Loupe. Issue 24. Spring 2022. by Christopher Ward

The magazine of Christopher Ward. Issue 24. Spring 2022

#OGDOO #DGOO D O

Spelunkers: Incomparable. Indomitable. Unpronounceable Spelunkers:

Let’s hear it for the ‘spelunkers’. The Incomparable. subterranean explorers of the 1970s who Indomitable. did for caving what Jacques Cousteau did for scuba-diving. And the inspiration behind Unpronounceable ‘GMT-explorer’ watches, which provided

24-hour for light-starved cavers. Let’s hear ittimekeeping for the ‘spelunkers’. The subterranean of the 1970s whowith the new Now we’ve explorers resurrected the genre did forSealander caving whatGMT. Jacques didit boast a C63 NotCousteau only does for scuba-diving. And the inspiration behind twin timezone movement, a hi-vis ‘GMT-explorer’ watches, which provided 24-hour hand and a dial that’s as legible as it 24-hour timekeeping for light-starved cavers. is beautiful, but, happily, you with don’t Now we’ve rewsurrected the genre thehave to be a spelunker to wear new C63 Sealander GMT.one. Not only does it boast a twin timezone movement, a hi-vis 24-hour hand and a dial that’s as legible as it is beautiful, but, happily, you don’t have to be a Sealander. spelunker to wear one.

Go anywhere, do everything.

Sealander. christopherward.com Go anywhere, do everything. christopherward.com

Loupe. The magazine of Christopher Ward.

Few things embody civilization better than the wristwatch. And there’s a good argument that civilization – cities, clocks, Premier League football – started with the Bronze Age. So it’s fitting that our two latest timepieces are made from this most historic alloy. Both the C63 Sealander Bronze COSC and C60 Bronze Ombré Green COSC LE bring together high-performance horology with an aesthetic you’ll fall in love with. Read their story on page 14. Staying with metal, journalist Ken Kessler takes a closer look at the watch industry’s relationship with metals – and names his favourite. It’s essential for anyone with an interest in horology. The metallic theme continues with a profile of British sculptor Henry Moore, while a set of mid-century car photographs provide some diverting mechanical eye candy. There’s lots more to read inside (tip: the lume article is fascinating), but I’ll leave that to you.

A new alchemy Bronze, certainly in a sporting sense, is usually associated with coming third rather than first, but our two new bronze chronometers may have a case (sorry!) for re-writing that rule as they boast several firsts between them. While the C60 Bronze Ombré Green COSC LE has the distinction of being the first of our Trident collection to be given the on-trend, green-dial treatment, it’s really the C63 Sealander Bronze COSC that has the strongest claim to be on the top step of the podium. Not only is it the first Sealander with a bronze case, but it’s also the first bronze watch on the market to have a sapphire crystal dial. Not everyone appreciates bronze watches (Ken Kessler, page 48, for one) but for most of us there’s something wonderfully alluring and important about an alloy that has a period in history named after it. And not even gold can lay claim to that! Mike & Peter

Enjoy the issue, Anthony Teasdale

Editor: Anthony Teasdale Art Director: Jamie Gallagher Designer: Sam Burn Photography: Peter Canning

1 Park St, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1SL christopherward.com

Contents Features 14 – 25

Bronze ambition

On the road

30 – 35

Meet the C63 Sealander Bronze Sapphire COSC and C60 Bronze Ombré Green COSC LE

26 – 29

Special branch

A stunning set of photos celebrates the golden age of American motoring

Super ’Nova

36 – 39

How a select number of trees have shaped the history of the British isles

Love lume? Meet the man whose paint makes your watch glow

Regulars 6 – 12

The Brief

O-pinion

Mid-century motoring

30 — 35

Ken Kessler on which metals make the best watches

Timespan

How Sugarhill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight gave birth to hip-hop

Cultural highlights for the season ahead

14 — 25

Insight

46 – 49

Latest news from Christopher Ward and the wider world of watches

40 – 43

Bronze brilliance

Great watchwearers Steve Jobs and his distinctly ordinary Seiko

Steve Jobs

Latest news from Christopher Ward and the wider world of watches

Fears High-end British watch brand Fears is working with Christopher Ward to create a new limited-edition timepiece. A timepiece that owes its existence to the trade body for UK horology, the Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers. The as-yet-unnamed watch uses Fears’ new 40mm Brunswick case and will be powered by CW’s famed JJ01 jumping-hour calibre. Fears CEO Nicholas Bowman-Scargill says: “The watch is dressy but not super-formal – and has the attention-to-detail Fears is famous for. It’s been overseen by CW CEO Mike France and me, bringing both companies’ DNA together. It’s unmistakably a Fears watch but isn’t like any Fears you’ve seen so far.”

CW Mike France is equally enthusiastic. “Because Christopher Ward and Fears are founder members of the Alliance, we’ve been able to pool our creative resources. While collaborations are relatively common between watch brands and, say, blogs, it’s rare to see two watch companies collaborate. I’ve got no doubt it’ll be the first of many UK partnerships.” Nicholas, meanwhile, has long been an admirer of Christopher Ward. “It’s such an innovative company,” he says. “Before I restarted my family’s watch company, it was an inspiration to me. In terms of movement modules and Calibre SH21, they’re leading the watch industry. I’m honoured and delighted to be collaborating with them.”

A match made in Britain For Mike, it’s a tangible sign of how the Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers fosters cooperation between watch brands in the UK. Though would-be buyers should note the watch is severely limited in numbers. “We’re making just 50 of these models,” he says. “And they’ll only be available to members of the Alliance. Just one more reason that watch-lovers should join this fantastic organisation.” The Christopher Ward X Fears watch will launch later in the year You can join the Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers at britishwatchmakers.com

Will’s back! Olympic gold-medallist rower Will Satch is returning to Christopher Ward’s Challenger programme. Will, who won gold as part of Team GB’s men's eights rowing team at Rio 2016, was supported by the Challenger initiative as he trained for the games. At present, he’s undecided whether he’ll compete at Paris 2024, but his return to Challenger is a sign of the enduring bond between CW and this outstanding athlete. Meanwhile, it’s looking like 2022 will be a significant year for two of Christopher Ward’s most recent Challengers. First, explorer-conservationist Tom Hicks. In April, Tom will embark on his mission to the North Pole to measure snow depths and melt rates for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF). While DSWF is mainly concerned with protecting species in the tropics, the Arctic environment has a significant impact on animals in warmer climes. On his wrist will be the C60 Anthropocene GMT – designed with Tom in mind and built for the extreme weather he’ll be facing at the top of the world. Another Challenger with a lot to look forward to is ultra-endurance cyclist James Hayden. After a successful 2021, James will be pitting his wits (and muscles) against the Catalan countryside when he takes part in April’s L’esperit de Girona race. As the owner of a C63 Sealander Elite, C60 Abyss SH21 and C63 Colchester – he’ll have plenty of timing options: all the watches are certified chronometers. Find out more about James, Tom and Will via the Challenger page on the website. christopherward.com/cwchallengers

