LIST: Felix Scholz’s favourite stories of 2017

Felix Scholz

One of the highlights for me this year has been the increasing number of regular contributors writing on Time+Tide. Whereas a few years ago T+T was essentially the Andrew and Felix show, the last 12 months has seen new voices and fresh perspectives join the mix. I couldn’t be happier. This is also reflected in the increasing diversity of our stories. News and reviews are still at the core of what we do, but as you can see it’s not the be-all and end-all. Here are five stories I’m particularly proud of from this year.

VIDEO: Which TAG Heuer Monaco is right for you? The Calibre 11 (CAW211P) vs the Calibre 12 (CAW2111)

This year we jumped into videos in a big way, reviewing watches left, right and centre. But it’s hard to top Andrew’s comparative review of TAG Heuer’s iconic Monaco, in Monaco. On a yacht.

HOW TO: Let your significant other know you’re buying a watch – 8 strategies for success

Oh this one hit a little too close to the bone. Andy’s slighty-tongue-in-cheek-but-not-really guide for ensuring your significant other is onside when you spend frankly extravagant amounts of money on something you don’t need will make you laugh, cry and take notes.

IN-DEPTH: My month-long affair with the Apple Watch Edition Series 2

Of all the watches I reviewed this year, I think I was most excited about my review of the Apple Watch, and it must be said that I copped a fair bit of flak from the Time+Tide team for my enthusiasm for this decidedly non-mechanical watch. And while this watch is very different to what I normally talk about, it’s still important. I can’t wait to get my hands on Series 3.

INSIGHT: Why the Hublot Haters have it wrong

I’ve been mulling over how to tackle this story for a few years now, and after a few chats with Sandra it became clear that she was the person to write it. Hublot have an unashamedly different aesthetic and approach to watchmaking and design, which makes them an easy target for watch snobs. And while this particular story is about Hublot, it could just have easily been written about any number of big brands. If you take one thing away from this story, it’s that the world of watches is a broad and encompassing one, and what unites us is always greater than what divides.

LIST: 11 classic ’80s watches, just in time for Stranger Things

Like it or not, lists have become an important part of the digital publishing landscape and, like everything, they can be done well or not so well. Thankfully, Melissa’s Stranger Things inspired number falls into the former category — tapping into that early ’80s pop-culture zeitgeist and reminding us just how cool digital watches used to be.