Oracle Time - Issue 69 - February Wellness Edition

WATCHES | ST YLE | CULTUR E

THE LIFESTYLE GUIDE FOR WATCH LOVERS

ISSUE .69

The New & Improved Speedmaster

MOONWATCH PROFESSIONAL The Wellness Issue HOME GYMS | SMART WATCHES | STAY-AT-HOME STYLE

ISSUE 69

5.95

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ORACLE TIME #69

WELCOME Editor’s letter

COVER CREDITS Photography: Tom Pettit & Fraser Vincent Watch: Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional omegawatches.com

Well, 2020 is finally over and everything is back to normal, breathing fresh air, eating at our favourite restaurants and drowning the drought in fresh draught pints. No? Well, can’t blame me for wishful thinking. Still, now that we’ve all acclimatised to this ‘new normal’, 2021 is at least looking a little brighter than the last 12 months.

This issue however is all about keeping that positive outlook. New Year’s resolutions aside, wellness has been a growing part of our lives as we’ve had to take control of our own diets, exercise routines and general health and wellbeing more than ever before.

As you’ll see from our Wellness section, starting on page 91, the word means many things to many people. There’s the gym-goers that no longer have anywhere to go in need of the perfect home gym; there’s the spa lovers in dire need of that socially-distanced pampering fix and the stylish loungers making seven pyjama days a week look good. Throw in some healthy eating at home from some of the best restaurants in London for the bereft epicureans and you have everything you need to stay healthy and sane.

That said, if there’s one guy that wouldn’t have needed help keeping mentally fortitudinous, it’s Carl Brashear, the inspiration behind the latest bronze limited edition from Oris. Despite discrimination and tragedy, he’s one of the most inspirational figures in diving history. The watch is pretty lovely too; see it for yourself on page 51.

Oris aren’t the only ones making the most of the beginning of the year either, and one of the biggest stories so far comes from Omega. Rather than a shiny new high complication or cutting-edge material though, it’s much more integral to the brand: the technical revamping of the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional.

Discover precisely what that entails on page 36.

While the Speedy’s dedicated to landing on the moon however, the latest Christopher Ward is all about looking back at it. Following up the eye-catching Moonglow, the worldtimer take on the ultra-lume dress watch is equally bright.

Find out more on page 65. It’s not a subtle dress watch, but it’s a lot of fun.

Of course, we couldn’t talk about wellness and watches without touching on smartwatches, and on page 73 we round up the best wearable tech around, from the entry-level to pieces even a mechanical watch snob can appreciate.

If that doesn’t quite grab you, you’re probably in the mood for a vintage timepiece.

Well, on page 40 you’ll find our comprehensive auction calendar for the coming year, so you can plan out precisely when to set aside your bidding money. There’s a lot to take in as ever, but if you’re looking for a tip on what to bid on, Phillip’s Chris Youé takes us through what he considers to be an underrated classic… which I’m not going to spoil here. Intrigued? Flick to page 142.

It appears that 2021 might be continuing as 2020 ended, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic. So keep safe, keep sane and, as soon as they’re open again, I’ll see you at the pub.

As ever, enjoy the issue.

Sam Kessler, Editor

KEEP IN TOUCH: @oracle_time | @oracle_time | facebook.com/oracleoftime | oracleoftime.com

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ORACLE TIME #69

CONTRIBUTORS

WATCHES | STYLE | CULTURE

EDITOR

Sam Kessler sam.kessler@opulentmedia.co.uk

Nick Carvell

Style Editor-At-Large A lifelong fan of double denim (even triple on occasion), Nick started his career as Social Media Editor of mrporter.com before working as Associate Style Editor at British GQ then Editor of The Jackal. He is now a freelance menswear editor, writing from lockdown at his kitchen table in South London.

Spencer Hart

As well as being a watch-lover, Spencer is a self-confessed tech addict. He spends warm summer days indoors setting up the latest gadgets (eventually swearing when they don’t work) and has written for some of the largest tech sites in the UK.

Richard Fox

Auction reporter Richard Fox has covered everything from sixteenth-century German clocks to the latest modern timepieces such as Urwerk’s atomic master clock and titanium wristwatch. If it’s going under the hammer and it’s worth putting a bid on, he knows about it.

ART DIRECTOR

Hicham Kasbi design@opulentmedia.co.uk SUB EDITOR

Dan Mobbs danmobbs@hotmail.com DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER

Michael Pepper michael@opulentmedia.co.uk SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVE & VIDEOGRAPHER

Fraser Vincent JUNIOR DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER

Kirsty Illingworth kirsty@opulentmedia.co.uk DIRECTORS

Mark Edwards mark@opulentmedia.co.uk

Tom Pettit tom@opulentmedia.co.uk SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER ADVERTISING

Oliver Morgan

Chris Youé Ken Kessler

is unimpressed by the 21st century and enjoys retro, if costly, boys’ toys, such as cameras, mechanical watches and fountain pens – of late, he is obsessed with Italian red wine. He has written four books on luxury hi-fi equipment and collects chronographs and film noir DVDs.

Watch specialist at Phillips Auction House in London, Chris comes from a long background in watch retail, wears a Zenith Daytona and plays a Fender Jazzmaster in Firemist Silver (with a heavy right hand)...

Nick Savage

Nick will try any dish once, whether it’s tarantula stew in Cambodia, muskox Thai green curry in Greenland or mopane worms in Zimbabwe. As a food and travel journalist, he has travelled the world, but his favourite place to eat will always be London.

oliver.morgan@opulentmedia.co.uk 020 7871 4615

George Parker george.parker@opulentmedia.co.uk 020 7871 4616 ACCOUNT MANAGER

Themba Wirz themba@opulentmedia.co.uk 0208 057 1140 OT MAGAZINE is published monthly

by Opulent Media 020 7871 4615

Printed by Stephens & George Ltd using vegetable-based inks onto materials which have been sourced from well-managed sustainable sources

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ORACLE TIME #69

CONTENTS

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O T M A G A Z I N E / I S S U E 69

51 — ORIS CARL BRASHEAR

20 — AFICIONADO

We reveal what’s on our radar and what should be on your shopping list this month

28 — NEWS

A round-up of the latest happenings in luxury living and, of course, the best in horology

44 — FACETIME

Watch collections of the rich and famous – this issue it’s David Gandy

46 — THE ORACLE SPEAKS

Everything you need to know about classic case shapes

The incredible tale of one man’s struggle against discrimination in the U.S. Navy and the watch he inspired

“It aims to be the new benchmark for automatic movements and, going from its spec sheet, it’s doing pretty damn well at that aim” Oris Carl Brashear — p51

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ORACLE TIME #69

CONTENTS

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36 — OMEGA MOON LANDING

Omega have updated the Speedmaster Moonwatch, but can the classic evolve?

40 — AUCTION WATCH

Your one stop guide to upcoming auctions across the globe and how to bid at them

56 — GLOW UP

The eye-catching colours that light the New Year in our neon photoshoot

65 — LET IT GLOW

Christopher Ward tackles a timepiece designed for the dark side of the globe 65

73 — THE SMART (WATCH) MONEY

No matter your budget, cool, wearable tech is well within reach this year

81 — STYLE EDIT

There’s only one fashion trend in the age of lockdown and it’s from the chest up

135 — WATCH REVIEWS

The OT gets hands on with timepieces from Cyrus and Ollech & Wajs 81

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142 — UNSUNG VINTAGE

WELLNESS 2021

Undervalued and ignored, the Patek Philippe 5035 is a gem waiting to be rediscovered

“Where better to show off a visuallyradioactive timepiece than in the low lighting that normally accompanies an evening soiree?”

97 — GET APPY

The best apps to take care of your emotional wellbeing, all from your smartphone

102 — NO AND LOW

92

Wine and spirits columnist, Aidy Smith is here to help you drink better this year

107 — CLEAN EATING The takeaway food that’s healthy, delicious and delivered to your door

Christoper Ward — p65

111

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145 — IN FOCUS

Makina, Oak & Oscar and Bangalore Watch Company all fall under the OT spotlight

155 – MICROBRAND CORNER What’s new in the world of the small-scale?

160 – MOVIE WATCH

The G-Shock and awe of the military-focused watch in Netflix’s Outside The Wire

FRONT — aficionado

edited by: KIRSTY ILLINGWORTH

aficionado The coolest things in the world right now

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FRONT — aficionado

The Detail: •

43mm titanium case •

HMC 903 calibre handwound movement with 90hour power reserve •

CHF 330,000, limited to 20 pieces, www.h-moser.com

LESS IS MORE

Even without their name on the dial, any serious collector can tell a H. Moser & Cie at 30 yards. Case in point, the new Endeavour Minute Repeater. Combining a clean, electric blue dial with a visible tourbillon and chiming complication (and nothing else) it’s one of the very few high complications of this level that we could ever call understated. Interested?

Specs and price above. h-moser.com

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FRONT — aficionado

NEW IN BLUE

The new Celestee mobile headphones have adopted a stylish navy blue and copper palette and they couldn’t look better. The soft leather earpads and the clean aluminium lines of the yoke just shout of a comfortable listening experience with some great soundproofing qualities. With its updated headphone drivers Celestee is sure to deliver great sound at home and on the move, looking stylish at the same time. £999, focal.com

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BIG TYRES, BIGGER STYLE

911s are cool, and where better to keep cool than the desert? The Safari 911 from Californian designer Singer, A.K.A The All-terrain Competition Study (ACS) was specially commissioned to compete in endurance desert rallies like the Baja 1000 and Dakar Rally. The sleek body of the 911 paired with the insanely robust underwork is almost cartoonish, but we love the nods to Porsche’s rally history hidden all over the vehicle.

Price on application, singervehicledesign.com

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FRONT — aficionado

BATHE IN STILLNESS

Can anything improve a warm bath? Kohler says yes. Their new Stillness bathtub comes with a range of options including a Hinoki wood moat, full RGB lighting and an ‘experience tower’ that can emit fog and essential oils, all designed to enhance your feeling of relaxation. What’s more, its functions are all voice activated so you don’t even have to move if you fancy a change of settings. Now, where’s my towel?

From $6198, available from July, kohler.co.uk

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FRONT — aficionado

TIME ON MARS

The new red ion-plated G-SHOCK Full Metal looks like it’s coated in dust from the surface of Mars adding a real Martian vibe to this update on the fan favourite GMW model. Throw in some great tech inside and this watch might as well jet set us on the way to the outer rim rather than Earth. Or it would if we were able to travel right now… £499, g-shock.co.uk

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FRONT — aficionado

MASTERCLASS COOKING

Sure, London’s best restaurants are just a distant memory for now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t taste those signature dishes at home.

You’ll just need to do it yourself.

Enter The Tatler Menu, a fourcourse collection of video recipes from contemporary maestro Ollie Dabbous, Bakeoff: The Professionals host Benoît Blin, Peter Gray of Heston Blumenthal’s The Hind’s Head and arguably the coolest chef in London, Kerth Gumbs.

From the perfect seared scallops to those triple-cooked chips (anyone that’s eaten at one of Heston’s restaurants knows what we mean) you’ll be able to add them all to your repertoire – along with the perfect wine for each.

Expert courses, £430, Peer courses, £120, learningwithexperts.com

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FRONT — aficionado

MAKE WORKING FROM HOME WORK

We’re all working from home at the moment and frankly it’s a struggle. Cramped in home offices or stuck at the kitchen table, being productive is all but impossible.

Artifox’s simple, elegant, modular desks would be great as a work-from-home setup.

With dozens of accessories and customisable options you can design your own bespoke workstation to maximise your comfort and efficiency.

From £1150, theartifox.com

AN EYE FOR DETAIL

Sony BRAVIA’s XR Master Series is a step forward in making TV more realistic than ever. Its 8K full-array LED and HDR screen is so powerful and detailed that you can even see the texture of a flower petal on it, backed up by cognitive software that mirrors the workings of the human eye. The visuals are backed up by a sound system to match, which means no matter where you’re sitting the audio is fully immersive. In the race for realism, Sony are in the lead.

Price yet to be announced, sony.com

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EDITED BY SAM KESSLER

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE LUXURY WORLD

NEWS

007’S BRITISH FLAIR FROM GROSVENOR SQUARE It’s easy to get tired with the raft of Bond-inspired limited editions out there, with watches, clothes, luggage, you name it, tying into the superspy’s jet-set style. This though is bit closer to home, quite literally. Unveiled ahead of the delayed (yet again) 25th film in the franchise, Twenty Grosvenor Square

has unveiled a 5,863 sq ft ode to 007’s British flair.

The three-bedroom apartment includes an underground games room, complete with a superlative home bar, and an underground parking area fit for a pair of Aston Martins. As part of the world’s first Four Seasons Residence, this is living in serious Bond style. Hell, it’s better than a limited edition passport holder.

Find out more at 20gs.com

As part of the world’s first Four Seasons Residence, this is living in serious Bond style

ONE TO WATCH: MTR WATCHES The first of what will be our ongoing series of Instagram spotlights, MTR watches is the place to go for a solid selection of downright beautiful wrist shots ranging from Casios to Rolexes and everything in-between. We particularly love Matt’s focus on cool, affordable timepieces – especially his on-point Seiko shots – and eye for distinctive colour.

Follow him for yourself on Instagram @mattheram

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FRONT — world news

THE SELF-DRIFTING SUPRA Autonomous cars are quickly becoming a reality and who knows?

In a few years self-driving cars may be the standard way to get around. They aren’t however all that much fun – which is why the Toyota Research Institute has built a Supra that can pull off some serious skills behind the (computerised) wheel.

Taking their cues from professional drivers on the track, Toyota and Stanford University digitised that performance, filtered it through artificial intelligence and created an algorithm for drifting. Part showy example of fun autonomous driving, part genuine advancement in on-the-road safety, this is a self-driving car we want to get behind the wheel of. toyota.co.uk

THE NEW WAY TO BUY LIMITED EDITION WATCHES

Launching this month, Lymited promises to revolutionise how collectors buy limited editions by offering access to curated collections without any vetting, favouritism or waiting lists. Just go to the site, see a cool, collectible piece ranging from Breguet to Hermes to Nike, and buy it for yourself. No fuss, no wasted time and no need to butter them up over dinner first.

Better yet, Oracle Time readers get 24 hour early access, which makes all the difference with editions this limited. Just register at lymited.com. You won’t regret it.

Limited editions are cool; they’re where brands go all-out with collaborations and designs that they’d otherwise not dare to tackle. They are however hard to get hold of – and not just because they’re expensive. Small numbers mean you need to know the right people to have a chance to buy one. Or at least, that was the case.

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FRONT — world news

MENTAL ESCAPOLOGY ON THE SLOPES NIMS CONQUERS A WINTERY K2 Climbing K2 is an astounding feat in and of itself; climbing K2 in winter is borderline insane. Doing it without oxygen jumps over that border where lies madness. Nims Purja is, put simply, a madman. On Saturday 16 January, the Nepalese climber – and Bremont watch ambassador – successfully summited K2, considered to be the last great mountaineering challenge in the world. Indeed, until last month it was considered impossible.

This comes hot on the heels of Nims’ record-breaking involvement in Bremont’s Project Possible, an attempt to break the eight-year record to climb the world’s 14 highest peaks. He managed it in seven months.

If anyone was going to climb K2 in winter, it was going to be him.

