Oracle Time - Issue 107 - November 2024 (The Money Issue))

WELCOME

Editor’s letter

As the scholar and renowned philosopher, Mr. Notorious B.I.G once said, ‘mo money, mo problems’ and while I’d be the first to dispute his eloquent turn of phrase in most aspects of life, I can’t say the same for watches. The more money I seem to have to spend on timepieces, the more trials and tribulations I seem to have.

It’s not necessarily that there are multiple big-ticket items on my mind, but far, far too many uber-accessible pieces that, if I had my way, I’d drown in watch boxes. If you don’t believe me, check out our guide to the best mechanical watches under £1,000 on page 55, where value is less of a buzzword and more of a way of life. If there’s something in there that’s not painfully tempting, you probably already have a Patek Philippe Cubitus. Of course, if you do have all the money in the world, you could be excused for spending it on a serious piece of haute horology. After all, as you’ll inevitably tell your partner, it’s an investment. But what if you could do some good at the same time? The new tourbillon-equipped Hublot SORAI edition is incredibly high-end, but as ex-cricket, now conservationist Kevin Pieterson explains on page 40, it’s for an equally incredible cause.

However your tastes for fine watches run, you want to keep them safe. Ideally with a safe. It’s in the name. But just what kind of safe fits your home, your style and, perhaps more importantly, your insurance policy? Sure, it’s all relatively dry stuff, but vital to know all the same. Check out our guide to safes on page 75.

COVER CREDITS

Photography: Teddy Clark & Calista Edwards

Watch: Hublot Spirit of Big Bang

Tourbillon SORAI

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@oracle_time

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Watches aren’t the only asset in the world, even if they are the one we here care most about. Classic cars, for example, are a perennial asset on a diversified portfolio – one that you can actually drive. But like any investment (or serious purchase in general) a classic car takes some consideration. What models are currently on the up? And how does one go about buying one? Rory FH Smith walks us through on page 108.

One many that knows a thing or two about classic cars –even if he’s since replaced that addition with watches – is Philip Toledano, better known on Instagram as Mr Enthusiast and the watch world as one half of the instant success story, Toledano & Chan. He also has a thing or two to say about Henry VIII and matcha lattes, all on page 99.

Style-wise, the evenings are drawing in, the weather’s getting colder and you’re undoubtedly finding yourself in need of a decent coat. But then comes the biggest conundrum of any sartorially inclined man: what watch to wear? Charlie Thomas has all the answers on page 84, where we’ve shot key seasonal jacket and watch pairings to make your style game that much easier. Consider it an early Christmas present from us to you. Should you be looking for a Christmas present for someone else, check out our streamlined gift guide on page 152. From fragrance to audio to art, there’s something for all the senses. If you leave all your gift buying to the week before again this year, at least you can’t blame us.

For now, I’m going to ogle a load of watches I’ll never be able to afford. Sure, mo money might mean mo problems, but it also means mo watches. I can deal with that.

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

Sam

Kessler, Editor

CONTRIBUTORS

Rory FH Smith

Rory FH Smith is a freelance journalist covering all things cars, motorsport design and travel for the Financial Times, Telegraph and Wallpaper among others. For this issue, he explores the booming but curious business case of building new, old cars, which often sell for millions. Better known as ‘restomods,’ are these shiny new classics the next best thing or just poor taste?

Tim Vaux

Tim lives and breathes this world as a watch writer and photographer, working with Hodinkee, Mr Porter, and many of the top curators of high-end vintage watches. He gets a kick from shooting watches in natural, real environments to capture how they truly look on the wrist.

Charlie Thomas

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

Thor Svaboe

As the sole Norwegian who doesn’t like snow or climbing mountains, Thor has honed his florid writing skills at Time + Tide, and is now an editor at Fratello Watches . This Viking would fearlessly go into battle under the banner of independent watchmaking, and his endgame watch would be the unique Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1.

Michael Sonsino

As Digital Editor for Oracle Time, Michael needs an eye for detail, which makes it a good thing that his twin joys in life are miniatures and watches. He’s a lifelong fan of fine timepieces, especially those of a more historic nature - if it has a twist of Art Deco, all the better.

EDITOR

Sam Kessler sam.kessler@opulentmedia.co.uk

ART DIRECTOR

Hicham Kasbi design@opulentmedia.co.uk

SUB EDITOR Dan Mobbs danmobbs@hotmail.com

DIGITAL EDITOR Michael Sonsino michael.sonsino@opulentmedia.co.uk

LEAD DEVELOPER Michael Pepper michael@opulentmedia.co.uk

DIGITAL CONTENT CREATOR Kelly Coombes kelly.coombes@opulentmedia.co.uk

CONTENT CREATOR Calista Edwards calista.edwards@opulentmedia.co.uk

JUNIOR SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVE Teddy Clark teddy.clark@opulentmedia.co.uk

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

MANAGING EDITOR / CO-FOUNDER Tom Pettit tom@opulentmedia.co.uk

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SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Oliver Morgan oliver.morgan@opulentmedia.co.uk 020 8571 4615

ACCOUNT MANAGER Freddie Bridge freddie.bridge@opulentmedia.co.uk 0208 057 1140

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OT MAGAZINE is published monthly by Opulent Media 020 8571 4615

19 — AFICIONADO

Discover some of the coolest items in the world and what should be in your basket

25 — NEWS

What’s happening in the world of fine watchmaking and the luxury industry at large

37 — INTRODUCING

Your guide to all the latest and greatest watch releases from around the world

Hublot

Hublot Loves Rhinos - p40

40 — HUBLOT LOVES RHINOS

How one of the most visible ‘new money’ watchmakers is using their horological heft for good with Kevin Pietersen’s help

CONTENTS2

“It should hurt a little when you buy the car that you really want” How

to Invest in Classic Cars - p108

49 — THE ORACLE SPEAKS

Should date windows be hidden or flaunted?

55 — BEST WATCHES UNDER A GRAND

Our list of uber-accessible pieces that are a little too temptingly priced

75 — IN SAFE HANDS

Deciding how to best keep your treasured pieces safe is a broad subject

84 — WINTER WARMERS

We pair seasonal jackets with watches to help you up your style game in time for Christmas

99 — MR ENTHUSIAST

Phillip Toledano has his say on AI, Henry VII, matcha lattes, and his geezer era

108 — HOW TO INVEST IN CLASSIC CARS

There are rules to shrewd car investments. Explaining them to your other half is up to you

116 — LIVE LIKE A LORD

The finest UK hotels where you can really let your inner upper-class lordling loose

122 — WATCH REVIEWS

We get hands-on with watches from Formex, HTD, and Carl F. Bucherer

135 — UNSUNG VINTAGE HERO

Unconventional, the Vacheron Constantin Phidias is a wellpriced design experiment

140 — IN FOCUS

A characterful Cambridge brand, an independent playing with tradition, and a kuntswerk

147 — MICROBRAND CORNER

All the latest and greatest brands from the world of independent watchmakers

160 WIN A TRIP TO WATCHES & WONDERS

Join watch world insiders at Geneva’s most important watch show

The coolest things money can buy right now

THE FIRST AUTOMATIC PATRIMONY

As we covered when it was, well, on our cover, Vacheron is celebrating 20 years of the Patrimony – that’s 20 years of looking back at the 1950s. For that somewhat muddled milestone, Vacheron has enlisted the talents of French designer Ora ïto for a gorgeous '70s-inspired slice of dress watch minimalism. Yes, there are a lot of different decades at work here, but the result is a stunning monochromatic gold piece. As a 100-piece limited edition, this is for sure a rarity, but does it live up to Vacheron’s modern tagline: one of not many? vacheron-constantin.com

THE DETAILS:

• 40mm yellow gold case with 30m water resistance

• 2450 Q6 calibre automatic movement with 40-hour power reserve

• vacheron-constantin.com

GLENLIVET 55-YEAR-OLD

Glenlivet’s a regular on any whisky shelf, at one end for its superb entry-level blends and at the other for some of the most sought-after older expressions. But they have never released something quite this grand and old. At 55 years, the Glenlivet Eternal Collection First Edition represents over half a century of aging, using a seasoned sherry cask to bring out the kind of sweeter and citrus notes that often get lost to over-wooded age. Of course, a liquid this momentous deserves a vessel fit for it, so enter computational architect Michael Hansmeyer, who created a geode-like resting place for the bottle. There’s nothing else like it. theglenlivet.com

TASTING NOTES:

• Nose: poached pears, Seville oranges, dates, dark chocolate, and spice

• Palate: blackcurrant jam, vanilla fudge, orange zest, crystallised ginger, and cloves

• Finish: long and complex, evolving through fruit and spices to a warm, dry finish

THE NEW FLYING SPUR

Bentley saloons drive that line between practical town car and genuine supercar like no other – and the latest generation Flying Spur might be the perfect embodiment of this balancing act. Sure, it’s ideally suited to ultra-low emission zones with its electric mode and seats designed to help your posture. But it can also hit 60mph in 3.3 seconds and a sport mode that puts out 1000 Nm of torque.

It’s still every inch the classic daily driver of the most well-heeled, but by God, is it fun to drive, too.

This is one you won’t want a chauffeur for. It’s a truly modern Bentley, with all the bells, whistles, and hybrid performance that entails.

From £226,555, bentleymotors.com

ALEXANDRA LLEWELLYN REFLECTING BACKGAMMON SET

Every true gentleman should know their way around a backgammon board; it’s the most refined way to gamble, after all. But even the most discerning of players would double take at a board like this.

Alexandra Llewellyn crafts the most spectacular gaming boards in the world, but even by her lofty standards the reflecting marquetry set is something else. Designed to, yes, look like light reflecting off ripples in water, it captures that interplay of movement in a way that wood mosaic simply shouldn’t be able to.

Just beware, playing with this, your opponents will know you can always afford to double.

£24,000, alexandrallewellyn.com

STENSTROMS X MATHIAS LE FEVRE

It’s been 125 years since Swedish shirtmaker Stenstroms began tailoring to the Scandinavian elite, and to celebrate they’ve enlisted style influencer, creative, and now designer, Mathias le Fèvre to create a capsule collection. You might have come across Mathias before in these very pages; the frustratingly handsome Dane has modelled for us on occasion, showcasing his love of all things '50s, something he’s channelled into this collaboration. Broad, high-waisted trousers, plenty of old-school knits and bigcollared shirts in a host of autumnal, Scandinavian tones make for a collection that takes the en-vogue grandad look and runs with it. Discover the full collection at stenstroms.com

LVMH AND TAG HEUER TAKE OVER F1 FOR 2025

Earlier in the year rumours began flying that Rolex would be stepping down from its position as the lead watch and official timing sponsor of the Formula 1 circuit. At the time people immediately began to speculate that Tag Heuer would fill the void and it has since confirmed those rumours to be true. And alongside Tag Heuer, the watchmaker’s parent company LVMH is also entering the Formula 1 realm.

The deal between F1 and LVMH begins in 2025 and consists of a 10-year global partnership. The precise details of the

partnership are sparse, but it’s been confirmed that Tag Heuer, Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessey will all have a role. If I had to guess: Tag Heuer will become the timing partner, Moët Hennessey will provide the podium Champagne and Louis Vuitton will likely oversee trophy presentations, as they’ve done in other sports (and eSports).

It’s not all that surprising considering that when Frédéric Arnault was CEO at Tag Heuer he made F1 a huge part of their plans for growth. And now that he’s CEO of LVMH Watches, he can help to make that a reality. Regarding the partnership he said,

“In recent years, Formula 1 has truly become one of the most desirable sports in the world. It’s a vibrant

discipline that echoes a number of values that are very important to us, such as innovation, team spirit and performance. For many years, several of our maisons have also chosen to invest in Formula 1, whether to create unique experiences or for moments of celebration. With our maisons and the expertise of our group, we want to further grow this experiential dimension that Formula 1 provides all over the world. We are only at the very beginning of this partnership, but the seasons that await us promise to be extraordinary.”

Although with Tag Heuer’s new duties, it does raise the question what’s in store for Team Red Bull and will we see any more Monacos on Verstappen’s wrist? Learn more at lvmh.com

EBAY CUTS SELLING FEES ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES

eBay has simplified the process of selling on its platform by cutting all selling fees for private sellers across all categories, except cars, motorcycles and vehicles. This comes following a trial of fee cuts in the fashion category and has now expanded that initiative to the rest of its site. What does this mean for people wishing to sell items? Well, in addition to no longer paying final value fees or regulatory operating fees, eBay has simplified the selling process with easier item listing, simplified delivery options, and access to eBay Local and eBay Balance services.

It’s never been easier to start selling on eBay. While you’re at it, check out their luxury wristwatch authenticity guarantee that makes buying and selling wristwatches a cinch. More details at ebay.co.uk

CLOCKMAKERS’ MUSEUM CELEBRATE BENJAMIN LEWIS VULLIAMY

If you haven’t been yet, I strongly recommend a visit to the Clockmakers’ Museum inside the Science Museum in South Kensington. If you’ve already been, then it’s always worth another trip to view their seasonal and temporary exhibits. Their latest exhibit is titled Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy: Champion of British Craftsmanship and opens on 13th November 2024 until November 2025. It charts the amazing life and legacy of Vulliamy, a famed clockmaker from the 1700 and 1800s. He also helped to found the Clockmakers’ Museum, so it’s only fitting that his work takes centre stage in this display.

Learn more at sciencemuseum.org.uk

eBay has simplified the selling process with easier item listing

CHRONO24 FIRST-TIME BUYERS REPORT

Chrono24 has revealed the results of a recent survey into the purchasing habits of first-time luxury watch buyers. The survey combines data from 2,100 people who’ve expressed interest in buying their first watch, as well as sales data of first-time buyers from across the Chrono24 platform. The report finds that the average first luxury watch has a price around €3,300 (approx. £2,750). Top brands for first time buyers include Seiko, Junghans, and Tissot.

What’s interesting is that major Swiss brands are far less represented than you might imagine and it’s actually German and Japanese brands that come out on top. This is likely due to the perceived value of German and Japanese watches, which are generally regarded as reliable while also being more accessible than their Swiss counterparts. In comparison, Swiss watches tend to have higher prices and are harder to purchase due to extended waiting lists. While the Chrono24 report doesn’t explicitly mention this, waiting lists are a major barrier to first time buyers for numerous reasons. First of all, people new to watches are simply unfamiliar with the practice and it can feel alienating and unfair. On top of that, first time buyers are the most likely to encounter waiting lists, as the Chrono24 report finds that first time buyers are more likely to buy a watch from an authorised dealer than anywhere else. There’s also the fact that while they’re waiting for the opportunity to buy a specific watch, they may buy another watch in the meantime and are no longer first time buyers.

Read the full report at chrono24.com

What’s

interesting

is that major Swiss brands are far less represented than you might imagine and it’s actually German and Japanese brands that come out on top

SEIKO INCREASE WORLDWIDE WARRANTY PERIOD TO THREE YEARS

Great news for Seiko fans, the Japanese giant has increased its worldwide warranty period from two to three years. This warranty affects all Seiko branded timepieces (excluding stop watches, which are covered by a separate scheme) that are sold by any authorised Seiko retailer. The warranty covers defects to the watch head (movement and case), as well as metallic bracelets, provided the watch was used as directed by the instruction manual.

The improved warranty officially took effect on 1st October and also covers watches purchased since 1st July 2024. It shows Seiko’s commitment to higher quality watchmaking and improved reliability.

Learn more at seikowatches.com

WIN A HOUSE OF HAZELWOOD WHISKY TASTING EXPERIENCE

Whisky and watches. Is there a better pairing in the luxury world?

Well, we’re offering you the chance to experience some of the greatest new whiskies on the market with our House of Hazelwood whisky tasting experience giveaway. House of Hazelwood’s whiskies are sourced and blended from the Gordon family’s private collection, which has been carefully curated over the course of 100 years in Scotland. The experience includes samples of seven whiskies from their Third Collection and a guided tasting via a virtual platform from the comfort of your own home.

To enter the giveaway and discover the entire House of Hazelwood Third Collection, visit oracleoftime.com/house-of-hazelwood. Giveaway closes 29th November.

SWISS INSTITUTE X PHILLIPS TIMEFORART AUCTION

Following in the footsteps of successful charity auctions such as Only Watch, the Swiss Institute’s TimeForArt auction raises funds in aid of art and artists. Hosted by Phillips on 7th December, the auction will see the sales of 25 unique piece watches from some of the industry’s leading brands. Participants include Anoma, Armin Strom, Baltic, Biver, Breitling, Bulgari, Carl F. Bucherer, Chanel, Chopard, Czapek, Dennison, Fleming, Furlan Marri, HYT, Louis Erard, Massena LAB, Maurice Lacroix, Perrelet, Reservoir, Ressence, Reuge x ECAL, Speake Marin, Toledano & Chan, Unimatic, and Zenith. This is the second edition of the TimeForArt auction and the theme is Artists for Artists, with all participating brands encouraged to collaborate with prominent artists for their unique pieces. For example, Armin Strom have been inspired by Franz Gertsch (1930-2022), while Bulgari have released a unique piece with a ‘sketch’ dial. Meanwhile, Perrelet have teamed up with The Dial Artist, an artist responsible for numerous cool collaborations, including the Spinnaker Croft 39 Dial Artist Limited Edition, which we reviewed online last month. Learn more at timeforart.ch

WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND EXPAND INDEPENDENT BRAND SELECTION IN UK

There’s no denying that the watch industry, at least from a watch collecting standpoint, is becoming an increasingly dynamic place. Microbrands and independents are in the spotlight more than ever and prestige brands have to contend with a world where their status is not the be all and end all of a good watch collection. As a reflection of the changing interest of collectors, Watches of Switzerland has announced that it’s expanding the range of independent brands that will be displayed and available to purchase from their showrooms.