Could COP26’s blind spot be the solution? Jo Coumbe from ocean preservation charity Blue Marine Foundation on November’s climate summit As COP26 raged on with UK negotiations centred around “coal, cash, cars and trees”, one would be forgiven for wondering where the ocean – the world’s largest carbon sink – featured. Scientists agree we must slow global warming to a maximum of 1.5°C by 2050 to avoid an unimaginable tipping point in climate change. It’s believed ocean-based climate action could deliver a fifth of the emissions cuts needed to make this target. Marine habitats such as mangroves, saltmarsh, seagrass and seabed sediment are crucial for sucking up and storing carbon, known as ‘blue carbon’, and we’re only just starting to learn their true potential. A report published during COP26 by Blue Marine Foundation, WWF, RSPB and North Sea Wildlife Trust found that the carbon stored in the top 10cm of the English North Sea seabed alone is equivalent to that stored in a fifth of the UK’s forests and woodlands – over 100Mt carbon. Human activities such as fishing, trawling and infrastructure development all have an effect on blue carbon habitats and, in doing so, impede the ocean’s capability to mitigate climate change. Indeed, a recent report led by Dr Enric Sala, explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society, suggests that trawling alone releases the same level of carbon dioxide as produced by the entire aviation industry.

To build knowledge, share ambition, support public understanding and direct funding, a landmark UK Blue Carbon Forum was announced during the conference to discuss and reach consensus on how best to conserve and restore blue carbon habitats. Its aim is to see blue carbon included in national inventories and Nationally Determined Contributions and create a voluntary market that assists investment in conservation and restoration projects. The Forum published a letter to COP26 delegates urging them to prioritise blue carbon as a key solution to the climate crisis. So, while world leaders are right to find a consensus in working towards a lessening of global temperature rise, they must consider what natural resources are at our disposal. We can buffer the effects of climate change and protect marine biodiversity and habitat. And what we’re starting to prove is that they’re intrinsically interlinked. For if we save the ocean, it will in turn save us. Christopher Ward is a supporter of Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE). Five pounds from every #tide strap sold goes to the charity.

Team BRIT

Driving

change 8

Images courtesy of Craig Evans Photography

“We’re in awe of what Team BRIT has achieved in such a brief time”

fast Christopher Ward has announced a sponsorship deal with an inspirational motorsport team who are challenging perceptions – as well as battling for podium finishes. From 2022, the company will be the official timekeeper of Team BRIT, a racing team that trains people with disabilities to become world-class racing drivers. Team BRIT was formed in 2015 to support, inspire and motivate people facing physical and psychological challenges by demonstrating what can be achieved through motorsport. The team uses state-of-the-art hand controls to race against able-bodied drivers/teams, and aims to make history by becoming the first all-disabled team to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.

New driver Paul Fullick

In the 2021 season, the team competed in the Endurance and Trophy categories of the Britcar Championship – finishing third in the former – just two points off second place. GT4 drivers Bobby Trundley and Aaron Morgan also secured race wins and podium positions throughout the championship. Commercial director Mike Scudamore is also a long-time Christopher Ward fan – something which helped facilitate the partnership. “We’re in awe of what Team BRIT has achieved in such a brief time,” says Mike France, CEO of Christopher Ward. “We’ve always seen ourselves as a ‘challenger brand’, but Team BRIT is of a different magnitude. We’re so honoured to be their official timekeeper – and we can’t wait to see them compete at Le Mans.”

From this season, Team BRIT will also compete in the British GT Championship – and they’ll be driving a brand new McLaren 570S GT4. The McLaren boasts a 3.8 litre twinturbocharged McLaren V8 engine linked to a seven-speed transmission. It’s equipped with hand-controls which lets paraplegic driver Aaron Morgan compete on equal terms with able-bodied competitors. He’ll be joined by 22-year-old Bobby Trundley, who, as well as being an incredible racing driver, happens to be autistic. Aaron says: “Even though I’m paralysed from the waist down, when I get in the car, I leave my wheelchair behind.” The Christopher Ward logo will be seen on the McClaren, the driver’s gloves and the team truck. With Morgan and Trundley racing the McLaren in the GT Championship, the team’s Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4 will now be raced in the British Endurance Championship by Andy Tucker and Luke Pound. Team BRIT also races two specially adapted BMW – an M240i and 118i – while the Racing Academy uses an adapted VW Polo GTI to train new drivers. Team founder Dave Player says: “Our entry into British GT means we’re racing in the highest level of endurance racing in the UK and the most iconic British championship. The strength of our intent should not be underestimated. We will do this and we will make history.”

Northern star A collaboration with Scottish Watches adds a Caledonian feel to the ultimate go-anywhere, do-everything timepiece Christopher Ward has announced a collaboration with one of the world’s most listened-to watch podcasts, Scottish Watches. The timepiece is a special edition of the C63 Sealander Automatic – and boasts some uniquely Scottish touches. Rikki Daman from Scottish Watches says: “Christopher Ward supported us from the start, so when the idea of a collaboration came about, it seemed

Lessons in time

natural. And the watch is at a price point that’s affordable to as many people as possible.” “As we’re Scottish and cheeky, we’re calling it the ‘Highlander’,” says Rikki. “The dial is dark saltire-blue colour, and we’ve taken the ‘twin flags’ logo and changed it so it features the flags of Scotland and England. In fact, the flags are repeated as a pattern across the dial. The world’s best watchmaker, Roger W Smith, even gave some advice on which colour of date wheel we should choose.” Another key point of difference can be found by flipping the watch over. Here you’ll find a clear caseback, backed with a tinted disc that shows the Scottish saltire. “We’re so pleased with how this watch has turned out,” says Christopher Ward CEO Mike France. “The saltire case back looks fantastic!” There’s a further twist to the ‘Highlander’ tale. In keeping with the

New starter and watch technician Alex Goosey has become the first of Christopher Ward’s in-house technical department to enroll onto the new apprenticeship programme to develop fledgling watchmakers and technicians. The course, at Harrow College and Uxbridge College, enables students like Alex to attend college once a month, while also working at Christopher Ward fulltime to practice their skills in real-world applications.

values of Christopher Ward and Scottish Watches, a one-off edition of the ‘Highlander’ will be auctioned for charity at the EveryWatch event later this year. Here, the ‘Automatic 150m/500 ft’ copy at 6 o’clock is replaced with the EveryWatch logo. The C63 Sealander Automatic ‘Highlander’ is available in a limited edition of 69. It will be available later in the year from scottishwatches.co.uk

Christopher Ward technical and QC manager, Andrew Henry says: “One of the most important parts of developing your skills as a watchmaker is being able to practice what you’ve learned in real situations. This is where the apprenticeship programme run by HCUC is so useful for aspiring watchmakers such as Alex.” Alex, 20, who recently joined CW from Breitling, says “I’m excited to be given this opportunity to expand and develop my skills as a watchmaker while practicing the skills I’ve learned,” he says.