Find out more about Nims Purja, Bremont and Project Possible at bremont.com

We might not be able to ski much right now, but at least there’s now another reason to visit the painfullypretty resort of St. Moritz: a new exhibition by the incomparable Damien Hirst. So far there’s one sculpture set on the frozen lake, the 12-foot high the Monk last seen in his 2017 exhibition in Venice.

This though is just the starting point, a prelude to the full exhibition due to open soon dubbed Mental Escapology. The exhibition will take place across the resort, inside some of the historical buildings and out, dominating one of the most luxurious ski resorts in the world. damienhirst-stmoritz.com

Climbing K2 is an astounding feat in and of itself; climbing K2 in winter is borderline insane 30

FRONT — world news

LEICA CELEBRATES REPORTERS Many a professional photographer has a Leica as their go-to and the German camera specialist is well-aware of that fact. Hence the brand’s latest limited edition in celebration of the press, the M10-P Reporter.

Specs-wise, there’s no difference between the Reporter and the standard Leica M10-P, meaning the same exacting picture quality, the same superlative software and the same ease of use. This time though it’s been dressed in a dark green finish with a rugged Kevlar trim, adding a touch of hard-wearing, ballisticlevel protection reflecting the harsh conditions many a reporter has been through. It also looks absolutely stunning.

We’ll let you know how it shoots. £7,100, en.leica-camera.com

It’s been dressed in a dark green finish with a rugged Kevlar trim, adding a touch of hardwearing, ballistic-level protection

GUESS T H E WATCH To round off 2020 we put on our rose-tinted glasses to look back at all things retro, including a watch that’s proven Zenith has an eye for the archives: the Chronomaster Revival A384. It’s been one of the brand’s most popular recent models and for good reason.

Yet enduring appeal is something our latest silhouetted timepiece has in spades and, to start 2021 off in a celebratory mood, it’s one that is celebrating its 90th birthday this year. That’s more than enough of a clue to be going along with – that and its signature rectangular shape, of course.

What is the watch?

CHECK BACK NEXT ISSUE FOR THE ANSWER

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what is the

WATCH

?

FRONT — introducing

NEWS

INTRO DUCING IN DETAIL

44mm titanium case with 300m water resistance • Calibre P.9010 automatic movement with 72-hour power reserve • £17,100, limited to 70 pieces, panerai.com •

PANERAI

Luminor Marina Guillaume Néry Edition

It’s 70 years since Panerai first started daubing their dials with Luminor and to celebrate the ex-Florentine watchmaker has released a new ode to free-diving champion and ambassador Guillaume Néry. The 70-piece, environmentallyfocused watch is so committed it also comes with a 70-year warranty, which is reassuring in a diving watch just cresting 17 grand.

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FRONT — introducing

SEIKO

Prospex Save the Ocean Editions

Not to be outdone by the myriad charity timepieces out there – and to make sure they have a finger in every delicious pie – Seiko has joined in the environment-saving fun with a pair of revamped diving classics: the King Turtle and King Samurai Save the Ocean editions. Both have blue dials finished with manta ray silhouettes and both are at Seiko prices, i.e. incredible value.

IN DETAIL

43.8mm (Samurai) / 45mm (Turtle) stainless steel case with 200m water resistance • 4R36 calibre automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve • £550, seikoboutique.co.uk •

BALL

IN DETAIL

46.9mm stainless steel case with 300m water resistance • J830 calibre automatic movement with 48-hour power reserve • £1,575, limited to 500 pieces, junghans.de

Roadmaster Vanguard II

•

Is it a tool watch or is it a traveller’s watch? To that, BALL answers: yes. Combining the rugged practicality of ceramic and titanium with a GMT function and day-date indicator, it’s a watch designed for telling the time in New York from the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and comes with a nifty Batman day-night bezel. It might be reading from two different sheets, but it ticks boxes on both.

JUNGHANS

1972 Automatic FIS Edition

It’s not like we here in the UK have much in the way of skiing and it doesn’t seem like we’ll be able to head anywhere particularly snowy before the end of the season. Still, at least we can get in the spirit of winter sports with what might well be the coolest Junghans of the past few years, the 1972 Automatic FIS Edition. Blue, red and snowy white, we want it more than a trip to the pistes.

IN DETAIL

• 40mm titanium case with 200m water resistance RR1303-C calibre automatic movement with 40-hour power reserve • From £1,525, limited to 1,000 pieces, ballwatch.com •

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FRONT — introducing

MAURICE LACROIX

Masterpiece Triple Retrograde

If you’re desperate for a more accessible take on haute horology, look no further than Maurice Lacroix’s Masterpiece Collection.

Skeleton watches, unique dials, even mystery pieces, it’s an impressive range – one which now, welcomes a handsome Triple Rétrograde to its ranks. True to its name the new watch combines three retrograde indicators with handsome good looks and a great price.

IN DETAIL

43mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance • ML291 calibre automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve • £4,900, mauricelacroix.com •

UNDONE

Arabian Nights

Taking inspiration from the famous saga of Arabic folk stories told to Scheherazade, the latest from custom watch brand Undone offers a twist on the quirky California dial with numerals split between traditional Arabic script and western Arabic numerals.

Dressed in bronze to contrast with the lapis lazuli, this is one of the more distinctive pieces from Undone… which is saying something.

IN DETAIL

40mm bronze case with 100m water resistance • Seiko NH35A automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve • £408, limited to 300 pieces, undone.com •

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Everything you need to know about the 2021 Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional THE ORIGINAL MOONWATCH has been practically untouched since it was launched into the stratosphere of horological iconography in 1969. Omega’s Speedmaster ST 105.012 equipped the Apollo 11 astronauts and has been a part of spacefaring history ever since.

You can see why they’ve not changed it much. In fact, aside from an updated movement, the Calibre 1861 when that was shiny and new, the modern Speedmaster is almost identical to its archival counterparts.

Still, that movement update is important because, while many a watchmaker is still recovering from the Christmas break, Omega is making another mechanical update to the classic Moonwatch: the Calibre 3861.

The new calibre was initially launched in 2019 but only in the gold and steel Apollo 11 50th anniversary pieces. Now, the new movement – the first real update of the Speedmaster calibre since 1996 – is being installed across the base Moonwatch collection. So let’s take a closer look at it.

THE SPECS

Type: Manual-wind • Diameter: 37mm • Thickness: 6.87mm Functions: chronograph, small seconds, hours, minutes • Power reserve: 50 Hours • Frequency: 21,600 hz • Magnetic resistance: 15,000 gauss •

THE CALIBRE 3861 It took four years of development to create the 3861. That wasn’t entirely due to meeting Master Chronometer standards – Omega has been building calibres to that standard for years now – but was partly down to ensuring the right dimensions. It needed to occupy exactly the same space as the previous calibre 1861.

Not only is the new movement equipped with the George Daniels Co-Axial escapement, but it’s Master Chronometer Certified, ensuring accuracy of +0/-5 seconds a day and incredible magnetic resistance, in large part thanks to silicon balance spring. In short, it’s an improvement in almost every conceivable way. It’s also a bit of a stunner.

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FRONT — over the moon

THE COLLECTION

— A R E D E SIG N E D B R ACELE T —

On the out, the core design elements – the 42mm asymmetrical case, the It’s an improvement tachymeter et al – have been retained but given a slight historical twist. in almost every These include the dot over the 90 and conceivable way. It’s one diagonal to 70 on the tachymeter, also a bit of a stunner which are sure to be two little touches that will make collectors’ absolutely twitch with delight.

The lume on the dials has been given a cream tint rather than bright white, and the lettering on the front has been redesigned a little. The minute track has also been split into divisions of three rather than five to match the frequency of the update movement.

The changes are nothing major, but an overall shift towards a softer, vintage look.

There are four base models in the Moonwatch Professional collection, depending on what you’re after from your Speedy, as well as two gold models if you’re feeling flash. So what’s the difference?

To give the new generation Speedy an extra touch of design savoir faire, Omega has finally overhauled the bracelet. The five-link affair is a throwback to the bracelet of the old Ref. 1479 Speedmaster and has a much more classic profile to more modern versions, 20mm at the lugs tapering down to 15mm at the clasp. The smaller links mean it sits far more comfortably on the wrist and the clasp has room for microadjustments for an overall better wearing experience.

The eagle-eyed may have also noticed a slight difference between the models. The sapphire model has a mix of brushed and polished links, while all other bracelets in the new collection are brushed all-over. It’s a nice, subtle difference that helps you tell which is which at a glance.

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FRONT — over the moon

HESALITE CRYSTAL The original, Apollo mission Speedmasters used Hesalite crystals rather than the higher-end sapphire. This was because the material is more flexible, scratches rather than breaks and was more fitting to go through the rigours of space travel. Today it’s still the iconic finishing touch to the Moonwatch Professional and is, on the new models, available with either a steel bracelet or nylon strap.

These being the most faithful in the collection, they also have solid casebacks stamped with the iconic seahorse logo.

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FRONT — over the moon

SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL Generally a better material than Hesalite, sapphire is harder, more scratch resistant and will last better. It’s not the original of course, but then are you actually taking your shiny new Speedmaster into space?

The biggest benefit though is that the Sapphire versions come with an exhibition caseback, giving a great view of the very, very pretty movement. This version is split between a steel on steel version and one with a leather strap. There is a premium on the sapphire versions, but that’s to be expected, given it’s a pricier material.

MIDAS TOUCH To round off the collection, there are also two gold models: one in Sedna gold (Omega’s in-house take on rose) with a black dial and rose gold indexes and the other in Canopus gold (white gold) with a silvered dial and black indexes.

These models use the exact same case shape and movement as the steel models, but priced at £29,840 and £38,830 respectively, they’re not exactly ‘professional’ watches. They are, however, stunning.

To see the differences between the models for yourself, check out our quick reference guide.

—

The original, Apollo mission Speedmasters used Hesalite crystals rather than the higher-end sapphire

Q UICK

REFERE N CE

GUIDE

—

310.30.42.50.01.001 310.32.42.50.01.001 310.30.42.50.01.002 310.32.42.50.01.001 310.60.42.50.01.001 310.60.42.50.02.001 42mm stainless steel case • Hesalite Crystal • Stamped caseback • Stainless steel bracelet • £5,370 •

42mm stainless steel case • Hesalite Crystal • Stamped Caseback • Black Nylon Strap • £5,100 •

42mm stainless steel case • Sapphire Crystal • Exhibition Caseback • Stainless steel bracelet • £6,120 •

42mm stainless steel case • Sapphire Crystal • Exhibition caseback • Black Leather strap • £5,840

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•

42mm Sedna gold case • Sapphire crystal Exhibition caseback • Sedna gold bracelet • £29,840 •

42mm Canopus gold case • Sapphire crystal • Exhibition caseback • Canopus gold bracelet • £38,830 •

FRONT — auction watch

For any watch enthusiast or collector, watch auctions offer a staggering selection of timepieces from entry level to literally the world’s most expensive watches. Who could forget the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, ref. 6300A-010, wristwatch sold for a record CHF 31M or around £24M at the Only Watch charity auction held in Geneva in November 2019. In 2020 auctions were conducted largely online due to the pandemic but many impressive watches were still auctioned. Take for example a Heuer Monaco reference 1133, circa 1969, wristwatch, worn by Steve McQueen during the 1971 film, Le Mans which sold for US $2.2M, including premium. The watch was auctioned by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at their New York auction.

For 2021 we’ve picked out a great range of upcoming watch auctions and we will keep this schedule updated online so that you have the latest info. Included are many of the big-ticket auctions held in London, Geneva, Hong Kong and New York. But we have also listed some more local watch auctions here in the UK. If you are thinking of buying at an auction, we have set out below a few helpful thoughts about getting into auctions.

Please remember some of the dates below might be subject to change so always check the auction house websites if you are interested in a particular auction.

AUCTION WATCH SCHEDULE/CALENDAR –2021 RICHARD FOX

INTERNATIONAL AUCTION HOUSES:

Antiquorum Jan

Feb

24 Jan, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces Monaco

24 Feb, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces Hong Kong

July

Aug

14 July, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces & Jewelry Monaco

Mar

Apr

May

June

25 April, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces Hong Kong

9- 10 May, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces & Jewelry Geneva

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

29 Sep, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces & Jewelry Geneva

24 Oct, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces & Jewelry Hong Kong

7 - 8 Nov, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces & Jewelry Geneva

Dec TBA, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces & Jewelry Geneva

Bonhams Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

27 Jan – 4 Feb, Luxury Online, Hong Kong

22 Feb – 2 March, Luxury Online, Hong Kong 23 Feb, Watches and Wristwatches Knightsbridge London

30 March 7 April, Luxury Online, Hong Kong

21 April, The Art of Time New York

9- 10 May, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces & Jewelry Geneva

1st June, Hong Kong Watches 16 June, Fine Watches and Wristwatches New Bond St London

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

26 July - 2 Aug, Luxury Online, Hong Kong

30 Aug – 6 Sep, Luxury Online, Hong Kong

7 Sept, Watches and Wristwatches Knightsbridge London 27-Sep 4th October, Luxury Online Hong Kong

13 Oct, The Art of Time New York

16 Nov, Watches and Wristwatches Knightsbridge London

1st Dec, Hong Kong Watches 8 Dec, Fine Watches and Wristwatches New Bond St London

40

FRONT — auction watch

Christie’s Jan

Feb

20 Jan – 3 Feb, Jewellery & Watches Online: La Dolce Vita

Mar

Apr

30 March – 9 April, Watches Online: Dubai Edition

May

June

4 May – 18 May, Watches Online: Geneva Edition 10 May, Rare Watches Geneva 31 May, Important Watches Hong Kong

8 June -22 June, Watches Online New York 9 June, Important Watches New York

Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

Early May Geneva End of May Hong Kong

TBC – May dates from Sam K

Sotheby’s Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

28 Jan – 5 Feb, Watches Online, New York

4 – 18 Feb, Watches Geneva 18 Feb – 4 March, Watches, Hong Kong

18 March – 1 April, Watches London 4 – 18 March, Watches New York

29 April – 13 May, Watches Geneva 15-19 April, Watches New York 7 April, Important Watches, Hong Kong 15-29 April, Watches New York

11 May, Important Watches Geneva 27 May – 11 June, Important Watches Part II, New York

8 June, Important Watches, New York 10 – 24 June, Watches Geneva

Only- Watch in Association with Christie’s July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

6 Nov, Geneva

EUROPE BASED AUCTION HOUSES:

AUKTIONEN DR. CROTT Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May 22 May, 104th Auction, Mannheim, Germany

41

June

FRONT — auction watch

UK BASED AUCTION HOUSES:

Fellows Auctioneers Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

15 Feb, The Luxury Watch Sale, Birmingham

15 Mar (ending), Online Timed auction Watches & Watch Accessories

19 April, The Luxury Watch Sale, Birmingham

17 May (ending), Online Timed auction Watches & Watch Accessories

14 June, Luxury Watch Sale, Birmingham

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

12 July (ending), Online Timed auction Watches & Watch Accessories

16 Aug, The Luxury Watch Sale, Birmingham

20 Sep (ending), Online Timed auction Watches & Watch Accessories

18 Oct, Luxury Watch Sale, Birmingham

15 Nov (ending), Online Timed auction Watches & Watch Accessories

Gardiner Houlgate Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

24 Feb, Specialist Watches, Corsham, Wiltshire

July

Aug

May

June

26 May, Specialist Watches, Corsham, Wiltshire

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

May

June

20 Oct, Specialist Watches, Corsham, Wiltshire

Lyon & Turnbull Jan

Feb

THINKING OF BUYING AT AUCTION?

