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SUMMER 2015 - ISSUE 12
CHRISTOPHER WARD MAGAZINE
There are many good things about summer: post-work drinks outside your favourite pub, competitive barbecues with your friends and lazy Sunday afternoons watching Formula 1. Ideally when it’s sunny outside. And it’s the early days of Grand Prix that provide the inspiration for our latest motorsport collection, the C70 Grand Prix Chronometers. The perfect combination of Swiss watchmaking know-how and exquisite British design, it’s going to make a lot of people happy this year. Read the story behind it on page 10. Away from watches, this issue boasts our strongest feature line-up yet. If you like music, you’ll love our account of the early days of The Rolling Stones in south-west London, while the concept of Daylight Saving Time is covered in a fascinating feature on page 38. There’s plenty more, but we’ll let you discover it for yourself. As ever, thanks for reading,
Peter, Chris, Mike
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CHRISTOPHER WARD MAGAZINE
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SUMMER 2015 - ISSUE 12
Eamonn Forde The writer of this issue’s feature on the early days of The Rolling Stones, Eamonn Forde is a regular contributor to Q, The Guardian and The Big Issue. He used to work in academia – getting his PhD from the University of Westminster in 2001 – but ran away to become a journalist.
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Jim Butler A former music journalist, Jim spent 15 years waiting for musicians in hotel lobbies. He now spends his time more wisely – curating playlists for Google, writing about sport for Virgin Media and raising a family in Sussex’s trendy (according to broadsheet newspapers) St Leonards-on-Sea.
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Front cover: C70 British GP 1926 Chronometer
Christopher Ward (London) Limited, 1 Park Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1SL, United Kingdom. chris@christopherward.co.uk Customer Services: wera@christopherward.co.uk Editor: Anthony Teasdale Design and art direction: ToyasO’Mara Colour reprographics: JP Repro
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CW | CWORLD
CHRISTOPHER WARD MAGAZINE, SUMMER 2015
UK WATCH INDUSTRY TOGETHER FOR FIRST TIME IN 50 YEARS More than 100 horology companies, including Christopher Ward, Bremont and Roger Smith, were in attendance for the first Watch Industry Strategy Conference in March, organised by the British Watch & Clock Makers Guild. At the event, moderator Steve Domb announced the main goal of the conference was to agree a general statement of intent:
“To return British horology to its historic position of pre-eminence in world markets for innovative design and manufacture of quality timepieces.” Topics discussed included the issue of parts withdrawal by Swiss brands, the need for engineering in general – and watchmaking in particular – to form part of secondary school education, and the issues surrounding products branded as British when they may be made elsewhere. “It can only be a good thing that the British industry comes together to discuss pertinent issues,” said Chris Ward. “The fact that this is the first time it’s happened in 50 years tells you there’s plenty to consider. “For our part, we’re particularly keen to support the introduction of watchmaking in schools and colleges as part of the syllabus and were therefore happy to commit our support to Loughborough University, which is piloting an important initiative in this regard.”
Trident: white here, white now Fans of the newly-launched C60 Tridents, including many women, have been vocal in their requests for more models than just the black bezel version with white dials. No sooner said than done! CW is delighted to announce the arrival of three new white-dial versions in blue, red or green bezel trim in the Pro 600 and 300 models for delivery in May. 4 orderline +44 1628 763040
Ford GT40 watch takes pole position Following the Aston Martin DBR1 and Ferrari GTO Limited Editions, (each containing fragments of these cars), Christopher Ward has announced plans to release a watch containing metal from the Ford GT40 that won back-to-back Le Mans victories in 1968 and 1969. The launch date will be sometime later in 2015. The design of the watch is a carefully guarded secret, but it’s expected to be a radical departure from previous motorsport designs, and will closely reflect design aspects of the car itself. In a further departure, only 40 pieces will be produced, ensuring the watch will be as sought after as the car itself.
CWORLD | CW
! E L B M A R SC MBLE! SCRA MBLE! SCRA ES TO THE ATCH TAK W E IR F IT SP
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CHRISTOPHER WARD HAS ANNOUNCED A SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PILOT’S WATCH TO COMMEMORATE THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN.
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The C9 Big Day Date, Jumping Hour Mk 3, Single Pusher Chronograph and 5 Day Automatic watches will all receive the solid-gold bezel treatment this autumn. The impetus for this was the rosegold Single Pusher Chronograph which sold out within weeks of its launch. Each design will be limited to 50 pieces with prices starting from around £1,000 for the Big Day Date.
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Gold standard for CW legends
The C8 P7350, powered by a handwound version of the company’s SH21 movement, will contain a piece of the Supermarine Spitfire P7350 – the oldest airworthy Spitfire in the world. It’s the only one still flying to have actually fought in the battle that proved a decisive turning point in the war against the Nazis. Available in a limited edition of just 75 pieces, the design of the watch has been
inspired by the plane’s cockpit clock. “The Spitfire is probably the most important plane ever built in this country and we’re incredibly proud to present a watch carrying such an evocative piece of British history,” said Christopher Ward co-founder Mike France. The watches will be on board the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s (BBMF) fly-past on June 18. They’ll then be given to their new owners. The P7350 was the 14th Spitfire to be built at the Castle Bromwich ‘shadow’ factory in Birmingham, entering service with 266 Squadron in August 1940. You can pre-order your C8 P7350 watch now from: christopherward.co.uk
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Synergies welcomes new watchmakers
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BIEL-BASED CHRISTOPHER WARD ATELIER, SYNERGIES HORLOGERES, HAS TAKEN ON FIVE YOUNG WATCHMAKERS IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS TO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND FOR C8 PILOT - 44MM (AuTOMATIC) Project P--THE BRAND’S FIRST IN-HOUSE MOVEMENT, CALIBRE SH21, RELEASED IN JULY 2014. 1,20
New watchmakers Raymond, Petra, Leandra, Jeremy and Alicia
Switzerland has been investing heavily in recent years in watchmaking education and development, and the industry buzz surrounding CW’s progressive watchmaking team led by Johannes Jahnke and Frank Stelzer has proved a big draw for young watchmakers. As Synergies founder and Christopher Ward director Jorg Bader said “The word is definitely out that something special is happening here and we are always delighted to welcome new watchmaking talent to the business as we seek to establish Christopher Ward as one of the industry’s leading innovators.” christopherward.co.uk 5
CW | CWORLD
HE T ‘ ‘SPEAKING CLOCK ” WS INTERVIE Y’S TOP LOG O R O H WITH CERS INFLUEN
KELLY JASPER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, HODINKEE
Santos Dumont from the 1960s. This small, yellow-gold, time-only dress watch caught my eye for a variety of reasons: Cartier’s deep history and expertise in watchmaking, the appealing obscurity of this particular model, and the handsome aesthetics. It was, at the time, the most expensive purchase that I’d made in my life and I wanted to be sure that the model was authentic. I searched online for every ounce of information that I could find, leading me down an endless vortex of watch enthusiast forums, brand/ model fan pages, and online magazines like HODINKEE. Why do you think mechanical watches seem to be growing in popularity?
It’s due in no small part to the expansion and growth of the men’s fashion market. The recent growth (particularly for younger people) can be attributed to the proliferation of forums, social media, blogs and other forms of enthusiast media. Also, watches offer another opportunity for men (and women) to express their individual aesthetic tastes and (usually more intangible) psychological values. In essence, in an age Hi Kelly. Tell us about HODINKEE…
HODINKEE is a robust online magazine featuring in-depth reviews, critiques and reports on watches of a particularly high quality. Uniquely, our team of writers are known for our innate understanding of both historical references and the most cuttingedge haute horlogerie. Of most importance to me is the fact that we talk about watches in a way that’s both entertaining and easy to understand. What’s the score with the name?
