Oracle Time - December/January Edition 2021 - Issue 78 by Oracle Time Magazine

WATCHES | ST YLE | CULTUR E

THE LIFESTYLE GUIDE FOR WATCH LOVERS

ISSUE .78

To the Extreme

THE ZENITH DEFY The Double Issue WINTER WARMTH | INTERIOR GREENERY | MEXICAN FLAVOUR

ISSUE 78

5.95

ORACLE TIME #78

WELCOME Editor’s letter

COVER CREDITS Photography: Thomas Pettit Editor: Fraser Vincent Watch: Zenith Defy

I could quite happily forget all about 2021. The past 12 months have been spectacularly awful and, while things have been looking up in the last few, on the whole it’s been a pretty crappy year. Covid continued to make its mark on all our psyches, the political spectrum imploded on itself and most of us were stopped from escaping it all by international lockdowns. It’s not the kind of year you remember; it’s the kind you repress. Still, there have been some good things to come out of it all. Greenery, for one. Over lockdown, most of us have attempted cultivating a green thumb and, as Dominic Lutyens explores on page 124, the same can be said of the interior design industry at large. Biophilia, the integration of plants into architecture, has burst into bloom with ways, both simple and inspired, of integrating the outdoors into your home. That’s a good thing for anyone who, like myself, isn’t particularly enjoying the plummeting temperatures. Fortunately for us, we here in the UK are pretty good when it comes to quality outerwear, as Benedict Browne discovers in our style feature on page 90. In fact, it’s been a good year for outerwear, with Welsh brand Toast launching their first menswear collection; more on that in Nick Carvell’s style edit on page 81. It’s been a good year for Zenith too, particularly when it comes to their Defy collection – our cover star in more ways than one this issue. The new Extreme is an incredible piece, offering superlative performance and a surprising amount of archival influence for such intensely modern pieces. You can read about those influences – and our thoughts on the new quarter of Defy Extreme watches – on page 57. The big watchmakers aren’t the only ones to have weathered the storm of 2021 either; independents are on the up and if there’s one guy that’s attuned to that fact it’s Silas Walton, founder of A Collected Man. The company sold a beautiful Philippe Dufour Grande et Petite Sonnerie earlier in the year for a record-breaking £5 million and, as his collection shows on page 64, the man himself practices what he preaches. While I was getting far too excited by an epic Daniel Roth however, our restaurant specialist Nick Savage was instead chatting to one of the hottest chefs in the world right now, the inimitable Santiago Lastra. His first solo opening KOL may have had a rocky start (it launched in 2019; yikes) but his flair for Mexican dishes using British produce has meant getting a table there is about as hard as finding an F.P. Journe at a decent price. Finally, as we look towards 2022, you’ll probably want to toast the New Year with a fine glass of champagne. Or at the very least, celebrate 2021 finally ending. Aidy Smith’s edit of fine fizz on page 107 has you more than covered, with a few indulgent tidbits on the side. Come the 31st, I’ll certainly be raising a glass of Belle Epoque or two. It’s been a hard year and one that we at Oracle are happy to see the end of. I did however just want to say thank you to everyone that reads these pages, to our contributors and to everyone that has made a print publication in the age of Covid possible. So, without further ado, enjoy this final issue of the year, keep safe, keep sane and we’ll see you in 2022. Sam Kessler, Editor

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ORACLE TIME #78

CONTRIBUTORS WATCHES | STYLE | CULTURE EDITOR

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

Hicham Kasbi

Nick Carvell

A lifelong fan of double denim (even triple on occasion), Nick started his career as the launch social media editor of MR PORTER before leaving to become associate style editor of British GQ, then editor of London men’s magazine The Jackal.

Aidy Smith

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

Jessica Punter

Jessica Punter is a stylist and grooming editor who’s work has appeared in MR PORTER, GQ, Gentlemen’s Journal, Esquire and Sunday Times Style. The only watches she owns are her late grandmother’s and an Hermès Médor (in gold, of course) that really needs to get out more.

Dominic Lutyens

Dominic Lutyens is a freelance arts journalist of some years’ experience, and has three books under his belt, including 70s Style and Design, co-authored with Kirsty Hislop. ‘My thanks to Oracle Time for commissioning my piece on biophilia: I confess to having been pretty green about the subject until the designers and pundits I spoke to enlightened me about it.’

design@opulentmedia.co.uk SUB EDITOR

Dan Mobbs danmobbs@hotmail.com JUNIOR COPYWRITER

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

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

Fraser Vincent JUNIOR DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER

Kirsty Illingworth kirsty@opulentmedia.co.uk

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 End Game watch would be the piece unique Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1.

Nick Savage

Nick will try any dish once, whether it’s tarantula stew in Cambodia, muskox Thai green curry in Greenland or mopane worms in Zimbabwe. As a food and travel journalist, he has travelled the world, but his favourite place to eat will always be London.

DIRECTOR

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

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

Oliver Morgan oliver.morgan@opulentmedia.co.uk 020 7871 4615

George Parker george.parker@opulentmedia.co.uk 020 7871 4616 SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

Phil Peachey Phil.peachey@opulentmedia.co.uk 0203 985 1414 OT MAGAZINE is published monthly by Opulent Media 020 7871 4615

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

ORACLE TIME #78

CONTENTS

OT M AG A ZINE / ISSUE 78

18 — AFICIONADO

57 — DEFYING EXPECTATIONS

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

From the 1969 A3642 to the cutting edge Extreme, the Defy is distinctly different

26 — NEWS

A round-up of what’s going on in the world of luxury and haute horology

45 — DEEP DIVE

Tudor reignite their Marine Nationale partnership with the new Pelagos FXD

50 — THE ORACLE SPEAKS

If your watch starts to lose time without a service there’s a surprisingly simple solution

To call it a statement is to barely scratch the surface. It didn’t look like anything else out there, from Zenith or any other Swiss watchmaker Defying Expectations — p57

ORACLE TIME #78

CONTENTS

82 — COZY UP THIS WINTER

Our edit of toasty items that’ll bring you joy (and warmth) over the coming dark months

90 — OUTERWEAR RENAISSANCE

A new wave of Cool Britannia has arrived and it’s wearing heritage outerwear

99 — WATCH REVIEWS OT gets hands on with Farer and Delma timepieces

107 — CHAMPAGNE GIFT GUIDE

124

There’s no better way to celebrate the season than with a glass of something fabulous

112 — MEET SANTIAGO LASTRA He’s the man on a mission to use local British ingredients in tantalising Mexican food

124 — BLOOMING BIOPHILIA

The idea of integrating the outdoors inside is in bursting into life across the globe 112

“Barbour’s Bedale waxed jackets can literally outlive people, and they represent the best in quality and style” Outerwear Renaissance — p90

142 — IN FOCUS

An elemental piece, a pressure lover, and an accessibly durable watch go under the spotlight

149 – MICROBRAND CORNER

70 — TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF

160 – MOVIE WATCH

The latest trends paired with the most covetable watches

After a turbulent year we discover how the most sought-after pieces have fared

64 — THE COLLECTOR

The founder of A Collected Man shows us that he practices what he preaches

137 — UNSUNG VINTAGE HERO

Introducing the latest and greatest watches from the best small scale independents Get back to where you once belonged with Patek Philippe and the Fab Four

edited by: MICHAEL SONSINO

aficionado The coolest things in the world right now

BACK IN BLACK

Since they launched the series back in 2016, Rolls-Royce’s noir overhaul of their most iconic models, dubbed Black Badge, has come to make up over a quarter of all their commissions. Yeah, it’s been pretty successful and now the British marque is doubling down on the stealthy aesthetic with the purest incarnation yet, the Black Badge Ghost. It’s a beautifully minimal take on the already pared-back Ghost, yet still stately as a lacquered grand piano on wheels. It might well be the coolest Roller ever built. Made to order, rolls-roycemotorcars.com

FRONT — aficionado

FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET

Part sweeping, sculptural work of art, part cutting-edge speed demon made from the same materials as ballistic missiles, Bandit9’s latest looks like a Tron bike through the lens of Zaha Hadid. Available in flowing stealthy black (900cc) or a lighter weight carbon fibre version (1200cc), the Supermarine is powered by a Triumph Twin Engine to speeds of up to 210kmh. So, it doesn’t just look like an architectural bullet, it moves like one, with track specs as standard. There’s nothing else out there quite like it. Made to order, bandit9.com

FRONT — aficionado

RACING GREEN

After their completely oversold, underproduced, 18-piece debut collaboration, the second timepiece from GirardPerregaux and Aston Martin is here and, honestly, it’s what they should have lead with. A beautiful cross-hatched dial inspired by the vintage AM logo, an iridescent British racing green and a unique needle handset taken from old Aston racing instruments; the Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition hits the nail on the head. Even if you’re not a huge fan of the marque (strange as that would be), it’s a stunner, illustrating why the Laureato is the coolest Girard-Perregaux collection around. Discover more at girard-perregaux.com

THE SPECS:

42mm 904L steel case with 100m water resistance • Calibre GP03300 automatic movement with 46-hour power reserve • £14,000, limited to 188 pieces, girard-perregaux.com

FRONT — aficionado

THAT ‘69 SOUND

Everyone that was there – and a fair few people that weren’t – will tell you how phenomenal an experience Woodstock ‘69 was. Sure, that was mainly due to the line-up which included the legendary Jimi Hendrix, but you wouldn’t have heard his fiery licks without McIntosh. Now the iconic audio manufacturer is recreating the monoblock amp that powered Woodstock’s sound in the MC3500 Vacuum Tube Amplifier Mk II. It’s big, blocky and perfectly machined; an ode to the serious vacuum tube sound of yesteryear. Though finding a place for this aluminium monolith might be easier said than done… £16,995, mcintoshlabs.com

FRONT — aficionado

REIGN SUPREME

How do you hype up a brand like Supreme, one that sells out every drop in seconds? By collaborating with Junya Watanabe. The Japanese designer behind Comme des Garçons Man is enough of a megastar to have Kanye West name a song after him. The new collaborative collection brings together the DNA of both brands in a series of GORE-TEX denim, patchwork jackets and peacoats, and plenty of streetwear essentials. Do not expect this collection to hang around long. Discover the full collection at supremenewyork.com

FRONT — aficionado

A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB

While Moncler are usually associated with an apres ski style, the French label has now lavished their signature eye for design on Hoka One One’s Mafate Speed 2. Named after a Māori phrase meaning to ‘fly over the earth’, Hoka’s shoes are designed for the most extreme of environments – in the case of this Moncler collab, the mountains. It’s clean white and silver design evokes fresh powder and while the tricolore laces are a bit on the nose, it’s an incredibly cool, incredibly practical drop and the highlight of Moncler’s House of Genius collection. £215, moncler.com

FRONT — aficionado

MINTY FRESH

When they first burst onto the scene with their refreshing Watermel0n watch, Studio Underd0g quickly became one of our favourite new British brands. Now they’re keeping those summer vibes going with their new Mint Ch0c Chip, the most British of ice cream flavours. Combining a textured mint green dial with various caramel and chocolate tones, the big-eye bi-compax chrono is powered by a surprisingly beautiful Seafull movement and finished with a handmade Chevre Goatskin strap courtesy of The Strap Tailor. This is about as much of an impulse buy as an ice cream in a heatwave. Discover more at underd0g.com

THE SPECS: 38.5mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance • Seagull ST-1901 Manual Wind movement with 45-hour power reserve • £440, underd0g.com

EDITED BY SAM KESSLER

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE LUXURY WORLD

NEWS

LUXE WATCHES EXPAND INTO NFT PROVENANCE Luxury watch retailer Luxe Watches is launching a new scheme whereby your watch purchase can be accompanied by an NFT Certificate of Authenticity. The NFT provides proof of ownership and is a step forward for reliable provenance in a digital age. As the crypto-sphere expands, it’s

refreshing to see the watch industry expand with it, with retailers like Luxe Watches at the forefront. The creation of a unique NFT for your watch makes it, essentially, a one-of-one timepiece, which is something we can all get behind. Find out more at luxewatches. co.uk, to receive your NFT you will require an account with the NFT marketplace opensea.io

As the cryptosphere expands, it’s refreshing to see the watch industry expand with it

FRONT — world news

BULGARI SCOOP TOP GPHG PRIZE Watchmaking’s most prestigious awards ceremony took place in Geneva last month, celebrating the heights of horology in 2021. CEOs and designers from top brands descended on the city to find out who would be walking away with one of the 19 awards and the coveted Aiguille d’Or, aka best in show. In the end, Bulgari took the top prize with the world record holding Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar (bottom). Other highlights included the Grand Seiko Silver Birch (below, left) taking the Men’s category and the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic (below, right) winning for watches under CHF 8,000 (approx. £6,400).

