To be a collector is to always be on the hunt for that which others overlook. Well, that is part of it, and the part we will be exploring in this continuing series on watches that might well be worth keeping on your radar. So why does this story open with an image of a Japanese whisky, you might ask. Well, the world of whisky is defined by Scotch but, within the last 20 years, the Japanese first proved their worth against them, then bested them. You might see a parallel to watchmaking there, but that is up to you.
Now, Suntory may not have been surprised that the Yamazaki 18-Year-Old won top marks at the International Spirits Challenge in 2012 (mainly because it, and Nikka had been gaining positive notices since 2000), but it certainly did not anticipate how sought-after its spirits would become. In the supply crunch that followed, prices shot up. For example, a Yamazaki 50-Year-Old scored a record US$343,000 at a 2018 Bonhams auction in Hong Kong. The bottom line is this: if you are a connoisseur of whisky who understood the appeal of Japanese whisky early, when it was only for the domestic market, you might have found yourself with a pretty sweet collection.
Like you, dear reader, we like to think of ourselves as savvy, at least about timepieces; unlike most of you, our jobs depend on this, so it is not a small matter. I am sure that you always keep in mind that we are bringing you this magazine because it is in our commercial interests to do so. As you might imagine, this does lead to some conflicts for us, as it does for everyone else, whether at other traditional media houses or even on YouTube, where silliness is rewarded in a way that makes me envious. I assure you, we can be very silly indeed.
Denne historien er fra Spring 2021-utgaven av World of Watches.
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Denne historien er fra Spring 2021-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.