At this point, I likely don’t need to tell you about Toledano & Chan. Your friend that’s really into architecture has already complained about how the brutalist watches got snapped up way too quickly. However, Phillip Toledano, better known on Instagram as @misterenthusiast, has been a tour de force of the collecting and creative worlds long before he committed his name to a dial. A conceptual artist, designer and multi-hyphenate renaissance man, we sat down to talk about his latest projects, watch collecting and his ongoing obsession with history.

What was the last watch you bought?

Well, I guess there’s one arriving tomorrow, but probably the one worth mentioning more is a Daniel Roth Extra Plat oh, early 1990s. I’m really into early Daniel Roth. I just think the designs are really beautiful. I know that people are kind of obsessed by Breguet, but for me this is kind of in that style, yet more interesting because of the genius of the dial. It also has this unique shape.

Whenever you create something, it’s an opportunity to say something new and with that case design, that’s exactly what Roth did. I can’t help but love that combination of traditional, amazing Breguet style surrounded by the unexpected. I also don’t believe Louis Vuitton will do anything quite this interesting with the brand, so now seemed like a good time to get one for myself.

Daniel Roth Extra Plat, image credit: Loupe This

Do you collect anything outside of watches?

Well, I collected cars for a long time, but these days I feel like I’d prefer to sell the cars I own and put all that money into totally stupid watches. The reason’s simple: I’m just lazy. It used to be tough to get up crazy early and go to where I kept my cars in New Jersey, which is like a 20 minute drive away from where I live. I’d have to get up at six to go over to the garage, then go drive to meet people. Now I’m just such a loafer, entering the geezer era, you know. I just can’t be bothered. At least I can keep my watches nice and close – and get them stolen.

Fortunately, most of the watches I collect aren’t on anyone’s list of shit to steal. It’s just weird stuff that, you know, is odd. It’s not Rolex or Patek. That’s a good reason to collect obscure stuff. Although I do find that most of the stuff collectors say is obscure or undervalued just equates to ‘nobody gives a shit about this watch that I happen to like!’ But that’s the glorious thing about watches; there are endless rabbit holes to fall down. With cars, there are far fewer – and they’re a lot more expensive!

Toledano & Chan B1 Lapis Lazuli

What other than a watch is at the top of your wishlist?

Regular bowel movements? Like I said, geezer era. The closest I have is a matcha latte in the morning; it really pulls the pin on that grenade.

What is a recent find or discovery?

Other than an unusual mole? Well, I just fell in love with jumpsuits. I recently got one off eBay, but now I’m always looking for jumpsuits. For me, a jumpsuit is the ultimate in min-max. I feel like guys are all about putting in the least effort for the maximum amount of style. All the watch sausage parties I go to, there’s always a guy with his wife where she’s dressed up to the nines and he’ll be in a polo shirt with beige trousers. A jumpsuit though is the ultimate style-to-effort ratio.

What inspires you?

That’s the world’s worst question because, as an artist everything inspires me! Which incidentally is the world’s worst answer. But more specifically, surprise inspires me, and envy inspires me. Especially creatively, I feel like there’s nothing better and worse simultaneously than seeing something that you wish you’d thought of, and then being upset you didn’t think of it. It motivates you to think of more things, to try and one-up the competition. And it is a competition.

What’s a book, podcast or album that’s changed the way you think?

Oh god, well I’ve been reading these books about Henry VIII and it changed the way I thought about him. I had this weird notion of Henry, that he was sort of this cool king, even though I know he killed two of his wives and sort of took on the Pope, you know. The more I read though the more I realised he was a psychopath, basically. He was off his rocker, mental, not a cool person at all.

The reason being he fell off his horse and was unconscious for like, six hours. That kind of concussion can change your personality entirely, make you crazier. It made me draw all these parallels to Donald Trump. I wonder if he had a jousting accident. Or more likely beaned in the head by ricocheting golf balls more than once.

Maurizio Catalan

Who is a celebrity or person of note that you admire?

Maurizio Cattelan. He’s an artist that got famous creating this amazingly lifelike replica of Pope John Paul II being hit by a meteorite. He’s like the most incredible prankster in the art world. He’s a genius. At an art fair a few years ago, he taped a banana to the wall and put it up for sale. He just likes to fuck with people.

It’s not just a silly prank though; he’s audacious in a very clever way. People think a middle finger is audacity, but it’s not. Audacity requires a level of understanding and genius to do right. To genuinely subvert expectations, you need to know what you’re doing and it’s a very tricky, very binary proposition because it’s either right on or just stupid.

Citroen DS Convertible, image credit: Iconic Auctioneers

What’s your ideal long weekend?

Well. Honestly, I feel like at this point I’ve been an artist for so long that there’s not much difference between week and weekend. But if I were to have a few days away, I know where I’d go. I’ve lived in America so long that I really miss Europe. In case you’ve not noticed, I’m a history nerd, so I’d love to just go hang around some medieval village in Europe, going to the café and just being there.

It’s super boring shit actually, but I’d just be pottering round this ancient place with like 100 inhabitants. Then I’d take a drive – because I’d obviously have a Citroen DS Convertible at my disposal – and go find a vintage Rolex at a flea market for 10 bucks. Then I’d celebrate with a brisk matcha latte and have an immediate… never mind.

What would we always find in your fridge?

You know what? A Granny Smith apple. I’m a massive Granny Smith fiend. I can’t get enough of them.

What is a rule or mantra you live by?

I guess it would be creative brutality. I’m a conceptual artist, but it applies to everything, even having a watch brand. The thing is, people think of ideas as precious but they’re not. I find that often people hold onto their ideas, but the thing about ideas is that you have to be comfortable slaughtering them, so that you can get to the next one, which is always better.

I was trained in ideas in advertising, and advertising is a very brutal environment for ideas because you have to have a lot of them and a lot of them get crushed and bludgeoned immediately. So, you get used to powering and churning through many, many, many ideas until you get to one that works. When you can learn that, teach yourself to not hold onto the things that are bad, you can recognise when things could be better. And things can always be better.

What does the year ahead look like for you?

Well, I’m going to be relaunching Viva Bastarda, which is a clothing line I started. More Toledano & Chan watches of course – we recently built an insane meteorite piece for Phillips’ charity auction. I also have a new book coming out on the art side. I’ve actually been working with AI recently, as I’ve become deeply interested in the way AI has kind of redefined our relationship to the image. Because of AI, everything is true and nothing is true. So, my new book is around the idea of invented history, historical surrealism. It’s called We Are a War and it’s a reimagined lost role of film from the D-Day landing parties, specifically Robert Crapper who’s a very famous photographer.

It’s really interesting because we’re at a point in history where we’re soon not going to know what’s real and what’s not. How do we know what’s true? And particularly with the American elections coming up, that’s going to be really significant. Photography as truth has existed for maybe 150 years, which is nothing in the context of human history. We’ve had this very, very, very brief experience of image as truth. And now we might not have it any more. I’m not really worried, but I am curious about how it’s going to work moving forwards.

Back in 2017, Louis Vuitton launched their Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon, a skeletonised masterpiece of Poincon de Geneve finishing and lavish house details. A couple of years later, they introduced the Tambour Spin Time Air, a strange amalgamation of spinning cubic indexes and sapphire crystal. Even early last year, they released a pair of flying tourbillons in green and yellow sapphire cases, again skeletonised, again completely off the horological deep end.

Louis Vuitton LV1 Worldtimer (1988)

So, in that context, why was Louis Vuitton’s most restrained timepiece to date their most important? I’m leading with these insane bits of watch, but that wasn’t Louis Vuitton’s first foray into watchmaking. That came back in the 1980s with the LV1. In keeping with the brand’s jetsetter reputation – can you be a proper jet-setter without some Louis Vuitton luggage? – they opted for a slick worldtimer. It’s a bit of a rarity these days and they don’t go for a huge amount, but compared to the later pieces, it was a class act.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Twenty based on the original Tambour which was released in 2002 (2022)

The Tambours of old on the other hand were what I’d consider novelties. Not in the ‘new this year’ sort of way, but in the way that meant they weren’t what you’d consider a collection of watches in the traditional sense. Sure, they all shared the drum-shaped case from which they took their name, but they were disparate, eclectic and never really had an identity.

They were branded of course, with plenty of LV paraphernalia across the board, but if anything, that shot the watches in the proverbial foot more than helped. It made Louis Vuitton seem like a fashion house throwing the kitchen sink on your wrist in the hopes it would stick and, if they wanted to be regarded in the same breath as Hermes and Chanel are these days, something needed to change.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Sketch

That change came with Jean Arnault. If you know the name, it’ll most likely be for two reasons: he’s the son of LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault and brother of Frédéric Arnault, who until relatively recently was CEO of TAG Heuer. Needless to say, they’re a family that knows watches, and Jean himself is an avid aficionado of haute horology. And so it was his self- imposed mandate as director of watches at LVMH to make sure the LV in that formula could live up to the watchmaking task.

