in the main to professional divers and lived hard lives. Finding mint originals is a challenge, and the prices will be commensurately higher, according to condition. Exacerbating this is the shortage of spares, especially crystals. As for the good news? It is believed that over 100 manufacturers produced Super Compressors, so there were plenty made back in the day. As with military timepiec-
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es, the prestige of the brand determines the value of the vintage models, so a Benrus will not have the same cachet as a Longines, a Bulova will not command the same money as an IWC. But there are many from which to choose, with enthusiasts being particularly partial the various Super Compressors from Enicar and Jaeger-LeCoultre, while prices are still manageable for Super Compressors from Exactus, Girard-Perregaux, Hamilton, Universal Geneve, Fortis, Wittnauer, Lip, Milus, Droz, Blancpain, Tissot, Nivada and others. With the arrival of a genuine Super Compressor from Christopher Ward, however, worries about condition and parts availability have been well and truly deep-sixed.
Yes
Floating
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In 1980, there were only two towns a self-respecting teenage rock fan would go to buy records on the Isle of Man: Douglas, the capital (total: 2 record shops) or Ramsey, the second city (total: 1 ½ record shops). The then 15-year old Alistair Audsley, however, found himself in Castleford on a wet afternoon, rooting through a single dusty crate of vinyl in a musty general store basement, sure to find nothing. But instead of nothing, he found the album Drama by the 1970s British progressive rock band Yes, and bought it based on nothing more than that album’s cover art. Back at his parents’ home, Audsley lay on the lounge floor listening to Drama – dense, challenging music for a 15-year-old – and lost himself in the painted landscape on the cover. “I wanted to make the landscape real to myself,” says Audsley, a now no longer 15-year-old London-based screenwriter and author. “It triggered me to want to write where school had failed.”
"I realised there was a bigger story in Roger’s mind to tell"
Prolific, contentious, majestic, and as long of hair as of track run-time, the prog rock band Yes has been swapping band members and turning out critically-acclaimed albums since 1968, with artist Roger Dean collaborating on the band’s logo and cover art since the release of their fourth album, Fragile, in ’71. Roger Dean’s body of work spans album art, stage sets and logo designs for bands like Asia, Marc Bolan, Gun and Uriah Heep, alongside award-winning home and space design – think Ronnie Scott’s Soho club interior – and even computer game visuals. His work is exhibited in museums throughout the world, including the Manx Museum on the Isle of Man and the Mak Museum in Vienna. Even further afield, Dean has always been a fan of Hayao Miyazaki’s work at Studio Ghibli, who in turn cites him as a major influence. Back to Dean’s work for Yes. As the story goes, Dean pitched a creation myth concept rather than a particular image for Yes’s Fragile cover; a child’s dream of a daring escape from a broken planet, a space ark towing crags of the shattered landscape along behind. A world was being born while album artwork conventions were being blasted to smithereens. This commenced a collaborative, creative partnership between Dean and Yes that is still strong 47 years later. Over a series of five epic albums – from 71’s Fragile, through 72’s Close to the Edge, 73’s Yessongs and Tales from Topographic Oceans,
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and 74’s Relayer - an ongoing narrative world began to emerge in Dean’s mind. Over time, he painted further schematics, maps and scenes as the idea grew, and jotted notes stringing the story together. He called it Floating Islands. Roll forward to 2019, and Yes were preparing for a 23-arena North American Relayer tour. Guitarist Steve Howe, who unlike most of the current line-up has been in the band since 1970, remembered there was a story that linked the band’s albums together. “Let’s publish it for the tour book,” he suggested. There was plenty of Dean’s artwork to use in the book – but there was a problem on the storytelling front. Dean only had notes. For the tour book story, Yes called on Alistair Audsley, a long-time collaborator of Dean’s through their shared connections to the Isle of Man, where Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman lives. “From working together on that short story, I realised there was also a bigger story in Roger’s mind to tell,” says Audsley. A creative, narrative art book is underway, unfolding the concept further. And given the Miyazaki connection, could Floating Islands one day become a Ghibli animation? That remains to be seen, but the Yes back catalogue still deserves a listen; gazing into the depths of these iconic paintings while lying on the floor in your lounge, next rainy afternoon.