The name HODINKEE was created on a whim. It’s a phonetic variation of the Czech word “hodinky”. Why Czech? In the early days of the blog, founder Ben Clymer searched online for foreign translations of the word “watch” in order to come up with an interesting name for the website. “Hodinky” (little watch) was included in the results, Ben changed the spelling a bit, and the rest is internet watchguy history. What are the watches first got you into horology?
I can trace my horological passion back to my first vintage wristwatch: a Cartier 6 christopherward.co.uk
where personal expression is highly valued, watches can offer the right means of self-expression. Additionally, watches were always – and still are today – an important purchase that many men use to mark momentous occasions in their lives. How do you think the Apple Watch will affect the ‘regular’ watch market ?
First, we need to acknowledge that the ‘regular’ watch market overwhelmingly consists of quartz watches. I think that in our niche world of mechanical watch collecting, we can lose sight of this but the numbers do not lie. In 2014, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry reported that quartz (electronic) watches comprised 71 per cent (20.4m units) of Swiss watch exports. Personally, I feel that this segment of the market – more specifically, for watches under CHF 500 – will be impacted the most from sales of the Apple Watch. With regard to the market for mechanical watches I don’t think that there will be a huge impact. The real driver for mechanical watch purchases, in my mind, is an
CWORLD | CW
appreciation for fine craftsmanship and a seemingly anachronistic need for discreet, non-back-lit, portable timekeeping. What annoys you about the watchmaking industry at the moment?
I have a particular distaste for overwrought marketing exercises (including the seemingly endless sponsorships of second-rate sporting events and athletes.) I don’t believe that truly discerning consumers are really swayed by these marketing tactics. That said, I understand that this type of marketing is ultimately helpful from a commercial perspective to increase brand awareness in new markets. Additionally, I think that a number of companies release model updates too frequently. In my opinion, the ‘updates’ have become increasingly trivial – mostly things like superficial changes to the dial or bezels. The corporate energy required to make such changes should be better directed toward achieving vertical integration, and, well, making better watches.
The perfect match
What’s the second-hand watch market like in New York and the US? Are there still bargains to be had?
It’s particularly robust in New York and the United States in general. The consensus from sophisticated dealers and collectors is that it’s getting increasingly difficult to find true bargains particularly on models in very good condition. This is reflective not only of an increasing collector base, but also of the increasing sophistication of the market. At a more granular level, the market is rock-solid in New York City. The New York Times recently published a study, using data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey, showing that New Yorkers spend an average of 600 per cent more on watches than the rest of the nation. We’ll take credit for that one. What’s your view on Christopher Ward? Any models you particularly like?
I like that Christopher Ward is so true to its market niche for (relatively) affordable mechanical watches. This area of the market is truly underserved. In particular, the C9 5 Day Automatic is priced well and includes an in-house movement – something nearly unheard of at this price point. www.hodinkee.com
IF YOU’VE JUST BOUGHT THE PERFECT DIVING WATCH, THEN IT PAYS TO HAVE A QUALITY DECK SHOE TO GO WITH IT. STEP FORWARD THE SEBAGO DOCKSIDES, THE IDEAL ACCESSORY TO THE NEW C60 TRIDENT PRO 600.
Introduced in 1970, Docksides are a classic boat shoe, made from a single piece of leather that’s crafted and hand-sewn into shape before a rubber sole – essential for defying slippery decks – is added to the bottom. While the Docksides can’t follow your Trident to the depths, they’ll happily pal up when it comes to recounting your sub-aquatic adventures in even the most exclusive of yacht clubs. If someone questions you about your claims to membership, just tell them “Roman” sent you; the watch/shoe combo will smooth everything through. Sebago Docksides, £110 from www.steeplepine.co.uk C60 Trident Pro 600, £660 orderline +44 1628 763040 7
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GIANNI AGNELLI “I’D LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO APPLE ON BECOMING A PART OF THE WATCH INDUSTRY WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE APPLE WATCH, EVEN IF IT APPEARS THAT IT WANTS TO DESTROY THE REST OF US WITH ITS LATEST GADGET“
Apple Watch:
Mike France’s verdict “Whether they succeed or not, only time (sorry!) will tell, and although Apple has a great track record of launching marketchanging products – iPhone, iPod etc – there’s a tendency to airbrush from history failures like the Apple G4 Cube and iPod Hi-Fi. “Meanwhile, the watch industry should welcome the attention the launch brings to wrist wear and the chance of convincing smartphonecarrying ‘millennials’ and Generation Z’ers that ‘proper’ watches are worth considering, too. “I’m a huge fan of Apple designer Jony Ive and would never underestimate the power of the brand. However, this is the first of his designs that I haven’t wanted to own – and not just because I wear a CW on my wrist. It just isn’t beautiful enough.”
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THE MOST FAMOUS ITALIAN INDUSTRIALIST WORE MORE THAN HIS HEART ON HIS SLEEVE Elegance is not easy for a man to pull off. But former Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli had it in spades. Elegance in his hand-made suits, his Brooks Brothers shirts and of course, his watches. Specifically the way he wore them. Before we get on to his watch-wearing, it’s worth knowing a little about the man. Born in 1926, he was the grandson of Fiat founder, Giovanni Agnelli, spending his privileged youth around Turin and Piedmont, where his family originated. Photos of him from the time show a young man dressed in beautiful suits, his hair slicked back like a matinee idol. After World War II (during which he was shot in the arm), GIanni learnt the ins and outs of car production, and in 1966 was made president of Fiat During his period at the helm he made it the biggest company in Italy, opening factories in Russia and making alliances all over the world, including America. And it was on his travels, with his suit jacket taken off, that his unique way wearing of watches was shown. Unlike seemingly every other man in the world, Gianni Agnelli wore his watch – either a Patek Philippe World Time or Omega Seamaster PloProf – over the cuff of his shirt. While it was thought that this was done to speed up the process of telling the time, the truth is a little more prosaic, as his friend, the journalist Taki, pointed out. “In the day, he wore Brooks Brothers shirts and the cuffs were wide enough to fit the watch. But Gianni had his evening shirts hand-made by Battistoni, and it turned out the cuffs were so tight he couldn’t get his watch on. So he wore it on the outside.” This way of doing things was typical of him. He was also famed for wearing the thin part of his tie longer than the thick part, and coupled his expensive suits with what looked like hiking boots. Like his way of wearing watches, this was caused by necessity. After an argument with his mistress, Pamela Churchill, he went out for a high-speed ride around Monaco and ended up crashing his car. The severe injuries to his foot meant that from now he had to wear a brace, which could only be hidden by hiking boots, somehow making them an integral part of a formal outfit. Agnelli stepped down from his role at Fiat in 1993, and died, aged 81 from pancreatic cancer ten years later. To this day, people copy his idiosyncratic style, which chimed perfectly with what Italians call sprezzatura – making the difficult look easy. And no one made it look easier than Gianni.
