18 minute read
IN FOCUS
AN ITALIAN STRAP SPECIALIST AND A NEW BEATLES WATCH GO UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
Visconti Milano and Raymond Weil
VISCONTI MILANO
The trend of bespoke timepiece production is an interesting and occasionally controversial part of watchmaking. However, while I’d urge you to think twice about customising your vintage Patek Philippe, one area you can go to town on is the strap. Bespoke straps are a great way of adding personal flair to your timepiece without impacting its long-term value and there are few strap makers with as much variety and class as Visconti Milano.
If you think about watchmaking your mind immediately goes to Switzerland and the same would be true of Italy and leatherworking. The country has a long tradition of working with the material to the highest degrees of quality and style. A heritage that Visconti Milano are more than willing to leverage in the creation of their watch straps.
The Italian company produces a large selection of ready to wear straps. However, their flagship service is their ability to create a made-to-measure strap to your exacting requirements in under a month. You can customise everything from the lug width to match the timepiece of your choice to the material and colour, stitching pattern and colour and even the shape and size of the buckle holes. Or you can opt for a deployment clasp.
There are so many choices available that their website has a handy visualisation function to help you plan your purchase. Honestly, you can lose hours pouring over the options, I would know because it happened to me! For material alone there are more than 20 choices, each available in half a dozen or more colours.
Some standout materials have to be their exotic collection, which includes ostrich leather, stingray and shark leather. In addition to more classical watch strap materials like alligator and traditional leathers. They are also committed to sustainability with a number of vegan leather, recycled rubber and even cork straps on offer.
They also have a number of handy pre-sets for more common strap types like the Patek Philippe Nautilus, Rolex Daytona and IWC Pilot’s watch, which are popular watches to personalise. Speaking of personalisation, you can also have your initials engraved on the internal lining. Or, for more bespoke customisations you can contact them directly for a commission.
Let’s take a look at two straps they produce, one classic and one a little more… Avant Garde. On the classic side of things, you can’t get more traditional than a matte-brown alligator strap with light brown stitching. On a watch like a Rolex Daytona, it adds a dressy sense of refinement that compliments the sporty chronograph aesthetic
Visconti Milano offer Italian craftsmanship and a range of madeto-measure products to customise your watch strap to your own specifications
perfectly. The ideal companion timepiece for cruising in a super car.
On the other side of things, how about an electric-blue ostrich leather strap? The texture is unlike almost any other leather and in such a bold colour it’s sure to stand out. The ready-to-wear version has been designed to pair with a Breitling, which might not be the first watch you’d think of for such a novelty. However, it would add a fun twist to any timepiece and is certainly the talking point you want it to be.
Visconti Milano’s production process can have as many as 47 steps depending on the chosen material and specifications, requiring expert precision and execution from the Italian artisans. Whether you want a statement strap in bold colours or something more refined and simple, they can deliver. Prices from £100-£400.
Find out more at viscontimilano.com
LET IT BE
RAYMOND WEIL CEO ELIE BERNHEIM ON THE BRAND’S BEATLES LIMITED EDITION TIMEPIECES
The Beatles are, without hyperbole, the most important band in history. Their body of work is as impressive today as it was when crowds nearly brought San Francisco’s Candlestick Park to ruins with sheer sound. Needless to say, any association with the Fab Four is worth talking about.
So how did this happen? How did the relatively low-key, albeit musically-inclined watchmaker land one of the biggest musical properties in history? We caught up with CEO Elie Bernheim to find out.
“It started from one guy to another guy! It began with Craig Leach (Raymond Weil UK Brand Manager) having dinner with the Managing Director of Apple Corps (the multimedia company founded by members of the Beatles). They had a chat about our position in the market, other things that we’d done in the music world and the conversation just went from there.
“They liked the fact that we’re a family business, an independent company that I’m the third generation at its head. We’re also at a good price point for what they wanted: we ‘re not a niche brand and we’re cheap and mass-produced. Then, perhaps most importantly there’s the human connection. We just clicked!”
That click was properly noticeable in the initial Raymond Weil collaborative timepiece with the first Maestro Beatles limited edition in 2016, which paid homage to the many studio albums the band put out. It was still a surprisingly elegant timepiece – despite the band’s ‘Help’ silhouette at five o’clock.