BCU watchmakers to Biel Christopher Ward has long been a supporter of Birmingham City University’s BA Horology Course course – with the company presenting an annual prize of a watch to the best final-year student. But now CW’s going one step further – by giving three lucky students the chance to experience professional watchmaking ‘in the metal’. From this year, Christopher Ward and BCU are running a competition that will require second-year students on the course to create a CAD diagram design of a ‘horological mechanism’ – whether that’s a clock or a watch.

Andrew Henry, technical and QC manager at Christopher Ward, says: “We’ll invite the students behind the three best designs to come to Maidenhead to meet designers William Brackfield and Adrian Buchmann. Then the student behind the top design will be taken to our atelier in Biel, Switzerland – where they’ll work alongside Frank Steltzer, our technical director.” Associate Professor Jeremy Hobbins, who runs the degree course, says: “We’re delighted to work with Christopher Ward on this. This part of the course helps our students to think creatively, and put horological theory into practice freely and be experimental – something that Mike France is keen to encourage. They can explore modern design and manufacturing methods, and also learn about developing project management and collaborative working skills.”

Letter from Biel

The latest news from our Swiss HQ Over the last few months, our primary focus has been the C60 Concept. Creating a watch as advanced as this has been an intensive process. Every part is checked by microscope, which means even the most minuscule scratch – invisible to the naked eye – is erased. Overseeing this process is our new master watchmaker, Matthias Torsten Robel. He’s so gifted: we call him the ‘Ronaldo of watchmaking’! ‘Torsten’ previously worked at Greubel Forsey, a high-end watchmaker, and came to Christopher Ward because he likes the family vibe here. He brings knowledge and calmness, and because he’s worked on so many movements, he can help throughout the business. He wasn’t involved in the Concept’s design, but once it was clear he’d join us, he took over the production and examined every one in minute detail. And when we saw those watches finished in the metal, it was such a great feeling. So every time we have a special project, he’ll be involved, including the ‘Gong’ watch that was featured in Loupe 22’s Drawing Board. It’s in the final stages of development now and our excitement level is rising. We think it’s going to cause an even bigger stir than the C60 Concept!

Drawing board

In the last issue, we revealed early details about the second iteration of the C65 Trident range. If you’re not familiar, our C65 timepieces pay tribute to the iconic diving watches of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. Think chic mid-century design, pared-down dials and, when occasion demands it – as on the C65 Super Compressor – elite-level, technically-advanced watchmaking. Work on the second C65s has been taking place at Christopher Ward’s Swiss HQ in Biel, where product manager Jörg Bader Jr is overseeing manufacture. He’s cagey about what’s to come but insists there’s plenty for lovers of retro watches to get excited about. “The watches are looking very 1960s, but there are also contemporary touches,” he says. “Inspiration comes partly from the original Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, but that’s just one influence.”

Designer Will Brackfield has been involved in the project, too. “The C65 MkII is a huge step up in quality,” he says. “We took everything we learned on the Trident 3 and applied it to the new C65 in terms of design, engineering and quality. One key addition completely changes the watch’s character – and how it interacts with the light.” Christopher Ward CEO Mike France is enthusiastic, but unwilling to give too much away. “We want the new C65 collection, which will be launched under a new name, to be the best vintage-inspired dive watch in watchmaking,” he says. “And I think our talented teams in Switzerland and Maidenhead have created something very, very special.”

“One key addition completely changes the watch’s character”

The new C65 collection will be released in April

#GODO

Swiss-made (except the price) When you think about it, the exquisite C63 Sealander Automatic is an outlier. Hand-made at our Biel atelier in Switzerland, it’s powered by a tried-and-tested automatic movement. The polished dial boasts finessed and chamfered indexes, plus generous amounts of lume for low-light timekeeping. It’s also waterproof to 150m. You’d expect a watch this advanced to sell for thousands of pounds. And yet the C63 Sealander Automatic retails from less than £600. The world’s gone mad, hasn’t it?

Sealander. Go anywhere, do everything. christopherward.com

hat do we think of when we think of bronze? Of ancient warriors and early sailors, perhaps, and the tools that kept them alive. And, increasingly, of an intriguing material for watch cases, warmer than steel but less bling than gold: a rich, deep metal with heft and history to it. We love mechanical watches for the way they feel alive on our wrists – part equipment, part jewellery, but almost part pet, too – and bronze watches, which react to the world around them and change subtly before our eyes, are perhaps the most animated of all.

“Bronze is now starting to be appreciated as a thing of beauty in its own right” 17

“Bronze initially gained traction in the watch world because it offered a different look to other metals: equal parts rugged and retro,” says Christopher Ward co-founder and CEO, Mike France. “Everyone got excited about the way it develops a distinct patina as you wear it, the metal oxidising through exposure to moisture and air to develop a thin, mottled protective layer. And people liked its history, the feeling of rediscovering a forgotten, ancient technology. But there’s more to bronze than this, and it’s now starting to be appreciated as a thing of beauty in its own right. As bronze becomes less of a novelty, we’re starting to see a wider range of watches employing it, too.” Christopher Ward has been offering select watches in bronze for a few years, but is now upping the ante with two new pieces: one a limited-edition model that showcases horology’s hottest colour, and the other an open-series watch that takes bronze in a fresh and exciting direction. Any niche technology tends to either fade from view after a while, or turn a corner to become part of the mainstream – and bronze as a watch material is this year accelerating out of that curve.

This is the first time anyone has paired a bronze case with a sapphire dial – and it won’t be the last As evidence, may we first present the latest addition to CW’s collection, the C63 Sealander Bronze COSC. This isn’t just the first Sealander with a bronze case, but the first with a sapphire dial too, thus revealing the movement through the front as well as the rear of the watch. Never before has anyone paired a bronze case with a sapphire dial, but it’s such a winning combination we suspect it won’t be the last. While very much a sports watch with outdoorsy qualities, the Sealander offers a more elegant, sophisticated and compact experience than more dive-orientated pieces, and starts to feel especially luxurious when presented in bronze. The understated bezel puts the case material centre-stage. The result is a decidedly modern, even somewhat futuristic, take on this oldest of alloys: one that CW watch designer Will Brackfield describes as “more Metropolis than Captain Nemo”.