In the UK the focal point of this is the Watches of Switzerland Knightsbridge boutique in London. Step into the boutique and you’ll now find timepieces from Arnold & Son, Bovet, Czapek, Gerald Charles, H. Moser & Cie, Jacob & Co, Louis Erard, Nivada Grenchen, and Parmigiani Fleurier. Reflecting a wide range of styles, prices and prestige. It really is a collectors’ market at the moment and now Watches of Switzerland have made it easier than ever to explore independent watches in the metal.

Visit Watches of Switzerland, 155 Regent Street, Knightsbridge

ORACLE TIME MEMBER EVENTS

—— Over the past few months, we’ve been shifting up a few gears here at Oracle Time. While we’re still producing this very magazine, we’ve also expanded our reach. We want to not only offer more from a subscription than ‘just’ glossy pages of horological expertise, but to create a collectors’ community. So last month, we took that very step.

Hosted by the welcoming chaps at Panerai, we held our debut members’ event on London’s Bond Street. It was a night of good conversation, great Italian heritage watches, and plenty of negronis. But while we’d happily brag about the calibre of attendee – there were some great guests with some equally great takes on watches – we’re more inclined to get more of you along to our next event. And the one after that. And the one after that.

You see, while our evening of Italian elegance may have been the first it will by no means be the last. We already have our next event planned for the week this issue comes out (apologies if you didn’t make it onto the guest list; Grand Seiko are apparently very popular with our members), with plenty more exclusive events in the New Year.

Needless to say, these are small, intimate events hosted by incredible brands, so spaces are always going to be strictly limited. But if you’re a paying subscriber, keep an eye on your inbox, get ready to be quick on the draw and we’ll hopefully see you at the next one.

It was a night of good conversation, great Italian heritage watches, and plenty of negronis

The term ‘status watch’ can be applied to a huge number of watches, but in general there are two main styles – overstated and understated. By overstated I mean the large, flashy watches that you can’t fail to notice, such as those by Jacob & Co. or Richard Mille. On the understated side of things are more restrained designs, although they’re no less luxury, like the A. Lange & Söhne or the Rolex Presidential Day-Date. Focusing on this duality, our head to head watches are the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 and the Richard Mille RM 67-02.

A.LANGE & SÖHNE LANGE 1

The Lange 1 is a timepiece that oozes Saxon charm, combining an incredibly elegant round, gold case with a distinctive offcentre dial featuring multiple subdials. One of its signature elements is the oversize date window at two o’clock.

Style and innovation are kind of one and the same with the Lange 1 thanks to its display, which is pretty radical for a dress watch, yet still modern and stylish.

A 72-hour power reserve is really useful on any watch because it makes it reliably weekend-proof. Plus, the Lange 1 is equipped with a power reserve indicator, so you know when the manual movement needs a top up.

In terms of desirability, the appeal of Lange 1 is not as far reaching in the mainstream as Richard Mille, however it also has one of the most dedicated collector bases out there.

Richard Mille’s RM 67-02 is instantly recognisable as their primary sports partnership watch that has adorned the wrists of athletes and F1 drivers alike. It’s also classically overstated with a riot of colour, skeletonised display, and quartz or carbon TPT case.

RICHARD MILLE RM 67-02

The value of the RM 67-02 can vary a lot based on the specific sub-reference. The majority of the standard model and athlete collabs sit at around £250,000, while some rare models like the Charles Leclerc Prototype have sold for millions at auction.

Considering the range of £250,000 to £2,100,000, a high value score is inevitable.

Richard Mille’s cases are some of the most instantly recognisable on the market thanks to their tonneau shape and high-tech material construction. Recognition is essential for a status watch.

What makes a status watch? Is it the price? The exclusivity? The number of times the phrase ‘grail watch’ has been used? The sound of jaws dropping as heads turn and spot these icons on your wrist? It’s arguably all these things and more. The Richard Mille is the more typical hype watch with a large following online and a cool, urban, industrial vibe emphasised by technical materials and plenty of celebrity endorsement. The Lange 1 is more of a watch collecting connoisseur’s status watch, recognised within elite circles with an elegant yet disruptive take on dress watch design.

ORACLE TIME :OUT

@all_about_the_sweep

The long nights are drawing in, the season’s getting colder and, by the time you read this issue the Christmas advertising will probably be in full swing. But it is still autumn dammit! And nothing says autumn quite like this gloriously Halloween-inspired Time Out shot from Danny Gartside, better known on Instagram as @all_about_the_sweep.

He paired our warm, Parisian café cover starring Louis Vuitton with equally warm oranges, yellows and deep brown coffee beans – according to Danny, “every

watch shot needs coffee beans”. While they’re thematically very different, the colours complement each other gloriously – especially with the two brightly coloured Citizen Tsuyosas front and centre.

“I’ve worked closely with Citizen assisting with content for their Tsuyosa range,” explains Danny, “so when the orange piece was launched, I was first on the list. These colours work so well in this setting to tie in with the pumpkins, which are a mix of yellow and orange. I was discussing a few options with my wife when the latest issue landed on the mat. It had arrived while we were out at the supermarket and we’d seen the little

pumpkins, so she suggested how they may make a great addition...that spark led to the image you see here...”

And what an image it is, thanks Danny’s wife.

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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Looking for even more? You can also find us on Instagram to share your thoughts and wrist shots, or YouTube, where you can see our latest video reviews and roundups. However you engage with the world of watches, we have you covered.

THE DETAIL:

• 38mm stainless steel case with 150m water resistance

• Sellita SW221 calibre automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve

• £1,095, farer.com

ESCUDO

Ocean Seacrest Deep Azul

The Portuguese exploration-inspired Ocean Seacrest is back and looking shape in a solid combination of black dial and blue bezel. It has all the thematic touches that we’ve come to know and love from the collection – the cardinal compass point indexes, the Portuguese flag bezel 12 o’clock marker, the overall sleek and streamlined look. It’s a lovely counterpoint to the usual chunky divers out there, while offering the same solid diving specs and looks better than ever in this new colourway.

THE DETAIL:

• 39mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance

• Escudo calibre 1488 automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve

• £1,645, limited to 300 pieces, escudo-watches.com

INTRO DUCING

FARER

Field Watch Series II

Another refinement of an existing series, another masterclass in British design, Farer’s a brand that just won’t slow down. This time it’s the turn of their tool watch Field series to undergo reexamination and the results are stunning. The new Pembroke II is the standout for me, with its cream dial, peripheral date in blue and red numerals, and red, ‘inverted A’ date hand. It’s definitely not what you might expect from a field watch, but with plenty of lume for low-light reading and a rugged steel case, it still ticks all the boxes – while looking miles better than the competition.

H. MOSER

X Massena LAB Endeavour Chronograph Compax

With things like the Passion Fruit popping off, it’s odd to see Moser return to their more historical roots, but that’s precisely where collaborative catnip dealers Massena LAB have taken this new piece. That means their old logo and a typeface ripped straight out of 1950s chronographs. The funky blue dial is more steel blue than anything, but it’s gorgeous, sunray brushed with circular grained subdials. It’s a great backdrop for the slightly domineering tachymeter scale. There’s a lot to love here, but perhaps more importantly, it’s reassuring to see Moser go back to their roots – even if it takes a collaboration for them to do it.

THE DETAIL:

• 41mm stainless steel case with 30m water resistance

• HMC 220 automatic chronograph with 72-hour power reserve

• Approx. £20,000, limited to 100 pieces, h-moser.com

SPINNAKER

x Seconde Second Fleuss Phantom “No Apparitions”

While Romaric Andre – better known as seconde/seconde/ – has been prolific of late, I still don’t think he’s outdone his collaboration with Spinnaker, the Fifty Phantoms. Now the Blancpain-riffing slice of dive watch is back with tongue still firmly in cheek. The latest edition tackles the incredibly collectible no-rad version, this time replacing the Cold War era six o’clock logo with yet another phantom, crossed out of course. It is, obviously, lumed to high heaven, across both the dial and the marching parade of ghosts that make up the diving scale bezel. I love it, I want it, I need it. Unfortunately, as it launched last week (at least once this is published; the travails of print media), good luck finding one without an insane mark-up.

THE DETAIL:

• 40mm stainless steel case with 150m water resistance

• Miyota 9039 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve

• $445, spinnaker-watches.com

MB&F

Legacy Machine Eddy

Jaquet

Pieces Unique

MB&F probably isn’t anyone’s first port of call for exquisite engravings; more an alien riding a chariot made of clocks. But now they’re showing off eight unique pieces courtesy of master engraver Eddy Jaquet. There is precedent here; their previous, Jules Verne-inspired collaboration in 2020 nabbed a GPHG award. This time, however, the pair are opting for classic novels. The Three Musketeers is pictured, but there are also watches devoted to The Jungle Book, Robinson Crusoe, and MobyDick among others. There’s still that insane split-movement architecture of the LM collection, but this is a very different direction for MB&F, and I’m here for it.

THE DETAIL:

• 44.5mm stainless steel case with 30m water resistance

• LM Split Escapement manual-wind movement with 72-hour power reserve

• CHF 158,000 (approx. £141,000), eight unique pieces, mbandf.com

TAG HEUER

Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana

An ode to racing history might fall into the trap of being a little too… historical. There’s no worry of that here though. The openworked Carrera Tourbillon is a tour de force of overmachined goodness, representing both TAG Heuer and Porsche’s interests in the legendary Carrera Panamericana. It’s specifically inspired by the Porsche 550 Spyder, with openworked sections in the same vein as the classic car’s wheels. Throw in a few racing yellow highlights and you have a serious watch that I imagine many a classic Porsche owner will want to get their hands on.

THE DETAIL:

• 42mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• TH20-09 automatic movement with 65-hour power reserve

• £31,300, limited to 255 pieces, tagheuer.com

© Photos by Calista Edwards and Teddy Clark

HUBLOT LOVES RHINOS

WORDS: Sam Kessler

HOW ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE ‘NEW MONEY’ WATCHMAKERS IS USING THEIR HOROLOGICAL HEFT FOR GOOD

A favourite of footballers and hip-hoppers the world over, Hublot has a bit of a reputation as the kind of watchmaker used to flex your bank account. There’s definitely some credence to that for a couple of reasons, the least of which is their obvious prestige price tag. Perhaps the more important reason however is Hublot’s innate boldness. You’ll likely spot that someone’s rocking a Classic Fusion before you do anything else, and that’s without getting to the more extreme, full sapphire pieces. They’re unmissable and unmistakable.

All of this is to say that Hublot has a reputation for being flash, often being derided by watch snobs. I’m going to say right now, unfairly derided. A lot of watchmaking goes into an Hublot watch, double for the UNICO movement-equipped models and say what you want about their designs, there’s nothing else like them – and in an industry that can err towards homogeneity, that’s nothing but a good thing.

Now though isn’t the time or place to get too deep into the weeds of the collectors’ discourse around Hublot – better writers than I have attempted that particular treatise. That’s because, while they’re synonymous with monied collectors, Hublot isn’t simply about what you strap to your wrist, but what good it can do. That’s because for the last few years, Hublot has been working with SORAI (Saving our Rhinos Africa and India).

You can’t miss an Hublot on someone’s wrist; hopefully that means you won’t miss their message, either. That’s all but guaranteed when it comes to the SORAI limited editions

We all know Rhinos are endangered, that they’re closer to extinction than most other species on the planet. Here’s a sobering fact: two-thirds of rhinoceros species may disappear in our lifetime. Founded in 2018 by cricket legend Kevin Pietersen, SORAI is one of the few charities actively doing something about it. Well, to call them a charity is a bit of a misnomer; they’re actually a sustainability enterprise, which is a small but vital difference in terminology. They don’t just raise money for their cause but work with communities in South Africa’s Kruger National Park to protect their rhinos from poachers.

That means an approach more faceted than a Big Bang. A sanctuary for orphaned rhinos, surveillance across 6,000ha of Kruger and new security technologies all help ensure that the animals are as protected as they can be – and SORAI has had an immense impact on halting the species’ decline. It’s hard to overstate just how vital their work is and has been to saving one of Africa’s most symbolic species.

Of course, part of all of that is relationships. SORAI needs money as much as they need eyeballs and partnering with an ultra-visible brand like Hublot is key to both. You can’t miss an Hublot on someone’s wrist; hopefully that means you won’t miss their message, either. That’s all but guaranteed when it comes to the SORAI limited editions.

There have been a number of SORAI editions in the past, invariably in the mould of the Big Bang Chronograph. It makes sense; it’s the flagship and a definitive collection since Hublot’s early days. The early SORAI editions didn’t break much from the party line, with versions in handsome stone-coloured and green ceramic, with a fitting rhino on the nine o’clock subdial as the only visual nod. Last year, however, they stepped it up, using the same UNICO base model but with a sunset rainbow of orange, red and purple and an ultra-cool, colourful camo strap. That last model showed that Hublot were venturing into new territory with their ongoing charity collaboration; this year’s takes it one step further.

Rather than the Big Bang, the 2024 SORAI edition is instead a Spirit of Big Bang. That means a sportier tonneau case in the vein of Richard Mille, in a mix of hardwearing grey ceramic and those signature black screws and bumpers. It’s sleek, cool and skeletonised for a monochromatic slice of mechanical futurism. If that’s the kind of style you’re into, it’s pretty damn cool. It’s also a tourbillon.

You know what a tourbillon is; you know it’s generally an expensive horological flourish. It’s also not too surprising to see it on an Hublot. It is a bit more surprising however to see it on a watch that will be actively raising money for SORAI. Given that the profits from the charity collection go to, well, charity, the new SORAI’s £95,000 price tag represents some serious funding.

Partnering with the ultra-visible Hublot, Kevin Pietersen’s SORAI sustainability enterprise has been sheltering rhinos from poachers across 6,000ha of Kruger National Park

Hublot Spirit of

SORAI

42mm ceramic case with 30m water resistance

HUB6020 manual-wind movement with 115-hour power reserve

£95,000, limited to 30 pieces, hublot.com

It’s sleek, cool and skeletonised for a monochromatic slice of mechanical futurism. If that’s the kind of style you’re into, it’s pretty damn cool. It’s also a tourbillon

The 2024 Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon SORAI is full of horological flourishes with a Richard Mille inspired tonneau case in grey ceramic and signature Hublot black screws, while also providing funding for the preservation of rhinos in Kruger National Park

THE MAN BEHIND THE ACTION

—

The problem with limited edition watches and calls to action for charities is the distance. While it’s obviously an issue, it’s a distant one to most of us. Hell, I saw the watch in a boutique on Bond Street; there’s not really anything more detached from the South African wilderness than that. Rather than head out to Kruger myself however (something I certainly wouldn’t be averse to if I didn’t have a magazine to edit) we instead spoke to the man behind SORAI – and a fair few England international cricket wins – Kevin Pietersen.

While you might know him best as one of the great batsmen of cricket history (and potentially for an eradefining haircut), the South African has always been an advocate for conservation. Who better to talk to then than the man behind SORAI?

WHY IS RHINO CONSERVATION SO IMPORTANT TO YOU?

In 2013 I got myself involved in conservation. I went out and I was part of a dehorning and a microchipping experience of rhino in South Africa. I didn’t understand

kevin pietersen

how dire the situation was for the animal. I was pretty much at the peak of my powers then and having the heritage that I did have, being South African, I thought there’s no way I can just leave what’s happening in South Africa alone and not take it back with me on all my travels. So, 2013 is where the awareness started. And then in 2018, we took it up a notch and I started SORAI. We needed to make sure that we could get more people involved and raise significant amounts of money to be able to put into the right areas.

WHAT DOES CONSERVATION MEAN TO YOU?

Protecting. Protecting future generations, protecting the now. Protecting what we can see, what we can’t see and trying to make sure in my personal capacity that I can leave the world in a better place. There are too many critically endangered species out there. There’s so much happening in the world, but you can’t go and dip your fingers in every single part of conservation. So for me, it’s all about the rhino. It’s a keystone species. Africa’s heritage is the Big Five. If you lose one, you lose a symbol of Africa and that’s not something I want to see in my lifetime.

YOU WERE INVOLVED IN TWO AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARIES; HOW DID FILMING THEM AFFECT YOU AND YOUR WORK?

They gave me incredible respect for these guys that do go out and make these documentaries because they’re not easy. They take a lot of time. But I also love being out in the wild. I love being able to film and create something that you know people are going to enjoy. I try my hardest to do things that have meaning, and I went and spent a lot of time with some cool people putting together these documentaries. To see the results was quite humbling, actually.

But the meaning behind everything is that there is always a greater play out there. We as an organisation are subservient to the bigger picture, which are those animals and also to the people that are there. I mean, we’re sitting here in Bond Street, you’ve got all the biggest brands in the world sitting around here. We’re drinking beautiful coffees right now. But there are people out there less fortunate than us, who are trying to protect the rhino – so everything I do is dedicated to them.

THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT WORLD TO CRICKET; WHAT MAKES A SPORTS PERSONALITY LIKE YOURSELF A GOOD FIT FOR THIS KIND OF CHARITY WORK?

For me, the genuineness of the story, the meaning behind the story. I am heavily, heavily invested in this, I’m heavily invested in South Africa. I’ve put a load of my own money into making sure that the animal is being protected and I’m in a position where I can keep banging the drum. And it’s working! We used to see

a rhino killed on average every eight hours, so three a day. Now, we can go days or even a full week without one being killed. So, when you start to see those kinds of results, it makes you smile.

As a sportsman, I also appreciate the sheer dedication that some of these people I work with have to protecting the animals. As I said, I’m in a privileged position, while they’re on the ground doing the dangerous work. I’ve seen letters from kids to their mums and dads saying, ‘I love you and hope you come home tonight’. When you see stories like that… it’s hard. When you see stories like that, how can you not help?