NIKITA MEMBERS CLUB OPENING A new private members club is set to open in Mayfair on 9th December and is set to become a staple of London nightlife. Rather than a classic English club, Club Nikita aims to bring Parisian flair to the table. This is the latest venture of JP Kley, who has previously wowed with clubs like Beat. The club will focus This is the on a relaxed atmosphere with latest venture food available throughout the day, making it an excellent of JP Kley, who place to unwind. has wowed with Learn more at clubs like Beat nikita-london.com

Bulgari took the top prize with the world record holding Octo Finissimo

THE ART SOCIETY COUNTS DOWN TO CHRISTMAS

Each day they send you digital treats including pictures, short films, lectures and virtual tours 27

Advent calendars. The achingly slow countdown to opening all your Christmas presents, day by day, window by window. And in this modern age, probably accompanied by a crumb of chocolate. However, The Art Society have revitalised this waiting period with a free Artvent calendar available online throughout December. Each day they will send you digital treats including pictures, short films, lectures and virtual tours. It’s the perfect accompaniment to the gift of a subscription to the society for the art lover in your life. Sign up at theartssociety.org/ artvent

FRONT — world news

PATEK PHILIPPE DESK CLOCK BRINGS IN MILLIONS FOR CHARITY AUCTION The highly anticipated Only Watch auction took place last month, raising almost CHF 30 million (approx. £24 million) for Duchenne muscular dystrophy research and charities around the world. Only Watch celebrates the highest levels of watchmaking, inviting the top brands from around the world to create custom, one-of-one timepieces for the event. A third of the CHF 29,740,000 was raised by a single timepiece, the Patek Philippe Complicated Desk Clock. A perpetual calendar with a 31-day power reserve inspired by a historic clock from 1923. While the biggest names in watchmaking like Patek and Audemars Piguet did draw the biggest final price tags, it was also a great event for younger independent brands. Baltic’s contribution reached CHF 50,000, signalling that collectors and enthusiasts believe they’re on par with their more established competitors. Hopefully this means more small brands will make a similar leap in the future. As ever with high profile watch auctions, it was a story of auction house estimates being wildly under value. Of the 53 lots, only three of them were accurately predicted, with the others outperforming their top estimates by many, many times. The most extreme example being the Tudor Black Bay GMT One, which sold for CHF 650,000 despite its max estimate being an excessively conservative CHF 8,000. A full list of results is available at christies.com

While the biggest names in watchmaking did draw the biggest final price tags, it was also a great event for younger independent brands

MICHELIN STAR FEAST AND FIRE Take the painfully beautiful grounds of Wilderness Reserve; add one of Britian’s culinary leading lights and throw in a woodland bonfire and you have Feast and Fire. The event kicks off the estate’s partnership with Tom Kerridge, and guests can expect fire dancing, slow roasted meats of every sort and, if you’re in the mood, a touch of axe throwing too. It makes for a mid-winter revel like no other, and promises great things from the east England estate’s upcoming series of Michelin Star parnterships. Learn more at wildernessreserve.com

FRONT — world news

AROUND THE WORLD IN 274 DAYS Royal Caribbean International has announced a new cruise setting sail in 2023 and it’s fittingly called the Ultimate World Cruise. The trip will take place over 274 days from December 2023 to September 2024 aboard the Serenade of the Seas. Needless to say, it’s the longest and most comprehensive cruise in the world, taking in 150 destinations in 65 countries and all seven continents. After the trials of the pandemic, taking a year out for some intense R&R is understandable. To register interest in booking call (00 1) 800-423-2100 or for more information visit royalcaribbean.com

It’s the longest and most comprehensive cruise in the world, taking in 150 destinations in 65 countries and all seven continents

GUESS T H E WATCH

An off-kilter choice last issue but one that brought about both the modern obsession with tourbillons and the popularisation of the tonneau case, it was of course a Franck Muller. Specifically, it was the Grand Central Tourbillon.

Don’t worry too much if you didn’t get it, not only because it’s a niche pick, but because we’re mixing things up now. We have a lot of very handsome watches pass through our hands (and across our wrists). We also love a good macro shot. So, let’s see if you can guess the watch from this extreme close-up! It’s another tourbillon, but giving any more hints than that would make things a bit too obvious.

what is the

WATCH

As ever, for your chance to win a print subscription for you or a fellow watch lover, drop our editor Sam an email with your guess at sam.kessler@opulentmedia.co.uk. Good Luck! CHECK BACK NEXT ISSUE FOR THE ANSWER

FRONT — introducing

SUBSCRIBE TO PRINT MAGAZINE

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VISIT THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS to get your Oracle Time fix. Our favourite is of course within these lovely glossy pages to which you can subscribe via our website. An annual subscription containing 10 issues of the magazine is only £59.50, more value than a serious microbrand watch. Alternatively, you can come and say hello on one of our many digital channels. Instagram is the perfect place to share your wristshots and thoughts with us – remember to use #OTWristshot. Or you can watch our latest video content on YouTube, listening to the dulcet tones of our editor via our website using the QR code in the top right.

OUR INSTAGRAM

FRONT — introducing

WILLIAM WOOD

NEWS

Bronze Ruby

INTRO DUCING

The landmark fifth limited edition wristwatch from William Wood is here and it leans even more heavily into their signature vintage firefighting aesthetic than ever before. Its strong, burgundy dial and bronze case is reminiscent of fire engines of yore. If those engines could speak, they’d have a million stories to tell and so will your watch as it patinas beautifully over time. The Bronze Ruby also comes on a new strap made from upcycled British Fire Kits, a slight departure from the brand’s usual upcycled fire hose.

IN DETAIL

46mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance. Miyota 9039 calibre automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve. £1,295-£1,375 (depending on colourway), ikepod.com

•

IN DETAIL

41mm bronze case with 100m water resistance. Seiko NH35 calibre automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve. £795, limited to 200 pieces (100 available now, 100 for pre-order for February), williamwoodwatches.com •

IKEPOD Seapod

When setting out to design a new, modern diving watch for the Ikepod range, their first port of call was the brand’s debut timepiece, released back in 1996, the Seaslug. Then, Ikepod was a young company, and they hadn’t yet hit upon the UFO design that would become their signature design language. So, the new Seapod combines a dial in the style of that early model with a case that’s in keeping with their modern aesthetic; aliens under the sea. There are three colourways available, each nicknamed after a famous French diver.

FRONT — introducing

IN DETAIL •

42mm titanium case with 300m water resistance. In-house SH21 calibre automatic movement with 120-hour power reserve and hand-finished parts by Chronode. £3,495, limited to 210 pieces, christopherward.com

CHRISTOPHER WARD C60 Concept

At the core of the C60 Concept is the SH21, a movement designed and assembled by Christopher Ward. For a company that made their name flipping third party movements, that’s a big deal. What’s even bigger though is the power reserve – a whopping 120 hours, or five days, whichever way you care to look at it. In essence, the C60 Concept is designed to show off the SH21 to its best - so, it’s been skeletonised with both Armin Strom and Chronode involved in the process. And it shows.

IN DETAIL

42mm titanium case with 1000m water resistance. BALL RR1101-C calibre automatic chronometer movement with 42-hour power reserve. £3,090, shop. ballwatch.ch •

BALL

Engineer Hydrocarbon DeepQUEST Ceramic

Ball’s Engineer Hydrocarbon DeepQUEST is a serious bit of kit. With a water resistance rating of 1,000m, the intent is clear; this is a watch for the most extreme dives. That professional instrumentalism is borne out by its monobloc titanium case and patented helium release valve integrated into the crown itself. However, all that has been true of the watch since it was first released in 2011. The newest version introduces a ceramic bezel for additional scratch resistance and durability, which is always welcome in a diving watch.

FRONT — introducing

VACHERON CONSTANTIN Traditionnelle Complete Calendar

Recently, Vacheron Constantin have been making a song and dance about the Overseas, and while there’s a lot to love there, it feels like the Traditionnelle has been a little sidelined. Well, no more as the collection’s signature complication is getting a makeover in a new Traditionnelle Complete Calendar. The new look switches the previous pink gold case with white and gives it a slate grey dial. It’s a bit more modern, a bit less ostentatious, but otherwise much the same watch.

IN DETAIL

• 41mm white gold case with 30m water resistance. Vacheron Constantin 2460 QCL/1 calibre automatic movement with 40-hour power reserve. £35,100, vacheron-constantin.com

YEMA

Wristmaster Adventurer

Yema’s new Wristmaster Adventurer brings neovintage charm by the bucketload. It’s more of an amalgamation of vintage elements rather than having specific vintage provenance like a reissue, but that just means Yema have been able to combine all the best IN DETAIL parts. A 37mm diameter • 37mm stainless steel case with 100m case with a sweeping design water resistance. and a simple crosshair/ YEMA2000 calibre sector dial, it’s available with automatic movement either a blue or a beige dial. with 42-hour power Originally, the blue was our reserve. €590 favourite but having seen (approx. £500), them in the metal, the beige yema.com is unbeatable.

in-house

WORDS:

SAM KESSLER

WHAT DOES IN-HOUSE REALLY MEAN? THE PROBLEMS WITH DEFINING ONE OF THE VAGUEST TERMS IN THE WATCHMAKING WORLD 37

in-house

The term in-house promises the highest standard of haute horology, but not all promises are the same as there could be a world of difference between a movement that’s ‘made’ and ‘used’ by a brand, so should in-house become a catch-all for any movement exclusive to a particular watch brand?

It’s a term that gets bandied about all the time by any watch brand making a name for themselves. In-house. The majestic conjunction of words promising a gold standard of horological excellence. Any specs sheet with a branded calibre will cry the merits of in-house, the skill and expertise behind an in-house movement and the exclusivity of such a triumph. So, what does it mean? Well, on a base level, it means a movement that's made exclusively by the watchmaker in question. It’s a pretty simple definition on the face of it. It’s also a definition that’s often ignored in favour of a much less impressive one: used exclusively by the watchmaker in question.

That might sound like semantics but it’s a world of difference. ‘Made’ shows that the expertise needed to develop, manufacture and assemble a movement are all under one umbrella, if not one roof, the entire watchmaking machine managed by a single entity. ‘Used’ is just a case of licencing. Sometimes, in fact, it’s not even that. I think we can all agree that a custom rotor does not a new movement make, yet the disingenuity behind the in-house moniker often goes that far. Not that I’m going to name names, mind you. They know who they are. As do plenty of watch forums, if you want to dig a little deeper.

