Christopher Ward Magazine - Autumn 2015 by Christopher Ward

A U T U M N 2 0 1 5 – I S S U E 13

SPIRIT IN THE SKY

THE NEW C8 FLYER COLLECTION

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AUTUMN 2015 – ISSUE 13

CHRISTOPHER WARD MAGAZINE

While Britain’s defences have largely been defined by its navy, when the nation was in its hour of need in World War II, it was the RAF that saw off the enemy during 1940’s Battle of Britain. That legacy is celebrated in the release of the new aviation collection, the C8 Flyer Collection, which cements Christopher Ward’s reputation for delivering near-perfect military inspired timepieces. Read all about it on page 10. Away from watches, we profile two icons of British culture: late -’70s punk trio The Jam, and Battersea power station, which not only lit up the lights of millions of houses, but appeared on the front of a Pink Floyd album. They really are two fantastic pieces. There’s plenty more to enjoy – including news of a significant launch – but we’ll leave the exploration to you. It is, after all, your magazine. As ever, thanks for reading, Peter, Chris, Mike

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CHRISTOPHER WARD MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2015 – ISSUE 13

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10> CO N TRIBUTORS

As a teenager, Nick Soldinger could be heard to say things like, “I learn more from The Jam than my teachers.” The pretentious little twerp eventually grew up into a pretentious big twerp but still credits Paul Weller’s band, which he writes about on page 22, with lighting up his adolescence.

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26> Justin Quirk is a London-based features writer for The Times, Sunday Times and The Guardian, and runs the photographic publishers, No UFOs. In this issue of the CW mag he tells the story of one of London’s most iconic, but mysterious buildings, Battersea power station. Read it on page 18.

Front cover: C8 Flyer Automatic 44mm

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Christopher Ward (London) Limited, 1 Park Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1SL, United Kingdom. chris@christopherward.co.uk Customer Services: wera.mettes@christopherward.co.uk Editor: Anthony Teasdale Design and art direction: ToyasO’Mara Colour reprographics: JP Repro

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CHRISTOPHER WARD MAGAZINE, SUMMER 2015

New moon rising at CW AFTER TWO YEARS IN DEVELOPMENT, CHRISTOPHER WARD HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO LAUNCH ITS FIRST EVER MOONPHASE WATCH AT THE SALONQP SHOW IN NOVEMBER.

Company co-founder Chris Ward said that the movement will carry the moniker, Calibre JJ04, confirming its development by CW master watchmaker, Johannes Jahnke. “This is probably the complication most people have wanted us to create,” said Chris. “Johannes has created a special module that’s given us scope to create an incredible interpretation of this classic watch design.”

C8 P7350 flies high CHRISTOPHER WARD WAS AMONG THE GUESTS FOR AN EVENING AT BENTLEY PRIORY, THE HOME OF FIGHTER COMMAND DURING THE 1940 BATTLE OF BRITAIN, TO COMMEMORATE 75 YEARS SINCE IT WAS WON.

Before the dinner, guests were treated to a Hurricane and Spitfire fly-past, featuring ‘our’ Spitfire, P7350, the last remaining airworthy model to fly in the Battle of Britain. Christopher Ward hosted a table of 10 and donated a C8 P7350 Chronometer to the charity auction in aid of the BBMF (Battle of Britain Memorial Flight), raising £5,500 for the cause. As we went to print, there were just a few of the 75 Limited Edition C8 P7350s remaining. To secure your own piece of British aviation history, visit christopherward.co.uk.

“This is probabaly the complication that most people have wanted us to create” He added: “To launch at SalonQP is huge and we’re anticipating great interest during the exhibition.” SalonQP is at the Saatchi Gallery from November 12-14. Early-bird tickets are available from the event organisers, but CW will be offering tickets for sessions throughout the event on a ballot basis. Watch this space.

Good Times for CW At a gala event to celebrate the Sunday Times SME Export Track 100 listing (in which CW came 77th) Christopher Ward co-founders Peter Ellis and Chris Ward were pleasantly surprised when CW was also nominated as one of the UK’s top three emerging brands. Chris said, “It may have taken 10 years to become an overnight success but we appreciate the Sunday Times’ recognition!”

“It may have taken 10 years to become an overnight success but we appreciate the Sunday Times’ recognition!”

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CWORLD | CW

US showroom opens for business

At last! C60 Trident Chronograph confirmed for spring 2016 “The brief was to create a professional diving ‘tool’ built on the Trident’s technical excellence, and which pushed the boundaries even further. It needed to look uber-cool, too. I’m biased, but I think we’ve done just that!”

CHRISTOPHER WARD HAS OPENED ITS FIRST SHOWROOM IN THE US. Located in the pretty town of Nashua, New Hampshire (within easy distance of Boston), it demonstrates how important the US has become to CW, with 20 per cent of orders originating there. Promising a bespoke, luxury experience the new showroom has attracted customers old and new. “I’ve been incredibly pleased with the reaction from customers since we launched, and we’ve grown the American side of the business as a result,” said Kip McEwen, VP of Business Operations in the US, who runs the showroom. “There’s a lot of love for Christopher Ward here, particularly those models which tell a truly British story, such as the limited editions and Calibre SH21 watches.” If you’d like visit either the US or UK showrooms, you can book online at christopherward.com or christopherward.co.uk.

THE C60 TRIDENT COLLECTION IS TO GET AN INCREDIBLE NEW ADDITION WITH THE RELEASE OF AN AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH WATCH – THE COLLECTION’S FIRST.

Released in spring 2016, the launch model will be a limited edition powered by an ETA 7750 movement, incorporating a helium release valve for deep-sea divers. The design is also one of the first that new Senior Designer, Adrian Buchmann, has worked on. “The Trident is a truly iconic range,” he said. “The brief was to create a professional diving ‘tool’ built on the Trident’s technical excellence, and which pushed the boundaries even further. It needed to look ubercool, too. I’m biased, but I think we’ve done just that!” The C60 Trident Chronograph is scheduled for release in early 2016. Prices are yet to be confirmed.

Swiss designer, English home Adrian Buchmann, one of the watch industry’s rising design stars, joined Christopher Ward in Maidenhead as Senior Watch Designer earlier this year having previously been a key member of one of Switzerland’s most prestigious luxury watch and product design teams. CW co-founder Mike France said, “Adrian joining us is a statement of serious intent. Product design is at the heart of our brand. The bar just got raised very high.”

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‘S‘PTEHAEKING CLOCK ” WS INTERVIE Y’S TOP G OROLO H H IT W CERS INFLUEN

style best, and the movements are often interesting. If you were to run into me, you’d most likely find me wearing my Damasko DC66 or 1975 Omega Speedmaster Auto Mk 4.5 – if I’m not wearing a watch I have on loan from a brand for review. Why do you think mechanical watches seem to be growing in popularity?

In men’s style there’s now a strong uptick towards classic, hard-wearing sportswear. Stuff that’s been made the same for ages out of natural materials using old processes. It’s a natural leap to see the same qualities in mechanical watches. Nearly everything else we own will be thrown away or replaced, but a good watch lasts a lifetime or more.

Zach Weiss, Co-founder, Worn&Wound How did Worn&Wound start?

It was founded by myself and Blake Malin, back in 2011. We’re friends from college, and found ourselves talking about buying watches that were in our price range, but couldn’t find a good resource for news and reviews of them. We figured we’d give it a shot, and it caught on very quickly. A year later we met our third partner, James Helms, and with him created a line of Americanmade watch accessories. What makes it such a great site?

Thanks for calling it great! Our focus on ‘affordable’ watches, our curated approach and our unpretentious tone come together for something approachable, yet refined. These watches might not cost a lot, but they aren’t cheap. What got you into horology?

The watches that stoked the initial flames were Swatches. I always had one on my wrist growing up. These days, I still have a small collection of near-mint Swatch automatics from the early ’90s. Later on, brands like Seiko and Nomos really got me into the mechanical side of things. Do you have a regular watch that you wear every day?

I swap out a few, and intentionally try to rotate them to enjoy them all, though a few are worn more often. My collection has veered towards vintage and chronographs in the last couple of years, as they suit my 6 christopherward.co.uk

When you review a watch, what are you looking for?

