FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Skippers and stars celebrate opening of new TAG Heuer 5th Ave Boutique
Zach BlassWell, it is fair to say that TAG Heuer made the biggest waves this week – opening their new 5th Ave Flagship Boutique and launching a new and long awaited watch in the same day.
Located at 645 5th Avenue in New York City, TAG Heuer invited press, friends of the brand, and TAG Heuer actor, ambassador, and, most importantly, racing and TAG Heuer enthusiast Patrick Dempsey to celebrate the launch of the new boutique and the new TAG Heuer Carrera Skipper.
The boutique is an inviting space that does not overwhelm the senses, with islands showcasing each of their collections in a way that both newbies and die-hards can engage with the watches and understand their context, heritage and technology.
Of course the horological guest of honour was the new Skipper watch, displayed front and centre for all to see. After exactly 40 years of its removal from the TAG Heuer catalogue, the Skipper returned to much fanfare – with some, such as myself, believing it is the strongest Glassbox-framework Carrera to date. The original 300-production run of Skipper watches in Carrera cases from 1968 are highly sought-after and have gone for US$80,000 at auction. This new Carrera Skipper, however, can be had for A$9800. If you are in New York City and want one, I would race over to the boutique.
Chief Executive of LVMH Bernard Arnault made an appearance to support not only the esteemed watch brand within his group, but also his son Frédéric who serves as the CEO of TAG Heuer. Also in attendance were stars such as TAG Heuer Ambassadors Patrick Dempsey and Alexandra Daddario, along with friends of the brand, Emmy-nominated Actor, Kieran Culkin, Emmy-nominated Actress, Natasha Lyonne, The Summer I Turned Pretty actor Christopher Briney, Red, White & Royal Blue actor Taylor Zackhar Perez, actor Thomas Doherty, May December actor Cory Michael Smith, New York Jets’ Garrett Wilson, actor Milo Manheim, and more…
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Zach
Watch meme of the week: Call me… irresponsible
Courtesy of @johnmkeil, this well-encapsulates a sentiment of mine in my latest The Collector’s Crossroads column. You may see an expensive watch on someone’s wrist. But never assume a trust fund was the catalyst. It could be a lack of priorities and a diet of cheap instant ramen that led to the acquisition.
Wrist shot of the week: Game, set, match
Rolex may be the sponsor of the tournament, and have watches with collector-named “Wimbledon dials”. But, I would argue that this Bulgari Aluminium “Match Point” Limited Edition is the Wimbledon watch of the week. Captured here by Blake Rowland of the Bezel authenticated watch market platform, the Match Point Limited Edition captures the green hues of both tennis balls and the signature colour of Wimbledon while still maintaining that sense of Roman style and flair.
You will also notice it has the crown on the left side, which allows ATP professional Andrey Rublev to wear the watch comfortably during match play. The reorientation of the crown means it does not dig into his wrist or hand during his strokes and serve.
Time+Tide Shop select of the week:
Furlan Marri Mechaquartz Castagna Ref. 1009-A
An attractive chronograph crafted with care for details, such as the engraved pushers, the decagonal screwed caseback with interior perlage finish and deep engravings, exterior circular brushed and polished finish, logo and case reference number are deep engraved. The hands are domed and curved to bring even more desirable details into this 38mm case wristwatch.
Order now in the Time+Tide Shop. Price: A$1,000
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week:
HANDS-ON: The new TAG Heuer Carerra Skipper merges the coveted reference with new Glassbox format
Exactly 40 years after its removal from the TAG Heuer catalogue, the ‘Skipper’ is now officially back and here to stay. This modern ‘Skipper’ merges the aesthetic cues of the original with the manufacture’s latest ‘glassbox’ format for the Carrera. Our hands-on review of the new TAG Heuer Carrera Skipper can be found right here.
Days of future past: How a hacker resurrected a first-gen Apple Watch into a mechanical timepiece
Jack Spiggle, an intrepid Australian DIYer who goes by NanoRobotGeek on the Instructables site, has tackled some really interesting and cool builds in the past. For this project, he bought three dead (or near-dead) Apple Watches on eBay just to see what he could come up with. In the end, he decided to mod one of the higher-end (but still obsolete) stainless-cased models with its included sapphire screen. D.C. walks us through the interesting Apple Watch mod here.
VIDEO: The Grand Seiko SLGA023 brings unparalleled beauty and accuracy to a dive watch
While it may not be the first brand you think of when it comes to dive watches, Grand Seiko produces some of the most handsome, robust and accurate dive watches on the market. And the latest Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Collection SLGA023 diver is a perfect example.