Of course, when it came to watchmaking as a craft, he had a lot to work with. Louis Vuitton acquired Fabrique du Temps way back in 2011 and over the last decade-and-change has turned it into a fully integrated development house. Pretty much anything a watchmaker should be able to do, they can do – and then some. So, all Arnault really needed to do was channel that talent into something approaching a serious collection – the 2023 Tambour.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Automatic 40mm Platinum, £18,100

Looking at the launch line-up of the revamped, 2023 Tambour, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Arnault is particularly taken by independent watchmaking. The less-is-more approach, the obsession with finishing, the classical nuances across the board make the new Tambour feel like a watch designed for collectors. Gone are the skeletonised dials and bright colours. Gone is the old LV logo splashed across everything. Instead, everything is clean, crisp and perfectly balanced in that drum-round case.

They are, of course, luxury sports watches, which even last year was a saturated market. But while it’s impossible to escape the spectre of Gerald Genta about these things, I’d argue that there was no other way to approach the Tambour. It’s not like the original design actually has lugs; an integrated bracelet is the only thing to do and by maintaining those more classical sensibilities instead of tired, flat planes and industrial finishing, it skirts the pitfall of Royal Oak and Nautilus association.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Automatic 40mm Caseback

All the same, it was a very safe collection. It’s priced high of course. It was never going to be cheap, with Louis Vuitton leveraging the downright stunning finishing of La Fabrique du Temps; seriously, look at that movement and tell me it’s not an absolute beauty. But after years of misfires, safety was what the brand needed. But something else was needed. After all, one good collection doesn’t make a watch brand.

Louis Vuitton Escale Platinum, £34,000

That next step came in the form of the Escale, which took a much more classical approach to a time-only watch. Gone was the drum-shaped Tambour case in favour of something much more traditional. Traditional as in, it actually had lugs. Those lugs are big and bolted to the side of the case, but they’re there and that means classical leather straps. It’s also a central seconds as opposed to the new Tambour’s small seconds, with bead minute markers that feel like they’d be at home on a Vacheron Constantin Patrimony. There are still some aesthetic swings, like the big hour markers at 12, three, six and nine o’clock, and the faceted, grippy crown, but otherwise it’s as straight-forward a dress watch as Louis Vuitton can make.

Between the Tambour and the Escale, Louis Vuitton’s offering a pair of handsome core collections and while I personally think the new Tambour nailed the aesthetic slightly more than the Escale, the latter is by no means a misfire. Far from it. The new colours are more than welcome and the meteorite edition is excellent. And if that were all Louis Vuitton were doing, it would warrant them being taken seriously. But it’s not.

Louis Vuitton Escale, £25,100

I mentioned previously Jean Arnault’s love of independent watchmaking. Well, that’s manifested in two ways outside of Louis Vuitton’s own watches, firstly in Daniel Roth. Roth is a name that makes serious collector’s fawn, a savant of independent watch design whose name has been passed from one watch group to another before landing at Louis Vuitton. Last year, they launched the first new Daniel Roth watch, using the brand’s signature case shape and three-scale timekeeping at six o’clock. It was incredibly faithful and the souscription limited edition pieces in yellow gold sold out fast.

It’s not hard to see why; the attention to detail was magnificent and Le Fabrique du Temps did an enviable job of imitating the master watchmaker to a tee. If you ever get a chance to see a Daniel Roth in the metal, do it – which has become a bit more likely this year with a non-limited (though still limited annual production) rose gold edition. It’s a grail watch in the truest sense and shows not only that the minds behind Louis Vuitton understand independent watchmaking, but that they have the horological chops to make it happen.

Daniel Roth Tourbilon Rose Gold

The Daniel Roth launch wasn’t quiet, but what was a lot more under the radar was Louis Vuitton’s Independent Watchmaking Prize. That’s right, alongside re-introducing a legendary name and completely revamping their own watch offering, Louis Vuitton has also been highlighting the good and great of indie watchmakers, the Mercury Music prize of horology.

It’s a bold move, to be honest. This isn’t like they’re trying to court these watchmakers; it’s acknowledging that they’re fantastic at what they do. Better than Louis Vuitton, in all honesty, and better than Daniel Roth in some cases. There’s no cynical marketing reason why one of the biggest luxury companies in the world would do something like this – except of course, for Arnault’s personal love of the craft.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Automatic 40mm Rose Gold, £51,500

That all brings me back to the Tambour and Escale. Sure, it’s hard to think of Louis Vuitton in the same thought as independent watchmaking. This isn’t F. P. Journe or Philippe Dufour. This is a luxury fashion company that loves trunks and travel. But the approach to both new collections has been that of an aficionado more than a brand, the kind of watches a collector of haute horology, not an LV monogram addict, would want from their watches. They could have just stamped said monogram on a third-party watch. That likely would have worked well enough in the vein of Armani watches. If you build it they will come. But ‘they’ aren’t Jean Arnault and while this may be one of the priciest passion projects in history, a project of passion it is.

More details at Louis Vuitton.

The fight for the title of thinnest mechanical watch in the world is always a competitive one. The current reigning champion is the Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing at a thickness of just 1.65mm. However, the watch that inspired Chaykin to create the ThinKing was the former world’s thinnest watch from 2022, the Richard Mille RM UP-01. A sensational watch measuring 1.75mm in a limited edition of 150 pieces that sold out instantly. Now though, the RM UP-01 is up for sale at auction for the first time at Antiquorum’s sale tomorrow, November 10^th, 2024.

Specifically, the piece being sold is number 35 out of the 150 that exist and considering it’s such a strict limited edition, that provides plenty of provenance. It measures 51mm x 39mm in titanium with a brushed finish across the surface and the Ferrari logo in the lower quadrant towards 5 o’clock. Richard Mille and Ferrari’s partnership is well documented, especially when it comes to pushing boundaries in both horology and motorsport.

In terms of auction estimate, Antiquorum have given the Richard Mille RM UP-01 a range of CHF 1,000,000 – 2,000,000. That’s quite broad considering the retail price of $1,880,000 (approx. CHF 1,600,000), leaving plenty of room for a potential loss. I think that’s actually one of the more reasonable auction predictions I’ve heard in a long time due to the insane amount of money already involved and also the uncertainty in the watch market recently. It is genuinely difficult to predict how much interest a watch like this will generate and this may well set the benchmark for all future sales of the watch.

Of course, the RM UP-01 isn’t the only watch being sold this weekend. Other notable timepieces at the auction include a Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Minute Repeater Ref. 5074R-001 (est. CHF 350,000 – 450,000) and an unusual Rolex Zerographe unworn since the 1930s (est. CHF 150,000 – 250,000). But it’s not just all ultra high-end watches. We also have our eye on the cool 1981 Tudor Submariner (est. CHF 5,000 – 8,000).

More details at Antiqourum.

This week we hosted our second exclusive membership event and, even if I say so myself, it was a knock-out. Held at Grand Seiko’s phenomenal Bond Street boutique, it was a night of Japanese watches and Japanese whisky.

It was many readers’ first opportunity to try on the stunning European Exclusive editions, with their stunningly detailed dials inspired by Japanese ponds. Trust me, you cannot even begin to understand the intricacies and delicacies of these watches without seeing them in the metal and examining the way light plays across the facets of their dials. And thanks to the intimate setting of the Grand Seiko boutique everyone had a chance to admire them up close, along with a raft of other incredible timepieces.

In addition to the fabulous watches of Grand Seiko, the House of Suntory made an appearance to host a tasting of their three core expressions: Hibiki, Yamazaki and Hakushu. I’m sure some of you that didn’t make it are as envious of that as the watches. Being guided through the rich flavour profiles of exclusive bottles such as the 100th anniversary Yamazaki Mizunara 18 Years Old with its subtle spices and underlying woody tones was sublime.

It wasn’t all trying on and tasting however. We also chatted to ambassadors from both brands about the nuances of Japanese craftmanship, the difference with how we do things in Europe and the importance of nature to both brands. For example, with the European Exclusive watches, which were the highlight of the evening, the way the subtle engraving reflects the waves as wind ripples across the surface of the water.

Thank you to everyone that made it and for those of you that didn’t, we hope to see you at the next one! As a reminder, invitation to Oracle Time Membership events is only available to members.

Sign up to our membership and get access to event invites like this in the future aswell as a host of other benefits.

One of the distinguishing features of the collectable first model Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542, is the plastic bezel insert. Both the brass alloy bezel itself and the insert were easily cracked and so many of the surviving watches seem to have had the bezel and/or the insert replaced. In fact, during the production period of the watch, Rolex themselves fitted a metal bezel to the watch.

It was always previously assumed that the reason Rolex ceased using plastic bezel inserts on the GMT-Master ref. 6542 was due to their inherent fragility.

Instruction booklet included with the Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542

However recently discovered documents finally tell the real story and also go a long way to explaining why the early ones had plastic inserts in the first place, before they were replaced by the metal inserts that were used for a many of the later models.

A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to buy a GMT-Master ref. 6542 with every conceivable document – receipt, timing certificate and the original instruction booklet, which I show below. However the most interesting things with the watch were two letters, including one from Rolex Canada, addressed to the owner of the watch.

An internal Royal Canadian Air Force memo asking for the Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542 to be returned for testing/modification (1960)

As you can see the first one (an internal Royal Canadian Air Force memo) asked the owner to return the watch “urgently” as there were some doubts about radiological contamination to the watch. The second one was from Rolex Canada and dated less than two weeks after the first one; it said that the Canadian Atomic Energy Control Board had tested the watch and that there were no signs of radiation.

