Australian Watch Authority
5 of the greatest watch moments on Antiques Roadshow (and if you don’t tear up on the last one, there’s something wrong with you)
Editor’s note: If we’re being completely honest, there’s one clear hero on this list. And it’s the old guy and his Rolex at the end. So if you’re time-poor, scroll on down to the bottom and have a look. Yes, even if you’ve seen it before. It gets better every time. Bless you, Antiques Roadshow. I have a not-so-secret love in my heart for Antiques Roadshow — specifically the UK version, but the US version is pretty good, too. If you’re not familiar with the concept, it’s a show where random members of the public show up and have their junk/priceless artefacts evaluated by a range of hilariously eccentric antiques experts. And while a great part of the joy for me is finding out that creepy dolls can be crazy expensive, really it’s all about that moment they reveal the price and the owner of said crazy dolls (or carpet once owned by someone famous) either hides their sadness at not being sudden, surprise millionaires, or — equally as good — when they’re suddenly in possession of something really valuable and they pretend they’re not planning to sell it as soon as the cameras turn off. And while everything about Antiques…
5 solid microbrand watches for less than $500
Editor’s note: A good, interesting watch isn’t determined by the name on the dial or the number on the price tag. This piece from Cameron Wong (originally posted last year) proves the point. Five solid, wallet-friendly choices with personality — and usually — a real person behind them. What’s not to love about microbrand watches? What I love about the microbrand watch companies is that they’re run by guys and gals like you and me. The kind of people that appreciate watches, and find excitement in a unique dial or case design while getting a buzz out of a new complication or movement. That’s not to say that the bigger brands aren’t equally as passionate. In fact, some of the most enthusiastic folk I’ve met are in charge of the biggest names in the business. It’s just that seeing someone who’s just like me start up a watch company and design the type of watch that they’d love to wear is inspiring. And when they can offer that sort of passion and enthusiasm for less than $500, it’s all the sweeter. Dan Henry 1964 Gran Turismo Chronograph Dan Henry is one of the lucky and passionate individuals who turned his…
RECOMMENDED READING: This is what the future of Baselworld looks like
One of the top three questions on the lips of watch lovers these days is about the lifespan of Baselworld. Well, hold onto your hats because Hodinkee, in the form of the indomitable Joe Thompson, has put together a pretty clear roadmap as to what the future of the fair looks like. And I’ve got to say, I’m partially convinced. Yes, I was sceptical coming out of Basel 2019, which was sedate (to put it politely), but apparently that was partially planned, as the big revelations and transformations are coming from 2020 onwards. TL;DR version: more experiential, more new audiences and open-booth layouts. Read the whole (and very good) story here.
WHAT SEALED THE DEAL: On Andrew’s TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 11 CAW211P
When we came up with the concept for ‘what sealed the deal’, it was all about those micro-details and micro-decisions that happen in the final stages of a purchase. Tiny things you can’t get out of your head about a watch. That case shape. Those burnt orange indices that are coloured not by paint, but by oxidisation. Most of the factors that sealed the deal on my TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 11 were documented in this video below, but there is always more to the story, so here it is. When did you first see/hear about it? This is a weird way to meet a Monaco, but the first one I saw was in the mid-2000s and it was a V4, that wild creation comprised of belts, ceramic balls and magic. Of course, I’d seen them on wrists before that, but it wasn’t until GQ needed a story on the V4 that I properly deep-dived. At that point, to be completely honest, I found it occupied a weird polarised place, with this insanely innovative and amazing (cough, expensive) version and other really retro models that were out of vogue in the mid-2000s. There was certainly nothing as pitch-perfect as the…