It was a big move for Raymond Weil and one that would test the nerves of any watchmaker. So was Bernheim nervous?
“All the time! It doesn’t matter whether it’s a Beatles watch or a new Raymond Weil timepiece, I always feel like that when we launch something. You just never know for sure how it will be received. Sometimes you feel like it’s going to do well and then little things – the hands, the price, the case materials – tips things in another different direction.”
Nerves or not, the partnership’s evidently gone well. Since that first limited-edition, Raymond Weil has produced three more equally distinctive timepieces, all of which encompass various aspects of the Beatle’s iconography and back catalogue. With Abbey Road and Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band editions now sold out, the newest version is dedicated to Let It Be.
The big question, looking at the quartet of limited editions together, is how does one decide what goes into a watch like this and what doesn’t? There are so many logos, symbols, various bits of Beatles mythology that could be mixed in, it’s almost overwhelming.
The Let It Be limited edition is the fourth watch that Raymond Weil has produced with the Fab Four
If that sounds a touch restrictive, it can be. As he says, “It has happened – not with the Beatles watches but it has happened – that we’ve held ourselves back a bit too much and the end consumer didn’t get the watch they were hoping for. It just means we know better for next time.”
Well, this is the next time and the Let It Be edition is a big change from the previous trio. They maintained a sleek, dressy appearance from afar, only revealing the band-centric details much closer up, whereas there’s something eye-catching about the new watch from the get-go.
As he puts it, “there’s a more horological aspect to the new watch, with the open aperture the shape of the UK and the fact that it’s a skeleton piece.”
The aperture is more like a balloon animal version of the UK, but the contrast between the inner workings of the work with all its brass and silver and the anthracite dial makes for a very distinctive look. Otherwise, the only obvious touches are the Beatles band logo on the left side of the dial and the quartet of indexes marking four o’clock, one for each member. Indeed, while it’s more striking from afar, up close it feels slightly less on-the-nose than previous musical limited editions.
As with the previous pieces, the Let It Be is a limited edition of 3,000, enough that most die-hard fans have a decent chance of getting one for themselves but not enough to devalue its exclusivity. And value it has, given that the automatic timepiece has a price tag of £1,750. Not a bad coda to a quartet of timepieces in honour of the greatest band in history.
Find out more at raymond-weil.co.uk
The Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club edition has already sold out (above), while the Raymond Weil Beatles Maestro Edition (below) was the first watch they collaborated on, which proved to be a hit and led to the other limited editions
Oracle RECOMMENDS
WHAT’S ON OUR SHOPPING LIST AND WHY
BAVARIAN WATCH – ROYAL BLUE BAVARIAN
Germany has a rich watchmaking history, especially around Glashütte, but Bavaria isn’t to be discounted from the conversation either. Bavarian Watch has been singing the watchmaking praises of the region since 2018 and create a variety of stylish dials and straps for their timepiece available through Kickstarter. The 40mm stainless steel watch stands out for its large lugs, which looks great on powerful wrists without overwhelming thinner ones. We particularly like the Royal Bavarian Blue piece combined with Summer Sunset strap.
€160 (approx. £135), for more information visit kick.bavarian-watch.com
ARTEM STRAPS – SAILCLOTH STRAPS
It’s an old adage that if you can’t find the thing you’re looking for, build it yourself. This is the philosophy that led to the creation of Artem Straps when the founders were thwarted in their search for high quality sailcloth watch straps. Sailcloth, whether it’s made from genuine cloth or synthetic and leather alternatives, can be stiff and uncomfortable – making Artem’s focus for their straps flexibility and comfort, a mission they have more than succeeded at. Artem Sailcloth Watch strap $85 (approx. £60) from artemstraps.com
CuleM – Lights GMT Blue Everyone needs to play a part in protecting the environment and the watchmaker CuleM has already embraced their role – planting over 15,000 trees in Madagascar with a pledge to plant 100 more for every timepiece they sell. Their watches are designed to capture their global outlook, with all of them being GMT timers depicting a vision of the world. The Lights GMT reinforces our global community by depicting an image of the world which, at night, lights up with pinpoints of light signifying the major cities of the world.