I did not know what to make of it, but as the owner was in the Canadian Air Force, I assumed that it may have had something to do with Atomic Bomb testing (remembering that this was in the early 1950s). I subsequently sold the watch and passed the document file to the new owner.

Letter confirming the Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542 in question was tested and confirms no radiation

Then a few years later, I was lucky enough to buy another 6542 with all the boxes and papers once again. The original buyer of the watch was also a pilot, this time one who flew for Air France and he had bought the watch in Tokyo, where the low value of the Japanese Yen, at that time, made it a more logical buy than in France.

Like the previous watch, it had the timing certificate but not have the instruction book, however it did have the original Japanese store receipt, and when this was opened, the following small document fell out.

A certificate provided with a purchase of a Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542

The following is copied from the EPA website. “Strontium-90 is a by-product of the fission of uranium and plutonium in nuclear reactors, and in nuclear weapons. Strontium-90 is found in waste from nuclear reactors. It can also contaminate reactor parts and fluids. Large amounts of Sr-90 were produced during atmospheric nuclear weapons tests conducted in the 1950s and 1960s and dispersed worldwide”.

It has always been assumed that the radium used on the bezel hour numbers was somehow contaminated with atmospheric Strontium-90 from nuclear weapons tests. Actually, this isn’t the case. In fact, for a short period Strontium-90 was used as a replacement for radium by Swiss dial, and bezel makers. It was provided to these dial makers between 1957 and the start of 1958 by a wholly owned entity of the UK Government – The Atomic Energy Authority.

An example of a Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542 with plastic bezel, image credit: Sothebys

How can I be so certain of these dates? In a House of Lords debate reported by Hansard (the official verbatim report of debates and proceedings in the UK Parliament) on the 29th March, 1962, Lord Hailsham stated:

“My Lords, Her Majesty’s Government cannot accept responsibility for statements in the American Press. Radioactive materials are supplied by the Atomic Energy Authority only to firms or institutions on the Authority’s list of approved users, whose bona fides has been investigated. Anyone ordering radioisotopes is required first to have accepted conditions, which, among other things, reserve to the Authority the right to require the prospective purchaser to inform them of the uses to be made of the material. In the case of Switzerland, orders for Strontium 90 are now referred by the Authority to the Swiss Federal Office of Industry for approval. Since the beginning of 1958, Strontium 90 has been supplied to Switzerland for medical and research purposes only. Prior to 1958 a quantity of Strontium 90 supplied by the Authority to a firm in Switzerland was understood to have been used for luminising watches, and supplies to this firm were discontinued. At one time, it is fair to add, Strontium 90 may reasonably have been thought by a section of the watch industry to be safer than radium, because it does not give off gamma radiation or radon. It was also thought to be superior as a luminising agent.”

In short, the UK Atomic Energy Authority had sold supplies of Strontium-90 to a Swiss dial company for dial luminising, but these sales ceased at the start of 1958. The UK could not have sold any to Switzerland before early 1957, as Sr-90 is a by-product of either thermonuclear reactions or nuclear fission.

Britain’s first thermonuclear weapons test was at Malden Island in the South Pacific on the 15th May, 1957, so if we assume that the scientists at the AEA were able to extract Sr-90 in a couple of months or so, there would probably only have been a few months during which the material was available and for sale. The first fusion reactor was Calder Hall, which opened in October 1956, so if we make the same assumption as above, then there would have been just over a year when Sr-90 could have been sold to the Swiss.

Official Rolex statement regarding Rolex GMT Master 6542 / Rolex GMT Master ref. 6542 with plastic bezel, image credit: Bonhams

The dial firms wanted to use Sr-90 because it was, at the time, considered to be a safer alternative to Radium, as it emitted far fewer of the dangerous Gamma rays. But scientists soon realised that Sr-90 was attracted to calcium and so remained in the bones and bone marrow of people who were exposed to it. It was at the end of 1959 that the US Atomic Energy Commission issued a notice to 15 Swiss watch firms that they must recall any of their watches which used Sr-90. This was eight months after Rolex had ceased production of the GMT-Master ref. 6542 and its potentially dangerous bezel.

The 6542 was introduced at the 1954 Basel Spring Fair and its replacement the 1675 came along five years later at the 1959 Fair. So, if we conclude that the 6542 was in production for 60 months and Strontium-90 was used for around 12 of those months, it stands to reason that up to 20% of the production could have been fitted with the contaminated bezel inserts.

Obviously, not all of the early bezels suffered this contamination as both of the watches I have seen had passed the tests, meaning that they were probably produced during the first four years of production.

Image credit: Analog:Shift

The uptick in brand recognition lately for Cartier is palpable. Post-peak sports watch hype, the Parisian jeweller’s creations have become mascots for the small and dressy trend that has entered the spotlight over the past four years. So much so that the idea of turning towards La Maison for something unsung feels like going to Lamborgini for something subtle. With more than a century of expressive watchmaking and design to their name, one may assume that all stones have been overturned.

But that’s not entirely true. Cartier’s creativity remained steadfast during the 20th century, with captivating and sophisticated timepieces crafted in design-conscious forms decade after decade. In fact, the most favoured models today have origins over 100 years ago, and visually, they have mostly stayed the same. As a result, some, like the Tank Obus, have stayed undetected from the wider population’s attention.

Cartier Tank Obus circa. 1920s, image credit: Collector Square

Based upon arguably one of the only watches that truthfully deserves the designation of ‘icon’, the Cartier Obus was first conceived in 1923 and offered an extra dose of creative flair compared to the original Tank Louis that came out six years prior. Obus, which translates to ‘shell’ or “artillery shell’, refers to the cylindrical shape of its lugs. Archetypal dial design cues such as large Roman numerals, a chemin de fer track, blued hands, and a cabochon-tipped crown are present but gone are the rounded brancards that effortlessly blend into the lugs, and in are sets of bullet-shaped lugs and a beautifully square case.

“Cartier is well known for rectangular and more elongated watches, but the Obus being square makes it unique,” says Alex Stevens, a London-based watch dealer and curated of Alex Stevens Vintage with a wealth of first-hand experience of numerous decades of Cartier watchmaking. “Often, people new to Cartier default to the Louis, even if that’s through the new Must line, as its shape and dimensions are prominent in popular culture. But some of those people could easily prefer an Obus but have just never seen one. As a result, the Obus remains overlooked; I think people don’t even know it exists.”

Cartier Santos Dumont, circa. 1904

Timekeeping 100 years ago was notably distant to today, with even the concept of society telling the time by looking down at their wrist still in its infancy. It’s tough to imagine today, but in the grand lineage of horology, the wristwatch represents only a slither of time initially viewed as an elaborate women’s accessory while the pocketwatch reigned the supreme choice for men.

World War I was the first time men began to wear a watch on the wrist at scale due to its practicality and utility, despite a creation ten years before the war being widely recognised as the first modern men’s wristwatch – the Cartier Santos Dumont.

Cartier Grand Tank Cintrée, circa. 1941, image credit: Phillips

Regrettably, there isn’t enough time to detail the illustrious history of Cartier and its significance to the progression of the wristwatch, but at the time of the first Obus, Cartier was regularly experimenting with different shapes, configurations, and executions of their graceful design precedent, albeit as special orders. Some of the brand’s most celebrated watches exist as evolutions from the Tank, including the Cintrée, Asymétrique, and Chinoise, to name just a few.

Its inventory of adaptations is endless and unmatched, yet despite this breadth of creativity, Cartier had only produced 2,200 wristwatches across the entire production before 1965. As such, all Cartier from the early to mid-20th century are exceptionally scarce, handcrafted rarities highly revered by the true connoisseurs, including the Obus.

Cartier Tank Obus Ref. 16302, circa. 2000s, image credit: Fellows

However, the references that remain unsung today hail from the era of serial production at Cartier. Scale at La Maison arrived during the 1970s, and like every European watch manufacturer during this time, the French jeweller wasn’t immune to the challenges of this era. The dawn of quartz timekeeping, a shift in styles towards modern and sporty, and an acquisition by several investors saw the house move away from being an outright bespoke creative and more into a commercially conscious brand with bottom lines and a need for chic creations for new audiences.

The newly led Cartier management transformed a demanding spell for the industry into a success due to the likes of a revitalised Santos, the Pathère and the gold-plated Must De Cartier line. Equipped with cutting-edge quartz-powered movements, the bullet lugs and square case of the Obus played a role in this new direction, entering the collection in the ‘80s through two very different executions. First was the 1630, and it was kept elegantly quintessential.

Cartier Tank Obus Quadrant circa. 1980s, image credit: Analog:Shift

However, the Obus Quadrant looked remarkably more like a piece from the early 20th century than the late, as a large bezel expanding over the top of the watch housed enamelled Roman numerals, leaving just enough space for a minimalist dial aperture. A good 1630 can be had for between £5,000 to £7,000, whereas a solid large-sized Quadrant will set you back around £10,000.