Mar

Apr

9 Mar, Watches Edinburgh

22 April, Select Watches London

Auctions can be fascinating and great fun too if you win a bid for a watch you want! But if you are thinking of buying at an auction, or even selling, it’s important to understand how auctions work. A number, especially the larger international auction houses, have buying and selling guides, as well as information on their website which is helpful to read. One particularly good way to learn about auctions before you bid is to watch an auction online as a viewer only, or once auction rooms are safely open again (due to the pandemic), go along to a viewing or a live auction. It’s also really important to know the fees. If you buy a watch at auction you will need to pay a fee called a Buyer’s Premium and there may be other charges. Also, if you buy a watch from an auction outside the UK and bring it back into the UK just check in case there are any duties to pay. Once you buy an item at auction it’s yours and if it does develop a problem, such as the watch mechanism not working then you will not be able to return it. So do your research first, talk to the auction house and find out if they have a watch specialist - contact them about items you are interested in.

Know the market prices for the watch you want to buy. Review previous results which you can do online with many auction house websites. View items carefully (even online) and ask for condition reports and more photos if needed. Have a spending limit in mind and think in advance about what you will do if the bidding goes higher than you expect. You will also need to register beforehand if you want to participate in an auction and place a bid.

42

FRONT — facetime

NO.

69

FA C E T I M E The watch collections of the rich and famous revealed

WE ALL NEED SOMEONE to inspire us to serve as the reason we keep to that diet, no matter how tempting Uber Eats is; to not stop before that last 10 mins of cardio is over and to generally look our best. Who better for this issue than the Wellman himself, David Gandy?

For those who have never opened a men’s fashion mag – or seen the man’s face plastered across Vitabiotics billboards – Gandy is the male model. After shooting to fame on British TV (on This Morning, no less) he’s become a household name along Savile Row and supplement suppliers everywhere.

Yet while his face is obviously a good part of his appeal – and we here at Oracle Time are secure enough to say that, oh yes, we would – a greater part is perhaps his lifestyle. We’re not talking flash ostentation here; his association with British tailoring should show that. Instead, think of the modern version of a country gent, Bespoke Jaguar XK120 and all.

Indeed, Gandy’s much more reserved than the global supermodel you might expect. For one, he’s been using the last few months of lockdown to hide away in the North, along the Yorkshire and Lancashire border. It’s a life that, according to a recent interview with GQ, is more chickens and bobble hats than his usual suave, perfectly-cut self.

Of course, he’s still a style icon and a good part of that is his watch collection, which he admits to coming into later in life than most. That’s perhaps why, rather than arbitrarily choosing a watch he loves, Gandy prefers to match straps and timepieces to his outfit, which has visibly impacted his collection.

Last year, Gandy added the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo to his collection, the perfect, ultra-slim dash of industrial minimalism to fit under an elegant shirtsleeve. He also owns a JaegerLeCoultre Reverso Classic, a couple of Montblancs, Omegas and Speedmasters, classics all.

The watches that perhaps encapsulates Gandy the most is his Mille Miglia Chopard Race Edition, unsurprising given his adoration for classic motors. Unlike most people, he was given his, not for being one of the most recognised faces in men’s style, but for taking part in the race himself.

That said, cars, watches and fashion aren’t his only passions.

The one that might surprise you is his charity work, specifically for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. That has very little to do with the epicurean, sartorial side of life, but it wouldn’t be our wellness issue if we couldn’t leave on a heart-warming note.

It also means that no matter how frustratingly perfect the guy seems, we just can’t bring ourselves to hate the man.

David Gandy

Model and ladykiller

The Wellman recently added the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo to his collection, which includes a Mille Miglia Chopard Race Edition earned after competing in the race himself

44

FRONT — ask the oracle

THE ORACLE SPEAKS The wizardry of the watch world explained

[A Beginner’s Guide to Case Shapes]

Whether it’s that odd rounded square, the long one with the curved sides or just typically watch-shaped, every watch has a case and every case has a correct way of talking about it. It’s one of the most elementary aspects of a wristwatch after all, and with most watches falling into one of a few baskets, it’s worth knowing what the labels on those baskets are.

And so that you can master the art of horological banter, I’ll be going into a little more detail than ‘this is a square’. So get comfy, grab a nice cup of tea and I’ll try to keep this less dry than a chocolate-less hobnob. Sorry, I’m still recovering from Christmas.

[ROUND]

The classic case shape of any watch. Unfortunately, there’s not a huge amount to say about it. It was the first type of wristwatch to be produced. That’s simply because it was the typical shape of a pocket watch, which were meant to fit nicely in the palm, which was downsized and strapped to the wrist.

That said, because of its ubiquity, round cases are the most versatile out there, and let watchmakers play with the lugs, bezel and overall dimensions of the case in order to fit their ideal of a timepiece.

That’s my way of saying boring isn’t always bad.

46

[TONNEAU]

The brand that’s likely popped into your head at the mention of tonneau (or barrel) cased watches is Richard Mille. Their intensely high-end sports watches have been synonymous with the shape since the RM001 Tourbillon back in the halcyon days of 2001. Before them was Franck Muller (the Richard Mille of the 90s) with their equallydisruptive cases. After all, if you’re dropping a few hundred K on a tourbillon, you can’t settle for a dull old circle.

It might surprise you to learn however that the tonneau case goes back further than the Spice Girls – and in far more classical fashion. The first tonneau case was actually made by Cartier in their second-ever timepiece, the aptly-named Tonneau, in 1906. Designed as an ergonomic dress watch, the case was meant to contour to the wrist. Six years later, Vacheron Constantin jumped on the hype train too, cementing the case shape in the annals of serious watchmaking.

The only issue is that elegance and tonneau cases don’t work together with complications. They tend to not leave enough room for any serious watchmaking. That’s in good part why modern tonneau cases are big, bulky and sportier than the earlier models and why more classical brands stick to, well, the classics.

[SQUARE]

If you’re getting tired of hearing Cartier’s name then look away now. It won’t be his last appearance on this list. The square watch has its genesis in 1904 as the first pilot’s watch, created by Cartier for his friend and Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos Dumont. The modern version of the Santos is a little more 70s but the overall shape’s still there.

The key to the square watch is legibility. Because of the dimensions, there’s more space for the dial than on a similarly-sized round watch. It’s still not great for anything you expect to knock about (again, flat planes aren’t your friends when it comes to protection) but when you need to read the time quickly at a glance, squares can be useful.

Other brands have kept things equally sporty, with the most famous square watch being the Heuer Monaco of 1969, as made famous by Steve McQueen. Bell & Ross too have made their quadrilateral reputation with the shape in their own cockpit-inspired pilot pieces.

FRONT — ask the oracle

[ROUND]

[TONNEAU]

[SQUARE]

[RECTANGULAR]

[RECTANGULAR]

If a square watch were for race day then its dressier cousin would be for the glitzy afterparty.

Rectangular cases have been around almost as long as wristwatches, courtesy (once again) of Monsieur Louis Cartier. The seminal Tank of 1917 was inspired by the Renault tanks of the Western Front.

Sure it’s a little morbid to turn the first instance of serious mechanised warfare into an elegant wristwatch, but the result speaks for itself and has been on the wrist of high-flying creatives ever since.

In fact, if there’s one use of the rectangle as iconic as Cartier’s it’s that of Jaeger-LeCoultre, whose

47

Reverso turns 90 this year. The flippable watch was built for British Army polo players in India and ensured that rectangular cases would forever be synonymous with Art Deco.

It’s no surprise that rectangular watches have tended to err towards elegance, with just the occasional notable exception, such as the Heuer Monaco. Still, it’s not really a shape that works all that well with sports watches - flat shapes don’t exactly deflect bangs and bumps – and most watchmakers steer clear of the shape for risk of being declared an homage. It’s a good thing the Reverso and Tank aren’t going anywhere.

FRONT — ask the oracle

[CUSHION]

Think of a cushion case as the no-man’s land between a square and a circle, with four distinct corners but rounded edges in-between. Essentially, the Panerai Radiomir. The Radiomir is without doubt the quintessential cushion-cased watch and is the reason the shape dominates retro and vintage-style diving pieces.

But the Radiomir, which was designed for Italian frogmen in the 1930s, was preceded by more elegant fare the previous decade and dressier versions are still synonymous with the roaring 20s.

There’s some debate over which was the first cushion-cased watch, but the Vacheron Constantin American of 1921 is a solid contender, with it’s diagonally-slanted dial. Back on home shores, there was also Fears in the same decade, whose 1924 cushion case provided the inspiration for the modern-day Brunswick.

Today, cushion cases are shorthand for vintage style, be that practical, Panerai imitators or, quirky retro numbers or dress pieces ripped from various 1920s archives.

[CUSHION]

[OVAL]

Almost exclusively found in women’s watches, the earliest oval cases can trace their lineage to what might possibly be the earliest wristwatch ever, courtesy of Abraham Louis Breguet. The Reine de Naples of modern-day Breguet is inspired by the original watch given by the watchmaker to Marie Antoinette of France in 1812 and is a good part of why oval watches are closely associated with royalty.

Expect to see most ovals draped in diamonds, with more mother-of-pearl than a Cockney and slim, delicate straps to fit the thinly-tapered ends.

You’ll also see a few ovals on their sides, a la the Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye, though the dimensions and characteristics are pretty much the same.

The aforementioned Breguet still produces a handful of oval watches, but so do Chopard, Eberhard, Piaget and pretty much any brand with a solid women’s line and high-jewellery offering.

[AVANT GARDE]

[AVANT GARDE]

[OVAL]

Crazy case shape that doesn’t fit into any kind of blueprint?

That’s avant garde. These are the watches that are defined by their shape. One of the earliest examples is, once again, from Cartier, with the phenomenal Crash. Inspired by a customer’s damaged watch in the 1960s and is still one of the most idiosyncratic watches around today.

Otherwise, think the Hamilton Ventura with its shield shape, asymmetrical numbers like Greubel Forsey or pretty much anything by MB&F. Their pieces defy any kind of description other than avant garde.

“ Sure it’s a little morbid to turn the first instance of serious mechanised warfare into an elegant wristwatch, but the result speaks for itself ”

48

FRONT — higher calibre

INTRODUCING:

ORIS CARL BRASHEAR CAL. 401 LIMITED EDITION

THE NEW INSTALMENT IN ORIS’ CHARITY-SLANTED DIVING COLLECTION UPDATES THE BRONZE FORMULA WITH THEIR LATEST MOVEMENT

WORDS:

SAM KESSLER

51

FRONT — higher calibre

Having overcome discrimination and even an amputated leg to become U.S. Navy Master Diver, Carl Brashear’s mantra: “It’s not a sin to get knocked down. It’s a sin to stay down” adorns the caseback for some much needed inspiration

The story of Carl Brashear is a pretty inspiring one – and let’s be honest, we could all use a feel-good bit of inspiration these days. Born in Kentucky in 1931, at 17 Brashear joined the U.S. Navy. That’s not all that notable in and of itself, except for the fact that the American armed forces had only just desegregated.

That meant from the offset, Brashear was up against it. Discrimination was everywhere and from the getgo, he had his sights set on a lofty goal: to become a deep-sea diver. Nevertheless he graduated from the programme in 1954, becoming the first African American diver in Navy history. But that wasn’t all.

In 1966 Brashear was part of the search surrounding the Palomares Incident. Just to terrify you, after a midair collision, a B28 nuclear bomb was lost off the coast of Spain. Yep. This actually happened. During recovery operations, a line broke and caused a pipe to all but shear off Brashear’s left leg. It was later amputated.

Despite this, just four years later Brashear attained the position of U.S. Navy Master Diver, the first amputee in history to achieve that kind of recognition.

See? Everyone needs that kind of feel-good story every now and then. It’s also one you may well have heard before through Oris’ ongoing partnership with the Carl Brashear Foundation.

First launched in 2016 then followed up in 2018, Oris’ collaborative efforts helped kickstart the trend for bronze divers with their cool, rugged cases and respectable specs. Now, the watchmaker’s ushering in their third Carl Brashear timepiece and, perhaps more importantly, it’s the second Oris to include the impressive Calibre 400 – or more specifically the Calibre 401, a variant thereof.

The calibre 400 is the brand’s new, cutting-edge movement, boasting plenty of anti-magnetic components, a refined layout and a superlative fiveday power reserve. It aims to be the new benchmark for automatic movements and, going from its spec sheet, it’s doing pretty damn well at that aim. It was also built for versatility and this variation adds a small seconds into the mix at six o’clock, hopefully the first complication of many to use the calibre 400 as a base.

It aims to be the new benchmark for automatic movements and, going from its spec sheet, it’s doing pretty damn well at that aim 52

53

FRONT — higher calibre

With their cool, rugged cases and respectable specs, Oris led the trend for bronze divers and the third Brashear collaboration features a moisture wicking strap from Erika’s Originals

That means a solid, 40mm case in a particularly lightcoloured bronze, one that, if previous editions are anything to go by will age magnificently The watch itself – other than the charming small seconds – is pretty standard Carl Brashear edition fare.

That means a solid, 40mm case in a particularly lightcoloured bronze, one that, if previous editions are anything to go by will age magnificently, along with a matching bezel with a diving scale in relief. It fits in nicely between the chronograph edition and the central seconds version (2018 and 2016 respectively), filling out the apparently biannually-expanded collection.

Flip it over and you’ll find a fully-engraved caseback

54

with a diving helmet, the name of the watch and its limited edition number. There’s also a rope border – because what nautically-themed timepiece doesn’t like a bit of rope? – and Brashear’s own mantra: “It’s not a sin to get knocked down. It’s a sin to stay down.”

One of the coolest new touches though actually comes from Erika’s Originals, who have produced the strap. The elastic nylon webbing is both incredibly comfortable and moisture wicking, perfect for divers coming out of the water, with a bronze central stripe to match the case.

If you liked previous Oris Carl Brashear limited editions – and I gather that’s pretty likely – then you’ll like this one. Design-wise, it’s perfectly in line and movement-wise it houses Oris’ phenomenal new calibre. It’s limited to 2,000 pieces so there’s actually a decent chance you can get one and at CHF3,900 (just over £3,200) you can afford, too.

STYLE — photoshoot

GLOW UP Photography: TOM PETTIT & FRASER VINCENT

2020 was defined by doom and gloom, so for our first shoot of 2021, we decided to usher in a bright New Year. That means neon, and lots of it. We opted for eye-catching greens, blues and purples to not just contrast with the various monochromatic cases of these sporty, versatile timepieces, but to pick out some of their finer details – the touches of green on the Diver Net or the lovely dial of Seiko’s Presage Cocktail Time. It’s about as close to a party as we can get right now.