That of course is the bottom of the barrel, and there’s plenty of grey area between fully in-house and the barest minimum of effort. Take Swatch Group as a conceptual exercise, specifically their mid-level brands like Hamilton and Longines. The pair of them use movements designed and developed by ETA, which is also owned by Swatch Group. Are they in-house? Well, if you take Swatch Group as an overarching entity – which, given their sharing of resources is valid – then yes, they are. If you take them as individual brands, which is fast becoming a thing of the past, they might not be. The name doesn’t impact the quality of the movements, which are more than solid in some cases, it just has a bearing on the prestige around them. Then there’s the brand that created the impetus for this little discourse, Bremont. In the past, Bremont has been one of the problem children of misusing in-house, stretching the term more than McDonald’s does ‘restaurant.’ Recently though, they launched the ENG 300, their first movement made and assembled at their new facility in Henley-on-Thames. It’s a lovely looking movement with decent specs. It’s also in many ways, an old movement, based on the K1 built by THE+, the movement-maker behind Horage. Bremont though bought the rights to use and produce the movement, using it as a jumping off point that after a fair amount of development led to the ENG 300. There’s no denying that Bremont put the work in to level up the calibre and it’s a stunner, but as Mike France, CEO of Christopher Ward (who, incidentally have their own, truly in-house movement) pointed out in our recent interview with him, anyone else could do the same with the K1. In essence, it’s not a Bremont original, it’s a sequel – and like The Empire Strikes Back, it’s better than what it’s based on. Is that, then, an in-house movement? The short answer in the current

In the past, Bremont has been one of the problem children of misusing in-house, stretching the term more than McDonald’s does ‘restaurant’ 38

in-house

climate is yes – but. In-house itself has become such a nebulous term as to have become all but meaningless, a tag rather than a defining feature. In my humble opinion, the only way around that would be to slightly amend the definition of in-house as a term. I’d propose that in-house become a catch-all for any movement exclusive to a particular watch brand. A few adjustments here and there, maybe an aesthetic tweak or bolting on a modular complication, that all takes effort, even

if minimal. It would be unfair to simply say they don’t count. Manufacture on the other hand should mean that it's fully developed and assembled under one roof. Sure, some components can be bought in, I don’t expect even the grandest of horological maisons to start creating synthetic rubies, but the vast majority should be. Better men than I are welcome to discuss what that benchmark should be, but it should leave no room for manoeuvre.

None of this is to say that an in-house movement is any better or worse than a third-party movement. There are pros and cons to both; cost vs. prestige, doing something for yourself vs. making the most of outside experts. I’m not here to judge which is better as that way lies madness. But that discussion should be a separate one from simply being transparent about what your movement is, who made it and why. If we need new framings for the same, tired old phrases then so be it.

Justin Hast is quite possibly the most optimistic man in the British watch industry. It’s borderline frustrating. It’s not just his innate charm either; as a photographer, consultant, writer (among these august pages, at that) and publisher of The Watch Annual, he wears more hats than a self-obsessed milliner. He’s a true renaissance man of the watch world. It’s a level of investment into horology that one simply wouldn’t be able to do unless fired by a serious passion for timepieces. “It all started, honestly, when I was 21 with the Omega Constellation I got from my dad. No-one in the family came from a watch background of design for that matter – or anything creative, both my parents are lawyers. That watch captured me. I didn’t know what it was but as soon as I put it on, I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen. “I don’t really have any other material interests. I’m not into cars or any of the other things that align – or people think align – with watches, but it’s the one thing that’s really hooked me. I didn’t know how, but I needed to learn more about them, which led to me starting a blog.” The blog in question was Kangkono. com, which in Zulu means ‘to be better’, a nod to Justin’s South African heritage. The blog’s now defunct, unfortunately, but it served as a testing ground for both Justin’s writing and photography. At this point though it was still very much a side project, so much so that it really wasn’t his day job. In fact, between door-to-door cigarette sales, construction and anything else he could give a good go, there was nothing that panned out. Given Justin doesn’t drink or smoke, that first makes sense, but it was clear nothing quite clicked. “I even worked at McDonald’s for a while. I turned up in a suit and they all thought I was there from head office to streamline them or something, until I put a hairnet on. I wasn’t allowed on the Big Macs though, they stuck me on Quarter Pounders.”

Words:

Sam Kessler

Man of Influence:

JUSTIN HAST

THE UNERRINGLY OPTIMISTIC RENAISSANCE MAN OF THE BRITISH WATCH WORLD ON WATCHES, PHOTOGRAPHY AND FLIPPING BURGERS AT MCDONALD’S

man of influence

Clockwise: The IWC Big PIlots Top Gun Edition Mojave Desert, IWC Big Pilots Perpetual Calendar, and Linde Werdelin Spidospeed Gold all featured in Justin’s latest edition of The Watch Annual

Fortunately for him (and probably his local Maccy D’s) things kicked off when he collided with IWC. “A mentor of mine wore an IWC Portugieser chronograph and I remember at dinner one time, saying how elegant it was. From that moment, I fell for the brand and wanted to learn more about them. I went into their boutique and asked what I could do to work with them, no money or anything, just the opportunity get my hands on the watches. So, we started taking a few Instagram shots together. They let me in from the cold.” The localised IWC account took off and grew very, very quickly and it wasn’t long before Justin’s shots were getting a lot of attention, the beginning of what is still a very important

“A mentor of mine wore an IWC Portugieser chronograph and I remember at dinner one time, saying how elegant it was. From that moment, I fell for the brand” relationship for both parties. From there, he ended up doing some work with our friends over at Monochrome before taking a permanent position at Revolution – “the only interview was Wei [Koh] grilling me on the movements of his watch collection over WhatsApp” – and from there, the freelance polymath he is today. “I didn’t choose watches, watches chose me. Yes, I know that’s corny, but

it’s true! You can have the best will in the world to create anything in life, but if you don’t have a genuine passion of the soul, you’ll be distracted, and it won’t work. For the past 15 years, watches have been a permanent part of my thought process, a mad obsession and I love it.” You can see that obsession first-hand with the publication of this year’s Watch Annual, the second edition of

justin hast

This is the second edition of Justin’s The Watch Annual, which this year includes the Vacheron Constantine Overseas Everest Edition (above), and the JaegerLeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon Phase (left)

“For the past 15 years, watches have been a permanent part of my thought process, a mad obsession and I love it” 43

the photography-led tome for watch lovers, by watch lovers. Indeed, you may even spot a familiar photo courtesy of Oracle Time in there. I won’t spoil which one, though. It’s a book that’s open to anyone with an eye for a decently composed photo, though if you’re unsure whether yours are up to snuff, Justin himself has a few tips. “First, take more photos, that’s the big one. It’s the only way you develop your own DNA and even failing is good to help you understand what doesn’t work. Second, shoot watches you love. Whether it’s writing or images, that love of the watch – or lack of it – comes through. Finally, shoot in natural light as much as possible. We go to boutiques and trade shows and it’s bloody tough to get anything approaching a decent shot. No matter how good your gear, your eye, it’s never going to be great. The best stuff is always off the cuff.” Of course, it probably helps to have a good watch to shoot, and this year has definitely been an interesting one for fine timepieces. So, what’s caught Justin’s eye? “It’s not new but I’m in a bidding war for an obscure AP annual calendar table clock in brass. It has a pusher on top to change the day but it doesn’t actually tell the time. My most recent purchase was a Ressence that I love, it really shows why independent watchmakers are on the up and I have a personal relationship with the brand that makes it mean that much more. They bridge the gap between the philosophical and the mechanical. Again, cheesy, I know. Otherwise, I have my eye on a Patek Philippe Ellipse. That might be a pipedream, though.” As for Justin’s watch of the year… well, to avoid spoiling the big reveal in The Watch Annual, you’ll just have to wait and see. For my part, I can see why he’s gone for that particular model. It’s a fantastic timepiece. The latest edition of The Watch Annual is out this month. Find out more and purchase your own copy at thewatchannual.com.

FRONT — tudor marine

WORDS: SAM KESSLER

DEEP DIVE TUDOR REIGNITE THEIR MARINE NATIONALE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW PELAGOS FXD

FRONT — tudor marine

Tudor is teaming up with the French Navy once again and, rather than lavishing yet more attention on their handsome yet often focused-on Black Bay, the watchmaker’s taken the opportunity to shine the spotlight on the ultra-cool Pelagos. This is the Pelagos FXD – and I love it. Last time Tudor and Marine Nationale were uttered in a single breath, it led to the 9401 Marine Nationale MN78 Submariner. If you want to know just how important that particular watch is, try and buy one right now. Good luck to you. It’s a relationship that dates back to 1956, with Tudor becoming the official timepiece supplier to the French Navy in 1961.

The Pelagos FXD takes its design cues from that original 9401 – the Snowflake configuration at least – and has been developed in concert with the Marine Nationale’s combat swimmers. In short, this is serious diving fare, with a fair few changes to Tudor’s formula. The bezel is even more unusual. It’s not the unidirectional type we’re used to seeing on most divers – and therefore not the ISO 6425:2018 standard. Instead, the two-way, 12-notch, 60 to 0 scale is specifically designed for combat swimmers and their specialty form of ‘underwater navigation’. In short, underwater navigation for combat swimmers means following a series of waypoints

Tudor’s collaboration with Marine Nationale has switched attention from the 9401 Marine Nationale MN78 Submariner to the Pelagos FXD, which wears its military credentials proudly with a two-way, 12-notch, 60 to 0 scale that’s specifically designed for combat swimmers

It’s a relationship that dates back to 1956, with Tudor becoming the official timepiece supplier to the French Navy in 1961 46

FRONT — tudor marine

without surfacing to reach a destination. They need to be exact and restart the countdown every time there’s a planned change of course. So, while other dive bezels – designed to illustrate time spent underwater – need to remain static for safety, this one needs to be moved regularly underwater, hence the dual directionality and oversized bezel ring. The dial is standard Tudor fare, with the brand’s signature Snowflake hour hand in a matte blue, matching that of the bezel. It’s a nice fit with the titanium case and makes for the pared-back look of an instrument, a world apart from their recent Black Bay 18K and 925 pieces.

It’s also COSCcertified and offers a weekend-proof 70-hour power reserve. That’s enough for even the most ambitious military dive

Housed in the 42mm case is the MT5602 manufacturer calibre with its monoblock tungsten rotor. It alternates brushed and polished surfaces so that, while not as ornate as many a watch movement, still shows off some solid finishing. It’s also COSCcertified (not quite up to Master Chronometer spec here, unfortunately) and offers a weekend-proof 70hour power reserve. That’s enough for even the most ambitious military dive. The Pelagos FXD comes with a pair of straps, a woven-effect rubber number in a dial-matched blue, or a darker, fabric one with a grey central stripe and self-gripping fastening system. The latter is the standout of course, and can be fastened without fiddling with a buckle – if, say, you were underwater. Oh, and if you were hoping for a bracelet then you’re out of luck, as the Marine Nationale never ordered Tudors with bracelets, and they’re not changing anything here. The re-ignited collaboration between Tudor and the Marine Nationale; a collector’s darling and the diving institution that helped create one of their most iconic timepieces, could be a pricey bit of kit, and hard to get hold of. But it’s not. For one, this is not a limited edition. The Marine National caseback engraving will change every year – the M.N.21 will shift up a digit each year – but production will keep on. For another, it will set you back a surprisingly affordable £2,920. A future classic? Quite probably.

The Marine National caseback M.N.21 engraving will shift up a digit each year (above) on the surprisingly affordable watch, which comes with either a woven-effect rubber or fabric strap, but no bracelet as the Marine Nationale never ordered Tudors with bracelets

stay lubricated

THE ORACLE SPEAKS The wizardry of the watch world explained Words by MAT CRADDOCK

[Watch Lubrication]

Why does a watch need regular servicing? I don’t mean repairing the damage of a clumsily swung arm or buffing out scratches in metal or crystal, I mean why, even if your watch is safe and sequestered in a watch box its entire life, will it still start to lose time without a service? The answer’s simpler than you might expect: lubrication. When asked by King Louis XVI to build him the perfect watch, legendary watchmaker Abraham Louis Breguet replied with: “give me the perfect oil and I will give you the perfect watch!” That goes some way to explaining just how important good lubricating oil is to the minute mechanics of a fine timepiece.