CuleM Portal GMT Gold £995 available from culemwatches.com
CARAPAZ
Carapaz is a specialised Swiss leather design company based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, the home of many top watchmakers. Their watch cases have helped to reinvent the way watches can be stored safely for travelling with the introduction of a unique rail system a few years ago, which holds the precious timepieces in place. The integrated rail technology and stand feature make them the ideal cases for travel, storage, or display, with models that can hold between one and eight watches. They’re available in a variety of colours in high-quality soft leather.
Three-Watch Case £240, available at carapaz.com and thewatchspy.net
ZENEA Watches – ULA Diver Japanese Garden Blue
We more often hear about the beautiful wilderness of Canada than Canadian watch companies, but Canadian watch brand ZENEA have shown enough attitude to make it work, launching their brand in the midst of the global pandemic in late 2020. The Canadian designs draw on classic watchmaking influences and are executed with Swiss-made precision, just look at the ULA Diver Japanese Garden Blue. Its 41m diameter stainless steel case is as sporty as they come and with exceptional finishing, the blue dial and sword hands compliment the diving aesthetic perfectly. They offer free worldwide shipping on all watches as well!
ULA Diver Japanese Garden Blue $789 (approx. £575) from zeneawatches.com
Ross Oliver – Bridge-bit Loafers
Ross Oliver is a fresh name to the arena of luxury footwear, bringing a new vision to the UK scene. Their high quality Cactus leather loafers and boots are both stylish and sustainable, crafted by specialist artisans in the UK. They are also finalists at the renowned Draper Awards in two categories; Best New Footwear Brand and Footwear Designer of the Year. Their superb Bridge-bit Loafers, available in multiple colours, took over a year to develop and feature a handmade brass buckle inspired by Clifton suspension bridge.
Bridge-bit Loafer in Navy £240, available at rossoliver.uk
Montblanc – UltraBlack Backpack
Montblanc might feature in Oracle Time for their watches, but watchmaking is only one avenue of their stylistic expression. The UltraBlack backpack is a suave and cool bag in black leather, embossed with Montblanc’s signature M pattern, it verges on sinister. The UltraBlack collection also heralds two new additions to the brand’s ambassador line-up including Cillian Murphy, which only furthers the dark edginess of the collection with his Peaky Blinders credentials. For more information visit montblanc.com
VIVVANT - SNOWDON TAUPE MILITARY BOOTS
Vivvant bring exquisite Italian craftmanship to urban London styles for the fashion-forward man in a wide selection of footwear. The Snowdon Taupe Military Boots have a robust and masculine outline that is matched by the thick rubber soles. They are held on comfortably by laces and a chunky zip. In a nod to the brand, the heels are marked with a triple V pattern. All of Vivvant’s products are designed in London and crafted in Florence for the ultimate fusion of authentic style and execution.
Snowdon Taupe Military Boots £288, vivvant.co.uk
PALACE X STELLA ARTOIS – STADIUM COACH JACKET
If you’re looking for an urban style that’s casual enough to wear to your local but still packing plenty of street cred, the Palace Skateboards and Stella Artois collaboration is the collection for you. It combines the styles of New York and London bars with a fusion of street gear and co-branded patches that are on the right side of novelty. The Stadium Coach Jacket is available in two versions emulating the US and UK styles. For more information visit palaceskateboards.com
DRACO LONDON – AWAKENING CHRONOGRAPH
The fresh London-based, DRACO, might just be one of the most exciting brands to look out for this year. From outstanding quality timepieces originally designed that are sure to turn heads, to finely crafted Italian luxury leather goods and other accessories such as bracelets with semi-precious stones, this brand is quickly becoming a people’s favourite. The best part is that they are just getting started.
Awakening Chronograph £250, draco-london.com
HEATH – SHOWER MASK
Face masks are an important part of skin care that men still struggle to embrace due to the perception of them being feminine. However, Heath have created a gel based mask that integrates flawlessly into your morning routine and is steam activated, meaning you can whack it on while you wait for the shower to warm up, wash it off five minutes later and the job’s done. Helping you to remove dry skin and protect you from acne and zits with as little hassle as possible. Shower Mask £16, available at Selfridges
HAWKINS & BRIMBLE – SHAVING SET
If you shave every day then you’ll know just how much of a chore it can be. Which is why picking up a brand new shaving kit can revitalise not only your morning routine, but your skin as well. Hawkins & Brimble is a UK-based cosmetics brand that believe a comprehensive approach to shaving is the best, supplying you with all the foams, creams and razors that you need to feel refreshed in the morning.