The understated bezel puts the case material centre-stage… the result is a modern, even futuristic take on this oldest of alloys

“With the raised numerals polished on their upper surfaces, it offers so much visual and tactile intrigue”

The other new bronze offering, the C60 Bronze Ombré Green COSC LE, is a take on the Trident in its larger 42mm size, a watch that’s been offered in bronze before but never with a green dial. Green has been the colour du jour in watchmaking for a few years now, but some shades are more attractive than others, and the muted hunter-green here is particularly fine, halfway between a military khaki and emerald. The dial enjoys one of Christopher Ward’s distinctive ombré treatments too, where the colour fades from dark at the edges to lighter in the centre, then each is hand distressed with a unique combination of scratches. When paired with the bronze case, it’s a look that absolutely sings. “The other unique aspect of this watch is that it comes with the more intricate and precise Elite-style bezel, which is becoming our standard for COSC-certified dive watches,” says Mike. “It’s a style we’ve rendered in ceramic before, but never in bronze. With the raised numerals polished on their upper surfaces, and the lower surfaces sand blasted to a matte finish, it offers so much visual and tactile intrigue.”

Both watches come on a range of straps – and since CW’s quick-release mechanism makes swapping straps a doddle, it’s tempting to order more than one. These include vintage oak leather, black webbing, a black hybrid and an eco-friendly #tide strap with a thin Marine Nationale stripe. The C60, though, seems particularly suited to a unique offering for that piece only: a green webbing that shows off the case metal and dial colour a treat. Inside, a chronometer version of Sellita’s SW200 automatic movement makes both new pieces among the top six percent of Swiss mechanical watches for accuracy. Some might still consider bronze a leftfield choice for a watch case, and it’ll never be for everyone. But at the same time, it’s rapidly developing a more mature and nuanced appeal. Until now, the alloy has led with its raw, practical

and hard-working qualities, epitomised by a piece like the C60 Bronze Ombré Green COSC LE, a piece better suited to Indiana Jones than James Bond. But a new generation of bronze watches shows it can have a more subtle, urbane appeal too. The C63 Sealander Bronze COSC is in the vanguard of this, bringing a cultivated style to bronze’s essentially tough, hearty nature. It takes the unpolished appeal of bronze then buffs it up a little, combining it with a plethora of simple but just-so details – from its gorgeous faceted indexes to that black sapphire dial – to create something altogether fresh and new.

“The watch brings a cultivated style to bronze’s tough, hearty nature” 24

A brief history of bronze C63 Sealander Bronze COSC Movement: Sellita SW200 COSC Timing tolerance: -4/+6 seconds per day Case: C5191 (CuSn6) bronze alloy Diameter: 39mm Height: 11.25mm Weight: 66g Lug-to-lug: 45.8mm Water resistance: 15 ATM / 150 metres Power reserve: 38 hours Prices from £895 / $1,095 / €1,150

C60 Bronze Ombré Green COSC LE Movement: Sellita SW200 COSC Timing tolerance: -4/+6 seconds per day Case: Bronze C5191 (CuSn6) bronze alloy Diameter: 42mm Height: 13.40mm Weight: 98g Lug-to-lug: 49.30mm Water resistance: 60 ATM / 600 metres Power reserve: 38 hours Limited edition: 500 pieces Prices from £950 / $1,150 / €1,195 25

A strong and corrosion-resistant combination of copper and tin, bronze was the first alloy discovered, and dominated the gap between the Stone and Iron Ages, roughly 3,200-600 BC. The Bronze Age kickstarted the concept of industry too, as it required a process of systematic procedures to create it: the mining of copper, the smelting of tin, the heating and combining of the pair of them. Since the two ores are rarely found near to each other – Cornwall being a happy exception – the desire for bronze encouraged a growing international trade too. Until recently, bronze watches were few and far between. In the 1950s, Blancpain created nine examples of its famous Fifty Fathoms in bronze, pre-production prototypes for a larger military run that was never made. Later, in 1988, Gerald Genta came up with a one-off piece at the whim of a big-game hunter who wanted a non-reflective matte watch that wouldn’t scare the zebras. A decade later, Anonimo would offer an aluminium bronze alloy, but the big splash came when Panerai started making bronze models from 2011 on. Others followed: Zenith, IWC, Oris, Tudor and – making the metal even more accessible – Christopher Ward in 2017. Most early bronze watches referenced nautical themes, it being best known in recent centuries as a material for ship’s fittings. The inevitable protective patination the alloy acquires became something of a mark of pride, early adopters competing to generate the most radical effects. What had hitherto made bronze a non-starter for watches was suddenly a virtue, not a vice. Today’s bronze watches still develop patination, but it can easily be polished away if required – the likes of ketchup and lemon do sterling work here. The Japanese bronze used by Christopher Ward is called CUSN6, and comprises mostly copper, with six percent tin and a little phosphorus. It’s tough, takes machining well and is highly corrosion-resistant, while at the same time easily acquires a dark patina.

The Great British Tree Biography

The author of a fascinating new book talks about how trees have shaped the history and culture of Great Britain Illustrations: Amy Grimes

Britain has always been partly defined by its trees. Whether it’s the pines of Scotland, the sycamores of Wales or the famous – and royal – English oak, they’re as much a part of our island’s identity as roast beef, drizzle and complicated sports. Mark Hooper, former editor of Hole & Corner magazine, has a deep love for this country's trees, woods, and forests. And now he’s written a new book, The Great British Tree Biography, which details 50 of Britain’s most notable trees. It’s a title that takes in everything from sports to myth, folklore to pop music – and in doing so, tells us so much about what makes Britain unique.

Here, Mark takes us through five of his favourites. The Hardy Tree, Old St Pancras Churchyard, London “There’s a really peculiar ash tree located in a churchyard by St Pancras station, which is surrounded by hundreds of gravestones and named after Thomas Hardy, the Dorset writer. Before he became a novelist he came to London as an apprentice architect under Arthur Blomfield, famous for his work on Covent Garden market. When Blomfield was commissioned to design a new line for the Midland Railway at King’s Cross, he delegated the task to Hardy. Straight forward enough, except the line went across the St Pancras’s

burial ground and Hardy was put in charge of the disinterment and reburial of the dead. While he may not have physically done any digging himself, he oversaw the operation, including placing the gravestones around this ash tree. It was a process that really affected him – he talks about it in his diaries – and he went back to Dorset, gave up architecture and became a writer. Meanwhile, the tree continues to subsume the gravestones and bring them into its embrace.”

The Strawberry Fields Tree, Knole Park, Sevenoaks “The first thing about Sevenoaks is it’s obviously named after seven oaks but no one’s really sure where they were. There are two oak trees at Knole Park, and one of them is in the video for Strawberry Fields by The Beatles. In the video, one of the trees is stringed up like an instrument and Paul jumps backwards into it. They also shot the video for Penny Lane at Knole: it’s odd, these are the only two songs they wrote that name-checks Liverpool, but they filmed the videos 250 miles away. There’s a further Beatles link with Sevenoaks. When they were filming they went into town and found an antique shop. Here, John Lennon saw a 19th century poster for ‘Pablo Fanque’s Circus Royal’ at Town Meadows, Rochdale. From that he took the lyrics for For The Benefit Of Mr Kite.