The first thing is aesthetics. Does the watch have a nice overall look? Does the case have balanced proportions? Does the dial layout feel cluttered or too open? Next is build quality and finishing. Does everything line up well? Are the case edges sharp? Does the lume glow well?

“In the watch industry, trends have a slow uptake. So, the trends we first saw a few years ago are starting to crest: smaller cases, blue dials, vintageinspired and racing chronographs all seem to be really popular now” Then, how does it wear? Does it feel bigger or smaller than it is? Is it comfortable? Followed by, how does it look with clothes? The last is more abstract, and emotional. Does the watch have charm? Does it have a style that’s beyond the sum of its parts? Does it feel or look like it’s a higher-end piece? Is it fun or exciting to wear? What annoys you about the watchmaking industry at the moment?

The lack of daring and unique designs from mainstream brands. When you look at the watches that companies offered in the mid20th century – brands like Heuer, Hamilton,

CWORLD | CW

PERFHE ECT MATC H

Bulova, Zodiac, Universal Geneve – it’s amazing how much more inventive and experimental they were. Now, too many things are similar and safe. What trends have you noticed recently?

In the watch industry, trends have a slow uptake. So, the trends we first saw a few years ago are starting to crest: smaller cases, blue dials, vintage-inspired and racing chronographs all seem to be really popular now. Most exciting for me though are the smaller cases. It’s great that both brands and consumers, especially guys, are realising that 38-40mm watches work, and often look better than 44mm-plus. What’s your view on Christopher Ward?

It’s one of the brands we’ve covered the most since we started. Initially, our interest was because of the mix of well-made watches with classic designs and good prices. But, what the brand has done with movements over the last couple of years is astonishing. Starting with the C9 Jumping Hour Mk II and culminating in a five-day movement that sells for under $2,000, it’s incredible to see. CW is a new model of what a watch brand can and should be. Any CW models you particularly like?

The C9 5 Day Auto, 40mm in grey is very cool, and unrivalled at the price for the movement within. Aesthetically though, perhaps my favourite is the C900 Monopusher. This is not just because I’m a chronograph junkie, but because the dial is, in my eyes, the best balanced and styled in the collection. The thin, black lines and roman numerals, perfectly sized subdials and sharp needle hands on that crisp white surface exude an art-deco style that speaks to me. Perhaps my dream C Ward would feature the SH21 manual version with subseconds in a 40mm case with the aesthetic of the C900 Monopusher dial. You can see more of Zach’s work at wornandwound.com

THE C70 GP CHRONOMETERS MAKE NO BONES ABOUT THEIR PROVENANCE: BASED ON FOUR OF THE FIRST EVER GRAND PRIX, THEY JUST DRIP MOTOR RACING HISTORY. So what better item to wear them with than the beautiful Mid Monty duffel coat from Gloverall, which recalls the off-track jacket of choice for racing drivers and fans alike in the early 1950s. Gloverall is the inventor of the duffel coat, an item made famous after its adoption by Field Marshal Montgomery during World War II. This model, like all Gloverall jackets, is made in England, and thanks to its dense wool construction will keep out the cold, whether you’re going for a spin in your C-Type or just walking to the corner shop. The watch – and we’re plumping for the C70 British GP 1926 Chronometer – will merely add to the impression of a chap fresh from a practice lap at his favourite course. A great combination all round. gloverall.com

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Horology students graduate on time SUPPORTING THE FUTURE OF BRITISH WATCHMAKING MEANS SUPPORTING YOUNG WATCHMAKERS.

That’s why students on the one-of-a-kind BA Hons Horology course at Birmingham City University, which launched in 2012, have been coming to CW for summer placements and mentoring. The programme is now set to expand with further placements being offered. “As a UK brand we’re Chris Ward attended the university’s graduation ceremony delighted to play our in July, presented a C60 Trident role in developing a Pro 600 watch to first cohort stronger and sustained graduate Edward Mason for his award-winning final project clock, presence for British a half-second deadbeat regulator. watchmaking in “It’s crucial that we equip enough the global market” young specialists with the skills to work professionally in the industry,” said Chris. “As a UK brand we’re delighted to play our role in developing a stronger and sustained presence for British watchmaking in the global market.”

Currency gains CHRISTOPHER WARD IS INTRODUCING FIVE NEW CURRENCY WEBSITES IN THE AUTUMN TO COMPLEMENT THE EXISTING STERLING, US DOLLAR AND EURO SITES. Soon, customers will be able to buy their CW watch in Australian, Canadian, Singapore and Hong Kong dollars, plus – rather aptly – Swiss francs. Peter Ellis, who’s masterminding the introductions said, “Our aim is to make buying at Christopher Ward as easy and as transparent as possible, wherever our customers are located. These new sites are an important step towards achieving this.”

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CHE GUEVARA WATCHES, ESPECIALLY LUXURY WATCHES, ARE SYMBOLS OF WEALTH AND STATUS, SO IT’S SURPRISING TO FIND OUT THAT THE MAN WHO SYMBOLISED THE STRUGGLE AGAINST GLOBAL CAPITALISM IN THE 20TH CENTURY WORE TIMEPIECES WITH A DISTINCTLY BOURGEOIS FEEL. But then again, Ernesto “Che” Guevara wasn’t just an ordinary revolutionary. Raised in an intellectual leftwing family in Rosario, Argentina, he was radicalised by the extreme poverty he saw on a motorcycle odyssey he made through South America in 1951. By 1955, he had befriended Cuban exile Fidel Castro in Mexico City and ending up spearheading the 1959 revolution that removed dictator Fulgencio Batista from the island. As well their shared Marxist politics they had something else in common: a penchant for luxury watches. After the success of the revolution, whenever Castro or Guevara appeared in public, they would have a piece of high-end Swiss watchmaking on their wrists. For the Argentine, that was either the Rolex GMT Master 1675 or a gold Marvin M104. This wasn’t just a style thing; in the days before quartz, if you had to be on time – and no-one wants to be late when there’s an imperial palace to storm – then Swiss chronometers were the way to go. They also looked fantastic, too – appropriate for the man who’d end up on countless student bedroom walls. Fittingly, when Guevara was executed after an operation with Bolivian revolutionaries in October 1967, he was still wearing his Rolex. Even when it came to death, he was elegantly dressed.

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CW | C8 FLYER

T I R I P S < < > > Y K S E IN TH THE C8 FLYER COLLECTION PAYS HOMAGE TO THE TIMEPIECES OF WORLD WAR II WITH A RANGE THAT RECALLS FRIEND AND FOE ALIKE…

Measuring 55mm wide, and with luminous material on the dial’s hands and indices, it was made to be seen during night-time missions. Before they took off, navigators would set their watches to a beep from base, itself set to the time of the German Naval Observatory (the Deutsche Seewarte). Then they were ready to go. Later, the RAF – always willing to adopt a great idea – got in on the act, also buying watches from IWC. The anti-magnetic properties and crystal-clear ➸ far left: RAF bomber aircrew before setting off on a raid. below left: Luftwaffe navigator preparing for flight below: The original B-Uhr by IWC

Photos:Getty, IWM, IWC archive

hether we like it or not, war has always propelled technological innovation. From the appearance of the tank in World War I to the use of Nazi scientists by the US in the space race, there’s nothing like imminent destruction to get the creative juices flowing. And as with weaponry, so with horology – especially in the shape of the ‘pilot’s watch’, or to give it its proper German name, the Beobachtungsuhr (‘observation watch’, shortened to ‘B-Uhr’). Originally produced by five manufacturers: A. Lange & Sohne, Laco, Stowa, Wempe and IWC, the watch was made for Luftwaffe navigators – rather than pilots – prior to, and during, World War II.