CAN YOU EXPLAIN EXACTLY HOW THE NEW WATCH IS HELPING SORAI IN THEIR WORK?

The watch doesn’t help SORAI. The watch helps the animals and it helps the people. We’re a vehicle, we collaborate with major brands. We raise awareness, we raise significant amounts of money. We are fully committed to making sure that the people that dedicate 24/7 to these animals are protected. The technology that we’ve been able to put in the bush, the children that we educate, the impoverished people that live around the Kruger National Park that we’ve helped, none of that would be possible without these kinds of partnerships.

Yes, it’s an incredible partnership, but it goes far beyond a watch. It’s all about the animal and all about the people.

WHAT’S THE ONE THING YOU WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT SORAI AND RHINO CONSERVATION?

There are many things that I’d love people to understand. There are many, many different takeaways from what we try and do. But the key question that I’ve been trying to answer for a very long time around the brand and around conservation is how can I in some small capacity help? It’s something I get asked all the time, how can I help? Not everyone can head to Africa, not everyone can donate thousands of pounds. So, we came up with the Ranger’s programme.

From as little as £1 a month – so £12 a year – we can create what I call a human fence around Kruger, a fence of awareness, knowledge and funding to work with our established electric fences on the ground. It’s not much, I paid £3.65 for a coffee this morning, but it gets more people involved and has a direct impact on how much we can do to save these animals. So that’s the one thing I want people to understand: that they can help, too.

If you want to become a SORAI Ranger, please visit oursorai.com. It won’t get you a watch, but it will do some real good.

Words by SAM KESSLER

DATE WINDOWS – SHOULD THEY BE HIDDEN OR FLAUNTED?

— If you persist with your argument, the heading of this story alone will spark much debate around the bar or even fisticuffs at your local RedBar GTG. No one can deny the pure functionality of a date window, and we forget that it is an actual complication with a purpose. But in our world of having all the information at our swiping fingertips, the watch has, for many, become something else—a talisman, even a male piece of jewellery where the date is an unbalanced distraction.

We firmly disagree and embrace the still important and frankly necessary information a date window provides. Even if many of you only think it’s needed on a sun-drenched holiday when you forget what day it is. Because you don’t want to arrive at the airport a day late for your return flight, right? Some brands agree wholeheartedly with us and eschew the plain square opening at three for elaborate celebrations of this small but significant complication, while others attempt to hide it within complex open-worked marvels.

A BOASTING DATE AT THREE O’CLOCK

The most prevalent position of a date window is at three o’clock, where, in many cases, it supplants the Roman or Arabic numeral altogether. Its functional look has become divisive on pure tool watches and minimal dress pieces, but it doesn’t take away from its useful nature. Laurent Ferrier has gone against the current, making the actual window a strong part of its brand identity, and it works like a charm. With a slope starting from just right of the dial centre and its crosshair design, it widens to become a big part of the dial, with the crosshair becoming a pinstripe frame. You’ll find this delightful feature in their Sport models, spectacularly making a dressy cameo in the Classic Auto Sandstone Série Atelier VI this summer.

Laurent Ferrier has gone against the current, making the window a strong part of its brand identity, and it works like a charm

A FRENCH SQUARE WITHIN A CIRCLE

A pertinent question to the watch brands might be why most date windows are square when dials are circular. Being familiar with even the briefest design vocabularies, logic would dictate a square opening on a square dial and a circular cut-out on a round dial, right? Dior seems to have got the memo, to the extent that their Chiffre Rouge has smugly underlined its shape-matching perfection. Each watch in the range features a black aesthetic and a prominent bullseye date at four o’clock. With a healthy dose of French sartorial chic, each window is framed by three red circles, with a vivid red font for the eighth, which is Monsieur Dior’s lucky number.

BIG DATES FROM GLASHÜTTE

The concept of a Big Date is mostly associated with the German watchmaking enclave of Glashütte, and grail watches like the A.Lange & Söhne Datograph Flyback Chronograph. This is a Godsend for date window lovers, as there is no mistaking the big twin-window display just below 12 o’clock. With twin date wheels synched as only Lange knows how to, a curvaceous serifed font fills the twin windows with a crisp black-on-white date. The big date’s prominence is needed when fitted to an immaculate dial in a weighty platinum case, as it will have its work cut out to catch your attention

OPEN-WORKED STEALTH

Hublot plays a strong open-worked game, with nigh-on 90% of their watches offering a tantalising glimpse into their inner workings. The Aerofusion Black Magic is a prime example of its stealthy splendour, boasting a scratch-proof black ceramic case that is part of the more restrained Classic Fusion line. You might have to search within its dark architecture, but the in-house HUB1155 self-winding movement features a skeletonised date wheel. It resides behind the sapphire dial and is shown in its micro-engineered entirety, with a white square behind the toothed wheel at six o’clock, implying today’s date. It’s not easy to combine an all-black aesthetic with a sense of clarity, but Hublot does it with dark-toned aplomb.

PERPETUAL POWER

I’m a big fan of the big 44mm IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar in its ice-blue version, despite its oddly asymmetric date window at 7:30, which throws the quad-circular design off its info-packed balance. Subtly rendered in a matching blue, it is a date window but not as we know it. It marks the year with four digits, while the day and date are shown within the twin opposed sub-dials at three and nine. They also include the running seconds and a seven-day power reserve, offering exemplary legibility.

ROLEX FRIVOLITIES

If two words were not meant to be together, it’s these two. But back in 2023, Rolex threw caution to the wind. And they did so with a watch that made some of us sit up and notice, if only for its out-there design. The Rolex Day-Date Puzzle Dial smashed all preconceptions of the grounded brand with a puzzle-enamel dial and a thorough rethink of the traditional day and date windows. Consider it a cheeky nod to the fact that a solid gold Day-Date is perceived more as jewellery than a timepiece. The day window offers inspiring capitalised words like LOVE and the date window at three. Well, it boasts emojis rather than dates. Yes, an actual Rolex timepiece with a smiley, a ladybird and other symbols appearing under the storied cyclops, changing at midnight for your delight.

THE FULL REVEAL

Microbrand, Zelos is known for its playful designs and love of materials we normally see in much more expensive watches. In their titanium Spearfish Dual Time, we are treated to the German touch of a twin-wheel date display at 12 o’clock with a difference. The dial is clear sapphire, which shows the machine-made perlage on the Swiss Sellita SW300 calibre with a TT651 Module. Its most prominent feature is seeing the small twin date wheels and their modern fonts as they meet under a small, framed window cut out of the sapphire.

URWERK’S ÜBER TECH

Having been in conversation with half of the tech-watchmaking brand’s duo, Martin Frei, in Geneva, their ethos of innovation is clear. The UR-1001 is a great example of their big but wearable output, which we’re not sure we can even call wristwatches. The stealthy machine is perhaps their only model offering a date indication. Within an opening at 11 that offers a glimpse of the complexities within, a central star-shaped indicator has four months on each rotating arm, the current one acting as an indicator to a retrograde date display. And like all of Urwerk’s stealthy creations it has a beguiling blend of legibility and spacecraft-cool that’ll make you the talking point of any local RedBar GTG.

EDITED BY Sam Kessler

BEST MECHANICAL WATCHES UNDER £1,000

A cool, wearable automatic watch doesn’t need to cost the world. Or even a fraction of it.

As the whole theme of this issue suggests, money matters in the watch world. Price as much as anything else is a fundamental reason to buy a particular model or from a particular brand. But whereas in previous years we might have opted to showcase the most expensive watches ever sold, there’s been a dramatic shift in watches as a whole.

That shift is towards one thing above anything else: value. I won’t say the days of flashy, big-ticket timepieces are gone, there’s always going to be a market for diamond-encrusted Royal Oaks. What I will say though is that the accessible end of the spectrum is quite possibly the most exciting. Don’t expect many metiers d’art dials, manufacture movements or cutting-edge materials here; who needs that when you’ve got a cool watch that you love to wear and doesn’t cost the world? You can’t (or more accurately shouldn’t) wear your solid gold Rolex Deep Sea all the time.

So, from colourful future classics to mind-boggling specs-for-price ratios, here are the best accessible watches for under £1,000. Oh, and while there are plenty of quartz pieces playing in this particular kiddie pool, we’re looking strictly at mechanical. Because of course we are.

OCEANEVA

OceanTrek

There’s no one out there that offers as much bang for your buck as Oceaneva. Divers that can head down thousands of metres and look good doing it are their bread-and-butter, but their new GMT offers just as much watchmaking in a shiny, dressier new package. Let’s just run through this. A gorgeous silver dial, a red-tipped GMT function, a Japanese automatic movement and 200m water resistance for less than £150. And if you’re expecting it to come out flimsy and feeling cheap, think again – it’s as solid as a watch orders of magnitude more expensive. It’s not too good to be true; it’s just very, very good.

THE DETAIL:

• 42mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance

• Seiko NH34 automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve

• £148, oceaneva.com

SHEFFIELD

ALLSPORT Diver 1A

When your tagline is ‘value on merit, not just on price’, you REALLY need to offer some value – and Sheffield offers a lot. Seriously, an automatic watch for under £150 is already decent, but pair that with proper diving specs and a sleek, black PVD look and you’re looking at something that feels too good to be true. But you’d better believe it. If you’re after a solid watch with a cool, milspec look to it, the ALLSPORT Diver 1A – an ode to the Sheffield watches of the 1970s – has you more than covered. It really makes you wonder what some of the bigger brands are doing. It won’t be the first time reading this article you might think that.

THE DETAIL:

• 40mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance

• Seiko NH35 automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve

• £147, sheffieldwatches.com

RILEY WATCH CO.

Amelia Earhart GMT

A GMT watch for (currently) £200 might well be enough to sell this uber-accessible slice of historically slanted aviation instrumentation. But if it’s not, the elegant minimalism of the dial and host of tasteful colours work hard to push you over the line. I particularly love the coral or ‘vega’ red with its stark white scales, taking its colour from one of Earhart’s historical aircraft. It’s fun, affordable and if you’re an aviation history buff, a bit of a no-brainer. watches

THE DETAIL:

• 40mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance

• Seiko NH34A automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve

• £200, rileywatchco.com

MARLOE Astro

It’s hard to find a more perfectly retro watch than the Marloe Astro; it looks like it was converted from a 1960s alarm clock, which is fair given that it was inspired by the Cold War space race. It’s the squarest of the square without venturing into Bell & Ross territory, in colourways completely grounded in the era that inspired it. I particularly love the cream version with gold indexes, glamorous in a particularly rose-tinted way. Better yet, it’s also more affordable than ever. This level of design with an automatic movement for under £300 is more of a no-brainer than whether we landed on the moon or not. We did.

THE DETAIL:

• 38mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• Miyota 9039 automatic movement with 40-hour power reserve

• £279, marloewatchcompany.com

PRIMITIVE HAUS

TimeKeeper Type-A

Playing with colour as confidently as any British brand – Farer come to mind – Primitive Haus’ TimeKeeper Type-A is an absolute beauty. It’s hard to pick which I’d want on my wrist, but the cherry red with white hands, numerals and flashes of bright green is up there. It’s a fine balance of colours that lends some heft to the brand’s claim that their inspirations come from outside of watchmaking. If you think a Rolex Oyster Perpetual is as colourful as watches get, these guys are well worth having a look at. I imagine they have a shorter wait list, too.

THE DETAIL:

• 38mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance

• Miyota 82S5 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve

• £251.89, primitivehaus.com

BOLDR

Enigmath Sinharaja

One of very few slide rule bezels available outside of the Breitling Navitimer, Boldr’s Enigmath makes for a solid explorer’s watch, particularly in the military green Sinharaja version. Named after the Sri Lankan forest reserve and designed to be taken around those very scenic trails, the Enigmath is proof that the ‘computer bezel’ is for more than pilots. Personally, I’ve only ever used one for splitting the bill, but with a bit of knowledge there’s a lot you can do with it. This is a go anywhere, do anything, calculate everything watch.

THE DETAIL:

• 41mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance

• Miyota 9039 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve

• £468, boldrsupply.co

SECOND HOUR

The Sattelberg Mk2

The name is a reference to the Australian soldiers that fought in WWII’s Sattelberg campaign, but there’s nothing Dirty Dozen about Aussie brand Second Hour’s latest adventure watch effort. A trio of sector dials in blue, black-grey and a downright gorgeous yellowy gold, the Sattelberg strikes that perfect balance between fun and practical. It’s rugged and readable, practical enough to be considered a proper field watch, but with bright enough colours that nobody would dare point the word ‘utilitarian’ in your direction. It’s also worth pointing out that the seven-link bracelet it comes on is a thing of beauty.

THE DETAIL:

• 40mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• Miyota 9015 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve

• AUD $850 (approx. £440), secondhour.com.au

HERON

Marinor Caribbean Blue

Heron’s 1950s inspired diver offers a few things you’ll see a lot throughout this article. Cool, colourful dial? Check. Workhorse Miyota movement? Check. Specs and build quality that seem like they outstrip its price tag magnificently? Double check. The 12 o’clock star is a particularly nice touch, as is the French seafarer on the caseback. Sure, it draws plenty of inspiration from the legendary Fifty Fathoms, but that mix of elegance and utilitarianism makes for a watch that’s easy to fall in love with.

THE DETAIL:

• 39mm stainless steel case with 300m water resistance

• Miyota 9039 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve

• £495, heronwatches.com

RZE

Fortitude GMT-S

If you took the Oris ProPilot and shaved off 95% of the price, you’d end up with something like the RZE Fortitude GMT-S. That turbine-like bezel, the applied indexes, the oversized crown, the watch is every inch the modern aviator, as far away from a classic Flieger as a Harrier is from a Spitfire. As is RZE’s signature, the whole thing is made from titanium with an ultra-hard, UltraHex coating that takes its hardness up to 1200Hv. It also houses a true GMT for that proper jet-set feel fit with its glamorous sunray blue dial.

THE DETAIL:

• 41mm titanium case with 100m water resistance

• Miyota 9075 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve

• $699 (approx. £535), rzewatches.com

SEIKO

Presage Style 60s ‘Retro Blue’ European Exclusive

European exclusives from Seiko tend to be the more restrained end of the spectrum, which is always a bit frustrating when you see what overseas get. Not so this year. On the GS side we get bright red and on the Seiko side we get this multi-toned blue. The blue itself varies from light, sky coloured to almost lilac depending on the angle of attack, bordered with a much darker bezel. The almost pie-pan curve of the dial is pure retro goodness, easily living up to the Style 60s moniker and as ever, you’re getting a lot of Japanese watchmaking for your money. With Seiko’s prices getting higher and higher at the top end, seeing them come back down to eminently accessible is a relief. That it looks this good is a godsend.

THE DETAIL:

• 40.8mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance

• Seiko 4R35 automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve

• £550, limited to 3,000 pieces, seikoboutique.co.uk

VENEZIANICO

Arsenale

Many accessible brands riff off the usual Genta talking points – your Royal Oaks and Nautili – but few riff off what I consider a much more refined design: the Parmigiani Tonda PF. Well, the new Arsenale from Venice-based Venezianico scratches that elegant itch for a fraction of the price. A vertically grooved dial in a variety of colours, a beautifully integrated bracelet and a lovely multi-levelled bezel all add up to an Italianflavoured Fleurier stand-in with plenty of personality in and of itself.

THE DETAIL:

• 40mm stainless steel with 50m water resistance

• Miyota 9029 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve

• €656 (approx. £550), venezianico.com

NEOTYPE

LM01 Type D

Giving off some serious Black Bay energy, Neotype’s LM01 has all the hallmarks of a classic retro chronograph diver, right down to the old radium lume and sandwich dial. The tactile diving bezel might not be as practically gripped as some, but it’s just a joy to use, while the minimal but still sandwich dial, all make for a more interesting and dramatically more modern watch. Most versions are now sold out –and for good reason – but the full black version is still around and more than justifies its price.

THE DETAIL:

• 40mm stainless steel case with 300m water resistance

• Miyota 9039 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve

• £555, limited to 100 pieces, neotypewatches.com

STERNGLAS

Merion

Even if it’s not a true super compressor, there’s something innately cool about the dual crown layout and internal rotating bezel that’s become almost as in-vogue as integrated bracelet sports watches. You can see why, particularly when it’s done as confidently colourfully as the Sternglas Merion. Yellow, blue, fume textured green, there’s a lot going on and it works incredibly well. There is a more ‘subtle’ grey and red version, but in case you haven’t realised yet, I like colour, meaning I love this. If ever I’m in the market for a dive watch myself, this will get some proper consideration.

THE DETAIL:

• 42mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance

• Seiko NH35 automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve

• £569, uk.sternglas.com

TISSOT

PRX Gradient Dial

One of the coolest variations of the PRX yet, which is saying something, the new Gradient Dial iteration is a winning recipe. One part accessible beater, two parts 1970s sports icon and finished with a dusting of dark blue to white tapisserie, it’s punchy and full of flavour. Look, I probably don’t need to explain the PRX to you by now. Given the sales, there’s a good chance you already own one. But if you wanted a good excuse to pick up another, this is your chance – and at this price, it’s worryingly easy to justify.

THE DETAIL:

• 40mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• Powermatic 80 automatic movement with 80-hour power reserve

• £640, tissotwatches.com

DUCKWORTH PRESTEX

California Limited Edition

Full disclosure, I loved the original orange-dialled Verimatic so much I impulse bought one and my feelings on it have not changed. What I didn’t realise I wanted however was a California dial. It’s a good thing Duckworth Prestex know better than I do – and that the new run of colourful limited editions is as fun as it is. It shares the case and movement of the original Verimatic, but the split between Roman and Arabic numerals has a very different personality to it. That orange is particularly stunning, perfect for a sun-drenched drive down the Golden Coast, vintage car not included.

