FREITAG WIND-DOWN: 20 March, 2015 (Baselworld Edition)

Felix Scholz

It might say Friday on my Day-Date, but this is day three of Baselworld, so it feels more like a Wednesday. That doesn’t mean we can’t take a minute to wind down and go over the highs, lows and helium valve puns of the fair so far. (For the helium valve pun, skip straight to ‘The Best Press Conference’)

SURPRISE HIT

ORIS DIVERS SIXTY-FIVE – Just, damn. The bubble crystal, the size, the strap, the font. It converted KD (who said he hated it more than life itself), excited Frank from Monochrome and at $2300 it’s immediately buyable, “even for journalists!” enthused Frank.

PREDICTABLE HIT

THE BLUE PELAGOS – The smile on Felix’s face when Tudor Creative Director Davide Cerrato announced the Blue Pelagos. Priceless.

PLEASE EXPLAIN

Patek Philippe Pilot. Anybody?

MOST LIKED INSTAGRAM PIC

Rolex Yacht-Master (this one).

BEST PARTY
TUDOR TEEPEE PARTY. It was a brilliant idea that literally went up in smoke when the open fire inside the closed tepee smarted smoking. They wanted the launch of the North Flag and the first ever Tudor in-house movement to be a breathtaking and Tudor guaranteed it, by reducing the oxygen levels in the room to frankly dangerously low levels. Still, it was memorable, it was surreally ‘un-Basel’ and it finished with an open bar of vintage rum. It was awesome.

WORD JEAN-CLAUDE BIVER HAS SAID THE MOST

LOVE. It’s love love love with JCB this year. “Trails of love” left by his products, love for his wife who let him accept another ten year contract to keep working, love for Google and Intel, the new partners of TAG Heuer and ‘All You Need is Love’ by the Beatles, the song that he was ‘reborn to’ in 1967. (He was born the more traditional way in 1949). So much love, we all needed to lie down.

BEST AMBASSADOR ANNOUNCEMENT

BAR REFAELI. Sorry Cara. It’s Bar, bar none. (This is here purely to give us a reason to post lots of shots of Bar Refaeli.)

AVERAGE AGE OF @PATCHSTYLE / @WHATCHS / @DAILYWATCH

22. As in TWENTY-TWO. KD helpfully pointed out that I could be their father if that girlfriend I had when I was 16 was Swedish, or Danish. It was all too real. The kids are alright.

FAVOURITE NEW MOVEMENT

THE ORIS 111 – 10 DAY POWER RESERVE. Ten. Days. Also with linear power reserve indicator in a not oversized rounded case with quite stunning starburst dials. Turning Portugese I think they’re turning Portugese I really think so.

BEST PRESS CONFERENCE

SEIKO SEIKO SEIKO. ALL DAY LONG – Not only did they manage to poke fun at all the brands using silicone for components, peaking with the announcement that the new Prospex dive collection will have silicone straps, “which is the place silicone should be used”, they also fitted in some slapstick visual comedy. After stating that “helium escape valves are unnecessary on a dive watch that is built correctly” the speaker then took a big hit of helium from a balloon and talked in a funny high voice.

WEIRDEST PUBLICITY STUNT
SEIKO, AGAIN – How do you give away three tennis balls signed by Novak Djokovic? You hit 11 tennis balls into the crowd and make them fight for them. Obviously! So weird, so great, so Seiko.

BEST WATERCOLOUR PAINTING DONE AT BASEL

This one. By Sunflowerman. For the Longines Watercolour Watch Project.