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C 8 B I G FLY ER | CW

“Aviation is a rich seam in British history and a constant source of inspiration” MIKE FRANCE

C8 Flyer Automatic 44mm - Vintage Black Edition

CW | C8 FLY E R

<<SPIRIT IN THE SKY>> “The Spitfire is almost synonymous with the Battle of Britain. But not everybody knows the instrumentation within. The design of the Smiths Mark II A – for example its black, anti-reflective case and index numerals with alternating lume colours for flying at night – is influenced by the needs of the Spitfire pilot” the battle (P7350), and the first handwound version of the SH21 Chronometer, the dial was a faithful reproduction of the Smiths Mark II A clock used by that very same Spitfire. “Everyone’s familiar with the Spitfire,” says Chris Ward. “It’s almost synonymous with the Battle of Britain. But not everybody knows the instrumentation within. The design of the Smiths Mark II A – for example its black, anti-reflective case and index numerals with alternating lume colours for flying at night – is directly influenced by the needs of the Spitfire pilot.” ➸ far left: The interior of a Spitfire cockpit below left: The C8 P7350 Chronometer, the starting point for the C8 Flyer Collection below: The Smiths Mark II A clock, designed especially for fighter pilots

Images: IWM, Ken Copsey, cockpitclock.com

dial design meant that B-Uhren (to use the plural) became an essential part of the flyer’s armoury, despite its German provenance. Now more commonly known as ‘pilot’s watches’, these instruments are a staple for many watch brands, including Christopher Ward. Its 44mm C8 Pilot’s watch has been a critical and commercial success since its launch in 2009. While many current interpretations have scaled down from the 55mm case of the original models, the uncluttered dial with large numerals and the oversized winder – for ease of use with flying gloves – retain their importance for authentic interpretations. Yet, Britain, with arguably the greatest of all aviation traditions, has no such emblematic aviation wrist watch itself. Until now. The new C8 Flyer Collection from Christopher Ward is a milestone, and one that takes inspiration from two icons of British aviation history: the Smiths Mark II A clock, found in cockpits like the Supermarine Spitfire and Lancaster Avro Bomber; and the ground-breaking Farnborough Wind Tunnels. The genesis of the collection was the 75-piece, limited edition C8 P7350 Chronometer, created by CW especially to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain earlier in the summer. As well as containing a precious piece of metal from the last remaining airworthy Spitfire to have flown in

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C 7 0 G P C HR O NO M ET ER S | CW

Flying colours CHRISTOPHER WARD’S FAMILY OF AVIATION WATCHES LOOKS AS GOOD ON THE GROUND AS IT DOES IN THE SKY C8 REGULATOR above Influenced by the regulator reference clocks of old, this watch boasts separate displays for minutes, hours and seconds. The aviation theme comes courtesy of the Old Radium Super-Luminova™, oversize crown and distressed leather strap. A final highlight is the hand-wound Unitas 6498 movement which can be seen through the exhibition back.

C1000 TYPHOON above right above Powered by a modified version of the ETA Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement, the C1000 has a ceramic case which is built over a titanium frame making it extremely rugged and robust. A watch that pays homage to the Typhoon jet fighter, its Super-Luminova™ numerals are based on those used for the plane’s Head-Up Display. C8 PILOT MK II right A real stalwart of the Christopher Ward collection, the C8 Pilot Mk II has been a hit since its release, and it’s easy to see why: the retro looks combine beautifully with luminous hands, which were widened on the request of the CW forum to make them more visible at night. The watch is powered by either an ETA 2824 or Sellita SW200 movement.

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CW | TSTAT RID EION NTS MA RE INV STER EN TED

“What we set out to achieve here was a stylised view of the Farnborough tunnels from the perspective of a pilot sitting in a test aircraft. We went through lots of designs to get the balance and depth of perforations and blades just right” FRASER PALFREYMAN

<<SPIRIT IN THE SKY>>

C 8 B I G FLY ER | CW

The new watch retains the spirit of the clock’s face but it’s been given a contemporary twist with refinements of both the numerals and hands, while adding the all-important oversized crown. The reverse side of the case features an interpretation of the Farnborough Wind Tunnels which have played a vital, if little known, role in helping many famous British planes, from the Spitfire to Concorde, become aerodynamically tuned to perfection. The tunnels, three of which have now been refurbished and are part of the Farnborough Heritage site, are magnificent structures. Thanks to their contribution to UK aeronautics, they were the obvious choice for the new C8 flyer collection’s backplates, particularly in the automatic versions where the three dimensional, deep-stamped finish shows the fan blades and surround off to maximum effect. It wasn’t easy, as CW designer Fraser Palfreyman says. “What we set out to achieve here was a stylised view of the Farnborough tunnels from the perspective of a pilot sitting in a test aircraft. We went through lots of designs to get the balance and depth of perforations and blades just right.” The C8 Flyer Collection is available in two finishes: steel and PVD black, and two sizes: 38 and

“Our Aviation Collection watches have always been bestsellers, and these new models are just the latest part of the story” 44mm. There are also three superb strap options, including a leather Nato for those who insist on wearing the watch over their flying jackets, as was the custom in the Spitfire’s heyday. The collection launches with two high quality mechanical movements in the automatic version, either the ETA 28242 or Sellita SW200/1, and in the entry-level quartz option, the extremely accurate and reliable Calibre Ronda 715. It’s another aeronautical triumph for CW. “Aviation is a rich seam in British history and a constant source of inspiration to us,” says Mike France. “Our Aviation Collection watches have always been best sellers, and these new models are just the latest part of the story.” With prices starting from only £299, the new C8 Flyer Collection is ready for takeoff in a very big way. And you don’t need to be a German navigator to own one.

Images: © Forgotten Heritage Photography

C8 Flyer Collection

44mm

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C8-44-AUTO-KVKK

C8-44-Q-SKT-NATO

C8-44-Q-KVKC

38mm

C8-38-AUTO-SKT-NATO

C8-38-AUTO-KVKT

C8-38-Q-SKK

C8-38-AUTO-SKK-NATO

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THE C7 RAPIDE CHRONOMETER LIMITED EDITION

TI M E

SP A N

12’9” ALEXEI LEONOV BECOMES THE FIRST MAN TO SPACEWALK

Photos: Getty images

THERE WAS A TIME NOT SO LONG AGO WHEN THE INVISIBLE BOUNDARIES THAT HAD KEPT HUMANKIND ON EARTH FOR ITS WHOLE EXISTENCE WERE FINALLY OVERCOME. This was before the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster, before Concorde bowed out in a fireball at a Paris airport, before the jet aeroplane was transformed into a deadly weapon in New York City. This was the ‘space race’, when the United States and Soviet Union took the Cold War to the heavens. And with it, incredible innovation and bravery. There are many inspirational moments that typify this period of the mid-20th century, but one that’s often forgotten is the spacewalk Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov took on March 18, 1965. The Soviet Union had been well ahead of the US when it came to space exploration. It had put the first dog in orbit (Laika), the first man (Yuri Gagarin) and, as you might expect from a country that prided itself on equal opportunities, the first woman, Valentina Tereshkova. Hearing that the Americans were going to attempt a spacewalk in June that year, cosmonaut Alex Leonov,

onboard the Voskhod 2 mission, was given the task of putting the Americans’ noses out of joint again. “It was so quiet I could even hear my heartbeat,” he told The Observer. “I was surrounded by stars and was floating without much control. I will never forget the moment. I also felt an incredible sense of responsibility. Of course, I did not know that I was about to experience the most difficult moments of my life – getting back into the capsule.” Problems began when his spacesuit began to inflate in the vacuum of space, meaning that it was impossible for him to get back into his craft. With a coolness that typified the mindset of those early astronauts, Leonov gradually deflated the suit until he could squeeze through the door of the Voskhod where crew member Pavel Belyayev waited. There was more drama as they returned to earth, realising too late that the orbital module was still attached to the Voskhod’s landing capsule. Luckily, the communications cable that held the two crafts together disintegrated as it hit the atmosphere, meaning they could land safely in the Siberian forest, a mere 2,000 miles off target. Today, spacewalks are an everyday part of an astronaut’s workload, but it took one man to show what could be achieved just by stepping outside the door. Comrade Leonov, we salute you. christopherward.co.uk 17