Lubricating oil is what stop a watch grinding itself to pieces with friction. It’s what stops the various metal components rubbing against each other, which is important for two reasons. It means it takes less energy to move the various components of a watch, helping the power reserve live up to its potential. Secondly, it stops general wear and tear on the movement, helping it last longer without you needing to replace parts. Indeed, friction is enough of an enemy of fine mechanics that pretty much every major advancement in watchmaking that’s stuck is centred on reducing it. Synthetic rubies are used specifically because of their lack of friction; the same goes for silicon parts, among its other properties. Even things like the George Daniels Co-Axial Escapement were designed specifically to help reduce the amount of surface contact between parts. Even Roger Smith, George Daniel’s protégé and the finest living British watchmaker has been working on the problem with Manchester Metropolitan University. The concept is to create a nanotech coating of molybdenum disulphide that would, in theory, reduce friction to negligible amounts, eliminating the need for oil entirely. Unfortunately, we’re not there yet, so it’s worth learning a bit more about the oils in your watch and how they can impact its running. There are two distinct types of oil that are used in watchmaking: natural and synthetic. You’ll often find natural oils have been used in older vintage pieces, derived from anything from vegetables to sperm whale oil and is why some old pieces might smell a bit. The main issue with this was that it gummed up, and would stop the watch – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Synthetic lubricants are the opposite. They don’t gum up and instead just evaporate from the movement, meaning the watch doesn’t stop. This in turn means that the pivots can keep running, creating friction and wearing down the metal bit by bit, eventually damaging the watch.

stay lubricated

Lubricating oil is vital to a watch’s health, as it stops it grinding itself to pieces with friction and so maintain a perfect watch, just ask King Louis XVI

stay lubricated

Replacing gummed up sperm whale oil or a modern lubricant that’s evaporated is the reason why watches need regular servicing, as nothing else should really be going wrong

“ The rotor of an automatic movement and the barrel arbours need a thicker oil, while the escapement needs a particularly fine oil ”

Either way, you’ll need to replace the lubricant and that means a service. In fact, it’s the reason watches need regular servicing in the first place; nothing else should really be going wrong. It’s the servicers job to disassemble the movement, clean off all the old dirt and oil residue that will have built up, re-oil and put it back together again. For a trained professional its second nature and, honestly, for simpler calibres it’s not too hard for an amateur either.

The one key tenet above all others is that the oil should only be applied after the parts have been thoroughly cleaned. Otherwise, the remaining dirt and dust will create an oily paste that’s hell for the delicate parts of a movement. There are a lot of different oils you can use out there and generally the technical guide for your watch will tell you the best one to use. Weightier parts like the rotor of an automatic movement and the barrel arbours need a thicker oil, while the escapement needs a particularly fine oil. Mainsprings surprisingly don’t need any oil and you should avoid doing so. Now, I’m not saying you should take your watch apart and start oiling it yourself to avoid a service now and then. You should always let a professional handle these things. But this way you at least know what you’re looking at when you open your watch up and find its gummy, dirty or visibly worn. Fortunately, modern oils are getting better and better, allowing for ever longer service intervals. And hey, if Roger Smith has his way, it might not be long before modern lubricants are as much a thing of the past as sperm whale oil. Here’s hoping.

FRONT — defying expectations

DEFYING EXPECTATIONS

WORDS: SAM KESSLER

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ZENITH DEFY

FRONT — defying expectations

You’d be forgiven for assuming that the history of Zenith lived and died on the El Primero. Indeed, the number of revival pieces in recent years based on that legendary racing chronograph would suggest the same. And there’s nothing wrong with relying on your greatest hit, particularly when it was one of the most impactful calibres ever built. But by focusing too heavily on the El Primero, Zenith have a tendency to forget about their other, nonchronograph models. Sure, there are undoubtedly some pieces in old, dusty catalogues that deserve to be relegated to the archives, but the 1969 A3642 Defy is not one of them. With its chunky octagonal case and tetradecagonal (14-sided) bezel, the first A3642 looks like a progenitor of the kind of heavily faceted, industrial style that Gerald Genta would become the maestro of only a handful of years later. In fact, in many ways it was more daring than what would follow. Unlike later sports luxe pieces however, the Defy backed up those intense looks with equally impressive performance. The A3642 was dubbed “Il casa forte del tempo” or “the strong house of time” and lived up to the moniker. Its fortress of a case offered a hard outer layer and a movement (the excellent Caliber 2562PC) supported by a flexible rubber ring for added shock resistance. Although it doesn’t say so on the dial, it was also water resistant to 300m.

To call it a statement is to barely scratch the surface. It didn’t look like anything else out there, from Zenith or any other Swiss watchmaker

The 1969 A3642 Defy with its chunky octagonal case and tetradecagonal (14-sided) bezel was in a world of its own upon release, and had more in common with the emerging subset of Avant Garde independent horologists than it did with its competitors

In short, the Defy was built to survive, and did so better than most of its contemporaries. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough for the watch buying public and despite (or perhaps because of) its extraordinary looks, it didn’t sell all that well. It’s very possible that the Defy was simply before its time. The look is what we’d consider pure early seventies and the trend for big, robust sports watches from serious watchmakers hadn’t yet caught on, so it perhaps wasn’t a surprise when Zenith toned things down for the second generation of Defy. The next gen kept the same 14-sided bezel and oversized, ridged indexes as the first run, but toned down the case a lot. Gone was that striking, multifaceted look in favour of something a bit more in line with the rest of the Zenith range. However, this was also the first time the Defy had a chronograph to call its own in the form of the Zenith Manufacture Caliber 3019 PHC, an El Primero movement with a date. From the next few decades, the Defy continued on as, basically, a more rugged El Primero, the upper end of Zenith’s sports collection and, honestly, kind of fell under the radar. That was until the mid-2000s and the Defy Extreme. In many ways, the Extreme put Zenith back in the limelight after a fair amount of time out of it. To call it a statement is to barely scratch the surface. It didn’t look like anything else out there, from Zenith or any other Swiss watchmaker, more akin to the emerging subset of Avant Garde independent horologists than anything else, complete with open worked dials showing off the El Primero movements inside. And yet, it fit nicely into the overarching history of the Defy name, a collection that since its inception had been big, bold and disruptive. While there’s a scant aesthetic thread linking the Extreme to the 1969 A3642, thematically it was a perfect continuation. It was brash and aggressive, a styling matched by its extreme performance. It wasn’t for everyone, and it didn’t pretend to be – to the point where if you do fall in love with them, you can pick up a preowned Extreme for surprisingly little. These days the Defy is a hybrid of all that has come before. The Defy Classic, Defy El Primero 21 and all their variants share similar characteristics, such as openworked dials, integrated bracelets and the kind of bold look that falls somewhere between the Extreme and that seventies second generation of Defy. It’s a balancing act that’s finally allowed the Defy to become the successful collection it has always promised to be, but never quite managed; a bolder, sportier, more innovative take on the classic El Primero pieces. Zenith however have never forgotten that original, many-faceted 1969 Defy, a piece so far ahead of its time that, with the seventies back in full swing, suddenly seems like its overdue a return. And return it has – in the form of the Zenith Defy Extreme.

FRONT — xxxxxxxx

A 781 Chronograph EL PRIMERO Automatic 36 000 Ah. Waterproof

Clockwise: A commercial history of the Defy starting with a scholarly advert from 1971, an extract from the Zenith catalogue from 1971-1972, Zenith Flash 1970, and the Zenith catalogue 1969-1970

FRONT — to the extreme

Take everything you’ve just read and throw it out the window. Sure, the Defy Extreme may take some aesthetic quirks from the models of the past – and, indeed, the current baseline Defy – but it’s like comparing a vintage DB5 to a Valkyrie. They may wear the same badge, but there’s really no comparison. In the overarching Zenith pantheon, the Defy collection has always been the patron saint of cuttingedge innovation, the testing ground for all of the watchmaker’s weird and wacky ideas. When Zenith built their insane new oscillator, it was always going to be the Defy LAB, not the El Primero LAB. And while the Extreme isn’t quite as, well, extreme as that ludicrous piece of bleeding edge horology, the new

Definitely not a timepiece for the shy and retiring, the new macho design measures in at a girthy 45mm across, making it large even for a sporty chronograph and this is exaggerated by its tiered chronograph pushers

pieces still push the envelope further than Royal Mail. The new design starts with the case. It’s sharper, more aggressive than any previous Zenith, multilayered, multi-faceted and macho. Measuring in at 45mm across, it’s large even for a sporty chronograph. In fact, it wears slightly larger even than that thanks to its tiered chronograph pushers. It’s not a timepiece for the shy and retiring. That multi-level approach to the case design has allowed Zenith to play with both materials and finishing across the now four-piece collection. The titanium cases are either brushed, for a lighter, steel-adjacent finish, or micro-blasted for a darker gunmetal hue, with contrasting bezel rings and pushers in either blacked out titanium or polished gold. So far, only one model uses the gold, paired with the darker grey of the micro-blasted metal, but there’s plenty of ways Zenith can go with the Extreme formula, and I fully expect the collection to get fleshed out with plenty of different options in the future. Indeed, the coolest of the collection so far takes a pretty unexpected route. While the majority of the case is still the same brushed titanium, the aptly named Desert contrasts the aerospace metal with something a lot more organic: Falcon’s Eye. The strata laden gemstone makes for a subtly eyecatching finish that opens the door to a huge number of aesthetic combinations. Perhaps that means custom options in the future? Probably not, but here’s hoping. After all, the Extreme would make George Bamford weep for the number of potential colour and material combinations it opens up. It’s a confident designer’s horological wet dream. Of course, the outside is only the first layer of this particular watchmaking onion and its beauty is far more than skin-deep. The Extreme collection uses the El Primero 9004 automatic calibre, a superb 1/100th second chronograph.

The Defy collection has always been the patron saint of cuttingedge innovation, the testing ground for all of the watchmaker’s weird and wacky ideas 60

FRONT — to the extreme

TO THE

EXTREME THE CUTTING-EDGE (AND SEMI-TRANSPARENT) FACE OF ZENITH’S SEMINAL DEFY COLLECTION

FRONT — to the extreme

The chronograph uses an escapement that beats at 360,000vph. High-beat doesn’t even come into it, and the sound it makes is utterly fantastic

That kind of performance is achieved by having two distinct escapements. On the one hand, you have the ‘standard’ escapement, beating at 5hz, or 36,000 vibrations per hour. That’s the equivalent of the Grand Seiko hi-beat and other high frequency (and therefore high accuracy) watches. The chronograph on the other hand, uses an escapement that beats at 360,000vph. High-beat doesn’t even come into it, and the sound it makes is utterly fantastic. Of course, the power that second escapement requires is absolutely massive. Even with a double barrel, the power reserve on this monster of a movement is 50-hours. That’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, it just seems low for two mainsprings working in tandem, if completely understandable. Extreme performance doesn’t come without Extreme power. The movement can be seen partially through the smoked sapphire crystal that makes up the better part of the dial, though not enough for me to consider these openworked. It shows a hint of the calibre underneath, not an unobstructed view, a signature of the Defy collection as a whole. As a final flourish, each movement is finished with a differently coloured rotor - black, blue or rose gold to match the other highlights on the watch. On the wrist, all three models we were able to shoot (to our chagrin, the Desert is completely sold out) feel large but not unmanageable. In fact, they’re satisfying to wear, even for my lockdown-atrophied wrists. They’re the kind of over-the-top dimensions that looks good no matter your wrist size. The lightness of the titanium helps makes them that much more wearable too, particularly on the bracelet versions which feel supernaturally light. So how do they compare to the Defy models of old? Honestly, they don’t. As I said at the beginning, there’s no ground on which the two are equal. There’s a retro charm to the Defy references of old, an aesthetic very much of their era that more collectors should be enamoured by. The Extreme on the other hand is pure cutting-edge performance. There’s still room in Zenith’s collection for vintageinspired pieces of course, and the watchmaker’s leant heavily on their archives in recent years. But when it comes to the future of the Defy… well, it’s Extreme.

While it shares a name with the 1969 A3642, the Extreme is definitely not a retrograde imitation of a well-loved classic and is instead a chunky, but supernaturally light timepiece of pure cutting-edge performance

the collector

Words:

Sam Kessler

The Collector:

Silas Walton THE FOUNDER OF A COLLECTED MAN KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT SERIOUS INDEPENDENT WATCHMAKERS AND, AS HIS COLLECTION SHOWS, HE PRACTICES WHAT HE PREACHES

the collector

The last few years has seen an incredible – and some might say overdue – boom in high-end, independent watchmaking, with the likes of F.P. Journe, Kari Voutilainen et al making headlines at auction. And more power to them. These aren’t your massive manufactures pumping out thousands of pieces a year. Hell, some of them rarely make it into the hundreds. Yet while for many collectors, independents are just now becoming appealing. For Silas Walton, founder of A Collected Man, they’ve been the mainstay of his collection for years. And he knows his stuff. Earlier in the year the platform sold a Philippe Dufour Grande et Petite Sonnerie wristwatch for a record-breaking $7.63 million. So, we asked the man himself to give us a brief stroll through his personal collection, which houses some truly incredible pieces ranging from a classically beautiful Patek Philippe to an eyecatching Daniel Roth.

