Australian Watch Authority
LIST: 6 Seikos you need to know from Basel 2019
You can get a pretty good sense of the overarching themes of Baselworld by listening to the chatter in the halls, press centre and even the sausage cart outside. And, along with smaller crowd sizes and uncertain futures, one of the main conversational themes was the size of brand collections. In press conferences, words like ‘focused’ and ‘consolidated’ abounded. In short, brands weren’t releasing many watches. One exception was Seiko. The Japanese powerhouse has so many lines (though to be fair these are becoming increasingly codified and coherent) and plenty to choose from, so much so that I had a real struggle winnowing it down to just six watches — even given the fact that I excluded the fancy Prospex LX watches. There were some diver reissues with some Hollywood provenance, a beautiful new artisanal take on the Presage, as well as a great green Cocktail Time (Midori maybe?), and a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Astron. Seiko SNJ025P Seiko SLA033J Seiko SRPD21K Seiko SRPD37J Seiko SPB093 Seiko SSH021J
HANDS-ON: The Seiko Diver’s Re-creation Limited Edition SLA033
Seiko’s archive is full of exceptional and much-loved dive watches. One of the brightest lights in this pantheon is the 6105, a real workhorse of the 1970s, and a distinctive one at that — thanks to its large, cushiony case and a crown at four. And while the visuals of the watch certainly didn’t hurt, it’s the combination of good (for the time) water resistance of 150m, Seiko’s reliable build quality and a non-prohibitive price that made this watch such a hit — especially with American soldiers in Vietnam. It’s in this context that the watch received its most famous role, on the wrist of Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now. Fast forward to 2019 and the 6105 is back, only now it’s the Seiko SLA033, and limited to 2500 pieces. It’s also spectacularly cool. The case has been oh-so-slightly upscaled from the original — measuring 45mm across by 13mm tall — there’s no denying the presence of this piece. It’s made from stainless steel with a super-hard coating. Hidden away behind the solid caseback is the high-end 8L35, and it’s strapped on by a very faithful re-creation of the original strap — only now in silicone. Be warned, though: this…
VIDEO: TAG Heuer joins the bronze brigade with the Autavia
Bronze — that gold-toned alloy that only gets better with age — has continued its domination of the watch world, and the latest brand to be converted is TAG Heuer, who this week released two bronze versions of their brand new three-handed Autavia. Structurally, it’s the same as the steel Autavias — 42mm across, powered by a Calibre 5 movement running the impressive new Isograph spring, and worn with straps that utilise a smart new quick-change system. But on the aesthetic front, the warm metal, shiny ceramic bezel, smoky green dial, and aged ivory luminous material create a compelling synergy that’s exemplary of the current retro-modern trend. But what I really want to know is – will we end up seeing more bronze in the TAG Heuer assortment in the near future? It could work. I guess that’s a somewhat long-winded way of saying that this watch just looks really great on the wrist.
WHAT SEALED THE DEAL: On Champs’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin 15202
Those who know Champs know that he has a special affinity for Audemars Piguet. And like many others, that fondness for the Swiss manufacturer began with nothing more than a few pictures found online – like the proverbial pin-up posted on our bedroom walls. A few years later, an innocent trip to Baselworld led to an incredible visit to the AP factory and it wasn’t long before he returned to pick up his Royal Oak 15400 with boutique blue dial. Still the fire burned. And soon after he was back at the birthplace of the original luxury sports watch; only this time, it was to pick up this one, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin 15202. When did you first see/hear about it? I first heard about it back in 2012, when it was relaunched for the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak. I had been daydreaming about it ever since, but sadly, I couldn’t afford it yet. Any story behind the purchase? When I went to Baselworld in March 2017, I had the privilege of meeting the CFO of AP and other AP associates. We got along so well that I’ve stayed in touch with them, and every time I have been to…