CW | ICONIC POWE R

POWER THE

AND THE GLORY

JUSTIN QUIRK TELLS THE STORY OF HOW A LOPSIDED POWER STATION BECAME A LONDON ICON

fter spending more than three decades as an empty symbol of London’s faded industrial past, the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station is finally fully underway. The first phase of the project, which sees the 40-acre site populated by homes, shops, restaurants, offices and leisure facilities, is due for completion in 2016. As the Nine Elms area undergoes the biggest redevelopment of a London district since the expansion of Docklands in the 1980s, why has Battersea Power Station proved to be so iconic, and so controversial? For that we have to look back to nearly a century earlier. In the 1920s, London’s energy market was a mish-mash of small companies, often dedicated to supplying specific industries. Surplus could be sold on to the public, but the ad-hoc nature of the system meant that standards of voltage varied and the cost was immense – running just five standard bulbs for a day would cost an average person a week’s wages and less than 10 per cent of homes were connected. France and Germany were using almost twice as much electricity as the British thanks to state-run systems, placing Conservative prime minister Stanley Baldwin in a quandary: he didn’t want to be seen to be promoting nationalisation but he could also see that Britain was getting left behind. The answer was the 1926 Electricity Supply Act, which formed the basis of the national grid and would connect 122 power stations across the country. Fearing that full nationalisation was the likely next step, several of London’s existing private companies banded together into the London Power Company and planned 18 orderline +44 1628 763040

several large new facilities. The first would be seated between the Thames and Nine Elms Lane – Battersea Power Station. The architect charged with convincing the public to accept what was, after all, an overbearing, polluting, oversized factory, was Giles Gilbert Scott – a prodigious talent who had already famously designed Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral when he was just 22 and ‘Kiosk no. 2’, aka the red telephone box, for the General Post Office. The basic shape for Battersea had already been designed by chief engineer Leonard Pearce, but it was Gilbert Scott’s flourishes that elevated the structure to greatness. He added the external brickwork, detailing to the sheer walls and designed the chimneys so they stood like classical columns. Gilbert Scott’s brutal exterior contrasted with architect J. Theo Halliday’s art deco interiors, with domed glass roofs and lights, marble and parquet floors, wrought-iron stairs, and bronze doors marked with carvings of figures representing energy itself. Despite original resistance to the planned building, by 1939 a public poll by The Architectural Review ranked it Britain’s second favourite building. However, Battersea Power Station then was not what we think of today. It is in fact two buildings, and the original incarnation – Battersea ‘A’ – that started generating electricity in 1933 had just two chimneys. Photos of the building from the time have a strange, lopsided appearance, familiar but somehow wrong – like seeing Wembley Stadium with one side of the stands removed, or the Houses of Parliament without Big Ben. Construction on Battersea ‘B’ began shortly after World War II, located to the east of ➸

CW | ICONIC POWE R

right: For the cover of Pink Floyd’s Animals album, a 40ft-long inflatable pig was suspended between two of the chimneys at Battersea Power Station below: The interior of the station reflected the architectural style of the period it was built in

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The architect was Giles Gilbert Scott – a prodigious talent who had already famously designed Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral when he was just 22 the original station and designed as a mirror image of it, so the two virtually slotted together to form the whole. Battersea ‘B’ came online in 1953. Built in a more austere climate, it lacked the ornate touches of ‘A’, with most of the fittings made from stainless steel. Throughout its life, Battersea Power Station was unusually present in popular culture. A fire at the station on April 20, 1964 shut down electricity across large areas of London and delayed the launch of BBC2. Pink Floyd’s 1977 album, Animals was graced with a cover shot of a 30ft- high inflatable pig sailing through the chimneys like a slow-moving rugby conversion (the pig slipped its moorings and was eventually found in a field in Kent). The Jam’s promo for News of The World was shot in the shadow of the chimneys. “I think it’s become a symbol of London, partly because it has that very distinctive silhouette; it’d be very easy to recognise a drawing of it,” says Catherine Croft, director of the 20th Century Society. “And it’s the idea that there are those fantastic interiors that nobody has seen for ages. It’s amazing how much of that has survived, and indeed will be preserved.” This preservation has been a constant issue since Battersea A closed in 1975, and B followed suit eight years later. Both halves were seen as increasingly outdated and inefficient, and less necessary as the grid weaned off coal and became more dependent on gas, oil and nuclear. The building was given Grade II listed status by thensecretary of state Michael Heseltine in 1980, and has been subject to various schemes and proposals since 1990. Hong Kong’s Parkview International bought the site in 1993 for £10m with plans revealed in 2000 for ‘The Power Station’ – a mall with restaurants and a cinema, with the west wall of the station made from glass. In 2005, Parkview announced that the chimneys would have to be demolished and replaced “like for like”, a process which is currently ongoing and which the 20th Century Society have strongly opposed as unnecessary. In 2006, the station and its surrounding land was purchased for £400m by Real Estate Opportunities, while further lobbying saw the building upgraded to II*-listed. “It’s a really major landmark. We were very concerned to see it in such a ruinous state for so long and sitting there without a roof on it,” says Croft. As for why it’s taken so long to do anything with such a famous, central location she cites a mixture of speculation and practicality: “I think that there were a lot of people with very strong views of what they wanted to come out of it. It was possible to make money just by holding on to the site and selling it on, so there was a lot of gambling, essentially on the development potential. The whole business about the transport links was crucial as it is incredibly expensive to extend a tube line so the council was holding out for that. I think why it’s happened now is the American embassy announced that it is moving to Nine Elms and on the back of that the whole area is going to take off in a way that was impossible to imagine 10 years ago.” The current development, by a Malaysian consortium, seems more serious than the fitful proposals that have become familiar

I C O NI C P OWER | CW

“It was possible to make money just by holding on to the site and selling it on, so there was a lot of gambling, essentially on the development potential” CATHERINE CROFT

Photos: Getty images, PAimages, Battersea Power Station Development Company

to Londoners over the last 30 years. And the new project – with its residential apartments, restaurants, shopping and art spaces – is clearly aware of the history it’s inheriting and the fondness Londoners feel for it. “Spot the difference,” challenges the Battersea Power Station website, alongside two comparative designs of the original and replacement chimneys, while much of the interior features will apparently be preserved. It’s easy to romanticise the derelict and ghostly sites that are gradually being cleaned up across the city, but for a possible model of a positive future for Battersea, you need only look a few miles east up the river to another of Gilbert Scott’s creations – the Bankside Power Station. Reconfigured as the Tate Modern in 2000, this has given the building and the area a new lease of life and a public purpose, but maintained the power of the architect’s original design. Hopefully, Battersea can achieve the same. right: The interior of Battersea Power Station before construction work began below and below right: Facing the River Thames, the new development will see the power station as an integral part of the new Nine Elms project. Alongside, will be leisure facilities, offices, shops and housing, as well as the new United States embassy nearby

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LAS

OKIN O

AN EXHIBITION ABOUT THE JAM HAS SPARKED INTEREST IN ONE OF BRITAIN’S GREATEST-EVER BANDS. NICK SOLDINGER LOOKS BACK AT WHAT MADE THEM SO PRECIOUS…

HEROES The Jam on stage at the Electric Circus, Manchester in June 1977

M O DE R N T IM ES | CW

Photo: Richard Pinches

obody captured it better than Paul Weller. If you were growing up when ’70s Britain shoulder-barged its way into ’80s UK PLC, he and his band The Jam shouted louder, more passionately and poetically on behalf of British youth than anybody else. As blackouts, picket lines and garbagechoked streets gave way to yuppies, consumerism and spiralling unemployment, Weller’s songs provided an era-defining soundtrack. The Jam were straight outta Woking, a nondescript London suburb where the haves and have-nots shared the same cinemas and supermarkets. On one side of the street were wealthy stockbrokers – the Mr Cleans, as Weller dubbed them – who’d commute daily into the City. On the other were people like Weller’s family. His dad, who’d eventually manage the band, toiled on building sites while his mum cleaned rich people’s houses. Woking may have been a cultural hinterland, but it gave Weller a unique perspective on English inequality. Britain back then was another country. Life for all but the wealthiest was bleak. There were power cuts, IRA bombings, and crippling strikes. Violence was everywhere from street corners to football terraces. While relief came from booze, a bag of glue or roaring at a racist comedian on the telly. Then everything changed. Weller was 18 when punk exploded in 1976. Already a seasoned performer, he’d been playing local pubs and working men’s clubs for four years. Along the way he’d picked up bandmates bassist Bruce Foxton and drummer Rick Buckler, as well as the name, The Jam. Punk loudly rejected all that Britain had come to stand for, and like so many others, Weller was lit up by the energy Johnny Rotten and his sneering, gobbing, shock troops generated. As Weller would ➸ orderline +44 1628 763040 23

CW | MODE RN TIME S

later admit, he’d “hated school, hated authority, and hated being told what to do”. And he’d started teaching himself to play guitar aged 13, as a means of escape from both the life he knew and the one that seemed to beckon – on the hod with his hard-grafting old man. The Jam were still getting established on London’s live circuit when they were gobbled up by Polydor Records, which was keen to grab what it saw as a piece of this new scene. In April 1977, The Jam released their debut single In The City. With its breakneck tempo and rabble-rousing lyrics it was perfect for a pop landscape levelled by the Sex Pistols. But while punk had inspired Weller, The Jam were no punk band.

