June Edition - Issue 83 - Oracle Time

WATCHES | ST YLE | CULTUR E

THE LIFESTYLE GUIDE FOR WATCH LOVERS

ISSUE .83

Time & Materials

RADO CAPTAIN COOK The Tech Issue METAVERSE | SMARTWATCHES | WELLNESS

ISSUE 83

9.95

£

ORACLE TIME #83

WELCOME Editor’s letter

COVER CREDITS Photography: Tom Pettit Watch: Rado Captain Cook

Not to sound too much like a disillusioned millennial, but I still remember the days of dial up. Yes, despite my evergreen youthful good looks, I am over 30. The fact that now we can get an internet signal on the tube is tantamount to witchcraft. Needless to say, tech has come a long way and is, as this issue will show, planning on going a lot further.

In the world of watches, the most regular advancement is in materials – and there are a lot to choose from. Cutting-edge, bomb-proof composites to put the military to shame, aerospace alloys to do the same to NASA, watchmakers seem hell bent on proving that the most fitting place for metallurgical tech is in the case of a luxury timepiece.

Ceramic is a great example. Ultra-hard, made by intense heat and able to be forged in various colours and precise shapes, it’s a wonder material. It’s also one that our cover stars of this issue, Rado, have more than a little expertise in – especially when it comes to their unique Plasma finish. Want the look of metal with the hardness of ceramic?

There you go.

Then there’s titanium, the go-to lightweight metal for fighter jets, racing cars and watches all. You can generally tell a titanium watch from its signature dull grey colour, but failing that just try one on. They’re light like nothing else. Check out our shoot on page 90 for the best titanium timepieces around right now.

Then we come to what’s quickly becoming the signature material of true haute horology: sapphire. And no, not on something as prosaic as the glass above the dial. That’s been passe since the 1970s. I mean full sapphire cases. There are actually more of them around than you think (and some are a lot more affordable than you could imagine), so check out these transparent masterpieces on page 61.

Outside of watches, the current Silicon Valley zeitgeist has all been about the Metaverse.

Even typing that feels a little painful, but while I’m still on the fence the fashion industry seems ready to dive in headfirst. As Charlie Thomas investigates on page 78, some of the biggest labels in the world are riding the NFT train into the future.

If you’re insisting on remaining stuck in your physical body however, you might want to take care of it. Consumer tech is helping there too. Start-ups around the world are trying their hands at apps to help you breathe, to monitor your blood sugar and to keep an eye on your microbiome. Via stool samples. David Cox runs through these bodily digital advancements on page 53.

It’s not all about wellness though; there are plenty of gadgets that don’t require taking blood to work, and for our Aficionado section we run through some of the coolest around right now, from all-electric brakes to first-person drones.

There’s a lot to be excited, worried and confused about in the future, but for now simply enjoy these decidedly archaic pages of print media, about a mechanical object that’s been technically redundant since quartz. Don’t worry, we won’t tell on you to the tech bros.

As ever, stay safe, stay sane and enjoy this issue.

Sam Kessler, Editor

KEEP IN TOUCH: @oracle_time | @oracle_time | facebook.com/oracleoftime | oracleoftime.com

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ORACLE TIME #83

CONTRIBUTORS WATCHES | STYLE | CULTURE EDITOR

Sam Kessler sam.kessler@opulentmedia.co.uk ART DIRECTOR

Hicham Kasbi design@opulentmedia.co.uk SUB EDITOR

Dan Mobbs

Shane C. Kurup

Shane is a men’s style editor who has worked for a range of leading titles, including The MR PORTER Journal, Men’s Health UK, Esquire US, PORT, The Telegraph and Wallpaper*. He’s rather partial to a jazzy silk shirt, wide-leg trousers and a gin and Dubonnet (or three).

David Cox

Charlie Thomas

David Cox is a former neuroscientist. After one mishap too many in the lab, it was decided he was safer behind a keyboard than wielding a test tube, so he became a freelance journalist. His work is known to pop up from time to time in WIRED, Guardian, TIME and other places.

Charlie Thomas is a UK-based writer and photographer. An eternal pessimist, he has an equal love of both fine food and KFC. His work has appeared in The Independent, The Times, NME, the London Evening Standard, Tatler and Esquire.

Michael Sonsino

Ken Kessler

is unimpressed by the 21st century and enjoys retro, if costly, boys’ toys, such as cameras, mechanical watches and fountain pens – of late, he is obsessed with Italian red wine. He has written four books on luxury hi-fi equipment and collects chronographs and film noir DVDs.

A relative newcomer to luxury watches, Michael is OT’s Junior Content Producer.

He’s still trying to tell his balance spring from his tourbillon and as such is a fan of timepieces with a simple design, and who can blame him?

But if his obsession with miniatures is anything to go by, he has an impressive eye.

danmobbs@hotmail.com JUNIOR COPYWRITER

Michael Sonsino michael.sonsino@opulentmedia.co.uk DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER

Michael Pepper michael@opulentmedia.co.uk SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVE & VIDEOGRAPHER

Fraser Vincent JUNIOR DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER

Kirsty Illingworth kirsty@opulentmedia.co.uk DIRECTOR

Mark Edwards mark@opulentmedia.co.uk MANAGING EDITOR / CO-FOUNDER

Tom Pettit tom@opulentmedia.co.uk SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER ADVERTISING

Oliver Morgan oliver.morgan@opulentmedia.co.uk 020 8371 4615

George Parker

Aidy Smith

is a wine and spirits personality and presenter of the Amazon Prime TV Series, The Three Drinkers. He is often found scouring the globe for his next tipple. It’s a hard life, but someone’s got to do it. You can follow his adventures on Instagram at @sypped.

george.parker@opulentmedia.co.uk 020 8371 4616 SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

Phil Peachey Phil.peachey@opulentmedia.co.uk 0203 985 1414 OT MAGAZINE is published monthly

by Opulent Media 020 8371 4615

Printed by Stephens & George Ltd using vegetable-based inks onto materials which have been sourced from well-managed sustainable sources

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ORACLE TIME #83

CONTENTS

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OT M AG A ZINE / ISSUE 83

18 — AFICIONADO

Discover all the latest on our radar and what should be in your basket this month

26 — NEWS

What’s going on in the world of luxury, haute horology and the latest current affairs

35 — INTRODUCING

All the latest global watch releases from holy trinity brands and small independents

38 — THE ORACLE SPEAKS SILICON

The future-proof material that’s becoming an inseparable part of modern watchmaking

42 — MATERIAL CONCERNS Rado’s long overdue professional dive watch makes the most of the master of materials

While Rado’s emphasis on ceramic is nothing new, they are a watchmaker that’s punching well above their weight when it comes to cutting-edge material expertise Material Concerns — p42

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ORACLE TIME #83

CONTENTS

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61 — CLEAR AS CRYSTAL

Incredibly hard and flawlessly clear, sapphire is for more than just a watch crystal

78 — FASHION IN THE METAVERSE OT explore how fashion translates the Metaverse into real, profitable clothing

90 — FORGING THE FUTURE

The go-to lightweight metal for fighter jets, racing cars and watches sparkles in our shoot

99 — WATCH REVIEWS

123

OT gets hands on with Azimuth and Aeronom timepieces

115 — SERIOUSLY SMART WATCHES

Three mechanical watch lovers try out a trio of cutting-edge smartwatches

123 — BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE

A beginner’s guide to building the perfect – and evolving – hi-fi system 90

49

Because of the Elektron’s automatic winding it can go a full year between charges, so long as you wear it regularly Clear as Crystal — p61

49 — MEN OF INFLUENCE

Discussing podcasts, cameras, and a meat obsession with the founder of Bark & Jack

53 — BETTER YOURSELF WITH TECH Bodily digital advancements in the palm of your hand

73

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133 — UNSUNG VINTAGE HERO

The Poljot Strela was the watch on the first ever spacewalk, but remains under the radar today

139 — THE END TIMES Identifying the Rolexes that will be discontinued this year before their value skyrockets

144 – IN FOCUS

A lifesaving watch, and a piece leading a printing revolution go under the spotlight

153 – MICROBRAND CORNER

Introducing the latest and greatest watches from the best small scale independents

edited by: MICHAEL SONSINO

aficionado The coolest things in the TECH right now

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FRONT — aficionado

FUTURE TENSE We’re used to F1 technology making it to the road (after a slight delay, of course) but French manufacturer DS Automobiles have now done the same with Formula E. Their incredibly styled E TENSE PERFORMANCE not only looks crazy, but can lay down 815bhp through 8,000Nm of torque for performance to match. The one thing the flashy concept car doesn’t have?

Brakes. At least not in the traditional sense. Most electric cars are supplemented by regenerative braking systems, but the E TENSE goes all the way and uses an intelligent system to only rely on the system in what could be the future for electric cars.

Find out more at dsautomobiles.co.uk

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FRONT — aficionado

GOLDEN SOUNDS Even tech’s not immune to retro design, and with the latest edition of Sony’s high resolution Walkman, they’re also flexing their midas touch. The NWMW1ZM2 is a fully gold-plated take on the portable music device and while it’s definitely flashy, it’s also (supposedly) meant to mean a clearer, more expansive sound. Either way, ‘music lover’ probably won’t be the first thing you think of calling someone strutting around with this bad boy. £1,300, sony.co.uk

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FRONT — aficionado

A VISION OF THE FUTURE Google Glass was a flop, but that doesn’t mean the concept didn’t have something going for it, especially if you strip it down to the most useful thing a pair of connected glasses could do: stream. Enter the Viture One from Layer Design. The blacked-out lenses display a 120 inch screen and combined with the CPU neckband, let you watch films, play games, whatever you want to do – wherever you want to go. Best of all? Wear a scarf and nobody will be any the wiser.

There’s no news on precisely when the Viture One will be released, so keep an eye out at layerdesign.com

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FRONT — aficionado

FLITEBOARD We might not have hover skateboards quite yet – the only Back to the Future prophecy not to come true – but if you don’t mind taking to the water you can live much the same experience.

Fliteboard is a virtually silent hydrofoil that not only brings the board out of the water, but makes you feel like you’re flying above it. Agile, lightweight and offering a fair turn of speed, it might just be the most fun you can have in open water. £9,000, eu.fliteboard.com

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FRONT — aficionado

A SPECIAL CASE Forget upgrading to the latest generation of iPhone; if you’re handheld tech’s feeling a bit redundant, just give it a facelift, ideally courtesy of artistically-inclined performance case maker CASETiFY. Their second collab with the estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat runs through some of the legendary artist’s most famous pieces, including 1982’s Cassius Clay, 1983’s Onion Gum and 1984’s Two Sided Coin. Flex your artistic side with colourful, vibrant designs and protect your tech at the same time. What’s not to love?

Mirror phone cases from £41, casetify.com

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FRONT — aficionado

FIRST-PERSON FLIGHT Ever wanted to feel like a pilot without the hours it takes to get a licence? Look no further than drone specialist DJI’s latest FPV system. The top-end drone links to an Oculus-style headset that allows you to see exactly what it sees. Not only can you feel what it’s like to zoom about in the air, it helps you line up that perfect shot with first-person precision. Just be careful if you happen to catch a glimpse of yourself; out-of-body experience doesn’t even come into it.

DJI FPV, £1,249, store.dji.com

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FRONT — aficionado

INNOVATION WRAPPED UP Samsung always steals the show when it comes to cutting-edge innovations in screens, but upstart Studio Booboon may have just pipped them to the post on this one. The Totem is a rollable OLED screen that doubles as a sound bar. The stand not only allows you to position the screen however you see fit, but doubles as a sculptural slice of minimalism when you’re not using it. It might not have the show-stopping nature of a 50-odd inch roller blind of a screen, but it’s possibly the most versatile screen out there – rollable or otherwise.

Find out more at studiobooboon.com

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EDITED BY SAM KESSLER

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE LUXURY WORLD

NEWS

TIMEPIECE TRIPLE THREAT AT THE F1

AUCTION PRICES SPRING FORWARD IN 2022

The watch world exploded recently when Lewis Hamilton attended the Miami Grand Prix wearing three watches at the same time. On his right wrist was the 2021 IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Top Gun Mojave Desert while on his left were a classic Big Pilot’s Watch and the new Mercedes team watch, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team Watch. He wore them in protest of the FIA’s proposed ban on wearing jewellery while racing, also donning as many rings and necklaces as his body could bear. While we would never advise you to triple fist (or even double fist) the totally bling out look that Hamilton rocked somehow worked really well.

While the cost-of-living crisis has led to many industries contracting, luxury watches continue to perform well with many auctions posting record sales in the recent cycle.

Sotheby’s sold the most expensive vintage Audemars Piguet ever at $2,130,767, one that was owned by Gerald Genta and contained components made by his hands. It took the record from Phillips who just a week earlier had claimed the title with a $1 million Royal Oak that was the second ever made. However, it isn’t just AP making headlines as a trio of Rolex Daytonas led the charge for Christie’s CHF 23 million auction. It’s also been a good time for Fellows, Antiquorum and many others.

He wore them in protest of the FIA’s proposed ban on wearing jewellery while racing 26

FRONT — world news

BREGUET PARTNER WITH FRIEZE ART FAIR In an age of NFTs and metaverses, it’s nice to remind ourselves that traditional forms of art are still as relevant as always. The art world and watchmaking have always gone hand in hand, and there are few watchmakers as responsible for artistic wristwatch style trends as Breguet. For 2022 they’ve partnered with the international Frieze Art Fair, celebrating significant and emerging artists on a global scale.

The show arrives in the UK later this year and you can find out more at frieze.com

There are few watchmakers as responsible for artistic wristwatch trends as Breguet

SALON PRIVÉ CONCOURS RETURNS TO BLENHEIM PALACE Hype surrounding the forthcoming Salon Privé Concours is steadily starting to build as it returns to Blenheim Palace. Taking place from 31 August to 4 September, the week-long event is one of the most prestigious and exclusive car shows in the UK featuring the iconic Concours d’Elégance and international car debuts.

The week-long Oracle Time is proud to announce event is one that it’s returning as an official media partner for the event following 2021’s of the most amazing show. We loved meeting prestigious some of our readers at the event and hope to see more of you there and exclusive this year. car shows in Tickets available at the UK salonpriveconcours.com

LONDON SAVOUR FOOD FESTIVAL A fresh and exciting food festival is set to open in London this summer. Savour Food Festival will take place in the grounds of Royal Hospital Chelsea and offers the chance to encounter five star dining in a new environment. Several staples of London’s food scene will be exhibiting including Covent Garden’s Frenchie as well as Polpo, Melusine, Legare, Temaki and more. It’s an opportunity to witness high end establishments rubbing shoulders with each other and to stroll from exceptional dish to exceptional dish.

Tickets start at £25, available from savourfestival.com

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auction watch

UPCOMING

W AT C H AUCTION SUMMER

8-9 June

8-22 June

11-12 June

IMPORTANT WATCHES OF EXCEPTIONAL PROVENANCE

GERALD GENTA: AN ICON OF TIME

WATCH AUCTION: SIX

Over the course of two evenings Christie’s in New York will present a broad selection of culturally significant watches with the highlight being the Kairos Collection Part III. The Kairos Collection was one the finest collections of Patek Philippes in modern history and this auction marks the conclusion of its dissolution to new collectors. christies.com/en/auction/

Continuing its global tour, Sotheby’s Gerald Genta: An Icon of Time auction is heading to America. New York is a fitting locale as one of Genta’s most famous designs features arguably the most influential character ever exported from America, Mickey Mouse. The sale features sketches and drawings from Genta’s works accompanied by NFTs. sothebys.com/en/buy/ auction/2022/

Phillips’ next big watch auction is set to include an impressive 163 lots, each of which is worthy of being a highlight in its own right.

All of the big brands will be represented with dozens of vintage Rolexes, Pateks, Omegas, Audemars Piguets and more. If you’re looking for your next big ticket purchase, this is certainly the place to look. phillips.com/auctions/ auction/NY080222

13 June

15 June

15 June

WATCHES & WATCH ACCESSORIES

FINE WATCHES

IMPORTANT WATCH AUCTION

New York, Christie’s

Birmingham, Fellows

If you don’t want to cross the Atlantic, one of the next major auctions on home shores is courtesy of Fellows, the UK’s leading auctioneer. They believe that specialist watch auctions are one of the best performing types of auction in recent years, proving the resilience of the luxury watch industry even in the face of pandemics and crises. fellows.co.uk/UpcomingAuctions

New York, Sotheby’s

London, Bonhams

Bonhams is one of the most prolific auction houses in the world, offering a wider variety and frequency of luxury auctions than practically everyone else, particularly in the Americas.

This means that they have excellent insight into the state of the watch auction trade and are able to secure good prices for timepieces they are entrusted to sell. bonhams.com/auction/27662/ fine-watches/

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New York, Phillips

New York, Sotheby’s

There are expensive watches and there are watches going under the hammer at Sotheby’s Important Watch Auction that are in a tier all of their own. Quarter-million dollar watches, half-million dollar watches and million dollar watches. The watch with the highest estimate, which is indeed $1 million, is an F. P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain à Remontoir d’Egalite in platinum. sothebys.com/en/buy/ auction/2022/

auction watch

22 June

24 June

HONG KONG WATCHES

IMPORTANT MODERN & VINTAGE TIMEPIECES

Hong Kong, Bonhams

Outside of New York and Geneva, a key market for luxury watch auctions is Hong Kong. China doesn’t have the greatest reputation when it comes to producing acclaimed watches, however as a virtue of its vast population it’s home to a huge number of collectors. A fact that’s demonstrated by the significance of Chinese New Year to watchmakers each year. bonhams.com/auction/27725/ hong-kong-watches

Forte dei Marmi, Antiquorum

Antiquorum’s Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces auction lands in the beautiful Italian coastal town of Forte dei Marmi.

Antiquorum host some of the most interesting lots in the watch auction world, with recent highlights from previous auctions including timepieces from Hajime Asaoka’s Kurono. antiquorum.swiss/upcomingauctions-and-viewings

30 June

17-18 July

WATCHES AUCTION

FINE WATCHES

In the heart of London’s exclusive South Kensington and Chiswick neighbourhoods, Chiswick Auctions have experience in over 20 specialisations and departments, including watches.

