The timepiece trade show did not disappoint.
The past year hasn't been terribly kind to the luxury watch market. Business news sources continue to report a grim future, but a recent trip to Geneva's Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) painted a very different picture. The invitation-only trade show, presented by luxury goods company Richemont, not only showcased the latest creations from top watch brands but also presented innovative collections from courageous, independent watchmakers. For admirers of exquisitely beautiful timepieces, this was a banner year. Say hello to the #SpeedyTuesday Speedmaster.
Just how important is social media to the wristwatch industry? You might want to ask Swiss timekeeper Omega. Back in 2012, Fratello Watches founder Robert-Jan Broer tagged an Omega Instagram photo #speedytuesday. Like most viral sensations, there wasn't much in the way of forethought or design—he was simply posting the Omega Speedmaster image on a Tuesday.
Time waits for no man, not even for a leading man of stage and screen. The current star of Broadway's Les Liaisons Dangereuses and TV's Ray Donovan--not to mention the cover of Esquire—actor Liev Schrieber performs a bit of Shakespeare in a short clip as a conceptual ode to the New York minute and his stainless steel Tiffany CT60. The watch—a self-winding, three-hand, 40mm mechanical model—ticks away the seconds as he contemplates the passage of time, nature, and youth within the lyrical iambic pentameter of Shakespeare's Sonnet 12, which just so happens to be the perfect length for Instagram's brief, 60-second video limit.
Watches with a little history don't have to look like boring antiques. That's why we've rounded up 16 timepieces with serious staying power. The DNA is drawn from the past, but the features and looks are entirely contemporary.
http://www.esquire.com/style/news/g3150/classic-watch-gift-guide/ For Chinese artist Sun Xun, the existential questions explored in his artwork are the same existential questions he asks of himself. What is time? What is forever? What is history? What is the future? What is now? http://www.esquire.com/style/news/a51263/audemars-piguet-sun-xun-art-basel-miami-beach/ At the invitation of luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet, a site-specific artwork called "Reconstruction of the Universe" was unveiled for the second Audemars Piguet Art Commission at Art Basel in Miami this past weekend. It may not immediately seem like a natural pairing, but these compelling time-related concepts are shared by AP—a reflection upon the rapidly changing future of complicated fine watches. What seems to be a highly conceptual connection slowly reveals an important similarity between the artist and watchmaker. Great design knows no boundaries. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that the post-World War II golden age of Italian automotive design—from the 1940s through the 1970s—has influenced the world of watch design as well as the world of cars. Automakers like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lancia, and Maserati immediately conjure up visions of sleek, aerodynamic lines that feel as appropriate on a sports car as a timepiece. Watches and driving are, after all, intimately linked, with accurately measuring speed an all-important aspect of auto racing.
When it comes to buying an exceptional watch, Rolex is virtually synonymous with achieving success. Like buying a bespoke suit, purchasing a Rolex watch represents one of life's great accomplishments, one that goes far beyond just owning a beautiful timepiece—and no other brand conjures up quite this type of personal connection or emotional reaction.
For collectors of fine timepieces, scarcity, condition, and original details are of utmost importance. Over the weekend in Geneva, one of Patek Philippe's rarest and most-admired wristwatches was offered by the auction house Phillips, shattering records to become the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction.
http://www.esquire.com/style/news/a50653/patek-philippe-most-expensive-auction/ Jaeger-LeCoultre just added an updated Memovox to its roster.
http://www.esquire.com/style/news/a50419/jaeger-lecoultre-master-memovox-boutique/ And the co-founders of Worn & Wound are throwing a three-day watch fair in NYC this weekend to celebrate them.
http://www.esquire.com/style/news/a49673/worn-and-wound-fair/ |
AuthorStephen Watson is a freelance stylist and watch editor. Archives
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