C60 Lympstone
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that; it’s full on. The Commando Mindset is underpinned by Commando spirit, determination, courage, humour in adversity and selflessness. Added to that, our Commando Values of excellence, discipline, integrity and humility are at the centre of what it is to be a Royal Marines Commando.”
Locked on. Royal Marine Commandos pictured during a Green Ops exercise
Based at Lympstone in Devon, CTCRM trains all Royal Marines Officers, recruits - including the Royal Marines Band Service - and reserves, as well as delivering command and leadership, and specialist training. Now, building on the success of 2019’s Military Collection and bespoke services, Christopher Ward are taking on the Royal Marines to produce a tool watch to honour CTCRM Lympstone. The training site at Lympstone is the beating heart of the force. Each year, 1200 recruits and 60 officers undertake initial training at CTCRM. In addition, the Centre delivers All Arms Commando Training to enable other Services to gain the Green Beret as well as Command and Specialist Training to trained ranks; circa 150 courses a year for a further 1800 ranks, in a small 72-acre site. “Lympstone is special for all Royal Marines regardless of rank, age and where you end up. Everyone starts at Lympstone,” says Lieutenant Colonel Michael Scanlon, Commanding Officer of Commando Training Wing. “There’s a concentration of energy that comes from
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The new C60 Lympstone, like its best-selling predecessors in the Military Collection, is a rugged and handsome beast, but it differs in one crucial way. “The C65s are retro-looking, vintage-inspired watches,” says Mike France, “but the C60 Lympstone is a contemporary design based on the new ‘Trident 3’ C60 case.” “We wanted to make a modern tool watch, fit for a modern force,” says Adrian Buchmann, head of product design at Christopher Ward. “The C60 Trident steel case has a gunmetal and black ‘stealth’ feel. We’ve taken materials inspiration from the tools the Royal Marines employ; forged carbon is a material used in weapons – we’ve made a dial from it. Cordura® is a military supplier, it’s a material we’ve used here for straps – the Royal Marines may use it on kit or equipment.”
"We wanted to make a modern tool watch, fit for a modern force"
There’s also a completely new-toCW tool, a solar compass. “For obvious reasons, we couldn’t have used a magnetic compass on a mechanical watch,” explains Adrian. “This uses the sun and the hour hand to assist you in your manoeuvres.” It’s certainly a watch made for adventure in challenging environments; as well being waterproof to 600m, there are bigger, protective guards around the two screw-down crowns at 2 and 4pm. This detailed approach to design planning mirrors the intensity of the training at CTCRM Lympstone. Currently 32 weeks – the Royal Marines are trialling a 4-week recruit orientation phase - the training programme is legendary. “We start by militarising civilians with progressive physical training and individual soldiering skills, moving onto advanced group tactics to create a cohesive fighting unit,” explains Lt. Col. Scanlon. “We have first class instructors and facilities; there’s so much science, technology and subject matter expertise behind the training programme. Fundamental hard basic soldiering is the key to advanced soldiering, but nowadays we deploy recruits with equipment like heart rate monitors to track fitness and Tesware to measure shooting accuracy.” Never far from CW’s mind, accuracy was also key to the development of the C60 Lympstone and the rest of the Military Collection, with each a COSC-certified chronometer – ensuring timekeeping to within a tolerance of -4/+6 seconds per day – essential when timing is of the essence. “Synchronising watches for military exercises dates back almost as far as the history of the chronometer,” says Mike France. “That these watches needed to be pinpoint accurate was always a must.” Of course, timing is as vital to training exercises as it is to active service. “The last and hardest challenge of our recruits’ training is Commando test week,” explains Lt. Col. Scanlon. “Test week ends
