In my wildest dreams, I never thought I’d be writing about two different cushion-shaped chronographs made especially for women. This is a particularly enjoyable exercise for me as the two chronographs I examine here are by two of the most traditional watch manufactures at work today: Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe. So, how do they differ?
When Audemars Piguet celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the Royal Oak in 2002, it did so by presenting its first concept watch, which was one of the first “superwatches” of the modern era. For a traditional brand like Audemars Piguet to come out with a wild watch like this was far more than just novel. It was downright audacious!
In the relatively short amount of time since Ball Watch re-entered the watch world, the brand has managed to create a few interesting technical details to enhance its interesting, affordable watch range. The brand’s arsenal of technical improvements includes the patented SpringLock shock protection system, which was tested under real conditions on the wrist of Kiss drummer Eric Singer before being implemented into regular collection watches.
Talking to Eric Singer about watches is like cramming four months’ worth of casual shop talk into one hour: Singer is really, really into watches. One of rock’s hardest working drummers, he has played with acts like Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, Lita Ford, and Gary Moore as well as Kiss. In addition to a love of music, Singer inherited a love of timepieces from his father; his extensive collection illustrates his passion for the subject.
The moon is one element of horology that allows watchmakers to wax lyrical and get their romance on.
Thanks to its romantic properties and associations, depictions of the moon are particularly popular complications for women.
Konstantin Chaykin, that brilliant watchmaker/inventor from Russia, thus showed a bit of his softer side at Baselworld 2015 with the introduction of a new rendition of a ladies’ moon phase watch with its mechanical sophistication clearly on display.
“It’s wonderful that Rolex and Wimbledon have been partners for so long,” says Roger Federer, the greatest tennis player of all time and a Rolex ambassador. “They are both the perfect embodiment of grace and excellence.” Rolex And Wimbledon: there are few brands that fit so well together, emulating each other in a way – though a fully unplanned way – with their staunch holds on traditionalism and domination of their respective fields. Since 1978 they have transcended social, cultural, language, and even ideological barriers together.
Fans attending Wimbledon are ardent about the most important tennis tournament on earth. But aside from wearing a boring old tennis shirt – Wimbledon only allows white tennis clothes on court – how can you display your passionate spirit for others to see and engage with? A Wimbledon-themed NATO strap on a Rolex might be just perfect.
By now it’s hardly a secret that the biggest brand anniversary celebration in 2015 belongs to Vacheron Constantin. Harmony is the name of one of the most important collections that the 260-year-old brand has launched in recent years, and the reasons for this are clear: five of the these seven Harmony models are in-house chronographs, and all seven boast immaculate design inspired by one of the brand’s first wristwatches from 1928 in a cushion-shaped case.
Since its reboot four years ago, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève – watchmaking’s highest profile event, often described as the “Oscars of watchmaking” – has attracted a few celebrity watch collectors to the jury in addition to some of the most knowledgeable experts in the world of watches.
Kiss drummer Eric Singer, an avid watch collector for decades, is the latest. During a recent interview session, he struck me not only as a serious collector, but also as an honest-to-goodness “watch guy.” I am very pleased he has joined the jury of this excellent event.
I have been involved in the watch world for 26 years; my first visit to Baselworld was in 1991. The massive fair halls have undergone two major reconstructive changes during this long period, in addition to several smaller updates. The last major reconstruction was finished in 2013. In no way, though, was I prepared for how the complex looks and feels when Art Basel is on compared to how I know it during the hustle and bustle of Baselworld.