56

STYLE — photoshoot

BVLGARI ALUMINIUM 40mm aluminium case with 100m water resistance B77 calibre automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve £2,430, bulgari.com

57

STYLE — photoshoot

G-SHOCK RED ION PLATED FULL METAL 49mm ion-plated stainless steel case Casio Digital Movement £499, g-shock.co.uk

58

STYLE — photoshoot

TAG HEUER AQUARACER X BAMFORD 43mm titanium case with 300m water resistance Calibre 5 automatic movement with 38hour power reserve £3,250, tagheuer.com

59

STYLE — photoshoot

ULYSSE NARDIN DIVER NET 44mm recycled PET case with 300m water resistance UN-118 calibre automatic movement with 60-hour power reserve Concept not for sale, ulysse-nardin.com

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STYLE — photoshoot

SEIKO PRESAGE COCKTAIL TIME ‘OLD CLOCK’ 38.5mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance Calibre 4R35 automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve £400, seikoboutique.co.uk

61

FRONT — Worldglow

Words:

Sam Kessler

Let it Glow IN THEIR LATEST LUMINOUS RELEASE CHRISTOPHER WARD TACKLES A WORLDTIMER DESIGNED FOR THE DARK SIDE OF THE GLOBE

65

© Image: Tom Pettit and Vincent Fraser

FRONT — Worldglow

The global pandemic has hit everything pretty hard, watchmaking included. Sure, there are the occasional reports to retailer stockholders that sales are still good, but from a creative side many a brand has slowed over the past few months. Not Christopher Ward.

The accessible British watch brand has been releasing insane numbers of pieces, bolstering established collections, beginning new ones and taking an almost scattershot approach to design with serious, performance pieces alongside funky oddities. Even more

impressive is that they’ve generally been nailing it.

“It’s all about what we like to call – internally at least – playful seriousness”, explains CEO Mike France. “On the one hand, we make watches we can be proud of, with solid movements and the whole thing. On the other, we feel like we can have fun with it.”

Christopher Ward aren’t the only ones having a bit more fun these days of course; the resurgence in designs from the 60s and 70s has led to watchmakers

66

IN DETAIL •

43mm stainless steel case with 30m water resistance •

Sellita SW330 calibre automatic movement with in-house JJ03 module •

£1,700 (strap), £1,800 (bracelet), christopherward.com

FRONT — Worldglow

The C1 Worldglow and its predecessor, the Moonglow are very much in a category all their own

The use of ultra-lume in the C1 Worldglow (above) marks it apart from other dress watches

67

coming out of their shells a little. After all, it’s hard to look back at some of the quirky, funky archived designs of those golden years and not want to try it out for yourselves.

Still, for Christopher Ward, the timing on their more playful approach to design is more the timeline of the brand rather than any re-issue zeitgeist.

“We never felt like we could have that kind of fun before,” explains Mike. “We needed to establish ourselves… and now that we’ve done that – at least, I reckon we have – we can actually do things that aren’t as serious.”

Out of their recent glut of watches – and given their ever-expanding slate a glut it is – my favourite’s been the C65 Chronograph, which ties in nicely with what Mike’s saying. The slim bezel and retro layout would look decent as they are, but throw in all the colours of a regatta rainbow and you have an eye-catching watch I genuinely adored my review time with.

That said, it’s not just colours though and Christopher Ward seem to have found themselves a little horological niche to fill: lume dress watches.

“We’ve pioneered both the use of sapphire and ultra-lume in dress watches”, Mike explains, “creating our own category of watches. It’s bigger and bolder than any other dress watches out there not covered in diamonds!”

If you saw our previous coverage of the Moonglow, you’ll likely know what to expect. That immensely bright moon phase was part timekeeper, part nightlight, and the excess lume across the dial worked perfectly with the lunar complication. A worldtimer? That’s a whole different ball game.

“Our biggest problem was getting enough lume on the dial!” From looking at the watch, I wonder a little what head designer Adrian Buchmann’s been smoking (I don’t judge what people do to keep creative in lockdown) but as he explains, the end result is thanks to plenty of testing.

FRONT — Worldglow

“The issue wasn’t that layer of lume itslef… it was the layers of sapphire crystal we put on top of it and then printed onto. We needed to get a bright, even light to show through those layers.”

And how did they solve it? “Trial and error! You can mock things up all you want, but you only know what works when you actually build it.”

Apparently there was a lot of trial and error because this thing works. It’s hard to do the lume justice without seeing it in the dark for yourself, but suffice to say

Christopher Ward’s head designer Adrian Buchmann went through and process of trial and error to create a bright, even light to show through the layers of sapphire crystal in the C1 Worldglow

Where better to show off a visually-radioactive timepiece than in the low lighting that normally accompanies an evening soiree?

68

that if it’s on your bedside table you’d best leave it face down. It puts the ultra in ultra-lume. It’s bright enough in fact that, despite the timezone city names not being lumed themselves, you can still see them clearly in the light coming off the dial’s outer ring. What’s perhaps more interesting to me is that Christopher Ward is calling this a dress watch. I’m not saying I dispute that at all, it’s just that traditionally dress watches have been gold, slimline affairs, and occasionally with diamonds but always elegant.

At 43mm the C1 Worldglow is far larger than most dress watches, and lovely as its Lightcatcher case is (designed to, surprisingly, catch the light like an accessible Grand Seiko), it’s sportier than it is elegant, particularly on the mesh bracelet.

I’d argue though that with the lines blurring between what’s acceptable as a dress watch, the Worldglow is perfect. It has the jet-setting vibes innate to a worldtimer, is a relatively versatile size and, most importantly, where better to show off a visually-radioactive timepiece than in the low lighting that normally accompanies an evening soiree?

Whatever your thoughts on that particular subject though, there’s one thing we can all agree on about the C1 Worldglow and its predecessor, the Moonglow: they’re very much in a category all their own. Now we just need to wait and see what Christopher Ward will be lumeing up in the future.

Day-Glow, perhaps?

FRONT — get smart

FITBIT Versa 3

Starting at the basic end of the scale, we’ve got the Fitbit Versa 3. It’s an affordable fitness smartwatch that offers more functionality than most fitness trackers, but not quite as much as an Apple Watch.

It’s a great option if you’re looking to get healthier, as it comes with built-in GPS, a workout intensity map, optical heart rate sensor, and an Active Zone Minutes feature, which monitors your physical activity 24/7. The Versa 3 even has a built-in speaker and microphone, so you can take a quick phone call directly on your wrist. £199, fitbit.com

WORDS:

I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing hundreds of smartwatches over the years – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and while I love mechanical watches, there’s no denying how useful smartwatches have become. Whether they’re fixing your smartphone addiction or controlling your smart home, I think the humble smartwatch has earned its place on our wrists.

It’s health and fitness, though, that is probably the reason people buy smartwatches. Whether you're simply trying to get more active or training for an ultra-marathon, a smartwatch is

Spencer Hart

The Smart (watch) Money NO MATTER YOUR BUDGET, COOL WEARABLE TECH IS WELL WITHIN REACH

an invaluable tool which can help you reach your goals.

Even if you’re not too keen on exercise, smartwatches have recently shifted focus to the uber-trendy area of ‘wellness’, using advanced sensors and

73

algorithms to measure stress and sleep, and offering suggestions on how to improve your general wellbeing.

So, with all that in mind, let’s take a look as the best smartwatches money can buy, shall we?

HUAWEI

Watch GT 2 Pro

This elegant smartwatch offers up to two weeks of battery life, more than 100 workout modes, and prograde fitness tracking features. Despite its relatively affordable price tag, Huawei has gone all out with premium materials, including a sapphire watch crystal, titanium case and skin-friendly ceramic case back. It feels genuinely well put together. If you really want to make a statement, then you can opt for the Porsche Design edition (£629), which features a stunning integrated bracelet, albeit at a bit of a premium. £249.99, consumer.huawei.com

“

If James Bond wore a smartwatch, this would be it. And it would probably explode

SAMSUNG

Galaxy Watch 3

Android phone users might be a bit jealous of the Apple Watch, but the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is here to level the playing field. It offers one of the best smartwatch experiences for Android out there, with a sleek interface boasting a host of lifestyle, health and fitness features on par with its fruity rival. It even has a neat trick up its sleeve – a rotating bezel, complete with a satisfying click, that lets you scroll through menus and read text messages without covering the small screen with your finger. £369, samsung.com

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FRONT — get smart

GARMIN Fenix 6X

If you’re serious about exercise, then you’ll need a serious piece of kit – enter the Garmin Fenix. Its rugged case is packed full of fitness features, such as VO2 max and Pulse Ox sensors, as well as an altimeter and barometer for elevation and weather respectively. The Solar version of this loyal workout companion sports a tiny solar cell, giving it up to 24 days of battery life – making it a great option for anyone who needs a smartwatch for a long trek into the mountains. If James Bond wore a smartwatch, this would be it. And it would probably explode. £649.99, garmin.com

APPLE

Watch Series 6

Somewhat unsurprisingly, this might just be the most advanced smartwatch on the planet. It boasts new silicon which is 20% faster and more efficient than previous generations, blood oxygen monitoring, a new always-on altimeter, a brighter always-on display, the ability to take ECG readings, and a fall-detect function, which will notify the emergency services if you’re unresponsive after an accident.

What’s even more impressive is that Apple has managed to squeeze all of that into an extremely compact and attractive design. £379, apple.com

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TISSOT

T-Touch Connect Solar

If you’re looking for something to bridge the gap between a mechanical watch and a tablet on your wrist, then let us point you towards the Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar. It’s first and foremost a watch, with physical hands and a quartz movement, but it can also connect to your smartphone, display notifications on your wrist, and track your activity levels. It’s a perfect compromise, and, thanks to a low-energy operating system and Tissot’s solar cells, battery life is measured in months, rather than days. £880, tissotwatches.com

“

It can receive messages and make calls without being connected to a smartphone

MONTBLANC Summit 2+

This elegant smartwatch gets its design inspiration from Montblanc’s popular 1858 collection but don’t let that retro exterior fool you – the Summit 2 is packed full of the latest technology. It runs Google’s Wear OS software with the Google Assistant, and features LTE, meaning it can receive messages and make calls without being connected to a smartphone. The usual range of fitness features are onboard, too, should you wish to maintain a little elegance while you exercise. It even includes an app for creating your personalised watch face, with over 1,000 combinations to pick from. If a custom Montblanc’s out of your price range, this is a solid backup. £1,040, montblanc.com

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FRONT — get smart

HUBLOT

Big Bang E

If the TAG Heuer Connected isn’t prestige enough for you, then how about the uber-luxe Google-powered Big Bang E? The instantly-recognisable design is lifted from the mechanical model, even featuring a rotating crown with integrated pusher which is used to control the system UI. The rubber straps feature a deployant buckle, as well as the patented 'One Click' system, which means straps can be swapped in a matter of seconds.

The Big Bang E comes preinstalled with traditional 'time only' watch faces, together with exclusive interpretations of traditional watch complications, such as a Perpetual Calendar or GMT function. It more than lives up to its name. £4,300, hublot.com

TAG HEUER Connected

The TAG Heuer Connected is undeniably a class above its Wear OS siblings, and aesthetically preferable to most smartwatches out there too. It feels more 'watch-like' than any other smartwatch I've tested and obviously comes with a certain amount of prestige. TAG Heuer's newest model improves upon the previous generations with more cohesive software, as well as enhanced sports tracking thanks to built-in GPS and a heart-rate sensor. It’s a premium smartwatch with the emphasis on premium. £1,495, tagheuer.com

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STYLE — opener

Style 82/ That lockdown look 123/ The wellness edit 111/ Wellness gizmos and gadgets

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STYLE — that lockdown look

Words: NICK CARVELL

TOP-HALVES ARE TRENDING - SO GET YOUR KNITWEAR GAME IN ORDER There’s only one fashion trend that matters in the age of lockdown Zoom calls and it’s from the chest up

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STYLE — that lockdown look

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STYLE — that lockdown look

2021 MARKS A WHOLE DECADE of me writing about menswear for a living - and, during those ten years, one question has always been asked of me by readers more than any other: what do the trends we see on the catwalk actually have to do with regular guys? Up until now, I’ve always had a well-used riposte about how even the most bonkers thing you see marching down the runway on a model can signal some form of change in thinking about how guys are living their lives. My job every season, as an editor, is to work this out then calculate how it’ll impact on every man’s life, from the fashion-obsessed to the fashion-averse. However, as I sit at my dining table in front of my increasingly athsmatic 2015 laptop watching the skeletal remains of the global fashion weeks digitally, I can’t help but wonder what the real takeaway should be when the uncertainty of continued lockdowns might eviscerate most of our human contact until April.

In fact, the one thing that feels certain is that the only place we’ll be seen for the foreseeable future is on Zoom from the chest up - so perhaps that’s the only trend that truly matters this coming season?

Thankfully, what we saw on the skeletal, often digital catwalks in the latter half of last year fit quite nicely into a top-halfcentric approach to dressing.

Dropping, as they do, in February, the spring/summer collections traditionally go heavy on print and colour to attract a potential shopper’s eye during the darkest, dullest days of winter. This season’s collections have taken this to a whole new level, with acid-trip neons (see the electric pinks at Tom Ford, zingy greens at Versace, and, perhaps most surprisingly, highlighter yellow at Hermes) and softer pastels at the likes of Isabel Marant, Etro and Wooyoungmi. Rather predictably, the print of the season is floral, but, hey, there’s sometimes comfort in the familiar - and god knows we all need that right now. Basically, whether you’re the kind guy that goes wild for a pleated, lavender Homme Plissé Issey Miyake cardigan or not, what you’re about to see in the (web) shops across the board is going to be a helluva lot brighter and bolder up top.

Also, if we’re going by the catwalks, the neck is the new zone for experimentation.

Expect to see spring/summer collections become a lot brighter and bolder up top, with acid-trip neons and softer pastels intended to catch the eye of shoppers during dull winter days

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STYLE — that lockdown look

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STYLE — that lockdown look

Make the most of working from home by dressing like nobody’s watching from the waist down, at least

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STYLE — that lockdown look

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STYLE — that lockdown look

Ditch the tired office suit for those Zoom meetings and embrace the right knit for a professional and location-appropriate look. Alternatively, go for the throat with necklaces, neckties and neckerchiefs, or play around with think, thin or band collar types

Adding variety indoors is crucial for getting your head in the right space for work, rest and play Most of the throat-focussed accessories you can think of (from necklaces to neckties to neckerchiefs) featured in some capacity across the shows, not to mention a renewed interest in shirting and a revival in a wide variety of collar-types: thick, thin and band. All details that are going to look great in the soft glow of your ring light.

The upshot of this is, there’s never been a better time to get your knitwear in order and have a bit of fun while you’re at it. We have all learned, by now, that with a limited selection of backdrops to differentiate on-the-clock and off-theclock video calling, adding variety indoors is crucial for getting your head in the right space for work, rest and play. While your traditional office suit might look totally out-of-place while worn at home on Zoom (see: every politician on the news during lockdown), getting the right knits conveys both professionalism and locationappropriate-loucheness, as well as being far more comfortable to work in. Look out for the collared varieties that are creeping in stores right now, either in a thick wool (such as at Drake’s https://www.drakes. com/clothing/green-donegal-woolintegral-collar-jumper) or in a finer weave (such as those at Berg & Berg https:// bergbergstore.com/products/billy-knittedpolo-ivory or Luca Faloni https:// lucafaloni.com/collections/our-collection/ products/oatmeal-fine-silk-cashmere-zipup). Alternatively, slip on a dress shirt and

flip the collar up under a chunky rollneck for an Italian vibe - something that I have no doubt you’d have seen legendary style icon and Fiat CEO Gianni Angnelli wearing in the boardroom.

And while some of the colours I’ve mentioned might be a little bold for your tastes or your line of work, this is an excellent time to push your boundaries, if only a little. If you’re a navy-and-black kinda guy, try a dark green or camel crew neck. If you’re prepared to go further, raspberry pink or rich mustard yellow are choices that are not only completely work appropriate, but will also warm up any

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skin tone under electric light.

