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On the heels of the Jackie Kennedy Cartier Tank watch auction announcement comes a second blockbuster iconic watch reveal, Paul Newman's actual "Paul Newman" Rolex Daytona. Watch historian and writer Michael Clerizo got all the scoop on the iconic watch and its recent whereabouts and reported it all in this morning's WSJ Magazine. A charming story of an encounter with Paul Newman as a child, and a second chance meeting with a woman going by the name Nell Potts at college in Maine some years later, is how current watch owner James Cox finds himself entwined in this story. Nell was actually Nell Newman, daughter of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. James spent time vacationing with her family in Connecticut, and Paul gave him the watch as a gift for repairing a beloved treehouse on the property. It is well known that Joanne Woodward had purchased the watch for her husband at Tiffany. A Rolex Chronograph perfect for timing laps was, after all, the perfect timepiece to complement her husband's love of auto racing. Adding to the Rolex's astounding appeal, the watch's caseback comes engraved with the phrase "Drive Carefully Me," as any worried wife might lovingly and thoughtfully add.  Classic style affairs between Liz and Bulgari, Grace and Rolex. Take it from these extremely stylish women: The key to looking timeless is a classic timepiece. Iconic watches like the Rolex Datejust look as contemporary today as they did decades ago, underscoring the impressive staying power of a good time-teller. Below, Hollywood legends and stylish royals who have come to be associated with a classic watch. Each offers visual proof that sleek lines with a touch of glamour are always chic (a few styles included here are more than 100 years old).   It is said that in August of 1851, upon watching the schooner "America" win the Royal Yacht Squadron 100 Pound Cup at the America's Cup, Queen Victoria inquired as to which boat came in second place—to which the reply was simply, "Your Majesty, there is no second." And so the demand for excellence began, inspiring tycoons, corporations, luxury goods companies, and world-class athletes to compete for top honors—and the oldest and most prestigious trophy in international sports    "Fine watchmaking" might bring to mind old, bespectacled men fussing with tiny gears in a dusty workshop. Fact: While fine watchmaking does have a rich history, it's anything but outdated. Modern craftsmen are in lockstep with avant-garde fashion designers, pushing boundaries to create fresh proportions, new materials, and never-before-seen functionality—yes, quite a bit like the edgiest looks from the runway. (And, in some cases, watches mimic their ready-to-wear big siblings with eye-watering haute couture pricing, too.)   ALESSANDRO MICHELE EXTENDS HIS MAGIC TO THE LATEST COLLECTION OF GUCCI WATCHES - HarpersBazaar.com4/28/2017
 After teasing the pieces with a semi-sardonic (and controversial) social media campaign of timepiece-themed memes, Gucci unveiled a collection of watches totally worthy of Insta-fame, reflecting all the wit, humor, and creativity endemic to the fashion house. In short: You're going to want them all. The statement-making accessories adapt popular iconography from the Gucci archives beloved by fashion fans and collectors (think the signature tri-color stripes, animal logos, and Renaissance elements), paired with modern touches, like current-day graffiti art. Our favorite—pictured below—features the brand's emblematic cat head cast in bright yellow resin and a colorful, vintage-style woven strap. The result is a perfectly flashy, of-the-moment watch that plays nice with loud prints and crisp neutrals alike...and looks like it time-traveled straight out of a Rainbow Bright episode from the '80s.  They're designed for deep-sea diving — but certainly merit everyday wear. A nod to the heroism of the Royal Italian Navy, the grit of the long-distance channel swimmer, and even Jacques Cousteau’s spirit of exploration, dive watches manage to be inherently inspiring. In their first iterations in the 1920s, dive watches marked an important milestone. Advancements in water resistance helped popularize the use of the wristwatch (vs. the more typical pocket watch) by making them much more durable and practical for everyday wear. In the 1950s, when scuba diving was gaining popularity as a recreational sport, the dive watch became a truly necessary tool for keeping track of time while descending deep underwater, particularly when worn in tandem with a depth gauge. And as advancements in diving equipment and technology allowed for deeper dives, the watch industry kept pace with greater and greater ingenuity.  Introducing the Ressence Type 1H limited edition for Hodinkee.  few months back, we suggested keeping your credit line free and clear for a potential surprise launch of a heart-stopping limited edition timepiece requiring your immediate financial attention. Horological catnip to watch fans and collectors, these panic-inducing online flash sales create a buy-it-now frenzy that produces amazing results in remarkably short amounts of time. Well, fire up that Black Card, the next day of reckoning has arrived. Online watch magazine Hodinkee has done it again, this time with an unexpected collaboration with the avant-garde Belgian watchmaker Ressence, known for creating innovative watches that completely reinvent how you read the time—the hour, minutes, and seconds become a series of concentric circles each turning independently inside one another. The 20-piece Type 1H limited edition for Hodinkee accentuates this orbital system even further by skeletonizing—cutting away—sections of the discs, making the fascinating inner workings entirely visible through the German silver dial.  A sartorial report straight from Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie and Baselworld.  Here's the thing about investing in a watch: You want your purchase to look exquisite, but it should also hold up, keeping time for decades, if not generations. At the 2017 Swiss watch fairs, Geneva-based Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie and the more recent Baselworld, many of the women's pieces highlighted a classic elegance, but they also included impressive mechanics. So while a lack of bling was notable—the offerings leaned toward a simple, wearable vibe instead—it was the use of high-tech materials and new textures that proved particularly impressive.
Aesthetically, it's also an exciting time to add a watch to your jewelry drawer. Pink is making a welcome comeback and offering an attractive femininity, and a handful of monochromatic styles are the pinnacle of chic. Even better, a few styles are known for holding their value, helping to justify the expenditure. http://www.elle.com/fashion/accessories/g29735/ladies-watches-basel/  There's something of a revolution happening in the watch world. With a whole generation of potential customers who can't even wrap their heads around the idea wearing a high-end mechanical timepiece, something has to give. And at this year's most important industry event, important clues to its survival started to emerge.
Unlike the fashion industry—which can reflect the changing times by turning on a dime—the careful watch world works at a slightly slower pace. At Baselworld 2017, it became clear that the industry now has a greater understanding of consumers' shifting priorities and a willingness to look thoughtfully and respond their desires. This year's winning timepieces showcase the distinguished history of watchmaking while incorporating ingenious modern updates as well as wild advances in materials, manufacturing, and technology. They're also achingly beautiful. From the "holy grail" pieces featuring major complications that each serve a unique purpose to affordable knock-around weekend watches, here's a roundup of the most memorable timepieces, straight from the fair. Each offers vital proof that while your phone may do a perfectly serviceable job of telling you the time, watches still matter. http://www.esquire.com/style/mens-accessories/news/g3288/baselworld-watches-2017/ |
AuthorStephen Watson is a freelance stylist and watch editor. Archives
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