Cartier Tank Obus CPCP, circa. 1998, image credit: Watch Works Haarlem

The 1990s and 2000s were two favourable decades for the industry, with a positive uptick in watch collecting and mechanical appreciation across the board. Cartier’s response was to introduce a new collection of watches that revisits some of their most decorated historic designs and re-imagine them. Called the ‘Collection Privée Cartier Paris’ but known as the ‘CPCP’, these curated models celebrate timeless and proprietary Cartier creations while maintaining authenticity to the details of the originals. The Obus received the CPCP treatment during this time, with models powered by mechanical movements and featuring guilloché dials, these examples are achingly beautiful. While these references were limited to around 150, you can still find examples today for prices around £10,000 to £12,000.

“If you want a beautiful Tank with lots of the DNA of the Louis and you’re open to a slightly different shape because of its smaller, square footprint with its bullet lugs, the Obus is a very unusual choice that stands out for the right reasons,” says Stevens.

Cartier Tank Obus CPCP, circa. 1998, image credit: Watch Works Haarlem

‘CPCP’ and ‘£10,000’ together is seen as an oxymoron, as the yearly CPCP releases are some of the most celebrated aspects of Cartier production today. And yet, the Obus is readily available. It’s one of the least talked about Cartier watches today, and considering the CPCP creations and adjacent pieces, that’s quite remarkable. It’s one of only a few completely square Tank models, and with the obsession for Cartier showing zero signs of slowing down, now might be the right time to make one of these unsung heroes yours. I know I’m certainly considering it.

What was the last watch you bought?

A lovely vintage 25mm Zodiac. It was a sort of compulsive purchase. Such a small diameter makes this watch really discrete by essence…but when on the wrist, you basically cannot miss how small it is…hence making the watch quite ‘talkative’. This watch is my portable sensei reminding me how we can make a strength out of what we may commonly consider ‘a flaw’.

Do you collect anything outside of watches?

I’m not sure I’m collecting watches in the first place. I do have a few. But I never really feel like I’m collecting them. I usually swap or resell them to only keep a few pieces. ‘Collecting’ is a serious term and a serious thing. I am not able to live up to that.

What’s at the top of your wishlist?

A watch with my actual name on it. I’m obsessed with that and it became like a North Star to me. Like some sort of a dream, I constantly procrastinate about so that the dream remains intact and perfect and pure. I love this contradiction when you basically stay the furthest away from the thing you really want.

What is a recent find or discovery?

I’ve only learned today that in 1968, the French author and World War II hero Romain Gary challenged Clint Eastwood to a duel after he learned that Eastwood had an affair with his wife, the actress Jean Seberg.

What inspires you?

I’m never able to point out specific things when it comes to inspiration. I see myself like a snooker cue ball constantly colliding with the rest of the pack. A small particle which is desperately trying to find its own way and find its own voice but obviously impacted and influenced by many other particles. Another way to answer could be that I’m inspired by my shower since lot of my ideas come from this place.

What is a book, podcast or album that changed the way you think?

It takes more than a book (or a podcast or an album) to change a mind. I guess it takes dozens and dozens of books to picture dozens and dozens of paths (or dead-ends) that may help shape your mind. So, no specific book changed the way I think. But a whole bookstore probably did. I loved Les Arpenteurs (9 Rue Choron, 75009 Paris) that was the bookstore I used to shop when in Paris.

Who is a celebrity of person of note that you admire?

Definitely the one I told you about a few lines before. The guy that challenged Dirty Harry in real life. What he has done through his life is insane. Splendid writer. Pilot and war hero. Diplomat. Director. Romain Gary is the epitome of a real-life super-hero capable of everything. His surreal and bright life attracts the young part of your heart. Then his darkness touches the more adult part of your soul.

What is your ideal long weekend?

Whatever the people. Whatever the place. Whatever the weather. If a nice idea comes to my mind during that weekend, then it is a good and fulfilling weekend. I’m hooked by the thrill of finding a new idea.

What would we always find in your fridge?

What matters more is not what’s in it, but what’s on it. Usually, the cheap magnets or bad photographs picturing some happy faces or happy places you have a special bond with.

What is a rule or mantra that you live by?

“At some point, something good will happen”. Let’s be clear, I did not encounter real tragedy in my life. But during some tough times, I’ve always tried to stick to that weird biblical hope.

What does the year ahead look like for you?

Lot of work, some challenges, some failures, some small achievements, and some bigger frustrations. That’s the plan. Looking forward to it!

More details at Seconde Seconde.

There are plenty of milestones that link watches and space. We all know about the first watch in space (Alexi Leonov’s Strela), the first automatic watch in space (Colonel William Pogue’s Seiko) and the first watch on the moon (do I even need to say it?). But there’s one particular extra-terrestrial first you might not have heard of before: the first watch repair in space.

Back in 2002, just two years after the International Space Station began its orbit of Earth, astronaut Don Pettit was having timekeeping issues. His watch at the time was the Omega Speedmaster X-33, the quartz version of other astronaut’s manual-wind Moonwatches. The problem was that parts of it had become loose. It was a factory issue that Omega corrected soon after, but that didn’t help Pettit at the time when the crown and buttons fell off and floated into the ether.

Omega Speedmaster X-33 being repaired in space by Don Pettit

Those parts weren’t gone forever though. They were actually caught by the ISS’s air filters and were rediscovered when the filters were being cleaned out. Rather than chuck the parts out, Pettit decided to make an impromptu repair. He used a strip of duct tape to stop the pieces floating off again and set to putting everything back together with nothing but a multitool, a pair of tweezers and a jeweller’s screwdriver.

Using engineering skills he’d practiced on diesel engines in college, he put the watch back together perfectly – which was something that had never been done before. Indeed, it wasn’t really thought that it could be done. At the time, replacing was the norm rather than repairing, which was easier, provided you had plenty of suppliers, but far less efficient. Pettit’s repair got NASA thinking that maybe there was a better way – especially when the Columbia disaster happened and supplies were in short, er, supply.

Omega Speedmaster X-33

In short, Pettit’s wasn’t just the first watch repair in space, but spurred NASA on to attempt much more nuanced repairs in zero gravity, something vital for the ISS’s continued success. Indeed, without that, an even more niche space-watch milestone might not have occurred: the first watch strap repair, courtesy of astronaut Scott Kelly.

Now, you may have heard of Scott Kelly before if you’re the kind of person that reads NASA mission logs or New Scientist regularly. Not only did he spend one year in orbit, but he was part of a very unusual experiment. You see, Scott has a twin brother – Mark Kelly. Other than Scott’s lustrous moustache, it’s impossible to tell the pair apart. And so, NASA embarked on an experiment to see just how space changed a person.

Scott Kelly along with his brother, former Astronaut Mark Kelly

Ten research teams around the USA came together to test for physiological, molecular and cognitive changes, using Mark (who by the way, is also a retired astronaut) as a baseline to compare Scott to. I won’t go into the details here, you can find an exhaustive list on the NASA website, but it showed how dramatically a human body can adapt to space and therefore how an even longer flight – to Mars, for example – will affect interplanetary travellers.

And yet that’s not all that happened. During Scott’s time on the International Space Station in 2015, one of his crewmates, Sergey Volkov, had an equipment malfunction. Nothing dramatic, no airlocks blowing out or anything like that. Instead, the bracelet of his Breitling Chronomat broke. Given the strains and stresses of taking a rocket out of the atmosphere, it’s perhaps not too surprising, but as I’ve already pointed out, a watch can be the difference between life and death. Having it flapping about your wrist like a limp parachute isn’t ideal.

Scott Kelly (front row middle), Sergey Volkov (rear left)

So, what to do? Well, Scott, along with his twin brother, just so happens to be a Breitling ambassador meaning that when the breakage occurred, he knew exactly who to call. After a brief satellite call to Mark, a Breitling repair kit was added into the essentials of the next ISS shipment from Earth, probably the most expensive repair item in history. Fortunately, Scott also knew his way around a watch, at least well enough to fix his colleague’s bracelet. Yes, it was fiddlier than anywhere on Earth – a spring bar is frustrating enough on terra firma, let alone floating in zero G – but it made for the first ever watch strap repair in space. It’s not a milestone that’ll come up much in record books, but it’s still a nice story of pioneering horology.

What was the last watch you bought?

A Breitling Navitimer Chronograph limited edition with a light blue dial. I love it as it’s the same colour as the sky.

Do you collect anything outside of watches?

Aviation memorabilia as it reminds me of the pioneering feats that have marked history. It was an incredible time when people were fascinated by innovation. Today, many take everything for granted.

What’s at the top of your wishlist?

I wish that our world could become cleaner and more efficient in its use of energy and resources. For this, we need the participation of every corporate and individual, but nothing will happen without the intervention of governments. As long as it is legal to pollute, people will continue to pollute without worry. Therefore, politicians have to modernize our legal frameworks in order to create a need to use modern and efficient solutions.

Bertrand Piccard atthe Solar Impulse Foundation

What is a recent find or discovery?

Every week, my Solar Impulse Foundation discovers innovators who have developed new solutions that can protect the environment or fight climate change in an economically profitable way. Reconciling the ecology with the economy. There’s always a very healthy suspense in my team: what’s the next one we’ll find?

What inspires you?

The legacy that I have received from my father and grandfather to live like an explorer with the pioneering spirit inspires me to make my dreams come true far beyond conventional limitations and the status quo. This is what I want to share with my children, and all those of their age, for the search for a better quality of life for all. My intention is to lead disruptive actions achieving what many consider impossible.