Whichever way you look at it, whatever your personal preferences, labels are giving you the excuse to get a little crazy this coming season - and with the rules of dressing for both work and play out the window, you’ve got no excuse not to experiment. If nothing else, some wellplaced, thought-out knitwear investments for your time both on- and off-the-clock will futureproof your wardrobe far beyond our current situation.

Oh and even though it won’t be seen, remember to wear something on your bottom half too, yeah?

W E L L Now, more than ever, wellness is important. For some, that’s making sure to get enough exercise, despite being locked down at home. For others, it’s keeping healthy amidst a pandemic and for yet more it’s ensuring you have the right headspace throughout these isolating times. That’s why, for this issue, our theme is Wellness.

Whether you’re looking to build the perfect home gym, jump on board the latest health kicks and cutting-edge wellness gadgets or simply eat healthier, our holistic Wellness section has something for you. So sit back, relax and forget the chaos outside your front door. A brighter, healthier you starts here.

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N E S S

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Wellness Supplement — trends

TRENDS, like anything, come and go. But if there’s one thing that seems to be sticking around, it’s lockdown. It’s no surprise then that the year’s wellness trends have been defined by Covid, with new, novel and ever more innovative solutions to keeping us safe and sane during the pandemic.

They’re more than just fads, like cellular moisturisers or goat yoga though; 2020 changed the way we live to a completely new normal and there’s a very real chance that we’ll never quite go back to those halcyon days of 2019. Even if we’re allowed out without masks, our adaptation to the pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we think about wellness. So, while these are indeed trends of the year, don’t expect them to go away any time soon.

THE TOP WELLNESS TRENDS FOR 2021

MINDFUL EATING

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Consideration of food has always been something restaurants have been obsessed by, with ever more seasonal, farm-to-table affairs. Yet even as they close their doors during lockdown, awareness of what we’re eating has gone through the roof.

As we spend more time cooking at home, we’re starting to think more and more about what goes into our food. Not just ingredients, but where those ingredients come from, the carbon footprint they leave behind and their health benefits – or lack thereof. It’s why not only have healthy restaurants been on the up touting their delivery services, but so many of us are making the most of cook-at-home boxes, like those from Mindful Chef.

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Wellness Supplement — trends

BITE-SIZE EXERCISE

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BEYOND THC & CBD

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Nowadays you can find a version of almost anything with a goodly dose of CBD in it. Laced drinks, food, incense and more made their name last year and will continue to do so in 2021. Yet what CBD started, other drugs are soon to take on themselves.

As talk of legalisation grows ever closer (we’re of the opinion that it’s inevitable), CBG, THCV and CBN – other likely cannabinoids are getting more broadly adopted.

Across the pond, psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, is now legal in Oregon, and ketamine is being seriously mooted as a treatment for depression. Your local newsagent won’t be selling psychotropic Pepsi any time soon, but don’t be surprised if these kinds of drugs become the cool kids of mental wellbeing treatments. For now though, there’s always a nice CBD seltzer.

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Virtual gym classes are here to stay, and not simply because of the large proportion of us that don’t particularly like going to the gym in the best of days; at least until we’re fit enough to not be embarrassed. Every major gym, studio and personal trainer in London has their own online classes, so the choice is unavoidably endless.

That said, one particular choice seems to be high on the agenda: quick, 20-minute workouts. You know, the kind of workout that you can fit into your life at any point, feel great after and not leave puddles of sweat on your apartment floor. Intense but accessible.

Core Collective for example do some classes as short as five minutes; Les Mills have condensed their scientific approach down to 15 minutes and everyone else in the digital world has a wide selection of 30-minute classes, too.

Ketamine is being seriously mooted as a treatment for depression

Wellness Supplement — trends

TOUCHLESS SPAS — Sure, spas may be closed at the time of writing, but just before lockdown III (?) many of London’s

THE POWER OF SLEEP — Now that most of us aren’t getting the tiring exercise we used to, sleep is but a fleeting dream many a night of the week. Yet as experts have

best temples to pampering had adapted to entirely hands-free wellness. Obviously that includes things like isolation pods, floating tanks, aromatherapy and the kinds of things that wouldn’t really need human interaction anyway.

However, spas are also coming up with innovative ways to get (almost) the same experience as a therapist, from aura massages (seriously, it’s a thing) to dripping hot oil on you to electronic massage beds. This is one that might not replace traditional spas just yet, but for anyone that feels a touch uncomfortable with a stranger touching them – or at least, does since the outbreak – then these offer a solid alternative. When spas in London open again, anyway.

pointed out again and again, it’s one of the most important factors in your overall health, even boosting your immune system. That’s pretty important right now. That means that even if we’re not naturally tired, we should ensure we get those recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night. To that end, there are a ton of new gadgets – such as Sonnex’s sleep robot – designed to lull you off, mood lighting to cut down on harsh, blue light and calming drinks, fragrances and apps to help you drift off into a deep, revitalising slumber.

Many of London’s best temples to pampering had adapted to entirely hands-free wellness

CONNECTED WELLNESS

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It wasn’t that long ago that the techiest wellness we could get was a Fitbit and some supposedly cutting-edge supplements. Now though, health has entered the digital age and come out the other side with an app for every aspect of your wellbeing.

There are still a huge number of fitness apps of course, but the pool has also expanded considerably. There are apps to help you quit smoking; apps to monitor and improve your sleep cycle; apps to cut down on your alcohol intake (come on, we all need that right now) and some, like TRUCONNECT or Results Wellness Lifestyle (I know, it sounds like a Google translate) aim to do just about everything.

There are also plenty of apps aimed at the mental side of wellbeing too, be that guided meditation with Headspace or a more psychological approach to monitor your own emotions and feelings from My Possible Self. All in all, if there’s a way you feel like you want to improve mental, physical and emotional health, there’s an app for it.

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For a lot of us, sleep takes second place to eating, working, binging Netflix or pretty much anything else. It’s the anticlimactic end to the day and the painful beginning to the next. Yet while it always seems like there are better things to do than drift off, those of us that don’t give sleep the time it deserves are doing ourselves a disservice.

“Sleep is essential,” explains Magdelena Rejman, sleep expert for Hästens. If anyone has a vested interest in good sleep, it’s the Swedish bedmakers. “It sets your performance for the day and it affects your immune system, which is vital these days. Sleep affects every organ system and every disease state; literally everything you do, you do better with a good night’s sleep.

It affects you physically, emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually.”

If you find your concentration slipping while you’re stuck working from home?

Try getting more sleep. Constantly feeling like the walls are pressing in? Try getting more sleep. Sleep helps to keep off those lockdown pounds by helping to regulate your body weight and it has even been shown in studies to help in the treatment of depression.

These are however unprecedented times and for a lot of us sleep’s not coming quite as naturally as it used to.

“During a pandemic, for many people stress grows. We worry more, we feel more depressed, we feel lonely due to social distancing, we are anxious about the future. All of those things contribute to increased stress and worse sleep.”

So in short, it’s when we need it most that sleep’s hardest to come by. It’s not all doom and gloom though; in fact, getting the right amount of sleep can be as easy as regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet. If you need that extra bit of help, you can also try Hästens’ own Restore App, which combines frequency tones and music to provide users with tailored soundscapes to listen to at different points throughout the day.

And if you’re getting your eight hours a day but are still feeling like you could use a nap? Never fear, you’re not just worn down, ill or lazy. As Magdelena explains, “it turns out that eight hours is a myth! Every person’s sleep needs are personalised to the individual. They’re

The Importance of Sleep WE TAKE SOME ADVICE FROM EXPERT MAGDELENA REJMAN ON THE MIRACLE WORKER THAT IS A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

THREE TOP TIPS FOR SLEEPING WELL

• Sleep routine: we recommend that you develop your own sleep routine to help ease your mind and soul into sleep and most importantly, stick to it day in, day out. Your body will do the rest.

• Light sleeping: your bedroom needs to be dark, a factor that activates the release of the sleep hormone melatonin at higher levels.

Try using blackout blinds or even an eye-mask to keep the unwanted light out – and stay away from screens!

• Exercise regularly: even if you’re not going outside, take time to work out and get rid of some excess energy before trying to sleep. You can’t sit around all day and expect to switch off with the lights.

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based on illness, age, gender... In general the guideline would be that most people will do best if they get between seven and nine hours of sleep, but consistency is most important.”

Now I’m sure for a lot of us, it’s good to know that we might need more sleep than we’re getting and usually told we should be grateful for. But actually getting that sleep, even if you have the time and inclination is easier said than done, especially when most of us are spending all too much time sitting indoors during lockdown.

If you’re considering dropping a pill or two to expedite the process, I’m afraid it’s not that easy. As Magdelena says, “sleep is a natural process that can’t be replicated, bought over a counter or swallowed in a pill. You can’t cheat your way to perfect sleep but there are things that you can do to give yourself the best chance of a great night’s sleep.”

Wellness Supplement — get appy

HEADSPACE

At least a few of us here at OT use — this one, so we can endorse it wholeheartedly. If it’s your first time trying meditation, there are few better inductions into it than Headspace.

As one of the biggest names in accessible guided meditation, they offer a solid, comprehensive range of different, digestible audio classes ranging from complete beginners to more advanced stuff aimed at improving productivity or simply helping you drift off to sleep. There’s even meditating for kids if you need that five minutes off.

Find out more at headspace.com

THE BEST WELLNESS

APPS OF 2021

IN AN EVER-MORE CONNECTED WORLD, it’s little surprise that health is being digitalised. Sure, connected fitness has been around for a while now, but over the past year a vast new world of apps has appeared, catering to every aspect of a holistic, healthy lifestyle.

In fact, there are a lot of them out there, all purporting to cure all ails, to solve the fundamental crises afflicting your soul. Some are obviously snake oil, some are actually onto something. These then are the best apps around to take care of your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, all from your smartphone.

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Wellness Supplement — get appy

NOOM

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Noom isn’t your usual weight loss app. Where most of them just keep track of your calorie intake and tell you what to cut out, Noom takes a psychological approach and instead of offering a quick fix aims to change your habits and hopefully add some healthy new ones.

Part of that is tracking your exercise each day and your key health stats – weight, blood pressure and blood sugar – but the greater part is one-toone coaching, as well as articles and recommendations from personal trainers, nutritionists and behavioural psychologists. It’s an approach that takes a bit more investment, but one that reaps life-altering changes for the better.

Find out more at noom.com

It’s an approach that takes more investment, but one that reaps life-altering changes for the better

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MY POSSIBLE SELF

Lockdown’s not been good for any of our mental wellbeing, with depression and loneliness on the rise and fewer people to help us out of any thought processes we’d rather avoid. Enter My Possible Self, which helps track your feelings and emotions to recognise any potential patterns and problems that they may cause.

Pair that with a number of self-help modules to teach you how to deal with stress, anxiety and loss, My Possible Self can help keep you on an even keel. It’s something that, even if you don’t think you need it, is a good thing to check in on once in a while.

Find out more at mypossibleself.com

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My Possible Self helps track your feelings and emotions to recognise any potential patterns and problems that they may cause

Wellness Supplement — get appy

SLEEP CYCLE

The name says it all really. Even if you’re not getting the fresh air and — exercise you need to have a restful night’s sleep, getting the requisite hours is incredibly important. It improves focus and productivity of course, but also your immune system and happiness. Sleep Cycle is the app designed to help you make the most of your shut-eye.

It’s pretty simple; the app tracks your sleep based on breathing, sound and movement. You set the rough time you’d like to wake up and the app does so when you’re sleeping your lightest. That means less of a groggy feeling when you open your eyes and the eventual syncing of your bodyclock. It’s the least rude awakening possible.

Find out more at sleepcycle.com

That means less of a groggy feeling when you open your eyes and the eventual syncing of your bodyclock

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Wellness Supplement — get appy

HASTENS RESTORE

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If you’ve ever fallen asleep to whale noises, you have some experience with what the app from Swedish bedmaker Hastens does. That said, there’s a surprisingly clinical approach to the sounds behind the app, designed by mathematician and physician Dr. Jussi Eerikäinen and based off his work in sliding resonance frequency technology.

Essentially, the app is a library of different tracks combining ambient noise and music aimed to wake you up, keep you focused, relax you and put you to sleep at the end of the day. Looking to get into a specific mood?

There’s a track for that.

Find out more at hastens.com

Looking to get into a specific mood?

There’s a track for that

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SMOKE FREE

A month after New Year and we’re all getting a little lax in sticking to our resolutions. If you decided to give up smoking – well done, by the way – then the cravings may be getting to you by now. If that’s the case, try Smoke Free.

It goes without saying that it keeps track of the cigarettes you’ve smoked and the progress you’ve made, but it also monitors your cravings and, more importantly, how much you’ve saved by giving up. And by that we mean the pennies and the days.

What greater incentive is there than that?

Find out more at smokefreeapp.com

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Wellness Supplement — get appy

STREAKS

— How many of us have tried to pick up new things over lockdown, only to let them fall by the wayside? Probably everyone reading this. Streaks is a virtual to-do-list into which you can plug all your personal goals for the day, week or month.

It keeps track of your progress, congratulates you as you rack up success streaks and, perhaps most importantly, nags you if you’re falling behind until the tasks on your list become habit. If you’re struggling to hold yourself accountable for your own laziness, this app will. Don’t worry, technology doesn’t judge. Yet. Find out more at streaksapp.com

If you’re struggling to hold yourself accountable for your own laziness, this app will

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PEAR PERSONAL FITNESS COACH

This hands-free and eyes-free approach to fitness is entirely audio-based, yet one of the most effective trainers on the market. Pear offers a wide library of different exercise routines at every level of fitness. Better yet, it adapts to your personal performance, intensifying whenever you find a particular level too easy.

Pear pairs with pretty much every fitness wearable out there and you can share the metrics it gathers with other exercise apps, helping it to fit into your overall workout routine. It’s versatile, adaptive and you don’t need a screen to get the most out of it.

Find out more at pearsports.com

It adapts to your personal performance, intensifying whenever you find a level too easy

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CULTURE — new drinking

HOLOS ‘SPARKLING OOLONG’ PREMIUM KOMBUCHA (750ML)

How about a sparkling Kombucha made from Oolong tea leaves? Fermented in West Sussex using luxury loose leaf Oolong, this treat is a perfect excuse to toast amongst mates when you don’t want an ABV in your glass. Notes of elderflower and lychee intertwine, making this a floral driven sweet treat – it’s like the demi-sec of Kombucha. £24 (for 2) from HOLOS kombucha

10 No-Lo

Drinks

for Your 2021 Discovery WORDS:

Aidy Smith

As we enter 2021, many of us are making decisions to improve our mental health and wellbeing, which sometimes means drinking less, but better. In 2020 more no-low products entered the market than ever before and the category is continuing to boom as familiar brands, fresh alternatives and cheap imitations vie for attention in the New Year with people looking to make good on their healthy resolutions. So, to help guide you towards softer alternatives, The Three Drinkers host and The Independent wine and spirits columnist, Aidy Smith mixes some of the best boozefree alcohol substitutes currently available to show you first-hand how no- and low-alcohol doesn’t have to mean zero taste; quite the opposite actually.