Silas Walton’s burgeoning collection includes a Daniel Roth steel tourbillon (left) of which only 20 were made and a 1995 skeletonised perpetual calendar from Vacheron Constantin (below), which he counts as one of his top three pieces

How did you first get into watches? So… my approach was the opposite to most people in the space. When I started the company, I wouldn’t describe myself as a ‘watch guy’, just someone that spent a couple of paychecks on watches. The first watch I ever bought was a boot sale pocket watch. It’s ironically being in this from a business point of view that I’ve since fallen down the rabbit hole. The more I’ve learned over the last four or five years, the more I love collecting – and the more I’ve been trading up for pieces I genuinely love.

What was the first serious watch you ever added to your collection? I don’t have it any more, but the first piece I was really excited about, that I really just went a bit crazy over and spent all my savings on was a 3940G Patek Philippe perpetual calendar, a very slim watch with a micro rotor movement with a svelte case. I’d always been a fan of perpetual calendars, of anything with a moon phase and I saw someone I knew well wearing a 3940 for a while, and had always looked at it with a degree of envy. I was writing an absurdly short 200-word piece for a private bank magazine – it was completely random – about how it was a great investment and I realised that I wasn’t practicing what I preached. So I decided to buy one and had it on my wrist by the end of the day.

And the first serious Independent? I believe it was a Daniel Roth steel tourbillon that I still have. Only 20 were made, from the early days of the brand. I’d gone from hating the case shape a couple years earlier and never thinking that I’d wear that tonneau shaped case, to loving it and really enjoying it. I love that it was part of his early story before the brand started to become more collectible. I also got a Journe tourbillon from 2001 with a brass movement and rose gold dial. There are only five or six known; it was my dream watch for a long time. I don’t have it any more though; I sold it simply because it became too much of a concentration of

the collector

“I’m just going to need to carry on as far as I can collecting stuff that has a special quality to it; that makes sense and see where it takes me” 66

the collector

what I had. I wanted to essentially split it into a number of pieces I was after. If I had a big house, security and specialised insurance it would have been great, but I couldn’t risk it being stolen.

Which of your pieces has been getting the most wear recently? Oof. I rotate constantly but the one I’d not normally mention, the only one I wore consistently during lockdown was the modern Daytona with a black dial; the 116500LN, and I just wore that constantly. I wore that watch all the time, it’s just such a solid, safe watch that you don’t need to worry about. I wear all my watches, bar maybe a solid white gold one, but this was definitely my daily wearer. Otherwise I’ve been wearing my Rexhep Rexhepi a fair amount recently, which I love.

collection it’s in now, but it was maybe the first watch that kindled my interest and my personal journey. It’s the one that got away. Otherwise, not buying a Simplicity when it came my way, though that was always more than I could afford.

So, what are you on the lookout for right now? I’ve spent a lot of time refining my collection down and its now at a point where I’m happy with it. It’s going to be trickier, I’m definitely going to want to

collect more independents in the future and I’ll probably want to commission Kari [Voutilainen] at some point. We’ll do some limited editions over the next couple of years that I’m sure I won’t want to pass up on and if Vacheron re-release the 222 that’ll definitely stoke my interest. I’m just going to need to carry on as far as I can collecting stuff that has a special quality to it, that makes sense and see where it takes me. I also have a special piece on order that’ll be here in a couple of years, but I can’t talk about it.

Silas commissioned a Smith Series 1 (below) four years ago that takes pride of place in his collection and he took delivery of it a few months ago. He designed the one of a kind piece in titanium and with white infilled numerals

What are the top three pieces in your collection? My Smith Series 1 is up there that I commissioned four years ago and took delivery of about two months ago. It’s a unique piece I designed with Roger. It has a 38mm case, titanium, white infilled numerals; all things he’d not done before. Second would probably be my Rexhep Rexhepi. Then it’s probably a toss-up between my Roth and a 1995 skeletonised perpetual calendar from Vacheron Constantin. VC did me a favour and went into the archives to find out about it as there were so few of them, less than 20 with blue subdials and 150 in platinum, of which this is one. There were only 650-odd in total, so for my money this is probably the rarest perpetual calendar of its period and of its shape and movement ever. I don’t think they come any rarer. I didn’t even know this blue subdial version existed until someone showed it to me and I fell in love.

Are there any pieces you regret not adding to your collection? We get a lot of fantastic pieces through so there are plenty, but the one that stands out is the very first Voutilainen Observatoire, one of the first independents we ever sold. I know where it went and I’m pleased with the

STYLE — autumn tones

turning over a new leaf

Fallen leaves have blanketed the country’s roads and paths with rich autumnal colours, so to celebrate those tones we’re showing off the latest seasonal trends, paired with some of the most covetable new watch releases around

Styling by JESSICA PUNTER Photography by THOMAS PETTIT & FRASER VINCENT

STYLE — autumn tones

Oliver Spencer grandpa coat, £459, oliverspencer.co.uk Polo Ralph Lauren fair isle sleeveless knit, £1,395, blue Oxford shirt, £95, and chino trousers, £125, ralphlauren. co.uk 8 by Yoox sand suede boots, £150, yoox.com Glashutte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar, £18,200, limited to 100 pieces, glashuette-original.com

STYLE — autumn tones

Baltic MR01, £458, baltic-watches.com

STYLE — autumn tones

Oliver Spencer cord suit jacket, £359, and trousers, £185, oliverspencer.co.uk Sunspel shawl neck cashmere jumper, £295, sunspel.com MR. P fringed houndstooth scarf, £95, mrporter.com Moncler Lunettes optical frames, £244, misterspex.co.uk Myrqvist chocolate suede boots, £229, myrqvist.co.uk

Harley-Davidson Softail Heritage Classic 114 from £19,995, harley-davidson.com

STYLE — autumn tones

Yema Wristmaster, $590, en.yema.com

STYLE — autumn tones

MR P. chore jacket, £725, mrporter.com David Gandy Wellwear heritage henley top, £70, davidgandywellwear.com Kapital printed cotton bandana, £30, mrporter.com Gant check trousers, £175, gant.co.uk 8 by Yoox sand suede boots, £150, yoox.com

STYLE — autumn tones

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar, £35,100

STYLE — autumn tones

MR P. checked wool overcoat, £795, mrporter.com Polo Ralph Lauren black wool roll neck, £139, ralphlauren.co.uk Tommy Hilfiger khaki pull-on trousers, £130, uk.tommy.com Miansai gold vermeil chain, £120, mrporter.com Myrqvist chocolate suede boots, £229, myrqvist.co.uk

STYLE — autumn tones

Farer Lander Midnight, £1,190, farer.com

STYLE — autumn tones

Frame brown cashmere overcoat, £1,005, frame-store.com Rowing Blazers patchwork blazer, £840, rowingblazers.com Frame brown cashmere sweater, £435, frame-store.com Polo Ralph Lauren prepster cotton trousers, £135, ralphlauren.co.uk.

Styling by Jessica Punter, Photography by Thomas Pettit and Fraser Vincent , Grooming by Tim Pateman at The Lion & The Fox, Model: Marvin Addae at Select

Myrqvist chocolate suede boots, £229, myrqvist.co.uk

Style \

90 /

A new wave of Cool

Britannia has arrived

70 /

and it's wearing

heritage outerwear

The latest trends

paired with the most covetable watches \

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EDITED BY

NICK CARVELL

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Brave the cold with our edit of warmth hoarding

Cozy up with toasty

must-haves

items that’ll bring you joy (and warmth) over the coming dark months \

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The Swedish brand proving that quality and cost aren’t

Winter warmers

>—> It figures that, now we’re no longer trapped isolated in our own houses by lockdown measures, we’re instead trapped by the icy cold of a (rather mild) British winter. But with every setback comes an opportunity and if that opportunity comes in the form of a fantastic winter coat, then so be it. Who are we to complain? Well, we have coats aplenty this issue, along with a scattering of winter weather essentials that’ll keep you feeling fireside warm wherever your travels may take you. Even if it’s just down to the pub.

Oracle Style — Dec.21

mutually exclusive

STYLE — style manifesto

Cozy up

Workout gear to get your blood pumping

We’ve tipped over into the seasons where we live most of our lives in the dark, and the small window of daylight is plagued by the full gamut of mother nature’s most antisocial, teethchattering weather. We all need comfort wherever we can find it right now, and while the sight of twinkling fairy lights might warm your heart on a cold winter’s morning, they certainly don’t warm your body - that can only be achieved by a pre-Christmas self-gifting session. So, here's our edit of toasty items that’ll bring you joy (and warmth) over the coming dark months.

>—> Whether you’re dedicated to fitness at the gym or in the great outdoors, you’re going to need a bit of extra protection on these cold winter mornings. Thankfully, Swedish underwear-crafter CDLP has just released Mobilite, its first line of dedicated performance undergarments. Cut from recycled polyester, the range has been designed with mesh ventilation, non-chafing seams, no-tag constructions, and superior moisture-wicking and quick-drying properties. The black long-sleeve performance shirt with a bang-on-trend mini funnel neck is not only chillbeatingly practical, but is also - in my humble opinion - one of the coolest-looking items you could possibly add to your workout wardrobe right now. cdlp.com

Toasty top-layers

Honey, it’s cold outside

>—> Much like your wine, it feels like now’s the time to swap out your fresh, sparkling summer scents for something a little more full-bodied and mellow. Jo Malone London’s new festive release, Starlit Mandarin and Honey, is like a hug in a bottle. It hits the skin with a warm burst of fragrant, sweet citrus, then dries down into a vanilla-y, rich scent thanks to undertones of honey and coumarin (a note that gives a wonderful caramalised edge to the juice). Much like your Christmas Day panettone, this scent is something that you’ll keep going back to again and again. Plus, that limited edition bottle is going to look superb on your nightstand. £105 for 100ml. jomalone.co.uk

>—> Founded in Wales in the late 90s, womenswear label Toast has achieved a kind of cult-like status thanks to its emphasis on craftsmanship, quality and creating pieces that feel as though they will last a lifetime. Now, after over two decades, the brand has branched out into menswear - and it’s been worth the wait. This first collection is imbued with a beautiful sleek’n’slouchy vibe, and packed with pieces that feel both exciting and timeless (check out the burnt orange and blue Fair Isle sweater, the goldenbrown single pleat cords and the lavender organic cotton T-shirt). However, it’s the outerwear that steals the show, most notably the insulated green padded-cotton jacket and sumptuous houndstooth raglan-sleeved wool coat. toa.st

STYLE — style manifesto

Swaddled like a model

>—> After fronting campaigns for some of the most recognisable design houses in the world, supermodel David Gandy is now doing it for himself by launching Wellwear, a leisurewear-focused label with sustainability (and comfort) front and centre. Featuring slick takes on downtime items like joggers, jumpers, pyjamas and even a rather incredible sweat gilet, the superb pieces are cut from pima cotton, lyocell and modal, and infused with anti-odour and antibacterial treatments. This will not only keep you feeling fresh, but also mean they need to be washed less. Fewer trips around your washing machine means fewer microfibres entering our water supply and increases the longevity of the garments themselves. Win win. davidgandywellwear.com

Change your stripes

>—> Founded by Veeraj Haria-Shah and Alexandra Richards, Coconut Residence aims to explore their combined Kenyan-Indian and Guyanese-St-Vincentian roots through the lens of modern British style. There's the new Harlseden sweaters, for example, which take their inspiration from the classic pullovers many first-generation Caribbean and Indian settlers wore when arriving on chilly UK shores. The colours, a cool navy-cream stripe (Kennington) and a jazzy red-yellow stripe (Marylebone), are inspired by traditional cricket club colours - a sport close to the heart of many Commonwealth citizens. Woven from Shetland wool and finished with a traditional teasel technique for a superbly soft handfeel, it’s the Christmas jumper you deserve. £135. coconut-residence.com

Take a hike

>—> Duke & Dexter’s latest drop is a pan-European collaboration between the London shoe label and legendary Italian hiking boot manufacturer Fracap. Handmade in the Fracap family workshop in Monteroni di Lecce, these Darwin boots are cut from a biodegradable leather upper and fitted with a custom recycled plastic Vibram sole something that not only looks seriously cool, but will also help you grip the streets when the show hits. There are three styles on offer, but my pick of the pack is the grey iteration with its striking dual-colour sole and high-shine metal hardware. Rugged, refined and just right for keeping your feet protected this winter. £290. dukeanddexter.com

STYLE — wardrobe champion

IN STEP WITH THE TIMES The Swedish brand proving that quality and affordability aren’t mutually exclusive

STYLE — wardrobe champion

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M YRQVIST was started with the motivation of shaking up the shoe scene

>—> By this point, it’s becoming clear that Scandinavians just do things better, particularly when it comes to changing the way we think about the classics. Sleek, minimal furniture, engineering on par with the world’s best, it would be frustrating if it didn’t mean we get a lot out of it ourselves – especially now footwear’s part of the equation.

