FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Hollywood and Hamilton, Norqain and now onto Dubai Watch Week…

Zach Blass

This month has been jam-packed with watch events, RedBar gatherings, an IWC Big Pilot Exhibition and much more. As a “pandemic hire”, I am suddenly getting the full watch industry experience. Back at the end of August I experienced three time zones, heading off to the COUTURE Watch and Jewellery show in Las Vegas from New York and then back to New York for less than 24 hours before hopping on a plane to Geneva Watch Days. Earlier this week I returned from California, where I attended the Hamilton Behind The Camera Awards and had a full dose of Hollywood and horology. Upon landing in New York very early on Monday morning, I had a brief power nap before heading into our New York office to catch up with the Norqain gang. In short, we are back in full force.

I had an absolute blast with Hamilton in California, getting to meet many members of the company and industry colleagues in person for the first time. While we have certainly been in touch digitally, there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction – both with the people and the watches. I attended my first red carpet and Hollywood awards show, making many of my friends and family jealous that I got so close to actors like Jake Gyllenhaal, Mahershala Ali, and Jamie Dornan. I even got to talk watches with the likes of Jason Isaacs and Reed Birney, two actors whose work I have enjoyed many times.

After an action-packed weekend with Hamilton, still a bit jet-lagged I had a wonderful conversation with Norqain CEO Ben Küffer and later in the day Ricardo and I met up with them once again to share a meal, laughs, and of course get hands-on with a range of their novelties. The excitement, however, doesn’t stop there for me. In a few days I will be off to Dubai Watch Week, an event I have always dreamed of visiting. So stay tuned for all our coverage from Dubai, as well as our takeaways from our time with Norqain.

Sixteen months into my Time+Tide role and 500 or so articles later, it’s at times like these I realise I am only just getting started and still have so much to look forward to. God, I love this industry and being able to fulfill my watch-nerd dreams of being a part of it.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Zach

Watch meme of the week: Safe queens with @watchumor

One of the greatest tragedies, in my opinion, of the watches-as-assets craze is how some people are compelled to own an amazing watch but not actually wear it. There are many collectors who wish to add a Nautilus, or other highly in-demand piece to their collection and wear it proudly. But the watch’s eye-popping value on the secondary market prompts a strong fiscal case of leaving it in a safe for a rainy day. Personally, I believe watches should be purchased to be worn and enjoyed, but then again I have never had the pleasure of facing the dilemma: Do I wear my George Daniels? Or should I keep it safe in my watch box?

Wrist shot of the week: David Silver takes a STELLAr wrist shot

I am not saying it is a 1:1 colour match, but it is close enough to be an awesome flex. Not only is David Silver’s Vintage Rolex hardcover book in view, but also a darker yellow Stella-dial vintage Rolex Day Date in rose gold. It is a very notable watch, with significant relevance to the modern Rolex catalogue. It is these very Stella dials that inspired the colourful range of Oyster Perpetuals last year. From the outset, it was, and still is, super hard to score a yellow Oyster Perpetual in today’s marketplace. But if I had my pick, I would want to chase after the Day Date on his wrist. Stunning shot and stunning watch.

Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week:

The evolution of Jay-Z’s watch collection: 99 problems but a bare wrist ain’t one

While Ricardo happily watched Jay-Z’s acceptance speech at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, his thoughts were consumed by the horological voice in his head – what the hell is that watch he’s wearing? This sparked his deep-dive into the evolution of Jay-Z’s watch collection, a journey you can follow here.

When high fashion collides with high function – the paradox of the haute couture tool watch

Can a high fashion house known for made-to-measure dresses, luxurious silk scarves or fine handbags produce a legitimate tool watch? You can find D.C’s answer here

HANDS ON: The Baume & Mercier Riviera delivers ’70s style on an integrated bracelet

If you’re going to draw inspiration from anything, the French Riviera is as good as it gets. Baume & Mercier’s Riviera line stems from the trauma of the 1970s, when Swiss watchmaking was under fire from the quartz uprising and adaptation was pivotal. Among the early brands to emerge with their heads held high were Baume & Mercier. They embraced quartz technology while aligning it with the recreation, luxury and beauty of the Côte D’Azur, utilising a 12-sided dodecagonal case and a faceted steel integrated bracelet. Check out the video above for Fergus’ full hands-on review.