It’s a great place to find unexpected gems, fantastic value timepieces that would find a place in any collection big or small. chiswickauctions.co.uk/ auction-calendar

July plays host to Monaco Auction Week, an event which sees Artcurial host a handful of watch auctions over three days. First is the Sparkling Collection followed

by Fine Watches and Le Temps est Féminin. The variety and theme of each auction is diverse, making for the perfect excuse to spend a week in Monte Carlo. artcurial.com/en/salem1093-fine-watches

London, Chiswick Auctions

Monaco, Artcurial

19 July

21 July

IMPORTANT MODERN & VINTAGE TIMEPIECES

WATCHES ONLINE Hong Kong, Phillips

Of course, it’s not always possible to travel the world to every auction, but fortunately the majority include online elements with some available online exclusively. At Phillips’ Watches Online auction you’ll be able to bid from anywhere and track bidding live through their dedicated app.

Meaning you can relax in your summer garden while securing your latest acquisition halfway across the globe. phillips.com/calendar/ filter/Date%3D07_21_2022

Monaco, Antiquorum

Continuing July’s focus on auctions in Monaco is the next Antiquorum Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces auction. Established in 1974, Antiquorum is a Geneva based auction house that helped to pioneer the concept of specialist wristwatch auctions. In fact, unlike many auction houses, they deal exclusively in the realms of horology and timepieces. antiquorum.swiss/upcomingauctions-and-viewings

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FRONT — time out

OR ACLE

TIM E :O U T

@mancwatches Despite having taken some seriously cool shots for previous editions of Oracle Time Out, this is the first time we’ve featured the impeccable Instagram photography of James, AKA @MancWatches. On the plus side, it was worth the wait. Not only does the bright blue of the dial work with the more subdued border of the mag and the moody backdrop of our Momentum cover shot, but it’s a Squale!

We love the mix of technical diving specs and rugged tool watch style of the tragically overlooked watch brand – pretty much the antithesis of the Vacheron Constantin

Perpetual Calendar with a salmon dial it’s tactically covering up.

Want to showcase your own eye for a perfectly composed watch shot? Well, get your hands on this issue, get snapping and don’t forget to use #oracletimeout for your chance to nab a page to yourself next month.

For now though, Oracle Time, Out.

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Alternatively, you can come and say hello on one of our many digital channels. Instagram is the perfect place to share your wristshots and thoughts with us – remember to use #OTWristshot. Or you can watch our latest video content on YouTube, listening to the dulcet tones of our editor via our website using the QR code in the top right.

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OUR

INSTAGRAM

FRONT — introducing

NEWS

IN DETAIL •

•

•

41mm stainless steel case with 30m water resistance B02 calibre automatic movement with 70-hour power reserve £8,400, limited to 362 pieces, breitling.com

INTRO DUCING

BREITLING Cosmonaute

Back in 1962, Breitling became the first Swiss watchmaker in space (emphasis on the Swiss, of course) with their original Cosmonaute. Now it’s back and, in-line with the recently re-released Navitimer collection, has had a modernising revamp. The main differences are the model’s signature 24-hour timekeeping (you can’t really judge day and night in space) and its platinum bezel. If only it were the classic beaded version… I guess you can’t have everything.

PATEK PHILIPPE Ref. 5270 Titanium

This is undoubtedly going to be one for the record books – which is fine, as it’s for charity. The latest unique piece from the workshops of Patek Philippe combines the first titanium case of a Ref. 5270 perpetual calendar chronograph with an absolutely stunning green dial that’s (perhaps unintentionally) Tiffany blue adjacent. The proceeds will be going to charity Children Action at auction on 7 November, so stay tuned. This is one of the few times we’re hoping for an eye-watering price.

IN DETAIL • •

•

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41mm titanium case with 30m water resistance CH 29-535 PS Q calibre manual-wind movement with 65-hour power reserve Unique Piece, patek.com

FRONT — introducing

THE DETAILS:

40mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance BR-CAL.322 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve • £5,400, limited to 500 pieces, bellross.com •

•

BELL & ROSS

THE DETAILS:

BR05 Skeleton Green

43.5mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance RW5030 calibre automatic movement with 56-hour power reserve • £2,595, raymond-weil.co.uk •

Following the original BR05 skeleton way back in 2019 (seriously, it feels like a lifetime ago) and the pair of coloured editions that followed in 2020 and 2021 – blue and black respectively – the annual, transparentdialled model is back and this time it’s green. Well, there’s no surprise there, but it makes for an incredibly cool version of the sports luxe Bell & Ross, especially when set on the matching green rubber strap. It’s not often colour and skeletonization go hand-in-hand; this is a rarity.

•

RAYMOND WEIL Freelancer Chronograph 7741

The latest in Raymond Weil’s well-built, superbly priced Freelancer Chronograph might just be the best looking, too. The monochrome green look with a few silver highlights courtesy of the subdial rings are incredibly handsome, and the new dial layout hints at another change; a shiny new movement underneath. With some solid finishing across the board, this is what the family-run watchmaker should be doing much, much more of.

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FRONT — introducing

IWC

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team

It feels strange that it’s taken until now for IWC to celebrate their Mercedes-AMG Petronas partnership with a dedicated team watch – especially as F1 is nowbanning jewellery. Despite that, this may be one of the coolest IWCs of the year with its Petronas green, Miami suited take on the classic Pilot’s watch. Throw in a titanium case and you have an absolute winner. If only the same could be said of the racing team this season…

THE DETAILS:

41mm titanium case with 100m water resistance • calibre 69385 automatic movement with 46-hour power reserve • £6,850, iwc.com

•

KROSS STUDIO Boba Fett Tourbillon

© Gustavo Kuri

Following up their Death Star, Kross Studio is continuing their villainous streak (or should that be anti-villainous these days) with an homage to the original Mandalorian bounty hunter, Boba Fett. Built on the same 45mm titanium case and central tourbillon movement, the new piece is draped in Fett’s rust red and military green livery with the Slave II Firespray gunship at the centre.

Throw in the Mandalorian’s famous backpack and you have a Star Wars collectors piece (with a watch collector’s price tag).

THE DETAILS:

45mm titanium case with 30m water resistance • KS 7’000 calibre automatic movement with 120-hour power reserve • $120 000 (approx. £97,500), limited to 10 pieces, kross-studio.ch •

37

oracle speaks

THE ORACLE SPEAKS The wizardry of the watch world explained Words by SAM KESSLER

SILICON IN WATCHMAKING The future-proof material that’s becoming an inseparable part of modern watchmaking

Here’s a question: what do the Powermatic 80 automatic movement and sea sponges have in common? Silicon. It’s a material that’s becoming ever more common in the watch world in some of the more reliable movements on the market and just so happens to make up the skeletal structure of some deep-sea invertebrates. So, what is it?

Atomic number 14 on the periodic table, in scientific terms silicon is a blue-grey crystalline solid, hard and brittle, and was first synthesised in its pure form in 1823. I say ‘pure form’ as, despite being the eighth most common element in the universe, it’s not actually easy to find on Earth by itself – despite 90% of the Earth’s crust being made up of silicon-based substances.

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Now that that’s out of the way, to the more pressing question of why does silicon matter?

Well, it has everything a watchmaker could possibly want from a material. It’s anti-magnetic, so there’s no need for a soft iron cage or any other protection. It’s incredibly resistant to shock, so even delicate components can survive a few knocks and bumps. It’s lighter than steel but much tougher and it’s even relatively friction-free, so there’s no need for lubrication. It can also be shaped into pretty much anything with exacting precision.

If that all sounds like a watchmaker’s wet dream, then you’re not far off. As a material, silicon has every characteristic that you could want from the minute mechanics of horology. It does have its downsides of course. As I mentioned before, silicon is brittle, so that while it might be shock resistant, it breaks rather than bends, meaning a much heftier repair bill if that happens. Steel can just be bent back into place.

Even so, it’s a small drawback in the grand scheme of things and one that most watchmakers don’t care too much about. It’s not their fault if you’re careless with your watch, after all. The first brand to recognise silicon’s exceptional qualities was, of course, Ulysse Nardin with 2001’s iconoclastic (and perfectly named) Freak, which utilised a silicon escape wheel.

Now though balance springs are the usual place you’ll find the material. You can often see it through open casebacks thanks to the blue-purple colouring. Most Swatch Group movements use silicon (though some have recently upgraded to the titanium based Nivochron), while even traditionalists like Patek Philippe are flirting with silicon components. Springs, wheels, levers, all the most important parts of a watch have been giving a futurproof overhaul in one watch or another.

oracle speaks

Silicon is atomic number 14 on the periodic table and has nearly as many horological benefits. It’s antimagnetic, highly resistant to shock, can be precisely formed into pretty much any shape, lighter than steel but considerably tougher, and it’s even relatively friction-free

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oracle speaks

Pushing the capabilities of silicon to the limit in what was an important advancement for the watch world, Zenith’s Defy LAB and its ZO 342 calibre used a revolutionary new movement design, which was made from a single silicon wafer that combined balance, spring, and lever into a single piece

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There has been the occasional attempt to scale things up even more of course. When Zenith launched the Defy LAB and the ZO 342 calibre therein, it used a revolutionary new design where the majority of the movement was made from a single silicon wafer that combined balance, spring and lever into a single piece. The Zenith Oscillator vibrated quickly enough to exhaust a hummingbird and took up pretty much the entire width of the movement. It was nuts.

Unfortunately, it was also too special to last, at least in any meaningful way. It was only launched back in 2017, so there’s still time for Zenith to make the most of it, but it didn’t take off in quite the way they were hoping. I have little doubt we’ll see the occasional limited edition using the ZO 342 or some similar calibre, just few and far-between.

That’s not to say it wasn’t an important advancement for the watch world. It showed what silicon as a material was capable of and opened the doors to countless possibilities for entirely new watchmaking concepts. It proved that a silicon balance spring or escapement isn’t advanced; it’s the new standard.

Unfortunately I don’t have unrestricted access to the R&D departments of the world’s grandest of horological maisons – not that I’d be able to understand what I was looking at any way – but the fact remains that silicon is firmly in the future for fine watchmaking. It’s too good to not be.

FRONT — material concerns

WORDS: SAM KESSLER

MATERIAL CONCERNS RADO’S LONG OVERDUE PROFESSIONAL DIVER MAKES THE MOST OF THE MASTER OF MATERIALS

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FRONT — material concerns

43

FRONT — material concerns

The Captain Cook has always had the aesthetic of a diver, but now has the spec sheet to match with the addition of a long-overdue ISO 6425 certification and an increased depth rating of 300m

High-tech, cutting-edge, state-of-the-art. The overly hyphenated superlatives around shiny new watchmaking materials tend to create a lot of noise.

Proprietary gets thrown about every time a lightly different alloy of gold crops up or a slight tweak to an already well-established movement. It’s exhausting.

That all said, there’s plenty of stuff in that metallurgical miasma worth looking at, with some watchmakers cutting their high-tech teeth on advanced alternatives to the usual stainless steel. Of course, at one end you have the likes of Richard Mille making eye-wateringly pricey takes on bombproof plastics; at the other you have the low-key excellence of Rado.

Rugged, hard-wearing and able to take an underwater rock or two right to the case, there aren’t many better materials you could use 44

For Rado, the emphasis of materials goes back a long way to the DiaStar 1 of 1962, an early ‘scratchproof’ watch. The combination of hard steel and sapphire is ubiquitous these days, but back then it was a serious step forward in creating a solid, hard-wearing watch.

It’s no surprise then that more recently Rado have switched over to ceramic.

Ceramic – or zirconium oxide, if you want to be scientific about it – is essentially powder that’s put into a mould and sintered at a balmy 1,450 degrees Celsius. The powdered material condenses, losing size but gaining incredible hardness, creating a solid, monobloc case of uninterrupted, scratch resistant ceramic. It’s pure alchemy and, as it’s the same material all the way through, if you do manage to scratch it, the damage won’t show up like a scratches coating like DLC – the downside being that you can’t really buff it out.

Now, none of this is particularly new. Many a watchmaker – as our previous coverage of IWC’s latest releases – have been making the most of ceramic and in a number of cool new colours to boot. And indeed, Rado have their own fair share of colours (including a handsome olive green we’ll get on to later).

More advanced however is Rado’s Plasma finish.

The first steps are the same as any other ceramic watch, but once finished the monobloc case is baked at 20,000 degrees. Under these kinds of intense conditions, the surface of the ceramic changes and goes a metallic grey. Once cooled, it looks like titanium, but with much more scratch resistance (and not quite as light).

Given the innate characteristics of ceramic, it’s not surprising to see its use in the field of diving watches.

Rugged, hard-wearing and able to take an underwater rock or two right to the case, there aren’t many better materials you could use – which brings us to the Captain Cook Diver.

Yes, the Captain Cook’s already a diver, but in the retro way that leans more on aesthetics and a respectable specs sheet rather than aiming squarely at underwater professionals. The latest version aims to rectify that with a long-overdue ISO 6425 certification, somehow a first for Rado.

Previously it’s been their depth rating rather than the lumed indexes or solidity of the watches that’s let Rado down. The Captain Cook Diver ups it to 300m, bringing these in line with more serious diving watches like the Omega Seamaster.

Don’t worry about Rado going too aesthetically ‘pro’ though; in keeping with the Captain Cook’s vintage roots, the style here’s still very much on the retro side.

The dial is pared-back for a diver, with the collection’s signature three o’clock date window with red numerals.

It has however been upsized and now measures in at 43mm. As a lover of the smaller models, that’s a bit of a shame but understandable – hitting ISO standards means making some concessions.

FRONT — material concerns

45

FRONT — material concerns

Inside the Captain Cook is the Rado calibre R763 and a Nivachron balance spring, showcasing even more material expertise, which clearly impressed British tennis player, Cameron Norrie who opted for the olive green version

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FRONT — material concerns

While Rado’s emphasis on ceramic is nothing new, they are a watchmaker that’s punching well above their weight when it comes to cutting-edge material expertise

That said, I’d be tempted to opt for the larger size if it meant strapping the olive green ceramic to my wrist. Of the three versions – the others being solid black and the metallic plasma ceramic – the green is the stand-out, a militaristic take on the diver. It’s an incredibly cool, almost monochrome look with just the bezel and crown in stainless steel (the bezel insert, by the way, is also ceramic).

It looks great on green rubber strap and would probably be a bit more appropriate if you actually want to take it diving; but there’s no way I’d pass on the full ceramic bracelet. You can always get a decent rubber strap, but full ceramic? That’s a tactile rarity.

Inside you have the Rado calibre R763, which like many Swatch Group pieces, is based on an ETA movement. That means it also has a Nivachron balance spring, flexing yet more material expertise, albeit group-wide and shared with stablemate Certina. The anti-magnetic Nivachron is based from titanium rather than the silicon that’s getting a lot more common (or nickel-steel that’s in pretty much everything). The movement also has a more-than-respectable 80-hour power reserve, which is hard to knock.

So yes, while Rado’s emphasis on ceramic is nothing new, they are a watchmaker that’s punching well above their weight when it comes to cutting-edge material expertise. Pair that with a handsome, professional version of their retro diver (and a handsome, professional tennis player in Cameron Norrie, whose wrist you can see the olive Diver on), and you have a watch that can square up to some of the most serious performance watches out there - and in the case of the olive green at least, look damn good doing it.

47

men of influence

Do you like watches? I should hope so, given what you’re reading. Do you like drinking coffee? I tend to think it’s strange if you don’t.

Do you like watching a guy talk about watches while drinking coffee? Then you’re probably already familiar with Adrian Barker, founder of Bark & Jack, watch guy and aficionado of fine caffeinated beverages.

That said, while you may well be all caught up on his opinions on watches, we thought we’d take the time to meet the man behind the YouTube videos and Instagram content, take a break from the horological and find out a bit more about who Adrian Barker is.

The Last Watch I Bought was actually the Moonswatch. I got a couple of them, Jupiter and Uranus with the idea of me having the Uranus and my son having the Jupiter. By the time I got home with them I’d kind of fallen in love with the Jupiter so now we kind of share it. A lot of people think it devalues the Speedmaster, but honestly, I think Omega did that themselves years back when they started pumping out endless limited editions. This? It’s just a fun, plastic Speedmaster; it is what it is. It has also got me paying a lot more attention to other Swatch releases, so it’s done its job.

Other Than Watches I Collect cameras. I have a huge amount of cameras. Old reel-to-reel vintage video cameras, my great-granddad’s old Kroll, I have a whole selection. I like the look of them, but also love the mechanical side of them. I don’t have time to fiddle about and use them, but I love how they come with instructions – sometimes bolted to the case. They’re from a completely different era where if you don’t get the shot, you get the film developed and it’s too late. I also collect modern cameras as well; probably too many.

Words:

Sam Kessler

Men of Influence:

ADRIAN BARKER

WE TALK PODCASTS, CAMERAS AND AN OBSESSION WITH MEAT WITH THE FOUNDER OF BARK & JACK

49

men of influence

50

adrian barker

At The Top Of My Wishlist is a Defender 90, one of the last generations of Defender. I want to get the 2.2-litre station wagon and I’m currently doing a moodboard to pin down what I want it to have as you can customise them quite a way. I don’t want anything crazy, I like the traditional look, just a few things to make it safer and more secure. It’ll happen at some point.

My Latest Discovery is actually a rediscovery of the Alps. I hate people talking about Covid, but I’ve recently come back from Switzerland to shoot a few videos, my first time travelling since lockdown. It sounds so default but I really enjoyed getting out there and exploring. We hiked to some caves halfway up the Matterhorn and just properly explored; wore technical clothing in a fairly dangerous environment. We needed a guide

through the glacier. It was just about being out in the elements.

I’m Inspired By anyone doing cool stuff – or stuff they think is cool. I’m inspired by people following their passion, it always motivates me. I watched a TikTok the other day of some Irish chap making a traditional mallet. It wasn’t just a handle with a chunk of wood at the top, it was curved to his swing so that when he struck something it would make perfect contact – it was awesome! We’re programmed to focus on money and success through what we earn, our position. That stuff doesn’t excite me.

It’s all about passion.

A Book that Changed my Life is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson. It’s a very simple premise, but sometimes you just need to be told the simple things. Losing weight is about

moving more and eating less, but sometimes you just need to be told directly. The book’s premise is to stop caring what other people think, that you need to focus on what you enjoy, and to stop judging yourself by other people’s standards. As a social media generation that’s something we all really struggle with.

