Famed artist Alec Monopoly rage baits the watch community with splashes of paint
Zach BlassListen, I won’t pretend Time+Tide is not in the engagement business. Punchy, punny headlines and tasty watch photography and video drive clicks, likes, and shares, and allow us to keep doing what we are doing. But I am proud to say we have never really engaged in horological rage bait. Speaking just for myself here, though I suspect there are team members who agree with me, nothing grinds my gears more than watches being abused for the sake of content – unless it is a G-Shock stress test, then I will allow it. But videos of coffee being poured over a diver, a watch on top of a saucy bowl of spaghetti, or a pack shot of watches on a hand, crowns rubbing the opposing cases, dangling over a rooftop edge stories into the skyline like Simba being presented on Pride Rock just make me wince. To be honest, I have not been seeing as many of these sorts of posts as of late… until one of famed artist Alec Monopoly’s recent videos graced my feed.
Alec Monopoly knew what he was doing. In an artistic stunt on his social media, Monopoly splattered paint all over two Royal Pop models and an 18k gold Rolex Daytona with the comment-prompting text-on-video “Did I cook… or did I ruin these watches?🤔” and a caption CTA that reads “Rate the paint job… 1-10 👀🎨⌚️.”
While some managed to express some appeal and interest in him splattering paint all over the three watches, many commenters were firmly in the “ruin” camp, commenting “Ruined”, “Cooked the watches maybe 😷”, “Not on the Daytona at least”, “Engagement final boss”, “-10000000000 aura”, and more.
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It is safe to say that with over 13k likes and 640 comments, his mission to stir up engagement was a success. But for us watch geeks, seeing watches treated poorly for clicks just doesn’t sit right, no?
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Zach and the Time+Tide Team
Zach’s Time+Tide take of the week: Bund straps are underrated
Though a popular strap option in its heyday, the bund strap these days seems to get more slander than support these days. I know it is odd to be talking bund straps in the wake of recent heat waves and peak summertime warmth (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), but, as I sit here typing this wearing my Universal Genéve Compax ‘Nina Rindt‘ in the comfort of my air-conditioned office, it made me think about sharing a quick few remarks of support.
Firstly, unless it is scorching hot out, bund straps are actually very, very comfortable. There is something about the greater amount of leather hugging your wrist that just feels quite nice. Secondly, it is a great option to make a bigger watch feel smaller, visually inflating the backdrop of the watch on your wrist to disguise the lugs verging on the brink of winging out past the extremities of your wrist. Lastly, because it is now worn less commonly, it is a visual point of distinction and offers more aesthetic intrigue.
The only catch is that, at least in my opinion, a bund only really works well with a chronograph or pilot’s watch. After all, the distinct leather pad beneath the watch that defines the bund strap was built to protect pilots’ skin from freezing metal at high altitudes or extreme heat during a cockpit fire. So, for those I have seen posting pictures of a Submariner or diver on a bund, that is definitely where I draw the line, and I recommend you get your head checked.
Wrist shot of the week: Do I need a Glashütte Original in my collection now?
Between a trip to Dresden to visit the manufacture and our recent event with over 150 people in our NYC Discovery Studio that launched the new SeaQ ‘Northern Tide’ Limited Editions, I have been surrounded by Glashütte Original watches as of late. Between discovering all of the intricacies behind the brand’s craftsmanship and getting to see so many pieces in-hand ‘in the metal’, hunting down a Glashütte Original watch for my personal collection has definitely crossed my mind more than ever before.
Among many things, one key element I really appreciate about Glashütte Original is its exploration of colour and texture for its dials, and merging these bolder expressions with unimpeachable, traditional German watchmaking. Is the opera house-inspired date window exclusive to Glashütte Original? No. But is the brand the only one to use it with turquoise, salmon, green, and many other more eye-catching colours? Yes.
Time+Tide Shop pick of the week: Trafford Watch Co. Daytripper – Core
The Daytripper is made for movement. Whether you’re crossing time zones or switching into weekend mode, its independently adjustable hour hand makes it easy to shift with your plans. It’s a subtle feature with a big impact. The Daytripper is your all-purpose companion. Whether you’re stepping into a record shop, hiking through hill country, or grabbing dinner downtown, it stays on your wrist. Each Season Two dial captures a different moment of the day, drawing on the colours and moods that shift with the light. Wherever you’re headed, the Daytripper fits right in.
The Daytripper runs on the celebrated Miyota 9075, simplified to spotlight its quick-set hour feature. You can jump the hour hand forward or back without affecting the minutes. Perfect for travel, time changes, or daylight saving. Regulated in-house to +/- 10 seconds per day and fitted with a custom rotor, it’s a rare level of functionality at this price point. Everything about the Daytripper is purposefully versatile. From the mid-size case to the sculpted lugs and relaxed dial layout, it feels at home anywhere. The colours are bold but wearable. The typography is strong but approachable. It’s a design that works just as well on the road as it does at home.
Season Two brings a major lume upgrade. The entire chapter ring is now fully lumed, creating a bright, glowing halo around the dial that transforms the watch after dark. Combined with lumed hands, numerals, and hour markers using BGW9 Super-LumiNova, the Daytripper doesn’t just stay readable at night. It comes alive.
The Trafford Watch Co. Daytripper – Core is now available from the Time+Tide Watch Discovery Studios in London and New York, and the Time+Tide Shop. Price: US$799/£725
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week
It’s No Desk-Diver: The Nodus Sector Deep Black Destro
Finding a genuine tool watch that doesn’t demand a premium is the challenge these days; however, the Nodus Sector Deep – Black Destro is precisely that kind of protagonist. The Nodus Sector platform began when the independent Los Angeles brand conceptualised a single 38mm stainless steel mid-case that serves as the backbone of an entire family of purpose-built dive watches.
If Zach could change one thing about the Grand Seiko SLGB006, it would be this…
As a well-known fan of Grand Seiko, when the brand not only first launched UFA Spring Drive and a micro-adjust clasp, but also debuted these two massive detail-leaps in a new 37mm case size at Watches and Wonders 2025 with the inaugural Ice Forest duo, it is fair to say Zach was pretty stoked. At Watches and Wonders 2026, Grand Seiko debuted the first of its kind in 18k yellow gold, the SLGB006 UFA Ice Forest at Dawn. Naturally, there is a lot for Grand Seiko fans to like about this watch. However, there is one thing Zach would change… But you will have to watch the video to find out.
Cartier brings its Santos de Cartier Chronograph down to a more favourable “Large” size
At Watches and Wonders 2026, Cartier presented a Santos de Cartier Chronograph with refined, tamer dimensions that brought the design down from Cartier’s XL sizing to its large size – in line with the popular time and date Santos de Cartier.