with a 30 mile yomp, carrying full battle order, across Dartmoor.; they’re set off marching in syndicates, with 10 minutes between waves. Despite the challenge there’s a light atmosphere – you’re forced to eat the obligatory Cornish pasty and military-issue lime cordial at each stop, but the clock keeps ticking. “At the finish, you shake yourself off and then join a hollow square for the presentation of the green berets from the Commanding Officer. It’s very simple and poignant – a real hair on the back of your neck emotional moment.” It’s easy to be awed by the achievements of these commandos. “We’re a close tribe, with ethos and heritage,” says Lt. Col. Scanlon. “We’re not superhuman; it’s all achievable with the right mindset, concentrating on commando spirit, values and a dose of humility.” It’s said each Marine takes a piece of Lympstone back out into the force with them, so central is the place to the Commando spirit. A spirit that each of us can carry with us on the wrist, wearing the C60 Lympstone. Available mid-September, from £875 / $1000 / €1050 christopherward.com
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The detailed approach to design mirrors the intensity of the legendary training programme at Lympstone
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New for Loupe in this issue, O-pinion brings you picks from our universe – what we’re reading, listening to, admiring and being inspired by. Whether it’s music, tech, art or horology, we’ll share our take on it – and invite you to share yours. Tell us what you’re enjoying right now, or what events or new releases you’re looking forward to – and we’ll consider them for the next issue. You can email loupe@christopherward.co.uk or hit us up on Instagram @chriswardlondon
The libarian poet, 1977
Aubade, Phillip Larkin 1977 The focus: Aubade, La Peste, The Beatles and of course, Bob Dylan. 38
An aubade is a morning love song, or a poem about lovers separating at dawn. Larkin’s morning thoughts are a dark reversal, far from a lover’s dream. It’s one of English poet Larkin’s most well-known poems, but a post-covid reading gives it a darker slant than perhaps even famously nihilistic Larkin intended. No celebrity, a working man (a librarian first, a poet second), he tells us within the first line, “I work all day. Get half-drunk at night,” a lockdown sentiment most work-from-homers could relate to. It’s all expressed in the ordinary but precision-cut laser language we know Larkin for. But it’s the four in the morning waking which gives Aubade its trope and its fulcrum; the prospect of death, the “anaesthetic from which none come round” that looms large like the bedroom wardrobe as it edges into light. Of all, perhaps the lines, “Most things may never happen: this one will,/ And realisation of it rages out/ In furnace-fear when we are caught without/ People or drink” is the closest to the bone for this post-pandemic reading. Just as we must accept death will happen, individually, this ‘thing’ has happened, collectively, as we are all “caught without people” in quarantine. In the end, the ministration of the postman, with news of the world outside, consoles.
A vastly reduced capacity and masks that double as PPE are two of the measures put in place by the producers of the immersive theatre piece The Great Gatsby, which is planning to reopen in London in October, months ahead of predictions for the West End. Reopens October 1st 2020
The Great Gatsby, London
La Peste, Albert Camus 1947 Currently experiencing a surge in sales as it spearheads a boom in the popularity of ‘pestilence fiction’, La Peste (translated as The Plague) has found new relevance in recent times. It features the trials and tribulations of the hidden narrator Dr Rieux and a retinue of male characters who play out aspects of the plague experience as rats boil up horrifyingly from the sewers. Everyone’s ordered to quarantine at home while trusty medics toil to save victims; there are acts of heroism, acts of shame, and acts of denial by those in power. A janitor denies there are any rats in his building, despite it being overrun. Sound familiar? The book’s new-found relevance is not only couched in its subject matter.
In an earlier essay titled Le Desert, Camus had considered a “repugnant materialism” which, alongside the widely accepted view that the ‘pestilence’ in question at the time of writing was the Third Reich, has become seen as the main threat of the novel. Certainly, post-pandemic, super-charged capitalism and all its inequalities and harms to the natural world are being examined globally; Camus would approve, his work often themed by the awe of nature and the insignificance of man’s existence by contrast.