St Lawrence Lime Tree, Canterbury “At Canterbury cricket ground there’s a tree on the pitch. In any other sport you’d chop it down, but cricket is different. There’s some special rules around it, too. If you hit the tree it’s a four but when you whack it into the branches, it still only counts as a four (rather than a six). The only person to hit a six over the tree was Kent’s Carl Hooper in 1992. The original tree, which was actually inside the boundary, was blown down in a storm in 2005. But because Kent CCC thought this might happen they’d already grown a successor from a cutting – and it replaced the first lime. There’s something very ‘cricket’ about this. It’s typical of a sport where you can watch a match for five days and there’s no winner at the end. Things get made up as you go along.” 28

The Allerton Oak, Calderstones Park, Liverpool “This oak tree is thought to have been the site of a ‘hundred’ court in the medieval era, and is nearly 1,000 years old. But in January 1864 something extraordinary happened: a boat, the Lottie Sleigh, moored off Birkenhead four miles away, exploded. It was carrying 940 quarter-kegs of gunpowder which were set alight when a crew member ignited a can of oil while trimming the wick of a paraffin lamp. The force of the explosion was so big it sent shock waves across Liverpool and caused the tree to split! When you look at newspaper reports from the time, they say windows were broken all over town and doors were forced off their hinges. The story doesn’t end there. In World War II, people would take acorns and leaves from the tree and send them to loved ones abroad. Which means there are trees thousands of miles from Liverpool that are the descendents of the Allerton Oak.”

Automotive history

A new set of photographs celebrates the optimism and aesthetics of mid-century motoring

It’s hard to believe that something as mundane as the car was once a thing of wonder. But in every way, the car changed lives dramatically and immediately. It enabled tradesmen to work outside their neighbourhood, city dwellers to commute from newly-built suburbs and families to take days out in places that previously had been out of reach. Your car wasn’t just a tool that got you from A to B either, but a source of pride – an object that said something about you and your values. People loved their cars so much they went for a drive, usually on a Sunday, just for the fun of it. And nowhere was the relationship between car and driver more deeply felt than in the United States. The promise of freedom fitted with the pioneering spirit of the country’s foundation: here was a machine that enabled you to find your little piece of heaven, even if it was just a picnic spot off Route 1.

Now a new book, On The Road: Vintage Photographs Of People And Their Cars, celebrates the golden era of driving. The images of regular people, mostly – but not exclusively – in the US with their cars show a sense of pride these mid-century drivers felt about their automobiles. These are not fancy advertising images, but ordinary photographs created by ordinary people who only wanted to record their experiences. The photos have been collected by filmmaker Lee Shulmans’s Anonymous Project, which seeks to preserve colour slides before they denigrate and fade completely.

“People had a deep affection for these heavy lumps of metal, beautifully crafted into elegant symbols of status”

“When I look at the images in this book, I often see less of the mechanical ingenuity of the cars caught on camera and more of the personalities of these imposing machines,” says Shulman. “People had – and I suppose still have – a deep affection for these heavy lumps of metal, beautifully crafted into elegant symbols of status. It’s undeniable that the aesthetics of these cars from another time seem exotic today and even a little impractical, but they were made for the dreamers. They hinted at a hidden sense of adventure and elegance. They were their drivers’ alter-egos.” As the 21st century moves on, it’s clear that the car is fighting for its right to exist. Soon, the combustion engine will be a thing of the past in wealthy nations, while town planners will increasingly push cars to the margins. This may be for the good. But it doesn’t stop us from thinking wistfully back to the age when cars promised a brighter, more democratic future. Which is why this book will appeal to dreamers everywhere – whether they drive or not. On The Road: Vintage Photographs Of People And Their Cars is published by Hoxton Mini Press, hoxtonminipress.com

Super

’

We meet the boss of Tritec, the company behind Swiss SuperLumiNova®, the world’s leading watch lume

’Nova If there’s one thing that unites watch fans, it’s a love of lume: the magical paint that lets you tell the time in the dark without external illumination. As you might guess, ‘lume’ is short for ‘luminescence’, which, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is the ‘emission of light by a substance that has not been heated’. Before the advent of lights on watches, luminous paint – daubed onto the hands and numerals of the timepiece – enabled the wearer to tell the time in the dark. Luminous watches first appeared in the early 1900s and were indispensable for British officers during World War I. The first luminous paints were made with radium – a degraded product of uranium – combined with zinc sulphide, which, though bright, did have the slight 37

disadvantage of being highly radioactive. Despite this, zinc sulphide paint was used on military, pilot’s and civilian watches until it was banned in 1967 due to (rather obvious) safety concerns. Today, the watch world’s primary source of lume is RC Tritec, whose range of Swiss Super-LumiNova® paints provide after-dark illumination for all the big brands in the Swiss watch sector. Plus, of course, Christopher Ward. The giant strides made in lume by CW – see the C1 Moonglow and Trident range for proof – are down to the hard work of our Swiss production manager, Jorg Bader Jr, and RC Tritec’s Albert Zeller. Which is why we asked Albert about the history of lume, how they make Super-LumiNova® and the relationship with Christopher Ward.

Albert Zeller

Hi Albert. How did Swiss Super-LumiNova® begin? With my pharmacist ancestor, Albert Mortiz Zeller, who founded RadiumChemie A. Zeller & Co – later RC Tritec. The company produced luminous radium compounds for various Swiss watch businesses. But it was my father (another Albert!) who found a non-radioactive solution – strontium aluminate, doped with europium. However, it was considered too hard and grainy and therefore unusable for horological applications. Albert handed over the material to a partner company in Japan, Nemoto & Co. Ltd, which added dysprosium to the mix – and that became LumiNova®. A few years later we started the entire production of those compounds specialized for watch applications here in Switzerland under the name Swiss Super-LumiNova®. How’s the paint made today? Every type of Super-LumiNova® is made by us here in Switzerland. We burn strontium aluminum oxide with dysprosium and europium to 1,500°C to create a new crystal structure. That’s formed into a solid ceramic block, which we then turn back to powder. One gram of this pigment is enough for between 100 and 300 watches.

The company produces 4,500 different colours

And then you just paint it on? Not quite. Powders and binders are separate. For hands you need a different binder to engravings, and for a bezel it’s different again. We have around 350 binder systems! The binders and powders are sent separately to specialists who’ll paint the different parts of the watch. What’s your favourite lume? We produce 4,500 colours in total, but my favourite is GL X1 ‘Old Radium’. Despite the name it’s not actually made from radium – which we wouldn’t be able do produce on health grounds. The idea actually came from my dad. He and mum restore old biplanes and he needed to develop a vintage-style paint for the instruments. The result was a luminous pigment that looked like radium – which we soon realised we could put on retro-styled watches.

