Archives: Style Features

Blasts From The Past

  Why launch new designs if your back catalogue is rich with hits?   When words are co-opted for specific uses, it leaves us with a slight dilemma: how does one describe exact replicas of classic watches, brought back to … Continue reading

The Cartier Tank

    Wonderful irony: a watch named after a fearsome piece of military hardware has evolved into the quintessence of elegance. Cartier’s Tank, beaten only by its stable mate – the Santos – for sheer longevity, was so-named because its … Continue reading

The Rolex Mystique

  Ever since wristwatch auctions became a source for vintage models, two brands have dominated the most elevated stratum. Patek Philippe has maintained its position thanks to rarity, prestige and horological excellence. Rolex? It rivals its Genevoise neighbour for auction … Continue reading

If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be … 9am. – Classic Travel Watches

 1977 Rolex GMT   Everyone knows about times zones, but still we get caught out: who hasn’t suffered the embarrassment of phoning home, only to learn the hard way that it’s 3am back at the ranch? Watchmakers have been dealing … Continue reading

The Year’s Best “Starter” Watches 2012

  BEGINNERS WATCHES £200 – £1000  You’re ready to buy your first watch. Cash is an issue, but you don’t want to forego quality or credibility. The good news is that watches now represent such amazing value that you can … Continue reading

The Red and the Black

 Cartier Santos 100   Despite the near vertical growth in the sales of fine watches, the ownership of multiple timepieces remains the preserve of the collector. Surprisingly people few own the sartorial recommendation of a trio of timepieces: dress watch, … Continue reading

Audemars Piguet Ladies Watches

A quiet revolution has been taking place in the watch world, despite the subject being that which often dazzles. It has taken some time, but women have changed their attitude toward the technical aspects of fine watches, and it has … Continue reading

Buying Watches

  One series of advertisements was enough to explain why some people prefer to spend a small fortune on a watch, even though a £3 quartz throwaway from a corner store will tell time with greater accuracy: ‘You never actually … Continue reading

To Watch Or Not To Watch – That Is the Question

Global financial crisis aside, the luxury watch industry appears to be in pretty good shape. The emerging markets – especially China – possess enough connoisseurs to keep the haute horlogerie brands in profit, and there are even reports that the … Continue reading

Sport Watches

 Hublot Big Bang Default watch purchases used to fall into categories: “dress watch”, “sport watch” and “work watch” were the main headings. There were numerous choices within those groupings, but few mattered. If you were looking at the quality sector, … Continue reading