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CULTURE — new drinking

THE ORIGINAL SMALL BEER SESSION PALE (350ML, 2.5% ABV)

Hands down one of the BEST low alcohol beers on the market. I visited the brewery last year and saw first-hand how they create these wonders. The Session Pale is one of my faves, given it has such a tropical fruit backbone to it with a little apricot thrown in. You get that refreshing juicy burst of fruit followed by a crisp balanced hoppy finish. The best bit? It just tastes like a really well made beer – the alcohol content doesn’t even cross your mind. Small beer, great minds. £12 for 6 from Majestic

COPENHAGEN SPARKLING TEA RØD (750ML, 5% ABV)

A renowned sommelier from Denmark loved his tea and one day it just hit him – why don’t we explore the same process with tea leaves instead of grapes?! The result was quite genius. I never thought I’d exclaim that I truly enjoyed drinking a sparkling version of tea, but here goes, it’s great! RØD is their version of a sparkling rosé and is ripe with blackberries, red berries, hibiscus and a balanced citrus. Lady Grey and Earl Grey teas (two of my favourites) create a slight bitterness from the bergamot oil which balances everything together quite nicely. Honestly, this is something you’ve got to try! £18.50 from Fortnum & Mason

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CULTURE — new drinking

OTO CBD BOTANICAL SELTZERS (250ML)

MCGUIGAN ZERO ROSÉ (750ML)

Finally, a de-alcoholised wine that actually tastes decent. Many have tried, few have succeeded, but I have to say McGuigan have done a great job.

The magic lies in spinning cone technology, which draws the wine into fine layers for enhanced vaporisation. This basically means alcohol is removed at much lower temperatures so the taste can remain! The result is not just aromatic and vibrant, it’s bursting with fresh strawberries, cherries and a citric kick which holds everything together. £4 from Ocado

SEA ARCH COASTAL JUNIPER (700ML)

If you’re longing to feel the sea breeze against your skin like the good old days when we could actually leave our towns and cities, well, this may be for you, a 0% gin that takes inspiration from its Devon roots.

Two things began to surge in 2020 – seltzers and CBD. OTO is arguably the most luxurious and quality driven CBD brand on the market right now. So, when they decided to launch their own seltzer range, naturally, I got pretty excited. I’ve been using the products for a fair while now and can confidently say my anxiety levels have fallen and I feel a better sense of calm. There are three flavours, each containing 25mg of CBD and matching the 3 categories across the OTO range Focus (Korean Sencha, Mint and Kampot Pepper), Amplify (Bitter Orange, Goji Berry and Habanero Chilli Extract) and Balance (Elderflower, Cucumber and Liquorice). Honestly, they are well worth a try. As we enter 2021, health is our most important asset and we’re going to need to invest in it. £11 (for 3) from OTOCBD.com

Aromatic juniper berry with herbal notes of sage upfront. Coriander and grapefruit peel results in a clean, crisp feel on the palate along with some peppery notes. Sweet blood orange adds complexity and together with lemon undertones drives the perception of juiciness. Cardamom spice gives a balanced warmth to the finish. But it’s the sugar kelp and

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samphire that are the stars of the show, with juniper, coriander and blood orange playing the harmony in the background. Simply add a splash of your favourite tonic and you’ll unravel juniper and bitter grapefruit with a sweet-spice blood orange and breeze of seaside herbs. Are you thirsty yet? £25 from SeaArchDrinks.com

CULTURE — new drinking

CALEÑO LIGHT & ZESTY (500ML)

Columbia is a country that I’ve long wanted to visit.

Sadly, right now that’s not but possible – but what I can do is taste the equivalent in a glass with Caleño.

Inspired by a variety of tropical, citrus and spice ingredients such as Inca berry, pineapple, papaya and coconut, to name just a few, Caleño gives us a burst of sunshine in a glass. Zesty, tropical, sweet and tangy all in one – there’s a surge of memorable flavours that leave you wanting more. This non-alcoholic spirit is growing rapidly and with good reason. £18 from Amazon

MOTHER ROOT (480ML)

Ginger, honey and apple cider vinegar are three components that if we take on a daily basis can really boost our immunity and keep our gut in good stead.

Mother Root has managed to combine all three ingredients into a non-alcoholic drink, which can now be enjoyed as part of a routine versus a forced concoction each morning.

Inspired by an age-old American recipe this infusion of pressed ginger juice, blossom honey and organic apple cider vinegar entice the tastebuds. Perfectly paired with a light tonic (to retain the flavours) and a big slice of orange or sprig of rosemary for something a little more savoury.

Another evolution for the world of drink and health. £19 from MotherRoot.London

MOCKINGBIRD SPIRIT (500ML)

Say hello to the UK’s first tequila alternative with zero alcohol, made using blue weber agave. I have to say, this for me is one of the most exciting discoveries of the year so far. I judge hundreds of tequilas each year and this really does attain the major components (minus the alcohol taste) of a quality driven reposado. There’s a sweet vanilla glaze from what would have been oak ageing, married together with the plush and juicy blue weber agave. A kick of habanero spice comes into play, all the while creating a succulent drink which leaves you wanting more.

Completely unexpected (as I’m always so sceptical when it comes to no-alcohol adaptations of spirits) but thoroughly delightful. £23 from MockingbirdSpirit.com

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Wellness Supplement — clean eating

© NWStudio

In London, the days of heavy eating have long since passed. Its trendsetters have become more interested in keto cuisine and veganism than they are in barbecue and burgers, unless of course they are of the veggie variety. So, even during a lockdown, it’s easy to find clean eating options in the capital and continue honouring your New Year’s resolutions. The following are the top restaurants in London serving healthy food which can be delivered to your home.

↑ DAYLESFORD

76-82 Sloane Avenue – SW3 3DZ Daylesford Organic have displayed rare foresight and vision in running their farm in Gloucestershire, and they have created a clean living empire that spans wellness spas, country inns and, of course, their London cafes and restaurants. With sites in Brompton Cross, Notting Hill, Pimlico and Marylebone, they are easily accessible. The menu runs the gamut from brunch dishes made with their excellent organic, free range eggs to legendary sourdough pizzas

and rare-breed meats. For those interested in clean eating, there are some excellent options in the Hot Bowls section such as sweet potato and lentil dahl with buckwheat and teff. For those that prefer cooking at home, Daylesford’s online delivery range includes fresh fruit and vegetables, a butchery, dairy, bakery and larder and even extends to skincare, winter wellness, cleaning products and more. daylesford.com

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edit: NICK SAVAGE

Clean Eating Out HEALTHY, DELICIOUS AND DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR

Wellness Supplement — clean eating

↓ BUBALA

65 Commercial Street – E1 6BD Opened in Spitalfields by Marc Summers and head chef Helen Graham on the back of a successful series of supper clubs, Bubala is named after a Yiddish term of endearment and serves a saliva-inducing array of vegetarian dishes inspired by those served in the bistros of Tel Aviv and Beirut. Now available through the delivery service Dishpatch, diners can enjoy dishes such as laffa bread; halloumi with black seed honey; and pumpkin with amba beurre blanc and greens from the comfort of their own homes. bubala.co.uk

→ MINDFUL CHEF

Throughout London Staying healthy in these times is of paramount importance. For anyone interested in maintaining a nutritious diet or attempting to reset their lifestyle, Mindful Chef is a great option. Operating since 2015, Mindful Chef is a health-focused food box company that specialises in the innovative use of fresh fruit and vegetables as well as responsibly, sustainably sourced meat, poultry and fish. With almost 600 recipe boxes to choose from, there will be plenty of options to keep you interested in what you’re eating until all of this is in the rear view. mindfulchef.com

For anyone interested in maintaining a nutritious diet or attempting to reset their lifestyle, Mindful Chef is a great option 108

Wellness Supplement — clean eating

→ OTTOLENGHI

63 Ledbury Road, W11 2AD Yotam Ottolenghi cut a new jib for healthy eating, opening a number of restaurants that take a distinctly Levantine tack whilst penning his New Vegetarian column for The Observer. Putting to use a broad range of ingredients, he has helped to enter things like za’atar, rosewater and pomegranate into the lexicon of London eaters and chefs. His cooking is nothing short of pyrotechnic and it travels very well. Perhaps more importantly, in days like these, Ottolenghi has four locations: in Notting Hill, Belgravia, Spitalfields and Islington. So you can be sure to get his delivery no matter in which quarter of London you live. ottolenghi.co.uk

He has helped za’atar, rosewater and pomegranate into the lexicon of London eaters ↓ FARMACY

74 Westbourne Grove – W2 5SH Farmacy has been feeding the health-conscious denizens of Notting Hill since 2016 with excellent vegan fare free of refined sugars, additives, chemicals and dairy. All of Farmacy’s produce comes from its very own organic, biodynamic farm in Kent, which grows vegetables, fruit and herbs and delivers them weekly by electric van. This feeds into excellent healthy breakfast and brunch options, for when you need that plant-based pick-me-up, and main menu items like artichoke pizzetta; chef’s laksa curry; or a kimchi bowl with soba noodles, kohlrabi, pan-roasted mushrooms, spiralised carrots and long stem chard with a miso orange dressing. Desserts are similarly well-executed, with dairy-free riffs on sticky toffee pudding, chocolate chip cookies and salted caramel popcorn cheesecake. For those in London, you can order straight to your door through Ordit. farmacylondon.com

All of Farmacy’s produce comes from its very own organic, biodynamic farm in Kent, which grows vegetables, fruit and herbs and delivers them weekly by electric van → COYA

With locations in both Mayfair and the City’s Angel Court, COYA has long held sway as one of the finest and fanciest Peruvian restaurants in the Big Smoke.

Their colourful cuisine has long kept London in thrall, and their delivery service is no different. This January they launched a special healthy eating section of COYA Contigo to make sure you’re being as easy on your waistline as you are on your tastebuds. Dishes include healthy and vegetarian options such as ensalada de atun and tacos exoticos, alongside their Peruvian signatures. coyarestaurant.com/coya-en-casa

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© Thomas Alexander Photography

118 Piccadilly – W1J 7NW

Wellness Supplement — appliance of science

SEGA Flux

There’s nothing quite like looking up at the stars, completely in awe of the ever-expanding universe. Thanks to SAGA, you can now do this at home. For anyone thinking this may be a bit gimmicky, it’s not. It may be created by SEGA Toys but the reality is a planetarium created by world renowned Japanese innovator, Takayuki Ohira who has spent decades in this field. As the evening draws in, thousands of stars allow you to completely unwind, reduce your anxiety levels and feel at one with yourself. Over 30 discs are available should you wish to have a different scene. From shooting stars to planets and even the aurora borealis. £169 from segatoys.space

OTO CBD Sleep Drops & Pillow Mist

For those who are restless or having difficulty sleeping each night, OTO is the benchmark for quality when it comes to CBD products. Their pillow mist contains a combination of CBD, lavender, roman chamomile and vetiver with the sleep drops produced from lavender, butterfly pea flower, field mint and CBD. Both have a distinct purpose to help alleviate stress, anxiety and pain while offering a host of other benefits given the distinct ingredients.

From healing properties and enhancing memory capacity to a plethora of antioxidants and vitamins.

Tested and tried by someone who suffers from insomnia, I can happily tell you; they work. £69 and £98 from otocbd.com

As the evening draws in, thousands of stars allow you to completely unwind, reduce your anxiety levels and feel at one with yourself

Words: AIDY SMITH

HEALTH & WELLNESS

GIZMOS & GADGETS Technology has long been a passion of mine – and I’m always trying to get to grips with the latest gizmos and gear we can get our hands on. In this issue, I want to focus on some new releases that will help you with your health and wellbeing as we enter some of the most testing months ahead. We’re nearly at the end of the tunnel, but these suggestions will help make things that bit easier as you navigate your anxiety and stress. Here are some of the top-spec tech and gizmos on the market right now.

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Wellness Supplement — appliance of science

La Marzocco Linea Mini

Routine is so important, and it starts from the moment we wake up and begin our day. I’ve been a huge coffee fan for years and tested many machines – but my preference has always led me to a craft Italian producer called La Marzocco. The Linea Mini is based on their classic machine which is used and celebrated by thousands of top baristas across the planet. Having that same technology be a part of your in-home ritual gives you a sense of quality to kickstart each day on top form.

It’s not often I have an emotional bond with a kitchen appliance, but this is the exception. With custom panels, auto turn-on via a La Marzocco phone app and an array of other benefits to make your life easier and your coffee better, this is the top machine on the market. Welcome to the espresso revolution. £3,984 from lamarzocco.com

It’s not often I have an emotional bond with a kitchen appliance, but this is the exception

Parks Candles

Click & Grow

The past 12 months have been… yes, we won’t even go there. While 99% of the population took up making banana bread, those with gardens decided to plant flowers and herbs – how successful they were is another story. While we weren’t all lucky enough to have an outdoor

space to unwind, Click & Grow have brought the greenery to us. This revolutionary technology is like an indoor greenhouse, allowing you to grow seed to plant or flower in as little as two weeks. Tried and tested, we can happily swear by it.

Machines start at £100 from clickandgrow.com

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There’s just something about the way Parks create their candles that makes me feel so wholesome and comforted. Whether I’m working from home and need a boost of energy, in the bath and want to melt into pure relaxation or just want a background scent that keeps my cortisol levels down and my serotonin up – they’ve got it all. My personal favourites are Feu de Bois, Amber, Tobacco & Leather and of course Bourbon & Maple – but I’m sure you’ll fall in love with something that resonates with you too.

Starting at £9 from parkscandles.com

Wellness Supplement — appliance of science

NeoRhythm

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapies are becoming an increasingly popular alternative therapy. It may sound a little off-putting to send electromagnetic fields pulsing through your body, but it’s completely safe and the benefits are both scientifically backed and supported. Essentially, this is a non-invasive therapy normally used to stimulate your muscles and increase recovery which, in turn, enhances performance.

NeoRhythm uses this exact technology to target the brain, without you needing to visit a clinic. This revolutionary PEMF device has a number of functions, allowing you to feel relaxation, rejuvenation or synchronization from the comfort of your own home. We exercise to keep fit – why not start with the brain? £220 from omnipemf.com

Vitruvi Essential Oil Diffusers

It’s time to let smell become an even more important part of mental health

One thing I learnt in 2020 by spending so much time at home is that scent is crucial to our mental health and wellbeing. Whether it’s flowers, candles or something more permanent, we all need that little something to help make the same environment more bearable to be in. Enter, Vitruvi. Brought to us by a sibling duo of scent experts who have intertwined the world of botanicals to produce a number of essential oils to lighten up our mood, mind and day-to-day happiness. With blends, single origin and essential oil collections, there’s a heck of a lot of scents to choose from. I for one am rather excited about welcoming 2021 by enhancing more senses than my tastebuds. It’s time to let smell become an even more important part of mental health. £87 from vitruvi.com

Somnox Sleep

The idea of sleeping with a robot might make you feel a little uncomfortable at first, but the technology behind this has been proven to help those who suffer from being unable to sleep. Controlled breathing has always been a technique to clear our mind and calm ourselves when feeling anxiety, but it turns out the same thinking allows us to sleep easier too. This sleep robot essentially guides you into a rhythmic breathing with its life-like expanding and deflating breathing programme. Completely natural, there is no need for medicine to help your slumber – users have reported feeling safe, secure and comforted when next to Somnox, helping them drift off into a peaceful sleep with better, deeper relaxation, resulting in more energy. £549 from meetsomnox.com

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Wellness Supplement — appliance of science

Theragun PRO

Over the past year we’ve had to motivate ourselves to work out. Whether it’s a PT over Zoom, going for a run each day, or joining an app where you can do crunches in your living room, exercise hasn’t (or at least shouldn’t have) stopped. The Theragun Pro is our answer to when we overdo it or just need a bit of recovery. PRO puts the power of professional-grade treatment in the hands of everybody, delivering up to 60 lbs of no-stall force. Functions like QuietForce Technology and Active Torque Control make this the most innovative product within its category. If you’ve overdone it – Theragun will see to it. From advanced ergonomics to continuous battery life, they’ve thought about everything. £549 from theragun.com

The result is a genuinely clearer space, mindset and not to mention the countless health benefits too

Philips Hue Lighting

I was first introduced to Philips Hue about five years ago and it has changed my life.