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THE GREAT
WATCH
(Photo by Neil Armstrong/Space Frontiers/Getty Images)
WEARERS
“Gianni had his evening shirts hand-made by Battistoni, and the cuffs were so tight he couldn’t get his watch on. So he wore it on the outside”
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CW | C70GP CH RONO M ETERS
atch w h c Ea s the e e i r r a c of th s e m na their , s r e driv nd the a time f the e flag o ry the rac t coun lace in p took 10 orderline +44 1628 763040
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C70GP CHRONOMETERS | CW
S K C A TR S R A E Y
THE
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THE NEW C70 GRAND PRIX CHRONOMETERS COLLECTION COMMEMORATES THE PIONEERS OF GRAND PRIX RACING IN A SERIES THAT MERGES STUNNING DESIGN WITH UNRIVALLED TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
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here’s something about motorsport and fine watchmaking that makes them natural bedfellows. Like the best cars, great watches fuse mechanics with art, a combination that makes them endlessly fascinating, and, as many a depleted bank account can testify, annoyingly irresistible. Ever since Christopher Ward was founded, cars have inspired the company’s timepieces. This isn’t
MODEL: BELGIUM GRAND PRIX, SPA FRANCORCHAMP 1921
Photos: Ken Copsey, MPL pictures
Ascari in Alfa Romeo P2, Belgian GP, 1925
surprising. All of the company’s founders; Mike France, Peter Ellis and Chris Ward, are almost as nuts about cars as they are about watches. From the C3 Chronograph, directly influenced by the look of early Aston Martin dashboards, to this year’s C70 D-Type and 3527GT Chronometers, complete
with a chunk of Ferrari GT panelling in the case, sports cars will always play a big part in what CW does. Yet nothing that Christopher Ward has produced so far has brought the worlds of motorsport and watchmaking together so perfectly as the new C70 GP Chronometer range – the brand’s most ambitious automotive series yet. The new range harks back to the original 2007 series which so enthralled motorsport fans. It sees subtle changes to dials, back-plates and straps and has been upgraded to chronometer status with the introduction of one of the finest Swiss quartz movements available. Limited to just 500 pieces each, the range contains four watches, all of which pay homage individually to the early greats of Grand Prix and the races where they won their most significant victories. Each watch carries the names of the drivers, their recorded time and the flag of the country the race took place in. And in a further act of homage to the seconds shaved off by these daredevils in overalls, every timepiece is a COSC-certified chronometer. “It’s about celebrating the birth of grand prix motor racing as we know it,” says Chris Ward. “We chose to mark four iconic European circuits in France, Great Britain, Italy and Belgium and the very first Grand Prix held at each. Each race has its own special story and these are referenced on the different watches, while the colour schemes reflect the national flag of the host country. These flags are also reproduced in ➸
orderline +44 1628 763040 11
CW | T RID E NT RE D E FI N ED MODEL: BRITISH GRAND PRIX, BROOKLANDS,1926
Talbot of Seagrave leads the field in the 1926 British Grand Prix at Brooklands
“If there was an award for ‘the people’s luxury watch’ “This is a complex then the C60 Tridenttiming wouldinstrument win every time” that can capture split-seconds with astonishing accuracy, making it equally useful at Brands Hatch as at your child’s go-kart track” 12 christopherward.co.uk
C 7 0 G P C HR O NO M ET ER S | CW
ceramic beneath sapphire crystal on the back-plates. At a time when motorsport has never been safer – there hasn’t been a fatality in Formula 1 since Ayrton Senna was killed in 1994 – it’s easy to forget the early drivers faced down death, every time they got in their cars. The stories behind the watches are an antidote to the safety-first society we live in today. As Peter Ellis says, “We were inspired by the pioneering spirit, courage and adventure of the early racers, seeing something of them in our own approach to business. They weren’t afraid of taking risks and were constantly pushing the envelope of what was possible.” To see exactly what Christopher Ward is trying to achieve with the series, let’s look at one of the models more closely, in this case, the C70 British GP 1926 Chronometer. The watch is inspired by the first British Grand Prix at the famous Brooklands circuit in Surrey. MODEL: FRENCH GRAND PRIX, LE MANS, 1906
Photos: Ken Copsey, MPL pictures
Photo: Ken Copsey
Driver “Mariaux” in his Mercedes at the 1906 Le Mans Grand Prix
The British Racing Green colour scheme and ceramic Union Jack on the back plate pay deference to the first home of UK motorsport. The watch also pays homage to the French drivers Robert Sénéchal and Louis Wagner, who drove their French Delage 155B to victory in a time of 4hr 56sec. Their feat is etched into the side of the case. If you like getting admiring (or jealous) glances from both friends and strangers then this watch is going to make you very popular indeed. All the other watches in the range boast similar credentials – and a large part of the attraction is that incredible face. “The dial is one of our most complex yet,” says Chris Ward. “It’s got several layers and intricate detailing, especially around the sub-dials, and is covered by high-grade, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The C70 design has become a CW classic and the leather straps in particular are a key feature of the
MODEL: ITALIAN GRAND PRIX, BRESCIA, 1921
The Ballot 3L at the 1921 Italian GP
watch, picking up the colour theme of the dial.” Up close, the dial really is incredible, a work of art that captivates wearer and starer alike. Placed in the C70 case, with the solidity and mechanical finesse that this entails, it adds up to a timepiece you just can’t help but admire. Mike France: “As well as being a striking-looking watch with an enthralling narrative, it shouldn’t be forgotten that this is a complex timing instrument that can capture split-seconds with astonishing accuracy, making it equally useful at Brands Hatch as at your child’s go-kart track.” The most significant change from the original 2007 series is the addition of the thermo-compensated ETA 251.233 movement which has allowed the company to gain the highly valued (and still relatively rare) chronometer status from COSC in Switzerland, making these watches among the most accurate in the world. “The movement isn’t new to us at Christopher Ward,” says Mike, “as it’s used in a number of C70 watches as well as the new C7 Rapide COSC. But using it in the new GP watches adds to the special quality of the series” With the launch of the C70 GP Chronometers it’s clear that Christopher Ward’s obsession with bringing premium watches to the wrists of regular people is stronger than ever. Because the basis of the designs are from 2007, there was already a strong design base to work from, yet the range still took a year of tweaking before the company was ready to put the watches in production. It’s this attention to the finer details that embodies the spirit of Christopher Ward and what places these four incredible watches on the front row of horology’s starting grid. Your only problem is choosing which one should grace your wrist. Still, who said winning was easy?
orderline +44 1628 763040 13
CW | T RID E NTS RE INV EN TED
Swiss movement, English heart
C9 5 DAY AUTOMATIC - 40 mm £1375 / $1895 Incorporating Christopher Ward’s in-house movement, Calibre SH21
E XC LU S I V E LY AVA I L A B L E AT
christopherward.co.uk
TIME
SPAN
3’03” THE IPHONE IS BORN
APPLE’S STEVE JOBS MAY HAVE BEEN A VISIONARY, BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, HE WAS A SHOWMAN. HIS LAUNCHES OF APPLE PRODUCTS – GOING BACK TO 1984 – HAD A SENSE OF THEATRE THAT ELEVATED THE PRODUCT BEYOND THAT OF THE MERELY TECHNOLOGICAL.
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his reached its climax with the launch of the iPhone in 2007, when Jobs used every one of his powers to unveil a gadget that really would change the world. In the years previously, there’d been calls for Apple to stick mobile phone connectivity inside an iPod, but Jobs had always resisted making a phone. He was reluctant to tie Apple in with one particular carrier and felt that bandwidth was too slow to let anyone surf the internet on a mobile device without losing connection. But by 2004, innovations in touchscreen technology and the opening up of the mobile phone market persuaded him to go ahead with the production of a phone. This venture would be called ‘Project Purple’, and employ the talents of 1,000 Apple staff members, including British design genius Jonathan Ive.