A Person I Admire is Steven Bartlett. His podcast, The Diary of a CEO is something that everyone needs to listen to. I have a bit of a man-crush on him.

He did an episode with Jimmy Carr and of course there were comedic elements, but Carr was dropping perspectiveshifting bits of information about his own life; the dark upbringing that he copes with through comedy. Bartlett’s method of interviewing is phenomenal, too. I imagine he’s going to be a huge part of our cultural conversation. He’s simply incredible.

My Ideal Long Weekend probably ages me a bit: a sleepy weekend of nothing along the British coast. Overcast, jumper weather, just drinking coffee in a nice coffee shop, eating fresh pastries. That to me sounds perfect. Or I’d be fine spending a weekend in a chalet in the Alps, having someone else do life for me. That would work, too.

In My Fridge You’ll Always Find meat. I’m obsessed with meat. Cured hams, salami, steak, that’s kind of my thing. Typically, foreign meats, French, German, Spanish.

There’s a great delicatessen near where I get my coffee in Glasgow and it’s often a weekly routine of getting my beans then loading up on hams. I like food!

Adrian Barker has recently rediscovered the Alps, where he trekked halfway up the Matterhorn and likely took a pocketful of cured ham or salami, if his meat obsession is to be believed

The Mantra I Live By is simple: be happy.

Find the stuff that truly makes you happy. It’s drilled into us at school that you need a high paying job, that you need to be this or be that, this is what success looks like, that you need to holiday every year in the Maldives. It’s not true, we’re sold that. For some people it might be, but it’s not the only way. Life is about finding your happy, finding what works for you and if you don’t feel happy you just have to keep searching for it.

“We’re programmed to focus on money and success through what we earn. That stuff doesn’t excite me. It’s all about passion” 51

STYLE — your tech doctor

Words by

David Cox

HOW THE

WORLD

IS SHAPING OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLBEING

TECHNOLOGY HAS SENT MAN TO THE MOON, REVOLUTIONISED COMMUNICATION, AND MODERNISED TRAVEL. NOW IT'S FACING UP TO ITS BIGGEST CHALLENGE YET OF IMPROVING OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL OUTLOOK

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STYLE — your tech doctor

54

STYLE — your tech doctor

At the Diabetes Unit and Centre for Genomic Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, a team of scientists have embarked on a landmark clinical trial which is at the forefront of nutrition science.

Over the next six months, their idea is to try and see whether sequencing the genomes of 30 different people, then analysing their blood sugar responses and the presence of different metabolites – substances made when the body breaks down food – can help pinpoint why some experience a detrimental response to various foods, while others remain largely unaffected.

In recent years, numerous studies around the world have connected various gene variants to how our body processes different fats and even vitamin supplements. Scientists believe that these subtle differences in our genetic makeup could help explain why certain people can tolerate a higher amount of saturated fat in their diet without adverse effects, while others experience a greater impact on their health.

“It’s been shown that if you have a particular variant, you might be at an increased risk of obesity as various fats could have a greater effect on our cholesterol,” says Eileen Gibney, professor of human nutrition at University College Dublin. “In future I think we’ll see this information about our DNA being incorporated with self-monitoring, apps which allow us to track our physical activity, sleep, and blood glucose responses.”

There is an increasing school of thought that taking a more individualised approach to our diet could provide a way of tackling the epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes, and technology is already having a major impact in advancing this emerging field of personalised nutrition through combining wearables and biological tools.

A number of start-ups have developed apps which use artificial intelligence to make personalised dietary recommendations based on data which illustrates how each of us responds to different types of food.

In the UK, the ZOE programme predicts foods to avoid after sequencing

Taking a more individualised approach to our diet could provide a way of tackling the epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes The ZOE programme (above) uses a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensor to measure how your blood sugar spikes after eating and predicts foods to avoid after sequencing stool samples

55

STYLE — your tech doctor

“Some might see spikes in blood sugar in response to pasta while others might spike to bananas – you need these programmes to tell what’s going on” stool samples to obtain information about your microbiome, while using a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensor to measure how your blood sugar spikes after meals or snacks. US startups January AI and DayTwo also offer a similar product, analysing blood sugar, microbiome and data regarding sleep and exercise.

“We think that having more control over your blood sugar can prevent people from becoming pre-diabetic and diabetic,” says Michael Snyder, founder of January AI. “But because it’s all so personalised – some people might see spikes in blood sugar in response to pasta while others might spike to bananas – you need these programmes to tell what’s going on.”

But diet is just one example of how the tech world is advancing self-care across the medical sphere. As many as 16 million adults across the UK suffer from disrupted sleep and insomnia, and a variety of new innovations have been introduced to tackle this. These range from smart heated blankets to relax you at night, sleep tracking mats that automatically dim the lights when you doze off, and anti-snore pillows that are ergonomically designed to open up the airways.

Mark Hawley, professor of health services research at the University of Sheffield, predicts that over the coming next decade, smart technology will become more present in our home, with some tools even able to provide ongoing feedback on ways in which we can change our habits to lead healthier lives, and detect early signs of serious ailments. “Technology will be able to measure a much greater range of biomarkers, and use that to infer state of health,” says Hawley. “For example, we know that how fast somebody walks is a very good indicator of how healthy they are. If someone is experiencing changes in how they talk, coupled with a slowing in their gait, that could indicate the onset of cognitive impairment.”

56

Michael Snyder, founder of January AI believes that having more control over our blood sugar will help people from becoming pre-diabetic and diabetic

57

STYLE — your tech doctor

Your phone can be a surprising source of mental and physical help thanks to a variety of free apps like iBreathe, while the app Happify implements digital CBT interventions to help users build selfconfidence and overcome negative thoughts

“These apps which allow patients to record things like their level of optimism on a daily basis, give clinicians a lot more information than a weekly or monthly visit” 58

New tech is also providing welcome alternatives for improving mental wellbeing. Research has shown that deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress and anxiety, with free apps like iBreathe providing detailed instructions and support. Other platforms are also attempting to support people with severe OCD or those recovering from alcohol addiction and eating disorders, while the app Happify implements digital CBT interventions to help users build self-confidence, overcome negative thoughts, and become better at achieving mindfulness.

Jimmy Potash, professor of psychiatry at John Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore says that the growing popularity of these technologies could also help capture a vast mine of information relating to different mental health conditions, which could help scientists develop more tailored treatments in future.

“You see these apps which allow patients to record things like their level of optimism on a daily basis, they give clinicians a lot more information than a weekly or monthly visit,” says Potash.

“They also have the power to add even richer amounts of useful information as they can track things like activity levels, changes in the volume and speed of voice on phone calls, and the amount and quality of sleep. All of this can reveal a lot about different conditions.

It’s the future of mental health care.”

FRONT — clear as crystal

WORDS: SAM KESSLER

CLEAR AS CRYSTAL INCREDIBLY HARD, FLAWLESSLY CLEAR, SAPPHIRE IS FOR MORE THAN JUST A WATCH CRYSTAL

61

FRONT — clear as crystal

Bell & Ross

While it might seem cutting-edge bordering sci-fi to use the second hardest material on Earth simply to protect a watch face, it’s something horologists of a certain calibre have been using for almost a century.

The technique itself was originally developed for rubies (something else the watch world has embraced wholeheartedly) by Auguste Victor Louis Verneuil all the way back in 1902. His method involved heating two chemicals to such a high degree that all but the base components of ruby were left, before slowly melting the resulting powder into a complete, synthetic gemstone.

The making of watchmaking sapphire is much the same, but on a larger scale. What’s known as a ‘sapphire seed’ is mixed with aluminium oxide and ‘crackle’, an uncrystallised sapphire material, in a big metal barrel.

It’s then heated up to 4,000 degrees so that everything melts together before being slowly and painstakingly cooled over two weeks. The result is a big, cylindrical chunk of perfect, transparent sapphire ready to be cut up with diamond saws, polished and popped over a watch face.

If you’re wondering where the colour is, that’s because the impurities that give sapphire its colour (and result in so many varied shades above and beyond the famous blue) simply aren’t added into the mix.

Unless you really, really want them to be. We’ll come back to that later.

It’s alchemy at its finest and has been a mainstay of fine timepieces since Jaeger-LeCoultre first used it to protect their Duoplan model way back in 1929. Rolex followed in 1970 and these days it’s rare to find a Swiss watch that doesn’t use a sapphire crystal, whether that’s just on the front or on the caseback too. Some brands though have insisted on going further.

In 1980, Vincent Calabrese, a watchmaker obsessed with the visual mechanics of haute horology, designed the first fully sapphire-cased watch. This version of Corum’s Golden Bridge showed off the in-line calibre from all angles and was an incredible first for the industry. It most definitely wasn’t a last, though.

Over the past few years especially, sapphire has become less of a practical bit of protection and more of a singular feature. While full sapphire cases aren’t exactly commonplace still, they’re far from the cuttingedge rarity they once were. Even coloured sapphire (with those aforementioned impurities added) has found a home in case making.

The practicalities are as obvious as the difficulties.

It takes specialised tools to create these cases and even more specialised ways of ensuring they come together as a whole. But the result is an ultra-hard surface that can’t be damaged without serious effort and one that allows collectors to see exactly what makes their watch tick.

BR-01 Cyber Skull Sapphire

>>——> When I think of the signature square, cockpit-ready case of a Bell & Ross, I never once thought that what it needed, what it really, desperately needed was to be made of sapphire, or the kind of glam rock touches Guns ‘n’ Roses would have traded in cocaine for. Then the BR-01 Cyber Skull Sapphire came out and changed the game Bell & Ross were playing completely.

The squared case suits its new transparency perfectly.

While crystalline curves slightly obscure what’s inside, the flat planes here do anything but. This isn’t the French brand’s first sapphire watch of course, but this particular version pairs the see-through case with a momento mori, large skull and crossbones taking up the entire space between the sapphire crystals. When manually-wound, the skull moves. It’s something else, and definitely the most horologically extreme of Bell & Ross’s skull collection.

Despite the obvious haute horology on offer, it’s still very firmly a Bell & Ross, and for more than the shape. It still has the visible screws at the corners or the bezel (at the ends of the crossed bones) that give B&R their industrial twang.

THE DETAILS: •

45mm sapphire case with 30m water resistance

•

BR-CAL.288 calibre manual-wind movement with 100-hour power reserve •

£300,000, limited to eight pieces, bellross.com

The process of sapphire production starts with a ‘sapphire seed’ that’s mixed with aluminium oxide and an uncrystallised sapphire, before being heated to 4,000 degrees and then cooled to produce the surprisingly clear cylinder (below), perfect for use in the Bell & Ross BR-01 Cyber Skull (right)

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FRONT — clear as crystal

63

FRONT — clear as cystal

CODE41 X41 Edition 6

>>——> By their nature, sapphire crystal cases tend to be a little on the pricey side. Between the manufacturing of the flawlessly transparent and excessively polished surface and merely sticking the pieces together to a point where its airtight, it’s an incredibly delicate process. At the same time, Code 41 aim to be the disruption the Swiss watch industry sorely needs and what better showpiece for them to set their sights on than the full sapphire timepiece?

To put this all into context, the CODE41 X41 Edition 6 will set you back £13,995. That’s not accessible in the traditional sense of the word of course, but just look at it compared to the other pieces here. Granted, many of the others add a high complication or two, but there’s little denying that there’s enough watchmaking on display here to pique the interest of many a collector. An industrially styled, openworked movement, quirky dial finishes, and a look that shouts performance mechanics. It’s a lot.

Best of all is CODE41’s signature transparency.

The Swiss watch world’s often shrouded in mystery, but the brand have stated categorically that each X41 Edition 6 costs £5,304 to make and like every good student can show their working. We won’t wax lyrical on horological mark-ups here, but suffice it to say that this is probably the fairest price you’ll get for a full sapphire watch.

THE DETAILS: •

42mm sapphire case with 100m water resistance

•

CODE41 manufacture calibre automatic movement with 45-hour power reserve

•

£13,995, limited to 600 pieces, code41watches.com

THE DETAILS: 48.5mm blue sapphire case

•

with 50m water resistance •

Aventi A11 automatic movement with 72-hour power reserve •

$10,800 (approx. £8,585), aventi.com

>>——> If you thought CODE41 offered good value then you might want to pay attention here. Rather than pure, transparent sapphire (which, incidentally, is also available), this version of the A11 uses a A11 Royal Blue Sapphire deep, blue colour that’s more royal than the Star of India. It’s magnificent. The case itself is squarely aimed at the kind of guys for whom nothing but a Lamborghini will do, with sharp, automotive-inspired facets so performance focused you can all but hear the revs. It’s a serious chunk of crystal.

The tourbillon movement has been skeletonised – and yes, I did say tourbillon. The Hong Kong-made movement might not have the classical prestige of a Swiss number, but it has more than enough going for it to hold its own – including a 72-hour power reserve. On paper, this should be one of the priciest timepieces around. But it will set you back just $10,800 (approx. £8,585). I’ll let that sink in a little.

The main reason that’s possible is that Aventi mainly use Asian manufacturers, cutting costs dramatically but, as is the case with many a Chinese-made watch, not compromising on the mechanics. If you want performance over prestige, Aventi is a name you need to remember.

Aventi

64

FRONT — xxxxxxxx

Hublot

Big Bang Integral Sapphire

>>——> Until now we’ve only ever seen cases made of sapphire. Sure, that’s impressive enough for most watchmakers, but Hublot aren’t most watchmakers.

Just as fully transparent cases become… not the norm, but common enough that they don’t warrant a fanfare and firework display, the footballer’s favourite has upped the ante by adding a full sapphire bracelet.

It’s not just any sapphire bracelet either, but Hublot’s incredibly tactile Integral, which when it was released a couple of years back was somehow the brand’s first integrated bracelet. The case may be relatively par for the course by now but the bracelet is worth taking a closer look at.

Made from 22 sapphire components linked in a framework totalling 143 pieces, it’s a magnificently over-machined piece of transparent watchmaking.

Sapphire isn’t light, but thanks to most of the other pieces being titanium, the bracelet still sits comfortably on the wrist (provided you’re comfortable seeing your wrist through it).

The movement makes the most of its setting.

With a micro-rotor at 12 o’clock and a tourbillon at six, it seems proportioned specifically to be housed in sapphire. It’s not subtle, nor should it be at this price. Fingers crossed we’ll see it in Hublot’s immense orange sapphire at some point soon.

THE DETAILS: 43mm sapphire case with

•

30m water resistance •

HUB6035 calibre

automatic movement with 72-hour power reserve •

£349,000, limited to 30 pieces, hublot.com

65

FRONT — clear as crystal

Cyrus

traditional wristwatch tourbillons don’t work like they should. It’s why you see so many funky variations on the anti-gravity theme. They were designed for pocket watches and so meant to stand vertically, hence Cyrus’ take on it. As it then takes up the middle part of the dial, you’re left with less room for indicators, so instead of central hands we have retrograde hours on the left, retrograde minutes on the right, all over a skeletonised dial. Both are operated by independent crowns and the power reserve is shown via the sphere at 12 o’clock. Seconds are indicated by the tourbillon cage.

It’s a lot, right? Between the idiosyncratic layout, the combination of black, gold and openworked mechanics and finished in that intensely machined sapphire case, it’s a serious piece of work.

Klepcys Vertical Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire

>>——> If there’s one movement that deserves to be seen from all angles, it’s Cyrus’ now-signature vertical tourbillon. The watchmaker’s already had to include an absurdly large, domed crystal in order to show it off from the sides (where you can actually see the titular complication working) so making the entire Klepcys case transparent is the next logical step, especially when deciding how to celebrate Cyrus’ 10th birthday.

First, let’s run through what this watch actually is. It’s no secret that

THE DETAILS: •

44mm sapphire case with 30m water resistance

•

CYR625 calibre manualwind movement with 100hour power reserve

•

£245,000, limited to 10

pieces, cyrus-watches.ch

66

FRONT — clear as crystal

Purnell

Escape II Absolute Sapphire Hancock Red

>>——> Honestly, in this particular piece the fact that it’s in a full sapphire case is the least spectacular thing about it. Even the colour, an ironically ruby colour dubbed ‘hancock red’ is less of a showstopper than it should be. That’s because at the core of the Escape II is the world’s fastest double triple axis tourbillon. That means two triple axis tourbillons (already a mind-boggling feat of ingenuity) working together. Dubbed the Spherion by creator Eric Coudray, it’s not a new movement having been originally designed in 2012, but it only gets more mesmerising the longer you look at it.

Other than that movement, everything else is made from sapphire – the case, the dial and even the crown. It doesn’t really give you a view of the movement you wouldn’t already have with the open dial and exhibition caseback, but it transforms the aesthetics of the watch into something almost futuristic.

Rather than the earlier Escape II, which contrasted transparent sapphire and blue, here it’s all blood red. All the hands – including on the ingenious suspended mobile cone mainspring sensor that shows off the power reserve – are scarlet, as are the spherical cages of the triple axis tourbillons. Everything bar the sapphire dial and the finer mechanical components in fact match the case perfectly.

Watching this thing go… there’s nothing quite like it.

Sure, the power reserve is short, but only because there’s so much movement. The monobloc crystal case might not stand out as much here, but there’s no denying the Escape II Sapphire is a masterpiece in the truest sense. God only knows how much it would cost – if, somehow, you could get hold of it.

>>——> Zenith’s Defy is built for off-kilter watchmaking materials and sapphire is no exception – except in that it’s been saved for an incredibly exceptional piece. The Gravity Defy Zero G Control movement is basically a gyroscopic tourbillon, meaning that it will always work to offset gravity, no matter how your watch rests.

It’s a physics-based approach that’s been paired with a fittingly out-of-this-world design. The dial is a heady mix of grand feu enamel, starry aventurine glass and meteorite, with a gravity-defying cut-out for a seemingly floating tourbillon.

The transparent sapphire case is the finishing touch. Allowing more light into the movement, it shows off the distinctive architecture of the Gravity Control El Primero movement from all sides. Finished on a blue strap to match the aventurine dial, it’s a magnificently finished watch worthy of its name. It’s a stunner, of which there are only 10.

Oh, and it also comes with an actual zero gravity experience in the stratosphere, if you needed another reason to grab one.