Shoes have remained fundamentally unchanged for decades. Sure, certain styles fall in and out of favour, but a solid pair of Oxfords is as much a wardrobe necessity now as it was 30-odd years ago. So, what exactly is Swedish brand MYRQVIST doing

differently? Well, as we alluded to, they’re changing the mindset of exactly how much a shoe should cost. Founded in 2016 by entrepreneur Sebastian Öhrn, MYRQVIST was started with the explicit motivation of shaking up the shoe scene. Ohrn himself saw the level of inflation between production costs and the final price tag and thought it unfair, and so set himself on the path to remedying the situation. In short, by cutting out the middlemen. MYRQVIST quickly became a global enterprise. Their designs are created in Sweden, leaning into those signature Scandinavian sensibilities. At the same time, the shoes themselves

are made in Portugal by the specialists there. The materials – suedes from England’s Charles F. Stead, leathers from the same French tannery as Hermes – add yet another string to their globe-trotting bow and guarantee serious quality besides. None of that is all too different from other luxury shoemakers. The difference here is that, for the same quality, MYRQVIST will set you back a fraction of the price. By selling directly to the consumer, they’re offering the best value possible. Still, impressive as their bang-for-buck is, it’s worth nothing that there’s more to MYRQVIST than value. Alongside the Scandinavian designs, MYRQVIST shoes are specifically tailored to their own cooler climate. That means rubber soles on most of their shoes, including their more formal numbers, making them not only more suited to inclement weather, but long-lasting, too. After a pair of Derbys that can weather a storm? Look no further than the Norrmalm. A pair of loafers built for more than the summer months? The Stenhammar has you covered. It's not hard to see then how, after just five years of business, MYRQVIST has become the fastestgrowing footwear brand out of Sweden. Not only are they offering cool, practical shoes made from premium materials, they’re doing so in a price range that’s more than affordable. If you’re looking to update your shoe game with a pair that hits well above their price tag, MYRQVIST should be your first port of call. Discover the full collection at myrqvist.eu

STYLE — outerwear renaissance

Words by

Benedict Browne

Fashionable Renaissance Of British Outerwear Manufacturing The

The world’s leading menswear labels are once again clamouring to collaborate with British heritage outerwear makers with this season’s range ushering a new wave of Cool Britannia

Out of all the things England can be most proud of, its achievements in textile innovation and garment production, specifically in outerwear, rank extremely high. So high, in fact, that ‘Made in England’ has become shorthand for exceptional quality. From the textiles mill that developed Ventile cloth, to garment manufacturers that designed culturally important clothes that have been replicated but never bettered, it should come as no surprise that several of the world’s leading menswear labels frequently collaborate with enduring heritage outerwear makers, and it’s never been more apparent than for this AW21 season. One of the greatest innovations in textiles and garment production was achieved by Charles Mackintosh during the Industrial Revolution in 1823. A chemist by trade, he managed to waterproof cotton by bonding two layers together with a rubber solution. Over the course of 250 years, Mackintosh’s eponymous raincoat specialising company has continued to innovate and excel in garment-making and has collaborated with big-hitting fashion brands such as the French fashion house Maison Margiela and high-end streetwear label A-Cold-Wall*. But there is no brand that respects the company more than The Workers Club (TWC), an independent British label that obsesses over quality and creates wearable, long-lasting items who’ve teamed up with the manufacturer for consecutive seasons on its entire outerwear offering from its Yorkshirebased factory. “They have real know-how when it comes to technical outerwear production and they’re arguably one of the few remaining factories in Europe that can seam tape a garment properly,” says Adam Cameron, TWC’s creative

Independent British label, The Workers Club create wearable, long-lasting items (pictured and left) and they’ve teamed up with Mackintosh from their Yorkshire-based factory for consecutive seasons

STYLE — outerwear renaissance

The PWVC X RÆBURN Reversible C9 Field Jacket (left) includes Ventile fabric tailored with off-cuts of military parachute canopies, while over the page, the collaboration’s striking mix of orange and khaki (top left and bottom right) is showcased. Similarly, the Lavenham x Nicholas Daley collaboration shares an autumnal colour palette

It was created in Manchester in the 1940s by a team of scientists to help prolong the survival rates of RAF pilots shot down over the Atlantic during World War II director and co-founder. Cameron’s signature design is the Shell, an impressively waterproof parka with heat-sealed seams made from technical fabrics, such as a midweight navy cotton twill from the pioneering Italian company Olmetex. It’s a nifty piece of design that’s the central component of ‘The Works’, a modular concept of interchangeable items that includes the brand’s cosy wool gilet and down-filled bomber, which can be easily zipped into it to tackle unpredictable weather and changes in seasons. The city of Manchester is to textiles

and outerwear what Northampton is to shoes and Savile Row is to bespoke tailoring, and it was the world’s first industrial city that was once known as Cottonopolis. “It was the heart and driving force of the world’s cotton ecosystem and associated rainwear textiles back in the day,” says James Eden, the CEO of Private White V.C. which operates from the city’s last remaining factory. Private White is one of England’s leading outerwear brands that specialises in Ventile, an impenetrable and dense cotton fabric that effortlessly

repels water. It was created in Manchester in the 1940s by a team of scientists to help prolong the survival rates of RAF pilots shot down over the Atlantic during World War II. It proved to be so effective that it was later worn by climbers during the first ascent of Everest in 1953. “Private White lies at the heart of British manufacturing, and it embodies this nature in all of its practices and products which was a driving factor in making this collaboration,” says Christopher Raeburn, the awardwinning menswear designer and founder of the sustainability-driven and eco-conscious menswear brand RÆBURN. Together, they’ve produced an upcycled collection called RÆMADE, which consists of pieces of Ventile fabric tailored with off-cuts of military parachute canopies sourced by Raeburn. Each piece is incredibly striking thanks to a mix of orange and khaki, but the reversible C9 Field Jacket is easily the highlight of the collection. Raeburn adds that the collaboration has strengthened his “passion for British made garments and the importance of supporting local manufacturing.” Down in Somerset, the pioneering brand Lavenham specialises in diamond-quilted garments and accessories, which are incredibly insulating due to the pockets of air that are trapped within the design and are staples for the winter seasons. It first collaborated with the French brand APC in 1993 and has since gone on to work with Kenzo, Sunspel and Nigel Cabourn. “Collaboration is a great vehicle to explore where all of our years of quilting and manufacturing expertise can be pushed. It helps us learn and grow as a brand by discovering new techniques, materials and concepts that collaboration partners bring,” explained its spokesperson. For several seasons now, Lavenham has worked with Nicholas Daley, one of the most exciting young designers to have surfaced in the past 10 years in Britain. “It’s about the synergy between past and present and bringing the Nicholas Daley DNA into the Lavenham world, to create interesting quilting, push Lavenham’s capabilities and create

STYLE — outerwear renaissance

The collaboration between Tokyo-based Needles and Baracuta (left) has produced a striking range of G9 jackets cut from vibrant paisley fabrics that would be at home on any Jimi Hendrix tribute act; The Barbour x Baracuta collection (right and bottom right, previous page) reworks the original and iconic Harrington jacket

styles for today’s customer,” says Daley. Known for his unique design language, he draws from his Scottish and Jamaican heritage and interests in martial arts, jazz, reggae, and textiles. Together they’ve produced unique pieces with intricate quilt designs and using Japanese technical fabrics and original waxed cottons from Dundee-based Halley Stevensons, which was founded in 1864. It’s not just British brands that are drawn to these manufacturers. Over in New York, NOAH is a mature streetwear brand founded by Brendon Babenzien, previously the creative director of Supreme. Noah’s designs are influenced by Babenzien’s Peter Pan-like obsession with youth culture – punk, skateboarding, hip hop – and he’s collaborated this season with two legacy British brands in Barbour and Baracuta. “Barbour’s Bedale waxed jackets can literally outlive people, and they represent the best in quality and style,” he says. On Baracuta, he says that there’s “something about their classics that make them accessible to all people regardless of their ideology or particular interests, particularly the G9”, which is the original Harrington jacket that was blessed with icon status through being worn by Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen and James Dean in the 1950s. Then there’s Japan, a nation with menswear enthusiasts that are obsessed with British-made goods. The renowned retailer BEAMS has collaborated with Lavenham on an easy-going and oversized collection of classics in conservative colours that are great for layering in winter. “They always bring a particular focus on details of a garment and a playful view on fit,” says Lavenham’s spokesperson. Meanwhile, Needles, a Tokyo-based label that

“Barbour’s Bedale waxed jackets can literally outlive people, and they represent the best in quality and style” 95

produces trendy reinterpretations of vintage thrift finds, has also worked with Baracuta on a striking range of G9 jackets cut from vibrant paisley fabrics. With unrivalled heritage and quality, British manufacturing is certainly having a renaissance moment. The connection between traditional manufacturing and the contemporary fashion industry is going from strength to strength, and these collaborations have reaffirmed Britain’s status as the world-leading country for crafting practical, winterconquering outerwear with modern appeal, and long may it continue.

STYLE — kit bag

In their elements From briskly bright sunshine to icy torrents, the cold is here to stay and if you’re not already up to date with your winter essentials, you should be. Brave the cold with these warmth hoarding must-haves. 5

1/ Sunspel Recycled Cashmere Knitted Glove, £70, sunspel.com 2/ Pantherella Christopher Merino Wool Socks, £15.50, pantherella.com 3/ Ross Oliver Maya Boot, £370, rossoliver.uk 4/ Turnbull & Asset Orange Multi Shepherd Check Cashmere Scarf, £325, turnbullandasser.co.uk 5/ Canada Goose Large Thermal Toque, £295, canadagoose.com 6/ Paul Smith Copper Melange Stripe Sweater, £350, paulsmith.com 7/ Private White V.C. The Ventile Frobisher, £1,495, privatewhitevc.com 8/ Patagonia Arbor Roll Top Pack, £110, eu.patagonia.com 9/ Serengeti Eyewear Bergamo, £160, serengeti-eyewear.com

hands-on reviews

THE SPECS

• 39.5mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance • Sellita SW330-2 ‘Top Grade’ automatic movement with 56-hour power reserve • £1,190, farer.com

HANDS-ON WITH THE

FARER

LANDER MIDNIGHT Lander’s more serious brother is too sophiticated for bright dials

hands-on reviews

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farer

For me, the Lander is quintessential Farer fare. That means a classic watch design with a colourful, decidedly British twist. It’s just what they do best and was the case with the last Lander model that came in the form of a striking sea green dial. It’s still part of the collection and it’s still lovely. That teal-adjacent dial however isn’t necessarily for everyone, and the complimentary bright orange and red hands are a little sportier than perhaps you’d want from a GMT. Well, now we have the Lander Midnight. The Midnight feels like the standard Lander’s older, more serious brother. In place of that sea green Farer has gone for a much more refined dark blue number with a matte finish, a bit less ostentatious and a lot more toned-down. It still has the layered look, so it’s not lost any of the detailing, it’s just less eye-catching. Because there’s less emphasis on the colour, Farer have also managed to add a couple more little twists to the design. The main part of that is the new bronze-coloured internal scale, which not only lifts the midnight blue but perfectly matches the new handset and Farer’s signature bronze crown. The white, high contrast numerals are eminently readable, though the same can’t be said as easily of the second hand. Its blue is a good few shades lighter than the midnight and matches the minute track, but it’s still blue on blue and can get a bit lost. At least the GMT hand is impossible to miss in bright red. Other than those design tweaks, the Lander Midnight is the accessible traveller’s watch we know and love. It’s an Office GMT rather than a ‘true’, meaning the 24-hour hand adjusts independently in hour increments, rather than the local time. Honestly, that doesn’t make a difference to me, especially these days. The movement inside is the Sellita SW330-2, an upgrade from earlier Lander models in that it now has a 56-hour power reserve, up from 42, the same movement as in the Sea Green model. It’s the top of the Sellita pyramid and is handsomely, if not excessively, finished, visible through the exhibition caseback. At 39.5mm, it’s just a hair smaller than the standard 40mm, not quite venturing into retro sizing territory. At 10mm high too, it wears incredibly well, though honestly if you’ve ever worn a Farer before you’ll be expecting that. It also comes with a quick-change strap, so if you do long for something a little funkier than the pretty low-key brown number we’ve shot it on, it’ll be an easy swap.