What is a book, podcast, or album that changed the way you think?

Antoine de Saint-Exupery, who combines so well the vital quest for spirituality with the experience of flying. And Paulo Coelho, with this beautiful quote: “if you think that adventure is dangerous, try routine, it is deadly!” I really think that the worst in life is not to take risks, because finally you learn to manage the risks. The worst thing is to sleep in the routine, certitudes and habits.

Breitling Orbiter 3

Who is a celebrity that you admire?

Many pioneers have influenced my life since I met several of them when I was a child, like Edmund Hillary, Neil Armstrong, Charles Lindbergh, Thor Heyerdahl, Jacques Mayol, Alain Bombard, Wernher Von Braun, Scott Carpenter, and John Glenn. They have all shaped my dreams and aspirations. But my favorite is Henry Dunant, the initiator of the International Red Cross Committee in the 19th century. I think no one else has alleviated the suffering of so many people in the world.

What is your ideal long weekend?

Going wild snow skiing with friends or kite surfing with my family

Bertrand Piccard in the Breitling Orbiter 3

What would we always find in your fridge?

Fresh vegetables I grow in my garden. It’s another of my favourite hobbies. I love to see how a little seed becomes an edible plant. It’s a miracle of nature.

What is a rule or mantra that you live by?

Exploration is a state of mind where you get rid of old and useless beliefs that keep you a prisoner of old ways of thinking, where you play with the doubts and the questions to stimulate your performance and your creativity. In that sense, I live with a compass in my heart, indicating, not the north, but everything that has not been done yet.

Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones

What does the year ahead look like for you?

Besides leading the Solar Impulse Foundation, I’ve launched the Climate Impulse project, the first zero emission non-stop flight around-the-world with a green hydrogen-powered airplane. At a time when so many people think that decarbonisation of the aviation sector is impossible, I want to show that it’s not only possible, but exciting. You might say that I love flying around the world, and I do, because it’s the ultimate flight. You can’t do more, and you can’t do better. If you want to prove the maturity of a new clean and sustainable technology, I think this is the best way to do it. So that’s what I’m working on.

More details at Bertand Piccard.

To say there are an abundance of watches born for adventure could quite possibly be the understatement of the year. Many of the most celebrated watches in history were conceived out of necessity for reliability, function, and the ability to not only survive but also thrive in the most demanding conditions such as the IWC-Porsche Design Compass.

I’ve traversed the path less travelled to spotlight a watch that commenced a 20-year-long co-development agreement between two brand names known the world over. I’ll admit, it’s not an overly obvious choice. In fact, it’s pretty niche. Inside baseball for the Americans reading this. But it’s a watch that tells some of the most fascinating parts of each company’s heritage, while giving an eye-opening insight into what the following decades of development would hold.

The year is 1978, Grease is in cinemas, Stayin’ Alive is on the radio, and you can’t move for wide padded shoulders. In Stuttgart, however, Porsche Design has just announced its second watch in seven years, the Kompassuhr (no prizes for decoding that’s German for compass), and it is distinct in almost every way possible.

Image credit: Bulang & Sons

The watch is an automatic three-hander with a date, a built-in compass and an emergency signalling mirror, both being revealed via a hinged case. All this is packed into a wearable 39mm wide, 12mm thick footprint. Getting to this point was a challenging feat, with a total of five international patents to its name. To realise this remarkably technical piece, Porsche Design approached the International Watch Company, a decision which became a significant moment in the upward trajectory of both collaborators, especially for a flailing IWC.

Between jiving to the Bee Gees and the mass attempt to perfect the Zuko quiff, the 1970s were challenging for watches. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak of 1972 revolutionised the perception of luxury. Four years later, Patek poured more fuel on that fire with the debut of the Nautilus, and at the same time, IWC attempted to enter this world with the release of the Ingénieur SL; a commercial flop.

At the other end of the spectrum, battery-powered watches from Asia had decimated the Swiss watch industry. Their saviour, Swatch, was waiting for them in the 1980s, and all Switzerland could do was shut its factory doors and observe the general public migrate away from inaccurate, anachronistic mechanical movements to accurate, reliable, and much cheaper quartz ones. To put it bluntly, IWC was floundering, unable to adapt to the newfound pace this historically slow-moving industry was experiencing. They needed a fresh way to appeal to a newly converted sports watch market. They needed something to set themselves apart and show the world they were moving with the times. What they needed was innovation.

Image credit: Loupe This

That came in the form of a meeting in 1977 with Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (also known as ‘Butzi’) of Porsche Design, who brought an impressively thorough outline for the Compass. An important caveat to note early on here is the importance of ‘Design’ when I mention Porsche. While Butzi is the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche – the founder of Porsche automobiles – this watch was conceived by Porsche Design, a separate company established by Butzi in 1972 following his exit from Porsche.

His new company entered the wider design and lifestyle world, and there was no doubting his talents, having famously been credited with designing the Porsche 911. While Porsche Design would go on to create sunglasses, pens and shoes, the Compass had more of a personal connection as Butzi had a keen love of the outdoors. He was fond of the idea of having a watch with a compass built into it, and soon after, his team began sketching designs and concepts. Butzi recognised the project’s complexity and knew he would need a capable, experienced partner to realise the idea.

IWC-Porsche Design Compass in black and NATO olive green

He may not have been aware that IWC needed him as much as he needed them, so the timing was fortuitous. The project tested the watchmaker in all areas of production, as the Compass was packed with ground-breaking components, materials, and production techniques.

The case was rendered in either black or ‘NATO olive’ green and was made from aluminium because of its non-magnetic properties. They were then anodised and coated for added durability. The compass was designed to be removed from the watch without tools so it could be placed on a map, was shock-proofed in both directions, moved in self-lubricating bearings (one of the five patents) and was watertight to 30m. Even the bracelet’s links added function as they were 5mm in width to be used as a ruler if necessary.

Image credit: Bulang & Sons

The movement required flawless function, and parts such as springs, balance, and wheels were made from paramagnetic materials. The rotor was 21ct gold for the same reason, and it sat on a mini-bearing fitted with nine ruby balls to aid shock-proofing via yet another patented diaphragm.

After the first reference of the Compass, the 3510, there were a handful of follow-up models, including one with a moonphase (reference 3551) and even a 3510 rendered in 18k yellow gold with a bark finish. However, the Compass and overall partnership with Porsche Design signified a turning point in IWC’s history and greatly shaped the following decades of focus. While exact production numbers are unknown, you can find examples of the 3510 for a few thousand pounds, depending on the condition.

From here, the Schaffhausen-based watchmaker was revitalised, re-introducing the pilot watch, debuting the first chronograph cased in titanium (also a Porsche Design watch), as well as a further mastery of producing anti-magnetic watchmaking. During the 1990s and beyond, their material innovation moved past aluminium and titanium into ceramic, and the overall adoption of a militaristic, purposeful, and modern tool watch appearance slowly but surely shaped the future of IWC. The Porsche Design partnership is also an exemplary, early case of success in collaboration – something IWC still champions today between Top Gun, the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, and many events worldwide. In many ways, the Compass was IWC’s guiding star saviour, and I’m not so sure anyone could have predicted the extent of influence the spirit of the original Compass 3510 would have on IWC. A true master of the frontier in every sense of the word.

More details at IWC.

Every professional requires a serious watch built to suit their needs. Sure, they might not be the first line of defence given that computers are a thing, but when all else fails the mechanical precision of a timepiece can be the thin, ticking line between success and failure – especially when failure can mean death. But while 007 has Q for all his horological needs – lasers, grappling hooks and the like – the rest of the world has Ollech & Wajs Department.0000 and its new iteration, Department.000.

Ollech & Wajs – or OW as I’m going to abbreviate it to – have been pushing tool watches to their limit for over 70 years. In the mid-1960s, they became internationally lauded as the first watch brand to build a 1,000m depth capable watch, the now legendary Caribbean 1,000. But that wasn’t all they were up to in the ‘60s. When the US Army went to war in Vietnam, they realized that their standard issue watches weren’t up to the task. Vietnam, in case you didn’t know, is wet and humid, even outside of monsoon season, and most watches just weren’t built to cope.

Ollech & Wajs Early Bird (1965) ref. 72

So, OW stepped in with their proven waterproofness. They received countless military orders, too many for the main body of the company to cope with. Instead, they set up a new division specifically to handle non-civilian matters dubbed Department.0000. While it sounds like a shady government organization, they were quite the opposite, offering affordable yet professionally sound timepieces to the troops – and a thank you box of Swiss chocolates to go with it.

Department.0000 wasn’t just a glorified distribution centre though. As their military sales kept climbing, OW began to actively develop models specifically for their newly specialized clientele – models like the Early Bird. Named after the world’s first geosynchronous satellite, the Early Bird had a solid 38mm case, a two-tone 24-hour bezel and eye-catching indexes. It was a contemporary of iconic watches like the Glycine Airman and many servicemen in Vietnam quickly replaced their standard-issue watches with the superior OW model.