THE DETAIL:

• 39mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance

• Miyota 9039 automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve

• £675, duckworthprestex.com

OMOLOGATO

Heritage 75 Classic Timer

Omologato live and breathe racing so it’s no surprise that, while it might be similar to Breitling’s favourite shade of pistachio, the light green of the Heritage 75 is rooted in motorsport. Indeed, the entire monopusher, bi-compax layout could have been ripped from a 1950s pit lane, treading a fine line between everyday elegance and high-octane sporting style. As if that didn’t make it enough value for money for you, it also comes with a complimentary watch winder, to ensure it never runs out of gas in the tank.

THE DETAIL:

• 41mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• Miyota 9122 automatic movement with 40-hour power reserve

• £695, omologatowatches.com

HERBELIN

Cap Camarat Automatic

Herbelin’s prices have been creeping up recently, and for good reason, as they’ve been coming out with some seriously impressive stuff recently, but you can still nab their 1970s-inspired Cap Camarat for a steal. The visible screws, industrial bezel and horizontally lined dial runs through all the Genta-esque hits, as reliable in that particular style as the workhorse Sellita movement. At 40.5mm and with 100m water resistance, it’s also a solid everyday wearer. There’s a reason this is one of Herbelin’s most popular watches.

THE DETAIL:

• 40.5mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve

• £765, herbelin.com

NIVADA GRENCHEN Super Antarctic

As a brand with some serious watch history behind them – particularly when it comes to adventuring – you’d expect a heritage name like Nivada Grenchen to have an associated ‘heritage’ price tag. But just look at the Super Antarctic, a faithful tribute to their famous 1950s South Pole veteran. It has that military expedition look, practical and streamlined like a slightly cooler twist on the Rolex Explorer. At £815 though, it’s more affordable than you might expect from one of the most recognisable and collector-appreciated watchmakers on this list.

THE DETAIL:

• 38mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• SOPROD P024 automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve

• £815, nivadagrenchenofficial.com

STELLA

Breslin Liberty Mint

Linen dials aren’t a dime a dozen, so one cropping up is worth a second look. Stella’s superb version is worth a second purchase. The latest Liberty Mint version – tangentially inspired by the oxidised Statue of Liberty – shows that crosshatched pattern at its very best, aping both the colour and texture of a perfect summer suit. It lives and breathes that New York air, right down to the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building on the caseback. Be warned though: this is a dial you need to see in the metal to truly appreciate. Still images just can’t do it justice.

THE DETAIL:

• 40mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• Sellita SW-200 automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve

• $1,085 (approx. £830), stellawatchcompany.com

HAMILTON

Khaki Field Murph 38mm

Rather than their usual trick of getting some high-profile screen time and moving on, the Murph, a key plot-point from Interstellar, was popular enough that Hamilton kept it around and expanded. You can see why. It’s a handsome tool watch with classical military vibes. A great fit on the screen and now it’s been reduced to 38mm, a great fit on the wrist too. It’s backed by a Powermatic-adjacent movement, one of the best in this kind of price range and the crisp white dial with vintage lume makes it feel like a vintage watch with modern specs. I’m sure you read that a lot; here it genuinely is the case.

THE DETAIL:

• 38mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• H-10 automatic movement with 80-hour power reserve

• £865, hamiltonwatch.com

watches under £1,000

THE DETAIL:

• 39mm stainless steel case with????

• STP-11 automatic movement with 44-hour power reserve

• €1,041.67 (approx. £870), 47zero.com

47ZERO

Odd-Hours

With the same funky aesthetic as something like Franck Muller’s Crazy Hours, French brand 47Zero’s take is far simpler but no less full of personality. The cluster of numerals are all in line with where they would be normally – two o’clock is still at two o’clock – but the different distances from the handstack transform the entire thing. It’s not just asymmetrical; it’s chaotic in the best possible way. The gorgeously brushed teal of the dial helps of course, as does the price. Above all though, this is a watch about individuality and true to form, there’s not much else out there quite like it.

FARER

AquaMatic Nazaré

I like a colourful British watch and that pretty much encapsulates Farer nicely, especially when it comes to their AquaMatic dive watches. Are black, blue and occasionally dark green the only appropriate dive watch colours? Think again! The Nazaré is a striking mix of swimming pool blue, pink and dark blue touches that work far better than anyone short of a colour theory expert might assume. Finished with a subtly wavy dial and a chunky rubber strap (along with a matching light blue number and a bracelet), it’s ready to go for some winter sun.

THE DETAIL:

• 38.5mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance

• Sellita SW220-1 automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve

• £875, farer.com

CERTINA

DS Super PH1000M STC

Certina owe a lot to the turtle. It’s been their horological spirit animal for decades and even (unintentionally) lends its shape to their retro DS Super PH1000m. So, it makes sense that this eye-catching aquatic teal edition gives something back. The STC in the name stands for Sea Turtle Conservancy, the charity that proceeds from this watch are supporting. It’s vital work and means that you’re more likely to be able to test this baby out while actually getting a glimpse of the creatures that inspired it. And hey, if the charity angle makes you roll your eyes, it’s a damn cool watch on its own merits – the 1,000m water resistance being a big part of that.

THE DETAIL:

• 42mm stainless steel case with 1,000m water resistance

• Powermaric 80 automatic movement with 80-hour power reserve

• £885, certina.co.uk

LACO

Saarbrücken

Big, chunky, true-to-history pilots’ watches are the signature design of guys like IWC and, to a lesser extent, Zenith, but Laco have an equally rich heritage – and won’t charge you through the nose for it. Take the Saarbrücken. At 45mm of stainless steel, it’s a beast, and with the bare minimum of indexes for accurate reading, it looks huge too, right down to the riveted leather strap. If you were going to strap something over your flight suit, it would be something like this. And given it’s looked the same for just shy of a century, it’s never going to go out of date. It’s timeless timekeeping at its finest and heftiest.

THE DETAIL:

• 45mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• Sellita SW200 automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve

• £946.28, laco.de

EDITED BY Sam Kessler

SAFE AND SOUND

IF YOU’RE A SERIOUS COLLECTOR, YOU’VE PROBABLY CONSIDERED A HOME SAFE BEFORE; HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Home is where the heart is and, for most of us, our watch collections.

Some of us have them neatly arranged in their boxes, complete with papers as orderly as any archive; others of us are, shall we say, a little more free-spirited on the organisational front. But we all have them somewhere safe – at least, relatively safe.

But that word, safe, has a lot of different meanings to a lot of different people. Are you keeping your watches somewhere actually secure or just somewhere you can keep track of them? I’ll let you think about that for a second because deep down you probably already know that if someone came into your house, it wouldn’t be too difficult for them to leave with your watch collection. Honestly, it’s not just watches. There’s probably a lot in life you want to keep safe and secure, but as we’re a watch magazine we don’t need to speculate. We know the kind of timepieces you’re likely to have. You have great taste, after all.

The obvious answer is, of course, a safe. It’s kind of in the name. But while you might instantly have a picture in your mind of what that means, the subject is a lot broader than you might expect.

TYPES OF SAFES

Before you get to selecting the right safe, you’ll need to understand your options. We won’t get into size here, but there are a number of styles available depending on the kind of look, placement and secrecy you’re after.

FREESTANDING SAFES

This is the classic, corner of the room, completely visible safe. A safe doesn’t need to be hidden if it’s secure in its own right – just out of easy eyeline from outside – and is by far the simplest type of safe to install. Made from steel and a mix of concrete and armouring, they can range from light to immovably heavy. They can also be a bit of an eyesore, though there are some rather handsome options out there too. This is where you’ll be choosing your safe for aesthetics as much as security.

WALL SAFES

The classic safe-behind-the-painting technique, with or without the tastefully artistic camouflage. They’re normally on the smaller side, and as they can be set directly into the wall, are often most suitable for smaller spaces – apartments, offices, anywhere a freestanding safe would be too domineering. As alluded too, the biggest benefit of wall safes is that they can be hidden, even in the back of a wardrobe, offering an additional layer of security. This will likely mean extra work installing them, but they do offer just as much variety (if on a smaller scale) as freestanding.

FLOOR SAFES

Take all the benefits and downsides to wall safes and amp them up. Floor safes are necessarily hard to install, requiring chunks of floor to be removed completely. That means they can also only be installed in solid, concrete floors, not the floorboards of a secondfloor home office. Unless you’re considering this while building a new house, it also means the installation will cost a lot more than other types of safe. The benefit however is that these are arguably the most hidden and secure types of safe around. It’s unlikely anyone but you will be able to find it, no matter how much they searched, and the structural security of being surrounded by concrete can’t be overstated.

It’s unlikely anyone but you will be able to find it, no matter how much they

searched

LUXURY SAFES

Sometimes you don’t just want a practical necessity; you want to have some fun with it, too. Luxury safes have all the characteristics of other safes, depending on how you want to install them, but the reason they’re different is that they’re built to be seen and used, not just locked and forgotten. These are the sorts of safes that are covered in exotic woods, with chrome hardware, leather-clad interiors, and are generally bespoke to your needs. That includes sections for jewellery, winders for watches, even humidors for cigars if you’re worried your son might be getting a taste. They’re expensive, of course, as they offer the same level of security as other safes but with more bells and whistles. So, if you’re just getting a safe for insurance purposes (which we’ll get onto), you may want something simpler just to tick a box. But if you want to use your safe on a daily basis and not only have it suit the rest of your home, but make it a statement piece in its own right, the luxury options are quite literally endless.

GETTING YOUR WATCHES INSURED

Should the worst happen to your watches, you’ll want to make sure you can recoup the loss. Even if they’re unique or sentimental, getting reimbursed at least takes a bit of the sting out of it.

As the experts at safe specialist, Johnson’s of Lichfield suggest, “all individual special, rare/sentimental items should be ideally photographed and professionally valued, and this information should be saved (email copies to yourself and share with your insurer). This proves ownership. Insurance underwriters normally require any high value item to be either on ‘your person’ or locked away secured in an appropriate insurance approved graded safe.”

That last point is incredibly important. It might surprise you to know however that not all safes are built equal and not all are certified by the AiS (Association of Insurance Surveyors) and/or ECB-S (European Certification Board –Security). If your safe doesn’t have either of these certifications, your insurer might not cover your watches.

You can find lists of approved safes through both organisations, so make sure the one you are considering is on there.

It’s also worth noting that different safes are rated to different cash values and your insurance will require you to have one that at least matches what you put in it. What they perhaps don’t make clear is that valuables- in this case, watches – are rated differently from cash.

“For non-cash rating,” explain Johnson’s of Lichfield, “you would multiply the cash element x10 to give you the valuable rating. For example, a Grade 0 Safe covers clients for a cash rating of £6,000/£60,000 (£6k x10) valuable rating. This is a total, meaning that if you held £2,000 cash in the same safe, this would mean you could still hold £40,000 valuables.”

Honestly, if that sounds like a lot to work out, then you’d best talk directly to your insurer – and that’s what we’d suggest anyway. I don’t want anyone getting stung from our advice. But it is a helpful rule of thumb around what you might be expected to keep, security-wise.

TO WIND OR NOT TO WIND?

Obviously a safe can be a big metal box you put things in. But it likely comes as no surprise that there are plenty of options out there catering to watch collectors specifically, usually by including batteries or winders. The question that crops up a lot is simple: is there any point to winders?

This is something there’s no definitive answer about. Watches, like classic cars, were traditionally made to last forever with regular servicing, and they were meant to actually work for that whole time. The thinking therefore is that keeping your watch wound, keeping the lubricants moving so they don’t solidify and essentially keeping the whole thing ‘warmed up’ is what watches are built for.

On the other hand, wear and tear is a simple fact of life. Gears can lose wheels; springs can become misshapen and age can set into a watch’s bones. Both are fortunately problems

that can also be solved with regular servicing, so really there’s one main reason to opt for a winder: complications.

As veteran watch writer Ken Kessler puts it, “watch winders will always be a divisive topic, half of the watch community thinking they are absolutely necessary, the other half thinking they’re totally unnecessary. But there is no denying that they are essential if you have a large number high complications with perpetual calendars among them, which would need constant resetting if they were allowed to unwind. This I especially true if you keep watches in a safe, which deserve to be equipped with winders.”

A bunch of rare automatics? Probably not. A handful of perpetual calendars though and those winders become less of a debate, more of a necessity.

Watches, like classic cars, were traditionally made to last forever with regular servicing, and they were meant to actually work for that whole time

STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

“We prefer to fix the back to an external, preferably thick brick wall… the safe should be attached to the very fabric of the building”

Safes are big, heavy and take up some space. While they don’t necessarily need to be hidden for insurance purposes (though they may need to be out of line of sight from a window), they still take some careful placement – placement which may be dictated as much by the structure of your home as where’s convenient.

“Safes should really be installed by a base fixed to a concrete floor,” say Johnson’s of Lichfield. “But often clients don’t have that, whether it’s because of underfloor heating or they’re not on the ground floor. In these instances, we prefer to fix the back to an

external, preferably thick brick wall. Either way, the safe should be attached to the very fabric of the building.”

Before installation, you’ll need to have some serious survey work done to make sure that not only is there somewhere for your safe, er, safely secured, but that its weight won’t damage your home. That includes being able to take it up the stairs. It might be easier to have it somewhere fit for purpose – a basement, perhaps – than where’s most convenient, like your first-floor office. This balance more than anything else may limit the actual size of safe you go for.

FUTURE PROOFING

You might know precisely what size and grade of safe you need to cover your valuables right now, and that’s great. But nobody’s watch collection remains static.

“Where insurance companies insist on a safe because of an individual item,” explain Johnson’s of Lichfield, “we would always recommend the client looks at future proofing their safe purchase as watches and valuables increase in value overtime and often collectors buy more items. This means if they purchase a graded safe of a level to cover the one item, then they will be required again by their insurance company for an additional safe. Therefore, it is best to assess their entire collection and consider any future purchases.”

Basically, installing a proper safe is as disruptive as it is necessary, so do yourself a favour and make sure you get it right the first time. You don’t want to lose cover for your Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar because you didn’t plan ahead.

Installing a proper safe is as disruptive as it is necessary, so do yourself a favour and make sure you get it right the first time

A SAFE AWAY FROM HOME

A home safe is quite an undertaking and, while it allows you to keep your watch collection both secure and within easy reach, sometimes installing a safe just isn’t viable. That’s doubly true if you have your watches for investment purposes or they’re simply too sentimental to ever wear. Here’s where Sharps Pixley comes in. Their London-based safe deposit boxes ensure your valuables are locked up tighter than Fort Knox, more than enough for insurance purposes, and at a fraction of the cost of installing your own highsecurity vault. For more information, visit sharpspixley.com

Winter warmers

Model:

Styling:

> > As the nights draw in, the need for a new winter coat becomes all the more apparent, but there’s more to outerwear than merely puffers and parkas, as staying warm this season should be a flattering fusion of fit and functionality.

Photography: CALISTA EDWARDS

TEDDY CLARK

CHARLIE THOMAS

Vollebak Steel Field Jacket, £795, vollebak.com

Bulova Hack Watch, £299, uk.bulova.com

MEN of INFLUENCE:

PHILLIP TOLEDANO

WE TALK TO MR ENTHUSIAST, ONE HALF OF METEORIC WATCH BRAND TOLEDANO & CHAN ABOUT DANIEL ROTH, AI AND HIS EVER-PRESENT NEED FOR A MATCHA LATTE

At this point, I likely don’t need to tell you about Toledano & Chan. Your friend that’s really into architecture has already complained about how the brutalist watches got snapped up way too quickly. However, Phillip Toledano, better known on Instagram as @misterenthusiast, has been a tour de force of the collecting and creative worlds long before he committed his name to a dial. A conceptual artist, designer and multihyphenate renaissance man, we sat down to talk about his latest projects, watch collecting and his ongoing obsession with history.

What was the last watch you bought?

Well, I guess there’s one arriving tomorrow, but probably the one worth mentioning more is a Daniel Roth Extra Plat oh, early 1990s. I’m really into early Daniel Roth. I just think the designs are really beautiful. I know that people are kind of obsessed by Breguet, but for me this is kind of in that style, yet more interesting because of the genius of the dial. It also has this unique shape. Whenever you create something, it’s an opportunity to say something new and with that case design, that’s exactly what Roth did. I can’t help but love that combination of traditional, amazing Breguet style surrounded by the unexpected. I also don’t believe Louis Vuitton will do anything quite this interesting with the brand, so now seemed like a good time to get one for myself.

Do you collect anything outside of watches? Well, I collected cars for a long time, but these days I feel like I’d prefer to sell the cars I own and put all that money into totally stupid watches. The reason’s simple: I’m just lazy. It used to be tough to get up crazy early and go to where I kept my cars in New Jersey, which is like a 20 minute drive away from where I live. I’d have to get up at six to go over to the garage, then go drive to meet people. Now I’m just such a loafer, entering the geezer era, you know. I just can’t be bothered. At least I can keep my watches nice and close – and get them stolen. Fortunately, most of the watches I collect aren’t on anyone’s list of shit to steal. It’s just weird stuff that, you know, is odd. It’s not Rolex or Patek. That’s a good reason to collect obscure stuff. Although I do find that most of the stuff collectors say is obscure or undervalued just equates to ‘nobody gives a shit about this watch that I happen to like!’ But that’s the glorious thing about watches; there are endless rabbit holes to fall down. With cars, there are far fewer – and they’re a lot more expensive!

What other than a watch is at the top of your wishlist?

Regular bowel movements? Like I said, geezer era. The closest I have is a matcha latte in the morning; it really pulls the pin on that grenade.

What is a recent find or discovery?

