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The wind up – watch news 42

The Wind Up – Watch News #42


Welcome to the next instalment of our regular series dedicated to the wonderful worth of watches, The Wind Up. In this week’s article we have the opportunity to look at a couple of pretty cool Tissots, what would happen if a leather goods maker and a watchmaker collaborated, as well as something very special from Breitling, just to name a few. So as always, sit back, relax and enjoy!

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sevenfriday s series s301

Sevenfriday S Series – S3/01 | Image: Watchpro

Sevenfriday S Series – S3/01

New from Sevenfriday (who have been somewhat quiet these past few months..) is their latest mechanical creation, the S3-01. In a statement by Dan Niederer, he spoke of the S3-01 with immense passion and admiration. He said that the S3-01 is for admirers of fast cars and unconventional thinking. Let’s draw our attention to the second part: unconventional. And that is exactly what the S3-01 is, (albeit the whole Sevenfriday collection, now that I come to think of it). The S3-01 is everything that a traditional watch isn’t. It hasn’t been made with classicism in mind. It forgoes what traditional watchmaking aesthetics typically dictates as being acceptable. It’s just about as against-the-grain as you can go while still wearing something mechanical. Some may scoff at it. Others mightn’t even give it the slightest bit of attention. But me? Well I love it. It’s everything you’d ever want in the modern world where standing out literally means standing out. Be different. Buy Sevenfriday. Oh, and you don’t need to break the bank in doing so either. The S3-01 is but a fraction of the price of what other manufacturers would charge for their version of different. Recommended Australian retail pricing is a mere $1,970. Chump change considering what you’re getting.

Check it out

Breitling Avenger Hurricane 12H

Breitling Avenger Hurricane 12H | Image: Breitling

Breitling Avenger Hurricane 12H Watches of Switzerland 20th Anniversary Edition

To celebrate not only Watches of Switzerland’s 20th birthday, but also to celebrate their long-standing relationship with the Australian watch dealer, Breitling have released a celebratory piece to celebrate both milestones. Now I know what you’re thinking, and I promise you if I say celebrate or any of its variants again in this Wind Up instalment, I will donate my right arm to the highest bidder. Breitling have been utilising their proprietary case material for a while now, and I think its absolutely superb. With just enough colour variation from completely black to a lighter grey (depending on the light), the Breitlight case material is the real triumph here for me. But, when you combine it with the military styled hour numerals in that bright orange, coupled with the orange stitching on the strap, the watch really does come to life. With the addition of a chronograph and a date function, the Avenger Hurricane has just propelled itself into the realm of actual wearability. Useable functions, a dependable movement and an aesthetic package that really speaks to my youthful, somewhat f**k-the-society side, the Avenger Hurricane 12H Watches of Switzerland Edition is a stunner. Priced at $11,570 and limited to only 20 pieces, it’s far from cheap, but in reality you’re paying for a watch that can really do it all.

Check it out

Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti

Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti | Image: Hublot

Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti

Watchmaking and beautiful leather craftsmanship seem to go hand in hand. Each requires an enormous amount of effort to make and an astute eye for detail. Hublot have teamed up with Berluti to celebrate the fashion house’s 120th anniversary, and in celebration of that milestone they have released the Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti, utilising the shoemaker’s beautifully aged leather to create an aesthetic that is both unique and avant-garde. The 45mm pieces, available in either Scritto King Gold or Scritto All back are limited to only 250 pieces, each. Both models feature hand-crafted Berluti straps that complement the watch wonderfully. The addition of a chronograph function is an added bonus and will be appreciated by those of us who tend to look towards the movement of a watch as in indicator of its prowess, rather than its aesthetics. The pieces will be presented in a bespoke Berluti box containing a leather care set. The combination of both crafts hasn’t gone amiss, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for both of these juggernauts.