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The British brand is showing that yes, they can tone things down, yes, they can offer something a bit more refined and yes, it’s still very distinctly a Farer watch

The Lander Midnight isn’t going to set the world on fire, far from it. If anything, it’s a less eye-catching take on the Farer formula than I’m used to. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. In it, the British brand is showing that yes, they can tone things down, yes, they can offer something a bit more refined and yes, it’s still very distinctly a Farer watch. It’s also, as per usual, a seriously accessible GMT. It wouldn’t be Farer is they weren’t punching above their price tag now, would it? £1,190, farer.com

hands-on reviews

THE SPECS

• 47mm stainless steel Black DLC case with 4,000m water resistance • Sellita SW200 calibre automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve • £2,250, limited to 300 pieces, delma.ch

HANDS-ON WITH THE

DELMA

BLUE SHARK III BLACK EDITION There’s a new oversized king of the ocean and it’s limited to 300 pieces

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hands-on reviews

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delma

Sometimes a dive watch is just too good at its job. Now, I’m not saying the rigours of the depths aren’t demanding; the thought of the crushing ocean floor keeps me up at night. It’s just that past the 300m mark it all becomes a bit academic. Past the 1,000m mark it becomes downright ludicrous. What does that mean then for the Delma Shark III? The Swiss brand has endeavoured to show up pretty much every other diver on the market with their over-the-top monster of the depths, and the 4,000m water resistance is just the start. That’s 4km straight down – at least in terms of pressure. But where for some watches that kind of number would be just another part of the specs sheet, the Shark III seems to revel in that gloriously unnecessary water resistance, upscaling the dimensions of the watch into the kind of timepiece that should by rights be an extra in The Meg. Those dimensions come in at 47mm across, which does indeed make for a serious chunk of metal on the wrist. Strangely though, watches of this size seem to work no matter your wrist. They’re so intense they’re not meant to suit anyone in the understated, elegant kind of way and I genuinely find it a hell of a lot of fun to strut about with. That’s doubly true of the Black Edition. You could never call the blacked-out version of the Shark III stealthy, for obvious reasons, but the DLC hammers home just how excessively macho the thing is. It’s fantastic, especially paired with chunky clothing and an IDGAF air. That said, I did immediately switch onto the rubber strap. That was partly because I prefer straps to bracelets in general, partly because I didn’t want to risk scratching the metal. Sure, the DLC coating should stop anything short of a knife blade, but I didn’t want to risk it. Plus, the rubber is seriously comfortable. The highlights, which I originally thought would be more at the yellow end of the rainbow are a lot more orange that I expected. It’s an eye-catching, high contrast look that would be necessary for a black diving watch to stand out at depth, with the key numerals – six, nine and 12, picked out in large numerals, with an equally chunky diving scale on the unidirectional bezel. I have a thing for chunky, satisfying diving bezels and the Shark III doesn’t disappoint. I’d almost like a bit more resistance in keeping with the watch’s size, but that might make it a touch harder to actually use. While the outer watch is pretty damn extraordinary, the movement inside is nothing to write home about. You’ll have come across the Sellita SW200 before – we all have, many, many times – and the workhorse calibre is solid. It also has a handsome Delma rotor, though it’s not going to set the world alight.

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You could never call the blacked-out version of the Shark III stealthy, for obvious reasons, but the DLC hammers home just how excessively macho the thing is. It’s fantastic

That’s not a complaint though. Delma has built a reputation on accessibility and even with depth resistance equal to that of a Rolex Sea-Dweller, the Blue Shark III Black Edition comes in at £2,250. That’s less than a quarter of the Watch with the Crown. Sure, it’s nowhere near the same level of prestige or calibre quality, but it’s an interesting little nugget of information, nonetheless. And hey, when it comes to sheer weight of metal, that’s a lot of watch for the money. £2,250, limited to 300 pieces, delma.ch

CULTURE — champagne taste

COMTES DE CHAMPAGNE BLANC DE BLANC BRUT 2011 Taittinger has become one of my regular go-tos for reliability and their Comtes line only continues to dazzle with every vintage. The 2011 benefitted from a terrific year, with each of the five villages that offer their chardonnay on top form. Think gingerbread meringue, peach and mandarin on the nose with a generously textured mouthfeel. Smooth, with a candied fruit finish. £144 from The Champagne Company

Luxury Champagne gift guide Words: Aidy Smith

With just days to go until the celebratory period is here (and we can meet people in person this time!), I dare say its cause for a party. How better to celebrate than with a nice cold glass of Champagne in hand? Well, that’s exactly what I give you. Here are some of my favourite bubbles of 2021, alongside a couple of gizmos and gourmet nibbles to have with them. You made it. Here’s to you!

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The 2011 benefitted from a terrific year, with each of the five villages that offer their chardonnay on top form

FREREJEAN FRÈRES VV26 A new discovery for me, and boy was I happy I tried it. Aged for eight years, the chardonnay grapes which go into this bottle belong to 90-year-old Grand Cru wines, including some that date back to 1926. They spend seven months in oak barrels before a blending of the best 2008 and 2009 harvests creates beauty in a bottle. Think Danish pastry, apricot and a creamy silky mouthfeel. £125 from frerejeanfreres.com

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PERRIER-JOUËT BELLE ÉPOQUE LIMITED EDITION 2013 One of the most beautiful Champagne bottles out there, which also lives up to the taste! Oh, and who doesn’t love a limited edition gift box too? This biodiversity celebration is a creation by Mischer’Traxler which gives a nod to how far the house has come since 1811. The box itself launches in spring 2022, but if you can’t wait until then, the liquid inside will still be the same! A quintessential choice that will never disappoint. £140 from Harrods

CULTURE — champagne taste

HENRI GIRAUD MV16 Another multi-vintage wonder (there’s a theme to this issue!). Henri Giraud is the oldest Champagne house to still be owned by the founding family. Suffice to say, they’ve been doing this for a while and it shows. This wonder is a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay, although they use the petit pinot clone of pinot noir which has been grown on the estate since 1804. A true piece of history and an eruption of baked apple pie, dark plums and honey with coconut and ginger. Stunning. £161 from Hedonism

BILLECART SALMON NICOLAS FRANÇOIS 2007 Another house which consistently impresses year after year. Their NF range however doesn’t come out every year, only during the best! The 2007 is one of the best and offers an incredible plummy, citrus burst intertwined with candied apricot, apple crumble and earl grey tea. A colossal richness takes over the palate with deep texture before a fig-driven brioche ending comes to play. Stop. Everything. Now. £115 from The Whisky Exchange

GRAND SIÈCLE NO 23 MAGNUM

HENRIOT ROSÉ MILLÉSIMÉ 2012 For Maison Henriot, the Rosé Millésimé is only produced during particular years when the grapes shine through. Thankfully, 2012 was one of them. Bursting with fruits on the nose, the palate is ripe, rich and creamy with delicate tropical notes and a kiss of orange on the finish. £61 from L’Assemblage

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The Rosé Millésimé is only produced during particular years. Thankfully 2012 was one of them

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Every time Laurent Perrier launches a Grand Siècle, it without question has a place in my wine fridge, especially when it’s a magnum. There’s just something so enticing about this wine. They essentially take some of their best vintages and marry them together in an unforgettable blend. An intertwining of 2006, 2004 and 2002 give us 58% chardonnay and 42% pinot noir, which have had 14 years on lees. Rich, smoky and aromatic with redcurrants, lemon curd and brioche. You really can’t go wrong. £376 from The Finest Bubble

CULTURE — champagne taste

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It’s very rare you get to taste something so old without the chance of it being spoiled, so this is quite the treat

BOLLINGER PN VZ16 This 100% pinot noir Champagne is the new annual release from Bollinger and only the second of its kind. Each year the cuvee will be an expression of a different cru from the base year that highlights its distinctive terroir and taste. This year offers apple, rhubarb and hazelnuts on the nose with a stewed apricot, brioche and saline finish. Anyone else getting thirsty? £80 from The Finest Bubble

PIPER-HEIDSEICK 1971 Wait, what?! 1971? Yep, you did read that correctly. In order to showcase just how bloody good they are, Piper-Heidseick have launched the first of a limited-edition series that will grace our glasses every few years. Their first? The 50-year-old blend with a nod to times past. It’s very rare you get to taste something so old without the chance of it being spoiled, so this is quite the treat. With only 2021 bottles released, each bottle offers a distinct tasting experience (I mean, if they’re that old that’s going to happen). Stewed pineapple, rose petals, dark plum, almonds and honey were just a few of the notes I got from mine. Question is, what will you get out of yours? £395 from champagnedirect.co.uk

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Each year the cuvee will be an expression of a different cru from the base year

GLENALLACHIE THE DUCHESS 24 YEARS OLD

And in case you celebrate something a little stronger…

THIÉNOT X PENFOLDS CHAMPAGNE BRUT ROSÉ

As one of the few remaining independent distilleries in Scotland, Speyside’s GlenAllachie set themselves apart from the majority of whiskies out there, something that the tastemakers at Watt Whisky obviously appreciated when they selected this outstanding liquid. Bottled by independent bottler The Duchess, this is a stand-out 24-year-old whisky, with a nose of summer fruits and citrus, underpinned by exotic sweetness and candied clementines. The finish is long and creamy but not woody, allowing you to savour the age without overpowering its freshness. A masterclass in independent whisky at all stages, this is also a seriously good whisky for the price. €200,00 from bestofwines.com

We’ve waited since 2019 for this moment and it’s here! The quartet of Penfolds partnership with Thienot is completed. An inviting and exotic blend is produced from 30% chardonnay, 20% pinot noir and 50% pinot meunier. The result is a Champagne of distinct freshness, offering notes of black cherry, blackcurrant and redberries with a kiss of creaminess and charm. £48 from The Champagne Company

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CULTURE — champagne taste

Beyond the Bubbles

DUKESHILL THREE KINGS HAMPER While Champagne is great by itself, it works a whole lot better with food, and at Christmas, food is in abundance. Scouring the hundreds of hampers out there, this is my top choice for those who just want ease and quality delivered at once. Turns out I’m not alone, with a royal warrant from the Queen under their belt, it would seem Lizzie is in agreement too! There’s a little something in here for everyone and the perfect treats to pair with your bubbles. From liver gourmet paté and nutty snacks to smoked salmon, deluxe cheese and a host of desserts, you needn’t worry about doing that big pre-Xmas shop. Irresistibly delicious. £375 from Dukeshill

GATSBY CHAMPAGNE COOLER If you’re drinking in style, you need the kit for it and that’s where this wonder comes in. Perch & Parrow have long been known for their elegant design and the Gatsby Champagne cooler adds a flare of extravagance to your bubble explorations. Large enough to fit six or more bottles, the textured silver finish and matching handles are dreamy. Just grab the ice and glasses and let the cooler do the hard work so you don’t have to. I suppose you have to ask yourself, what would Gatsby do? £160 from Perch & Parrow

