BEHIND THE SCENES: A Day in the Life of Time+Tide
Andrew McUtchenA DAY (AND A BIT) IN THE LIFE OF TIME+TIDE
We’ve had some emails and comments on Insta re life in the Time+Tide office. Where in the world are we? Who works there? What’s a typical day like? Is Time+Tide run from a hollowed out volcano? A picture speaks a thousand words, so we thought we’d just show you a day in the life – in words and pictures. It was last Friday, with a little bit of Thursday night thrown in.
Thursday- 9pm
Getting ready for second interview with Sydney talk-radio host Clive Robertson (on 2UE). Invited on to discuss the Apple Watch. Suspect that he will probably talk about how Quartz watches are affected by variations in temperature, like he did last time.
9.40pm
We are live on radio 2UE. Clive Robertson opens by talking about how Quartz watches are affected by variations in temperature, then suggests – for a second time – that they should come “with an oven”. Then I try to be excited and unbiased about the Apple Watch. Fail. Try to hide my bitterness about Apple battery life in general. Fail. Fun chat though. Tempted to tip Clive off about the ‘Heuer hybrid Apple Watch’ broken by the ever-reliable news source @calibre11 (as in our DC). Resist the urge.
Friday- 9am
Interview call comes in from The Age. A fashion writer wants to hear our thoughts on the Apple Watch and whether it heralds a rebirth of the digital watch. Suggest that it doesn’t. Then start blowing the bugle for mechanical watches – the T+T battle cry is now on the public record.
10.30am
DC goes for a coffee run and bumps into Tim from Breitling on the street, who comes up to HQ for a bit of show and tell – we make him sit through our story about our favourite ever Emergency wearer (there are tears when he hugs the gorilla: all mine) and he tells us the all-black Blackbird is only going to be released at 48mm but that it’s actually really thin. We petition him to get a smaller version made, because none of us have wrists that can carry 47mm. 42mm is the team request. KD takes a quick couple of snaps of Tim’s Breitling Chronomat GMT. “You need to send those to me,” Tim says. “They are my new wallpaper.”*
11.30am
KD is shooting a bunch of watches with real props from the office including the entire Tudor Basel range and then moves on to a couple of soon-to-be-released Bell & Ross pieces. Takes a shot of the Bell&Ross that blows our minds. “I don’t know how you did that.” – DC
1pm
Lunch. Steak and chips at Squire’s Loft. “The best chips in the world, by far.” – KD
2.30pm
FS is talking to Daniel Ricciardi’s management about shooting the next Time+Tide video with him when he’s in town shortly. DC faints, then makes us all sit through footage of his drive around the Monaco race track – “less than an hour before the race!” – care of TAG Heuer earlier in the year. Again.
4.30pm
Call comes in from Girard-Perregaux, the $1.5-million Jackpot watch has landed at Monards at Crown Casino, would we like to try it on / shoot it? KD is gone before we’ve even hung up. He takes hours to get it right, texts us all the shots. We head over to see for ourselves, it’s 430pm after all – beer o’clock. Story to follow soon.
5pm
When in Rome… A quick champagne at LK Boutique (where KD is a frequent flyer) – he gets a quick team vote on whether he should exchange his Sea-Dweller for a two-tone Submariner. Nope. None, including Sarah from LK, are in favour; the motion is dismissed.
5.30pm
Team drinks at Number 8 opposite LK. KD disappears to have another crack at getting the face of the GP Jackpot right. FS still back at base talking to Ricciardo’s management – no fun for him. AM and DC have another round, then home for the footy. In the words of Ice Cube, it was a good day.