When Felix first took a peek at the Terra Australis made by Aussie watch company Bausele, what he saw before him – to paraphrase his own words – was the preliminary sketch before the finished painting. Fast-forward to today and those metaphorical pencil marks are now barely visible under brushstrokes of paint, with the brand officially launching the flagship model late last year. While much of the design hasn't changed from that first look prototype, from initial impressions, it's easy to see that the overall quality of finish has improved by leaps and bounds. To kick things off, Bausele have four special versions of the Terra Australis available. Limited to 50 pieces each, all with varying colour combinations for their five-pronged outer case, dial, hands, and strap. However, if that isn't enough, customers can individualise their very own version on the Bausele website. With 850 different combinations possible. One of the initial four versions is this variant, dubbed the "Red Back", with its blacked-out styling and not-so-subtle pops of white and red, demanding attention. Eagle-eyed viewers of TV series Prison Break may have already spotted it on the wrist of brand ambassador Dominic Purcell's character Lincoln Burrows in the recent… Read More
HANDS-ON: The Bausele Pilot All Black – a value packed ceramic pilot with a twist
Editor's Note: As part of our follow-up to last year's Australian Watch Week, we're taking another look at Bausele – this time the well-priced ceramic pilot. It's been a little while now since we checked in with Bausele, which has continued to carve its name into the local watch scene. Now it looks set to crack the American market, recently signing English/Aussie /LA-based actor Dominic Purcell, famous for his stint in Prison Break, as the face of its new campaign. Bausele was the first Australian brand to get a seat at the table that is Baselworld – not bad for a locally grown, Swiss-made brand. French-born founder Christophe Hoppé has proudly embraced our wide brown land, literally putting a a piece of it in every watch. Usually this takes the form of a few grains of sand or soil embedded in the crown, but there's also the Bauselite material used in the Terra Australis, as well as kangaroo straps. (If you're reading this overseas, yes, it's fine to use our national icon for leather; it's sustainable and there are plenty of 'roos around.) Today we're taking a look at the Pilot All Black, which features an unusual and eye-catching dial layout. Bausele has moved the 12 from where it normally… Read More
AUSTRALIAN WATCH WEEK: Meet the founders
All week we've been showcasing great watches from local brands.These watches are very different from the sometimes anonymous products produced in their thousands by the large Swiss brands. These watches are very much the result of an a personal vision. So we're going to take a step back from the watches, meet the men behind the brands and find out what makes them tick. Todd Caldwell, Aegir Instruments The Pitch: We have an unalterable commitment to the highest quality product. The Price: $1750 – $1900. The Person: Todd is a commercial diver working mainly in bell bounce systems in the offshore oil and gas industry. Aegir Instruments was born as Todd whiled away the hours decompressing with little to do but stare at his watch (a Panerai), and think of how he could improve it. A few years and a serious accident later Todd decided to spend some time on dry land and make his watchmaking dreams a reality. Christophe Hoppe, Bausele The Pitch: Keep a piece of Australia with you. The Price: $490 – $4400. The Person: Swiss born Christophe moved to Australia in 2010, after many years working in the watch industry. Bausele was born out of his… Read More
HANDS-ON: The Bausele Terra Australis
The Worn & Wound Take: As part of Australian Watch Week we're asking watch microbrand specialists Worn & Wound for their off the cuff take on every watch we review: "Clearly 'less is more' is not their design philosophy." – Zach Weiss, Worn & Wound This review of the Bausele Terra Australis is going to be a little different. Mostly because the watch is a little different. And no, I'm not talking about the wrist-hugging bullhead design and innovative materials, though they are pretty different. This review is unusual because the watch I'm talking about is a pre-production prototype that has literally just arrived from Switzerland. This means we need to take a few things into account. The finishing is not the same as the final version (especially on the dial), the strap will be different, and in fact whole elements of the design will be changed. Christophe Hoppe, founder of Bausele has already informed me that another, further refined prototype is in the works which will be thinner and less bulky, with a smaller Bauselite component (more on that later) and with a matte, rather than polished finish. Basically what we're looking at today is a preliminary sketch, compared to a finished painting. So, you… Read More