THE DETAILS:

Zenith

67

•

48mm sapphire case with 30m water resistance

•

P03 calibre manual-wind movement with 36-hour power reserve •

Unique piece,

purnellwatches.com

THE DETAILS: •

46mm sapphire case with 30m water resistance •

El Primero 8812 SK calibre

automatic movement with 50-hour power reserve •

Limited to 10 pieces, zenith-watches.com

FRONT — clear as cystal

Cvstos

Metropolitan PS Skeleton Sapphire

>>——> Sapphire cases might be a budding trend, but green is very much in its ascendancy. Cue the Metropolitan PS Skeleton Sapphire, courtesy of avant-garde watchmaker, Cvstos.

First, the case. The multi-leveled tonneau number is entirely transparent, right down to its rounded crown guards, with beautifully tactile curves across the board. The only pieces of visible steel are where the strap attaches either end and the crown. That’s almost the case inside, too.

Despite its technical look, the Metropolitan PS is also an easy watch to read. Hours and minutes are told via the central hands, while seconds via Cvstos’ signature shuriken indicator in what would normally be a small seconds subdial. The jumping date is nestled at six o’clock.

The skeletonised movement allows a more-or-less unobstructed view through the watch, via PVD green bridges. The green in question isn’t your bogstandard forest green, but something altogether brighter and more vibrant. The indexes not only offer another spot of contrast with their mix of steel and lume, but they illustrate the sheer attention to detail here. While the cardinal numerals are rectangular, the rest are all angles to fit perfectly against the minute flange. A visual tour-de-force, this might just be the zeitgeistiest piece of modern haute horology around. Lacking a tourbillon, it’s also one of the more affordable full sapphire piece here.

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THE DETAILS: •

42mm sapphire case with 50m water resistance •

CVS410 SQLT calibre

automatic movement with 50-hour power reserve •

CHF 37,800

(approx. £30,500), limited to 50 pieces, cvstos.com

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The forward-thinking

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Future-proofing

labels that will help

your style with a

bring your style in

contemporary wardrobe

tune with the times

for the journey ahead

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EDITED BY

SHANE C. KURUP & SAM KESSLER

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It’s lightweight yet

stronger than steel and even looks good under disco lights

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Celebrate Crockett & Jones’ anniversary in sumptuous comfort and an abundance of style \

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Exploring how fashion translates the Metaverse into

Future-proofing >—> Whether it’s here in London, in Paris, New York, or the endless possibility of the ever encroaching metaverse, fashion is throwing off the shackles of winter with the sort of careless abandon that summer brings.

The heavy coats, woollen jumpers, and lined trousers can be confined to storage for the season, as us Brits chase the idea of a hot summer that is often condensed into a few short weeks. So, making sure you’re in the right threads for that concentrated period is all the more important.

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Oracle Style — June.22

profitable clothing

STYLE — style manifesto

Space Man

Future facing

>—> From solar-charged jackets to ceramic T-shirts, Vollebak takes a distinctly space-age approach to design, turning out the sort of functional, futurist gear you’d expect from Stanley Kubrick if he’d ever gone into the rag trade. Its recently dropped Mars jacket sports an antigravity pocket for easy access to your effects on any planet and a screw-cap sealed vomit pocket (yes, that’s not a misprint) for when the flight through the exosphere gets a bit rough – or more likely, if things go awry on the Uber ride home from the pub. It’s just the thing to fulfil your boyhood astronaut dreams, even if your feet never leave terra firma.

Vollebak Mars jacket, light edition £795, vollebak.com

Edited by SHANE C. KURUP

As our lifestyles shift inline with the everencroaching metaverse, what we expect from our clothes is changing too. These forward-thinking labels will help bring your style in tune with the times.

21st Century Tailoring

>—> For all its allegiance to tradition, the land of the Samurai certainly isn’t afraid of the future, as anyone who has set foot in an automated Shinjuku sushi restaurant can attest. With its cuttingedge approach to design, Tokyo-based Nanamica has the Japanese spirit of innovation in spades. For SS22, it debuts its KODENSHI ALPHADRY suit, made from a highly engineered waterproof material that keeps your body temperature on an even keel by utilising environmental infrared light, which helps support muscle recovery and promote restful sleep. Your starchy, armour-like twopiece of old, this ain’t.

Nanamica ALPHADRY Club jacket, £325 and easy shorts, £179, (Club pants, £205). endclothing.com

Self-lacing Wonder

>—> If you were all fingers and thumbs when tying your laces as a child (or still are), then sports behemoth Nike might just have what your shoe rack has been missing. Its Adapt trainer is the ultimate ‘smart’ sneaker, with motorised self-lacing technology to provide the perfect fit without needing to lift a finger. Well, almost. The wirelessly charged shoes sense the right level of tension needed for your foot profile and can be linked to your phone or smartwatch to fine-tune pre-set custom fits further in just a few screen swipes.

They’ll definitely outsmart any kicks in your current collection. nike.com/gb/adapt

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STYLE — style manifesto

Far-sighted Vision

>—> From the Aviator to the Wayfarer, Ray-Ban’s iconic frames remain perennially en vogue despite debuting decades ago. But even with seasoned designs, it’s worth having a tinker to keep things a la mode. For SS22, it introduces its Stories line – a collection featuring in-built imaging and audio technology allowing you to take photos, calls and calibrate your iTunes playlist via the thermal sensor touchpad. Outwardly, the Metapowered smart glasses still retain all the classic styling and craftsmanship that made Ray-Ban an optical powerhouse. Because with true classics, there’s no need to completely reinvent the wheel – just look at it through a different lens.

Ray-Ban Stories eyewear From £299, ray-ban.com

Colour Chameleon

>—> Since its foundation in 1982 by virtuoso garment engineer, Massimo Osti, Stone Island has been spearheading the future of fabrics. For SS22, it keeps up the crusade with a swathe of innovations, from its permanent waterproofing technology, SHAKEDRY, to its ECONYL nylon metal made from regenerated plastic waste. Perhaps most likely to get a tech nerd’s pulse racing, though, is its new heat-reactive Lamy jacket.

Microscopic coloured pigment molecules embedded in the blouson’s ultra-lightweight nylon tela fabric change their hue and intensity in response to fluctuations in temperature. This is your new-age Technicolour Dreamcoat.

Stone Island heat-reactive Lamy jacket £970, store.stoneisland.com

A.I. Wardrobe

>—> Google Trends can make us statistical quizmasters in the space of a few clicks and 8 by Yoox – the in-house label of online luxury retailer, YOOX – has harnessed the power of digital data to shape its collections. Its design team use A.I. technology to analyse content from social media, online magazines, text search and image recognition to make decisions about colour, material and cut for its intelligently curated range. Not only does this make for a less convoluted shopping experience but it also reduces waste, as it’s producing pieces that people actually want in their wardrobes. That’s smart on every level. yoox.com

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STYLE — most coveted

Edited by SAM KESSLER

CROCKETT & JONES CAVENDISH LOAFERS Celebrate 25 years of Crockett & Jones on Jermyn Street in sumptuous comfort and an abundance of style

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>—> Many a sartorially inclined gentleman will find himself sauntering down Jermyn Street once in a while. The classically well-heeled haven of traditional savoir-faire is home to the kinds of shops that can be dubbed ‘institutions’ with only the

barest hint of hyperbole, low-key temples to good British taste.

Among those lauded makers is Crockett & Jones which, this year, is celebrating 25 years on Jermyn Street. Granted, it’s not as old as the likes of Floris, but it’s still a milestone worth marking.

Doing just that, the shoemaker is revamping two of their core designs, pieces that have been part of their collection since the halcyon days of 1997 (yes, that makes me feel old, too).

Those designs are the Coniston boot and these, the superlatively handsome Cavendish loafters. The tasselled classic is made from Shell Cordovan from Chicago’s Horween Tannery, printed with a hatch grain print for a sumptuously tactile finish. The whiskey colouring is slightly brighter than your usual brown loafers and all the better-looking for it.

A solid footwear classic is always worth investing in, the kind where, if taken care of properly, will last longer than your feet.

That’s doubly true of the ever-versatile loafer, especially with the warmer months on the horizon (fingers crossed, anyway).

Throw in quality leather and you have a piece your besuited wardrobe will thank you for.

Cavendish Loafers, £850, crockettandjones.com

STYLE — metaverse fashion

Words by

Charlie Thomas

The fashion world has historically floated between the latest ideas at breakneck speed, but a current trend is like no other that’s gone before, as it has no tangible qualities, so how can fashion translate that into profitable clothing? Fashion journalist, Charlie Thomas explains The Metaverse is a confusing place. In fact, it’s not really a place at all, or a single piece of software, company or thing. As it currently stands, it’s merely an idea, a catch-all term for what many believe will be the future of the Internet.

Silicon Valley’s biggest names are fully behind it, with Mark Zuckerburg going as far as rebranding Facebook as Meta, claiming ownership over a term first coined in 1992 by sci-fi novelist Neal Stephenson. So what exactly is it? And why is the fashion world currently obsessed with it?

Nobody really knows what the Metaverse actually is, and to listen to those involved in it wax lyrical about its virtues is akin to trying to understand a language no-one is fluent in. It’s essentially a broad term for virtual ‘spaces’, where you and I can enter through virtual or augmented reality, create a personalised avatar and hang out or browse digitised shops. That last point is essentially why fashion brands have got involved. There is money to be made, and new potentially untapped audiences to influence.

But the idea is hardly new. Gamers have been able to dress their avatars and

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meet with friends, real and virtual, for decades. The original Sims game was released in 2000, with players tasked with creating their own character, dressing it and mingling with other AI. More recent iterations have introduced in-game purchases, where players can spend real money on clothing, furniture and more. Monetisation has become normal practice for most new games, with AAA titles such as Call of Duty Warzone selling individual ‘skins’ and Fortnite even collaborating with the likes of Balenciaga, Air Jordan and Ferrari to sell clothes and accessories for players to wear in game. This is big business. Gaming monetisation company, Market estimates the ‘skins’ market is valued at $40 billion a year.

Fortnite alone makes more than a billion dollars a year.

So, the model is proven, and the money virtually guaranteed. But how exactly is the fashion world entering the Metaverse game? There’s its continuing presence in gaming. Games like NBA 2K22 show what’s possible, with players’ avatars moving through a virtual city, able to meet up with friends and visit virtual branded stores ranging from

STYLE — metaverse fashion

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STYLE — metaverse fashion

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STYLE — metaverse fashion

Nike, Adidas, Jordan, New Balance and Under Armour. You can then buy clothes with either in-game or real money and show off to others in the virtual world’s range of social spaces.

There is the NFT market, in which many fashion brands are already firmly committed to. Burberry and Louis Vuitton have experimented on their own, with the former collaborating with Mythical Games to produce an NFT that reportedly sold out in 30 seconds. But independent, digital only brands are arguably the market leaders in this field.

There’s DressX, which sells virtual clothing, ranging from a simple sweatshirt through to a ‘warrior queen’ outfit made of ‘100% digital metal’. The idea is that you pay up to hundreds of dollars for a virtual piece of clothing, which you can then wear via augmented reality for upload to your favourite social media site.

DressX even has a ‘how to wear’ section on its site, in which it offers advice for buyers on how to take the right photo: ‘make sure your physical look pairs well with the digital outfit in cases when your metalook is transparent, unzipped, unbuttoned' etc.

Then there’s The Dematerialised, which deals exclusively in NFTs. It sells a range of items including a capsule collection by Rebecca Minkoff. This second NFT collection from the designer ‘encapsulates the confidence and limitless potential of the modern goddess’. For €1,000 you can own a 3D usdz file, 2D png files and an mp4 video of a predominantly crystal, shimmering look that can be worn in Snapchat and Instagram.

While this sounds laughable, the NFT market is no joke. It’s worth nearly $41 billion in its own right as of January 2022, according to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis Inc. What people are spending their hard-earned money on now is the potential of what these items could be. There is talk of outfits being able to be ‘worn’ across the Metaverse, in different pieces of software and mergeable worlds. Some are seeing NFTs as investments, and as they can be traded on in the same way a physical asset can, there’s potential for rare NFTs from lauded designers to

The Dematerialised deals exclusively in NFTs, including one of fashion supremo Karl Lagerfeld (left) and a capsule collection by Rebecca Minkoff and with a billions to be earned, prestigious fashion houses like Louis Vuitton (above) have also joined the digital world

The NFT market is no joke. It’s worth nearly $41 billion in its own right as of January 2022 81

appreciate in the future, in the same way a limited run pair of sneakers can be flipped for a profit.

And then there’s the Metaverse Fashion Week. The first in what is expected to be an annual event, MVFW took place in March 2022 within Decentraland, a 3D, browser-based virtual world that’s currently one of the largest Metaverse spaces. Users could attend catwalk shows and peruse brand’s latest collections, often able to buy pieces they could dress their avatar in immediately. There was a full schedule of events - mirroring real life fashion

STYLE — metaverse fashion

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Getting the right look is as essential in the physical world as it is the digital with prices to match that demand, as showcased by The Dematerialised, which is selling Teflon Sega Kiss Kill Cry Shades (above) for €250 (approx. £210)

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STYLE — metaverse fashion

Digital fashion fans were able to browse The Dematerialised store (right) at the very Metaverse Fashion Week, which aims to democratise the clique in the fashion world, but was blighted by low attendance figures and a variety of tech issues

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STYLE — metaverse fashion

Users can virtually attend talks with industry figures, dance at digital after parties and sit on the front row of a live catwalk show; things that aren’t usually possible for the average consumer

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weeks – ranging from shows, panel talks, store openings and after parties, and showcasing brands included Dolce & Gabbana, Etro, Philipp Plein, Forever 21, Selfridges and Puma.

MVFW is interesting because it democratises the famously elitist fashion world. Users can virtually attend talks with industry figures, dance at digital after parties and sit on the front row of a live catwalk show; things that aren’t usually possible for the average consumer. None of it is of course real in a traditional, physical sense. But for Generation Z, the first true digitalnatives, where an online presence is often just as important as a real life one, this likely doesn’t matter.

Unfortunately (depending on how you look at it) MVFW wasn’t particularly successful. Low attendance, low graphical fidelity and a few technical issues put a damper on what would otherwise have been an intriguing event.

Still, even physical shows have teething issues and they’re not beholden to cutting-edge tech.

In 1995, Clifford Stoll wrote in an article in Newsweek titled, ‘Why the web won’t be nirvana’. In it he noted sarcastically that “visionaries see a future of telecommuting workers, interactive libraries and multimedia classrooms.

They speak of electronic town meetings and virtual communities. Commerce and business will shift from offices and malls to networks and modems. And the freedom of digital networks will make government more democratic. Baloney.

The truth is no online database will replace your daily newspaper, no CD-ROM can take the place of a competent teacher and no computer network will change the way government works”.

Writing off the Metaverse in a similar way is the easy and logical thing to do. It seems niche and doesn’t make much sense, but then big ideas rarely do at first. Perhaps it will succeed or perhaps it will be a multi-billion dollar mistake.

Either way it’s likely to influence wider culture, whether it’s the next generation’s Habbo Hotel or the future of luxury consumerism.

STYLE — kit bag

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Ahead of the curve Fashion might seem all bells and whistles, but curating a contemporary wardrobe will future-proof your style for the journey ahead Edited by SHANE C. KURUP

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1/ Braun Series 9 Pro SmartCare shaver, £559, braunshop.co.uk 2/ Prada Linea Rossa Impavid sunglasses, £290, prada.com 3/ Namacheko Tarkin zigzag technical shirt, £645, matchesfashion.com 4/ Wooyoungmi wool-blend shorts, £360, matchesfashion.com 5/ M. Cohen sterling-silver black diamond ring, £310, brownsfashion.com 6/ TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4, 42mm, £1,550, tagheuer.co.uk 7/ Jil Sander silver-tone airpods case, £540, brownsfashion.com 8/ FPM Milano 68cm aluminium suitcase, £1,195, mrporter.com 9/ DIOR H-Town technical sandals, £740, dior.com

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IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition “Mercedes-Amg Petronas Formula One Team”

Photography by TOM PETTIT & FRASER VINCENT

FORGING THE FUTURE

• 41mm titanium case with 100m water resistance • 69385 calibre automatic movement with 46-hour power reserve • £6,850, iwc.com

Watchmaking has historically pushed technology to its limit in search of horological perfection, as showcased in our sparkling sapphire feature. But, it’s the titan of metal, titanium that has forged a future in fighter jets, racing cars and even watches thanks to its lightweight, high tensile properties, and dull grey colouring that gives it an absorbing photogenic quality under disco lights.

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STYLE — shoot

Bulgari Octo Finissimo 10th Anniversary Edition • 40mm titanium case with 30m water resistance • BVL138 calibre automatic movement with 60-hour power reserve • £12,300, limited to 200 pieces, bulgari.com

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STYLE — shoot

Hublot Big Bang Integral Chronograph • 42mm titanium case with 100m water resistance • Unico 2 calibre automatic movement with 72-hour power reserve • £18,200, hublot.com

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STYLE — shoot

Zenith Chronomaster Revival Safari • 37mm titanium case with 50m water resistance • El Primero 400 Calibre automatic movement with 50-hour power reserve • £7,500, zenith-watches.com

STYLE — shoot

Oris Pro Pilot X Calibre 400 • 39mm titanium case with 100m water resistance • Calibre 400 automatic movement with 120-hour power reserve • £3,200, oris.ch

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STYLE — shoot

Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto • 38mm titanium case with 100m water resistance • H-10 automatic movement with 80-hour power reserve • £785, hamiltonwatch.com

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STYLE — shoot

Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen • 44mm titanium case with 100m water resistance • MB 29.27 calibre automatic movement with 46-hour power reserve • £7,000, Limited to 290 pieces, montblanc.com

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STYLE — shoot

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Titanium • 43mm titanium case with 300m water resistance • 1315 calibre automatic movement with 120-hour power reserve • £11,800, blancpain.com

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hands-on reviews

AZIMUTH GRAN TURISMO Taking its automotive inspiration very literally, the Azimuth GT is like nothing else in its price range

THE SPECS • 52mm x 44mm stainless steel case with gold PVD water resistant to 30m • ETA 2671 calibre automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve • CHF 4,850 + VAT (approx. £4,000), limited to 400 pieces (150 steel, 100 black PVD, 100 Gold PVD, 50 Military Camo PVD), azimuthwatch.com

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hands-on reviews

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azimuth

There are many breeds of racing watch out there. There’s the dabbling, toe-in-the-water kind that at best show off a bit of historic livery.