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First edition of La Peste, 1947
The Trial of the Chicago 7 Aaron Sorkin is set to direct the story of seven people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the anti-Vietnam war, countercultural uprising and police riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. Releases September 25th 2020
Blockbuster filmmaker Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings Trilogy) has been riffling through the archives for a “peace and loving” film about The Beatles’ iconic album Let It Be. There’s never-before-seen footage of the legendary band’s Let It Be recording sessions, following the fab four as they create their now-classic songs from scratch, laughing, bantering and playing to the camera. The film will showcase the warmth, camaraderie and humor of the making of the legendary band’s studio album. There’s also their 1969 final live concert as a group, with the entire 42-minute rooftop performance on London’s Savile Row included in the film. The surprise rooftop appearance marked the band’s first live performance in over two years and their final live set together.
The Beatles Get Back Documentary The original "Let It Be" film, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, and the accompanying album weren’t released until May 1970, three weeks after The Beatles had officially broken up. Compiled from over 55 hours of unseen footage, filmed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg in 1969, and 140 hours of mostly unheard audio recordings from the "Let It Be" album sessions, it has the full backing of the remaining Beatles. “The friendship and love between us comes over and reminds me of what a crazily beautiful time we had,” says Paul McCartney of the film. Released September 4th 2020
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Apple special event Apple is expected to launch a slew of new products this year, including the rumored iPhone 12, a new Apple TV, an Apple Watch that can track your sleep, and other gadgets. September 2020
Rough and rowdy ways
It’s eight years since we last heard anything original from Bob Dylan, so it’s a great relief to discover that he still has a great deal to say for himself on Rough and Rowdy Ways, his 39th studio album – and that what he has to say is still very much worth listening to. Nowadays, listening is easier. The Bob growl, honed by a tobacco-stained life, is still there, but in his recent forays into the Great American Songbook he’s recalibrated his range and diction so we can hear and understand his lyrics immediately, without having to bother Google. The lyrics are the main course here. Yes, the music magpies through 20th century American styles, from 12-bar blues to romantic ballads, hymnals to jazz, all played empathetically and expertly by his much under-rated touring band, but there’s no sound here we haven’t heard before. Somehow, to this listener anyway, this allows a sharper focus on his poetry. Three of the tracks, Murder Most Foul, False Prophet and I Contain Multitudes were released ahead of the album as singles mid-lockdown.
The opening track, I Contain Multitudes, gives the key to the album’s heart, quoting from Walt Whitman’s great American poem Song of Myself: Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.) Dylan has always contained multitudes. His huge back-library of songs, his prodigious knowledge of American music, his legion of devoted followers and the multiple identities he’s portrayed over the years are all present in this album. While Dylan has always listed people in his lyrics (Desolation Row, Chimes of Freedom), here lists are the central point. At 79 years of age, Bob has a final reckoning of people and events that have shaped him and his country during his life – the 17-minute long Murder Most Foul, is about the long shadow (now Trump-shaped) that Kennedy’s assassination cast on American culture since that tragic Dallas day in 1963: ‘The day that they killed him, someone said to me,/ “Son/ The age of the Antichrist has just only begun.”’
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Walt Whitman was similarly obsessed with the assassination of his friend Abraham Lincoln, which he saw as threatening the founding values of the United States of America; much in the same way as Dylan suggests Kennedy’s assassination has led directly to today’s moral malaise. Whitman and Dylan bookending the American Dream – there’s a thought. If the album has a dark heart, it also has a romantic one with I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You, one of his most beautiful love songs. Whoever Bob’s talking to, she’s going to melt at, “If I had the wings of a snow-white dove/ I’d preach the gospel of love/ A love so real a love so true/ I’ve made up my mind to give myself to you.” Playfulness is also never far away in Bob’s writing. Why Ann Frank, Indiana Jones and The Rolling Stones are put cheek by jowl into I Contain Multitudes only Bob will ever know; but that won’t stop people spending years trying to work out a hidden meaning that almost certainly doesn’t exist. So, if you thought Bob had lost his voice and his way since 2012’s Tempest, you can rejoice. Rough and Rowdy Ways is a magnificent piece of work that isn’t too far behind his two masterpieces from the ‘60s and ‘70s, Blonde On Blonde and Blood On The Tracks. If you haven’t really thought about Bob at all then this is your chance – maybe your last – to discover one of the most important cultural icons of our age, close to his artistic peak. You may even become one of the multitude.
