Australian Watch Authority
HANDS-ON: The AVI-8 Hawker Harrier Blue Nylon is a tempting sub-$500 throwdown for aviation fans
More than 50 years ago, an aviation team led by pilot Tom Lecky-Thompson embarked on what they referred to as codename “Blue Nylon”. So, what was the top-secret project? The group was making preparations for Lecky-Thompson’s attempt to enter the Transatlantic Air Race in 1969, which involved pilots flying from London all the way to New York. The pilot would go on to win the race, successfully flying his Harrier XV741 across the Atlantic to take home first prize. In honour of this accomplishment, AVI-8 has released its second limited-edition with the AVI-8 Hawker Harrier Blue Nylon. The case The dark stainless steel case is 44mm in diameter, 13.5mm thick, and spans 52mm lug to lug across the wrist – which, while not super compact, is reasonable for its size. The tapered lugs of the AVI-8 Hawker Harrier Blue Nylon Limited Edition introduce a deep carved polished bevel that introduces a hint of vintage-inspired elegance to the predominantly sporty satin case. The taper and angle of the lugs will also ensure it snugly fits around the wrist. To honour the Transatlantic Race that inspired the watch, as well as Lecky-Thompson’s airborne feat, the caseband has the plane’s takeoff and landing…
Do your friends think watch collecting is strange? These are the best watches to get your friends into watches
If you, like many others, stumbled across the watch collecting hobby entirely by yourself, you know that feeling of loneliness. You may spend hours perfecting a wrist shot to show off your grail purchases, incredible bargains, or vintage eBay snipes, only to have friends and family snub you by exclaiming, “You bought another watch?” Well, if you really want others to appreciate your hobby like you do, you need to give them a taste for themselves. Whether you save up for something special or gather some buddies to pitch in, these are five of the best watches to get your friends into watches too, from cheapest to dearest. Casio AE1200WH-1A It’s safe to say that every soul on the planet is familiar with Casio’s digital watches, thanks to the ubiquitous $20 AUD marvel, the F-91W. They’re rugged, last forever, and their retro-utilitarian stylings have cemented them as classics with even the snobbiest of wristwatch enthusiasts. However, if you want to step it up a notch, the AE1200 series offers a wide set of useful features with a much quirkier and distinguished appearance. The ability to store multiple alternate time zones, complete with LED world map display, makes this a perfect watch…
Attention space cowboys: 5 alternatives to the Omega Speedmaster that you probably haven’t considered
The Speedmaster Professional is so well known, so in command of its hallowed place in the history of watchmaking, how could you possibly find an alternative? Given that it is a watch that has actually been to the moon (conspiracy theories about the Mojave Desert aside), any comparisons will have to be approximate at best. This will be an attempt to offer alternatives to the actual space-flown chronograph that can also muster period-perfect and legible chronographs with monochromatic balanced designs. The Speedmaster now represents a huge range, from the Speedmaster Professional to versions in platinum and gold, but all are essentially functional and tool-minded chronographs. So without further ado, let’s take a look at a few possible options. Bell & Ross Heritage BRV2-94 Flight-inspired, like most of the Bell & Ross range, this is a slightly smaller, yet more muscular, proposition to the beloved Speedy. While the brushed and polished 41mm case is Daytona-esque with its distinctive crown guards, screw-down pushers and broad-shouldered looks, the dial is a pure vision of monochromatic legibility. The dial is a pure twin-register chronograph with clear B&R design elements like the polished, dagger hour hand and sword minute hand and – my favourite touch…
Opinion
A barn find to give you hope – the story of a very special NOS vintage Gruen Ocean Chief
Editor’s note: This week, Eric Ku, vintage watch dealer and friend of Time+Tide, posted about five years having passed since the remarkable watch barn find story involving a LeCoultre Deep Sea Alarm. A man by the name of Zach Norris came across an interesting-looking watch at a local Goodwill store, featuring a price tag of $5.99. He bought it in a heartbeat, suspecting it was worth more than the tag suggested, and was delighted to discover its true value. He was flooded with offers for the watch, one of which came from Eric Ku. He agreed to sell the watch to Eric for a cool $35,000. That’s right, nearly 6000 times the price he paid for it. We put a call-out to see if anyone else had their own story of successful thrift shop hunting, and Frank (@SpeedyFett on Instagram) reached out, telling the tale of his vintage Gruen Ocean Chief. Enjoy! I have a barn find story from a couple years ago that is pretty special. I took my family on vacation to Philadelphia for my kids to experience the old historic area. Little did I know that in addition to the Liberty Bell, just around the corner was…