Other than an unusual mole? Well, I just fell in love with jumpsuits. I recently got one off eBay, but now I’m always looking for jumpsuits. For me, a jumpsuit is the ultimate in min-max. I feel like guys are all about putting in the least effort for the maximum amount of style. All the watch sausage parties I go to, there’s always a guy with his wife where she’s dressed up to the nines and he’ll be in a polo shirt with beige trousers. A jumpsuit though is the ultimate style-toeffort ratio.

What inspires you?

That’s the world’s worst question because, as an artist everything inspires me! Which incidentally is the world’s worst answer. But more specifically, surprise inspires me, and envy inspires

The Daniel Roth Extra Plat (below) was Toledano’s last purchase, which he prizes for its traditional, Breguet style, design of the dial, and its unique shape

An ideal weekend for Toledano includes regular bowel movements, a matcha latte, cruising around an ancient European town in a Citroen DS Convertible, and discovering a vintage Rolex at a flea market. Back in the real world, the Toledano & Chan meteorite piece (top right) made for a Phillips’ charity auction marks an impressive year

me. Especially creatively, I feel like there’s nothing better and worse simultaneously than seeing something that you wish you’d thought of, and then being upset you didn’t think of it. It motivates you to think of more things, to try and one-up the competition. And it is a competition.

What’s a book, podcast or album that’s changed the way you think?

Oh god, well I’ve been reading these books about Henry VIII and it change the way I thought about him. I had this weird notion of Henry, that he was sort of this cool king, even though I know he killed two of his wives and sort of took on the Pope, you know. The more I read though the more I realised he was a psychopath, basically. He was off his rocker, mental, not a cool person at all. The reason being he fell off his horse and was unconscious for like, six hours. That kind of concussion can change your personality entirely, make you crazier. It made me draw all these parallels to Donald Trump. I wonder if he had a jousting accident. Or more likely beaned in the head by ricocheting golf balls more than once.

Who is a celebrity or person of note that you admire?

Maurizio Cattelan. He’s an artist that got famous creating this amazingly lifelike replica of Pope John Paul II being hit by a meteorite. He’s like the most incredible prankster in the art world. He’s a genius. At an art fair a few years ago, he taped a banana to the wall and put it up for sale. He just likes to fuck with people. It’s not just a silly prank though; he’s audacious in a very clever way. People think a middle finger is audacity, but it’s not. Audacity requires a level of understanding and genius to do right. To genuinely subvert expectations, you need to know what you’re doing and it’s a very tricky, very binary proposition because it’s either right on or just stupid.

What’s your ideal long weekend?

Well. Honestly, I feel like at this point I’ve been an artist for so long that there’s not much difference between week and weekend. But if I were to have a few days away, I know where I’d

“

The more I read though the more I realised he was a psychopath, basically. He was off his rocker, mental, not a cool person at all ”

go. I’ve lived in America so long that I really miss Europe. In case you’ve not noticed, I’m a history nerd, so I’d love to just go hang around some medieval village in Europe, going to the café and just being there. It’s super boring shit actually, but I’d just be pottering round this ancient place with like 100 inhabitants. Then I’d take a drive –because I’d obviously have a Citroen DS Convertible at my disposal – and go find a vintage Rolex at a flea market for 10 bucks. Then I’d celebrate with a brisk matcha latte and have an immediate… never mind.

What would we always find in your fridge?

You know what? A Granny Smith apple. I’m a massive Granny Smith fiend. I can’t get enough of them.

What is a rule or mantra you live by? I guess it would be creative brutality. I’m a conceptual artist, but it applies to

everything, even having a watch brand. The thing is, people think of ideas as precious but they’re not. I find that often people hold onto their ideas, but the thing about ideas is that you have to be comfortable slaughtering them, so that you can get to the next one, which is always better.

I was trained in ideas in advertising, and advertising is a very brutal environment for ideas because you have to have a lot of them and a lot of them get crushed and bludgeoned immediately. So, you get used to powering and churning through many, many, many ideas until you get to one that works. When you can learn that, teach yourself to not hold onto the things that are bad, you can recognise when things could be better. And things can always be better.

What does the year ahead look like for you? Well, I’m going to be relaunching Viva Bastarda, which is a clothing line I started. More Toledano & Chan watches of course – we recently built an insane meteorite piece for Phillips’ charity auction. I also have a new book coming out on the art side.

I’ve actually been working with AI recently, as I’ve become deeply interested in the way AI has kind of redefined our relationship to the image. Because of AI, everything is true and nothing is true. So, my new book is around the idea of invented history, historical surrealism. It’s called We Are a War and it’s a reimagined lost role of film from the D-Day landing parties, specifically Robert Crapper who’s a very famous photographer.

It’s really interesting because we’re at a point in history where we’re soon not going to know what’s real and what’s not. How do we know what’s true? And particularly with the American elections coming up, that’s going to be really significant.

Photography as truth has existed for maybe 150 years, which is nothing in the context of human history. We’ve had this very, very, very brief experience of image as truth. And now we might not have it any more. I’m not really worried, but I am curious about how it’s going to work moving forwards.

According to Toledano, “audacity requires a level of understanding and genius to do right,” and that’s why he so admires is the artist Maurizio Cattelan, who in 2019 taped three bananas to a wall and put them up for sale. Two sold for $120,000 and the other was donated to the Guggenheim Museum

THE NEW GUCCI INTERLOCKING

GUCCI’S NEW GATEWAY WATCH PAIRS ITALIAN COOL WITH SPORTS WATCH STYLE

> > Over the past few years, Gucci have proven their mettle when it comes to proper watchmaking. Far too many legendary fashion labels lean too heavily on their branding without any horological substance underneath. You know the sort, mass-produced quartz watches that are the antithesis to the exclusive luxury of their fashion lines. We won’t name names; we don’t need to.

Gucci however have gone above and beyond not just what most fashion labels would attempt, but many high-end watchmakers. The Gucci 25H collection absolutely nailed that 1970s sports luxe, Genta-adjacent look, while their high complication wing has tackled everything from minute repeaters to however you want to describe the mind-blowing Gucci G-Timeless Planetarium.

THE DETAIL

• 41mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• Sellita SW360 calibre automatic movement with 56-hour power reserve

• £2,200, gucci.com

Part of the success of these watches has been that they don’t lean heavily on Gucci branding. It helps that the maison’s been creating watches for decades and from a design sense there’s been a lot to work with, but it’s that more subtle use of Gucci motifs that’s helped earn a positive reception with watch lovers, rather than fashionistas. But branding is not a bad thing when done tastefully, and the new Gucci Interlocking collection encapsulates that fine balance perfectly.

The name comes from the interlocking G motif that makes up the logo at six o’clock. You’ve probably seen it in fashion aplenty. Here though, it’s not just a static nod to Gucci but is actually a small seconds disc. It’s a novel idea and adds some personality to what is otherwise an ultra-legible, sporty dial. Not that the rest of the dial is without nuance; the multilayered dial sets the minute numerals a level below the rest, with a sloped minute track on the outer edge. The indexes at the cardinal points and the sleek handset make the whole thing feel like a modern ode to ‘70s watchmaking.

The same could be said for the case, which offers a 41mm cushion case in steel, either original flavour or PVD coated in black or blue. It’s a lovely, tactile shape and pebble smooth along either side. That curve contrasts with the black bezel, which is flat and brushed, while even the black-on-black variation offers some juxtaposition through texture. The combination adds up to a line-blurring mix of sporty and cool.

The automatic model is available in either black with white numerals and highlights, or blue with flashes of red. The first is the more wearable, but the second embraces sporty colour like few other watches. Both are backed by an

The indexes at the cardinal points and the sleek handset make the whole thing feel like a modern ode to ‘70s watchmaking

automatic movement, with a solid 56-hour power reserve. If you want to see Gucci really do sporty though, check out the chronograph versions.

There are some major differences between the automatic and chronograph version of the Gucci Interlocking. The double G logo has been moved to the three o’clock subdial of the tricompax layout; the bezel has been slimmed down and has an added tachymeter read-out, and all three variations come in stainless steel, sans PVD. They still have those sunken numerals and dial colours – along with an emerald green variation – and they still have those tactile cases, but they feel a lot different.

They are however quartz rather than automatic, so for these you’ll be considering them for the aesthetics more than anything else. That’s not a bad reason to buy a watch, obviously, it’s the core reason most of us here at Oracle finally part with cash for a watch. Even if it wasn’t a difference between automatic and quartz however, the small seconds, non-chrono automatic versions would be the highlights. The cleaner look, the thicker bezel, the dimensions of the watch as a whole add up to something that has a contemporary Italian flavour to it. The finishing is lovely, the design is on-point and with its tasteful branding either one is £2,200 well spent.

This is a collection that should by rights be a serious push for Gucci in the future. It has all the stylistic flair of the Gucci 25H, but sportier. It’s a great way to get Gucci’s fashion lovers on board with a proper watch, the first serious step on the long, long road to something like that glorious Gucci 25H Minute Repeater.

HOW TO INVEST IN CLASSIC CARS

WORDS Rory FH Smith

Of all the asset classes to invest in, be it gold, stocks, property, art or watches, cars are a pretty fun one. Not only are sales of classic cars exempt from capital gains tax (in the UK, at least), but you can also drive, race and show off your four-wheeled ‘investments’ until you run out of road – or fuel. But ‘investing’ in classic cars might not be as simple as you’d expect. Like most things, there are plenty of potential potholes to fall into, so tread carefully when it comes to placing your bets on what might appreciate in the future. The last thing you want is a rusting hunk of metal that costs you far more than you paid for it taking up space on the driveway, which happens more often than not. To avoid the pitfalls, there are some basic rules of engagement when it comes to investing in classic cars, ranging from having fun to tapping into trends and even incurring a bit of pain – the kind that feels good in the end, we promise.

RULE 1 HAVE FUN FIRST AND BUY WHAT YOU LOVE

Whatever metal you choose to sink your money into, above all, it needs to make you smile. “It’s imperative that you focus on having fun, before you focus on making money,” insists Phillip Griot, president of Griot’s Motors, a business specialising in the sale and restoration of classic cars, based in Tacoma, USA. “Whenever people are looking to make money as the primary reason they’re investing in a car, they very rarely do.

“Pick the car that you will hold and love through the ups and downs of natural market ebbs and flows, and that’ll allow you to sell it when someone makes you an offer that is just too good to turn down,” he adds, with a knowing smile. After all, if it starts costing you money, you need something stronger to bind you together and get you through the tough times.

RULE 2

TAP INTO TRENDS

While trends come and go, they can be a useful measure of what kind of cars the market is receptive to at any given time.

“What did everybody in your school year group think was cool?” asks Randy Nonnenberg, co-founder of American and European online auction site Bring a Trailer, when quizzed on what cars to be looking at as potential future investments. “Don’t just buy what your grandfather loved, because that sort of love in that particular cohort is not going to be around for long.”

you never would have thought would be collectable, like Hondas, are very hot.”

Part of the reason for the recent appreciation for late ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s cars is because the era represented the birth of car culture as we know it. From the Fast and Furious movie series that cemented the Nissan Skyline into popular culture, to the rise in specialist car publications and games like Gran Turismo. Cars suddenly moved from being seen as transportation, to symbols of freedom, individuality, and expression, and these forms of media granted access to a audiences of all ages, around the world.

Be it the Peugeot 205 GTI, Nissan Skyline GT-R, or even the mighty McLaren F1, values of such cars have risen as people who grew up with posters of them on their bedroom walls can now afford to buy them

Nonnenberg’s view is reflected in the market, with the past few years giving rise to a number of cars from the 1980s, ‘90s, and 2000s, otherwise known as modern classics, or Youngtimers. Be it the Peugeot 205 GTI, the Nissan Skyline GT-R or even the mighty McLaren F1, values of such cars have risen as people who grew up with posters of them on their bedroom walls can now afford to buy them.

“The biggest narrative that’s happening right now is not about brands, but about eras – the younger types of vehicles, from 1990 to present are now the hottest collector tickets,” insists Nonnenberg. “Even names that

“The Tokyo Drift and Gran Turismo cars will continue to appreciate as the younger, wealthier people that they grew up around these cars now want to own them,” explains Griot. “But it can be hard to find cars from this era that haven’t been driven into the ground,” he warns.

For a trend that’s longer lasting than today’s top-rated, look into a marque with a solid motorsport track record. “There’s a reason Porsche and Ferrari values are hard to beat – they have an undeniable racing pedigree,” reasons Griot, and it’s hard to argue with Ferrari, as the oldest surviving and most successful Formula One team, having competed in every world championship since 1950.

Buying the right the classic car can be achieved by following six simple rules, but it isn’t merely a transactional relationship, as the owner must enjoy classic car ownership and tap into trends to invest in the next McLaren supercar or Nissan Skyline

RULE 3

DON’T BE DISTRACTED BY THE BIG-TICKET CARS

While it’s easy to think values of bigticket cars will continue to rise the fastest, it’s not always the case. Little wins can be found in lower end cars, particularly those that are yet to have their moment in the spotlight.

“We can list a Honda NSX on the website, or even a special Honda Civic, namely, a Type R and that sort of vehicle is wildly lusted after and sought after,” explains Nonnenberg, while Griot reasons that there’s rapid growth in the lower end cars, “because they’re so much more fun and useable. It’s not stressful to take out a VW Golf R32, but for a Ferrari F40, you need to find a time and place to drive something like that,” he says.

While that doesn’t mean you should lose sight of the supercar dream, usability is an important factor to consider for a car that will appreciate. If it has air conditioning, power steering, seats that are actually comfortable, and it starts every time, then the car will appeal to a wider and younger audience, and not just the oily fingered mechanic types.

RULE 4 APPLY SOME LOGIC

It can be difficult to choose between your greatest loves, particularly when it comes to classic cars, so it helps to apply some logic and rule out anything that’s not within your budget. We might all lust after the idea of blasting around in a Ferrari F50, but if the budget only stretches to £100,000, then you’re still £4,000,000 short of sitting behind the steering wheel of the example that sold earlier this year, so scratch that one off the list.

“Make your top 25 list of cars that you love, and start attaching market values to those,” says Griot. “Then go from what is an aspirational buy, to what is what is reasonable, and then keep eliminating down until you have a realistic, fantasy garage in your head.”

While keen car enthusiasts will struggle to keep the list to a mere 25 classic cars, if you’re stuck on where to start, just think back to what really caught your attention on the road, or skip back to Rule 2 and buy what others love instead.

“It’s not stressful to take out a VW Golf R32, but for a Ferrari F40, you need to find a time and place to drive something like that”

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Just ask F1 star Lando Norris and he’ll show you his old 1972 Fiat 500 Jolly (below). Alternatively, the VW Golf R32 (right, top) makes a fun entry level investment, while something like a 1968 Lamborghini Miura (right) is more likely a big-ticketed supercar dream

RULE 5

DO YOUR RESEARCH

“It should hurt a little when you buy the car that you really want”

“I would start with online auction results,” advises Griot. “Ideally, ones that have live feedback, where you can see in the comments what they’re complaining about for each model. Bring a Trailer is a great source,” he adds.

With results permanently logged from over 165,000 completed auctions, Bring a Trailer is a good place to start for getting the measure of what an American car might be worth and how a model has performed over the years. In the UK, Car & Classic offers a similar service, as does the Hagerty Price Guide.

“Search engines don’t help that much,” says Nonnenberg. “So, you’re best to go to the reliable sources, or ask someone in the business where they would go.”

Knowing what you’re getting yourself into when it comes to classics can be invaluable. All cars have faults and old ones will inevitably break down occasionally, so swatting up on the most common issues will manage your expectations and sometimes speed up the process of getting your pride and joy back on the open road.

RULE 6

BUY THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD

Whatever category of classic car you decide to buy, whether it be a McLaren P1, or a Peugeot 205, “you want to buy the best you can afford,” insists Griot. “If there is something that will go wrong – and there inevitably will be – it’s far less complicated if you know it’s been well looked after in its life.” In summary, you get exactly what you pay for.

Look for a car with all of the necessary documentation for maintenance and ownership, and expect to pay a little more than the market value for it. Not only does that speak volumes for how the car has been treated throughout its life, but that extra premium will soon be paid back when you’re driving a car that’s a cut above the rest. “That 10% over market value is worth more than paying 40% less, and then not being able to drive the car for years while you bring it back up to health,” explains Griot. “It should hurt a little when you buy the car that you really want,” he says with a smile.

Whether it’s a McLaren (above) or a Peugeot 205 (left, top), the ‘investment’ should be affordable and well researched. Taking on a Jaguar E-Type (left) discovered in a barn would perhaps represent a decision of the heart rather than the head

When one is required to rest ones head at night, you could, I suppose, slum it at your average five-star city hotel. But where’s the country grandeur? The open spaces? The golf course? No, if you’re to truly live the good life, the life you deserve, then only the very finest in manor houses will do. Forget chain hotel branding, no matter how ‘refined’, forget so-called suites barely enough to swing a bloodhound in and embrace the true, aristocratic life of a country lord.

Castles, royal retreats, and the kinds of places that resonate with the word ‘estate’, these are the hotels where you can really let your inner upper-class lordling loose. You know it’s what you deserve.