N25 SPECIAL RESERVE KALUGA CAVIAR PETROSSIAN CAVIAR & TRUFFLE

If you’re going to indulge, you may as well do it properly - and that involves caviar. N25 has risen to fame over the past few years with its incredible assortment of the stuff and this is one of their emblems, the epitome of fine caviar. Kaluga is possibly the rarest sturgeon species in the world, being the cousin of Beluga. It takes up to 16 years to reach maturity and produce what goes into each beautiful box. Imagine roasted walnuts and almonds with a long, savoury and extremely complex finish. £120 for 30g from N25 Caviar

If you ever find yourself in a bind between eating truffle or caviar, then I have the perfect thing for you - both. Luxury caviar specialists Petrossian have developed a divine duo to play with your tastebuds and transport you into a food paradise. The black truffle (tuber melanosporum) is carefully crushed by hand before being incorporated into Ossetra caviar. This is literally a match made in heaven. £140 from Petrossian

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SA N T I A G O L A S T RA Words:

N i c k

S a v a g e

NOT CONTENT WITH SERVING CROWD PLEASING FAVOURITES, SANTIAGO LASTRA IS ON A MISSION TO BRING US TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, DISCOVER NEW FLAVOURS, AND USE LOCAL BRITISH INGREDIENTS TO CREATE EXCITING MEXICAN FOOD. SOUNDS GOOD, TABLE FOR TWO PLEASE

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this he had collaborated with René Redzepi at Noma; served as project manage in Noma Mexico; ran one of Carousel’s most successful pop-ups in Marylebone; and also rattled the pans at two Michelin-starred restaurant Mugaritz in Spain. Following the opening of KOL, during the height of the pandemic in 2020, Lastra was awarded for his unique place within London’s culinary world by GQ, which deemed him Best Chef 2021; La Liste, as the New Arrival of the Year 2021; with Kol being recognised as one of the top 35 restaurants in the UK in the National Restaurant Awards. I caught up with Santiago to see how he was feeling having settled into a permanent home, and what the future had in store.

What do you think gives you the most drive as a chef? What makes you tick?

I first met Mexican chef Santiago Lastra the year before he opened Notting Hill restaurant KOL as chef patron alongside MJMK Restaurants. He was preparing an outdoor feasting banquet of lamb asador tacos at a vineyard a few hours outside of Bratislava in Slovakia. At the time he had been travelling the globe, up to 30 countries per a year and five in a week, cooking for supperclubs and private parties, often forgetting which city he was in when he’d wake. Lastra has the sui generis ability to create community wherever he goes, and also to blend a locavore ethos to sourcing and foraging ingredients with his native talent for preparing Mexican cuisine, performing substitutions along the lines of lime with gooseberries and avocados with pistachios to keep his cooking sustainable. In the years before

Santiago Lastra uses chocolate to create a sweet tamal to serve as dessert, wrapped in corn husks (above) or for something more thrilling, how about the visual feat of Octopus and bone marrow tacos (right) to tickle your taste buds?

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I think it’s the sense of community and discovery. The main reason I opened this restaurant is to be able to build a network and a community of people that support each other. And it’s interesting how you can have an impact every day: not only customers, the producers and suppliers, but also craftmakers and indigenous communities. So, it’s a sort of ecosystem that comes together around the restaurant. The other reason is the sense of discovery. I love discovering new flavours or tasting things that I’ve never tried. The creative process is inspired by ingredients from Mexico. But, in attempting to recreate those dishes with local ingredients to find that flavour experience of eating a certain fruit or a certain herb or a certain preparation that you normally would eat in Mexico, there’s a real sense of discovery.

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“The main reason I opened this restaurant is to be able to build a network and a community of people that support each other. And it’s interesting how you can have an impact every day” 115

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Clockwise from top left: Santiago’s seaweed broth, the visually appealing lamb leg tostada, tikin xic – from the Mayan for ‘dry fish’ – is a grilled fish, spread with achiote paste and spices, and the indulgent langoustine tacos

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So you have a new home at KOL. Do you feel like you’ve created a community there? Yeah, I think so. When I was travelling often I could make or come up with recipes, but they never felt finished. And I think that is something that is really special about cooking; it’s not a one off, it’s a craft that you need to keep at every single day to perfect. It makes a whole world of difference when you are in one place.

So you feel like you’ve been able to hone your craft at KOL? Exactly. Before I’d have to be in three different countries, with three different teams, with three different ingredients, different weather, and a different climate. Trying to replicate a dish was really difficult. Here, it’s a luxury for me and the team to be able to make 110 of the same dish every single day. That’s 500 times a week. It allows us to pursue perfection.

Do you think you are able to pursue intellectual discovery more at KOL? Yes, yes, yes. Because there is a framework in the concept of KOL. I think that is really important when you want to create something because if you don’t have a concept with some sort of limitation or framework, it can be really difficult. Our mission at KOL, to use local British ingredients to create Mexican food, has helped our team to operate within a framework. My colleague Adam, the team and I work at the test kitchen in the restaurant, and I currently have 800 dish ideas saved on my phone. When I’m travelling, reading a book, walking

or running I’ll have an idea, and then we can all sit down and workshop it with the ingredients that are in season during the next couple of months. The other way we do research and development is freestyle experimentation just for flavour. We’ll wonder what happens if you mix something like camomile and cucumber and get some great results. It’s much easier to do that at KOL rather than when travelling.

I find it interesting that a lot of your inspiration comes from when you’re walking or running, moving around. It seems like you still get some inspiration from being nomadic! Yeah, exactly. I mean, if you’re anywhere, and you’re just having some lunch or dinner and then you try something and you have an epiphany like “oh my god”. This connects with you somehow. It doesn’t have to be in Mexico, it can be in Japan, Paris, London, anywhere. And inspiration also tends to come when you’re exercising, walking, or clearing your head. Inspiration doesn’t happen when you’re answering emails.

Is there any chance we could get a sneak peak of one of those 800 recipes? We’re working on a chestnut tamal. It’s traditionally made in oak leaves in Mexico. Instead of using corn husks, people in the forest use oak leaves. But we ordered some chestnut leaves last week. We’d make it with a chestnut masa, chestnut butter and a chestnut flour and then fill that with pumpkin and serve it with coffee and mezcal.

Are there any chefs that have a career arc that you wouldn’t mind following? The indigenous chefs in Mexico. It was really inspiring to be able to visit them to see and experience how people used to cook and live in Mexico thousands of years ago. You can actually experience it just by driving a couple of hours from the city to the countryside. For many generations, they’ve been spending their entire lives cooking and are completely devoted to it. They take farm-to-table to the next level: making their own pottery, their own tablecloths, they harvest, forage and farm. If they want to prepare a wedding, they work on it for six months. The Totonac indigenous community in Veracruz, on the east coast of Mexican, call themselves the women of smoke. They say that they are born, they live, they work and they die in the kitchen. It’s incredible to see the devotion. They’re still cooking at 100 years old. The other is René Redzepi. Travelling with him and learning about what he believes is quality was really lifechanging for me. Thinking beyond a plate of food in a sustainable way. And the way that people plan at Noma. They take the process so seriously that the result is never a mistake.

Do you have a favourite guilty indulgence when it comes to eating? I love offal and stuff like that. Not every single day, but sometimes. I mean, I know that most people will probably say chocolate. But for me, to have a plate of tripe or livers, super latino stuff. I really like it. Even brain.

Finally, what would your last meal be if you had to choose?

“Our mission at KOL, to use local British ingredients to create Mexican food, has helped our team to operate within a framework… I currently have 800 dish ideas saved on my phone” 117

We organised a fish supper on Baja California in Mexico outdoors on the beach and we had fried lobster tacos. We cut the lobsters in half and fried them in pork fat over a big wok above a bonfire on the beach. There were ladies making flour tortillas, salsa, beans and rice. So we had the most amazing lobster burritos in the breeze, next to the sea, with natural wine.

I think you just won the prize for best last meal. Always a pleasure, Santiago.

vitus

THE BRAND CHANGING HOW WE THINK OF

HIGH-END AUDIO COMBINING THE BEST OF OLD AND NEW WITH AN INDUSTRIAL AESTHETIC AND MUSICAL OUTLOOK, VITUS IS MAKING AUDIO TIMELESS

WORDS: SAM KESSLER

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When buying a luxury product, longevity isn’t the sexiest of traits but it’s arguably among the most vital. Think about it. A fine watch has value that lasts far beyond the time you’ll have it in your collection and something like an Eames chair is eternal when it comes to design. All too often however, that’s not the case with audio. Sure, you can spend a huge amount of money on tech but, all too often, obsolescence is built in, even when it comes to audio. Which is precisely why Vitus Audio should be on your radar. Their products, high-end as they are, are built to last, the kind of sound-system that won’t need to be upgraded every 12 months but will continue offering

impeccable quality throughout their extraordinarily long lifespan. The secret to that isn’t some new tech or crazy design ethos. It’s simply that for Vitus – and the company’s eponymous founder, industry veteran Hans-Ole Vitus – it’s all about the music, and music doesn’t age. As Hans-Ole says, “I come from a musical background, and hence my approach has always been with focus on the music, not the equipment or products. Our products are designed from a physical appearance point of view to be as invisible as possible, regardless of size. This resulted in the very industrial and anonymous appearance and multiple colour options to fit most room decors.”

The secret isn’t some new tech or crazy design ethos. It’s simply that for Vitus it’s all about the music, and music doesn’t age 120

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The Vitus Reference RP-102 Phonostage Preamplifier embodies the Vitus ethos, which has a central focus on the sound, with an industrial and anonymous appearance to help it fit most room decors

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Described as ‘an iron fist with a velvet glove’ by one reviewer, it’s clear that Vitus Audio pack a punch, with the audio wizards making the most of solid state and vacuum tube amps to create that perfect sound

Massive, monolithic and intensely machined, there’s something beautifully utilitarian about the various pieces Industrial is right; this isn’t the kind of equipment you could (or would want to) hide. Massive, monolithic and intensely machined, there’s something beautifully utilitarian about the various pieces. They’re a visual statement for sure, but they’re also one that matches those looks with phenomenal sound. And that sound? “The simplest way to explain it,” says Hans-Ole, “is the best from tubes (liquid, fluent and seductive – sometimes even a bit “romantic” sound) combined with solid states firm grip, attach and resolution. One reviewer put a perfect analogy on it – an iron fist with a velvet glove!”

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For the uninitiated into the admittedly esoteric world of high-end audio, solid state amps are the more efficient, durable type of equipment, generally crisper and more ‘accurate’. Vacuum tube amps on the other hand are the real retro deal, sounding warmer, smoother and textured with more even harmonics. They both have their plus points, which Vitus make ample use of across the board. “Combining the two was always my goal,” explains Hans-Ole, “and from the market response since 1995, I’ve succeeded on some level. The usage of bipolar transistors in an atypical topology (never disclosed patent material I kept to myself) very high bandwidth, zero global feedback and custom components where possible helps achieving this.” I’m sure for some of you reading, it all seems like a bit much. What’s the point of investing in an audio system when your all-in-one wireless system does the job well enough? Well, given you’re an Oracle Time reader, the answer is fairly simple. Vitus is the equivalent of an haute horological mechanical movement, their tech advanced by subtle tweaking and enhancement but built on the enduring fundamentals of high end audio. But that raises its own question: what, exactly, happened when quartz came out? Yes, many a watchmaker died out and shuttered forever, but these days watches are everywhere. Not battery powered pieces but serious, mechanical pieces; tech that while on the surface archaic is still being perfected by skills obsessives at all levels. Consider Vitus, then, one of the new wave of independent haute horologists in the field of audio technology. “Today streaming is the main thing”, says Hans-Ole, “and larger audio systems in the main living space seems to be a no-no in most homes; small wireless speakers using phones or tablets as the source, is the norm. So, one could argue that our industry (specifically high end) is dying, and many in the industry have this view. I do not. When one looks a bit further, today music is everywhere, everyone listens to music way more often than ‘back in the glory days of hi-fi’. What is missing from the industry in general, is exposure to quality. No one questions the difference between cheap and really expensive monitors or projectors, the differences are obvious. In audio it’s just a case of trying it out for yourself and audibly feeling it.” To find out more about Vitus audio – and to try out their unique sound qualities for yourself – visit vitusaudio.com