White-collar boxing
FIRE
RING
OF
WHITE-COLLAR BOXING IS ON THE RISE, BUT WHAT’S ITS APPEAL? AND DO THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE DANGERS? ANTHONY TEASDALE INVESTIGATES
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You shouldn’t be here. You certainly don’t need to be here. No one is paying you to get your ribs cracked or your nose broken. You’re not a psychopath, you don’t like hurting people. But here you are, desperately trying to beat someone into submission with your fists. You’ve got an excellent job. A promotion is on the horizon. You grew up in a detached house, and your parents are members of the golf club. This isn’t your natural environment. This world of industrial-estate gyms, punchbags, smelly gloves, head guards, sparring, bloody noses, black eyes, exhaustion, concussion and sweat. So much sweat. But as you stand in the corner of the ring, awaiting to fight another human being, it most certainly is. Because this is ‘white-collar’ boxing. And you’ve signed up for it. For years boxing had a terrible reputation. Looked down upon by the judgemental middle classes, it was mostly the sport of the urban poor – though the upper orders were enthusiasts, too (“Good character-building, what”). As we got richer, fatter and more ashamed of our base instincts, the calls grew for boxing to be banned. Sometimes with good reason. Because occasionally fighters died. Or, like Gerald McClellan or Michael Watson, beaten so senselessly they needed years of rehabilitation to function again. But the sport wouldn’t die. And as Thai boxing and kickboxing became popular with professional workers of both sexes in the 1990s, boxing was rehabilitated. Now it was something that made you fit (see ‘boxercise’), gave you confidence and a shot of much-needed discipline. An activity, to use modern parlance, that was ‘empowering’.
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"Cut them off when they go left, cut them off when they go right and keep doing it"
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White-collar boxing started at Gleason’s gym in New York in the late 1980s. Wall Street traders, looking to de-stress from work, came in to train, which led to gym owner Bruce Silverglade promoting ‘white-collar’ bouts. In the 1990s, only 10 percent of Gleason’s members were from a professional background. By 2004, it was 65 percent. The UK held its first white-collar event in 2000. The formula has remained the same ever since. An event is planned; associated gyms train fighters, then those deemed good enough are given a threeround bout – with boxers wearing large 16oz gloves to minimise injury. The fighters sell tickets to friends, with the money raised going to charity. Bern Giam, from the Life Academy gym in Liverpool, is a respected promoter in white-collar boxing. As a martial artist of 40 years, he understands the challenge novice fighters face. “Safety is the most important aspect of our model,” he says. “We publicise an event and offer a ‘10-week challenge’ to people who fancy trying it out. We’ll take 20 on, assess them after a couple of weeks, and split them into two groups. From then on we monitor their health, weight and blood pressure: and then match them against another similar fighter. They’re also shown a video of their opponent and asked if they’re comfortable fighting them. You only get safety issues at events if there’s a mismatch – we make sure that never happens.” So, what’s it like for the fighters? Why do they put themselves through all that training just to be roughed up in the ring?
Journalist Beth McLoughlin, who fights in women’s white-collar bouts, explains. “I started training in deep winter at a time when I had a dead-end job,” she says. “I thought it would lift my mood, and it did, but that wasn’t all. The discipline gave me structure and lessons which I could extrapolate to other parts of my life. For women, it’s especially good, as you’re not usually encouraged to show anger or aggression, and this is a relatively safe way of doing it.” This is a familiar tale. There’s something about the discipline of the training and the facing down of demons that makes boxing an aid to mental health, as Chris Forrestor, another white-collar fighter, explains. “Physically, it was the best I’ve ever felt,” he says. “Mentally, possibly even better. It was like mindfulness – I’ve meditated for 20 years and know about wellbeing. I think it should be taught at schools.” While the training is undoubtedly testing, the biggest challenge is on the night itself. Stepping into a boxing ring in front of friends and family, knowing you could leave it with a broken nose – or worse – takes its toll on the body and the mind. “I’ve done three fights now and the moment before you go in is horrible,” says Beth. “There’s no way to sugar-coat it. It’s the fear of failure or humiliation much more than getting hurt.” Jon Hollis is a fortysomething from Birmingham. He’s fought three bouts and says that fitness is vital to success on the night because you burn so much energy in the ring. And that’s without the sense of lethargy many fighters experience through sheer nerves. You train your mind by sparring,” he says. “The more you do, the less you panic.