Fast-forward two-and-a-bit years later to January 9, 2007, and the Macworld conference in San Francisco. Steve Jobs appears on stage in his signature black turtle neck/faded jeans combination. He talks briefly about being involved in two revolutionary Apple products, the Macintosh computer and the iPod, and then carries the theme forward. “Today, we’re introducing three revolutionary products of this class,” he says. “The first one is a widescreen iPod with touch controls. The second is a revolutionary mobile phone. And the third is a breakthrough Internet communications device.” Cue cheers for each one, especially the phone. He carries on. “So, three things: a widescreen iPod with touch controls; a revolutionary mobile phone; and a breakthrough internet communications device. An iPod, a phone, and an internet communicator.” The penny starts to drop, and applause fills the room. “An iPod, a phone… are you getting it? These are not three separate devices, this is one device, and we’re calling it iPhone.” And with that brilliant intro, the future of how we communicate is changed forever. christopherward.co.uk 15
CW | T H E ST ONE S
Stones s b r u b u S British R’n’B the
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HOW THE TELLS THE TALE OF EAMONN FORDE T LONDON WENT FROM WES ROLLING STONES RIOUS E BEATLES’ ONLY SE NOBODIES TO TH 1962. IN Y SOMETIME EARL LONDON RIVALS, n, they were then know he Rollin’ Stones, as e for be forming just had faultless timing, l and the British capita ed lod exp es The Beatl to s ng ori mo l hia slipped from its paroc music business. As the in yer pla l ba glo a became their their teeth and defined interlopers, they cut and ho So of ts greasy pavemen identity far from the h itis Br the for d sse what pa Denmark Street where ntred. music industry was ce ry Richards went to prima Mick Jagger and Keith , low cal as t me reendipitously school together but ser rd rtfo Da of rm tfo on the pla blues-obsessed teens tober th-east London on Oc sou e tsid ou t jus station a copy d tte spo lugging a guitar, 17 1962 when Keith, ick’s M r de un rry by Chuck Be of One Dozen Berrys ed lpt scu t tha , ver on, howe arm. It was west Lond med e-minded souls that for lik the in ng wi dra them, the band there. the classic line up of es by uld educate themselv wo ith Mick and Ke s, even ord rec es blu re for obscu scouring record shops uddy M , er to see Sonny Terry travelling to Manchest e& Blu y Bo tle Hooker play. Lit up, ➸ Waters and John Lee gro a at pt em att t ttering firs Blue Boys was their stu
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right The Stones in , their mid-’60s pomp role ir the to up g playin ’ as the ‘anti Beatles
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CW | T H E ST ONE S
Mick and Keith met Cheltenhamborn Brian Jones when he was trading under the soubriquet of Elmo Lewis
Crawdaddy Club was hatched and the nd ba the y z Jaz g mond was where the es night at the Ealin Station Hotel in Rich the in but it was a weekly blu as , ere ght, This was wh took flight. Club that set them ali é wealthy Russian émigr e, his autobiography, Lif in it s Giorgio Gomelsky, a Keith describe d ”. ha ate es, reg blu ng co the on uld s rie aks co who made documenta “rhythm and blues fre xis Korner and Cyril y as a conscious play Ale dd by da aw run s Cr wa the ht ed nig en op That m might uld nurture as far fro m,” says Keith, “there to have a scene he co Davies. “Without the . ble ssi po as d En West the interruptions of the have been nothing.” t t me bu t all firs in r ith ge Ke na d an ’s ma This was where Mick He acted as the band g st London’s walls with we ian Jones, then tradin g Br rin rn ste bo pla m, ha act en ntr elt co Ch g le, yin pla d an s &B with the Inimitab of Elmo Lewi posters advertising “R under the soubriquet r rne s”. Ko ne . Sto UK ’ llin the arating Ro n alien in Incomparable, Exhil slide guitar, a style the st rything in the west l Perks was in as bassi eve Bil , ich 62 wh 19 on of ke d en spo the By was the y tts bu Wa to ie p and money turned, with Charl cause he had a Vox am be London blues scene his , d ge ted an ora ch orp d beer. Perks rner’s Blues Inc the others cigarettes an playing drums in Ko at gig nt ter firs lan ir ed the tur yed fea ionally man and they pla Wy to me na a group that also occas t d las sai e r,” Grove. Only on piano. “Alexis Korne rby Arms near Edith the We jawed Ian Stewart on the as “w underst atement, fall into place. piece was needed to Keith with no sense of were the same In .” ne sce es s also where the band blu wa y on dd The Crawda daddy of the Lond ing ow rd elb , rtfo am Da dh on t Ol w Loog Mick me first spotted by Andre month that Keith and ns, rei th wi nt me ers ge mb na nu ma ed the hang out Gomelsky to seize station, Brian had exc en he Hall, keen to see happen wh at Cheltenham Town s gig wa a ian ing Br low ing fol r eth rne som Ko am’s dh rs Ol sta in e g Th . zin the band fiz ve to London spotted the plans for part triggering his mo the of t res the for d pushe formidable mind. He were aligning. s at became the Stone wh am on May 6, 1963, dh by Ol sal th ear wi n reh t sig firs to nd The ba ms Ar ers t a deal to get paid £5 ce in the Bricklay plicitously carving ou du might have taken pla act of ith Ke , ick rest of the band – an , but when M more a week than the in Soho in May 1962 ally in ntu re eve ua to Sq s s wa wi t Po tha flats in and power-playing yal tra be and Brian shared filthy the Grove in Fulham, catch him out. Notting Hill and Edith r assist ant to both Mary ntre. The Flamingo ice ep ir the e cam be Oldham was a forme st we the t, ee Str ur nager Brian Epstein, e on Wardo Quant and Beatles ma Club and the Marque rth d no in use Ho or w wave of fashion an the Man straddling both the ne Red Lion in Sutton, ry ➸ sor ust ind ind W sic in mu ub h Cl itis ck Br y Ti the new generation of London and the Rick s where circuit but Ealing wa g gin gig ir the on re we
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go top left: The Flamin n do Lon o, Soh in b clu above: The Stones when they wore matching outfits a bottom: Blues mecc The Marquee club W1 on Wardour Street,
Photos: Getty images
nager above: Stones ma m, whose Andrew Loog Oldha top the to m the k too skills nes in an left: The Rolling Sto early TV appearance r, the below: Alexis Korne blues ish Brit of r the dfa go
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CW | SPORT ING IMA G ES
Lennon n h o J t h g u ro b in Brian Epste back to y e tn r a C c M l u a P and e only v ro G h it d E in t a fl the band’s sofa e th n o h it e K d n a to find Mick gether to s g n o s te ri w to trying
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T HE S T ONES | CW
Photos: Getty images, Taschen
Oldham got them 3 a deal in May 196 with Dick Rowe, the Decca label d executive who ha infamously turned down The Beatles
consciously use this luminaries. He would tig the Stones as the ‘an background in reshapin m the g m in black and gettin Beatles’, dressing the his of nt me e were the instru to grow their hair. “W the said Keith. “We were ” in, ste revenge on Ep r.” ato ton de am the dynamite, Andy Oldh and ambitions for the band ar cle d ha am dh Ol rd oa yb ke g al rule by sackin imposed his ideologic rs yea few a s cause he wa player Ian Stewart be e d his look didn’t fit. “H an t res the n older tha line and jaw ix nd Be am illi W had a Popeye torso, a am ircut,” was how Oldh a bad Ray Danton ha moirs. me his of e t volum put it in Stoned, the firs tour as on y sta to ed , allow Stewart was, however rtain cu a d yer, albeit behin manager and piano pla n’t did jaw and prominent so that his stuffy look w fans the band was no ing eam put off the scr starting to attract. r play to change the This was part of a wide band that jolted Brian power structure of the the g Mick and Keith to to one side and swun led tal ins y wl ne as y iftl sw front. Oldham moved th wi 63 m a deal in May 19 manager, getting the d ha o wh e tiv a label execu Dick Rowe, the Decc r yea the es atl Be wn The infamously turned do ir itar bands were on the gu t tha g uin arg before, me Co gle was a cover of way out. Their first sin rry song, as Rowe had Be k uc On, fittingly a Ch g ian had written, arguin rejected songs that Br . gh ou en ial they weren’t commerc d leadership was null an In that blow, Brian’s ay yw an at ay chipped aw void, but it was being re to that. Before they we up g din lea for months es to atl Be e Th en tak d ha signed, Brian Epstein ttonCrawdaddy. Mick bu the at s ne Sto the see out ab him ing gig, quizz holed Epstein after the telling s wa ich wh – royalties music publishing and vers co g in obscure blues as the band were tradin