We often disregard just how important lighting is and the impact it has on our mood.

Philips Hue hits every colour on the spectrum and is available in a variety of lightbulbs for existing fittings, standalone lamps and even strip lighting. You can create a variety of ambient lighting moods for waking up to give you energy, peacetime for a little midday meditation or nap time, or as the evening rolls around to help calm your senses and get you ready for a good night’s sleep. Their app allows you to control everything seamlessly via smart devices such as Google and Alexa and there are a plethora of in-app functions to get the most out of your tech. I cannot recommend this more highly.

Ranging from £25 at philips-hue.com

IonFlow 2.0 Signature

If there’s one thing we learnt about 2020 it’s that we really don’t like viruses. We also learnt (hopefully) how to keep a cleaner home and a clearer mind. But it’s not just about clean surfaces and a nicely made bed. More than 90% of particles in the air are smaller than PM0.1, many of which are harmful like dust, mould and viruses. IonFlow 2.0 keeps the very air we breathe pure.

This air cleansing device has a 99.94% ultra-fine particle reduction, getting rid of harmful elements that surround us. The result is a genuinely clearer space, mindset and not to mention the countless health benefits too. It also looks pretty damn sexy. £495 from lightair.com

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The Technogym Bench

We’re used to seeing workout equipment of a more electronic standpoint from Technogym; it’s in their name, after all. Their latest piece though is very much back to basics, a compact rectangle filled with elastic bands, hexagonal dumbbells, weighted knuckles and a training mat.

It’s designed to offer as many exercises as possible in a small a footprint as possible, just what we’ve all come to need without gyms opening any time soon. In fact, over 200 exercises can be performed from this one, versatile piece of equipment. Sure, it’s not as sexy as a cutting-edge, connected bike, but it’s arguably more useful. £1,190, technogym.com

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Wellness Supplement — xxxxx

BUILDING THE ULTIMATE PERSONAL GYM Gyms are closed, studios are abandoned and the outside world is a terrifying place. That doesn’t mean that you can get away with comfort eating and finally finishing Netflix.

When we finally emerge from dismal isolation – and we will – you want to be looking as fit as ever. To that end, you’ll want to build a home gym. However, with space at a premium, especially in London, you’ll want to also make sure that your home doesn’t just become your gym. With that in mind, we’ve trawled through the best in fitness out there for the pieces that not only get the job done, but save space, look great or some happy medium between the two.

After all, even Covid is no excuse for letting your New Year’s resolution lapse this early.

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Wellness Supplement — home workout

It becomes a workout screen, transforming your home gym into a virtual PT session

The Mirror

On the surface, The Mirror is just that, a couple of square feet of reflective wall space. And while you’re not using it, it remains so.

Switch the thing on however, and it becomes a semi-reflective

workout screen, transforming your home gym into a virtual PT session. That includes weekly live classes, ondemand recordings and five to 60 minute sessions at every level of fitness.

If that seems like too much to parse through, never fear.

The Mirror optimises its suggestions based on your preferences and personal profile. It doesn’t come with all the equipment you might need, but if you need some guidance during your workout or simply prefer cardio, look no further.

From $1,495, mirror.co

Just bolt this baby to your back wheel, hook it to your exercise app of choice and off you go

Wahoo Kickr Smart Bike Trainer

With space at a premium now, not many of us have enough room in our London apartments to justify both a dedicated exercise bike and a road bike. So, why not combine the two?

Enter the Kickr from Wahoo. Just bolt this baby to your back wheel, hook it to your exercise app of choice and off you go.

From there the smart trainer will measure your speed,

distance, power and cadence throughout your workout.

This latest edition of the Kickr includes multi-axis feet for greater stability while cycling; a durable carbon steel body and incredible power accuracy so that no inch of effort is wasted.

Oh, and for everyone else around, it also operates virtually noise-free. £999.99, uk.wahoofitness.com

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Wellness Supplement — home workout

Ciclotte Bike

Part penny farthing-esque exercise bike, part sculptural design feature, the Ciclotte bike is a world away from the dull, hard-seated monstrosities you’re stuck with at the gym. Sure, it’s not exactly subtle or particularly spacesaving, but who cares? Look at the thing.

Of course, there’s more to the bike than just good looks. Made from carbon fibre, fibreglass and steel, the frame is lightweight and adaptable to different spinning positions. As the rotation is done via the outer wheel, it’s also about as close as you can get to riding on the road, complete with a novel electromagnetic resistance system, controllable via Bluetooth. £9,855, ciclotte.com

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Wellness Supplement — home workout

Liforme Travel Yoga Mat

The humble yoga mat is a necessity for avoiding bruises or carpet burns in your various poses, but despite appearances not all are made the same. Anyone that’s grabbed the last mat at a yoga class knows what we mean. Liforme create not only some of the best-looking mats out there in a range of bright, eye-catching colours, but some of the most effective.

A perfect balance between grip, comfort and practicality, the travel version of Liforme’s signature mat is lighter and thinner than usual. That means it’s easier to take out and about for some fresh air classes.

It also makes it a touch easier to store at home as it rolls up considerably thinner.

This blue version is especially charming. £85, liforme.com

NOHRD Sprintbok Curved Treadmill

There are a few options for motorless treadmills out there that all work pretty much the same; they have no motor, so they’re powered by you running on them, meaning they keep up with whatever pace you want to set. They also offer a more intense, calorie-burning workout with a natural feel and lack of horrendous squealing noise. So far, so good.

None though look better than the Sprintbok. Its beautiful hardwood construction sets it apart from other treadmills, the kind of equipment you actually want in your home gym. Even the slats you run on are wooden, making for a distinctly low-tech and lovely approach to cardio. £5,295, nohrd.com

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Wellness Supplement — home workout

Bowflex Selecttech 1090 Dumbbells

The humble dumbbell is one of the most important pieces of equipment for gaining muscle out of your entire arsenal. They do however take up more space than they perhaps should, given you need a few different pairs to get the results you want. Not so here.

Bowflex’s top-of-the-line, four to 41kg dumbbells are designed to not only make finding the right weight easy, but to save space, which is more than a little important these days. From the stand, simply turn the dial to the weight you want and pull the dumbbell out; it will automatically select the right weight and off you go. Feel that burn. £529, global.bowflex.com

Its beautiful hardwood construction sets it apart from other treadmills

Water Rower Oxbridge Rowing Machine The Water Rower Oxbridge lives up to its name. Thanks to the unique water flywheel that defines the machine, the rower simulates the experience of being on the water. If you’re stuck inside but want don’t want to lose your spot on the rowing squad, this is the one for you.

Complimenting the wonderfully analogue tech behind the machine, the entire thing is constructed from a selection of sustainably-sourced hardwoods. Not only does that mean it looks lovely – there’s a good reason the original version of the Water Rower is in the London Design Museum - but it keeps things lightweight to allow for easy moving and storage. £1,175, waterrower.co.uk

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STYLE — must-haves

FOR WORKING OUT

Whether indoors or outside, your workout gear needs to keep you warm yet dry as you work up a sweat

edit: NICK CARVELL

The Wellness Edit WELL, WELL, WELL - IT’S ANOTHER LOCKDOWN

While I like to think positively that I will get to attend a spin class or arrange a coffee with a colleague at Soho Works in 2021, it seems clear that our homes will continue as a triptych of exercise, relaxation and office space for the foreseeable future - with a little added calisthenics and cardio space at your local park if you’re lucky. Chances are this requires a slight rethink of the exercise kit you’ve got hanging in your wardrobe right now. If you’re a committed health club nut, your indoor duds might benefit from an injection of outdoorappropriate items for winter calisthenics or cardio. If you’re keen to try then give yoga a go to balance both body and mind in your living room, you’d be surprised at how getting super-strechy pieces tailored specifically for the practice are far superior to stuff you wear already for workouts. Even if you’re not going all-out with fitness, at a time when our work and home lives are inexorably blurred, the power of having an off-duty uniform that offers comfort and closure after you’ve tucked your laptop away is deeply mentally liberating. Whether it’s self-care or sweating it out in the park, make sure you’ve got the right gear to give your body what it’s craving.

TORSA ONYX TOP,

> Launched last year, Torsa is a new premium activewear label that combines advanced technical fabrics with Scandinavian minimalism and a hint of what’s trending on the catwalk.

This Onyx T-shirt epitomises the brand’s vibe, with a cool mockneck, subtle lavender colour and a micro-mesh fabric that both absorbs moisture and fights bacteria from sweat. £75, TORSA.CO.UK

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STYLE — must-haves

RON DORFF MASSAGE CANDLE,

> While you might not have space to install a sauna to ease your aches after a gruelling outdoor workout, activewear label Ron Dorff has a solution that’s just as effective. Not only does the brand’s signature give off the comforting, woody scent of a Swedish sauna, but the wax (formulated with a particularly low melting point) can be used as a warm massaging oil to soothe your muscles. £44, UK.RONDORFF.COM

M&S GOOD MOVE SHORTS,

> What’s great about these shorts is not only their incredibly reasonable price tag, but also that a whole lot of thought has gone into their design.

The built-in compression undershorts help wick moisture away from your body and contain an elasticated pocket for your smartphone on the thigh. The upper layer has reflective bands and a zip pocket for small valuables. And it’s made from recycled polyester. Look good, do good. £25, MARKSANDSPENCER.COM

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The next few months require running gear that will keep you protected as you battle wind rain and, god forbid, snow CDLP MOBILITÉ UNDERWEAR,

> Cut from quick-drying and anti-odour rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate), these underpants are made to perform. Available in a trunk and brief, both are crafted with flat seams to reduce chafing and built in mesh panels to increase ventilation. £44, CDLP.COM

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STYLE — must-haves

COS PERFORMANCE LAYERS,

> The key to getting through the coming season is layers. Some days you might need joggers and a jacket on your run, other days you might need a vest and shorts. The good news is that Cos’ new activewear line has got it all - plus a design edge on many of its purely sports-focused peers. Take its Performance running jacket, for example, slim-cut from water-repellent recycled polyester, and fitted with a wind-beating funnel neck and a mesh rear vent for ventilation. An outdoor MVP in its own right, but also available with interchangeable tonal shorts, leggings, tracksuit bottoms and shirts. £89, COSSTORES.COM

FOR COLD-WEATHER RUNS

Unless you’ve got space for a treadmill at your place, the next few months require running gear that will keep you protected (und upright) as you battle wind, rain and, god forbid, snow.

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STYLE — must-haves

VIVOBAREFOOT TRAIL SNEAKERS,

> While we can’t prevent rainy runs over the next few weeks, we can help to protect your feet. Founded in 2012, Vivobarefoot makes shoes with thinner, wider soles that help you to run in the way we are biologically designed to, enhancing balance while ensuring shock absorption. The label’s high-grip Primus Trail Winter FG sneakers are not only lightweight, breathable and vegan, but are designed to be water-repellent - meaning that the season’s inevitable showers can’t stop you going for a run. £91, VIVOBAREFOOT.COM/UK

MDO COAT BY SEVENLAYER

> If you’re prepping for temperatures hovering around zero for your next run, you need a SevenLayer MDO (or modular down outer).

Manufactured from 94 per cent polyester and six per cent spandex – which creates a dynamic stretch for comfort and durability – this garment is not only extremely lightweight and insulating (thanks to down clusters that trap pockets of air), but it also repels water. Wear it as is, zip off the sleeves to create a vest, or zip into the 3L Hard Shell Outer (sold separately) for even more protection from the elements. £395, SEVENLAYER.COM

SOAR RUNNING SOCKS,

> Bored of white tube socks that rub through after a few jogs? Soar, founded by lifelong runner and fashion designer Tim Soar, brings big, bold colour to running gear crafted with longevity in mind. The label’s socks are not only eye-catching, available in bold prints and zingy shades, but have the kind of utility few of their competitors posses. Cropped to a mid-calf length and ribbed to support your calf and achilles while in action, a light compression band over the arch to stop the sock slipping, terry cloth padding on the heel to lessen impact, mesh construction to allow maximum air circulation - the list goes on. In fact, it’s rather incredible Soar’s been able to fit so many features into such a small item. £21, SOARRUNNING.COM

TRIBE SPORTS JACKET,

> If you’re braving the coldest temperatures for a jog then you’re going to need something with added warmth - and British running label Tribe has the garment to suit. As you can probably gather from its name, the Thermal Panel Jacket is stuffed with a lightweight, compact layer of soft insulation that will keep you toasty when the mercury dips and has a packaway hood for when the heavens open - not to mention reflective panels for early bird training. £105, TRIBESPORTS.COM

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STYLE — must-haves

FOR YOGA

Want to get beyond downward dog? You’re going to need kit that’s fit for purpose. Look out for garments that are not only stylish for meditating in, but also have ludicrous amounts of stretch for mastering your gladiator pose.

LULULEMON IN MIND PANTS,

> When I say ‘yoga pants’, you probably think of a pair of trousers with a gathered waist, baggy thighs and tie-dye fabric, complemented by a vague waft of incense. Lululemon decided to change that. Cut with a tapered fit that hugs your calves, but gives breathing space to your thighs and glutes, these high-stretch slacks have mesh ventilation to keep you feeling cool while looking cool, during even the most challenging poses. £88, LULULEMON.CO.UK

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STYLE — must-haves

PENDLETON YOGA MAT,

> Famous for their legendary wool blankets, American heritage brand Pendleton has brought some of its signature style to a new selection of yoga mats. Designed and crafted in Portland, Oregon, each will bring a hit of eye-popping Western States style to your workout. £75, PENDLETONWOOLENMILLS.EU

SAINT LAURENT RIVE DROITE YOGA OUTFIT,

> Achieve inner piece while looking like a rockstar. Saint Laurent has just released a new line of sports kit, including a monochrome bicycle, leopard print surf board, and even pool inflatables. However the yoga kit, designed in collaboration with American activewear brand Alo Yoga, is particularly cool. This all-black tank top and shorts is the reward you deserve to showcase the fruits of your labour after months of sweating it out in your front room. £260 FOR TOP AND SHORTS, YSL.COM

MR MARVIS SPORT SHORTS,

> Created from 88 per cent recycled plastic bottles, these sporty shorts have four-way stretch to maximise the movement you can do. And while they’re fitted with secret zip pockets for valuables should you need to repurpose them for an outdoor workout, what’s great is their lack of branding and embellishment means they’ll be just as good-looking for a walk in the park come summertime too - plus they’re available in a veritable rainbow of colours. £69, MRMARVIS.CO.UK

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STYLE — must-haves

FOR CHILLING THE HELL OUT

Whether you’re slipping it on for a jog, kicking back in it after work or making Casual Friday a whole lot more causal with your colleagues on Zoom, chest-level designs, bright colours and super-soft materials are the only way to go.