WORDS: MICHAEL SONSINO

HARTWELL HOUSE

Hartwell House, Oxford Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP17 8NR

Hartwell House is one of the three Historic House Hotels owned by the National Trust and spoilers, the other two are also included in this article. Hartwell House was built between 1570 and 1617, although the grounds have borne the residences of kings and royalty since the early 1100s. Today it’s a beautiful Grade 1 listed Jacobean and Georgian building set over 90 acres of parkland and gardens. There’s also an on-site, fully equipped spa with a swimming pool, saunas, steam room, gym, and experienced therapists offering a range of treatments. Prices from approx. £315 per night, book at hartwell-house.com

With York more or less on your doorstep, it’s a great hotel for a city break without staying directly in the city itself

MIDDLETHORPE HALL

Middlethorpe Hall, Bishopthorpe Road, York, Yorkshire, YO23 2GB

Another of the National Trust Historic House Hotels is Middlethorpe Hall, just outside of York. It’s an early example of Georgian architecture built in 1699, a few years before Georgian design reached a peak of popularity from around 1714 to 1830. Its grounds aren’t as extensive as some of the hotels featured here, but they’re not insubstantial at 20 acres. Plus, with York more or less on your doorstep, it’s a great hotel for a city break without staying directly in the city itself. The hotel restaurant has also won the Visit York Restaurant of the Year award twice. Prices from approx. £260 per night, book at middlethorpe.com

The rooms are spread across two historic buildings, which are beautifully maintained, and the accompanying restaurant is renowned for its local Norfolk menu

THE VICTORIA AT HOLKHAM HALL

The Victoria, Park Road, Holkham, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, NR23 1RG

I must profess that I adore north Norfolk and have visited Holkham estate many, many times. However, as I have family in the area, I’ve unfortunately never had a reason to stay at The Victoria, a snug 20-room hotel situated at the gates of Holkham Park. The rooms are spread across two historic buildings, which are beautifully maintained, and the accompanying restaurant is renowned for its local Norfolk menu. On top of that, you can pair your stay with one of their exclusive experiences, like complimentary access to Holkham Hall, a guided tour of the gardens, a goose flight safari, or a day out with one of the nature reserve wardens.

Three Day Holkham Experience Break £330 per night based on two sharing (for dinner, bed and breakfast), book at holkham.co.uk

The current building dates to the 1720s though it was first opened as a hotel and country club in 1976

DALMAHOY Dalmahoy, Edinburgh, Kirknewton, EH27 8EB

Dalmahoy is closely tied to the history of Scotland, having at one time hosted Mary Queen of Scots before her imprisonment at Loch Leven on the other side of the Forth.

The land was eventually bought by the Douglas family, who had been close allies of Mary. The current building dates to the 1720s though it was first opened as a hotel and country club in 1976. It has 215 rooms and suites, two restaurants, a leisure club with swimming pool, and not one but two 18-hole golf courses. All of which are set amidst the vast parkland surrounding Edinburgh.

Prices from approx. £250 per night, book at dalmahoyhotelandcountryclub.co.uk

Secluded within 200 acres of parkland, it makes for an ideal romantic getaway as you explore the grounds and acclaimed gardens

BODYSGALLEN HALL

Bodysgallen Hall, The Royal Welsh Way, Bodysgallen Lane, Llandudno, LL30 1RS

Perfectly situated to explore the north Wales coastline, Bodysgallen Hall is located between Llandudno and Llandudno Junction with views over Snowdonia. Secluded within 200 acres of parkland, it makes for an ideal romantic getaway as you explore the grounds and acclaimed gardens. It’s famous for its 17th century parterre of box hedges filled with sweet smelling herbs, at the centre of which is a sundial dated 1678. It’s theorised that the house started life as a watch tower for the nearby Conwy Castle, alerting the castle to any threat from the north. This is the third of the National Trust Historic House Hotels. Prices from approx. £275 per night, book at bodysgallen.com

•

FORMEX STRATOS UTC

Formex redefine the travellers’ watch with one of the most confident second time zone watches in their price range

Between the Essence and Field, Formex have pretty much nailed the everyday wearer. They’re the kind of watches you can wear anywhere at any time, stripped back and uncomplicated but impressively built for the money. All of that still very much applies to the shiny new Formex Stratos UTC, but with one caveat: those three little letters at the end.

While it’s not as common as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), Coordinated Universal Time is to all intents and purposes, the same thing. It’s linked directly to the Earth’s rotation speed and International Atomic Time, so technically it’s a bit more accurate, but given the overlap, GMT and UTC watch functionally offer the same thing, namely a second time zone.

So, how have Formex approached the quintessential travellers’ complication? After all, complications really aren’t their thing. Well for one, they’ve not strayed far from their wheelhouse; instead they’ve worked with the modular maestros at Dubois-Depraz – the same manufacture that built the recent Perpetual Calendar module for Breitling – to create the most satisfying second time zone function I’ve ever used.

Part of its user-focused functionality is that it doesn’t fall into the usual discourse of ‘true’ vs ‘office’ GMT. The crown doesn’t move the GMT hand. Hell, it doesn’t affect the second time zone function at all, it’s simply for winding and setting local time. Instead, the UTC hand is moved using the chronograph-style pushers flanking the crown. The top pusher moves it anti-clockwise and the bottom pusher does the opposite.

I won’t put a number on just how long I was playing with those pushers, flicking the UTC hand backwards and forwards hour by hour. It’s a perfectly normal amount, honestly. While I didn’t instantly leave the country wearing the Stratos, it does make jumping across timezones in either direction incredibly easy to adjust for. And if that weren’t enough, there’s also a separate, if more subtle pusher to quickly change the six o’clock date subdial on the left-hand side of the watch. Any problems you have setting a travellers’ watch, the Stratos solves.

Formex aren’t the only brand to use this kind of system of course; Porsche Design looped in Dubois-Depraz for something similar. But paired with the rest of the watch, this might be the best dual timezone watch of the year – and at this price point, there’s no real competition.

A good part of that is the usefulness of the complication of course, but the rest is entirely down to that typical Formex build quality. We’ve shot their Field and Essence in the past, so I was expecting good things from the Stratos, and despite the greater number of moving parts, it’s every bit as solid. The bidirectional bezel is a little slidey but for something designed to move easily that’s about right, and the rest of the case is the good kind of chunky. It’s punchy without being too big in either it’s 41mm diameter or 12mm height. It won’t be slipping under too many shirtsleeves, but it feels great on the wrist. The Stratos doesn’t slack on case finishing either, with plenty of brushed, sand-blasted and mirrorpolished surfaces across the board.

For a superb, novel approach to the quintessential travellers’ watch –especially one this good-looking – I’d stack the Stratos against pretty much anything

Plenty of attention has been shown to the dial. A brushed outer ring and central dial with a grained minute track and date subdial give the Stratos a much more interesting look than any of Formex’s dials, save their stone pieces. Practically, the different finishes help with readability – as do the funky stylised 12, three, six and nine. Paired with some orange highlights on the UTC hand and its 24-hour scale, along with the UTC lettering and day/night indicator (that porthole at nine o’clock in case you were wondering), it’s clean, clear and cool.

We have the blue version here which I reckon is the best looking, but it also comes in black and green too. It’s available on four different straps, brown with white stitching, plain black, or black with orange stitching to match those highlights. This being Formex though, you want the bracelet. It’s as solidly built as the case, which is saying a lot.

Now onto brass tacks. Formex are an accessible watchmaker through and through. But, while the Field, their entry-level will set you back £890, the Stratos is considerably more at £3,320. That seems like a wince-inducing hike, but context is everything and for a superb, novel approach to the quintessential travellers’ watch – especially one this goodlooking – I’d stack the Stratos against pretty much anything else in that price range.

Bottom line: do I like it? Yes, definitely. Will I buy it? If I was in the market for a GMT, I’d be hard-pressed not to. £3,320, formexwatch.com

HESAGRAPH MIAMI VICE

A slice of disco-drenched ‘80s Miami cool that looks best hanging from the window of a Ferrari Testarossa

THE SPECS

• 39mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance

• Sellita SW510M manual-wind movement with 58-hour power reserve

• €2,500 (approx. £2,100), limited to 150 pieces, htdwatchinstruments.com

White suits, blue water and plenty of neon pink, what’s not to love about Miami Vice? For once that rose-tinted obsession with nostalgia’s actually pretty damn fun. Who’d opt for an ode to the 1950s when you can have the cocaine-drenched ‘80s, intimidating moustaches and a white Ferrari Testarossa? HTD have taken that theme and gone with it, at least in the dial colour, with the Hesagraph Miami Vice.

The focal point of the new watch is, of course, that dial. It’s pink. Very, very pink. There have been a fair few pink watches over the past couple of years and I’ve been here for them all. This though is next level. HTD have used what they call ‘triple colour laying technology’ to give it its depth and brightness. What precisely that technology is it’s hard to say, but one can assume it’s three layers of colour on top of one another. Either way, it’s one of the loveliest shades of disco pink I’ve worn, right on the border between femininely pastel and a punkier, electric colour.

While you might instantly expect a sleek tricompax chronograph to also include a tachymeter, that’s not for HTD. Like previous versions of the Hesagraph the bezel is instead plain steel. It works as well here as it does with the more stripped-back, utilitarian tool watches in their lineup, but for a different reason. Not only does it leave the pink to do its job, but the polished metal has a glitzy, reflective look that ties into the whole Miami Vice of it.

For a brand labelling themselves as the Horological Tools Department however, there are a couple of oversights that I’m surprised made it to production. The first is readability. The steel indexes are nice and clear, largely because they’re three-dimensional. The white numerals and minute tracks though are hard to read in direct light and downright unreadable in anything less. They just blend into the pink enough to strain your eyes. You can still tell where the hands are pointing, but it feels like an oversight.

It’s a shame as I’d have loved to see a version of this with some more neon brightness, perhaps green or blue to contrast with the pink and really hammer home that ‘80s disco feel. It’s not as if there’s no colour palette to draw from there. It might have made it a bit more divisive than solid pink, but with only 150 of these available, I’m sure it would have made at least 150 people very happy.

Then there are the lugs. The case is 39mm in diameter, but the Hesagraph Miami Vice is proof positive that you should always look at lug size, which here is 48mm. That’s a substantial increase on the wrist, but that’d be fine if they were curved. Instead, they’re straight, meaning that on my wrist there’s a distinct ‘box’ shape where other watches would follow my wrist. It’s not deal-breaking by any stretch, it’s still comfortable, it just doesn’t look as slick as it could.

That’s where the gripes end, however. Looks-wise it’s a beauty and not just for the pink. The combination of playful colour and tool watch shape – including the impeccably machined bracelet – add up to the kind of go-anywhere, do-anything watch that’s in vogue at the moment. Even the sapphire crystal is lovely, with its U-box curve, sitting right off the bezel. It’s practical and fun in equal measure.

For a

brand labelling themselves

as

the Horological Tools

Department however, there are a couple of oversights that I’m surprised made it to production

It feels mechanically great too, with exceptionally satisfying pump chronograph pushers thanks to the SW510 M Elabore inside. It’s a classic manual-wind chronograph perfect for smaller-sized cases. You’ll more normally see the SW510 in bi-compax numbers, but it works just as well here, especially with its 58-hour power reserve. As this is the Elabore version, we can assume that the finishing is exceptional for a third-party movement, but as it’s a solid caseback and I don’t regularly pop them off if I can help it, I can’t say for sure.

So, what’s the bottom line with this disco-drenched chrono? I’ve liked previous versions of the Hesagraph and I like this one about as much. It’s less practical than variations such as the Pure Speed and Canoli which draw their vintage racing colourways from, well, vintage racing. As a flash of statement colour though, it’s hard to beat. At €2,500, it’s exactly the same price as previous Hesagraphs too and it’s good to see HTD maintaining that price point – although right now you can get it for 10% off, which is always pleasant. It’s not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but for a solid chronograph with this much personality, it’s about right. I’d like to see something between this and HTD’s uber-accessible Tennis series (which will set you back just €690), but if you’re looking to channel your inner Don Johnson, this is for you.

€2,500 (approx. £2,100), limited to 150 pieces, htdwatchinstruments.com

While GMTs are the de facto travellers’ watch, for my money nothing quite beats a worldtimer. The first watch I ever bought myself was a handsome Longines worldtimer number from their Master Collection and I still wear it regularly. It’s clean, sleek and has a less-is-more, blue-and-silver look I love.

The problem is, more watchmakers than not take a maximalist approach to worldtimers. Atlas dials rendered in exquisite detail, globe motifs everywhere, they really take the ‘world’ in worldtime and run with it – to exhaustion. There’s heritage there (Patek Philippe jumps to mind) but for me, simplicity is key to rendering 24 timezones in a coherent way.

The Carl F. Bucherer Heritage Worldtimer is about as clean and legible as they come. No detailed map, no details that look like they’re stripped from airline branding, just a stunning, pure silver dial.

I’m a huge fan of monochrome anyway, it oozes 1950s chic like nothing else and on a travellers’ complication has that ‘golden age of air travel’ glamour to it. It makes me feel like the jetsetter I always know I’ve been. That’s doubly the case here, with a mix of a matte rhodium city ring, a matt silver 24-hour ring and sunray brushed inner dial. Each has a very subtle distinction, but it’s there if you look. I don’t want to say it’s a watch for connoisseurs… but it kind of is.

The city ring itself takes up quite a large portion of the dial, perhaps a touch too much. It makes sense, with a solid double layer of cities to make sure they’re still readably large. There would be no point having a worldtimer with lettering too small to pick out, and the all-silver look gets away with it more than other watches. But a slimmer city ring would make the entire thing feel a bit more elegant.

There are multiple versions of the Heritage Worldtimer, of course. There’s a black dialled version that, honestly, just doesn’t have the cache of the silver. The silver though is available in a steel or rose gold (and limited edition) case, the former of which we have here. I can’t say for sure which I prefer. The gold is certainly more glamorous, and pairs with those lovely rose gold indexes, but the steel amps up the monochrome. If I had to come down on one side, it would likely be the steel – if only because that’s more in my price range.

Speaking of the cases, they measure in at 39mm, with a height of 10.25. For me, that’s goldilocks territory, although on the wrist it feels a touch larger if only because of the amount of stuff on the dial. It feels nice, the lugs are slightly curved, and it is indeed nicely readable without having to crane your neck over your wrist to peer closely at the time in Tokyo.

It’s not just easy to read, but easy to operate too. In case you’ve been wondering this whole time what that funky nine o’clock crown was all about, that’s to quick-change the city disc. It’s ripped straight from the 1950s heritage number this is based on and is something I’d like to see in more worldtimers. With my Longines, for example, you need to change the minute hand until the 24-hour ring syncs up, then jump the hour to the correct local time. Not so here. It also makes for a supremely cool rotating dial.

The

‘50s glamour, the cool peripheral rotor, the readability of the complication

–

it’s a fantastic traveller’s watch from a brand too many people are sleeping on

Inside is the CFB A2020 automatic movement. It’s a solid COSC-certified number with a 55-hour power reserve that looks like a manual-wind movement at first glance. That’s because the rotor is peripheral, giving an unobstructed view of the mainplates with plenty of cotes de Geneve, snailing and the balance spring. It’s also part of the reason the watch can maintain that 10.5mm thinness. I’ve been told that peripheral winding can be more efficient than your standard rotors, but I really didn’t have this for long enough to dive that deep. The bottom line is that it makes for a stunning caseback.

For me, Carl F. Bucherer’s is a phenomenal template for a worldtimer. Is there more they could do with it? Absolutely. After all, this is a more streamlined take on their previous Heritage Worldtimer, so there’s always room for improvement. I’d love to see it with a bit of guilloche on that central dial, or a slimmer city ring, a few things like that. On its own merits however – the all-silver, ‘50s glamour, the cool peripheral rotor, the sheer readability of the complication – it’s a fantastic traveller’s watch from a brand I think too many people are sleeping on.

It’s also priced well for what it is at £6,600. There are cheaper worldtimers out there; there are more expensive. And I think it’s a fair price for what is a great watch. £6,600, carl-f-bucherer.com

Words: Tim Vaux

UNSUNG

VACHERON CONSTANTIN PHIDIAS

Unconventional and unloved, the Phidias is a competitively priced design experiment in the history of the sports luxe integrated bracelet watch

VINTAGE HERO:

The rise in popularity of the integrated sports watch over the past decade is something the pioneers of the 1970s could have only dreamed of. Famously slow to be adopted by the industry, the ‘sports luxe’ integrated bracelet watch was the original disruptor of the luxury watch market, with the first stainless steel references of the Nautilus, Royal Oak, and 222 retailing at approximately 30 to 40% more than gold watches at the time. However, the reception soon warmed, and today, practically any integrated take – old or new – from any noteworthy legacy brand is relishing the limelight. That is, except for this model. Produced by Vacheron Constantin during the 1980s and ‘90s, this unconventional piece remains unknown to many. In a world where the most ubiquitous flex is having a bracelet that seamlessly integrates with a watch case, how and why is this, the Vacheron Phidias, so overlooked?

Debuting in 1989, the Phidias was the manufacturer’s fourth attempt at integrated bracelet sports luxe success, starting with another relatively unknown model before the 222 called the Royal. Two years later, in 1977, the 222 debuted, and iterations like steel, yellow gold, two-tone, and gem-set pieces were revealed. However, after only 500 units of the 222, the watch was discontinued and replaced by the 333 – another somewhat unknown model. This early 1980s watch combined a new octagonal case shape with a bracelet similar to the 222 – clearly, Vacheron was experimenting and trying to find its successful integrated blueprint. Until this point, all its integrated watches carried traces of testing in design execution potentially linked to the newfound style becoming increasingly en vogue. Now firmly in the 1980s, a new market of watch collectors were actively seeking more youthful ways of expressing success.

Audemars Piguet had made the Royal Oak a success, with Patek Philippe and the Nautilus in the same boat. While those manufacturers started releasing diversity within series and sizes, others succeeded in a more youthful approach. Cartier had the Santos, Chopard the St Moritz, and Piaget the Polo. In the 1980s, the 333 was out, and the Phidias was in, and it was clear that with it, Vacheron was beginning to form the key influential building blocks for the Overseas that would arrive in the 1990s. And yet, the Overseas shares very few design cues with the Phidias.

“The Phidias is a very interesting design experiment, pulling some queues from integrated bracelet 222 and setting the tone for the later Overseas models,” says Ben Dunn of Watch Brothers London, a UK-based dealer specialising in late 20th-century watchmaking gems. “It’s somewhat of a transitional model, yet it’s not really connected to the former or latter.”

