FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Citizen to open new NYC flagship, JLC announces Golden Ratio Music Show
Zach BlassJust ahead of the weekend, two brands have announced some exciting news!
Citizen to open multi-brand flagship in New York City
Some people hear the Citizen name, and think solely of the brand. But Citizen, or the Citizen Watch Group, is actually a multi-brand conglomerate that not only includes Citizen, but also Alpina, Frederique Constant, Arnold & Son, Bulova and Accutron. Each of the aforementioned brands offer distinct styles at a wide array of price-points, and soon you will be able to explore all of them (with the exception of Arnold & Son) under one roof. Later this year, Citizen will be opening a multi-brand flagship at 605 5th Avenue (steps away from the Rockefeller Center) in New York City – offering watch lovers a destination where are all of their brands can be explored fully “in the metal” along with exclusive models.
Citizen Watch America explains: “This fall, Citizen Watch America will be opening the group’s very first U.S. based multi-brand flagship in one of the most coveted shopping destinations in the world: NYC’s Fifth Avenue, steps from Rockefeller Center. Within the 7,000 square foot three-storey space, customers will have access to the latest styles of Citizen, Bulova, Accutron, Frederique Constant and Alpina, in addition to timepieces from each brand that will be available exclusively at the flagship location. To enhance the shopping experience, customers are invited to learn about the company’s legacy in watchmaking through a museum archive that shares the top floor with a dedicated space for on-site programming, events and community activations.”
A really exciting development for all who are based in NYC, or the many people who inevitably plan on visiting the Big Apple in the coming months. Fingers crossed we get a cool Citizen NJ015 flagship exclusive model.
Jaeger-LeCoultre announces “The Golden Ratio Music Show”
This year at Watches & Wonders, JLC really honed in on the Reverso. And, thematically speaking within their booth, JLC showcased the concept of the golden ratio – a design principle that, among many other things, influences the Reverso’s proportions. In honour of the golden ratio and the Reverso, Jaeger-LeCoultre have enlisted TØKIO M¥ERS to create a travelling musical exhibition.
Jaeger-LeCoultre explains: “A New Composition inspired by the Spirit of the Manufacture Under the aegis of Made of Makers, Jaeger-LeCoultre has commissioned TØKIO M¥ERS to compose a soundtrack exclusively for the Maison’s Golden Ratio Musical Show. The spectacular 10-minute sound-and-light show – projected onto a giant screen of falling water – tells the story of the Golden Ratio in four chapters, from its presence in nature, to the scientific examination of its mystical properties; and from its ubiquity in timeless architecture and art to its impact on contemporary design. TØKIO M¥ERS says that he wrote his new piece ‘with the explicit intention of amplifying the emotional impact of the digital projection” and describes the work as “a short symphony in four chapters, or movements, that takes the listener on a powerful journey.'”
The first performance will be held at a private event hosted by Jaeger-LeCoultre during the Shanghai International Film Festival on June 9. The show will then travel to Los Angeles on June 22, London in September, followed by Dubai at the end of the year.
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Zach
Watch meme of the week: Your name is 5711
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Sure, watch enthusiasm is a niche club. But, it is a niche that is growing exponentially every day. You meet a lot of people in this hobby, and, I must confess, sometimes I will forget a name and remember someone by their Instagram handle and wristwear. In fairness, people who forget my name just tend to refer to me as “the Tony Stark wannabe with the red glasses”.
Wrist shot of the week: “Pop of colour”
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This week, I have to give it to our friends in the Netherlands over at Fratello watches – with a snap that makes a compelling case that the “pocket shot” is not dead. In the Northern Hemisphere, we are just a few weeks away from summer. So, take a cue from Sinara in the wrist-shot above with her Seiko 5 Sports x Rowing Blazers LE and start wearing your more colourful watches in honour of the sunshine and warmer weather.
Time+Tide Shop selects of the week:
Tissot Sideral
The 1970s was a weird yet wonderful period of design. Bullhead chronographs, TV cases, new materials and the notion that steel could be a luxurious material, all suddenly appeared. Without a doubt, the Tissot Sideral is one such wristwatch that helps categorise this period of design. Originally the Tissot Sideral line of watches had a monobloc casing composed of Bakelite and Fibreglass, and a 1971 edition in particular served as the inspiration for the Sideral’s modren rebirth. To account for the five decade gap between the model’s launches, Tissot chose forged carbon as its material of choice rather than a fibreglass-Bakelite combination..
Order now in the Time+Tide Shop (AU deliveries only). Price: A$1550
NORQAIN Freedom 60 Chrono 40mm Ice Blue Limited Edition
This limited edition NORQAIN Freedom 60 Chrono 40mm Ice Blue chronograph, a variation of NORQAIN’s best-selling watch, has a unique two-layer dial with a sunray ice blue top-level, black lower sub-dials and a black outer ring with a white tachymetre scale. Only 300 pieces of this model will be produced. The watch is available with three bracelet and animal cruelty-free strap options: a stainless-steel bracelet, a black Perlon rubber strap or a linen “Nortide” strap made with ocean-bound recycled plastic by tide ocean SA.
Order now in the Time+Tide Shop (available for global delivery). Price from A$6900, limited to 300 pieces.
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week:
VIDEO: Jaeger-LeCoultre focuses on refinement of their elegant collection for Watches & Wonders 2023
This year, the Stellar Odyssey collection has made way for a focus on harmony and beauty, with Jaeger-LeCoultre returning to the Reverso Tribute as their basis for flagship models. Since the Golden Ratio has been used to shape the Reverso’s dimensions ever since its inaugural model in 1931, particular attention has been paid to this phenomenon as the Tribute models honour the original. You can watch the video above or check out the full post right here.
WHAT IF… TAG Heuer created their own MoonSwatch moment with a retro Formula 1?
The TAG Heuer Formula 1, a beloved reference, is famed not for its elevated status, but for its fun-loving appeal to even non-watch people. So… doesn’t it feel like the retro Formula 1 is ripe for a “MoonSwatch” moment? D.C. thinks so. You can find out why right here.
FAST X: The watches of the Fast & Furious cast
The Fast & Furious films are a fun, perhaps, guilty pleasure for millions. The franchise is essentially a racing soap opera packed with fight scenes and plot-lines spiked with twist, turns and resurrections. With such a large cast throughout the years, we race through 10 members and the watches they wear off-screen. You can check out his full list here.