There are the committed performance pieces that use the kind of aerospace materials you’ll find in a pit lane – carbon fibre in its various forms, titanium, et al. Then you have the ones that go above and beyond, that are inseparable from the racing world – the Hublot Ferrari, the Jacob & Co Bugatti and this, the Azimuth GT. Unlike the others, the Azimuth GT isn’t actually built in collaboration with any particular car maker. That doesn’t stop it being instantly recognisable though, with the flowing curves echoing the bonnets of 1960s 911s. Echo may be the wrong word here; it’s like wearing a chunk of a model car on your wrist.

In fact, I’ve not worn anything quite like it before. The easy reference point would be MB&F, which have a similar (if slightly more idiosyncratic) approach to case shapes, namely architectural, boundary-pushing constructions. In fact, MB&F is a good jumping off point for the Azimuth GT in that it’s a world away from what more collectors would call a watch.

A good part of that is the layout. It’s a driving watch in the practical sense, which means it’s designed to be read at a glance while you have both hands on the steering wheel – hence the dial being on the side. The dial itself references a very different car, the larger-than-life dashboard instruments of the iconic Mini Cooper. It’s comprised of an hour disc at the top with the time told at the 12 o’clock position, with skeletonised second and minute hands underneath, read off machined tracks. It’s industrial, three-dimensional and hard to ignore.

The result is a timepiece that it looks more like a mini clock than a traditional wristwatch, the kind that suits a dashboard nicely but doesn’t exactly fit all that well underneath a shirt cuff. That’s not always a bad thing. Not every watch needs to be a slimline dress timepiece and, for the kind of guy that spends weekends working on his own vintage 911, this is a mechanically intriguing piece of horology.

Inside is the ETA 2671, a workhorse third party movement that’s been adapted to this new layout. It only has a 38-hour power reserve which isn’t great these days, but using the crown on the top of the watch ‘bonnet’ is fun, so winding it on occasionally isn’t the worst thing in the world.

Now, there are some slight issues. First off, yes, it’s massive and feels it. It’s not really the weight, it’s more the sheer dimensions and you’ll have to accept that there’s a good chance you’ll catch it on corners now and then and likely mark the PVD coating. Steel would be the safest of the colour options, even if the pale gold we have here is far better looking than it has any right to be.

Then there’s the dial. Despite being inspired by the clear, legible speedometers of a Mini Cooper, it feels far too small for the watch. The layout and skeletonization work against it, making it a little awkward at a glance, perfect angle or not.

It’s hard not to appreciate the effort and detail that’s gone into the dial; but it’s also harder to read than it should be.

All that said, I had a blast wearing it. It took a bit of getting used to, but it’s surprisingly comfortable on the wrist, and

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It looks more like a mini clock than a traditional wristwatch, the kind that suits a dashboard nicely but doesn’t exactly fit all that well underneath a shirt cuff being able to glance at the time while in the blinkered wormhole of writing was satisfyingly useful.

Would I buy it myself? Probably not, but then I’m the kind of person that only goes to a Concourse of Elegance for the Champagne, so I’m not really the audience here. At CHF 4,850 though, it’s hard to knock the value here. The time, effort and mechanical flair lavished on the Azimuth GT blow many a similarly priced automotive-inspired watch out the water. And honestly, if you like it, you won’t find anything else quite like it.

CHF 4,850 + VAT (approx. £4,000), limited to 400 pieces (150 steel, 100 black PVD, 100 Gold PVD, 50 Military Camo PVD), azimuthwatch.com

hands-on reviews

THE SPECS • 46mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance • Miyota Caliber 8217 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve • €495 (approx. £420), aeronom-watches.com

AERONOM AERO ONE Offering street aesthetic on a budget, German watch brand Aeronom are ready to knock pricy rivals off their perch

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hands-on reviews

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aeronom

With their big, bold shapes and uncompromising designs, there are a handful of brands out there that have become de facto street watches.

You know the ones I mean: Richard Mille, Hublot, those king of brash, unapologetic watches that are all the coolest because of it. They also tend to be pretty damn pricey.

Sometimes, that’s part of the point – but who says you can’t get that same street aesthetic on a budget? Enter German watch brand Aeronom.

Aeronom’s debut timepiece, the Aero One, wears its inspirations on its sleeves. With it’s big, flat, aggressively machined bezel, sharp, angular lugs and muscular shoulders, the 46mm case is part Hublot Big Bang, part IWC Ingenieur.

It feels the part too, solid and weighty.

Knurling on the side of the bezel adds grip and that quintessentially automotive swagger, while the open date window also has something of a dashboard to it, even if the rest of the dial is more suited to the ocean depths than the track. The 24-hour subdial (not a second time zone) at nine is an off-kilter touch, though it’s the mirror image or the Big Bang’s three o’clock.

The dial is dark grey rather than black and while that might seem a small difference, it makes for a less stark contrast with the indexes that I for one much prefer to look at. It still lets the applied, lumed indexes stand out perfectly, in colour and shape.

That said, it is a bit more restrained than its inspirations.

The specs sheet might say it’s big, but it felt right on my significantly less-than-big wrists. It’s not too high either, so it fits under most sleeves without too much effort. I’m not saying it’s a dress watch, just that it works well as a versatile daily wearer.

As a self-professed ‘street diver’, it has the street part of that cornered. Less so the diver part. The 100m water resistance is one thing. It’s not great for professional standard but good enough for a watch that’s not pretending to be professional. The bezel however is another matter.

It’s unidirectionally rotating of course, but it has no markers other than a black diamond at 12 o’clock. It’s a cool finish above water, but there’s no way you’d be able to read it under.

It’s just not fit for purpose. Plus, it’s actually quite sharp – and I don’t mean well dressed.

Inside is the Miyota 8217 calibre automatic movement, a workhorse if ever there was one. Its respectable 42-hour power reserve and accuracy are regulated in Germany for an extra layer of assurance, though as anyone that’s had one of these before, they’re pretty damn reliable.

The caseback is a bit of a mystery to me. A solid caseback would hammer home the Aero One’s diving inclinations. A sapphire caseback would show off the movement, if they

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The Aero One hits its street aesthetic on the head, and at this price it’s a good way to get an uncompromisingly styled watch at a less compromising price wanted to finish it nicely. Instead, there’s a window just where the balance wheel sits. It’s just enough to show that it’s a mechanical watch, not enough to show what those mechanics are. It’s odd.

The bottom line however is that the Aero One is €495, or Imperial money, just over £420. Whatever you think about Aeronom’s design choices here, you can’t say they’re not offering a lot of watch for the money. The machining and finishing across the case alone is good for that money. Add in that this is perhaps one of the most faithful alternatives to the Big Bang around and it’s obvious who the brand’s audience is.

The Aero One hits its street aesthetic on the head, with a few racing influences for good measure, and at this price it’s a good way to get an uncompromisingly styled watch at a less compromising price. €495 (approx. £420), aeronom-watches.com

CULTURE — food & drink

THE BEST STEAK RESTAURANTS IN LONDON

>—>>—>>—> We love it. You love it. Steak. Whether it’s a party-sized tomahawk or a perfect fillet mignon, there’s nothing quite like the carnivorous satisfaction of a flawless cut of meat. So, we’re going to go ahead and apologise to all the vegetarians, vegans, and non-denominational meat avoiders because this issue, we’ve got beef on the brain with the finest steak restaurants London has to offer. Get your sharpest knives and salt bae sprinkle ready – you’re going to need them.

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» the world’s best steak menu «

HELIOT STEAK HOUSE Leister Square

Helmed by Ioannis Grammenos – the world’s first ‘Meatologist’ - Heliot Steak House is one of the foremost steak restaurants in London, despite the dubious location inside Leicester Square’s Hippodrome Casino. Ioannis served as head judge for the 2021 World Steak Challenge, a competition to find the best steaks in the world, and used his position to turn three gold medal cuts into a unique, limited-edition menu. Each of the three cuts are served as a starter – tataki, tartare and rib-eye Korean style – and by itself as a main. Hyperbole doesn’t even come into it; this is the best steak menu in London right now.

Get it while you can.

Book now at hippodromecasino.com >—> EDITED BY MICHAEL SONSINO

RESTAURANT &BAR

NEWS ↑

» an absolute classic «

THE HAWKSMOOR Covent Garden

The Hawksmoor may as well be a national institution, with restaurants in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool and even New York. While many restaurants laud the qualities of Japanese and American steak, The Hawksmoor champion

British beef, firmly putting cattle reared in the UK on the steak-lover’s map. Additionally, the entire restaurant group operates at carbon neutrality, proving that there’s place for meat in a sustainable world. For our money, it’s all about the high ceilings and pillared magnificence of The Hawksmoor Seven Dials. Either way, don’t forgo the mac ‘n’ cheese. It’s the stuff dreams are made of.

Book now at thehawksmoor.com

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CULTURE — food & drink

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» the ultimate surf-n-turf «

BEAST

Mayfair Steak or crab – why decide? Beast is part fine dining, part primal, hunter-gatherer with whole Norwegian crabs going claw to hoof with Australian chateaubriand, and native lobster with Lake District rib-eye. The meat is cooked on a specially designed grill over a mix of oak, birch, chestnut, hazel and alder charcoal. The combination provides the ideal blend of heat and smoke to cook and flavour the cuts.

Though if you can’t decide, there’s always the tasting menu. At £120 of beef and seafood, it’s without a doubt the most extraordinary surf and turf in London – and don’t be shy about cracking into it all; the place is called Beast, after all.

Book now at beastrestaurant.com

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» straight from japan «

ENGAWA Soho

Legends are spun around the ultra-exclusive Kobe beef and if you have a hankering for delicately marbled, incredibly flavoured meat, Engawa is where you need to go. In fact, it’s the only restaurant in the UK that import the entire Kobe cow, meaning they have the widest selection of cuts available, including sirloin, rump, fillet, rib-eye and oyster blade. The ode to Japanese beef is all set within the tranquil space of an intimate dining room that seats 29 people in an environment inspired by Japanese culture.

Book now at engawa.london

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» relaxed atmosphere: «

JONES FAMILY KITCHEN Belgravia

With a focus on a friendly and open atmosphere, the Jones Family Kitchen makes high end steak unpretentious and is ideal for introducing new foodies to the art of fine meat.

They specialise in traditional grass-fed Longhorn cattle, which produce tender meat due to their naturally relaxed bearing and ability to create muscle without generating an overabundance of fat. Add a handful of beautiful chips and some greens and it’s the most quintessential steak dish around.

Book now at jonesfamilykitchen.co.uk

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CULTURE — food & drink

←

» the spectacle «

NUSR-ET

Knightsbridge

It’s the province of celebrities and Instagram foodies, all embracing the spectacle of luxury cooking. Just make sure you dress to impress

If you’ve been online in the past five years, you’ll know about Nusr-Et, the international steakhouse run by the meme chef himself, Salt Bae. Nusr-Et is steak at its decadent extreme with cuts of meat literally wrapped in gold. It’s the province of celebrities, influencers and Instagram foodies, all embracing the spectacle of luxury cooking. Just make sure you dress to impress; nobody wants to be outdone by their food. And be prepared to put up with wealthy 20-somethings doing the ‘salt bae’ everywhere you look.

Book now at nusr-et.com.tr

>—>>—>>—> A Change of Pace – apparently there are some people who aren’t the biggest fans of slabs of seared, salted animal dropped on their plate. That’s just 2022 for you, I guess. If you need to cater for those less inclined towards steak, there are still plenty of fabulous eateries to be found in London.

← THE IVY ASIA CHELSEA Chelsea

Putting the Oriental front and centre is the Ivy Asia Chelsea, a restaurant that draws on culinary influences from across the span of Asia. They offer a sublime blend of dishes and drinks with special themed menus such as the recent sushi and sake Magic of the Blossom Dragon experience. If you’ve never tried Japanese rice wine before, think of it as a versatile savoury drink that can be drank as wine, sparkling wine or gin.

There’s nothing else quite like it, especially when it comes to the sublime Akashi-Tai Sake. Paired with sushi and tempura aplenty, it’s one hell of a way to celebrate a Japanese tradition.

Book now at theivyasiachelsea.com

There’s nothing else quite like it, especially when it comes to the sublime Akashi-Tai Sake 109

↓ ABOVE AT HIDE Piccadilly

Above at Hide is a fresh and airy restaurant located with views across Green Park on Piccadilly.

The vitality of the atmosphere is also found in the seasonally changing tasting menus, with the latest iteration launching recently – one I was fortunate enough to try. The key player is the Herdwick lamb cooked over charcoal with roast garlic, violet artichoke and three-cornered leeks.

It’s an idyllic expression of early British summer.

Each dish is paired with the perfect wine courtesy of Hide’s collaboration with Hedonism Wines.

Book now at hide.co.uk

CULTURE — wondrous whisky

THE GLENALLACHIE 15-YEAR-OLD

TOBERMORY 23-YEAR-OLD OLOROSO CASK FINISH

Here’s one for those who like the darker side of drinks; think sticky raisins, tangy orange marmalade and spicy dark chocolate. Matured in both Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso puncheons and hogsheads to influence the deeper flavours, GlenAllachie considers this the jewel in their crown and I agree. £61 from Regal Whisky

Being the only whisky distillery on the Isle of Mull, and having been established in 1798, Tobermory has had quite some time to find itself.

To see how their bounty would stand the test of time, they took their revered 15-year-old liquid, resting it for an additional eight years in Oloroso casks. The result absolutely worked. A deep rosegold hue sits in your glass with wafts of ripe oranges, toasted barley, and fruitcake. Take a sip and salted toffee, candied lemon, and caramelized walnuts take over your palate. A work of art. £250 from The Drink Shop

Words: Aidy Smith

MISSED WORLD WHISKY DAY?

DON’T MISS OUT ON THESE WHISKIES

In case you missed it, the last Saturday of May was – and is, every year – World Whisky Day, an admittedly strained holiday in honour of the finest of grainbased liquids. But to be honest in my house it’s World Whisky Day every 24 hours, so for those of you that managed to avoid sampling every Scotch under the sun (it’s a professional hazard) I’ve curated a list of superb drams to get you ready for next year. From everyday sippers to gift-worthy choices and even the rarest releases on the market right now, there’s a little something for everyone.

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CULTURE — wondrous whisky

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL

CRAIGELLACHIE EXCEPTIONAL CASK SERIES - 23-YEAR-OLD

Not many people know that only one in every 10,000 casks under the Johnnie Walker name make it into Blue Label. Now, I’m not a rocket scientist, but that sounds quite rare. Deep velvety layers of dried fruits, citrus smoke and sweet spicy honey cross your taste buds as they glide into a long soothing chocolate and smoke finish £139 from The Bottle Club

I do love a rare whisky, and that’s exactly what we’ve got here. The Exceptional Cask Series only makes an appearance when Master Distiller, Stephanie Macleod locates casks of such a superior nature, they simply have to be a singular bottling. Distilled in 1995, this wonder was aged in 100% Oloroso sherry casks, giving it a distinct richness, and burst of flavour.

Tasting notes: Cinnamon, dried apricot and creamy vanilla jump out on the nose with pineapple, zingy mint, and a burnt caramel on the palate. The beauty of these releases; once they’re gone, they’re gone! £330 from The House of Whisky

“

Distilled in 1995, this wonder was aged in 100% Oloroso sherry casks, giving it a distinct richness

DEANSTON 12-YEAR-OLD The Deanston 12-year-old is one of my constant go-tos. There’s something about the dense marmalade notes on the nose with a citrus cereal combination that entices me. The palate brings forth a silky caramel with macadamia and hazelnuts as a little oak emerges. The finish also combines caramel and fudge with a little more of that marmalade zing. I do love my marmalade and I really do love this whisky. £44 from The Bottle Club

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CULTURE — wondrous whisky

LOCH LOMOND 46-YEAR-OLD SINGLE MALT

DUNCAN TAYLOR KINCLAITH 51-YEAR-OLD AND CAPERDONICH 50-YEAR-OLD Straight from their ‘Rarest of the Rare’ portfolio, Duncan Taylor has unearthed two 1969 vintage Scotches. Aged for over half a century, they offer a true piece of time and history as you sip the craft of generations gone by. Both whiskies have notable histories; Kinclaith’s was established in 1957, closing its doors in 1975. While production of Caperdonich came to a close in 2002, its origins date back to 1891. Incredibly limited, only 100 handcrafted decanters of each whisky exist, worldwide. The bottles will be individually numbered and engraved, and housed in a beautiful lockable framed box inside a brushed stainless steel carry case.

The 50-year-old Caperdonich is malty and sweet, offering a frothy caramel latte topped with cinnamon. A long-lasting finish of soft gentle warm spices and sweet toasted oak notes round it off. On the other hand, the 51-year-old golden hued Kinclaith showcases a sweet and fragrant oak. Even after 50 years the cask remains active offering seasonal spices of clove and cinnamon with remarkable freshness. It’s a beautifully structured whisky, with the cask and distillate in perfect harmony.

Both whiskies are currently available by ballot only from therarest.duncantaylor.com with a UK RRP for Kinclaith of £12,300 and Caperdonich of £10,750

The second release from the Remarkable Stills series celebrates a 46-year-old wonder crafted in 1974 from the distillery’s unique straight neck stils. This rare treat has matured in American oak casks for 44 years, followed by two years in a combination of first fill Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez casks. The nose offers an abundance of caramelised sugar, peach, mango and vanilla syrup. One sip offers you burnt brown sugar, sultanas, clove spice and dried apricots with a warming toffee and nutmeg finish.

With only 200 bottles released globally, you’ll be fighting to own one! £4,500 from Master of Malt

SUPER LUXURY

ROYAL SALUTE 30-YEAR-OLD KEY TO THE KINGDOM Crafted to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, Royal Salute has had quite the journey. Now, the release of some of its oldest expressions are coming to light and I can tell you first hand, they are bloody delicious! The new expression blends together a handselection of the finest whiskies, each aged for a minimum of 30 years, meticulously sourced from across Scotland. The result is a luxuriously sweet and fruity blend with notes of ripe, juicy pears, blood orange and thick set honey that form a medley of majestic flavours, and a long finish with enduring smoky notes. £595 from The Whisky Exchange

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Aidy Smith is an awardwinning TV presenter and journalist. Follow his journey on social at @Sypped and check out his latest TV Series The Three Drinkers in Ireland on Amazon Prime

smartwatches

Words by

Sam Kessler

Three mechanical watch lovers try out a trio of cutting-edge smartwatches

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Ubiquitous as they may be to gym bunnies and professional athletes alike, smartwatches are everywhere.