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Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Carbon

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Carbon | Image: Your Watch Hub

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Carbon

As far as super high-end watchmaking goes, Roger Dubuis is at the absolute forefront of that movement. Their watches are stuff of legend. Made from materials and compositions that many brands simply cannot utilise, coupled with movements that are both technically impressive and finished impeccably. The Excalibur Spider Carbon is a 45mm, multi-layered carbon fibre beast that is head and shoulders above the competition. From the skeletonised dial to the contrasting between the red and the carbon fibre, everything seems to just work. The exposed spaces in the inverted dial aren’t overly large, and with thanks to the micro-rotor at 11 o’clock there is always going to be some kind of motion happening. The hours and minutes display could have been expanded upon by adding a sweeping-seconds hand, but that may have played havoc with the beautiful movement of the micro-rotor. I enjoy seeing things move in a watch, but either way I think I’d be more than happy with it sitting on my wrist. As far as usability is concerned, the Excalibur Spider Carbon sits surprisingly high in that regard. I think its casual, almost playful nature masks its true complexity (and price!), and so in saying that I believe that this piece could even be seen as a daily wearer (if you were Mark Zuckerberg). Despite its high cost, its ingenious design and highly contemporary aesthetic makes it a real winner for me. Now if only I had Mark’s number.

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Tissot Ballade Powermatic 80 COSC

Tissot Ballade Powermatic 80 COSC | Image: Amazon

Tissot Ballade Powermatic 80 COSC

New from Tissot, the Ballade Powermatic 80 is a COSC certified mechanical timepiece that incorporates classical styling with impressive mechanics to create a package that’s both relevant in today’s style-conscious market, but also in keeping with the traditions of fine watchmaking. The stainless steel 41mm case is large enough to ensure legibility, but slim enough (at just under 10mm) to sit comfortably on your shirt-covered or exposed wrist. The multi-textured dial really speaks volumes in terms of Tissot’s pursuit in creating timepieces that are a step above what we’ve come to expect, and the thought integration into this design is apparent and welcoming. The sleek, flowing case has a somewhat flush crown sitting at 3 o’clock, and really emphasises the Ballade Powermatic’s predisposition to be overlooked. Not a bad thing in terms of modesty, but some times you do want your watch to catch the attention of a passerby. The real winner here though is the movement. The Swiss made automatic movement has been COSC certified, so you know there’s a little bit of special in your watch, and with a power reserve of a whopping 80-hours, your guarantee of accurate timekeeping should be your cherry on the top of a very impressive cake.

Check it out

Tissot T-Race MotoGP 2017 Automatic Limited Edition

Tissot T-Race MotoGP 2017 Automatic Limited Edition | Image: Your Watch Hub

Tissot T-Race MotoGP 2017 Automatic Limited Edition

The next Tissot I’ll be featuring is something completely different to what we’ve just seen, but in a good way. The T-Race MotoGP 2017 Automatic is a beast of a watch. At 45mm in width and just over 47mm in length, it really is the opposite of the Ballade Powermatic. It’s an imposing watch that commands your attention. I for one was somewhat reluctant to feature it once I had seen it, but after taking some time to research it I came to the conclusion that I absolutely love its brutality. The offsetting between the gold and black has created a colour palette that actually works quite well. The functionality of the piece (for example standard timekeeping, chronograph and date function) allows it to be a potential daily wearer for someone. Keeping in mind however that the watch which is limited to only 2017 pieces worldwide probably won’t suit everybody’s wrist and lifestyle, for those with exacting particulars, you may have found your match. The automatic mechanical movement is a big plus, where I would’ve been expecting Tissot to utilise a cheaper Quartz movement, so that’s a nice surprise. The T-Race MotoGP 2017 Automatic is however quite polarising, and therefore its marketability may take a hit. But for those who enjoy living on the wilder side of life but still want to enjoy the horological pleasures we take for granted, then this might be the piece for you!

If you enjoyed The Wind Up and would like to continue reading about watches, you can head on over to my blog, Haulogerie, where I delve a bit deeper into the wonderful world of watches.

VISIT HAULOGERIE HERE

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