Check them out at hawkinsandbrimble.co.uk
Aesop – Post-Shave Lotion
The Aesop experience goes beyond that of simply applying their products as part of your routine, it begins when you first step into one of their distinctive boutiques. They seek to create an architectural experience with shops in interesting locations, such as a disused ramp leading into an underground car park, living in harmony with the street level locale. At the same time their products like the Moroccan Neroli Post-Shave Lotion have a similar level of development and thought put into them. Post-Shave Lotion £37,
available from aesop.com
Battle Rhythm Beard Co. – Big Bastard Collection
Battle Rhythm Beard Co. are a bombastic and characterful brand delivering vegan and vegetarian-friendly grooming products for men, with a portion of each sale going to veteran and first responder charities. Not only will their beard butter and soap make you look good but they also have great names like Spitfire and M-72 and feeling cool is a big part of style. If your beard is particularly wild, they offer The Big Bastard collection that contains everything you need to get it under control. Big Bastard £65, available at battlerhythmbeardco.com
THE OTHER SAINT – EYE CREAM
The Other Saint focus on an environmentally friendly approach to skin care, promoting vegan-friendly and naturally sourced ingredients. Packaged up in stylish and modern designs that mean their products won’t just make you look good, they’ll make your bathroom look good too. They also believe in pre-emptive skincare to combat the signs of aging early, with their eye cream softening the skin around the eyes to prevent wrinkles.
Eye Cream £14.50, available at theothersaint.com
BROOKIES – BROOKIES GIN
Heralding all the way from Cape Byron in New South Wales, Australia, Brookies use the naturally occurring sub-tropical flora as inspiration for their gin. The distillation process involves 25 different botanicals, 17 of which are sourced from the Byron Bay area. Citrus and juniper take the lead in the tasting and it follows a classic London dry style. Brookies Gin £39.95, available from thewhiskyexchange.com
ROCKS – Chilling Stones
Whisky is the ultimate gentlemen’s drink and we all know there is nothing quite as suave as saying “I’ll have a whisky on the rocks”. However, if you actually have your whisky “on the rocks” you’re likely watering it down as the ice melts and can ruin the carefully crafted liquid. ROCKS have a solution. They have created granite whisky chilling stones that perform the same function as ice without diluting your drink. And with a range of colours and materials available, they look amazing as well. ROCKS chilling stones $29.90 (approx. £21) available from rockscs.com
MACALLAN – TALES OF THE MACALLAN VOLUME 1
This is the first in a new series of exceptionally rare single malt Scotch whiskies that tell the story and history of Macallan’s pioneering distillations. This first volume is in honour of Captain John Grant who, in 1700, owned the land that would eventually become the Macallan Distillery. The liquid itself dates back to 1950 and has been bottled in a bespoke Lalique crystal decanter, limited to 350 pieces worldwide.
Tales of The Macallan Volume 1 is priced at £60,000, available from The Macallan Boutiques and selected retailers
Dictador – 2 Masters Royal Tokaji Rum
Dictador are one of the finest rum producers in the world and their 2 Masters collection is one of the pinnacles. For the 2 Masters Royal Tokaji they collaborated with the renowned wine maker Royal Tokaji in Hungary, entrusting them with a 40-year Colombian rum to be aged in Zemplén oak barrels. It is the culmination of the work of two masters of their respective arts, helmed by Hernan Perra and Zoltán Kovács.
2 Masters Royal Tokaji Rum £670, from goedhuis.com
MACNAIR’S BOUTIQUE HOUSE OF SPIRITS – EXPLORATION RUM
The GlenAllachie Distillers have rebranded Macnair’s into a new Boutique House of Spirits, an event celebrated by the release of a new small batch rum from whisky master Billy Walker, which is his first foray into rum. The Exploration Rum features sugar cane from Panama and was also aged in American oak casks in the Panamanian climate prior to moving to GlenAllachie’s distillery in Speyside. The liquid is available in three expressions, each limited to 400 cases.