“A smash of glass and the rumble of boots An electric train and a ripped-up phone booth Paint-splattered walls and the cry of a tomcat Lights going out and a kick in the balls – that’s entertainment” Paul Weller, 1980

A huge fan of The Beatles, Weller had also grown up listening to The Kinks, The Small Faces, and The Who. These classic ’60s pop acts not only helped to inform his burgeoning mod aesthetic – something his wilfully scruffy punk contemporaries ridiculed him for – but a distinctly English working-class take on things. From The Beatles he learned melody, but from the triumvirate of London mod bands he absorbed social commentary, youthful rebellion and creative experimentalism. And over the next five years he’d weave these strands into his work with ever-more impressive results. Former Q editor Andrew Harrison, says: “The Jam forged a new ideal in music – a new, no-frills economy of thought and sound, something rooted in the past but forward-looking, an anti-elitist British noise that nevertheless looked optimistically outwards, to soul,

r’n’b and eventually funk. They were a beat group with a brain.” The following year, The Jam stepped out of punk’s shadow with the release of their third album All Mod Cons. It contained two tender ballads (English Rose and Fly) a condemnation of the anarchy punk was pushing (A-Bomb in Wardour Street) and an unashamedly mod inner sleeve featuring a montage of images including a Vespa, a cappuccino, and a union jack – a symbol, at that time, very much associated with the British far-right. The album ended with Down in The Tube Station at Midnight, a story-song about a fascist assault on a commuter that in style, structure and subject matter was sublime. Weller was barely 19 yet he’d found the voice that would infiltrate millions of young minds across the country, inspiring many to begin their own odysseys through politics, fashion and art. Peter Hooton, who’d later go on to be the singer of The Farm, followed the group around the UK, and remembers they reached kids other groups couldn’t dream of connecting with. “The Jam never talked about football, but they got that crowd in, talking to the disaffected kids on council estates. Unlike The Clash, they were on Top of The Pops regularly, and so were able to attract a mass audience.” By now, punk was imploding and Britain’s teenagers were searching for something to point them in a new direction. The Jam were it. They had the tunes, the attitude, and – in Weller – a figurehead who could guide and inspire them. It wasn’t just what he said that they dug either, it was the complete package, and by 1979, a full-on mod revival – replete with parkas, scooters and Fred Perrys – had erupted across Britain. The Jam’s next album Setting Sons was another leap forward with standout track The Eton Rifles. It was inspired by real-life events when a right-to-work march that had started in Liverpool, had been jeered by public schoolboys from Eton as it passed by on its way to the Houses of Parliament.

below left: Weller playing a Rickenbacker 330 below middle: on tour, 1977 below right: Paul Weller with The Who’s guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend in London’s Soho, 1980

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M O DE R N T IM ES | CW

Going Underground, Start!, That’s Entertainment, and A Town Called Malice all followed – songs which shook with passion and integrity, delivering a message of youthful rebellion via frequently beautiful lyrics. As the hits mounted, however, the band’s sound began to change. Weller, long obsessed with black American music, was outgrowing The Jam’s three–piece dynamic. Horn sections, keyboards and backing singers were all used to fill out his songs. Then, just as they seemed to be reaching their full potential, he pulled the plug. A farewell tour was announced and a final single – Beat Surrender – was released. By the time The Jam took their final bow before emotional fans at Brighton Conference Centre on December 11, 1982, it topped the UK charts. It was The Jam’s 18th consecutive top 40 single in five years. Nobody had dominated British music like that since The Beatles. Andrew Harrison again. “The legacy they left wasn’t perfect. Too many camp followers misread the band’s discipline for bloke puritanism, and they really didn’t get The Style Council — Weller’s European escape route — at all. But at their best, The Jam showed that mod means modernism means openness means excitement. This is the modern world, and it’s whatever you want it to be.”

“At their best The Jam showed that mod means modernism means openness means excitement. This is the modern world, and it’s whatever you want it to be”

Like Going Underground? Then dig a little deeper… LITTLE BOY SOLDIERS, 1979 With a song structure that makes it sounds like it’s escaped from a West End musical, this track from Setting Sons is what Wilfred Owen might have written had he owned a Rickenbacker. Chorus-less yet catchy it takes swipes at racism, patriotism and imperialism before delivering a pathos-drenched pay-off. MAN IN THE CORNER SHOP, 1980 From the band’s psychedelic-spattered fourth album Sound Affects this deceptively simple track encapsulates the timeless tension created by the British class system. Possibly a distant cousin of Simon and Garfunkel’s 1965 song Richard Cory, itself based on Edward Arlington Robinson’s 1897 poem of the same name. LIZA RADLEY, 1980 B-side to the more famous Start!, this elegant vignette is about a free-spirited girl – reminiscent of Julie Christie’s character in the 1963 film Billy Liar – who doesn’t fit in with small-town life. The song’s narrator yearns for her to take him with her when she eventually escapes its spirit-sapping clutches. GHOSTS, 1982 Exquisitely soulful appeal to the listener to find the courage to be more than the system wants them to be, and to “spread some loving all around”. Possibly the quietest call-to-arms in the history of popular music – and one of the most affecting. From The Jam’s final album The Gift. below left: Early Jam performance from January, 1976 below: Weller and ‘Merton’ Mick Talbot at the end of their Style Council days in 1989

Photos: Richard Pinches

The group’s departure left fans heartbroken but The Jam had done their job. As Noel Gallagher said years later, “If you didn’t have The Jam, you wouldn’t have had The Smiths, whether Johnny Marr will admit to that or not. And if you didn’t have The Smiths you wouldn’t have had The Stone Roses, whether Ian Brown will admit to that or not. And if you didn’t have The Stone Roses you wouldn’t have had Oasis, whether Liam will admit to that or not.” A generation had been inspired, the baton had been passed on.

FOUR LESSER-KNOWN JAM GEMS

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TRITECH

CLASSIC WARD

THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN HAVE ALWAYS INSPIRED WATCHMAKERS, NONE MORE SO THAN CHRISTOPHER WARD. ONE TIMPIECE IN PARTICULAR, THE C600 TRI-TECH ELITE, PROVED THAT CW WAS NOT CONTENT TO BE JUST ANOTHER WATCH COMPANY. HERE’S ITS STORY…

C600

Diving watches have always played an important part in the Christopher Ward tale. And perhaps that tale’s most significant chapter was a timepiece that could work in the most demanding of conditions: the C600 Tri-Tech Elite. Released in 2009, the Tri-Tech still looks striking six years after its release, but what really set it apart was its technical capabilities. Constructed in steel with a PVD coating and waterproof to 500m – basically the centre of the earth – it wasn’t just a watch. It was a tool. Looking at it today, the first thing that strikes the wearer are the lime green hands which contrast against the black background. When you’re deep down in the ocean, subtleties go out of the window; you need to know what time it is. That legibility was further enhanced with the use of tritium gas tubes on the indexes, something that delivered luminosity that was both brighter and more long-lasting than traditional luminous paint. Like lots of things in life, the C600 Tri-Tech was even more fun when it got dark. Chris Ward says, “The Tri-Tech was a more technical version of the hugely successful C6 Kingfisher. It was probably our most technically demanding watch at the time.” The final technical achievement was the helium release valve placed on the case at 10 O’clock. Seen on only the most advanced of diving watches, like CW’s own later C11 Elite and C11 Extreme models, the valve allowed the tiny helium molecules that make their way into timepieces at depth to be released and thus protect the watch on its return to the surface. For a company that was just four years old, the Tri-Tech – named after the three innovations of helium release valve, tritium indexes and PVD coating – was an audacious statement. And one that could be heard from 500m down.