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And then you can start to play games. They call it ‘ringcraft’ or ‘ring IQ’. I find that boxing somebody into a corner gases them out. They feel under pressure. Cut them off when they go left, cut them off when they go right and keep doing it. Then it gets fun. You’ll feel like Rocky.” When the fight ends, the most common feeling, whether you’ve won or lost, is of relief, followed by exhilaration. Despite the fact they’ve spent three rounds beating each other up, fighters hug and bond – often keeping in contact for years afterwards. Because boxing is about a lot more than fighting your opponent: it’s about putting yourself through extreme physical and mental hardship in order to emerge a better person. As Bern Giam says, “The person you’re really fighting is yourself.” The final word goes to sportswriter Mike Nevin. Most white-collar boxers are in between 25 and 40 years old, Mike stepped into the ring as a 51-year-old. “I had anxiety and depression, and people said I was drinking too much,” he says. “This was my way of proving them wrong. You do weeks of intensive training, and you’re in the shape of your life. It brought me out of my depression. I fought a 30-year-old and lost on points. But on his Facebook page, he said, ‘My opponent was 20 years older than me, which shows age is no barrier’. And today, we’re still mates.” A legacy typical of a sport that’s been battered and bruised, but like its greatest fighters is still standing proud – and undefeated.
How to
Never before has there been so much choice as to how to acquire your next watch; never before so many opportunities to make a mistake, whether it be paying too much for a new watch or ending up with a non-functioning lemon full of fake parts.
Buy a watch Expert horologist Adrian Hailwood has seen the watch
To begin this series, I am going to look at the different ways of buying a watch and offer a little advice on how to get the best from each. Having worked in retail and auction, bought, and sold on eBay and forums and worked with pre-owned watch dealers I have been exposed to most aspects of the watch market and can share what I have picked up along the way. The most important guidance I can ever give comes down to one word – research, or maybe that should be three words – research, research, research. Know exactly
industry from every angle as watch consultant, auctioneer’s valuer and Breguet store manager. In this new series he shares his vast experience to help you build your watch collection.
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what you want to buy, what it should look like, both inside and out, how the market for it stands right now and you will be well on the way to avoiding being ripped off. Most of the buying blunders I have seen from cheap fakes to sophisticated franken-watches could have been avoided with 20 minutes on Google rather than the buyer being blinded by the brand name and the beckoning of a bargain.
Buying new instore Wandering into a watch store and coming out with your desired timepiece can seem the simplest, risk-free route but there are still plenty of points to consider. Firstly, buying in person is all about relationships, ones that are not possible when buying online, so when you go in, try to make a friend. Professionally trained staff should be doing this too so, hopefully, you will be pushing on an open door. Try not to beat staff over the head with superior knowledge if you have it. The most expert sales staff all had to start knowing little, and the most junior may still have the ability to do you a good deal if they like you. If circumstances allow, try not to buy on the first visit. Salespeople like to feel they have made a difference in the sales process and a returning client you thought you had lost feels much better than a first-time purchase that seems too easy. While we all want the lowest possible price, discounts may not always be large, or available at all. Remember other ways to negotiate; straps are expensive so an extra one (or two if the purchase price warrants it…) may be easier to give than a cash reduction. A free service defers the cost to the retailer by up to five years down the line but could save you hundreds of pounds in the long run. Brands can be extremely strict with their retailer as to the level of
discount available and neither of these other concessions with show up on the monthly report. If your brand preference matches your retailers stock range it is best to put all your eggs in one basket. Loyalty with one retailer may be rewarded with better deals, advance notice of incoming stock or invitation to special events. If you are buying a new watch – check it actually is new. Boutiques and watch stores, especially those selling high-end watches, do not have a limitless supply and so the one on display may be the only one they have. Check carefully for nicks, scratches, and dents from previous rough handling. Your new watch should be pristine; if it is not be prepared to haggle hard. Once you have completed you purchase, don’t forget to maintain that relationship. Sales staff like to see people they have successfully sold to, especially if they are not returning with a complaint. It is a two-way street, while it may seem they want you to spend more money (which they do…) you may get minor adjustments done by an in-house technician while you grab a quick coffee, even if it is only giving your bracelet a trip through the ultrasonic cleaner and a buff.