“For me, the period the Phidias is from was about experimentation, from complications to finishing techniques. There’s much to discover, not just in the models available at the time but also details such as small changes made during the different production periods. This era of watch collecting is pulling together more and more collectors every day as they work together to build out scholarship and share their findings. It’s an exciting space for someone who likes to ask questions.”

In 1989, the Phidias officially arrived as the spiritual successor to the 333, as the integrated watch carried design

Closing out the 1980s in a discreet yet dressy style, the Phidias was officially unveiled in 1989 as the spiritual successor to the 333 and offers a well-priced entry into the increasingly popular world of vintage integrated bracelets

“The period the Phidias is from was about experimentation, from complications to finishing techniques. There’s much to discover, not just in the models available at the time but also details such as small changes made during the different production periods”

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the Phidias is its upscale, refined appearance, especially considering it came at a time when other manufacturers of luxe integrated bracelet watches were leaning into more industrial styling

elements that appeared objectively sleeker and more modern for the forthcoming decade.

Favouring a traditional round case rather than a popular tonneau with an octagonal bezel, the transition between bracelet and case is complete with one single effortless flow. The bracelet carries a unique channelled centre link with polished details, with horizontal gadroons segmenting out each link – all of which are removable – and its construction is undoubtedly up to par. The cases across the entire range of references are noticeably svelte in profile despite including three-handers, chronographs, and even a world time. With this lack of thickness combined with classic sizing that never exceeded 35mm, the Phidias is a reserved and quiet affair.

“I love the gadroon style bracelet and dial variants available,” Dunn explains.

“There was experimentation within the Phidias, with elements such as dial colours, guilloché pattern work, and diamond setting on the case and bracelet. I find the model to be a quirky niche in Vacheron Constantin’s history. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a model worth seeing in person if the opportunity arises, you might be surprised.”

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the Phidias is its upscale, refined appearance, especially considering it came at a time when other manufacturers of luxe integrated bracelet watches were leaning into more industrial styling. The Phidias remained in the Vacheron lineup for seven years, and while that’s quite a short lifespan in the grand scheme of a legacy manufacturer, for Dunn, there are some models you’ll want to look out for.

“Considering today’s market and my preference, I’d be looking for a full gold variant of the chronograph with a dial that helps pull your eyes away from the date at six, such as a black guilloché. The current pricing and general scarcity of the rarer variants makes for the perfect collector hunt.”

“The Phidias would be great to introduce collectors to Vacheron’s rich history. With the modern watch boom now over, most new collectors only saw the brand for its modern Overseas – well, there’s a lot more to the company than that and no better place to start than the 1970s to 2000s period,” says Dunn.

Remember, despite the width on paper being between 33mm and 35mm, with the Phidias integrating its bracelet directly into the watch case,

the wrist presence is perceived as increased compared to similar widths of watches without integration. Like any reference number across a model line, current market prices can vary with fully gold chronographs like the 49001, currently demanding approximately £15,000. In contrast, automatic time and date references in two-tone, such as the 2101, could be yours for nearer £4,000.

Wherever you decide to jump in, the Phidias is an extremely competitively priced piece when we consider it is a mechanical integrated bracelet watch produced with or entirely in precious metal by a leading legacy manufacturer at a time when interest in integrated bracelets still remains high.

As integrated watches go, the Phidias is a discreet and dressy choice. It channels some of the charm the industry has come to admire from the 222 with the underdog spirit of the first generation Overseas in a surprisingly distinctive way. For those looking for an intersection between the integrated bracelet hype and the recent newfound attention the dress watch has received, the Phidias may be the onestop shop you wish you had known about sooner.

A diamond encrusted version of the Phidias (above) sold by Bonhams auctioneers, offering a contrast to the usually reserved profile of the standard models that included three-handers, chronographs, and even a world time within a svelte 35mm profile

edited by SAM KESSLER

THE COLOURFUL WATCHES PUTTING CAMBRIDGE ON THE MAP, AN INDEPENDENT CHANGING THE ARCHITECTURE OF TRADITIONAL TIMEPIECES, AND A SAXON BRAND’S KUNTSWERK

BEAUCROFT

The characterful Cambridge brand’s latest collection embraces one key element of British watchmaking: colour

Cambridge is known for many things: beautiful architecture, river punting, and grooming the next generation of aristocratic elites. What it’s not particularly known for is watches. While we don’t really have a watchmaking hub like some countries, our own Glashütte, let’s say, Cambridge is most definitely not one. But like Bristol is to Fears and Henley-on-Thames is to Bremont, the legendary university city does have a brand to call its own: Beaucroft.

The brainchild of Matt Herd and Karim Faisali, Beaucroft’s whole vibe is daily wearers with a British twist. That’s a summary that you’ve almost certainly heard before, that fine balance of elegance and practicality, treading the thin stainlesssteel line between dressy and beater. But for our money, Beaucroft manage it better than most.

In the large part, that’s because Beaucroft lean more on the elegant side of the equation. Minimal indexes, dots instead of a minute track, slim hands, it all adds up to a set of dials that are clean, clear and classical. That does mean that there aren’t dramatic differences from one model to another; the Signature and Senate models are almost identical, just with matte vs sunray brushed finishes and slightly different crowns. The Seeker also hovers around the same idea, but with more ornate leaf-shaped hands, slightly different cardinal markers and a smaller, 37mm size.

I’d argue though that offering a few riffs on the same idea is no bad thing; smaller watch labels have been scuppered more times than I care to dwell on due to overstretching what they could and should do. Staying close to a core identity throughout the collection is harder than it sounds – but thankfully that identity also includes colour.

So, you like green? How about mint, forest, emerald or seafoam? Or deep blue, midnight blue, a darker midnight blue or teal? Or if you fancy something a little more classical (though I’m not sure why you would when that mint green exists) there’s the requisite white, slate grey or salmon. British brands love colour and while Beaucroft aren’t quite as outthere with it as someone like Farer, they’re nailing that quintessentially British flavour.

All of that brings us to the big news for Beaucroft: the shiny new Element Collection. If the Seeker was taking the Signature concept in a more traditional direction, the Element is the opposite. Gone are the minute dots, replaced by a minute track with numerals. The slim indexes have been replaced with chunkier, indexes across the board, half-covered in blue lume with a double to pick out 12 o’clock. The crown has been overhauled to something much more modern and, perhaps most importantly, it’s now on a bracelet. It’s not the retro Milanese number they’ve used before, but a proper, three-link version. While all of these individually are small changes, they all add up to a much beefier, more modern watch. It’s still very much a Beaucroft, with its layered dial, but now plays host to an even greater array of gradient colours than before. Two blues (ocean and sky), two greens (forest and one we’ll get onto shortly) and

Staying close to a core identity throughout the collection is harder than it sounds – but thankfully that identity also includes colour

a pure black run the usual gamut of Beaucroft colours. Then there’s a gorgeous burnt orange that’s expanding the brand’s rainbow repertoire into the kind of territory I’m obsessed with.

The model I previously alluded to is the same sort of mint green Beaucroft have played with before, but with a special edition twist. Ideally a twist of lemon, as it celebrates the watch brand’s ongoing, five-year partnership with the Cambridge Gin Lab. I can’t say for certain if you get a bottle of gin with it, but they’d be missing a trick otherwise. I can say from experience that most watch lovers like a drink to discuss horology over, and British horology demands a G&T.

What I’ve not touched on yet is accessibility. Beaucroft is British; British watches outside of Roger Smith, Struthers and the proper horologists tends to mean accessible. Well, the Senate will set you back £395, while the Signature and Seeker with their sunray brushed dials are a little pricier at £425. The Element is £599. That might seem like a jump, but bear in mind that’s on the bracelet, it encompasses more actual watchmaking than Beaucroft’s other models and still has an automatic movement – the ubiquitous Miyota 9039.

Yes, the Element is more expensive than other collections, but I think we can all agree that for £600, it’s still eminently affordable and, perhaps more importantly, represents Beaucroft’s most confident watch yet. All they’re missing now is a yellow dial. Find out more at beaucroftwatches.com

It’s not only centuries of history, education, and architecture in Cambridge as Beaucroft’s colourful blend of elegance and practicality intend to prove

last year

the finest independent watchmakers, and even family heritage linked to the highest office in Christianity

Launched

by Stéphane von Gunten (left), Haute-Rive is a new independent watchmaker that has roots in some of

HAUTE-RIVE

The independent watchmaker putting power reserve under the microscope

By the time they have over 30 horological patents under their belt, you would assume that a watchmaker would be spoken of in the same breath as the modern independent greats, like F. P. Journe or Philippe Dufour. And yet despite working for Patek Philippe, Ulysse Nardin, and Girard-Perregaux over the years, you may well not have heard of Stéphane von Gunten.

Last year, Stéphane launched Haute-Rive, a shiny new independent watchmaker and the first with the master horologist and inventor at the helm. As alluded to, the fifth-generation watchmaker had been working quietly behind the scenes for decades, but it took the impetus of Covid for him to make the big leap. But before we get into his modern watches, it’s worth looking at his horological past – and one watch, in particular.

It’s pretty common for the Pope to receive gifts. There’s a reason the last Pope had a Lamborghini and it’s not because he’s an adrenaline-fuelled hype beast. In 1888, to mark the jubilee of Pope Leo XIII, that gift came in the form of a gorgeous gold pocket watch. Nothing too unusual there – except that the power reserve was a staggering 40 days. That’s well over a month of power on a single wind. The maker of that watch was Stéphane’s ancestor, Irénée Aubry.

Power reserve is actually something that Stéphane has pushed throughout his career, no matter what brand he’s working for at the time. No multi-axis tourbillons, no complex chiming arrays, just that one, incredibly useful aspect of a timepiece’s spec sheet. And it’s that aspect that Haute-Rive is built around. The brand’s debut watch says it all, the phenomenal Honoris I.

On the surface, the Honoris I is an aesthetically elegant timepiece in the vein of other independent watchmakers. It comes with a grand feu enamel dial in a gold case, sized at a large-but-wearable 42.5mm. And yet there’s more going on than a glance can take in. For one, while the six o’clock tourbillon, the central gear bridge and the so-called ‘wheel of time’ at 12 o’clock are all visible, they’re not visibly connected. This means that while the elements are on top, the real work is happening underneath that enamel.

It’s a similar concept to something like MB&F’s Legacy Machines, just a bit more subtle. The thing is, while that over-and-under of components defines the look of the watch, it’s what you can’t see that defines what it actually is. You see, while his ancestor may have managed a watch with a 40-day power reserve,

Stéphane has used Haute-Rive to completely change the architecture of a traditional timepiece

Stéphane has achieved 41, around 1,000 hours. And in a single-barrelled wristwatch at that.

To get there, the mainspring is 3m long. That’s a single, 3-metre-long piece of metal that’s been curled into a spring that can fit in one small section of a none-too-large watch. While it sounds simple, there’s a reason it’s not been done before. So how do you fit that kind of thing in a wristwatch? By turning the mainplate into the barrel. Obviously.

As if upsetting the entire architecture of a watch wasn’t enough, anything with a power reserve this long likely needs a winding system more substantial than a standard crown. For one, that’s a lot of twisting a tiny component; for another, it would put a lot of force on the crown’s stem as you approach the upper power limit. So, Stéphane took a different approach and commandeered the bezel.

As you’ve likely noticed, the bezel is grooved with grips, allowing you to easily turn it counterclockwise to wind the mainspring. It’s still a fair amount of winding of course, you’re funnelling a lot of energy in, but it’s far superior to the crown, and you can keep an eye on how much you’ve wound it on the back of the watch. And hey, you only need to do it once a month – with a 10-day safety buffer.

For many watchmakers, power reserve is a nice thing to have; a selling point but not exactly a headline-grabbing one. A few hours here or there is more an afterthought than a core idea. Stéphane on the other had has used Haute-Rive to completely change the architecture of a traditional timepiece, specifically to put power reserve at the metaphorical and literal heart of the watch.

Haute-Rive is of course a brand that won’t have many collections in the future and won’t produce hundreds of watches. But if the Honoris I is anything to go by, he might just be one of the most low-key exciting independents around – and if you didn’t know about him before, you do now. You’re welcome. Find out more at haute-rive-watches.ch

The level of quality in the Kudoke 1 (below) is reflected in the price, but that’s what you get with a solid gold case and painfully perfect finishing. The KudOktopus (right) on the other hand is a different beast entirely

KUDOKE

The German watchmaker offering classic Saxon style at incredible – if still high-end – value

Independent watchmaking is still very much in its ascendency. I’m not about to say that the big marquee groups – LMVH, Richemont, and Swatch – aren’t still killing it with numbers and sheer visibility, but more and more individual horological maestros are making their presence felt. We’ve already highlighted one across these pages in Haute-Rive. But while their concept is centred on one, very specific area (power reserve), Kudoke is much more aesthetic, in a very German way.

As with all independent brands, Kudoke has a face: that of Stefan Kudoke. And it’s a frustratingly youthful face at that. This is a man who has already achieved some impressive credentials in the watchmaking world, working for Breguet, Blancpain and Omega, and at just 22, earning a Master Craftsman Certificate. In Germany, that’s no small thing. He’s a stark counterpoint to that classic image of a little old man machining dials in the Alpine winter.

And yet, Kudoke is still very much along those lines, at least insofar as production goes. Stefan doesn’t have the fancy manufactures of Glashütte, nor does he simply buy in everything he needs ready to go. Instead, he does the watchmaking equivalent of working from home, working at the proverbial kitchen table in a pared-back workshop based in Weifa, a small town in east Germany. It’s a much humbler approach than he would have been used to at Omega.

Humble though might be the most apt word for Kudoke as a brand. Take one look at the Kudoke 1, their perennial flagship with its nine o’clock small seconds and beautifully machined… everything. There are distinct Saxon flavours going on and while the comparison to Lange might be a bit too obvious, it’s still apt. The Kudoke 1 embodies that distinctly German balance of elegance and understatement –albeit a bit more on the elegant side.

The main difference is that, while the quality is very much on par with the most prestigious German watchmaker, the prices are not. Just over £12,500 isn’t cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but when you get a solid gold case, a manufacture movement and painfully perfect finishing across the board, that number starts to feel like a serious value proposition.

Following the initial Kudoke 1, the brand only consolidated that bang for your buck with the daynight indicating Kudoke 2, the stunning triple retrograde Kudoke 3 and a wonderfully accessible Louis Erard Regulateur. They all share the same sensibilities, albeit with a bit more colour on that last, collaborative effort. But all of those models across the board actually comprise one half of what Kudoke can do, labelled Handwerk meaning, simply, handwork. The other side of the brand is very, very different: Kunstwerk.

Kunstwerk translates to work of art, so you might think you know what to expect here. Plenty of metier d’art techniques, perhaps some enamelling or even a cheeky bit of marquetry these days, all very low-key gorgeous and sehr Deutsche. What you probably weren’t expecting was a three-dimensional octopus breaking its way out of the dial like a Kraken rum advert.

The KudOktopus is just one design in a pantheon of gorgeous engravings, but its sculptural nature is very much the way Kudoke have embraced their artistic side. Showing hints of the manufacture movement underneath, it’s not just worryingly lifelike at the front, but those tentacles continue to grasp the movement on the caseback, too. While I never expected to utter the phrase ‘exceptionally rendered suckers’, I guess I have to, because they are weirdly stunning.

There’s normally a premium for this kind of attention to detail and beyond next-level finishing. And while the tourbillon-equipped editions are indeed pricey, the automatics come in at under £8,000. It’s not like these are mass-produced; they’re special rarities that have hours upon hours of labour lavished on them. Kudoke could ask for a chunk of change more and the KudOktopus would still feel undervalued.