left: Jagger and
top d ting ught John Lennon an Oldham mid-mee bro ian Br e. tim the at t in Edith fla ’s ing page: Keith nd fac ba the to ck ba Paul McCartney on Richards tries out to find Mick and Keith Grove that night only his keyboard skills ck cra gs together. The p son ite wr to ing try above: The band wra a the sof ld co the st ain up ag was audible. band’s first single to By February 1965, the e, d Mick, The Last Tim be written by Keith an , 69 19 e Jun By s. art ch was number one in the nth mo band. The following Brian was out of the he was dead. me. On September 29 But that was all to co r d their first national tou 1963, the band starte ing en op y Brothers. The supporting The Everl held ria Theatre in London cto Vi w night at the Ne y’d the wd cro st ge big ily the 700 people and was eas x bo eat ge jump from the sw ever played to – a hu they were er aft ere Th . on nd Lo backrooms of west tional band. They were a na no longer a London e. on al on ati ern an int band – and soon to be
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CW | SPORT ING IMAG ES
Swiss movement, English heart
CLUB
995 PREMIUM WATCHES, REMARKABLE VALUE
Five of our finest watches, each priced at £995 / $1375
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A fitting tribute
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WATCH LOVERS COME IN ALL
SHAPES AND SIZES. SADLY, THE STRAPS THAT HOLD THEM ARE USUALLY AIMED AT A CERTAIN WIDTH OF WRIST, THUS EXCLUDING LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO’D LOVE TO WEAR A QUALITY TIMEPIECE. TAKING THIS ON BOARD, CHRISTOPHER WARD HAS LAUNCHED A RANGE OF STRAPS THAT COME IN THREE SIZES, SOMETHING OUR TRIO OF ATHLETES FROM THE CHALLENGER PROGRAMME REALLY
Photo: Richard Pinches
APPRECIATE
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CW | PE RFE CT FIT
The variety in wrist sizes shows that CW watches really can be worn by anyone
Amber wears C60 Trident Pro 600 38mm SBB with a blue small strap
There are no longer men’s, and women’s watches – just watches. And they’re for everybody
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Sam wears a C60 Trident Pro 600 42mm SKK with a black standard strap
P E R F E C T FIT | CW
E
Photos: Richard Pinches
ver since Christopher Ward began, it’s had one aim: to bring quality Swiss watchmaking to as wide an audience as possible. That goal has just been bolstered with news that the company is expanding its strap range to accommodate as many wrist sizes as possible. From now on, most of our watches will come with the option of three strap sizes: Small; Standard and Large. For years, watch brands have only catered to a standard wrist size, leaving everyone else to fit a specialist strap after purchase. Now, that’s no longer a problem. An easy to way to demonstrate this is with the help of three athletes who’ve been supported by Christopher Ward’s Challenger Programme: rower Will Satch, sailor Sam Brearey and shooter Amber Hill. All three are wearing watches with different sized straps, with Will sporting the Large, Sam the Standard, and Amber the Small. The variety in wrist sizes shows that CW watches really can be worn by anyone. “This new offer helps us make superior Swiss-made watches accessible to absolutely everyone,” says Helen McCall, Christopher Ward’s Marketing Manager. “Not just in terms of the Christopher Ward Quality, Value and Service promise but now in terms of fit and suitability, too. There are no longer men’s, and women’s watches – just watches. And they’re for everybody.” Looks like there’ll be some very happy wrists this summer.
From now on, most of our watches will come with the option of three strap sizes: Small; Standard and Large
Will wears C8 Regulator KVKT with large vintage leather strap
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CLASSIC
CW | ICONIC CLOCKS
C 9 J U M P ING HOUR M K1 I N R O S E GOL D
ROSE GOLD
C9JHMK1
WARD
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AFTER THE SUCCESS OF THE LIMITED EDITION, STAINLESS STEEL C9 JUMPING HOUR – THE WATCH CONTAINING JOHANNES JAHNKE’S CALIBRE JJ01 ADAPTATION OF AN ETA 2824-2 AUTOMATIC MOVEMENT – IT SEEMED THE OBVIOUS NEXT STEP FOR CHRISTOPHER WARD TO INTRODUCE A PVD ROSE GOLD MODEL… The design was completed, early samples looked fabulous, and the first pre-shipment models confirmed what the company thought: the rose gold version would, if anything, sell faster than the original. All systems were go and Christopher Ward announced the impending launch during one of its regular online chat sessions with the CW forum. “What followed was a lesson in consumer power we’re not likely to forget in a hurry,” says CW co-founder Mike France. “A number of owners of the original stainless steel version expressed their disappointment that a second limited edition of the same design (albeit in rose gold rather than stainless steel) was being introduced when we’d indicated in the marketing of the original that ‘only 200 pieces would ever be manufactured of this design’. “Had we said ‘… of this version’ there would have been no issue but we were accused of misleading people who’d purchased the steel model. When we considered this view we decided it was right and that, unintentionally, we had been misleading.” So, despite the investment and the prospect of another fast-selling watch the company canned the project, leaving just one example in existence. That pre-shipment sample is one of Mike France’s most prized possessions although forum moderator Kip McEwen has on more than one occasion expressed his envy and desire to own it. When we asked Mike if he’d ever part with his JH1, “No chance,” was the response. Sorry Kip.
T I M E M AKER | CW
Despite the investment and the prospect of another fast-selling watch, the company canned the project
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FROM THE C3 MALVERN CHRONOGRAPH TO THE C900 WORLDTIMER, CHRISTOPHER WARD PRIDES ITSELF ON TAKING DIAL DESIGN TO THE LIMIT AS WATCH PRO’S JAMES BUTTERY FINDS OUT
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f the eyes are the window to the soul, then the design of a watch dial should distil the character of a timepiece and the company behind it. The dial is where the complex micromechanics inside a watch are interpreted into something we can comprehend; putting numerical scale alongside measurement. But watches are no mere scientific instruments, and legibility, while important, is only half the battle for watch designers. The watch dial is prime real estate, offering watchmakers one of the main opportunities they’ll have to not only announce their all-important logo, but also the design signatures they hope their customers will identify with. Considering that a dial needs to, at the bare minimum, mark out 12 hours and 60 minutes/ seconds, it’s astonishing how many different takes on it are available; horological complications only to add to the variety.
