Raise your hand if you remember the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Squadra from 2006. The Chronograph GMT and the Hometime? Both writers of this tale obviously do, and it meant something personal to them. The story that follows is mostly an account of WOW Thailand Editor Ruckdee Chotjinda’s hankering for a square watch, and WOW Singapore Editor Ashok Soman’s consistent evangelising for form watches. In this edition, we opted to present this account as a back-and-forth but it is Ruckdee’s story through-and-through. While Ruckdee finally found his square roots, Ashok has yet to embrace his; his contribution here is ruefully theoretical. Each writer’s portions are denoted by their initials.
RUCKDEE CHOTJINDA
I was very close to owning the Jaeger-LeCoultre Squadra Hometime but then a few hiccups got in the way. First, the stock piece at the authorised dealer had cosmetic damage; then, the replacement ordered had a wobbly crown stem and had to be returned. I became discouraged and went for another watch instead. Before I acted again on the Reverso Squadra, Jaeger-LeCoultre dropped the collection five years into its age. It was gone … just like that, depriving me of the joy of ownership.
The urge to buy a square watch has since remained in the back of my mind. The Tetra watches from Nomos Glashütte seemed nice and accessible, but all versions are too small for my preference. I came very close to buying my first square watch again in 2016 when Cartier came out with the (then) new version of the Santos 100 Carbon. I remember how the watch lingered on my mind during my days at SIHH that year, and how I was eager to share a wristshot on my personal Facebook account by using the phone to take a snap from the camera’s playback screen.
ASHOK SOMAN
Denne historien er fra Spring 2020-utgaven av World of Watches.
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Denne historien er fra Spring 2020-utgaven av World of Watches.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BRAND ELEVATION
On the sidelines of Geneva Watch Days, Bulgari CEO JeanChristophe Babin talks about the challenges of having one brand identity across all categories, and tells us what he really thinks of watch fairs.
EVEN MORE HANDS
For the third year in a row, the collective WOW team shares the watches we ponied up for. As always, we include a couple of fantasy pieces and more than a few fails.
CONCEPTS AND CONSEQUENCES
What is the legacy of concept watches? What happens when the show is over and it is time to actually manufacture them? How do these ticking research labs translate into actual, wearable timepieces...if they ever do?
THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSION
In the watchmaking industry, a company’s longevity is oftentimes measured not in decades but in centuries. What then happens to a brand beyond its founders? We speak to three CEOs to answer this question.
LEAPS AND BOUNDS
The quest to add one day to a month every four years may seem like a mundane task in the digital age, but achieving this mechanically is anything but.
FLIP SIDE
Omega celebrates the first human flight orbit the moon with a new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon.
SNAPPING BACK
A powerful showcase for a one-of-a-kind constant force mechanism, the Girard Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement is now available for everyone.
GO FOR GOLD
Forty-five years after Piaget released its allgold Polo 79 luxury sports watch to critical acclaim, the maison revisits this iconic collection with a new ultra-thin movement.
CLEAR WINNER
Hublot's fourth collaboration with Takashi Murakami puts the artist's joyful flower motif at the centre of a bold new case design.
HISTORICAL TRIBUTE
Parmigiani Fleurier launches a new version of their Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar with a vivid green dial.