Don’t worry, they’re not about to put Rolex under any time soon, but they do offer a complete alternative to your classical analogue timepiece, and for very different reasons.

Those reasons, it turns out have never really been good enough for us here at Oracle Time. We’re traditionalists at heart and that heart beats in time with a balance spring. Nevertheless, we decided it was about time we tried our wrists out with a connected watch. And being overachievers, we tried out three: a pure tech wearable, a smartwatch from a respectable watchmaker (you can guess the one), and a hybrid that's something between a mechanical watch and wearable tech. Here’s what we thought.

TOM PETTIT:

EPIX 2 >—————> I’ll confess, I’ve never worn a smartwatch.

It’s not that smartwatches have never crossed my mind, it’s just the allure of wearing something mechanical on my wrist seems far more exciting.

Though it has to be said, I’m getting old and keeping up with my vitals is, well, vital. With that in mind, this perhaps won’t be a traditional review, as I have no barometer to compare the Garmin EPIX 2 to. So, let’s get the basics out of the way.

Setting up the watch is idiot-proof. I’m the type of guy to attempt to piece together Ikea furniture sans instructions to… mixed success. Thank God then that the EPIX 2 lets you wing it. Download the app, connect to your phone and you’re off.

On the wrist, the EPIX 2 is large. Very large. It's 47mm of fibre reinforced polymer with a steel case back. Despite its size, it wears small, especially when paired with the matching white uber-supple silicone strap.

The watch face is customisable, however as a relative purist I opt for something more akin to an analogue design with my daily step count showing.

The screen is actually the standout feature of the EPIX 2, an AMOLED 416x416 pixel touchscreen display which is bright and easy to read in the strongest of sunshine. That said, even though it is a touchscreen, I found myself using the five physical buttons more.

What really sold me the EPIX 2 is the staggering array of applications and sports tracking functions available

The battery life on the EPIX 2 is outstanding.

Despite checking on my heart rate, steps, blood oxygen and training every day like some sort of neurotic Olympian it still gave me six solid days of use. It also charges quicker than Eliud Kipchoge can run a marathon (one hour 44 minutes for those interested).

What really sold me the EPIX 2 however is the staggering array of applications and sports tracking functions that are available. You name the sport, there’s a mode for it. I used mine for running, bouldering, golf, yoga, cycling and I barely even scratched the surface.

As you would expect from an adventure focused watch, the maps, GPS accuracy and overall navigation on the EPIX 2 all are excellent. It put my orienteering to shame. The maps offer turn-by-turn direction, though you can create new routes whenever you want to head off the beaten path – or just get lost among the Essex creeklands.

The top of the range version also comes with 32GB of storage for music and you can download offline playlists from Spotify to the device and pair with your headphones. I found the connection to be very reliable and it works really well when paired with something like the Garmin Coaching function.

The only real setbacks include a lack of connectivity (a nice safety feature for when exploring), the payment system not being widely adopted and the comparatively high price (for Garmin anyway), but that really is nit-picking.

After 14 days of wearing the watch, I genuinely feel like it’s improved my wellbeing and it’s very hard to think of something else under £1,000 to wear on your wrist to have quite such an impact. I have no doubt it will beat the other two watches in this feature function wise. Simply put, I’m a convert. Googles “is double wristing acceptable?”

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SAM KESSLER:

MICHAEL SONSINO:

CONNECTED CALIBRE E4

ELEKTRON HR 2.2

>—————> Ah the grand dame of the watch world’s techy offerings, the

TAG Heuer Connected. I’m actually surprised, thinking about it, that this is my first trial run with the watch. It’s not my first smartwatch of course, I have a little Samsung version specifically for running. But given the TAG Heuer is orders of magnitude more expensive, it’s a good chance to put it through its paces and find out why.

First off, connected it may be, but it feels like a watch. By that I mean it actually has some heft to it and a solidly built case that’s pretty much the antithesis of your usual plasticy wearables. Better yet, it feels like a TAG Heuer. I’d say it’s the best-looking smartwatch out there. There’s a slight downside to imitating a traditional watch in that it’s not the most comfortable to work out with.

Set-up is simple enough. To start using it you just need to download Wear OS, though if you want to get all your stats on your phone, you’ll also need the TAG Heuer Connected app and yet another app if you want to try out the golf functionality. I don’t know a bogie from an eagle, so didn’t bother with that.

What it did have was a scattering of sports that it tracked effectively (my girlfriend kindly trialled it out during her triathlon training), especially swimming. I have to admit though, I loved the sevenminute guided workouts. One of those midway through the day staved off the cabin fever of a home office. Otherwise, it feels pretty stripped back. You can read emails and notifications from your phone, change the music you’re listening to; basic quality-of-life stuff that’s useful but not vital.

It was likely because of that streamlined nature that the Connected is incredibly intuitive to use. Swipe up for notifications, down for settings, top faux-nograph button for switching between sports tracking and bottom for your current stats. The crown is basically the long way round to go through all the menus and I found myself splitting between it and the touchscreen pretty much equally.

Battery life is… ok. It basically matched my phone: a day of solid use, two days of occasional use. I could have probably made it last longer by turning down the brightness, but I liked clearly seeing the display – especially as the TAG Heuer dials are pretty damn cool. And by that, I mean the Connected take on the Carrera.

I’m not about to say the Calibre E4 has converted me to smartwatches. I’ll always be a traditionalist in that sense, especially as I’d prefer to bury my head in the sand when it comes to my daily steps and pretend to work off a 500g steak walking the dog in the morning.

The bottom line though is that, as a watch lover, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 feels right – and that’s a success if ever there was one.

Because of the Elektron’s automatic winding it can go a full year between charges, so long as you wear it regularly

>—————> There’s no escaping the fact that the

name Sequent doesn’t have the same wide reaching recognition as Garmin and Tag Heuer. However, it’s a brand that I’ve actually been following for a while now and had my first opportunity to try the SuperCharger HR 2.1 out over a year ago. This time round I’ve got the latest Elektron HR 2.2.

For those unfamiliar with Sequent, the entire concept is hybrid watches - essentially smartwatches for people who don’t like smartwatches. Similarly to Frederique Constant’s attempt a few years back, there’s no touch screen, it has an analogue display and automatic winding via a rotor. That rotor charges a battery which then powers its various smart functions, such as step counting, heart rate and sleep monitoring as well as measuring blood oxygen levels – all of which can be read via the Oxygo app.

The real advantage of the Sequent over the Garmin and Tag Heuer is that you can actually forget that it’s a smartwatch. Tom may have lauded the Garmin’s six day battery life but because of the Elektron’s automatic winding it can go a full year between charges, so long as you wear it regularly.

Just be sure not to lose the charger in the meantime. Additionally, the display is very traditional with central hours and minutes and oval hour markers coated with blue lume. You’ll never have to justify wearing it to anyone.

In fact, the only visual give aways that it’s a smartwatch are the sensor on the caseback, the charging port in the 42mm titanium case, and the retrograde smart scale that occupies the lower portion of the dial. In regular use that scale provides an indication of how close you are to your daily step goal but in workout mode it shows your heart rate (essentially your own personal rev counter). Activating the different modes requires tapping the crown in the correct sequence, which takes a little bit of practice.

It has to be stated that the overall utility of the watch cannot even begin to compare to a conventional smartwatch. There’s no music, no texting, no adjustable displays and you can’t tell it to track a specific sport beyond the few metrics it has.

And as part of that the app is fairly rudimentary, primarily functioning as a data visualisation service because the watch can’t do that itself.

However, I enjoyed my time with the Elektron HR 2.2. The TAG Heuer Connected might ‘feel’ like a mechanical watch, this straight up is one. Plus, it’s a brand worth keeping an eye on. The potential of the technology feels like it hasn’t been fully explored yet and it could have implications for sustainability in smartwatches thanks to the exceptional hybrid winding. On top of that, it’s the most accessible of the trio at CHF 599 (approx. £490).

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WORDS: KEN KESSLER

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO

BUILDING THE PERFECT – AND EVOLVING – HI-FI SYSTEM

FINE TUNING EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR HI-FI IN SEARCH OF THAT PERFECT SOUND CAN FEEL INSURMOUNTABLE, BUT WE HAVE THE BEST SELECTION OF SEPARATES TO MAKE YOUR SOUND WHOLE

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It may be the only thing you’ll ever buy which isn’t self-contained.

Unlike any other purchase, a decent sound system uses components from various manufacturers. You have three times the hassle when making the choices for what will be one of your bigger purchases. Your wristwatch came with a strap or bracelet. Your car was delivered with its tyres, your fridge and TV and camera needed no additional purchases. Top-quality sound systems don’t work that way. There’s a clue in the name, as the constituent parts are called ‘hi-fi separates’ for a reason.

THE PLAYERS THE PERFECT THREESOME Every sound-reproducing item in the world, from mobile phone to hearingaid to clock radio to gaming console, requires three basic elements in order to reproduce sound, a triumvirate of source, amplification and speaker. As no company excels in all three areas, wisely specialising in one or maybe two, the audiophile (that’s the beardy guy who didn’t sell off his vinyl collection when CD arrived) cannot resist assembling a system from these three product types.

As simplistic as this seems – how difficult could it be to match three components? – it can be tricky because they have to match each other electronically and sonically, while compounding matters is how each of the three key elements also can be split into separate parts. The most important word here is ‘integrated’, in which two or more elements are combined into a single housing. Probably the most integrated unit of all is the old-school boombox, currently undergoing a revival along with the cassette.

Essentially a compact version of a ‘music console’ of the 1950s and 1960s, a boombox usually contains either a cassette deck, a CD player or both, a tuner for radio signals, built-in amplification and a pair of speakers. At the other extreme are the complex systems beloved of enthusiasts, and it still starts with the source.

Even if you only listen to a phone with earbuds, you’re still hearing sounds through that chain of elements. A source is where the music comes from and that includes analogue formats like tape, vinyl LPs, and AM or FM radio, or digital devices comprising CDs, digital radio (DAB), streaming and downloads. Add to that list gaming and film soundtracks, and cable or satellite online providers, DVD, and Blu-ray, and you have a wide range of sources to accommodate.

Record decks are back in force because of the return of vinyl. Every LP-playing device needs a turntable to spin the LP, a cartridge (commonly called the ‘needle’) to play the record by following the groove, and a tonearm which holds the cartridge as it traverses the LP. The easiest solution is to buy one sold with all three of these elements – that is, an integrated turntable, tonearm and cartridge. Many enthusiasts – naturally – prefer to select a turntable, a tonearm and a cartridge from three separate brands.

This also applies to CD. Most people buy a complete CD player, which simply plugs into the amplifier. The audiophile might prefer a separate CD ‘transport’ which reads the CD, and a separate DAC, or D-to-A Convertor. This takes the CD’s digital signal and converts it to analogue, so the amplifier can deal with it. One of the advantages of a separate DAC is that you can use it for all your digital sources.

And you won’t believe how good a tablet or phone can sound until heard through a killer hi-fi system.

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O R ACLE’S PIC K S FOR VINYL: BASIS AUDIO 2200

Founded by the late, great audio obsessive, AJ Conti, Basis Audio builds some of the most precise turntables in the world. Despite ostensibly being the brand’s entry-level player, the 2200 is nonetheless up there with the greats. With a platter machined from a solid block of acrylic, incredible stability and a vertical motion the width of a human hair, the player makes for one of the finest vinyl playback experiences going – at this price point or well above. $8,000 (approx. £6,350), basisaudio.com

FOR CDS: NAD C 568

CDs suffer from not being as easy as streaming, nor being as ‘good’ as vinyl (take that last with a pinch of rose-tinted salt), but the fact is that they’re often overly maligned. Perhaps more saliently, we all have a library full of them and thanks to NAD, they won’t be left to gather dust. Not only does the C 568 elevate the humble CD to a new place of audiophile quality, but it really looks the part, too. And it won’t break the bank. £649, nadelectronics.com

FOR STREAMING: LINN KLIMAX DSM

Many an audiophile will roll their eyes at the thought of streaming their music, fixating on the potential loss of quality. Those particular obsessives should listen to this. The nextgeneration Klimax streaming platform from British brand Linn sounds as good as the mass of beautifully machined steel looks. Inside is the Linn Organic DAC, designed for the most natural sound this side of a live performance. linn.co.uk

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The NAD C 568 (above) is Oracle’s pick to help you get the best from CDs, while for those that have held onto their records, the Basis Audio 2200 (top) offers one of finest vinyl playback experiences going, and the Linn Klimax DSM (overpage) is the perfect choice for streamers

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The blocky orange mass of machined metal that is the Vitus SIA-030 MK.I (above) is top pick for those looking to splash out, while the AGD Vivace Monoblock (right) makes a combined visual and audio impact and the Krell Solo 375 Mono Amp (right, top) is a solid foundation to start from

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THE AMPLIFIER Next comes the amplifier. This is the stage in the chain which takes the signal from the source and increases its strength to drive the third part, which is whatever device is chosen to let you hear actual sounds, whether it’s speakers or headphones.

Amplifiers can be separated into pre-amp and power amp while the most popular choice, an integrated amp, contains both in a single enclosure.

Enthusiasts prefer to mix it up with separates. The pre-amp, which used to be called more appropriately the control amp, is the part which accepts the signals for all the sources, while providing the means of choosing which one you want to listen to, and it also controls the volume. A power amplifier

feeds the signal to the speakers.

To deal with these tasks, all amplifiers must have two specific controls; one for selecting the source and the other for setting the volume. It’s the same thing for your mobile phone or tablet if it’s loaded with music or it’s used for streaming. It accomplishes this through the volume control and the choice of app.

When choosing an amplifier, consider the following: How many sources will you want it to handle?

This will determine how many ‘inputs’ you need, and many amplifiers now include built-in DACs (see previous page) so you can feed digital sources directly into it. Then determine how much power you need. This will depend on the last component you require, the loudspeakers.

O R ACLE’S PIC K S FOR A SOLID FOUNDATION: KRELL SOLO 375 MONO AMP If you want to fine-tune every aspect of your system, you’ll need to start with a solid foundation in the form of a standalone power amp. You’re in safe hands with Krell. A practical, versatile platform paired with rich, warm musicality, it combines Krell’s legendary Class A amplifiers and the kind of practicality you’ll want, unless you have a dedicated listening room.

By that point, you’ll have plenty of other amps – including Krell – to choose from. $8,750 (approx. £6,950), krellhifi.com

FOR DRAMATIC VISUALS: AGD VIVACE MONOBLOCK

Between their cool, steampunk looks and the sonic warmth they’re known for, it’s surprising that valve amps aren’t more popular. Perhaps more potential audiophiles should listen to AGD’s superlative Vivace. The most advanced valve power amp on the market, this small-but-powerful monobloc beauty opts for a unique GaNTube system with a gallium nitride power-stage integrated into a vacuum tube. If that sounds like a lot of tech babble, just know this; it packs a punch many, many times its size.

From £13,945 per pair, wholenotedistribution.co.uk

FOR SPLASHING OUT: VITUS SIA-030 MK.I INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

This is something else. Even if you weren’t already enraptured by the handsome, blocky orange mass of machined metal, this successor to the SIA-025 is a powerhouse. It might sit midway in the Vitus range, but that’s still saying a lot. With a frequency width of up to 800kHz, 200W per channel and the most silent background blacks possible, you won’t need another amplifier any time soon. £34,000, vitusaudio.com

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O R ACLE’S PIC K S FOR SMALLER SPACES: PROAC TABLETTE 10 SIGNATURE

Size isn’t everything, particularly if it projects well. Case in point, the upgraded Signature version of British maker ProAc’s diminutive, but incredibly punchy Tablette 10. A versatile design built to be adapted to any space, big or small, the speakers offer a soundstage far bigger than you’d expect, with plenty of tweaks – including a new bass driver – to make sure said stage sounds as excellent as possible. £1,585, proac-loudspeakers.com

THE SPEAKERS At the dawn of electric sound, listening to early radio meant headphones because the power of early amplifying devices was restricted. As available power increased, headsets were eventually joined by loudspeakers. It’s come full circle because earbuds and headphones are now the dominant means of listening, especially outdoors or on the go. When you put together a sound system and you want to use headphones – loudspeakers will be the primary means of listening – check that the amplifier has a headphone socket.

As for loudspeakers, always purchased in pairs for stereo, the choices are vast. Most common are box-type speakers which come in enclosures that might be wood-finished or coated in modern paints or plastics, and they can be as small as a loaf of bread, or as huge as a shower stall. The

best will be free-standing, away from the walls, but smaller, space-saving types are often mounted on shelves, hence the term ‘bookshelf speakers’.

Huge speakers which don’t require separate stands to raise them to ear-height are called ‘floorstanders’.

An alternative for the houseproud, who don’t want boxes in the room, are panel type speakers, which – like LCD TVs – are thin and flat. Unlike panel TVs, though, they cannot be wall-mounted and must stand in free space. The difference, however, is that compared to box-type enclosures, panel-types are usually better-looking, and no more intrusive than dressing screens.

If you’re a hard-core enthusiast, and the above integrated speakers don’t address your incurable need to tweak this, speakers can be augmented by subwoofers for added bass, of ‘super tweeters’ to enhance the upper frequencies. Our advice is to simply by the speaker which 1) sounds best to you and 2) fits into your living space.

Most common are box-type speakers which come in enclosures and they can be as small as a loaf of bread, or as huge as a shower stall 128

FOR AUDIOPHILE VERSATILITY: PMC FACT.12 SIGNATURE

From the entry level models to the intense Fenestria version, PMC’s phenomenally popular Fact series has pushed both ends of the audio spectrum. The fact.12 Signature lies perfectly in the middle, taking elements from the upper end and incorporating them into a versatile pair of loudspeakers.