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It was the dial of an early Christopher Ward model, the C3 Malvern Chronograph Mk1, which first drew my attention to the brand. The watch boasted a two-level dial with concentric circular guilloche work mapping out the sub-dials. I’d never seen a dial so involved at that price point, just £179, and ordered one immediately. Christopher Ward co-founder Mike France explains the company’s thinking when it came to its early dial design. “Our earliest inspirations for dials came from a metaphysical view of time being ‘round’, hence the circular textures of the C3 and C5 Malverns and the round date windows. The C3 Malvern Chronograph was also heavily influenced by the dashboard dials of an early Aston Martin Chris and I discovered. We wanted a classic English sports feel.” Each watch dial starts life as a simple brass plate, which has either been stamped or turned. If the dial ➸
Ken Copsey
I C O NI C C LOCKS | CW
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CW | DIAL D E SIGN
“The C3 Malvern Chronograph was heavily influenced by the dashboard dials of an early Aston Martin we found”
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requires no pattern, like the simple, elegant examples found within Christopher Ward’s C9 collection, then the plate is given a mirror-finish polish before dial feet are soldered into place, ensuring a perfect fit onto the movement beneath. The classic sunburst dial effect, found on the blue-dialled C9s, is achieved by placing the polished plates in rotating dishes on a rotating plinth and passing them under a number of brushes with a diamond paste. Dial patterns, such as the neat nautical wave motif on Christopher Ward’s new Trident Pro 600, are achieved by pressing the pattern into the metal under extremely high pressure. Applied indices are then milled by CNC machine before having two feet soldered into place on the reverse, which are then riveted to the dial through the plate. Jörg Bader, President of Synergies Horlogères, CW’s Swiss watchmaking partner, explains the often delicate balance between dial design and budgetary realities. “Product managers are all very concerned about dials and their design. Often, the budget can represent a limit for a good dial, hence when real indices are replaced by stickers. Christopher Ward, with its unique distribution strategy can luckily afford to go very deep and does not allow shortcuts in order to bring forward quality dials which represent a strong increase in product value.” As Christopher Ward has matured, its dial designs have increased in complexity, ambition and quality, reaching a pinnacle with the C900 Worldtimer. But
this milestone almost never happened. An incredibly intricate dial was required to translate master watchmaker Johannes Jahnke’s work in modifying the ETA 2893 automatic movement so that timezones could track the same 24-hour scale and indicators identified both geographic global location and international airport code. “The design of the Worldtimer was driven by the quest to have a world map with longitude and latitude lines as well as the world map in detail,” says Bader. “This is extremely challenging because this pattern is stamped. As you can imagine the stamping tool is difficult to create and can easily get broken in the stamping process.” The design required so much machining that the first production quote from one manufacturer came in at 300 CHF (£203) for each finished dial. Christopher Ward looked elsewhere for a dedicated dial manufacturer that could carry out the 64 different machining processes needed at a more realistic price. Luckily, it found one. Mike France: “The C900 represents what is probably our finest dial to date. The 24 separate holes designating each time zone are all individually made by a CNC machine, one-by-one, as each has a bezel-edge rather than being flat. “Add in the 3D dimples we wanted to represent the sea, the blue varnishing and silver-plating below left: The dial of the C3 Malvern Chronograph: the perfect fusion of automotive and horological design below: The dial is rendered on CAD during the design process
DI A L DE SIGN | CW
processes required for the dial colours – the silverplating was especially difficult given the different levels – and you begin to understand the art and science that’s gone into its creation.” The C900 has recently joined Christopher Ward’s Club 995, a collection of five of the company’s most premium models all being offered for £995, a saving of £580 over the original asking price. Mike believes that speaks for itself, saying: “If the C900 Worldtimer isn’t one of, if not the best value watch in the world, I don’t know what is.” He also believes that CW’s work with one of the world’s leading dial manufacturers now means the company’s only limit is its imagination, a fact that will come in handy when he sets about realising two, as yet, unfulfilled dial concepts. “I’d like to develop a fine porcelain dial for inclusion into the dress watch range. And with the high-tech carbon-based materials constantly being created and refined by the F1 teams, it would be fun to find a way of incorporating some of them into our motorsport collections.” Whatever direction Christopher Ward takes on future dial designs, its carefully balanced approach to value-for-money and disregard for established industry mark-ups promises watches of a calibre far beyond that suggested by their asking price.
“The C900 represents what is probably our finest dial to date. The 24 separate holes designating each time zone are all individually made by a CNC machine, one-by-one”
right: A close-up view of the C900 Worldtimer’s dial. When it was first proposed, one manufacturer quoted a price of over £200 per watch just for the dial, something that would have made the timepiece too expensive
THE GREATEST DIALS IN WATCHMAKING HISTORY ROLEX SUBMARINER The Sub wasn’t the first serious divers watch, it wasn’t even the first watch to use luminous paint on a matte black dial for ultimate contrast, but it was the first one to demonstrate a true understanding of practical design language. Rolex realised that, to the nitrogen-addled mind of a diver in trouble, the difference between circles and bars was easier to process than numerals; that less was, in this case, more. The result is a design icon.
SCHILD & CIE HEBDOMAS As the 19th century made way for the 20th this Swiss watch company used the ancient Greek word for week, Hebdomas, to describe its eight-day pocket watch. The design also put its watchmaking on the dial with an exposed balance wheel and balance cock. The visually theatrical technique continued to captivate the brand’s customers for decades and still works a trick for those of Frederique Constant and Zenith.
BREGUET SYMPATHIQUE Abraham Louis Breguet, the inventor of the tourbillon undoubtedly ranks as one of the greatest watchmakers of all time. His mechanical Sympathique table clocks with matching pocket watches were the world’s first dockable devices, almost 200 years before Steve Jobs presented the iPod. His engine-turned dials are relevant even today, having inspired George Daniels, his successor Roger Smith and of course, the modern-day Breguet company. orderline +44 1628 763040 31
CW | BRIT ISH WATCHM AK I N G
THE ANCIENT SPORT OF CALCIO STORICO IS THE NEAREST THING TO GLADIATORIAL COMBAT YOU’LL SEE IN WESTERN EUROPE, AS WE DISCOVER ON A TRIP TO FLORENCE
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Photos: Getty Contour
CAL storico
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They say football’s gone soft. That today’s players are better at diving or play-acting than they are at taking a tackle. In the old days, they’ll tell you, football was a real contact sport, where you hadn’t really made your bones until you’d broken a few. There may be some truth in this, but even the likes of ’70s hardmen like Tommy Smith, Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris and Norman Hunter would surely wince at Florence’s ancient, and very brutal, version of football, calcio storico. It’s a game alright, but certainly not the beautiful one. Calcio – also the Italian word for modern soccer – originated in the middle ages, but was regulated in 1580 when a count, Giovanni de Bardi, wrote the first set of rules. At the time, the sport was played by the aristocracy as a way to test their manhood away from battle. It disappeared in the 17th century, but was revived in 1930, and today is once again a key totem of Florentine identity. Played on a large sand-pit ‘pitch’ in Florence’s Piazza Santa Croce, the aim of the game is simple: throw the ball into the netting at the end of the other side’s half to score a goal (or caccia). Each team has 27 players and, bar kicking in the head and gouging, all methods are allowed in order to facilitate victory. This gives the game an atmosphere edgier than regular football – both players and spectators know that blood will be spilt. When the match kicks off, tussles immediately start with seemingly little relation to the position of the ball. ➸ 34 christopherward.co.uk
Photos: Getty Contour
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left: Strapping up before the match top left: Boxing and weight training is vital for players right: Anything goes once the game starts
B R I T I S H WATC HM A KING | CW
Even the likes of ’70s hardmen like Tommy Smith, Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris and Norman Hunter would surely wince at Florence’s ancient, and very brutal, version of football, calcio storico
The men – this is a strictly all-male affair – are stripped to waist, heavily muscled and, for the most part, covered in tattoos. Their martial arts training, which can be seen in the professional fighting stances they adopt, seems more useful than any dexterity with the ball. In total, four teams take part in the event, each representing a different neighbourhood of the city: Santa Croce (the blue team), Santa Maria Novella (reds), Santo Spirito (whites), and San Giovanni (greens). All year, the squads train at gyms to make sure they’re in peak physical and mental condition for the tournament, which takes places in the third week of June. ➸
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CW | AMBE R H IL L
Trident_ redefined.
THE NEW
TRIDENT
C60 T RI DE N T GMT 600 ÂŁ860 / $1185
SWISS MOVEMENT
26 orderline 36 orderline +44 christopherward.co.uk 08441628 875 1515 763040
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ENGLISH HEART
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“Fear is the engine that drives us. When you walk into the arena and the cage is closed, the fear becomes a pleasurable sensation”
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After the sides have played a semi-final, the winners meet in the final on June 24, the feast day of St Giovanni, the city’s patron saint. One player, Alessio Giorgerini, sums it up. “Fear is the engine that drives us. When you walk into the arena and the cage is closed, the fear becomes a pleasurable sensation. All my unnecessary senses are suppressed, and the necessary ones are intensified with an sole aim; to survive 50 minutes against 27 men that want to kill me on the arena.” And that’s about as far removed from modern football as it’s possible to get. Probably for the best, too.