OW ref. C-905 ‘US Army Aviation’  Pilot Wings (1969) (left) OW ref. B-905 ‘US Airforce’ (right)

It was a theme that Department.0000 continued with the Ref. 105 diver and watches specifically designed for different regiments across the US army (the ref.C-905 for the US Army Aviation and ref.B-905 for the US Air Force, for example). It has to be said that they were never formally issued to the US Forces; they were what individual soldiers actively replaced their inferior service timepieces with.

A lot has changed since the ‘60s, especially when it comes to OW themselves who, like many brands before them, suffered in the quartz crisis, only being revived back in 2017. But as their cool, affordable and historically slanted tool watches have shown since, have retained what to this day makes vintage OW watches eminently collectible. That’s as true of Department.000 as it is of their civilian pieces.

Ollech & Wajs Bespoke OW 350CI Ugly Angels caseback

They may have knocked a 0 off, but Department 000 (Triple Zero) is still hard at work building commissions for regiments and federal agencies around the world. As many of these regiments are operating across the globe, we’re not at liberty to say precisely who OW have built these watches for. Government secrets and all that; we don’t want a very different kind of department knocking on our office doors. But there is one watch we can share, one that ties in nicely with the history of the department itself – that being the OW 350CI for the flawlessly-named Ugly Angels.

Ugly Angels Squadron (1969)

Technically the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 362, the Ugly Angels – whose Latin motto translates to ‘always ugly’ – are transport specialists that take soldiers into and out of combat, making theirs one of the most necessary yet dangerous jobs in the US Army. These days they fly in the instantly recognizable MV-22 Osprey, but as a squadron they actually date back pretty far.

Back in 1960, the Ugly Angels were the first Marine aircraft unit in South Vietnam and became the longest serving squadron in the region. They almost certainly would have originally had dealings with Department.0000. That they have reprised that relationship so many decades later illustrates just how much faith they – and other likeminded squadrons – have in OW’s specific brand of tool watch.

Ollech & Wajs 70th Anniversary National Gendarmerie Air Force C-1000

We can also reveal a Department.000 timepiece that until very recently was still protected by confidentiality but that is now declassified (to use slightly over the top secret intelligence language). It’s the 70th Anniversary National Gendarmerie Air Force watch, which was created in commemoration of The Air Forces of the National Gendarmerie’s historic anniversary. It’s a variant of the C-1000 that has been adapted to be more useful for pilots rather than diving, seeing its diving bezel replaced by a 60-minute compass bezel. It also features distinctive blue lumed hands and a matching RAF style strap in the signature colours of the Gendarmerie pilot’s flight suits. It also features their logo in pride of place at 3 o’clock.

OW isn’t the only watchmaker creating regiment specific watches of course. Most tool watch brands big and small have their hand in it occasionally. But given Ollech & Wajs’ specific heritage, inextricably tied to one of the most demanding and brutal conflicts in history, Department.000 is, like many of the squadrons they build watches for, a cut above the rest.

More details at Ollech & Wajs.

Ever since the first Swiss farmers began making watch parts during their frozen, Alpine winters, location has always been a big part of watchmaking. Think of all the watch dials with a specific place on the dial – not just Switzerland or Britain, but Glashutte, Geneva, Fleurier, London. Largely these places are watchmaking hubs and those names are inextricably linked to specific watchmaking flourishes – Glashutte’s striped threequarter plate, the Geneva Seal, et al – but some are integral to the identity of the brand. For Fears, that place is Bristol.

The British watchmaker was founded way back in 1846 by magnificently bearded Edwin Fear on Redcliffe Street and, after going through a few managing directors, shut down operations in 1976. Then, when Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, great-great-great-grandson of Edwin was pondering what to do with his life – he’d previously been at Rolex but very much needed a change of scene – his family’s watchmaking history came up at the dinner table. Thus, Fears was reborn.

Fears Redcliff 39.5 Date

Like many revived brands though, the initial incarnation of Fears wasn’t exactly the same as Edwin’s: no factory, a head office in Canterbury of all places, and an initial quartz offering – the aptly named Redcliffe. The original Fears started on Redcliffe; it made sense that the new one would, too. And this kind of start was to be expected from a fledgling brand, even one with some history behind it. In case you didn’t realise, starting a watchmaker is hard work.

Fast forward to today however and things have changed remarkably. The Redcliffe is newly returned to the Fears collection in handsome automatic form. The Brunswick has become a cushion-cased icon of British watchmaking and, perhaps more importantly, as of two years ago, Fears made the triumphant return to their original hometown of Bristol.

“Fears was founded in Bristol, it spent 130 years growing here”, explains Nicholas of the impetus behind the return. “If you’re lucky enough to have this kind of history, this kind of heritage, you have to pay respect to it. In 2021 we were beginning to really take off and that was the point I realised that, rather than build a team where I was, between Kent and Yorkshire, that was the moment to bring Fears back to Bristol. It needed to be in its own city.”

That’s a pain for Nicholas, who regularly commutes from Yorkshire to Bristol (for anyone outside of the UK, that’s just over four hours each way), but it means a lot to the brand. Eagle-eyed British watch aficionados may have noticed, for example, that prior to the move, ‘Bristol’ was nowhere to be seen on a Fears watch dial. It’s proudly on there now. “You can barely go around the city without stumbling across some part of Fears history,” explains Nicholas. “Where we are in Arnos Veil, we’re across the road from Arnos Veil Cemetery, which is where the previous managing directors are buried. Fears is part of the heartbeat of Bristol – and it’s great to be once again contributing to that.”

Fears Brunswick 40 Pink Dial

Outside of history, I’ve already touched on how Fears’ various collections are linked to Bristol. There’s Redcliffe, the street where Fears was founded; the Brunswick, named after the city’s famous Brunswick Square (fitting, for a cushion case) and soon, the Arnos, where Fears are located today. I’m not at liberty to divulge anything but the name at this point; watch this space for more on that later this year.

Of course, there were challenges to starting a shiny new HQ in Bristol, particularly in this climate. “Setting up the office, designing the space, building the desks, it was one of the most complicated things I’ve ever had to do! If moving house is a lot, imagine moving an entire company – while it’s still running!”

There’s a lot crammed into the old Pain Works building. Not only is there the usual office space, but their HQ is where Fears do all their dispatching and quality control (the watches aren’t made in Bristol, yet), as well as third-party dispatches for other watch brands. It’s big, it’s bustling and it’s not quite enough for a brand that’s still very much on the up.

Ever a sucker for punishment, it wasn’t long before Nicholas had his eyes on another milestone: the first Fears boutique. Fears always had a showroom, but it was always a by-appointment, behind closed doors kind of thing, and not exactly accessible to the general public. Now, housed in the elegant and historic Clifton Arcade, they have well and truly arrived.

“Now you can walk in off the street and discover our watches for yourself,” explained Nicholas. “We’ve created a space that’s pure Fears, the music, the smell, everything. More importantly though, it’s opened us up to new customers. I like to think we’re well-known in watch circles, but our boutique has encouraged people that simply like a nice watch now and then to find out what we do. They find us by just walking past, stopping, finding out a bit of information then, a few weeks and visits later, leaving the store with a new Brunswick of Redcliffe.”

The boutique isn’t where Fears’ future plans for Bristol stop. Nicholas isn’t the kind of director that can ever actually relax. But it is a turning point for the brand, emphasising that they’re not just a brand based in Bristol, but that they’re proudly interlinked with the city. It’s not just a label on the dial; it may as well be engraved on every part of the watch. With plans to move more of the watchmaking process to Bristol in the future – they’re already scouting locations – Fears are very much here to stay. And there’s probably a nice little plot across the road with Nicholas’s name on it. Tradition is tradition, after all.

More details at Fears.

Rolex don’t make a lot of mistakes, but in the late 1920s they really screwed up and the firm’s attempt to solve this screw up is what led to the birth of the Panerai Radiomir watch you see here. You might well ask what a Panerai watch is doing with all these Rolex watches; the answer is very simple: for the first couple of decades of their existence all Panerai watches were actually made by Rolex.

Rolex Oyster Wristwatch (1926)

Like most things to do with Rolex before WW2, this is not a simple story, so please bear with me whilst I explain. In 1926/7, Rolex launched the Oyster wristwatch and it would not be wrong to say that it was a watch which had a bigger impact on the watch industry than anything that had ever preceded it. However, what is almost completely unknown is that the Oyster wristwatch was launched simultaneously with what was, undoubtedly, Rolex’s biggest commercial failure to date. That failure was the Rolex Oyster Pocket watch. Yes, Rolex launched a waterproof pocket watch alongside the wristwatch.

Rolex Oyster Pocket Watch (1926)

Now, it’s possible to imagine a plantation manager in some tropical place, like East Africa, Burma or Malaya, having a requirement for a watch which was protected against humidity. But the obvious truth is that this requirement can just as easily be fulfilled by the wristwatch, with the added benefit that this mythical plantation manager no longer needs to wear a waistcoat.

Image credit: Perezscope

But, I can already hear the question rising up from my readers: “What’s the relationship between this mythical plantation manager and Italian WWII frogmen?” Bear with me, please. It didn’t take long for Rolex to realise that the Oyster Pocket watch was a commercial disaster, but Wilsdorf wasn’t going to let the watches go to waste. He had the attachments for a watch chain removed, along with the dials, had the watch rotated through 90° clockwise, attached a new dial with the subsidiary seconds now at the 9 position and to finish off he had wide wire strap attachments soldered at their 12 and 6 positions. These revised models entered the 1934 catalogue as Oyster wristwatches, reference 2533. Even at this early stage you can begin to see how Rolex might be responsible for the creation of the Panerai Radiomir.