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C L A S S I C WAR D | CW

“The Tri-Tech was a more technical version of the C6 Kingfisher. It was probably our most technically demanding watch at the time” CHRIS WARD

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CW | RACE TIME

Jacky Ickx and Porsche driver Hans Hermann vied with each other for top spot on the last lap, something almost unheard of in an endurance race

Getty images / AP Photo

left: Drivers run to their cars at the start of the race, the last true Le Mans start right: Drivers Jacky Ickx (BEL) and Jackie Oliver (GB) celebrate their victory at Le Mans 24h 1969, France

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C9GT4O THE RACE FOR

PERFECTION A LEGEND OF 1960s MOTOR SPORT IS CELEBRATED IN A BEAUTIFUL, 40 PIECE LIMITED EDITION WATCH

‘Iconic’ is a description bandied about a little too much these days But if we’re talking cars, especially racing cars, there’s one that pretty much defines this description: the Ford GT40. And in particular the Mk I model that won back-to-back Le Mans titles in 1968 and ’69 against all the odds. A car Christopher Ward is celebrating in a stunning new timepiece, the C9 GT40. Limited to just 40 watches, the C9 GT40’s backplate has been embedded with the actual aluminium from the Mk I’s (chassis number P-1075) wheel. For racing fans, the 1969 race is particularly special because it was the last time the ‘Le Mans start’ – when drivers ran to their cars – took place. Add in the incredible engineering by John Wyer that transformed an out-of-date car into a world-beater and you’re looking at a vehicle that has to be commemorated. So while the C9 GT40 is only a watch, its combination of technical élan and stunning design will give it pole position on the most discerning of race fan’s wrist.

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CW | R A C E T I M E

THE C9 GT40 BRINGS ITS ICONIC RACING PEDIGREE TO LIFE WITH EXTRAORDINARY TECHNICAL DETAILS RECALLING THE DOUBLE LE MANS VICTORY OF GT40 CHASSIS #P-1075.

Dial and hand detail The hands and dial are a faithful and detailed representation of the rev counter from the ’68 and ’69 Le Mans-winning car.

Power Reserve Indicator The Valgranges A07 movement shows the amount of power still available before the watch needs rewinding. A mechanical watch should be wound to at least 30% of its power to function at its best making this a very useful complication.

30 40

20 10

00 POWER RESERVE Automatic

30 40

Unique Crown Design The iconic Gulf design and colours of the winning GT40 are represented in the ceramic crown head of the watch.

20 10

50 30 christopherward.co.uk

00 POWER RESERVE Automatic

C9GT4O

LIMITED EDIT IO N

P/107 5

69 19

GT40 RD FO

OUBLE WINNER SD 19 AN 68 M

& 69 19

GT40 RD FO

LIMITED EDIT IO N

P/107 5

00/4ETCHED 0 BACK-PLATE SPINNER DETAILING

0 0 /4 0

Back-Plate Design Actual metal from one of the GT40 #P-1075’s wheel spinners is embedded beneath museum grade sapphire crystal which is delicately engraved on the inside with the detail of the car’s wheel design.

CHRISTOPHER WARD CO-FOUNDER MIKE FRANCE TAKES US THROUGH THE ELEMENTS THAT MAKE THIS WATCH, AND THE CAR THAT INSPIRED IT, SO SPECIAL… Our choice of movement, the ETA Valgranges

Making this watch was like giving birth –

A07.161, chimes absolutely with the design and spirit

although my wife wouldn’t necessarily agree.

of this watch. Incorporating a power reserve indicator

Once we’d discovered, and fallen in love with

that shows how much ‘gas is left in the tank’, when

the idea of the rev counter for the dial and hands

fully wound it delivers 46 hours of continuous power.

design (and believe, me, finding the correct rev

As you may be able to tell from its name, the calibre

counter for this car wasn’t easy) it all fell into place.

is part of the Valjoux family and shares much of the

We went through six months of fine-tuning before

robustness and precision associated with that name.

we were happy.

This would be a watch to covet even if it were a

There’s a facsimile of the wheel and spinner

regular ‘open’ series. However, the spinner metal

design engraved onto the underside of the

available from the GT40 #P-1075 is so rare that we

museum-grade sapphire crystal that protects the

were only able to create a limited edition of just

aluminium pieces, which to us, are holy grail-like

40 pieces. Arguably, this makes it one of the most

artefacts of motorsport history.

desirable motorsport watches ever.

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CW | T E CH T IME

OUT OF THIS WORLD

TOBY SMITH’S PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE GLOBAL SATELLITE INDUSTRY REPRESENT HUMAN INGENUITY AT ITS BEST

ew things have transformed modern lives as much as the geosynchronous satellite. Whether we’re conducting a

long-distance conversation with a relative on Skype, trying to find our way around town with our phone or just watching a Champions League football match, they’re all made possible by satellites. And there are currently 3,600 of them orbiting the earth. Photographer Toby Smith is fascinated by these machines, the first of which, Sputnik, was launched in 1957. That’s why in 2012 he began a collaboration with satellite manufacturer SES to find out how – and why – these orbiters were being constructed in such huge numbers. Bear in mind that each one costs $0.5bn-$1bn to make. Smith’s mission took him all over the world, from the jungles of French Guiana – home to the the European Space Agency – to the Space-X facility in LA, run by tech billionaire Elon Musk whose goal is to set up an 80,000-strong colony on Mars by 2040. ➸

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;All this effort for such a simple goal: communication. I loved thatâ&#x20AC;?

Toby Smith / Getty Images Reportage

TOBY SMITH

this page: An SES satellite begins its journey to space from Baikonur in Kazakhstan right: SES operations take place all around the world

33 christopherward.co.uk christopherward.co.uk 19

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I heard so many international accents wherever I went. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something amazing about that, this pinnacle of engineering involving a huge international effort, aimed at launching a satelliteâ&#x20AC;?

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T E C H TIM E | CW

Smith’s mission took him all over the world, from the jungles of French Guiana to the Space-X facility in LA. While he observed and photographed the differences between private and state-run programmes, there was one unifying theme wherever he went; collaboration, the spirit of which made international borders irrelevant. As he told The Guardian: “Engineers I met from Portsmouth, making fuel tanks for Airbus in Toulouse, turned up in French Guiana, where I met their end-clients from Georgia. The Proton rocket, which was designed to strike the eastern seaboard of the US, is now jointly US-Russia owned. “I heard so many international accents wherever I went. There’s something amazing about that, this pinnacle of engineering involving a huge international effort, aimed at launching a satellite like SES-6, to sit above Brazil and help broadcast the World Cup. All this effort for such a simple goal: communication. I loved that.” Proving as, the old British Telecom TV advert used to say, it really is good to talk. designer Martin Halliwell of SES left: Another SES satellite goes under rigourous testing at the plant in Toulouse, France below: The SES-6 satellite with all its reflectors deployed

Toby Smith / Getty Images Reportage

facing page, clockwise from top: “And we have lift-off”; That’s a lot dishes – the SES control centre in Luxembourg; A satellite is transported; Elon Musk, CEO of Space-X with UK

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CW | JJ MA STE RCL A S S

MASTERCLASS PART 1

THE ESCAPEMENT

J J ’s

KERS A M H C T WA CLA SS R E T S A M

CHRISTOPHER WARD’S MASTER WATCHMAKER JOHANNES JAHNKE INTRODUCES THE COMPLEX ART OF MECHANICAL WATCHMAKING, IN A SERIES OF MASTERCLASSES BEGINNING IN THIS ISSUE WITH A DEEPER LOOK INTO THE FUNDAMENTALS OF REGULATING TIME, WITH MASTERCLASS PART 1 THE ESCAPEMENT.