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OVER BACK TO UNC S THE CLOCK RN TU ER TL JIM BU THE STRANGE STORY OF DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
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ime, so the saying goes, waits for no man. And despite the best efforts of plastic surgeons, healthcare professionals and keep-fit fanatics this is broadly true. However, on two occasions every year it is man who bends time to his will. Not through any superhuman strength: merely the judicious use of forwarding and rewinding the instruments of timekeeping. In practice, this exercise involves forwarding the clocks by an hour at the end of March each year, and then winding time back by an hour again to Greenwich Mean Time at the end of October (the helpful Americanism being “Spring forward, fall back”). In the UK we understand this annual manipulation of time to herald the start – and end – of British Summer Time. Across the globe it’s referred to as Daylight Saving Time (DST).
Put it like that and it appears to be an open-andshut case. Unsurprisingly, however, there is a yin to the advocates of DST’s yang. Those workers whose job is governed by the outdoors – farmers being a prominent group – are loathe to spend any more time in the gloom, while former leader of the Scottish National Party Alex Salmond said moves in 2011 to adopt DST all-year round would “plunge Scotland into morning darkness”. Indeed, in some northern parts of Scotland the sun wouldn’t rise until 10am. The debate concerning the shifting of time has raged for centuries, but intensified with the advent of the industrial age when the power of agrarian societies began to wane. In 1784, while an American envoy in Paris, Benjamin Franklin wrote a humorous essay noting that candle usage could be vastly reduced in the evenings if Parisians rose earlier in the morning. ➸
“IT SAVES ENERGY, R EDUCES A UTOMOBIL E ACCIDEN TS AND FATALITIES, AND CUTS OUTDOOR CRIME”
So why do we do it? Why do the majority of British people want to retain DST all year round? And why is Scotland so vehemently opposed to such a practice? Speak to most folk about the clocks going forward and back and you’ll generally get replies concerning lighter (and therefore longer) evenings in the summer and lighter mornings in the winter. Unsurprisingly, it’s a little more convoluted than that. Why do we embrace DST for seven months (in most parts of America it’s actually in use for eight months) of every year then? Dr David Prerau, one of the world’s leading authorities on this very modern peculiarity, and author of Seize The Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time, is well versed in responding to this query. “It saves energy, reduces automobile accidents and fatalities and cuts outdoor crime,” he tells us. There’s more. “Moreover, there are numerous public health benefits as people are outdoors more. It allows for a better quality of life as there’s more time to do things during daylight – recreation, shopping and the like. And this naturally acts as a stimulus for increased economic activity.”
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CW | CYCL E MAK E RS
Swiss movement, English heart
C5 M A LV E RN SLIMLIN E ÂŁ 3 9 9 / $ 5 5 0
E XC LU S I V E LY AVA I L A B L E AT
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E N I H S & E S I R
G AY NOTIN OUS ESS R O M U AH WROTE RANKLIN F IN M A BENJ DUCED IN THE COULD BE VASTLY RE THAT CANDLE USAGE EVENINGS IF PARISIANS RO SE EARLIER IN THE MORN ING
While a satire, Franklin’s point was echoed by some of the earliest proponents of DST. A New Zealand entomologist George Vernon Hudson valued his afterhours work of collecting insects so much that he wrote a paper suggesting a two-hour time shift to extend daylight once the normal hours of factory work had finished. In the UK, businessman William Willett was behind moves in the early part of the 20th century to embrace DST – his argument reaching Parliament. It wasn’t until World War I, though that DST was implemented. To preserve much-needed coal supplies, Germany switched to DST in April 1916. The UK and its allies followed suit thereafter. After the cessation of hostilities there was no uniform global approach to its retention. The US dropped it as quickly as it had adopted it. The UK maintained it in various guises – including a double British Summer Time (during World War II) and an all-year BST between 1968 and 1971. And still the debate raged. In the 1930s Winston Churchill noted that DST allowed “the opportunities for the pursuit of health and happiness among the millions of people who live in this country”. The second global conflict of the 20th century – World War II – prompted another widespread adoption in order to conserve energy and cut down on incandescent lighting in the evening. Post-World War
II, the US in particular was thrown into confusion, termed a “chaos of clocks”, as states governed when DST was used. This arbitrary adoption meant that it was possible to travel through a number of time changes even on short train rides. Since the energy crisis of the 1970s the benefits of DST have been adequately argued. Today, however, there are moves in the UK to adopt it all-year round, rather than just from the end of March till the end of October. Pressure groups point to the energy savings – researchers at the University of Cambridge recently pointed to an estimated £485m saving for consumers on energy bills. There are safety benefits, too – in the three-year experiment with permanent DST between 19681971 there was an 11 per cent reduction in road casualties in England and Wales. The aforementioned Cambridge University report noted that an extra hour of evening daylight could save the NHS £200 million a year in accident-related costs. Health-wise we would be free to indulge in outdoor exercise for longer. Tourism would receive a much-needed shot in the arm too. Earlier this decade, the Lighter Later initiative, which formed part of the 10:10 climate change campaign, pushed for a year-round adoption of DST. Dr Elizabeth Garnsey from the University of Cambridge, told Parliament: “We need better alignment with the way most people spend their time. At 4.30am on 21 June most people will still be asleep – that’s an average of three hours’ wasted daylight.” DST still has its critics – Scotland still needs convincing. As do farmers, and construction workers. By their nature, lighter evenings in winter mean darker mornings. There are those that point to the increased dangers to children travelling to school in the dark. So while Dr Prerau points to “the general benefits of DST far outweighing the negatives”, he isn’t convinced it will be adopted permanently in the UK. “Probably not,” he says when asked. “The negatives of DST in the darkest months of winter will probably see to that.” For now, we’ve reached a state of unsatisfactory stasis. A 2011 YouGov poll found that 53 per cent of UK citizens wanted it permanently, as opposed to 32 per cent who were against it. The arguments for and against will carry on, while the only thing we can say with utter confidence is that against this backdrop, time will press on regardless. christopherward.co.uk 41
CW | CH AL L E NGE RS
“Every writing book says you should write about what you know. All I knew was sitting in an office, virtually broke” 42 christopherward.co.uk
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CHRIS LOIZOU OUR LATEST CHALLENGER TALKS ABOUT SHOOTING A FILM-NOIR THRILLER IN A TECHNICOLOUR WORLD
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o far, the Christopher Ward Challenger Programme has concentrated on giving support to rising athletes like Amber Hill and Will Satch. This year, it’s expanding its range into the arts, with film director Chris Loizou being the first to receive financial and business advice from the CW team. A veteran of the film and TV world (he’s been both a screenwriter and producer), this year, 47-yearold Chris releases Untitled, a modern take on the film noir genre which he’s written and directed. It’s his first full-length feature. Here, the Londoner tells us what the movie involves, the difficulty in financing it and just what a constantly connected world is doing to the stories of movies made today. Hi Chris. You’ve written and directed a film, Untitled. Tell us about it…
It’s film noir, but it’s conceptual film noir. It’s actually about a film producer who comes back from Cannes and sees his day deteriorate from his office. He’s actually on his own physically there. We only see the other characters when their actions play out on Facebook or they appear on Skype. That’s what makes it so interesting. You say it’s “conceptual”. What does that mean?