The result is everything from whisper-quiet to reverberatingly sonorous with precision and quality across the board. £14,995, pmc-speakers.com

FOR WIRELESS CONVENIENCE: RUARK MRX CONNECTED WIRELESS SPEAKER

Convenience is often as important as sound quality and Ruark’s handsome wireless speakers offer the simplest, most streamlined way to enjoy surprisingly great audio across the house. Just pop one wherever there’s a bookshelf or corner table for it to nest on and you have an effective – not to mention good-looking – multiroom system. Unlike a lot of audiophile stuff, it won’t break the bank, either. £419, ruarkaudio.com

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Make space for the PMC’s phenomenally popular Fact series (below) or opt for the concentrated power of the ProAc Tablette 10 Signature (left)

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The Ruark MRx Connected Wireless Speaker offers one of the most streamlined ways to enjoy surprisingly great audio across the house

IN THE HI-FI SHOPPE

Once you’ve heard the life-like sound of ‘proper hi-fi’, you’ll find that diversity has another meaning, and that integration isn’t always a virtue

Don’t let the seeming complexity bother you. Any hi-fi salesperson will ensure that the components you might choose can work with each other. If still concerned, the hi-fi industry is awash with all-in-one high-quality units that include everything in a single, stylish, convenient housing, and at a level far more sophisticated than the boombox, an old-school console, or a self-contained record player of yore. But once you’ve heard the life-like sound of ‘proper hi-fi’, you’ll find that diversity has another meaning, and that integration isn’t always a virtue.

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CULTURE — unsung heroes

Words:

Sam Kessler

UNSUNG VINTAGE HERO:

THE POLJOT STRELA It’s made history as the watch on the first ever spacewalk in human history, but remains under the radar as a stylish and affordable timepiece 133

CULTURE — unsung heroes

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CULTURE — poljot strela

There are a ton of watchmakers that would, given the chance, lay claim to the Final Frontier in ever more inventively defined ways. The Omega Speedmaster is the most famous, but it’s not alone. The Seiko Pogue was the first automatic in space in 1973 and the Breitling Cosmonaute the first Swiss watch in 1962. The thing is, none of them are Russian.

Given the pace in growing popularity of Soviet-era watches, its history and the fact that it’s an improved version of a vintage Swiss calibre, the Poljot Strela definitely deserves more recognition than it has The Poljot Strela made history in 1965 during the Vokshod 2 mission on the wrist of cosmonaut Alexei Leonov (pictured), who would’ve been able to appreciate the elegant watch’s bicompax chronograph layout, with 45-minutes elapsed time at three o’clock and running seconds at nine

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Russian watchmakers have had an incredible history in space. While there’s some debate over exactly what was on Yuri Gagarin’s wrist in the first ever journey beyond the stratosphere, it was likely a Sturmanski. What we do know however is the first watch ever worn in the vacuum of space itself: the Strela Poljot.

Strela – Стрела in Cyrillic and ‘arrow’ in English – started life as a Swiss movement, the Venus 150. It was modified and improved to the demanding standards of Soviet pilots and renamed the 3017 before being manufactured by the Russian industrial machine. Originally the part of the machine making it was the 1st Moscow Watch Factory, renamed to POLJOT in 1964. In the early 1960s it was a core piece of SAF kit – including prospective space missions.

So it was that in 1965, during the Vokshod 2 mission, it found its way onto the wrist of cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. It also stayed on his wrist while he attempted the first ever spacewalk in human history, spending 12 minutes and nine seconds outside the ship, connected by a 5.35m tether. Unfortunately, he didn’t test out the chronograph function.

That exact model had a white face and no lume, making for a slightly more elegant watch than the kind of beefy, uncompromisingly macho tool watches we’re used to seeing from the Soviet era. It had a bicompax chronograph layout, with 45-minutes elapsed time at three o’clock and running seconds at nine. Lookswise, it’s dated incredibly well.

The 3017 was eventually sold to the general watch buying public at home and abroad, though was pretty expensive for the average Soviet citizen – which is funny these days because despite being an integral part of space exploration, you can get one for just over £1,000, which for something like this is incredibly affordable.

There was a relatively faithful reissue of the 3017 a decade ago, before the rush for archival raiding really kicked in (it would likely have done a lot better these days.) But otherwise, the Poljot Strela is a watch that’s generally gone under-the-radar.

Given the pace in growing popularity of Soviet-era watches (check out our Movie Watch for the Russian beast starring in the superlatively unnerving Severance), its history and the fact that it’s an improved version of a vintage Swiss calibre, the Poljot Strela definitely deserves more recognition than it has.

And hey, given the current global climate, you might well be able to get one even cheaper than it should be.

end times

Words:

Michael Sonsino

THE

END TIMES IDENTIFYING DISCONTINUED ROLEXES BEFORE THEIR VALUE SKYROCKETS >—————>

A clutch of Rolexes ended production this year, so in case you stumble across one in some out-of-the-way retailer, here are the models to look out for.

It’s the nature of the watch game that watchmakers can’t sell every watch they produce indefinitely. And while it can be sad to see your favourite models retired from production and relegated to the grey market (where the limited numbers of Rolexes being delivered at the moment mean prices are skyrocketing), it makes way for new watches and replacements.

Alternatively, watches can become the victims of their own success and generate waiting lists so long that watchmakers would prefer to discontinue them instead of being trapped making them for the next 30 years. And so, here are the watches Rolex are discontinuing in 2022.

All Rolex Cellini models (except one) Cellini is dead. Or at least it seems that way as Rolex have axed four out of five of the remaining Cellini models. It’s adios to two date models and two time models leaving only the moonphase standing. It’s an understandable decision, as the Cellini doesn’t add anything to the range that other Rolexes don’t already do and it feels the most distinctive stylistically, diluting the Rolex design language.

However, the fact that the moonphase remains means we could see the return of the Cellini as a fully fledged collection at some point, perhaps with a new high complication angle. At the moment it’s in a similar position to where the Air King was last year and we’ve already seen what Rolex did to that.

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end times

Rolex Air King 116900 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Coral Red (31mm, 36mm, 41mm), Yellow (31mm, 36mm, 41mm) and Turquoise Dial (41mm) One incredibly popular watch, at the height of the current zeitgeist, which is being put out to pasture is the Tiffany Blue Oyster Perpetual 41mm. The iconic shade of light blue has captivated watch collectors even more than usual following the launch of the Tiffany Blue Nautilus 5711/1A-018 late last year. With the numbers of the Nautilus extremely limited, collectors have looked to other brands like Rolex to fill the light blue gap in their collections. But no longer, at least at 41mm sizes as the Ref. 124300 with light blue dial has been discontinued.

However, you can still get your tiffany blue fix at the more refined Oyster Perpetual 36mm and 31mm diameters.

Alongside the 41mm light blue, a whole host of other colourful Oyster Perpetuals at various sizes are gone too. The coral red version is completely gone at 41mm, 36mm and 31mm and it’s the same story for the yellow.

It’s become incredibly popular to try and predict what watches Rolex is going to launch and discontinue each year and one that cropped on several source’s chopping block was the Air King. And they were right, sort of. Instead of discontinuing it outright, Rolex have replaced it with the Ref. 126900, an updated version with a new case, improved dial and upgraded movement. With the new watch filling the same niche as the old one but better, there’s really no reason not to discontinue the 116900.

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end times

Rolex Deepsea 126660 This is an odd one. The Rolex Deepsea Sea Dweller 126660 has been discontinued and replaced by the 136660. However, there’s no reason to be sad because the 136660 has exactly the same case, movement and styling.

The only change is there’s a hint of platinum PVD and a fractionally larger date aperture.

While an argument could be made for continuing to produce the smooth bezel version, that would likely mean that fewer of each version could be made Rolex Day-Date 40 Platinum 228206 (Smooth Bezel) One of the most iconic attributes of the Day Date is its fluted bezel, which is why it was bizarre that one of the most popular models – platinum with a light blue dial – was only available with a smooth bezel. Not any longer as the smooth 228206 has been replaced with the much sexier fluted 228236.

While an argument could be made for continuing to produce the smooth bezel version in addition to the new one, that would likely mean that fewer of each version could be made.

And considering the supply issues Rolex is already facing, that doesn’t sound like a good idea.

ROUND-UP

Discontinued Rolexes in 2022:

• Oyster Perpetual 124300 (41mm, turquoise, coral red or yellow dial), 126000 (36mm, coral red or yellow dial), 277200 (31mm, coral red or yellow dial) • Deepsea 126660 (replaced by 136660) • Air King 116900 (replaced by 126900) • Day-Date 40 platinum 228206 (replaced by 228236) • Cellini Time 50505 / 50509 • Cellini Date 50519 / 50515

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in safe hands

There are certain things you’ll only ever want to trust to someone extraordinarily qualified, flying a plane, for example, or operating on your brain. Or perhaps most importantly of all, servicing the grail of your watch collection. At least if the other two go wrong, your precious Patek Philippe is still safe and sound.

You might not have heard the name but consider Mr Steven Hale the horological equivalent of a surgeon with a Super Speciality Medical Degree. If something’s happening on the inside, he’s the guy you want to open her up and take a look.

Steven cut his (wheel) teeth at none other than Somlo Antiques of Burlington Arcade. You’ll likely have wandered past them at some point, in the shortcut between Piccadilly and Savile Row. If you’re an Omega fan, you’ll have stopped to linger and stare wistfully at their stock too. This was back in 2005 however, and after 10 years’ experience restoring Somlo’s classic watches, Hale moved onto the next step.

That was to set-up a purpose-built workshop in Watford. The 2,500 sq ft space is a magician’s workshop, consisting of precision tools and specialist equipment that your ‘unextraordinary’ watch repairman would struggle to operate, let alone get hold of. Hidden away like an Aladdin’s Cave, you’d never know this trove of precision engineering could be there. It’s something else, take it from us.

There’s a good reason why Hale is officially qualified to repair plenty of watches that would normally have to be sent all the way back to Switzerland – including Rolex, for which they’re the only UK workshop to receive the highest level of accreditation. They are one of the few independent watch centres you might trust your precious Paul Newman Daytona.

Of course, it’s not just about the rarities. All watches need a good service now and then, and even if suggested service intervals are getting longer as movements get better, it’s still worth regular check-ups. Consider it an MOT for your watch. The downside is if you need to send your watch off to Switzerland it can be quite expensive and time consuming.

Having a workshop here in the UK,

Words:

Sam Kessler

IN SAFE HANDS THE ESSENTIAL SPECIALIST SERVICE YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU NEEDED

The doctor will see you now: Mr Steven Hale (above) is the horological equivalent of a surgeon and from his Watford workshop he performs acts of precision engineering on some of the finest grail watches after learning from the best at London’s Somlo Antiques of Burlington Arcade

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one that will check with you before making any repairs (owners of beautifully patinated dials, take note) makes for a reassuring safety net. Not only does it cut lead times and add a surprising level of transparency to proceedings, but you can always harass them to get it done a bit quicker. They’ll probably love it.

If you don’t want to make the trek to Watford (we wouldn’t blame you in all honesty) Steven Hale Watch Restoration also have a showroom in Mayfair, between Bond Street and Brook Street.

But if you do get an opportunity to visit the workshop – and fancy geeking out over balance wheels as much as we do – then do it.

There are few places this side of Switzerland quite like it.

EDITED BY SAM KESSLER

IN FOCUS THE PERFECT LIFESAVING BARTER WATCH, A BRAND REDEFINING THE USE OF HANDS, AND A WATCH LEADING A PRINTING REVOLUTION GO UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

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IN FOCUS — milus snow star

THE WATCH THAT SAVED LIVES

The Milus Snow Star is more than a handsome, historically-inspired watch; it’s the re-issue of vital piece of US Navy equipment Let’s start with a hypothetical. If you crash landed in enemy territory, what would you want on you?

Clothes to brave the elements, of course, perhaps a few survival necessities like a map and rations.

Beyond the immediate however, you need a way of not just getting out of dodge, but making sure that anyone that might want to stop you gets a better deal. Hence, the concept of a life barter kit.

Essentially a grab-bag of valuables packed in a crash-proof case, these escape, evasion barter kits were given to US pilots in WWII, just in case they happened to find themselves flapping around under a recently opened parachute. As you’d expect, it contained gold, but also a fine Swiss watch – apparently a universal currency, even in the 1940s.

The watch in question was, of course, the Milus Snow Star. Why Milus out of all watchmakers was picked to be included isn’t certain, but one can make a few educated guesses. While the Snow Star was an elegant, obviously well-built watch, perfect for barter, it wasn’t up there with the big, traditional watch houses like Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin – making it much more accessible to the US Navy.

These kits saved lives. Obviously, it’s hard to find exact numbers of soldiers that traded their watches for safe passage, a hiding spot or supplies, but the fact is that it did happen. That alone is a legacy worth celebrating – which happened in 2020.

It’s fair to say then that the Milus Snow Star was a military watch without the usual utilitarian look. It was still a tool watch, but a much more elegant one than, let’s say, the Dirty Dozen pilots’ pieces of the same era or the ‘Watch that won the War’, the A-11.

And it’s a look that’s lasted incredibly well over the years – enough that when the Milus name was resurrected a couple of years back, the new incarnation of the Snow Star was an instant hit.

As a re-issue rather than a revamp, the current Snow Star shares plenty of similarities with its 1940s progenitor. That means the same sleek dial, the same funky, detailed indexes and the same red numeral date window at three o’clock. It even has the same instant date lettering under the original Milus logo. So far, so accurate.

There are however some changes. Firstly, there’s no magnifier over the date window. It’s cleaner and clearer, but it has lost an element of the original.

The other visible change is the bottom half of the dial, but as the wording there describes the movement, it’s a necessary change. Instead of the Milushock calibre, the new version uses a top-grade

A surprisingly elegant tool watch, the revived Milus Snow Star could not only save a soldier’s life as part of a barter kit (below), but the stylish military watch without the usual utilitarian look is kind on the eye too thanks to similarities to its progenitor, as it has the same sleek dial, the same funky, detailed indexes and the same red numeral date window at three o’clock

ETA 2892A2, a much-improved movement over its vintage counterpart.

Reviving the Snow Star has also had another benefit.

The original barter kits all had a silver-dialled version, which is a part of the new line-up, but Milus have also been able to expand their palette with black, blue and now an absolutely stunning Boreal Green.

The Boreal Green isn’t your usual verdant, forest colour or a dark emerald. It’s not even olive, though it does fall somewhere between all of those. The precise colour is supposed to be the green of the aurora borealis, it’s most common colour. As I’ve not had a chance to see them myself, I can’t attest to the accuracy there, but it’s definitely a beautiful colour, and works nicely on what is essentially an elegant explorer’s watch.

It’s a small change to the Snow Star canon, but one that goes beyond this just being a revival piece.

Hopefully Milus can use the momentum of the rerelease to not just expand the Snow Star itself but start building on it. For now, though, I’m happy to see the historically life saving watch in a cool new guise.

Find out more at milus.com

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IN FOCUS — meistersinger pangea

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IN FOCUS — meistersinger pangea

HANDS-OFF

The German brand redefining the fundamental concept of how many hands a watch should have How many hands does it take to tell the time?

Scratch that, in the current era of satellites, jumping digital numerals and ever weirder and wackier ways of telling the time, how many actual indicators does your watch need to clearly and succinctly tell you what time it is?

The general answer is three – seconds, minutes and hours. But let’s be honest, nobody really needs the seconds, which takes it down to two. And still further, you have the fact that both hours and minutes are read off the periphery of the watch.

What if they were read off the same scale? When it comes right down to it then, all you need is a single hand.

The single-handed modus operandi of German watchmaker Meistersinger might seem like some quirky, novel way of timekeeping, but it’s actually been around for longer than you might think. If you want to get really pedantic about it, a sundial is a one-handed clock. But even as late as the beginning of the 18th century, most clocks were equipped with just a single time-telling hand.

Now, granted in both these instances they only told a rough time because that’s all they could do. It took a while before clocks could measure minutes to any degree of accuracy, anything more in fact than when it was about time to start work, stop work or go to church (hence the one-handed clock in our very own Westminster Abbey).

It might seem like a bit of an archaic design then to have just a single hand. And yet it’s what Meistersinger have built their entire brand on – and there are a handful of understandable reasons why.

The first is practical. With fewer moving parts going on, you can use a simplified movement and there’s fewer things that can go wrong. The second is aesthetic. By having fewer indicators, you have a less crowded, more minimalist look; a broader canvas for Meistersinger’s designers to work with.

So far, so understandable – but it’s the last, philosophical reason that clinches it.

As already stated, it wasn’t until the 18th century that minutes were introduced to clocks. But it wasn’t until industrialisation that seconds mattered.

As soon as they were, workers had to clock in and out at exactly the right time, stick to rigid timetables and in general be commanded and controlled by the time. Dropping the seconds entirely and returning to a more relaxed way of telling the time is the antithesis of the rat race.

It’s a system of timekeeping that on the surface might seem limiting, but as Meistersinger’s latest Pangea shows, you just need to think about the

Removing the second and minute hands might initially seem like a limiting idea, but Meistersinger have turned it into an asset, as the Pangea uses rotating rings for both the day and the date, which makes reading the day date as easy as any simple window

Dropping the seconds and returning to a more relaxed way of telling the time is the antithesis of the rat race watch a little differently. The day-date watch still has a single hand – it wouldn’t be Meistersinger otherwise – but uses rotating rings for both the day and the date.

It’s an ingenious idea and makes reading the day date as easy as any simple window. It’s also aesthetically inspired, somewhere between paredback cool and a technical instrument. Throw in a funky colour (our money’s on the Bordeaux and black) and you have proof incarnate that you can do anything you want with a single hand. Captain Hook would be proud.

Find out more at meistersinger.com

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IN FOCUS — ball movements

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IN FOCUS — holthinrichs ornament

GAME-CHANGING PRODUCTION

Watches have been produced the same way for hundreds of years, but Holthinrichs are leading an architectural-infused printing revolution 3D printing might just be one of the coolest techs around. The idea that you can design something digitally that couldn’t be made by traditional means and proceed to have it automatically created in any material that springs to mind is a game-changer for the watch world. Or should be, anyway.

The horological world being what it is, most brands aren’t all that quick to embrace new production methods, 3D printing included. You might think there were good reasons; perhaps it’s too expensive or the results aren’t great. But then I’d point you directly to Holthinrichs.

The independent Dutch watchmaker have made a name for themselves not by offering exceptionally designed timepieces – though founder Michiel Holthinrichs certainly does that – but by 3D printing each and every case of his seminal timepiece, the Ornament.