“Unlike a quartz watch, which uses a battery, a mechanical watch is powered by a spring. The spring moves a balance wheel, and the balance wheel, in turn, transfers its impulses to an escapement. That escapement measures the beats. It’s the wonder of that work, that movement, that makes a mechanical watch.” IWC MAN’S GUIDE TO BUYING A WATCH

36 christopherward.co.uk

THIS IS AN AREA OF WATCHMAKING WHERE EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND FEELING COME TO THE FORE AS RESULTS OF SIMULATIONS OR COMPUTER ANALYSES OFTEN FAIL. WATCHMAKERS WORK WITH AN ORCHESTRA MADE UP OF IMPERFECT SYSTEMS, WHICH WE ARRANGE SO THAT ONE ‘PROBLEM’ WILL BE COMPENSATED BY ANOTHER. THE PRECISION AND THE RELIABILITY OF THE WHOLE WATCH IS A RESULT OF GOOD OR BAD ORCHESTRATION – OR COMPENSATION – FOR THESE INDIVIDUAL FAULTS.

“A five-day power reserve loses less power over its first day than a two-day power reserve, so is more stable”

The Wheel Train This multiplies the number of revolutions of the main spring. The last wheel in the train is the Anchor Wheel, classed as part of the Escapement.

J J M A S T E R C L A S S | CW

The Escapement This manages and regulates power, by stopping the wheels turning each second. How? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll explain on the next page.

The Barrels For power storage, usually with an integrated main spring, these deliver energy into the Wheel Train.

CWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s COSC Certified in-house movement, Calibre SH21

christopherward.co.uk

THE C9 5 DAY AUTOMATIC LIMITED EDITION – GREEN

CW’s COSC Certified in-house movement. Calibre SH21

J J ’s

AKERS W ATC H M L A S S C MA STER

The Escapement - detail Balance wheel

Anchor

Exit pallet stops wheel Anchor wheel

Hairspring

Entry pallet stops wheel

“The escapement and its placement in the movement is, to me, still mythical and almost unachievable in its perfection” HOW THE ESCAPEMENT WORKS The illustration above shows us the familiar tick-tock of the anchor wheel which indicates the beats of time. To make sure that the time between the ticks is identical, it’s necessary to move the anchor very precisely, with constant frequency. This is the work of the main part of the assortment; providing balance with the hairspring to regulate time. In wristwatches, the hairspring provides the ‘reset force’ that in clocks is given by a pendulum. The anchor, then, has a double function. It should stop and let free the wheel train in short sequences and it should deliver the power (which comes out of the turning of the anchorwheel to the balance) to ‘feed’ the swinging of the anchor against friction achieving the balance required between hairspring and anchor is one of the more subtle arts of the watchmaker. The challenge is to stabilise the swinging of the system to have exactly same spells between ticks. To achieve this, power must be identical on each push of the anchor, and friction must be constant to achieve stable angles of deflection. It’s not so easy to do! Different frictions affect the bearings between

horizontal and vertical positions of the balance wheel, so watchmakers tend to increase the power in the system to mitigate and increase reliability, either by making the balance wheel heavier or by increasing frequency, both of which reduce power reserve. The trade-off is difficult to prove through tests other than daily use because all the precision tests, such as COSC, are static, even as the power of the main spring reduces over time. There are no common tests for the impact of daily use and really, only the wearer will learn how his different watches compare. It could be possible that one watch loses 15 seconds per day and another watch gains 10 seconds, despite both watches being correctly certified by COSC. Theoretically, all influences to the balance systems are known and you can read hundreds of pages in dozens of books about it. These are, for example: location compared to the main position, number of winds of the hairspring, thickness and height, end curves, forms and materials and balances together with the combinations, different escapement systems, anchor materials and angles, constant force systems, double balances and tourbillion. But there’s no ‘best’ way to resolve one influence in isolation because there is no ‘best’ resolution altogether. Many individual solutions conflict, and every solution is a compromise. Even today, it’s not possible to foresee these characteristics before the first prototype is made. But help is at hand! The individual results are regulated at the end of the assembly by a regleur or regleuse – a vital role in an industry where the costs of industrialisation can equal a nice pre-war Bentley. orderline +44 1628 763040 39

CW | ART & H UMOUR

What a wonderful Day-z DAY-Z IS A STREET ARTIST WHO FUSES EXQUISITE DRAUGHTSMANSHIP WITH A KNOWING SENSE OF HUMOUR – AND NOW SHE’S WORKING WITH CHRISTOPHER WARD

treet art has come a long way since the first ‘writers’ turned the subway trains of New York City into moveable galleries. After the global phenomenon that is Banksy, the UK is seen as one of the hotspots of the graffiti world, and one artist who’s doing especially well is Day-z, a Londoner who explores the relationship between celebrity, society and consumerism. Always on the lookout for emerging talent, Christopher Ward commissioned the 25-year-old to capture its SH21 movement in a pencil drawing – something which has led to something of a mutual appreciation society forming. Here, she tells us about selling her first picture, her fascination with celebrity and the common ground between fine art and watchmaking. Hi Day-z, how did you get into the painting scene?

“I sold my first piece, aged eight, to my dad. It was a good hustle!”

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Art was always something I enjoyed when I was a child. As I got older I found it could be a form of meditation, a way to focus my concentration and express my ideas. When I was young I used to get excited seeing materials and colours in art shops. I never actually thought it would be something I’d be good at but practice and patience goes a long way. What was the first work you sold?

I sold my first piece, aged eight, to my dad for £20 – a bit of a rip-off, but a good hustle nevertheless! Selling my first original piece Charlie No.5 through the Imitate Modern Gallery in 2013 was a huge step. I’ve since also become signed by Beautiful Crime, and internationally at Velvenoir in Austria.

Do you ever have days when you think, “What am I going to paint?”

I have ideas all the time that I quickly note down on my phone or sketch, depending on where I am. The list seems to grow quicker than my hands can draw. How would you describe your art to someone who doesn’t know it?

“A day at the National Gallery with hints of humour”. I like to create witty and playful artworks that fuse together fine- and street art. Using techniques from the Old Masters, I aim to cast an academic finish to urban-inspired works. I’m always developing my drawing ability, to the point where people question whether a piece really is a drawing. You reference Hollywood icons like Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe and even Snow White in your work. Why?

Celebrities have always been a theme because they’re ever-present and have an enormous impact in shaping culture. By drawing icons and modern-day celebrities the viewer feels a sense of familiarity. I like to reconstruct that by drawing them in different scenarios, such as by fusing Kate Moss and a bunny rabbit. Andy Warhol said, “My idea of a good picture is one that’s in focus and of a famous person,” but I like to recreate more underground scenes like my drawing of the dogs in a barber shop eating kebabs, reading the newspaper and hanging out. Is street art an influence on you?

It’s a huge influence, I love the skills involved in actually creating the pieces and the clever placement of works. Art is one of the truest expressions of a city, whether hanging in a

A R T & HU MOUR | CW

“When I saw the watch in real life I was mesmerised by the back… it was almost like looking at a master artist whittling away in his studio”

gallery or sprayed on walls, and street art is the voice of the city that demands at least to be seen. How do you physically make your work?

It usually involves just pen, pencil and paper, but I like to experiment with other stuff from plaster cast to paint, and recently started silkscreen printing. To draw a piece from scratch can take up to anywhere from two weeks to four months, depending on size and detail. Tell us about the work you’ve done with Christopher Ward…

I drew the C9 5Day Automatic. Although watches are more associated with men, Christopher Ward has a unisex appeal. I was contacted by The Saatchi Gallery’s Art & Music magazine to create a drawing of the watch and offer my opinion of what it felt like as a female to wear it. So you liked it?