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Buying new online Once limited to the cheapest end of the market, online purchases of new watches now encompass the whole range of price points from an increasing number of brands. Here I am referring to watches sold by the brand themselves or by authorised online retailers. Grey-market sellers of ‘new’ watches are a whole different issue with their own points to watch out for and I will look at these later. There are some watch brands (mentioning no names…) that have built their whole business model around online purchase with little or no ‘bricks & mortar’ presence at all. Others are relatively new to operating as online stores in their own right, some are only available via authorised dealer websites, which may be the online presence of a high street store, while an exclusive few refuse to be sold online at all.
With online purchases, there is little or no human interaction, so the ‘relationship’ aspect will be a simpler one – the price you pay vs the service you receive, especially if things go wrong. While we are conditioned to think that online prices are going to be cheaper, the brand’s own websites will be sticking to strict RRP and authorised distributor websites will only offer brand sanctioned discounts. Voucher codes and discounts for signing up to newsletters or Facebook pages can be helpful if you want a watch that isn’t discounted, so hunt around for these offers. Christopher Ward clients will be used to generous discount vouchers in addition to the regular sales and ‘nearly new’ page of the website. The internet’s global reach can offer up potential bargains from foreign websites, this can be particularly
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Speed read: Five tips to make you a bulletproof watch buyer
Bonus items Straps or future services could be easier to get than discounts
Online Take advantage of sales and discount codes
In store Make salespeople your friend – loyalty matters
Inspect The watch you’re buying – it could have been tried on before
Calculate Tax, shipping and return
useful if tracking down limited editions that may be sold out in the UK but still available in markets where the brand is less popular. Be careful that shipping and the 20% VAT (plus handling charge) added on by HMRC doesn’t erode any potential savings and check the small print on returns, these can be expensive and the arrival of your watch, back to the seller to allow a refund, is far from guaranteed. While distance selling regulations allow a certain amount of ‘try before you buy’, something that Christopher Ward owners certainly enjoy, be sure to read any restrictions carefully. Companies may not allow you to remove any protective stickers or bracelet wrappings during the assessment period. They may demand that any returns are in ‘saleable’ or ‘as new’ condition and if they are not, they may refuse the return or charge a refurbishment fee.
Buying new, whether in person or online is the best option for anyone who fears they may end up with a fake watch, or buyers who want that ‘first owner’ feeling. It won’t get you those ‘waiting list’ watches, true bargains or open up the vast world of vintage but that is a step away from the metaphorical hand-rail of the manufacturer’s warranty demanding a certain level of self-reliance and is what I will be looking at next time.