How did the relationship with Christopher Ward begin? With the visit of Jörg Bader Jr – we went out for a pizza together, and developed a strong friendship. We work together, exchanging ideas and making prototypes. It helps that I’m a fan of the brand, too – I have a C60 Trident Bronze. I’m particularly proud of the C1 Moonglow – we were producing prototypes and then CW asked if we could do entire moons. Challenge accepted! It was an incredibly intense experience but the results speak for themselves. Where do you think lume will be in five years? It can only become more interesting and playful, and it’ll become stronger in intensity. Our lume is made up of tiny, separate grains. Imagine these as indi-

All systems glow! CEO Mike France discusses the future of lume at Christopher Ward

vidual light batteries – how you put them together changes how it looks. There’s a lot we can do with this! Do you have any tips for readers who want to charge their lume? Expose your watch to a strong energy source – ideally, put it in sunlight: this is what works best. And the great thing is that the performance never fades, no matter how long you have the watch. Reading the time in the dark is useful and so cool: I love seeing that glow!

The Glow collection is a range of Christopher Ward watches that make luminescence central to design and functionality. We started with the C1 Moonglow, our fastest-selling dress watch, and a piece that captured the imagination of customers all over the globe. While it’s a moonphase watch – ie, it follows the moon’s orbit with the utmost accuracy – the levels of finishing, detail and luminosity make it, not just an advanced piece of engineering, but a wearable work of art. The C1 Worldglow has our most ambitious use of lume yet. Engineered so you can monitor all 24 of the world’s time zones at once, its dial carries a 3D diagram of the world as seen from above the North Pole. We used the talents of a Swiss lume applicator to ensure the map’s neon-like glow can be seen through the watch’s three layers of sapphire crystal. This is achieved by upping the volume of the lume: as we’ve seen on the C60 Trident Pro 600, more lume equals increased brightness. We also take this into account when determining the depths of our hands and indexes. We’d describe both the C1 Worldglow and C1 Moonglow as ‘hi-visibility dress watches’. They’re a fresh take on classic staples, and thanks to their popularity, will provide the basis for a range of ambitious luminescent timepieces to come.

Culture that’s worthy of your time

The best of London’s independent shops are given the exposure they deserve with a gorgeous new photo book

stores

A notorious French general once said that the British were a nation of shopkeepers. Even our world-leading enthusiasm for online consumerism hasn’t stopped our devotion to the shop, whether it’s an organic butcher, an old-fashioned toy shop or a fancy design store full of uncomfortable chairs. London, whose countless high streets play host to every type of shop, is a magnet for those who like nothing more than that most British of pastimes, the Saturday afternoon ‘mooch’. Writer Emma J Page and photographer Rachael Smith are so inspired by the capital’s independent shops they’ve produced a stunning photo-book, London Shop Fronts, that profiles some of the best, It catalogues the mix of art, creativity and commerce that defines the ideal store. As Emma J Page says: “From traditional gold-leaf fascias and classic hand-painted signs to rundown frontages, retro motifs or entirely reimagined buildings, each of these shopfronts tells a story – about its history, fabric, location and owner.”

Whether you know London or not, you’ll recognise the pride shopkeepers have in their premises and the touches that add glamour and joy to the urban environment. Whether you want an individually tailored umbrella (and who wouldn’t?) or an exquisitely designed cake, in London, there’s a shop that makes – and sells – it. Another common thread is the adaptability of the modern shop owner. “Across the capital, shops (and restaurants) have broken free of traditional settings in recent years,” says Emma. “Antique stores have sprung up in one-time cinemas, regenerative new-builds in former coal yards, bistro-shop hybrids in warehouses and coffee shops under train archways. Like moss pushing through concrete, they have adapted and thrived against the odds.” It seems M. Napoleon was right after all. London Shop Fronts is published by Hoxton Mini Press, hoxtonminipress.com

The neighbourhood While Mallorca’s golden beaches are the island’s biggest draw, those in the know head straight for its bigger-than-you’dimagine capital, Palma, particularly the barrio of Santa Catalina, west of the city centre. A grid of tightly packed streets, it’s crammed with cool cafes, independent restaurants of every stripe and shabby-chic bars that come to life after 9pm. If you prefer a bit of daytime exploration, fuel up at the Mercat de Catalina: a neighbourhood market that sells the best rotisserie chicken we’ve ever tasted. It also boasts a cracking bar – ideal for a midday caña and a slice of pan con tomate. The Killingworth Castle Inn, Oxfordshire

The country pub

Santa Catalina, Palma de Mallorca Classic. Modern. Retro.

The magazine

One of the consolations for enduring the British winter is taking a country break in a cosy pub or inn with a well-stocked cellar, roaring log fire and an in-house chef who’s a dab hand at Yorkshire puddings. A pub rather like the eight-bedroom Killingworth Castle then. Independently owned, and the winner of the third-best country pub award on Instagram in 2020, its mix of homely-chic furnishings, quality ales and organic food make it the perfect bolt hole when you’re looking to escape the big city. Like all the best pubs, it has an interesting past. Built in 1637 as a coaching inn on the London-Worcester road, it was frequented by Winston Churchill, who grew up at nearby Blenheim Palace. Today, it has two AA rosettes and a ‘Michelin Recommended’ award. It’s also got three stars from the Soil Association for its commitment to organic food. Best of all, it’s dog-friendly, which means you have the perfect excuse to take your best pal for a walk in the Cotswold countryside – followed by some fantastic British-grown grub.

Classic car magazines have long provided car lovers with a diet of beautifully shot photographs and Top Gear-ish articles. So far, so leather-driving-gloves. But now there’s something different on the shelves, Classic. Retro. Modern.. Rather than articles on the E-Type/DB6, it looks at the sort of cars that impressed kids growing up in the 1970s and ’80s. Kids like the magazine’s art director Roy McCarthy. “Every issue has something in it that surprises and educates me,” says Roy. “The time I get to spend reading about things like the Autozam AZ-1, Erik Carlsson, or the TVR M-Series always feels like time well-spent.” The latest issue, the fifth, puts the spotlight on the Aston Martin Lagonda, the Triumph Stag and other classics from Nissan and Saab. If you nagged your dad (unsuccessfully) to get a TR-7 in 1981, this is the magazine for you. The design is part of the appeal, too. “Classic. Retro. Modern. employs some of my favourite classic typefaces,” says Roy. “There’s an ever-changing retro colour palette, and a modernist layout that owes a considerable debt to old Braun product catalogues and 1960s periodicals from The Council Of Industrial Design.” Another reason then why it’s a worthy addition to anyone’s 1970s coffee table.

thekillingworthcastle.com

Classic.Retro.Modern. is published by Motorworld Media. Twitter: @classicretromod.