Rolex ref. 2533 drawing

Meanwhile the Panerai family in Florence were running two businesses: Orologia Svizzera, a prestigious watch retailer in the shadow of the Duomo, and G. Panerai & Figlio who made instruments for the Italian Royal Navy. The Regia Marina were the first navy in the world to use free divers in an offensive capacity; however, for the divers to operate in teams they needed a watch in order to co-ordinate their actions. Since the introduction of the Rolex Oyster, several other firms had introduced watches which were notionally waterproof, but all were tiny – as was the fashion of the day – between 28 and 32mm in diameter and would be unable to be read underwater in the dark in treacherous conditions. But when Giuseppe Panerai saw the 1934 catalogue – which he would have seen, as Orologia Svizzera was a Rolex agent – he realised that this could be the answer to the requirements of the Regia Marina.

Rolex Invoice (1935), image credit: Perezscope

On the 24th of October 1935, Rolex sent a package to Florence, containing one of the new reference 2533 watches. Like the original pocket watch it sprang from, it was made from 9 carat gold and equipped with a 16¾ ligne movement from Montilier, a high quality movement with 17 jewels, most of them in screwed chatons, a snail shell micrometer regulator and a Breguet overcoil blued hairspring; they were timed to 6 positions at all temperatures (actually, there were only 3 temperatures at which watches were tested).

Rolex Invoice for ref. 2533 made specifically for diving (1939), image credit: Perezscope

The watch was evidently tested extensively by the Regia Marina and must have passed these tests, because on the 20th of December 1938 Orologia Svizzera submitted another order to Rolex, this time for 15 of the reference 2533 watches, but this time incorporating the changes demanded in the order. These watches were now steel and fitted with dials which had been supplied by Panerai, but the most important feature of these watches were these words on the 7th March 1939 invoice from Rolex “Oyster acier spéciales pour scaphandriers”, meaning “Oyster, steel, specially for divers”. These early Panerai watches, made completely by Rolex and eventually inspiring the Panerai Radiomir, are the first true diver’s watches ever made.

In the second invoice from Rolex, it was stated that the dials were supplied by Panerai, who had developed a method of dial construction for their instrument gauges where the dial was made from two brass discs; the lower one was thickly coated in a radium/phosphor paste and the disc above it had the outlines of the quarter hour numerals punched out, along with bars for the remaining hours, so that the luminous material could shine through the apertures.

Panerai ref. 3646, the first issued Panerai based on the Rolex steel 2533 prototypes

The thicker the paste is applied, the brighter it shines and this method allowed a much thicker application of the paste than if it had been merely painted onto the dial in the conventional manner. As these watches would be used underwater, Panerai wanted an even brighter luminosity. So, instead of the top disc being brass, they used celluloid, probably assuming that the luminosity would shine through it. However radium generates heat as well as light and the celluloid warped, which stopped the hands from rotating, so almost every one of these early Panerai watches has had the dial replaced, as does the watch shown here.

So, you could say that both Rolex and Panerai made mistakes; however, they both learned from their lessons and came out stronger – and certainly more successful. It also shows the power of Rolex design when a fumble from Rolex resulted in the Panerai Radiomir. Learn more about Panerai’s history here.

A lot of people have written about the history of Rolex. Whether that be histories of the brand in general or specific models like the Rolex Explorer. However, Rolex themselves have rarely waded into the discourse with anything so official as a book, until now. They’ve just announced the release of Oyster Perpetual Submariner – The Watch that Unlocked the Deep, the first ever authorised history of the Rolex Submariner and Rolex’s first book to boot.

The book is written by acclaimed author Nicholas Foulkes, who has written books across the watch industry for the likes of Patek Philippe and beyond. It promises 252 pages with new and original photography alongside historical images charting the story of what is arguably the most iconic watch ever produced. From innovations and prototypes to the pioneers who wore them. It will be available in English and French.

Oyster Perpetual Submariner – The Watch that Unlocked the Deep will be available for general sale in hardback starting from October 1^st online. There will also be a limited edition of silk-bound copies available for pre-order between September 16 – 19 via the publisher’s website, WallpaperSTORE*.

Rolex has promised that this is just the first in a series of books looking at the histories of their iconic collections. Marking a new period of openness and communication from what has typically been a company that keeps their cards close to their chest. The standard edition is priced at £89 with the limited edition at £100.

More details at WallpaperSTORE*.

Recently we, somewhat briefly, went over some of the big milestones in the development of the chronograph. We talked about the connection between chronographs and motorsport but the chronograph obviously has more far reaching influence in the watch industry. After all, the development of the ability to stop and start timekeeping was one of the biggest steps in chronometric history and there aren’t not many areas it doesn’t have some impact on. So let’s look at one of those other areas, the history of Breitling’s connection to chronographs.

The initial genes of the chronograph were built by the esteemed Louis Moinet (and made famous by Nicolas Rieussec), but Breitling has perhaps had the biggest impact on the modern chronograph. By that I mean the chronograph you think of when you read the word ‘chronograph’: a pillars of time wristwatch with two pushers flanking a crown at nine o’clock and three subdials.

Breitling advertisements from 1910 and 1934

Now, there will be a lot of hedging bets and caveats here; early watchmaking wasn’t exactly well-documented and even now, things are still being discovered. Moinet’s invention of the first chronograph was a mystery until 2021. But let’s give it our best. Or simplest, depending on how it goes.

The history of Breitling’s chronographs starts in 1884 with Leon Breitling, specifically with an obsessive need to time things on a pocket watch. You know that feeling you get where you just want to time random stuff with your wristwatch? Leon turned that into a business. He had competition of course; Longines especially were working in the same field.

Breitling Transocean Chronograph Monopusher (1915)

The reason I mention Longines is that, in 1913, they built the 13.33Z, considered to be the first chronograph wristwatch ever built. It was monumental and its importance can’t be understated. It was different from what we have today however in that it used a pusher integrated into the crown, slightly limiting its usability. That was something that Gaston Breitling (son of Leon) capitalised on.

In 1915, he unveiled the Transocean Chronograph. Not only was this an incredibly handsome bit of 1910s watchmaking, it had a separate chronograph pusher at two o’clock. It made the chronograph function that much easier to use over Longines’ monopusher and other chronographs available at the time. It was still the exact same function, however.

Breitling Premier Chronograph ref. 777 with two pushers (1940s), image credit: Analog:Shift

The bigger advancement for history of Breitling’s chronographs came almost two decades later when the third Breitling in line, Willy, was in charge. In 1934, he patented a watch that had both the pusher at two o’clock and a second pusher at four o’clock, so that the watch could be started, stopped and reset separately. This meant that you could stop and start the same timing run as many times as you wanted, opening up new ways of actually using your chronograph.

Now, notice I said ‘patented’. That’s because it seems Breitling weren’t the first to build a two-pusher chronograph; that would, most likely, have been Longines who, at the time, were one of the few chronograph builders that made their own movements in-house. Nevertheless, it was Breitling that actually popularised what is now considered the modern chronograph and like Amy Winehouse and Valerie, we have Breitling to thank for popularising this horological singalong rather than the Zutons of watchmaking.

Chronomatic Group Calibre 11

Not that Breitling ever avoided developing things themselves. In 1969, there was an intense race to combine all those lovely chronograph timekeeping elements with the autonomy of an automatic movement. It was a race of three cars, with the Japanese represented by horological giant Seiko and Switzerland vying between soloist Zenith and a consortium of Heuer-Leonidas, Breitling, Buren-Hamilton and Dubois Dépraz – the Chronomatic Group. We all know that Zenith’s offering, the El Primero, became a legend and given its name (the first) you’d assume they held the title. But not necessarily. They were first to announce it, sure, but the working version only arrived to market in October 1969. The Chronomatic Group’s Calibre 11 however, arrived months before then and even Zenith (and partner Movado) admitted as much, changing their claim to the first high-frequency chronograph instead.

This intense race however didn’t lean entirely on Breitling’s expertise and the Calibre 11 was a group effort, not an in-house number per se. Indeed, it actually took until 2009 for Breitling to build their own in-house chronograph, the Manufacture Calibre 01. It finally showed that while Breitling had a history of staying well ahead of the chronometric curve, they could strike out on their own if they were so inclined. It’s an expertise that’s held them in good stead in the years since – particularly in the last few.

Breitling Calibre B01

When Georges Kern took over as CEO of Breitling in 2017, after a staggering 15 years at IWC, there was originally a lot of discourse about whether Kern was the right fit for Breitling, as you’d expect. Collectors can be very protective of their favourite brands and Kern was considered a force of change. And change he did, largely by bringing as much as possible in-house, relying considerably on that still impressive Breitling Calibre 01. A dramatic shift in the history of Breitling’s chronographs.

Indeed, the B01 has formed the basis of the watchmaker’s broader collection, the apotheosis of what is now 140 years of precision stopwatch timekeeping. So, what to do with it to celebrate such a milestone? A perpetual calendar, apparently.