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Jennifer Anniston Jennifer Aniston has been everyone’s favourite girl next door for decades. She rose to global superstardom as Rachel Green in the NBC sitcom Friends, which aired back in 1994 and is still, curiously, the UK’s most-watched show on Netflix. Her filmography is a roll call of consistency and sheer graft, with two, sometimes three projects a year, every year since the dawn of the ‘90s – TV, movies, animation voiceovers, special appearances. She’s a trouper. Her on-screen comic timing as immaculate as her off-screen wardrobe, Jen’s been followed throughout her career by the paparazzi, snapping at her classic, impeccable heels. Californian, clean, elegant but always sexy, Aniston’s fashion looks have been as consistent – and as popular - as her movie career, though never straying beyond pared-back styles in muted colours. She radiates Californian-born health and good fortune. Wisely chosen accessories complete the picture, and to top it all, the watch. There’s no hiding it now – Jen’s a Rolex girl, and her collection reflects her professed love for the brand. Most
Great watch collectors
often snapped on the wrist is Jen’s Rolex President Day Date, a powerful, ostentatious 18k yellow gold piece with a champagne dial, in 36mm diameter. It’s a long way from the Mickey Mouse watch that was her first, and which kick-started a lifelong love of watches. Interviewed in the Fondation Haute Horlogerie’s FHH Journal, she says of her Mickey watch, “it stopped working after I dropped it in the bath. I was inconsolable.” The gold Rolex must have cheered her up. Jen’s collection reflects ample generosity, as befits a Hollywood actor, but also practicality; watches align with purposes, or rather, events. A Cartier Roadster in stainless steel offers a change of gear from the Rolex’s swagger, with its clean tonneau case recalling 1950s car design. For evening, a white Lady Datejust. At night, a total change 50
of scene – the Rolex Milgauss, complete with green sapphire and orange detailing, in custom black PVD. Aniston describes her watches as both “discreet” and “imposing”. These are serious watches, for a funny woman. They say: don’t mess with this girl next door. This pragmatic approach extends to Jen’s collecting philosophy. As with her famous clothing, she prefers enduring style over passing trends. (Us mere mortals say ‘I know what I like, and I’m sticking with it’). “I think about how [the watch] will weather time,” Jen says, in her FHH interview. Admittedly, there’s a coherence to Jen’s collection – big, men’s Rolexes in the myriad of colour and style options the huge Rolex range affords. It’s an expansive collection reflecting, not trend or fashion, but one woman’s style and personal taste. “… but you have to be able to tell the time. I mean, that’s the whole point of wearing a watch, right?”
3hrs 56mins
Timespan
Alex Honnold free solos the El Capitan rock formation in Yosemite, California Alone on a stark rock face, a kilometre up from the bottom, yet with more than a kilometre ‘til the top, Alex Honnold hung by nothing but his finger and toe tips, ‘free solo’ style. Free soloing is climbing without ropes, nets, companions, or any safety equipment - other than knowledge and experience. It was a feat commonly regarded as one of the greatest athletic achievements of all time – one man, alone, against a gigantic rock wall. El Capitan, a sheer granite formation in Yosemite National Park, California in Honnold’s native USA, presents a challenge like no other to climbers.
Even among climbing cognoscenti, Alex Honnold burst unknown onto the scene in 2007 by free soloing Yosemite's Astroman and the Rostrum in a single day, matching legendary climber Peter Croft's famous 1987 feat. By 2014, he’d been profiled by National Geographic, The New York Times and 60 Minutes, had a raft of corporate sponsors and had started a non-profit foundation. Despite his fame, Honnold is an unassuming sportsman, who having climbed at a Sacramento gym since age five, lived in a van for a decade to give himself access to the wild places he got to know and climb. A Berkeley drop-out, he regularly trained alone, showing a steely resolve and aptitude for self-learning. “I was never a bad climber [as a kid], but I had never been a great climber, either," he says. "There were a lot of other climbers who were much, much stronger than me. I just loved climbing, and I've been climbing all the time ever since,” he said in a Munchies YouTube video about his famously plant-based diet. 51
Honnold’s growth mindset, meticulous training regime and mental ability to remain calm in risky situations resulted in a world-beating climb; taking the 2,900-foot Freerider route (5.12d VI) over El Cap, all documented for the National Geographic documentary Free Solo, which won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 2018. Beginning the ascent under a pink dawn at 5.32am, Honnold climbed resolutely upwards in a sure and rhythmic, highly practised style. With no specialist equipment other than a pair of sticky-toed climbing shoes and a small bag of chalk suspended from his belt, the documentary team his only witnesses apart from the birds and the sky, Honnold finally pulled himself over the top ledge of the summit at 9.28am. Spoiler alert - it’s worth watching the documentary simply to witness his relief, exhilaration and joy in the meadow at the top.
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The new C65 Super Compressor’s sapphire crystal backplate – page 14
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