In Search of Thursday

Henry Moore

The artist What is it about Yorkshire and the visual arts? While Bradford’s David Hockney is undoubtedly the UK’s most respected living painter, he follows the path laid down by another iconic Yorkshire artist, Henry Moore. Not only was Moore a gifted draughtsman, but his sculptures, often fashioned from bronze, brought abstraction to the masses. Henry Moore was born in Castlefield, West Yorkshire, in 1898. After training to be a teacher in Leeds and serving in the British Army, he forged a career for himself as an artist and sculptor, famously carving a relief, West Wind, for the facade of the London Underground new HQ at St. James’s. With a reputation for avant-garde work, he became head of sculpture at the Chelsea School of Art and later, when war broke out in 1939, an official war artist. His ‘shelter drawings’ – of people taking refuge from the Blitz in the London Underground are some of his most loved works. He was best known for his ‘reclining figure’ sculptures, which were in demand worldwide throughout his career. He exhibited Reclining Figure: Festival at the Festival of Britain in 1951, and in 1958 made a large marble reclining figure for the UNESCO building in Paris. Another common theme was the mother and child, which inspired him after his daughter, Mary, was born in 1946. Taking hefty lumps of stone and bronze, he’d fashion them down to the essence of the subject – the sculptural equivalent of a Picasso abstract or Rothko’s ‘colour field’ canvases. And thanks to his prolific production, there are hundreds of Moore sculptures around the world. Which means whether you’re visiting his former studio-home in Hertfordshire or taking in the sights of Leeds, London, New York City or San Francisco, you’re never too far from a Henry Moore.

The book At the age of 25, Paul Traynor decided, on a whim, to become a venture capitalist and joined investment giant 3i – hoping for a posting to Silicon Valley. Instead he was sent to Birmingham where he found himself dealing with plumbers who had accidentally acquired a container of Italian Jacuzzis, megalomaniac pony-tailed, medallion-wearing corporate raiders and a charming Indian gentleman who used the proceeds of 3i’s investment to fund a lavish wedding for his son. It’s genuinely laugh-out-loud stuff, the characters so vivid they practically walk off the page and the pace of the storytelling will have you turning the pages long after you should have switched your lamp off. But then, gradually, you realise you’re learning stuff too; like what it takes to succeed in VC and PE and how investment decisions really get made. This book is a rare and absorbing insight into the cloaked world of private equity: entertaining, thought-provoking and informative all at the same time. In Search of Thursday is available to buy now on amazon.com, £9.99

The sound of obsession At Christopher Ward our designers are a little, well, obsessive. Take the C60 Trident Pro 600 as proof. So determined were the design team in England to get the ‘click’ of the rotating dive bezel just right, they secretly recorded other brands’ bezels for reference. Then sent the recordings to our brilliant Swiss engineers – and told them to do their best. The result is a bezel with a click that beats all other brands, bar one: Rolex. Next time, we’ll go one better. christopherward.com

Great watch-wearers

Steve Jobs Few people have changed our lives – and mainly for the better – than Apple founder Steve Jobs. From the Apple Macintosh to the iPad, his vision drove the production of some of the world’s most influential devices. Ten years after his death, Apple is now a significant player in the watch market. The Apple Watch can be found on the wrists of millions of people who’d either given up on timepieces or never wore them in the first place. Thirty-four million were sold in 2020. But the Apple Watch came after Jobs. For Steve Jobs, his watch – like his trademark black turtleneck, ‘dad’ jeans and New Balance trainers – was about function first, and form afterwards. The timepiece he’s most associated with is a Seiko quartz three-hander from the Chariot range (serial number: 6431-6030). A watch he wore for an iconic Time magazine photoshoot in 1984. For someone as wealthy as Jobs, this tasteful but ordinary watch is the opposite of what you’d

expect the CEO of the world’s most valuable company to wear. It measures 33mm across and is powered by a regular quartz movement with a tolerance of +/- 15 seconds per month. The dial ticks all the minimalist boxes with Helvetica numerals, a sleek handset and seconds markers around the edge. There’s also more than a nod to Bauhaus design and Dieter Rams’ AW10 Braun watch, but in itself, it’s nothing special. Jobs just wanted a tool watch that told the time in as clear a way as possible. Despite this, and following Jobs’s death in 2011, the watch sold at an auction in 2016 for $42,500, with Seiko re-releasing the Chariot in 33mm and 37mm editions a year later. While this simple timepiece may not count your steps, measure your blood sugar level, or order a take-away, it tells the time clearly and accurately. For Steve Jobs, that was all it needed to do.

Column

Metal fatigue Titanium? Gold? Carbon fibre? When it comes to watch construction, Ken Kessler swears by stainless steel Along with the watch industry’s addiction to fresh dial colours, unusual strap materials and useless complications is the fetish for experimenting with case materials. It’s like an entire manufacturing culture has Attention Deficit Disorder. While it may deliver a shortterm bump in interest and thus sales – watch hacks are always desperate for something new to write about – it also causes confusion among consumers. Worse: it feeds and enables ill-informed online ‘gurus’ to blather on about subjects beyond their ken. That said, we’re stuck with it.

relative to and reflecting the cost of the watch. Thus a Breguet’s housing would be fashioned from solid gold, while a ‘dollar watch’ – those populist timekeepers from the 1870s onward which were pumped out by the hundreds of millions – would arrive in nickel-plated brass or some other prosaic metal. The movements of the latter, too, were simple and cheap, while what you found inside a Breguet or an Arnold or a Frodsham remains something to behold. Human nature being what it is, poseurs of limited means would opt for gold-plated, rolled gold or silver gilt – AKA ‘vermeil’ – if they wanted to look wealthy but weren’t. The joke was on them, as the base metals soon showed through, even if the rolled or plated gold was relatively thick. Aficionados today now avoid such timepieces like the plague, unless they happen to be fine watches underneath the bling. I recall with fondness truly superb 1940s rolledgold Gruens and Hamiltons and Longines which – horologically speaking – defied the lipstick-on-a-pig case-coating accusations. If you don’t believe me that the plating ruse is now passé for all but shopping-centre watches, just check the value of any major brand vintage watch with a rolled gold or plated case versus its stainless steel equivalent. If there’s

In practice, all this faffing about with materials actually does little to advance horology. It’s not like discovering a revolutionary new lubricant, or a luminous material that glows for more than five minutes. For the better part of three or four centuries, watchmakers, dating back to the creators of the earliest pocket-borne timepieces, practised a simple either/or scenario: gold or silver for patricians, base metals for peons and peasants. Actually, scratch that: until the late 19th century, when America chimed in with mass-produced timepieces, peons and peasants didn’t own watches. All went along swimmingly, then, with something as obvious as the value of the case material remaining

an exception to this rule (and there always is), it’s the currently scalding-hot Must de Cartier Tanks of the 1970s, which are about as cool as affordable watches can be. They’ve doubled in value in the last year, even if the gold is all but worn away, the silver showing through. It was the emergence of chromium steels, with their enhanced resistance to oxidation, and the ultimate ascent of stainless steel which proved steel to be the best all-round material for everything from watch cases to knives to a bazillion other objects. Anything else was spurious, superfluous, greedy or desperate. As much as I appreciate my titanium kitchen scissors and ceramic knives, I still prefer Solingen- and Sheffield-made cutlery, and have been a devotee of Victorinox pocket knives for 50 years – all stainless steel. Using precious metals – categorically inferior to stainless steel for ruggedness – was always either a means of exploiting those desperate for some bling in their lives, thus the emptying of these consumers’ pockets, or an affirmation of my argument that the watch industry needs ‘novelties’ the way a crack addict needs a rock. The rarity of precious metals has always been the justification for their higher value – gold remains the currency standard,

