FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Festive cheer, a broken arm and a very drunken watch buy…
Luke BenedictusFollowing another COVID-blighted year, we’ve all learned to appreciate certain aspects of life that lockdown deprived us of. The joy of things like pub gardens, schools being open and vaguely regular haircuts. But the most sorely missed of all was the life-affirming pleasure of catching up with old mates. All of which made last night’s Time+Tide Club Christmas Party all the more special.
Fortified with far too many rounds of Matt’s punchy Negronis, we all got a little overexcited. Luckily, there was just the one broken arm (get well soon Vic!). Plus a rather inebriated and very spur-of-the-moment watch purchase (hope you still like it this morning, John!). In the studio meanwhile, the cameras rolled and our video crew captured lots of eye-popping watch confessions that we’ll share with you in the forthcoming weeks.
Obviously, there were lots of impressive watches, in fact, it all became a bit of a horological blur. Wrist-bound cameos included a Cartier Santos Dumont, a Universal Geneve Polerouter, a TAG Heuer Monaco Bamford, a Hublot Big Bang Integral in blue ceramic and an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore among many, many others.
Going by the audience, the Root Beer was the night’s Rolex beverage of choice – hang eggnog – although there was also the notable pairing of a Hulk on a grey Everest strap. Reassuringly, Time+Tide’s recent watch releases – the Zenith DEFY Classic Skeleton Night Surfer and DOXA SUB 600T ‘pacific’ – were well-represented, too.
But while there was, of course, a fair amount of watch-related chit-chat, the best part of the evening was simply getting to enjoy some festive cheer with people we haven’t seen nearly enough of in 2021. Once again, we were reminded of the magical power of watches to create a genuine community . Welcome back T+T family – we hope to see a whole lot more of you in the New Year.
Have a great weekend!
Luke
Watch meme of the week: The sad truth about watch safety
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While a funny meme on the surface, this is ultimately dark humour that reflects a scary reality of modern life. Watch theft has become more and more rampant, to the point that some watch collectors are steering clear of wearing or purchasing certain brands out of fear of drawing attention. I certainly have watches that I would never travel with to certain destinations. When you reflect on it, it is quite sad that we all work so hard to acquire coveted timepieces – only to then have to strategically decide where and how we wear a given timepiece to ensure nobody takes a machete to our arms. Stay safe out there my friends.
Wrist shot of the week: Wind Vintage’s Rolex GMT Master ref. 6542
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Vintage watches are all about character and, with the rise of their popularity in the marketplace, it has become more and more of a challenge to find authentic ageing that collectors clamour over. Whether it’s retouched dials or refinished cases, unfortunately there are dealers who will go too far in order to attract new vintage collectors. I personally have experience with sourcing, what seems on the surface, a perfectly patinated dial – only to find out that all is not too kosher. This is why you need to “buy the seller”, and few vendors have the expertise of Eric Wind (owner of Wind Vintage). Case in point: this stunning Rolex GMT Master ref. 6542 “Pussy Galore” that is the definition of desirable and authentic character. While what you ultimately see above is damage/blemishes, this is an example of desirable damage. The watch clearly has lived an interesting life, developing an inimitable patina – like jeans actually worn by a painter versus a brand trying to industrially splatter a pair to be cool. I am totally drooling over this example, so I may have to start a gofundme to put my hat in the ring.
Recommended viewing: The Watchmaker’s Apprentice
Hopefully with the holidays on the horizon, you all will have some well-earned vacation time to look forward to. During this downtime, there is one horological film you need to check out – assuming you haven’t already. Currently, The Watchmaker’s Apprentice is the G.O.A.T when it comes to movies solely revolving around watchmaking. The one hour and six minute documentary tells the incredible story of George Daniels’ rise to becoming one of the most regarded watchmakers in history, as well as the perseverance of Roger Smith who, after many trials, eventually became his sole apprentice. An absolute must-watch for any horology enthusiast. The film can be rented or purchased through popular streaming outlets such as YouTube and Amazon Prime.
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week:
A host of savvy celebs are snapping up this super-accessible and inexpensive watch
Savvy celebrities are flocking to buy one specific watch. Nope, it’s not a Daytona or Royal Oak – it’s decidedly more accessible than that. Back in March, Thor wrote a story about the cult popularity of a range of customised CasiOaks that were a collaboration between IFL Watches and The Dial Artist (Kit Alexander). The range became a big hit on social media, but it seems that a few in-the-know celebrities have jumped on the trend. Read more
Succession finale: The most significant watches from the hit show
Are you reeling from the finale of Succession, too? Over the nine episodes of the third season, the HBO show has consistently upped the dramatic ante, combining Machiavellian politics with sibling rivalry and filial warfare. Sure, that may just sound like the ingredients of your average family Christmas. But part of Succession’s giddy appeal – aside from the deft script and killer one-liners – is that the action takes place in the the realm of the super-rich, a land of private jets, super-yachts and, of course, magnificent timepieces. Here are three of the most significant watches from the hit show. (By the way, we are still trying to identify the watches belonging to Logan (Patek?) and Matsson (IWC? Omega?). If you’ve figured them out then please let us know. Read more
Of course, the first Tiffany-blue Nautilus to be spotted in the wild had to be on the wrist of Jay-Z
On Tuesday, at a NeueHouse Hollywood screening of The Harder They Fall, Jay-Z was captured wearing the Hype Piece of the Year: the Tiffany-blue dialled Patek Philippe 5711 Nautilus. We knew such a sighting was bound to happen, but this is much sooner than expected. Jay-Z’s Tiffany Nautilus has broken the seal on the list of 170 people who were able to get one. Which begs the question, how did HOV become one of the few? Read more