When I saw the watch in real life I was mesmerised by the back. Seeing the mechanics ticking away was almost like looking at a master artist whittling away in his studio. I wanted to recreate that mastery and have the watch suspending from a chain to make it feel that in that moment it time had stopped. And you ended up being an owner…

Yes. I had the pleasure of meeting the CW team and chose the C5 Malvern Automatic MK II, an elegant masterpiece that’ll truly stand the test of time. See more of Day-z’s work at the Imitate Modern gallery, imitatemodern.com

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CW | CH AL L E NGE RS

NEW YORK CITY GREAT CITIES, GREAT CLOCKS

IT MIGHT NOT BE THE ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE OF THE UNITED STATES, BUT NEW YORK CITY CAN FAIRLY CLAIM TO BE SOMETHING GREATER: THE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. NOTHING DEMONSTRATES THIS BETTER THAN ITS ARCHITECTURE: FROM THE FLATIRON TO THE CHRYSLER, THE EMPIRE STATE TO THE GUGGENHEIM, A WALK AROUND THE CITY IS A LESSON IN 20TH CENTURY AMBITION.

nd yet, there’s something else that points to the greatness of New York – something more subtle, yet in every way as telling as the buildings. We’re talking about New York’s public clocks. The most famous clock in the city is at Grand Central railway station, a bulbous, four-sided timepiece that sits on top of the information centre. Not only has it been a meeting point for New Yorkers since the station opened in 1913, but it’s also provided a backdrop to films like Men in Black, The Godfather and North by Northwest. Sadly, that’s not the case at Manhattan’s other station, Pennsylvania. It’s been said that the replacement of old Penn station with Madison Square Garden in 1963 was the biggest act of cultural vandalism America has ever seen. As Penn’s lines were shunted under that battleshipgrey hulk, the city lost not just an incredible station, but a beautiful clock, one that could compete with the great timepieces of Europe. Looking at pictures of it today, it still seems impossible that something that majestic could be deliberately removed. But removed it was. Beauty, of course, does still exist in New York clocks. The lobby of the hotel boasts an ornate piece originally built by the Goldsmiths Company of London for Chicago’s World’s Fair of 1893. Around its base are the faces of presidents Cleveland, Harrison, Washington, Grant, Lincoln, Franklin, Jackson, plus – as the clock was made in England – Queen Victoria. ➸

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C I T Y T IM E | CW

ÂŠ PA Photos Limited, Getty Images

above: The sculptures of Mercury, Hercules, and Minerva above the main entrance to Grand Central top right: Grand Central 100, the clock in the main concourse at Grand Central station far right: Chase Manhattan Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1959 Atomic Clock, powered by a pellet of Cesium 137. The impulses of gamma rays emitted by the pellet activate the clock right: The main clock of the original Pennsylvania station below right: The lobby clock at the Waldorf Astoria hotel

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THE NEW C60 TRIDENT PRO VINTAGE STEEL

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NEW YORK CITY

GREAT CITIES, GREAT CLOCKS

Not all New York’s clocks tell the time. In 1989, industrialist Seymour Durst had grown so tired of the country’s national debt that he commissioned a clock, located on Sixth Avenue, detailing how much the country (and every individual US family) owed. Meanwhile, the atomic clock at the Chase Manhattan Bank HQ downtown details – to the second – just how old the building is. It’s expected to run for another 150 years. New York City plays home to countless clocks, and you’ll see beautiful timepieces on the front of fancy stores like Macy’s and Tiffany & Co, the Children’s Zoo, as well the famous clock in Times Square which signals the start of the New Year every January 1. It seems fitting then, that one of the city most famous pop stars – Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav – is known best for wearing a large clock around his neck. He says, “The reason why I wear this clock is because it represents time being the most important element in our life. Time can’t afford to be wasted… Each minute we live, we got to live each second to our best value. Time brought us up in here, and time can also take us out.” And that’s truer in New York than perhaps anywhere else on the planet.

C I T Y T IM E | CW

above: The National Debt Clock, plus timepieces at Macy’s, Tiffany and Central Park’s Children’s Zoo right: New Year is heralded via the clock in Times Square

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CW | BRAND WATCH

L I KDEE-D

“We’re inspired by the unique finds we unearth in the archives at Imperial War Museum”

MIN

WITH BRANDS IRIT SP THE CW

REALM & EMPIRE BRITAIN’S MILITARY HISTORY PROVIDES INSPIRATION FOR MANY INDUSTRIES, FROM FURNITURE DESIGN TO FINE WATCHMAKING. AND THEN THERE’S CLOTHING…

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ilitary wear of all stripes continues to influence mens clothing brands all over the world, with the likes of Italy’s Stone Island and CP Company referencing the most obscure pieces in their clothes. There’s a reason for this: garments worn by soldiers, sailors and airmen were – and are – designed to perform in the most testing of conditions. If you’re stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier, you need to know that the jacket you’re wearing will not just keep out the weather, but the sea, should you fall in. UK brand Realm & Empire has a closer relationship with the military (and war in general) than almost any other label, thanks to its exclusive partnership with the Imperial War Museum (IWM). This gives it access to the print and cold store garment archives – a huge body of artefacts. And at a time when even the most august brands are outsourcing their manufacture to far-flung corners of the earth, R&E produces its clothing here in the UK. Like making great watches, producing quality fashion when you’re an independent is not easy,

Realm & Empire’s close relationship with the Imperial War Museum means it can produce clothing that truly reflects UK military history

especially when you’re up against the discounts of the high-street giants. Here, Realm & Empire’s co-founder Stephen Gill explains how it survives and the philosophy at the core of the label… “Every Realm & Empire garment is inspired by real British history, has a genuine back story and authentic detailing. We use premium quality fabrics and pay an almost obsessive attention to detail, even down to the unique ID label on each garment. “We do it for the love! The ultimate aim is to add credibility throughout the whole process. We believe it’s this that sets us apart from faux British ‘heritage’ brands.

“For instance, we’ve developed a graphic inspired by a WWII escape map found sewn into a beret by a member of the famous Long Range Desert Group.

“We’re mostly inspired by the unique finds we unearth in the archives at IWM. These can range from individual garments to artwork, graphics, artefacts, photographs, insignia and old typography. “For instance, we’ve developed a graphic inspired by a WWII escape map found sewn into a beret by a member of the famous Long Range Desert Group. We also found a charming floral print on a fragment of wallpaper salvaged from a Bosche dugout in 1917, which we developed into our own Floral Trench Print. “Often, the stories we tell through a garment relate to one person’s personal experience of war, but we also look at the sociological impact of conflict on whole communities and how this was represented in clothing at the time. “Our SS15 ‘demob’ collection was inspired by the austerity that followed the implementation of the post-war CC41 Civilian Clothing Order. “In the end, it’s not easy to run a business like this, but independent brands have to work hard to stand out and flourish.” realmandempire.com

“The ultimate aim is to add credibility. We believe it’s this that sets us apart from faux British ‘heritage’ brands”

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TI M E

SP A N

JONNY WILKINSON DROP-KICKS ENGLAND TO RUGBY WORLD CUP GLORY IN 2003

RUGBY ISN’T NORMALLY A SPORT THAT’S DECIDED IN THE LAST MINUTE. Unlike goals in football, tries often take several minutes to reach fruition, with sorties into enemy territory often repelled (and repelled again) by burly forwards with headbands and root vegetables for ears. But sometimes everything does hinge on one last play, one final kick. And never was this demonstrated better than when Jonny Wilkinson drop-kicked the goal that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup for England on a rainy November night in Sydney. Wilkinson was rugby’s David Beckham, a winning combination of good looks, blonde hair and steely determination. Like Beckham, the fly-half’s obsession with practising – witness the bizarre ritual he undertook before kicks – had made him into that rare thing in England: an instantly recognisable rugby player. But at half time in the final, it wasn’t Wilkinson that England fans were thanking, but Jason Robinson, whose try had put 48 christopherward.co.uk

Clive Woodward’s men 14-5 up. After the break, however, the Aussies reverted to type and took the game to the Poms, eating up their lead. By the closing minute of extra time it was 17-17. Step forward Matt Dawson. After winning a line-out cleverly positioned in the Aussie half, Dawson took the ball into the heart of enemy territory where he was soon stopped by a wall of Antipodean muscle. Another incursion by England had the same result, but this time Neil Back opened up some space, and the ball was hurled back to Wilkinson, who’d positioned himself perfectly. Catching the ball, he immediately drop-kicked towards the posts, and with a precision that made him such a formidable opponent, neatly placed the ball between the sticks with just 25 seconds left. England were 20-17 up, and, after Mike Catt put the ball into touch seconds after the restart, world champions. There were many factors that made this such a sweet victory: the fact England had won on Australian turf, the “Dads’ army” insults hurled at them by the Aussie press during the tournament; and the nonchalant way Australian rugby and cricket teams beat the English whenever they faced each other. A hoodoo had been lifted and Wilkinson was the man who’d done it.

Photo: Getty images

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