whatever Bitcoin promises – but in manufacturing, there’s a consideration of which painfully few consumers are aware, and why stainless steel is actually a bargain. Think about this one trait, which is never discussed when watches are being sold to you: steel is far more difficult to work than gold, let alone bronze, and yet watch brands charge more for non-steel watches on the basis of the cost of the raw material rather than the labour involved. I’m not about to turn actuary and worry about the final costs of materials-plus-labour of producing a stainless steel case vs its identical solid-gold equivalent, but there’s probably not a lot in it, especially if you've seen Swiss hourly wages. Then there’s a ruse element, which grows increasingly more important as those vile toe-rags on e-scooters and mopeds rob the citizenry of their fine watches. Unless you work in jewellery or the watch business, or happen to have a background in engineering or metallurgy, you will be hard-pressed – should such things matter – to tell from 10 paces whether a watch is made of stainless steel, white gold or platinum. Side-by-side, if you know these metals, you will detect different levels of greyness, whiteness, or sheen, but so

All this faffing about with materials actually does little to advance horology

what? If you’re a bit of a phoney and want people to think your steel watch is platinum, go right ahead. Only that tiny percentage of individuals who know their metals will suspect a thing. I realise that building my case for stainless steel on the premise that it allows you to deceive people is hardly a positive, but for some, eg, those with fake Louis Vuitton luggage, or, for that matter, fake Rolexes, will appreciate the con-artistry value. That aspect of the look of stainless steel won’t, however, stop thieves, but they’re more likely to cut off your hand for a solid-gold watch than one in steel. That depends, of course, on whether or not they are sophisticated enough to know the value of any stainless steel Rolex or Patek Philippe, all of which in their minds justify the use of a machete or sledge hammer on the watch owner. Which brings us to my favourite conundrum, especially as the modern gold alloys have been developed either to minimise the wear-and-tear differential, eg, Hublot’s Magic Gold), reduce the gold fading, or minimise other weaknesses. I know from experience, when I owned a steel-and-gold watch which I wore daily, that the gold links showed unmistakable wear after three years. More vivid was a friend’s

solid-gold timepiece which, when you held it up to the light, revealed how the bracelet had worn and stretched so much that the sunlight shone through the gaps. The replacement cost 15 years ago was £11,000, even after deducting the scrap value of the original bracelet. As for the conundrum, how is it that for certain vintage watches, the steel model is worth as much, if not more than its gold equivalent? I don’t have to name-check them for you: if you’re in the market for a vintage timepiece, you know exactly the watches to which I refer. And while you’re surfing the pre-owned watch sites, compare the values of the stainless steel models with their bronze, titanium, or ceramic equivalents. Stainless steel always wins. And I haven’t even begun to tell you why, were I to drop £500, £5000 or £50,000 on a watch, I want the weight on my wrist to be greater than that of a £50 Swatch. Call me a tyre-kicker, but if you bought a ceramic or titanium watch to relieve you of the Herculean burden of 100g of steel on your wrist, and your last name isn’t Nadal or Murray, then you have far greater problems than choice of material.

Stainless steel proved to be the best all-round material for watch cases

Timespan

7.07 I said-a hip, hop, the hippie, the hippie To the hip hip hop-a you don’t stop the rock It to the bang-bang boogie, say up jump the boogie To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat

It’s odd how revolutions start. Take the four lines above. To the unfamiliar, they’re nonsensical. And yet, this stanza starts one of the most influential songs of the last 70 years: Rapper’s Delight by the Sugarhill Gang. Rapper’s Delight is a revolution. The first hip-hop song to break the US top 40 chart, it also reached the top three in the UK and number one in Canada. Without Rapper’s Delight, rap may never have become the most dominant music form of the planet. Of course, Rapper’s Delight didn’t come out of thin air. Hip-hop was already a force in New York City, growing out of the projects of the Bronx. Here, DJs would spin two copies of the same record, finding a section they liked (‘the break’) and creating a constant loop that ‘MCs’ could deliver shout-outs over. Soon these shouts morphed into rhymes that focused on the MC’s prowess with the ladies, microphone skills or links to shady criminal organisations.

Meanwhile, in Lower Manhattan, Chic were creating a set of disco classics aimed at the emerging black middle class and embraced by the celebrity crowd at the Studio 54 nightclub. On September 21st 1979, Chic, alongside The Clash and Blondie, appeared at the Palladium in Manhattan. When they started playing Good Times, rapper Fab Five Freddy and the Sugarhill Gang (‘Big Bank Hank’ Jackson, ‘Wonder Mike’ Wright, and ‘Master Gee’ O’Brien) joined them on stage and began rapping over the track. Within a few weeks a record appeared that featured the Sugarhill Gang rhyming over the bassline from Good Times in what would be the earliest incarnation of Rapper’s Delight. Chic bassist Bernard Edwards heard it in a club, found out its origin and threatened legal action against the label. Something that was settled only when he and Chic’s Nile Rodgers were credited as writers. The definitive version of Rapper’s Delight – which included stanzas borrowed from rapper, Grandmaster Caz, and the phrase 50

‘hip-hop’ from Wonder Mike’s cousin – was recorded soon after. The session was presided over by studio owner Sylvia Robinson, who auditioned Jackson in front of the pizza parlour where he worked while Gee auditioned in Robinson’s car. A group of musicians recorded the relevant parts from Good Times with 17-year-old bassist Chic Shearling ordered to play for 15 minutes straight with no mistakes. “The drummer and I were sweating bullets because that’s a long time,” he said. “And this was in the days before samplers and drum machines when real humans had to play things. Sylvia said, ‘I’ve got these kids who are going to talk real fast over it; that’s the best way I can describe it.’” Today, there would be no question as to what the Sugarhill Gang were doing. And talking ‘real fast’ would soon explode out of New York City and go on to conquer the world.

Air born and bred How do you pay tribute to the British Army’s Parachute Regiment? We think the ultra-accurate C63 Colchester chronometer fits the bill. Designed with the Paras (and named after their HQ), it brings advanced material technology together with the finest Swiss watchmaking. The watch’s carbon construction means it’s incredibly light and unbelievably strong, while the pop-out crown adds comfort without interrupting the silhouette of the Light-catcher™ case. So it always looks on-point – wherever you land. christopherward.com

Return Address: Christopher Ward (London) Limited 1 Park Street Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 1SL United Kingdom

Ambitious. Meet our new bronze editions from page 14.

C60 Bronze Ombré Green COSC LE

C63 Sealander Bronze COSC

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