Luxury is a fast-changing industry. Luxury watchmaking, not so much. Hampered by tradition, classicism and, more often than not, a lack of vision, it tends to be set in its ways. One of those ‘ways’ is to consider that gem-set watches are a) for women, b) for the bling-loving crowd of hip-hop entertainment or c) for wealthy clients from the Gulf region with no watchmaking savvy. Yes, there is prejudice and snobbery afoot where gem-set timepieces are concerned, as alluded to in the Unusual Suspects companion piece to this story. The truth is that mechanical timepieces with abundant gem-setting skills on display are in high demand, especially those whose sizes and styles make them compatible with the tastes of men. Yes, men. Cue shock and outrage.
Just the other day, I was invited to a highbrow cultural event in my hometown of Paris, in a posh setting, by a brand whose approach is very conservative. A senior member of staff, young but far from having a penchant for what might be considered the thug life (cringeworthy though such thoughts might be), confessed an amazing fact to me: his dream watch is one of their most famous references...with a rainbow bezel.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 72-utgaven av WOW Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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SMART CONNECTIONS
With the T-Touch Connect Sport, Tissot tries to strike a balance between traditional watchmaking values and digital usefulness
SPIRIT OF CONSERVATION
SORAL is a conservation group most famous for the activities related to its name: Save Our Rhinos Africa and India. Hublot has partnered with SORAI for four special editions now, with part of the sales benefitting the group's activities. We chat with SORAI founder, former England cricketeer Kevin Pietersen, about the challenges behind working to save animal species
FINISHING TOUCHES
We take a different approach to Lang & Heyne in this wide-ranging discussion, as befits the brand's extremely limited production, devotion to hand craftsmanship and absence of big marketing
THE CONVERSATION: TIME SHAPES UP
Rough winds do shake up watchmaking and this is when we least expect new directions. The debut of just one collection has changed the math and made many question the wisdom of banking so overwhelmingly on round watches. The editors of WOW debate the issue
BLANCPAIN VILLERET CALENDRIER CHINOIS TRADITIONNEL
Perhaps the brand most significantly and consistently associated with the Chinese calendar, we had to close out this list with Blancpain's Chinese calendar model.
STANDARD BEARER
Longines finds a way to elevate the classic round watch, with a bit of a precious twist
RULE OF THIRDS
A. Lange & Söhne celebrated 30 years of the Lange 1 in 2024. Here is a brief look back at the story of this seminal watch, with some exclusive photography of the current models
CELEBRATING MILESTONES
Franck Muller CEO Nicholas Rudaz talks up the partnership between his brand and Sincere Fine Watches
SUBTLE DISTINCTIONS
The Toric's latest iteration is a callback to the gentleman's dress watch — and the collection has never looked more dapper
WATCHING BRIEF
With up to three significant watch exhibitions coming together by happenstance here, the collecting community could scarcely have wished for better