Breitling Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary and Breitling Super Chronomat B19 44 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary

Now, I tend not to think of Breitling as a watchmaker that does high complications. They have a tourbillon that I keep forgetting exists, but their bread-and-butter is chronographs, particularly in the Chronomat and Navitimer formats. A perpetual calendar just seems a bit of a stretch, even celebrating 140 years. Which is why Breitling have opted for consistency in a different way.

There’s not one 140th anniversary model; there are three – the three historical pillars of Breitling watch design, in fact. They are the Premier, the Navitimer and the Chronomat. That might not sound consistent until you see them together. Sure, they’re all very different models, but here all three have been given a celebratory makeover in a combination of black and rose gold.

Breitling Premier B19 Datora 42 140th Anniversary

The Premier B19 Datora 42 140th Anniversary, for example, offers a glossy black dial and with rose gold hands, bezel and case. It’s the most classical and straight-forward of the three by far. The Navitimer on the other hand inverts things, with a rose gold dial and case but a black slide rule bezel, ensuring that it’s still a readily readable instrument despite it’s more lavish look. Finally, there’s the chunky Super Chronomat model, the most modern and sporty of the three (if a perpetual calendar could ever be called sporty). It uses a rose gold case, intense black diving bezel and a semi-skeletonised dial to show off the mechanical elements between those perpetual calendar and chronograph subdials. It also comes with a cool, rubberised take on the Chronomat’s signature bracelet.

Breitling calibre B19

Basically, no matter which face of Breitling is your preferred entry point, there’s a limited edition here to match. It’s not just the colours that are the same though; the calendar layout is homogenous between them, too. That means the date and chronograph minutes at three o’clock, months and leap years at six o’clock, day and chronograph hours at nine o’clock and the moon phase at 12. Running hours and minutes as well as chronograph seconds are, as per usual, central. It’s a standard layout for a reason: it works.

I’ve said limited edition plenty of times now, but if you’re asking just how many of each piece, you must be new to these kinds of things. There are, of course, 140 of each model. That’s a grand total of 420 shiny new perpetual calendar movements from Breitling, which is certainly not nothing. It’s a number only possible by using a perpetual calendar module, rather than a fully integrated version, which makes sense in a movement as versatile as the B01.

More than anything however, it’s a celebration of 140 years of Breitling and the history of Breitling’s chronographs that not only works as a capstone on their story of chronograph development, but celebrates the key pillars of today’s Breitling collections. I mean, we were never going to get an Emergency II with a perpetual calendar. Is it the most fitting tribute? Honestly, I’d have done a gorgeous remake of Gaston’s first, one-pusher chronograph. But hey, there’s still time. Right?

More details at Breitling.

Everyone knows the history of the Rolex Explorer. First used by Hillary and Tensing on Everest and launched to the public the following year, it’s the purest of the ‘tool’ watches—retaining its pitch black dial with prominent cardinal numbers, no date window, no precious metal or two-tone versions and always powered by the latest Rolex perpetual movement.

But everything in the above paragraph is wrong. The first Explorer sold by Rolex was almost 20 years before the conquest of Everest, didn’t have the 3/6/9 dial, or even a black dial, was a manual-wind watch and didn’t even have the Rolex name on the dial.

Oyster Explorer ref. 3136 (1936)

As you can see from the image above, the watch was simply signed “Oyster Explorer,” but not “Rolex.” Because, at this time, Rolex was still stumbling around in the market place trying to develop a successful entry-level companion brand to Rolex. This Oyster Explorer followed the blueprint of all the previous attempts—the same case as the mainstream brand—but a less expensive generic movement.

Unicorn, Rolco, Marconi, Genex, and even Omigra were all names previously used on watches, but to little success. However, Oyster was different. Its name related directly to the more expensive Rolex Oyster and watches with this name were produced for over a decade, until the launch of the Tudor range finally laid them to rest.

Rolex Explorer Date ref. 5700 (1965)

As far as I can tell, the Oyster Explorer was sold only in Canada. This was because, up until the 1960s, Rolex Canada was not wholly owned by Rolex Geneva. This allowed Rolex Canada much more freedom in dial design and naming. And it is from Rolex Canada that the so-called “Dress Explorers” all originated.

There were white dial, steel cased Explorers, two tone versions, and even the bizarre “Explorer Date” watches, which were exactly what they said on the dial. But it wasn’t just the Explorer name which was first used in Canada before joining the mainstream Rolex range years later with models like the 1958 Rolex Deepsea.

Rolex Explorer ref. 5500 (1963) and 5504 (1966)

But it wasn’t just Rolex Canada who produced unusual variations on the Explorer. Rolex UK produced two of the stranger versions: the 5500 and the 5504 models. Model number nerds will immediately recognise those two numbers as belonging to the 34 and 36mm versions of the Air King. However, initially for the military retail NAAFI shops, Rolex UK produced Explorer versions of these two watches, capable of being sold at a lower price because the movements were not chronometer certified.

After their successful launch in the NAAFI stores, the watches became available in UK authorised dealers up until the early 1970s, by which point they were the last of the unusual Explorers on the market. I hope that you have enjoyed this little excursion into some of the lesser known variations of the Rolex Explorer.

More details at Rolex.

International watch fairs offer the best opportunities to discover new brands and learn more about the world of watches. The Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and Salon de TIME Exhibition is the perfect destination for watch lovers of all stripes this autumn, September 3-7. Whether you’re a collector looking for your next purchase or interested in networking on behalf of your own brand, there’s a lot to be discovered.

The theme for this year’s shows is “Be on Time”, which is a motto some people I know could probably do with learning. There will be a huge number of watches on display including luxury and high-fashion designs as well as technologically advanced and sustainable models. The diverse lineup will also include collaborative timepieces, limited editions, customised watches, and creations by independent watchmakers.

On the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair side of things, the event is split into several exhibiting categories. Those are: “Pageant of Eternity”, “Complete Watches”, “Pre-owned Watches”, “Clocks”, “Machinery & Equipment”, “OEM Smart Watches”, “Packaging & Display”, “Parts, Components & Accessories” and “Trade Services”. Making it easy for businesses in attendance to find the right services and suppliers or to simply become immersed in the industry as a collector.

Salon de TIME will also be separated into five themed zones centring on World Brand Piazza, Chic & Trendy, Craft Treasure, Renaissance Moment and Wearable Tech. These respectively relate to your classic prestige brands, fashion watches, haute jewellery and crafts, independent European brands and smart watches. Selected watches will also be available for sale, so as a collector you’ll want to swing by, potentially with a card at the ready.

Other highlights of the event include the Hong Kong International Watch Forum discussing the state of the industry and global trends. There’s also a wide range of seminars, prize draws and watch parades. One of the most intriguing events is the Watch & Clock Design Competition which sees local watch and clock designers compete across a couple of awards. There are both student and open categories with an emphasis on “Made-to-Sell” encouraging a focus on marketability and practical innovation.

The Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and Salon de TIME Exhibition are being hosted at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center on September 3-7. See you there.

More details at Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair & Salon de TIME.

Register for FREE buyer badge here.

Without question Steve McQueen is one of the most enduring style icons of the 20^th century. As a quick peek behind the curtain, of the actors we included in our style icons series looking at Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Cary Grant and Robert DeNiro, it was McQueen you were all the most interested in. Which makes a lot of sense in watch collecting circles because, outside of the Newman Daytona, it’s McQueen who has the closest connection to horology thanks to the film Le Mans in which he wears a Heuer Monaco. And now one of those original Steve McQueen Le Mans Heuer Monaco watches is heading to auction with Sotheby’s in December.

There have been entire essays written on the Heuer Monacos in that film and many, many forum discussions about them. So let me give you the quick version of the story. Heuer provided 26 watches to the prop department of the Le Mans film. Of those, six were Monaco Ref. 1133Bs and of those, four were on leather straps and used on the wrist of Steve McQueen. Although McQueen did wear all six at some time or other according to a 2016 interview with the film’s prop master, Don Nunley, in the Wall Street Journal.

The history of each of the four leather strap Monacos is also well documented online. Two are in the possession of the TAG Heuer museum, which were bought at auction in 2009 for $87,600 and in 2012 for $799,500. The third, which was the one McQueen gifted to his mechanic Haig Alltounian, sold in 2020 for $2.2 million at a Phillips auction and is the most expensive Heuer to date.

Bevan Weston wearing the Tag Heuer Monaco Le Mans (right)

This fourth one was owned by Bevan Weston, a mechanic who also worked on Le Mans. He was the custodian of the watch for over 40 years, even wearing it when he worked for McLaren at the Indy 500 in 1971, before selling it privately in 2010. Now that private collector has put it up for sale at Sotheby’s, marking the first time it has been publicly available. It has an auction estimate of $500,000 – $1,000,000.

One thing is for sure, this is an exceptionally rare timepiece. The term grail probably doesn’t even begin to cover it. Considering where the previous models ended up, it’s unlikely that those watches will arrive on the market again this lifetime, if ever. Meaning this is a genuine once in a lifetime opportunity for the right collector. One to keep an eye on come the Sotheby’s New York watch auction in December.

More details at Sotheby’s.