The Weekly Round-up: 23rd May 2020
This week is a good one, not meaning to blow my own trumpet. I should caveat that by saying it is a good week in terms of watch things, not in general. We are still very much in lockdown in the UK (all though there is light at the end of the tunnel) and after 11 weeks of WFH/Lockdown I have lost each and every one of my marbles. But luckily enough I have lots of watchy things to write about to distract me, so without further-ado, let's get into it shall we?
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Longines Heritage Black Dial
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Longines, In my humble opinion, are the best brand for vintage re-editions. The Heritage Military 1948, the Heritage Classic ‘Sector’ and the Military Watch being my personal favourites. They consistently release watches that harken back to their historic catalogue. They are faithful, stylish, and truly give you the best of both vintage and modern. They also know how to execute ‘fauxtina’ well, which is a bonus. The Flagship Heritage Black Dial is no exception, having been inspired by the Flagship models from the 50’s and 60’s. The watch features a black gloss dial, rose gold indices and hands, as well as a nicely placed date window at 6 o’clock. It also features a very understated sub-seconds dial at 6, which is gorgeous. This watch is the perfect blend of vintage styling, with the practicality and wearability of a modern watch. Once again, bravo Longines.
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Photo Credit: A Blog To Watch
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Grand Seiko x Watches of Switzerland 'Toge' Limited Edition
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One of the most popular Grand Seiko models in recent years is their Ref. SBGM221 GMT. The standard model is versatile, a brilliant size, and features a very nice but subtle GMT complication. This particular model has been released in collaboration with the iconic Watches of Switzerland retailer. The usual ivory dial has been traded out for a deep, almost British racing green dial to pay homage to the UK retailer. The watch comes with the standard 9S66 movement from Grand Seiko, making it neither high-beat nor spring drive, however, the movement architecture and quality is still superb, and can be seen through the display case back, a touch I always appreciate. This watch appeals to me for many reasons, not least that it is honouring a retailer that has been so influential in my watch journey. Despite not having purchased a watch from WOS, my educational journey has been heavily influenced by the welcoming staff, friendly atmosphere, and Redbar events that have been held there. I feel a Grand Seiko is a brand that everyone should experience at some point, just to appreciate quite how incredible they are, and I do not think that this is a bad place to start.
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Photo Credit: Hodinkee
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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin with diamond indexes
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Last week, Audemars Piguet released another watch. They released it in the same way that they have been releasing some watches over the past year or so, very bloody quietly. They have adopted the policy of just adding new watches to the catalogue on their website, which I quite like. The latest watch released in this manner is this, the Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin, now with diamond indices. It is no secret amongst my watch mates that I love a bit of bling on a watch, and for me this is no different. This new release comes in platinum and rose gold, with a gorgeous black lacquer dial. As I mentioned, the hour markers are diamonds, apart from at the 3 o’clock, where there is a very subtle date window, which is very well executed. For me this piece is the perfect bit of bling if you do not want to look like a rapper, but like the idea of a little bit of bling. However, being a boutique only Limited Edition of 30 pieces (Rose Gold) and 70 pieces (Platinum), which I find completely bizarre, good luck getting your hands on one! For me the decision not to make this a full production model is bonkers, as i think this would be a BIG seller, especially given the price for the Rose Gold model being £50,000. Maybe we will see this released down the line as a production model, but who knows…
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Photo Credit: Hodinkee
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Recommended Reading: On The Dash article ‘Chasing the Grails’
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Within the watch industry, there are renowned experts in their particular focus. Auro Montanari and George Cramer are certainly experts when it comes to Cartier, Eric Ku is certainly an expert when it comes to vintage in general. However, when it comes to Heuer, there is one undisputed champion of knowledge. I am of course talking about none other than Jeff Stein. If you do not know who Jeff Stein is, click the link and watch the early episode of Talking Watches he did. Not only does he have an unsurpassed knowledge about vintage Heuer, but he also has without a doubt the most impressive collection of Heuer I have ever seen. He claims that most of the watches he buys are to further his knowledge on the subject. To be honest, this seems like a very good excuse to tell his wife, but nonetheless it has certainly done wonders for the community.
Jeff is responsible for the website OnTheDash, which is basically Wikipedia but for Heuer. It is a one-stop-shop for any information you might need, or want to learn, and considering it is run solely by Jeff; who also has a full-time job, it is truly remarkable. His editorial work is something that I take great pleasure in sitting down and reading, and his latest article is no different. Jeff has recently posted what could be described as a thesis on the grails within vintage Heuer collecting. It is absolutely fascinating and is written in a very approachable style. I cannot recommend it enough to you. Whether you are a fan of Heuer or not, it is incredibly interesting and comes of course with photos of some rather cool pieces.
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Photo Credit: OnTheDash
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As always, thank you very much for tuning in for this little summary of the weeks watch news. A couple of new releases, the AP being a personal favourite In Rose Gold because why the hell not?! I hope you all have a good weekend, and see you next week.
Cheers!
Felix Arnold