In practice, 3D printing allows Michiel an incredible amount of creative freedom when designing a watch. It allows angles and details that just wouldn’t be feasible or even possible in traditional watchmaking. Take, for example, the brand signature. Rather than just sticking to the dial, you can find the name on the side of the case with more depth and character than something like engraving would ever allow – and that’s all before you get to the concrete finish on something like the RAW Ornament.

The proportions of a Holthinrichs case simply don’t look or feel like a traditional wristwatch. The layers to the case, the incredibly intricate lugs, the recessed sides, it’s an architectural marvel.

Honestly, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Michiel was indeed an architect before diving headfirst into horological obsession.

Dial-wise, the Ornament keeps things relatively restrained, the hands are skeletonised, but otherwise it’s a cool small seconds layout that balances modernity with classicism. The proportions are balanced, elegant and make for the kind of dress watch you can wear all day without looking like you’re overdoing it. The dial of the new Liminality however is another matter entirely.

Named after a state of transition in life, the Liminality’s dial has a lot to unpack. Looking like a shattered golden plate with the movement visible at the site of impact, it’s set with diamonds and deep

3D printing has afforded the Holthinrichs Ornament a level of detail that traditional methods can’t achieve, to produce an architectural marvel that doesn’t look like a conventional watch thanks to the layers to the case, the intricate lugs, and the recessed sides

The independent Dutch watchmaker have made a name for themselves by 3D printing each and every case of this seminal timepiece, the Ornament fissures emanating out. It’s an absolutely insane piece of craftsmanship, like a modernist painting from the cracked psyche of a tortured artist. Fitting then, that a portion of the proceeds (5% to be precise) will go to Dutch humanitarian charity Wereld Psychologen, which provides psychological aid to first responders and refugees.

Inside the Liminality – and all Holthinrichs watches – is the hand-wound ETA/Peseux caliber 7001, though finished in-house to the kind of obsessive degree you might be expecting by now. Nothing 3D printed of course, but beautifully executed, nonetheless. There’s always a chance we’ll see an in-house calibre from the brand in the future, but it’s hard to complain about what’s there currently.

Importantly, the Liminality is a fantastic showcase for what sets Holthinrichs apart. The case is just not possible without 3D printing and the dial is just not possible without an inspired architect behind it. It’s not just the technology behind the brand that’s impressive; it’s the obsessive attention to detail that made it necessary in the first place.

For out more at holthinrichswatches.com

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BACK — microbrand corner

THE SPECS:

MICROBRAND

• 40mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance • Sellita SW260-1 calibre automatic movement with 36-hour power reserve • USD $725, (approx. £585) makinawatches.com

CORNER Whether driven by a vintage propellor or a cutting-edge engine, there are plenty of microbrands for whom speed is everything. edited by: SAM KESSLER

Makina Gabriel I

We’ve covered plenty of Makina’s sporty dress watches over the years and they’re always stand-out, intriguing, eyecatching twists on more classical designs. For some reason though, they’ve never caught on as much as they should have. That’s about to change because this time, the Hong Kong/Philippines brand have hit the nail on the head. The Gabriel I combines an eight-sided case shape with a dial dripping in mid-century graphic flair; a sector dial with plenty of aesthetic bells and whistles. It’s eye-catching and, sans numerals, minimal in equal measure. In short, it’s hard not to love at any price – let alone under £600. makinawatches.com

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BACK — microbrand corner

Brellum

Pandial LE.1 DD Chronometer There’s just something quintessentially cool about a tachymeter-equipped panda dialled watch and the latest from bang-for-your-buck brand Brellum is no different – other than it’s even more appealing than most. Opting for nautical blue rather than black, the layout is incredibly handsome, right down to the placement of the dial wording above and below the day date window at three o’clock. There’s a lot to love – including the classically decorated movement visible through the caseback. It’s also, as with every Brellum watch, an absolute steal at around £2,250. It’s just a shame it’s so limited. brellum.swiss THE SPECS:

• 43mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance • BRELLUM BR-750-2 automatic movement with 46-hour power reserve • CHF 2,750 (approx. £2,225), limited to 33 pieces, brellum.swiss

Isotope Terra Maris GMT 0º

One of the most aesthetically individual microbrands working today, Isotope are a homegrown favourite (particularly their burnt tangerine Hyrium) and now they’re turning international with the brand’s first GMT. Still using their now signature teardrop shape for the titular traveller’s complication, the collaborative watch (designed with help from watch journalist Miguel Seabra) is split between brown and blue to represent the meeting of land and sea at the Portuguese coastal region of Cascais. The fume outer dial is lovely, as is the peripheral date. The only thing it’s missing?

A hint of burnt tangerine. isotopewatches.com

THE SPECS:

• 41.5mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance • Landeron automatic movement with 40-hour power reserve • £1,240, limited to 49 pieces, isotopewatches.com

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BACK — microbrand corner

Crafter Blue Hyperion 600m Green

It seems like every brand in the watch world, big and small, is dressing their signature pieces in green, and that thankfully extends to Crafter Blue. The Hyperion 600m is already an overspecced beast of a diving watch, with its Seiko-adjacent case shape and a bezel to give the Panerai Submersible a run for its money. It also looks fantastic in a dark, (kelp) forest green, all set on a strap that’s up to Crafter Blue’s typically exacting standards. It may draw elements from plenty of other dive watches, but there’s no doubt that you’re getting a big weight of watch for your money. crafterblue.com

THE SPECS:

• 45mm stainless steel case with 600m water resistance • Sellita Calibre SW200 automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve • $600 (approx. £485), crafterblue.com

Bravur

x EF Education-EasyPost team edition A cycling-centric version of Bravur’s lovely Grand Tour chronograph, this funky limited edition adds splashes of colour across the board inspired by its namesake pro team’s colours. Lengthy as the team’s name is, their colours are way easier to express and have become one of the most instantly recognisable sights in pro cycling. Here that combination of bright pink and dark green makes for a unique (and I don’t use that word lightly) style of sports chronograph – one that the team themselves will be wearing. bravurwatches.se

THE SPECS:

• 38,2 mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance • Sellita SW511 calibre automatic movement with 62-hour power reserve • kr25,500 (approx. £2,175), bravurwatches.se

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watches and accessories

ETTINGER – SINGLE & TRIPLE WATCH ROLLS

O r a c le

RECOMMENDS WHAT’S ON OUR SHOPPING LIST AND WHY

Following from the success of their double watch rolls, Ettinger have expanded the range to include new single and triple watch rolls. Each roll is ideal for watch transportation or display with suede lining and Capra goat leather exteriors. There are five colours available at each size: black, tan, blue, forest green and Bordeaux.

Additionally, the rolls can be further personalised with the addition of up to five initials on the exterior. An ideal gift for yourself or a fellow watch lover.

Single £270, Triple £395, available from ettinger.co.uk

FERRO – DISTINCT 3.0 GLF

CHARLIE PARIS – CONCORDIA AUTOMATIC BLUE

The Ferro Distinct 3.0 GLF is inspired by the classic motorsport event Le Mans, bearing the colour scheme of the iconic Gulf livery of the Porsche driven in the film, Le Mans starring Steve McQueen. It’s available with either a Swiss quartz movement or the Miyota 9015 automatic calibre. The latter provides a 42-hour power reserve to the watch’s single, central hand. A little slice of vintage racing passion. $645 (approx. £500), available from ferrowatches.com

The Concordia Automatic Blue from Charlie Paris has been designed to be an attractive and resilient daily beater.

With a 40mm diameter stainless steel case it fits comfortable on any wrist, making it versatile and practical. It also has water resistance of 300m and large, lume coated indexes meaning it’s more than happy to take a dip in the water with you with solid dive watch specs. Inside it houses the Soprod P024 automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve and +/- seven seconds per day accuracy. €745 (approx. £630), available from charlie-paris.com

WOLKOV – W22 NEIGE Wolkov is a brand that first made a name for itself in 2018 with their revolutionary modular, snapping lug design that made it easier than ever to change your watch strap on a whim. Now, they’re back with their latest project the W22.

The concept behind this watch is to create a striking and unique shape that stands out from competitors such as Raymond Weil and Eterna.

Hence, the highly original oval case in high gloss stainless steel and the distinctive dial display that has a central hour scale and peripheral minute track. It’s available for pre-order in three colourways, each limited to 250 pieces.

Prices from $399 (approx. £320) for VIP Special Savings at get.wolkov.design

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Sovrygn – The Sovrygn Calendar Complication watches are widely regarded as some of the most prestigious in horology, from Patek Philippe’s Grand Complications to Audemars Piguet’s Perpetual Calendars. Inspired by these masterpieces Sovrygn have launched their new Calendar timepiece, featuring five complications and is available in six references. The functions include a power reserve indicator, days, date, months and 24-hour display. The case and bracelet are influenced by Genta designs in stainless steel, rose gold PVD or black DLC, paired with dials in white, panda, Gulf livery or wine red colourways.

Prices from $515 (approx. £415) for super early bird savings at kickstarter.com

style

Glenmuir – g. ARDOCH Flag Embroidery Shirt It’s a great time to get out on the golf course and you need to get your clubhouse fit sorted. However, golf fashion can be a little on the extravagant size with eye wateringly bright patterns. That’s what makes the Glenmuir Flag Embroidery shirt so good, it’s far more subtle without losing the sport’s identity. The grey base is sporty and serious while the flag embellishments add the fun element that we associate with golf outfits. £60, available from glenmuir.com

Boggi Milano – Spring Polo in Sustainable Fabric Boggi Milano are focusing on how to make sunny weather fashion sustainable with the Spring Polo in sustainable fabric. The fabric is a mixture of polyester and cotton, with the polyester produced from yarn created from coffee grounds. That’s right, waste coffee is converted into yarn through special technology that uses a low-temperature, high-pressure and energy-saving process. They’re available in a wide variety of colours including this royal blue. £89, available from boggi.com

THREADBARE – NAVY TURTLE SWIM SHORTS The beach is the place to be at the moment, especially if you can avoid the rain. Embrace the bright sun with these fun and colourful swim shorts from Threadbare. Each turtle shows a gradient from red to blue, appearing to shine in the light. They’re made from recycled polyester and feature an elasticated waistband, drawstring, pockets and mesh lining. Also, if you’re not a turtle fan there are many other designs on offer. £13.99, available from threadbare.com

DRAKE’S – UPSTATE NEW YORK COLLECTION New York might have a reputation for being a particularly wintery destination, but in the summer months the surrounding countryside upstate becomes a glorious place to hike and adventure, a fact that has inspired Drake’s latest collection.

Lightweight and airy crew neck T-shirts and canvas trainers make for a pleasant summer of walking and exploration.

Crew Neck T-shirt £75, Doek Canvas Trainers £145, available from drakes.com

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PERCIVAL MENSWEAR – IMPRESSIONIST AND TERRAZZO KNITS Impressionism is a style of painting that involves dabs and strokes of paint to represent the natural appearance of an object. Percival’s impressionist shirts might not be painted, but the knitted patterns evoke the same sense of movement and colour as the art style. The same is true for the Terrazzo Knit, which uses a similar colour palette, but that takes a decorative form of cement as its inspiration.

Terrazzo Resort Knit £139, available from percivalclo.com

technology

CALLAWAY – ROGUE ST IRONS Sure, golf clubs aren’t tech as we traditionally conceive of it, but they are highly technical bits of kit.

Callaway, one of the leading names in golf clubs, have launched their newest line of Irons in the Rogue collection. It’s the first time they’ve combined high strength 450 steel with their A.I. designed flash face cup in addition to precision tungsten weighting. Plus, these are their longest irons ever.

The culmination of these innovations is superior spin control and optimised launch.

Individual irons from £121, sets from £849, available at callawaygolf.com

Basis Audio – A.J. Conti Transcendence Basis Audio claim the title for producing the most precise turntables in the world. A bold claim to be sure but one that they are willing to back up. In that endeavour, the A.J. Conti Transcendence is one of their highest spec turntables. It has a wow and flutter of .01 making one of the most stable turntables on the market at high speeds and that market leading capability is also true of its speed drift, rumble and isolation.

More information at basisaudio.com

Ruark – R3 Wireless Music System With a compact design, the Ruark R3 Wireless Music System should be your go to for versatile, high quality audio. It’s wi-fi compatible with Spotify, has a multi-format CD player, Bluetooth connectivity and radio.

It’s an all in one system that can do just about everything. Stylistically it looks great too with cantilevered legs and multiple finishes including walnut veneer, and grey lacquer, making it ideal for any room in the house. £649, available from ruarkaudio.com

GTECH – ROBOT LAWNMOWER RLM50 PROAC – K SERIES K10 ProAc is a world leading loudspeaker producer from Britain, supplying speakers for home entertainment systems, home cinemas and recording studios. Their flagship model is the K Series K10, a speaker that took many years to develop. This is an entire sound stage housed within a gorgeous wood veneer tower. It features two Kevlar cone bass drivers, two ProAc midrange units and a ProAc ribbon tweeter. Put together it makes for earthy bass, an open midrange and sweet high frequencies for arguably the most natural sounding speaker on the market. £38,000, find out more at proac-loudspeakers.com

While mowing the lawn is part of some people’s weekly rituals, it’s also a massive chore to undertake and takes up a lot of time when you could be relaxing or being productive elsewhere. The RLM50 from Gtech is a robotic lawnmower that will keep your grass trimmed every day, ensuring a consistently smooth finish day after day. Plus, its advanced sensors allow it to avoid obstacles and perform perimeter sweeps of the garden, while also monitoring its own battery so that it can return to its station to charge. £899.99, available from gtech.co.uk

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drinks

MIJENTA - REPOSADO TEQUILA Mijenta is an award winning, artisanal tequila brand from Jalisco in Mexico and they have recently launched their second expression in the UK. It’s called Reposado Tequila, which translates to ‘rested tequila,’ a reference to the fact it has been matured for six months in a blend of American oak, French oak and French acacia casks. On the nose the primary note is of vanilla, but there are also hints of bergamot, which complements the palate of fruit, such as cherry and pear, and cacao nibs. £63.99, available from masterofmalt.com

The Lakes – The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.5 The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.5 is the latest liquid in The Lakes Distillery’s award winning line of whiskies. It aims to improve on the established signature flavours of its predecessors, namely dark chocolate and wood spice, while featuring a superior texture. In order to achieve this, they explored new techniques such as moving the cask’s location during the maturing process and even swapping the liquid between casks. This active approach to the maturation process helps guide the liquid towards intended flavour combinations. £70, available from lakesdistillery.com

The House of Suntory Yamazaki Tsukuriwake Collection Japan is a country known for its dedication to perfecting the creation of beautiful works of art and hand made produce. It’s this attitude that makes them such excellent watchmakers and also whisky distillers. One of the major names in Japanese whisky, The House of Suntory, launched a flagship limited edition collection in 2020 that as of 13 June 2022, will be made available in the UK for the first time. It’s titled Yamazaki Tsukuriwake and consists of four liquids that exemplify the brand’s signature flavours. They’re called Puncheon, Peated Malt, Spanish Oak and Mizunara, with the latter being the most exclusive. £500-£700, available from thewhiskyexchange.com

GLENALLACHIE – PAST EDITION The owner and Master Distiller at The GlenAllachie, Billy Walker, is celebrating his 50th anniversary in the whisky trade. In honour of this milestone GlenAllachie have released a special whisky called the Past Edition, an homage to Billy’s past and the flavours that first made him a reputable whisky expert. It’s a 16 year liquid matured entirely in Sherry casks with a rich and indulgent mahogany coloration. On the nose it is nutty to go with the tasting note of fig syrup, caramelised muscovado sugar, roasted pine nuts, honey, ginger and dried apricots. It’s part one in a trilogy. £225, find out more at theglenallachie.com

THE HENLEY GIN EXPERIENCE One of the newest names in British gin distillation, The Henley Distillery has opened a brand new gin school alongside The Henley Gin Experience. A perfect day out for the summer, the experience involves a tour of the facility followed by a stint in the school to develop your own gin. With over 100 botanicals to choose from, you can really cater it to your tastes.

Throughout the day there are plenty of tasting opportunities and at the end, you get to take a bottle of your custom gin home. £100 per person, find out more at thehenleydistillery.co.uk

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END — time for change

by MICHAEL SONSINO

M OVIE WATC H

Severance Imagine for a second two screenwriters hurrying down the corridors of some production company, one working on a more dramatic follow-up to The Office; the other yet another adaption of a Phillip K. Dick dystopian novel. Without looking, they collide, scattering pages across the floor, before scurrying to pick them up. One of those screenwriters walked away with a mess of conflicting ideas; the other, the

screenplay to Severance, possibly the coolest thing on TV right now.

Severance is high concept sci-fi: a worker of fictional and not-at-all evil corporation Lumun undergoes a medical procedure that separates their work life from their personal life; literally divided into an ‘innie’ and an ‘outtie’. One side of their personality has no recollection of the other, no idea who or what they are when they are or are not in the office.

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Cue unnerving, labyrinthine corridors, warped cubicles equipped with keyboards missing an escape key and a general sense of dread. Oh, and lots of randomly putting numbers into folders based on feelings. I’m sure there’s nothing dark going on there. Absolutely nothing at all.

Of course, where would a good, obedient office worker like Adam Scott’s, Mark be without a watch to keep them ticking along? And what better timepiece to suit the oppressively professional, bright whitely lit confines of Lumun than a minimal white dial?

Enter Japanese brand Bijouone, which doesn’t even have a logo or brand name anywhere on the watch.

There’s a reason for that beyond the standard faceless, personality-less hierarchy of office life. Workers are barred from passing messages to their outtie selves, and there is a text detector set up to make sure no one can disobey.

Even a maker’s name would set it off.

Severence being a world split in two however, the Bijouone only forms half the story. Whenever Mark clocks off for the day, he switches watches, from white-collar minimalism to something that can only be described as horologically extrovert: the Vostok Komandirskie 341307.

A big, Soviet-era military watch, the green dial, red star and intense diving bezel make for a timepiece that’s anything but part of the crowd. In fact, being Soviet, you could argue that it’s the philosophical polar opposite of the corporate world of Mark’s ‘innie’ life.

That’s about as far as I’ll go as any further would mean potentially spoiling the most interesting puzzle box series in years. And while we wait far, far too long for season two, we’ll be contemplating our perfect ‘outtie’ watch…

Watch Severance on Apple TV