Like I said at the beginning, independent watchmaking is still very much on the rise. But it’s reassuring that, where the Journes and Dufours of the world still claim insane, headline-grabbing valuations, there are brands out there not just making great watches, but doing so at a fair price, not driven by hype. Between their classic Saxon looks on one side and their sculptural engravings on the other, Kudoke might just be Germany’s best kept watchmaking secret. Find out more at kudoke.eu

Brimming with distinct Saxon flavours, Kudoke’s range of watches have been created by Stefan Kudoke (left), who earned a Master Craftsman Certificate at the frustratingly tender age of 22

THE SPECS:

• 42mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance

• Sellita SW510 automatic movement with 56-hour power reserve

• From £1,950, limited to 300 pieces per colour, aera.co

C-1 Chronograph

After a year of relative quiet, cult British tool watch brand Aera is back – and in serious style. For their first complication they’re picking the ever-practical chronograph and, in keeping with their minimalist utilitarian aesthetic, they’re sleek and sharp. On the one hand you have the blacked-out Shadow, with some red flashes across the chronograph hands; on the other the stunning Cloud, with a calming, blue-tinged neutral look. With only the bare minimum of numerals and indexes, these are a world away from the usual, overly technical chronos and I personally love them.

aera.co

Awake

S ơ n Mài

Let’s not beat around the bush here, Awake’s gorgeous new collection is all about the dials, and for good reason. While they might look like enamel or guilloche, or a mix of the two, they’re actually made using the traditional Vietnamese art of Sơn Mài (hence the name, obviously) which involves applying fine layers of lacquer over silver leaf. The result is a depth of colour and texture that’s hard to find in a watch – and especially one this accessible. That’s the kicker: despite a dial akin to something one of the grand old maisons of watchmaking would dabble in, this automatic, La Joux-Perret-equipped beauty will set you back just over £1,500. awakewatches.com

Gaga Laboratorio

What do you get when you pair a legendary tattooist with an Italian singer songwriter with a healthy obsession with all things retro? Gaga Laboratorio. Mo Coppoletta and Alessandro Ristori’s shiny new Italian watch brand dives deep on jazz age cool, with discs for both hours – visible through a date-like window at 12 o’clock – and the central minutes, a genuinely unique dial and a case with some of the most sculptural lugs this side of £5,000. It’s a little crazy, sure, but this is a pair of flamboyant Italian collectors living la bella vita; what else would you expect? gagalaboratorio.com

THE SPECS:

• 42mm stainless steel case with 30m water resistance

• • La Joux-Perret G100 automatic movement with 68hour power reserve

• • £3,745, gagalaboratorio.com

THE SPECS:

• 39mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance

• La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement with 68-hour power reserve

• £1,650, awakewatches.com

Paulin

Modul D & E

I absolutely love the shape and style of Paulin’s painfully retro Modul collection, from their cushion cases to their Bauhaus-adjacent dials. The colours though have been perhaps a bit much. Now though, the Glaswegian brand is embracing wearability with black and white editions dubbed the D & E. They’re not boring by any stretch, with plenty of coloured indexes – orange and blue for the white edition, light blue and yellow for the black. It’s also worth noting that these are Paulin’s first lumed dials, with a host of differently glowing colours on each. It’s one of those cases where the release itself isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it is something that needs to exist. And it’s about time it does.

paulinwatches.com

THE SPECS:

• 39mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance

• La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement with 68-hour power reserve

• £750, paulinwatches.com

Brew

Metric Star Chrono

New York based, coffee-laced, and painfully cool, Brew have been going from strength to strength, especially since the streamlined Metric came into play. So, seeing them graduate to a chronograph was genuinely exciting before we saw the watch and is even more so now. It has all that lovely 1970s flavour, with a lightly roasted golden dial and bright, zesty red notes across hands and peripheral minute track. It’s like a modern Pogue, which given Seiko’s recent ‘reissue’ is probably the best thing we’re getting. It’s also as affordable as ever, with a Meca-quartz movement for that perfect blend of accuracy and reliability.

brew-watches.com

THE SPECS:

• 36mm x 41.5mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance

• VK68 Meca-Quartz movement

• £350, brew-watches.com

Oracle RECOMMENDS

HÉRON – MARINOR SEASTORM BLACK

Héron have recently restocked their core collection timepieces including the Marinor Seastorm Black, a gorgeous dive watch in a 39mm diameter hardened steel case with 300m water resistance. The style, with a domed sapphire bezel and large, lumed hour markers draws inspiration from legendary dive watches of the 20th century, but at a much more accessible price point. Powering the watch is the Miyota 9039, one of the Japanese manufacture’s premium movements with a 42-hour power reserve. £495, available from heronwatches.com

BELHAMEL – CONTRA AQUA 39

Belhamel started life creating bespoke rubber straps for the Seiko SKX collection but a successful Kickstarter in 2023 brought their first wristwatch to market this summer. It’s called the Contra Aqua 39 and it’s inspired by the same accessible tool watch vibe and practical price point as Seiko with their own unique flair. It has a 39mm diameter steel case with a 120-click unidirectional rotating bezel and ultra legible dial. With its 300m water resistance it actually outperforms many of Seiko’s divers. Inside is the Miyota 9039 automatic. £399 (£319 pre-order), available at belhamel.com

PRIMITIVE HAUS –TIMEKEEPER TYPE-A

Finding what inspires you is always the foundation of a good microbrand and Primitive Haus are clear on where their inspirations lie. Influenced by the German minimalist movement spearheaded by Bauhaus, they aim to bring colourful watches to live that blend style and function seamlessly. Recently with the TimeKeeper Type-A they’ve been exploring fresh colours and designs such as fumé blue, vibrant purple and this gorgeous dimple dial variant that looks like freshly fallen snow. They house the Miyota 82S5 with 42-hour power reserve.

$369 (approx. £280), available from primitivehaus.com

Wrist Classics

A huge part of the allure of vintage watches, beyond the cool styles of bygone eras of design, are the deeply personal stories they tell. These stories are at the core of what Wrist Classics focus on as a vintage watch dealer. They only stock watches with unique hallmarks and distinct features that make them stand out in the crowd. For example, this Omega Speedmaster from 1964 with a beautiful ghost bezel. Or a 1956 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Honeycomb Dial. Discover the collection at wristclassics.com

DEJAGER – EXPLORER

DeJager is a British watch design studio with close ties to South Africa as that’s where the brand’s founder grew up, witnessing the atrocities of Apartheid and segregation first hand. As such, a portion of all sales go to SOS Africa, a charity helping disadvantaged children in South Africa. Their watches, such as the Explorer combine accessible automatic movements with practical designs, including a 40mm case in stainless steel. The display is very legible with Arabic numerals and a small seconds subdial at six o’clock with a vibrant red hand. £225, available from dejagerlondon.co

JOHNSON’S OF LICHFIELD – BESPOKE WINDER SAFE

Johnson’s of Lichfield are a luxury safe retailer specialising in designing robust custom watch and jewellery safes for your home. This elegant, modern safe from their Luxe range includes custom chrome bolt pockets and hardware, as well as reliable Rapport Watch Winders. These beautiful pieces of furniture are all made to order letting the client choose their exact specification. A practical and great addition to any watch collector’s home. Additionally, they are insurance approved.

£12,000, available from johnsonsoflichfield.co.uk

JonesinTokyo – Kudu Leather Strap

JonesinTokyo is the project of Douglas Jones, a designer from the UK who moved the Japan in 2007 and began to produce watch straps in 2014. Inspired by the rich leatherworking heritage of both the UK and Japan, he sought out renowned Japanese artisans to learn from to become an expert in his own right. Take for example this beautifully crafted Kudu leather strap. Kudu leather is naturally very strong and develops a patina over time, meaning it will age gracefully with yourself and the watch it’s strapped to.

£89, available from jonesintokyo.com

Costas Design –Functional Wristwatch Sculpture

MODALO –AMBIENTE WATCH WINDER

Watch winders serve multiple functions in a collection. Most apparent is the fact they keep your automatic watches ready to wear at all times, meaning you don’t have to constantly reset them, something that is particularly important for high complications and calendar watches. At the same time, they also serve as great display cases, especially ones as dynamic as the Modalo Ambiente, which can hold up to nine watches at the same time. Sleek and modern with wooden styling, it’s as much an object of style as the watches it contains.

£1,529, available from modalo.com

Looking for a centre piece bit of furniture? Costas Design create functional wristwatch sculptures that serve as both timekeeping devices and coffee tables. Pushing the concept even further are pieces like the Royal Oak Humidor, which has a mechanical movement that allows for access to cigar trays for the ultimate luxury combination. It measures 146 x 70 x 62 cm. Depending on the model and style of display delivery of these hand-crafted sculptures can take four to eight months. Learn more at costadesignstudio.com.co

RAPPORT LONDON –BROMPTON THREE WATCH ROLL

Rapport London has been producing horological goods for over 100 years with products ranging from watch winders and boxes to mechanical pocket watches. This is the Brompton Three Watch Roll, a protective case designed for transporting up to three watches. It features a crocodile-effect leather exterior, while a soft suede interior keeps the watches safe during transit. There are also many colours to choose from including red, green, blue, brown and black. £300, available from rapportlondon.com

Clase Azul Mexico - Día de Muertos Múscia Limited Edition Decanter

In Mexico the festive season isn’t just limited to Christmas, as in November they celebrate Día de Muertos, a celebration of ancestry and those who came before. For Clase Azul, one of Mexico’s top luxury spirit brands it’s a chance to celebrate their heritage by releasing an annual limited edition decanter themed around the celebration. For 2024, it’s the Múscia edition, featuring a plumcoloured decanter decorated with a musical ensemble representing the sounds of the festival.

Limited to 10,000 pieces available in the UK on request at Hedonism Boutique London

EQUIANO – OMINIRA

Equiano’s Ominira is an extremely exclusive 2010 vintage rum available in a limited batch of just 3,000 units worldwide. A blend of celebrated tropical rums distilled by Foursquare  in Barbados and Gray’s in Mauritious. Tropically matured for a minimum of 11 years in Bourbon and Cognac casks with a touch of ex-Sherry cask rum for added depth, contributing to its richness and long finish. It has notes of dark chocolate, sweet caramel, and tropical fruits as well as touches of buttery oak and cinnamon and nutmeg spices. An invitation to celebrate, toast, and share with friends.  £180, available at shop. equianorum.com

ABASK – HECTOR SAXE LEATHER POKER SET

What’s Christmas without a few games? The Hector Saxe Leather Poker Set is ideal for getting your evening cards off to a start in the right way. It features a buffalo leather case handcrafted in France that contains 440 clay chips, two decks of Modiano cards and five resin dice. Whether as a gift for a friend or a gift for yourself when you set off to visit the in-laws, the Hector Saxe set makes it easy to set up a game and relax wherever you find yourself this Christmas. £1,460, available from abask.com

Biokidé – Baobab Moon Face Cream

Whether for yourself or a partner, Biokidé’s Baobab Moon Face Cream is a moisturising cream designed for dry skin and made with baobab oil, aloe vera, shea butter, hibiscus, and honey. It’s the ultimate fusion of authentic African ingredients and French knowhow to bring you clean cosmetics you can trust. The brand is currently undergoing Butterfly Mark certification by Positive Luxury to prove their commitment to a positive social and environmental impact. €55 (approx. £45), available from biokide.fr

CONTOUR BOXES BY TOM AYLWIN

Your watch or jewellery collection is deeply personal, so it’s only right that you protect it with a box that’s equally significant. Contour Boxes by Tom Aylwin are bespoke creations made from British materials that make for unique gifts. They feature incredibly accurate topographical carvings of any specified landscape in the world (or the moon/Mars) as chosen by you. Meaning you can pick a landscape that’s special to you or your loved ones. You can even request silver pins to be placed to mark the location of your house or a notable feature.

Bespoke Jewellery Boxes or 3-Watch Boxes from £1,395 available from contourboxes.co.uk

SIRPLUS – CREW NECK JUMPER

For their AW24 collection, SIRPLUS are focusing on knitwear and keeping it cozy. The classic Crew Neck Jumper is the focal piece of the collection, available in nine attractive colours: mint, periwinkle, oat, kingfisher, marmalade, green, poppy, ink, and lapis. They’re tightly knitted from lambswool in the UK with clean lines and a simple, comfortable fit. SIRPLUS recommend pairing a neutral tone with a blazer or opting for a bolder colour over a crisp white shirt. You could even go a size up for a baggy, relaxed look. £150, available from sirplus.co.uk

Kardo Luis Shirt

Kardo’s latest collection remains faithful to its DNA through the presentation of many different artistic expressions from artisans across India, using ancient embroidery from the Rabari tribe in Gujarat. The results are pieces like the Luis, a 100% handloom cotton overshirt covered in vibrant applique motifs on Khadi denim. Everything about the oversize shirt is inseparable from its region of origin, the ultimate in single origin fashion. £310, kardo.com

House of Hazelwood –Queen of the Hebrides

Even among House of Hazelwood’s rare inventory, they count those from the isle of Islay, aka the Queen of the Hebrides, as some of their rarest. A blended malt matured in American oak with light tannins and a long finish. If you’re unfamiliar, House of Hazelwood is a relatively new Scottish whisky brand that source their rare produce from a family’s private collection, making each bottle extremely sought after.

36-year-old, 274 bottles, RRSP £2,000, 43.4% ABV, available from houseofhazelwood.com

ACQUA DI PARMA – HOLIDAY SEASON COLLECTION

Acqua di Parma has unveiled their Holiday Season Collection, featuring gift sets of fragrances and candles designed to warm the spirit. For 2024 they’ve partnered with celebrated artist and architect India Mahdavi to create colourful and joyful packaging that combines Italian design with French wit. The dominant scents in the collection are Bosco with its pine and fir tree notes, Caminetto with its warm incense like an open fire, and Panettone, which smells like panettone. Holiday Collection Candle Quintet £92, available from acquadiparma.com

SONOS – ARC ULTRA

Invest in your own enjoyment this Christmas season with the new Arc Ultra premium sound bar from Sonos. It’s Sonos’ most powerful sound bar ever with 14 drivers and advanced Sound Motion technology. Sound Motion effectively means you’ll get the full enjoyment of surround sound from a single sleek bar – which can also be enhanced further should you wish with additional speakers. It’s a low profile but high impact addition to any home entertainment system. £999, available from sonos.com

VYN Switzerland Classic Sneaker All Black

Buy into all the insanely colourful, hypebeast sneakers you want, you’ll always have a space in your wardrobe for a sleek, well-built pair of all-black trainers. Made in Italy from German leather by a Swiss brand, these are a pan-European staple in the best possible way. The classic silhouette suits all occasions and the monochrome can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. If you do fancy a splash of colour, you can also purchase different heel options to keep things fresh. Yes, those heel options can also be black.

WALKER SLATER SHERLOCK COAT

Our favourite contemporary tweed brand, Walker Slater, returns for the Autumn Winter season with a new set of tailoring fabrics and an emphasis on checks and windowpanes, with the colours ranging from classic blues to more autumnal dark greens and aubergines in the signature Edward and James cuts. Case in point, the Sherlock Coat, here in Harris Tweed Barleycorn in a Highlandappropriate Peat colouring, as perfect for crisp mornings on the moors as a far more mile winter in the city. £425. walkerslater.com

Ruark R610.Sabre-R

£335, vyn.one

DE’LONGHI LA SPECIALIST OPERA COFFEE MACHINE

Why head to your favourite coffee shop every morning for that sweet, sweet caffeine when you can instead have professional standard coffee from your own kitchen? And don’t say, ‘the culture’. The latest in De’Longhi’s La Specialist range has 15 different grind settings and variable temperature to suit any bean and type of coffee. It even comes with a HomeCafé kit that contains glasses, vacuum bags and everything bar the beans you could need. Sure, it might bankrupt the little hipster joint around the corner, but it’s worth it – on so many levels.

£799.99, delonghi.com

Ever wanted that nostalgic sound of yesteryear without having to dust off the vinyl? Enter Ruark’s latest complete stereo system. The deliberately throwback British audio specialist has built one of their best-looking creations yet, two Sabre-R bookshelf speakers and a highresolution ready streaming console to pull them together, all in the same timelessly handsome style. The console also includes a phono pre-amp for adding a record player, just in case you can bring yourself to crack out the old records. It’ll be worth it.

R610 - £1,200

Sabre-R - £699.00 per pair, ruarkaudio.com

STENSTROMS BEIGE TEXTURED ROLL NECK

With this year marking the brand’s 125th anniversary, a new collaboration with menswear authority Mathias Le Fèvre seems fitting. With a Scandinavian heritage and shared passion for craftsmanship, sartorial values and above all, great fitting, classic garments, the Stenstroms x Mathias Le Fèvre capsule brings together elements of 1970s and ‘80s style points with a definitive air of Bowie, woven cleverly into the DNA of a Stenstroms fit and aesthetic. It works without questions.

£399, stenstroms.com

> > It’s been a minute since the charmingly awkward days of Hugh Grant’s seminal rom-com career, with films like Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Two Weeks Notice – the kind of films that are on every bad breakup watchlist. But, like About a Boy alum Nicholas Hoult, Grant’s only getting better with age.

In the past few years, Grant’s hit the ‘do whatever the hell I want’ stage of his career, which has on the whole involved a fair few villainous turns. Sure, it was charming in Paddington 2, but A Very English Scandal made him feel genuinely sinister. Now, he’s gone full horror with Heretic, in which a pair of young, female missionaries are at his mercy. The idea of Grant as a slasher villain is one that we never thought we wanted – and we’re more than here for it.

It’s perhaps fitting then that Grant’s own watch collection isn’t exactly what you’d expect from a foppish, middleclass British love interest. That’s because he’s a Panerai man through-and-though. Sure, he wore a custom watch from British brand Pinion in The Gentlemen (the movie, not the superior Netflix show) and a Piaget Polo chronograph in 2020s The Undoing, but they were film props rather than his own.

HUGH GRANT WHAT THE COSILY POPULAR LEADING MAN WEARS ON HIS WRIST

You could potentially argue the same about Panerai, given he wore one in Bridget Jones’s Diary. But at the BAFTAS earlier this year he flexed a vintage Radiomir 3646, an absolute grail amongst Paneristi. This isn’t his only watch from the Italian heritage brand either, with other versions (distinctly different due to the crown guard) in older, off-set interviews.

The reason he’s a Panerai collector though might not be what you expect. In his own words, from an interview with the Foundation Haute Horlogerie’s journal, “what would be the point of ruining your eyesight? I like a watch to have hands that stand out clearly on the dial.” That’s something we can all appreciate.

The icon of British TV and cinema has been spotted sporting a custom Pinion in the film, The Gentlemen, and a Piaget Polo chronograph in The Undoing, but away from the camera it’s Panerai that remains his watch of choice

WIN

A TRIP TO WATCHES & WONDERS WITH PANERAI

A rare opportunity to join watch world insiders at Geneva’s most important watch show

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Watches & Wonders is without a doubt the most important watch fair in the world. A showcase from the good and great of horology, and a chance to see the next run of timepieces for the coming year. It’s something we here at Oracle Time look forward to – and now you can look forward to it too, courtesy of Panerai.

The Italian heritage watchmaker is offering one reader and a guest the chance to attend Watches & Wonders in Geneva, all expenses paid. You’ll be welcomed and hosted by the brand, and given the chance to discover their latest novelties. You’ll also be going during the press preview, which means that along with being able to see any number of the many, many watchmakers exhibiting, you’ll receive complimentary food and drink throughout. We can say with experience, the food is exceptional.

So, if you’ve ever wanted to experience how the other half of the watch industry live, this is your chance. And as we’ll be there ourselves, don’t forget to come and say hi.

All you need to do to enter is use the QR code –or visit oracleoftime.com – and follow the instructions. Good luck!