The movie is about a screenwriter trying to get his film made. There are lots of shots, which we’ve taken from Psycho. You may notice them, you may not. On top of wanting to do a gag about that, we also mention product placement in the script. We thought that would be a good way to show a classic watch and get away with it – that’s where Christopher Ward came in. The company gave us some funding for the film as well as watch samples, one of which I’m wearing now. What was the process of making Untitled like?
Originally, I was set up to make another film. Basically, that fell apart, and I was sitting in my
studio, wondering what to do. Every writing book says you should write about what you know. All I knew was sitting in an office, virtually broke. So that’s what I wrote about. It gave me some ideas and parameters to work within. My rule was, never go outside the room. And this film has murder, sex and everything that sells, but it all happens elsewhere. You mention the use of social media in your film. Do you think the way we tell stories has changed because of that?
For me, it worked in my favour. The only way I could get size and scope from my location was through a computer screen. But you’re right. We’re so well connected, if you’re doing anything in the thriller or horror genre, that person would have a phone with them and be able to call the police or get in contact with someone at a time of danger. That’s changing film-making, but we’re changing with it. You’ve just joined Christopher Ward’s Challenger Programme. What’s its involvement in the film?
Well, we were looking for a watch brand to lend us samples for the film, and CW had that classicbut-modern thing we were after. The Challenger Programme has come on the back of that, and I’m looking forward to see how we can work together in the coming months. What do you want to do after this?
I’d like to find more scripts from unsigned artists and people who haven’t had the chance to move on with their filmmaking career. The Challenger Programme is the same, sponsoring and advising people like me who are going forward. Finally, Are you a watch fan?
I am. I love watches. If I had to pick one Christopher Ward model out, I’d go for one of the new Tridents with the ceramic case. They’re modern but with a classic feel and colour – like my film. Untitled will be out later in the year
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CW | ICONIC CLOCKS
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MEDIEVAL EUROPE’S CATHEDRAL CLOCKS NOT ONLY TOLD THE TIME, BUT MADE SURE PEOPLE KNEW THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE ON EARTH, AND IN THE HEAVENS
t’s easy to forget that until comparatively recently, access to timekeeping was limited. There were no watches in medieval Europe and if a peasant wanted to conduct a high level meeting about say, the price of turnips, then “when the sun strikes the oak tree” would be about as accurate as it got. That’s the thing about the old days, there was a lot of hanging about. For men of the cloth, specifically monks, things were different. Religious life, with its structured days based around work and prayer depended on accurate timekeeping. It’s no surprise that the first clockmakers were monks, and the clocks they constructed often ended up in, or on the front, of the local cathedral. These timepieces can still be seen in cities as far removed as Strasbourg and Salisbury. According to historian Thomas Wood, “The first recorded clock was built by the future Pope Sylvester II for the German town of Magdeburg, around the year 996. Much more sophisticated clocks were built by later monks. Peter Lightfoot, a 14th-century monk of Glastonbury, built one of the oldest clocks still in existence, which now sits in excellent condition in London’s Science Museum.” Looking at these medieval cathedral clocks today, one is struck by the sheer complexity of the devices. Not only did they tell the time (though usually with only one hand) but also acted as constantly changing astronomical and astrological charts so observers could note the effect the heavens would have on them. One of the pioneers of the age was Italian astronomy professor Giovanni Di Dondi, who presented a detailed description of mechanical clockmaking in his 1135 treatise Il Tractatus Astrarii. His work influenced the building of cathedral clocks all over Europe, one of which at Wells in Somerset, south-west England, is still a huge attraction. Built in between 1386 and 1392, the timepiece tells the time using the 24-hour clock, but more interestingly also shows the pre-Copernican ➸
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Not only did the clocks tell the time but also acted as constantly changing astronomical and astrological charts The incredible astronomical clock at Wells cathedral, Somerset
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I C O NI C C LOCKS | CW
left: The Gros Horloge at Rouen is an astronomical clock that dates back to 1389 below: Enlightenment-era clockmaking on St Paul’s cathedral, London
universe with the Sun rotating around the fixed Earth. To add to the spectacle, two knights revolve around a track every 15 minutes, which in the days before TV and iPhones was about as mindblowing as it got. Another groundbreaking timepiece is at Salisbury Cathedral, also in the south-west. Built in 1386, it’s said to be the oldest working clock in the world, though interestingly it doesn’t actually have a dial. The purpose of the clock was to let worshippers know what time it was and what prayers they should be saying by the use of chimes only. God, who saw everything, was most certainly in charge here. Across Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries, ever more complex clocks found their way onto the walls of cathedrals and to a lesser extent town halls and public buildings. Prague’s astronomical clock (located on the side of the town hall), with its figures of the apostles, is still a huge draw today while the clock at Rostock Cathedral in Germany has a calendar that will be correct until 2017. Not bad for something that was built in 1472. These timepieces not only look incredible but show the priorities of medieval life in Europe. At the centre of everything was Christianity, and people’s relationship with God: everything else was secondary. The clocks’ functions demonstrated this, but more interestingly, pointed to a world in which science, not God, would have an increasing influence on people’s life. Something that would have been unthinkable in those pious days of the 1400s.
right: The less spectacular exterior of the clock at Wells opposite and below: The UNESCO-listed clock at Prague, famous for its complexity below right: The astronomical clock at the Cathedral St-Jean, Lyon
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TIME
MICHAEL THOMAS WINS THE LEAGUE TITLE FOR ARSENAL AT ANFIELD
THERE ARE MANY CONTESTANTS FOR THE MOMENT WHEN THE MODERN ERA OF FOOTBALL BEGAN. SOME SAY IT’S THE WORLD CUP SEMIFINAL OF 1990 WHEN ENGLAND WERE KNOCKED OUT BY GERMANY ON PENALTIES. OTHERS POINT TO THE RELEASE OF NICK HORNBY’S FEVER PITCH, THE BOOK WHICH HELPED THE LITERARY MIDDLE CLASSES LOVE THE GAME.
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ut what really showed just how thrilling the sport could be was Michael Thomas’s last-minute goal for Arsenal against Liverpool on a spring night in May 1989, winning not just the match but the League Championship itself. With Liverpool at the top of the table, second-placed Arsenal have to beat the reds at Anfield by two clear goals to win the title – a virtual impossibility. At half-time, Arsenal are one-nil up thanks to a header by Alan Smith, but by 90 minutes it’s looking like their efforts are in vain. Even though a win will put the Gunners on equal points with Liverpool, they’ll lose out on goal difference. Midfielder Steve McMahon is aware of this, patrolling the pitch, his index finger in the air, telling his teammates they have just one minute left to hold on. And that’s when things get interesting.
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John Barnes goes on a sortie down the right wing, but as he approaches the Arsenal goal he’s dispossessed and the ball ends up with goalie John Lukic, who throws it out to full-back Lee Dixon. He in turn lobs the ball upfield to Alan Smith, who plays it through to Michael Thomas, and, thanks to a deflection from defender Steve Nicol, is suddenly bearing down on goal with the ball at his feet. The ball seems to bobble, which enables Thomas to nudge it past Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar. Most of Anfield is stunned into silence, while the section crammed with Arsenal fans becomes a jumping, throbbing mass of joy. They’ve won the league at the home of the most successful club in English football. It is unprecedented. Though we don’t know it yet, they’ll talk about tonight’s match as the greatest climax to a League Championship ever. In the future, TV companies and football clubs will try and engineer similar occasions, skewing fixtures in a vain attempt at recreating this evening’s events. They will fail. The match tonight is a one-off, the final league game of the season played after Liverpool’s FA Cup Final victory because of the Hillsborough disaster a month earlier. Usually, the cup closes the curtain on the season. This evening, the league will take prominence – and from now on this will increasingly be the case. Something, perhaps everything, has changed.
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