SOMETHING SLEEKER, SIR? A DAY’S MARCH CASHMERE-WOOL HOODIE,

> There are two distinct advantages of buying clothes from a Swedish brand: not only do they get that sleek, Scandinavian minimalism down pat, but they also understand how to beat the chill winds of the northern hemisphere. This hoodie from Stockholm-based label A Day’s March is an exceptional example: relaxed enough to feel comfortable but tailored enough to still slip under a smart jacket (one day, and cut from superbly soft cashmere-wool mix fabric. £155, ADAYSMARCH.COM > If a hoodie isn’t really your style, only a dressing gown will do. Whether you’re slipping this on after closing your laptop at six o’clock or kicking around the house in it all Sunday long, this number from Notting Hill label Sir Plus - cut from 100 per cent Liberty print silk will instantly make you feel like a Hollywood leading man. £495, SIRPLUS.CO.UK

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STYLE — must-haves

HOLZWEILER M. RAINBOW HOODIE,

ROWING BLAZERS X SLIM AARONS HOODIE,

> The images captured by legendary American photographer Slim Aarons are bright and exuberant - often focused on the glamorous gatherings of the rich and famous. In lieu of such gatherings in real life, this collaboration between the artist and nouveau Ivy League label Rowing Blazers is a bold-coloured celebration of the social lives we can hopefully look forward to reclaiming soon. £180, ROWINGBLAZERS.COM

> Fresh in from Oslo, minimalist Norweigian brand Holzweiler has gone all maximalist with this organic cotton black hoodie featuring its signature coat hanger logo on steroids. The irony, of course, is that it’s so comfortable you may never want to hang it away again. £174 (APPROX), HOLZWEILEROSLO.COM

EVERLANE,

> Everlane’s not just good for its transparency-first approach to manufacturing clothes, it’s also a brand that really thinks about what a man needs. Take its felted Merino wool hoodie: not just good looking, but also woven from wool that’s been boiled to ensure it’s softer, thicker and more durable. £93, EVERLANE.COM

GOODEE HOODIE,

> Founded a few years back by Canadian design duo Byron and Dexter Peart (who you might know from their accessories brand WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie), Goodee is an online marketplace and crucible for cool new brands with an environmental edge. It gained such a strong following that it now has its own merch line. The logo hoodies, which are available in a range of colours as well as a multicoloured patch design, are worth buying for the pleasing rhyme alone. £75 (APPROX), GOODEEWORLD.COM

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STYLE — must-haves

GROOMING

HAECKELS EXFOLIATING VEGAN SEAWEED BLOCK,

> Gently buff away dry patches while rehydrating your skin with this deeply moisturising body bar from Margate-based grooming brand Haeckels. Infused with seaweed from Margate beach as well as crushed peppercorns to gently exfoliate and tea tree oil to repair, this pleasingly girthy block is one of the best-smelling soaps I’ve ever tried. £18, HAECKELS.CO.UK

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Infused with seaweed from Margate beach and crushed peppercorns

AVEDA “NUTRIPLENISH” HAIRCARE SYSTEM,

> While you might only feel the immediate drying effects of the cold weather on your skin, take a moment to think about your hair too: not only buffeted by chill wind outdoors and radiator-heated air indoors, but also charged up with static from woolly hats.

Aveda’s all new, all-vegan Nutriplenish line comprises shampoos, conditioners and leave-in treatments infused with omega 5-rich pomegranate oil to bring shine and strength back to your barnet in time for the summer.

AVEDA NUTRIPLENISH LIGHT/DEEP HYDRATION SET, £82 (FOR THREE PRODUCTS), AVEDA.CO.UK

LA MER “THE SPF50 UV PROTECTING FLUID”,

> Damaging UV rays on our skin have been proven as one of the leading causes of premature aging - and it’s all around us during daylight hours even in the winter (yes, it can penetrate glass). The crazy thing is it’s so easy to guard against it by simply swapping your regular moisturiser for one with SPF built in, such as the incredible Protecting Fluid by La Mer. So light, it sinks into your skin like butter on hot toast. £85 FOR 50ML, MRPORTER.COM

HEATH HAND SALVE,

THE NUE CO VITAMIN D,

> Getting the right items into your grooming cabinet isn’t just a matter of looking good, it’s also key to feeling good. Getting enough Vitamin D from sunlight is tough in the best of winters here in the northern hemisphere, but with the added complication of the pandemic meaning we’re all spending more time indoors, it’s time to get serious about a supplement to ensure your bones and muscles stay healthy, and your immune system is up to task. The Nue Co’s Vitamin D spray is a real winner. Three sprays under your tongue after you’ve brushed your teeth in the morning or evening and - boom - you’ve taken 375 per cent of your daily dose (and your body’s absorbed it 2.6 times faster than if you took a pill). £15 FOR 15ML (APPROX. 35 SERVINGS), UK.THENUECO.COM

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> My hands live in a permanent state of dryness thanks to a combination of poor circulation and being an obsessive handwasher even before the pandemic kicked in - so a hand cream needs to be damn good before I go around recommending it. Of all the tubes I’ve tried, Heath London’s Hand Salve is one of the absolute standouts. Infused with shea butter and pro-vitamin B5, it’s not only intensely softening and soothing (and rubs in like a dream), but it’s also protecting thanks to the presence of ‘pollustop’ to rebuff the ageing effects of pollution from your hands. £10 FOR 75ML, HEATHLONDON.CO.UK

FRONT — watch reviews

THE SPECS

© Fraser Vincent

• 42mm grade 5 titanium case with 100m water resistance • CYR708 calibre automatic movement with 55-hour power reserve • Euro €19,900, cyrus-watches.ch

HANDS-ON WITH THE

CYRUS

KLEPCYS GMT RETROGRADE

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© Fraser Vincent

FRONT — watch reviews

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FRONT — watch reviews

We’ve had the Cyrus Klepcys in once or twice before and it’s always something special. In fact, there are plenty of words I’d use to describe the collection – avant garde, a horological tour de force, stock phrases along those lines. But not, generally-speaking, wearable.

That’s not to say they’re not comfortable; far from it, the Vertical Tourbillon was far more comfortable than it had any right to be. It’s just that as an everyday watch, they’re a bit much in both function and dimensions. Which is what makes the intensely-haute horologist’s latest all the more interesting: the Klepcys GMT Retrograde is a genuinely great, everyday watch.

It’s not a beater of course; like the models before it, the GMT Retrograde is a superlative piece of watchmaking. The skeletonised dial with its fan of bridges illustrates that succinctly enough. But a GMT function is an innately useful complication and here done with a distinctive flare via the blue retrograde home time function. The matching blue hand counts down the 24 hours along the scale then zips back to the beginning.

The bright blue also matches the helix counter of the small seconds at 6 o’clock, a nicely-decorated counterpoint to the openworked dial. You can’t see it in our well-lit shots, but the lume on the numerals is also blue; not quite as bright of course, but there’s a cool synergy there.

Home time and minutes are set via the crown at 3 o’clock as per usual; from there though, the local time hour hand can be jumped from hour to hour with a push of the button set into the opposite crown at 9 o’clock. It makes hopping from timezone to timezone nice and easy – not that I managed to do much jet-setting with this thing.

To make it even more of an everyday, wearable watch, Cyrus has downsized the case a little, down to 42mm (excluding the crowns of course, they’re pretty substantial).

It’s also thinner at 13.9mm, slim enough to fit under a shirtsleeve. It’s still a relatively broad piece of metal though with its lozenge shape, but it’s far, far more wearable in its new dimensions.

That goes for the material too. The grade 5 titanium makes the Klepcys far lighter than it looks and in turn sit more comfortably on the wrist. That’s helped along by the integrated rubber strap which is distinctly curved to fit snugly to the wrist. Don’t get me wrong, the GMT Retrograde does still feel big, just not the monster some of Cyrus’ pieces can be. As a final nod to everyday wearability, the case is water resistant to 100m.

Off the wrist, the caseback gives a good look at the CYR708 calibre inside and it’s worth seeing. Alongside the custom rotor – which mirrors the shape of the openworked dial -

Limited to 50 pieces in each of its trio of variants this a superb bit of watchmaking and quite possibly the most wearable Cyrus yet 137

the bridges have been given a supremely cool anthracite finish in sunray curves. Offering a solid 55-hour power reserve, it’s a damn fine calibre.

Limited to 50 pieces in each of its trio of variants – raw titanium, black DLC and a mix of the two – the Klepcys GMT Retrograde’s a superb bit of watchmaking and quite possibly the most wearable Cyrus yet. For €19,900 in this all-black, stealth variant, it’s a hell of a lot of watch.

Euro €19,900, cyrus-watches.ch

FRONT — watch reviews

THE SPECS

© Fraser Vincent

• 39.56mm stainless steel case with 300m water resistance • ETA 2824-2 OW3P calibre automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve • £905.14, ow-watch.ch

HANDS-ON WITH THE

OLLECH & WAJS P-101

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FRONT — watch reviews

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FRONT — watch reviews

Honestly, I’d not heard of Ollech & Wajs until recently. I’m a fan of military watches in general, but they tend to be more of a European bent with a few oversized Soviet numbers. OW on the other hand originally made their name Stateside, building watches adopted by the American forces shipping out to Vietnam.

They also built the first 1,000m water resistance watch – the 1964 Caribbean - and continued the Navitimer for 20 years after Breitling went under in 1978, under the brand name Aviation. If you’ve not heard of Ollech & Wajs before, now’s the time to get acquainted – especially as their recent relaunch has gone pretty damn well.

The OW P-101 is one of the modern brand’s two relaunch watches, the other being the slightly more technical OW P-104, and is a stripped back, military-style pilots watch.

Rather than drawing from O&W’s own heritage however the inspiration for this particular timepiece is the supersonic McDonell F-101 fighter jet.

The F-101 broke the 1,000 mph speed record way back in 1956 – as a little bit of trivia, the record’s now held by NASA’s X-43A which can hit nearly 7,000 mph – and is still an iconic piece of aviation history. Thankfully the P-101 doesn’t lean on it too heavily; it’s not like it includes a piece of the jet somewhere in its construction.

In fact, if you didn’t notice the nod in the reference, you might be forgiven for never guessing the inspiration behind the watch, aircraft historian or no. Overall, the P-101 is a stripped-back, utilitarian piece so there aren’t excessive flourishes and details to tie-in.

That’s no bad thing at all; I personally can’t stand details that only exist as a novel nod to whatever’s behind the watch’s design. They detract from what the watch should be, namely a solid, legible and reliable timekeeper. With its classic threehand dial with large, green-lumed indexes – backed up by an ETA 2824-2 – the P-101 is all those things.

That said, there are a couple of quirky details. The ladder minute hand is a nice little touch and one you don’t see often. It’s as functional as any hand, just a bit more fun.

Then there’s the bi-directional, 12-hour bezel that acts as a second time zone without the need for an actual complication, complete with a coinedge bezel to ensure easy operation in flight gloves.

At 39.5mm across the P-101 shouldn’t feel like a big watch and in looks it really isn’t. It’s even pretty slim – 12.5mm to be precise. But it feels like a much larger watch on the wrist, if only because of the oddly long lugs. While they look great, I’m not sure I appreciate just how much wider they make

Rather than drawing from Ollech & Wajs’ own heritage however the inspiration for this particular timepiece is the supersonic McDonell F-101 fighter jet 141

the dimensions. Not unwearable, but definitely not ideal.

It’s pretty weighty too, but that I don’t mind, particularly when it comes with 300m water resistance. I always want that kind of spec to be backed up by a reassuring weight.

While the P-101 doesn’t have all the necessities of a diving watch (mainly the wrong bezel) you can still take it down without fuss.

In fact, with all its specs taken into account – and its distinctive tool watch vibes – the P-101 might just be a nearperfect everyday wearer. It’s rugged, sleek and handsome, all backed by a solid movement and more than enough water resistance. Even if it were a bit more expensive, it’d be a great option.

As it is, just over £900 for this thing makes it a serious value proposition. I’m just glad I know who O&W are now, at least. £905.14, ow-watch.ch

CULTURE — unsung heroes

Words:

Chris Youé

THE PATEK PHILIPPE 5035 The history of watch making is full of legendary stories, iconic models and ground-breaking innovations so finding a truly ‘unsung’ hero is tougher than it sounds. ‘Unsung’ can mean, undervalued, underappreciated, or, as in this case, practically ignored.

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property of the rights holder. Phillips does not make any representations with respect to or accept any responsibility for any third party uses. Image courtesy of Phillips.

Permission for the use of any image is granted by the holder of the intellectual property rights for timely reporting and auction review purposes only. The underlying intellectual property rights in any property depicted remain the

CULTURE — unsung heroes

With a precious metal case, stepped bezel and screw on sapphire case back that exudes Patek quality, where is the love for this forgotten 90s gem?

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CULTURE — unsung heroes

Any watch enthusiast has at some point spoken at length about the individual merits of a seemingly unending series of near identical ‘iconic dive tools’, ‘legendary chronographs’ or integral bracelet ‘sports’ watches, so its hard to find an uncelebrated watch that deserves hero status. I would argue the Patek 5035 is surely a contender.

Launched in 1996 to great applause, the award winning 5035 really was a game changer, the clear calendar display, luminous hand and hour markers are legible, precise and leave no doubt that this is designed to be the most useful addition to the wearers wrist it can be. The precious metal case with stepped bezel and screw on sapphire case back, are traditionally restrained and exude Patek quality, so what’s not to like? Why isn’t this a stone cold classic?

Even at a fairly modern 37mm, the 5035 is often accused of being too small, possibly due to the thickness of the bezel and increased depth of the watch (compared to the svelte 3940) but also, perhaps partly down to the large applied Roman numerals, and broad leaf shaped hands (both so generously filled with lume) that shrink the dial further. There is something of a ‘cross-eyed’ and top-heavy look to the 5035’s dial thanks to the large calendar sub-dials and relatively empty 24 hour sub (in itself a huge departure from Patek’s traditional calendar watches). This was somewhat corrected on the 5036 that followed when Patek first introduced the moonphase to the annual calendar, then introduced a bigger case size and cleaner dial with 2005’s reference 5146.

Collectors and dealers alike seem to have left the humble 5035 on the shelf, prices remain well behind the entire family of watches that it spawned, although creeping forward steadily in recent years.

Accepting that the watch is, relatively, unloved I’ll try and justify why it deserves a little more celebration, why it should be remembered as a ‘hero’.

In the mid nineties when the Swiss watch industry, as we know it now, had established its post-quartz ‘pure luxury’ identity, brands were standing on the shoulders of the 1960’s giants; automatic winding, chronographs, perpetual calendars and minute repeaters were all well mastered by this point. In some ways there seemed little scope for truly innovative watch-making.

Step forward Philippe Stern’s mighty Patek Philippe, who often disguise their innovation with classic designs and traditional techniques. Reconciling the historic importance of one of horology’s most revered complications, with the (relatively) more affordable simple calendar they developed the automatic calibre 315S QA and simultaneously introduced an entirely new product tier.

Whilst a perpetual calendar famously only needs the date correcting every hundred years (for three out of four centuries) the Annual Calendar

mechanically tracks whether a month has 30 or 31 days and, with the exception of February, will correct the date accordingly, saving those frustrating four days a year where the user finally realises their watch is a day behind (normally far later in the day than is convenient). Somewhat ironically, on paper at least, the 315 S QA Annual calendar movement required even more components than the 240 Q that featured in the world-beating Perpetual calendar ref.3940 but was achieved in such a way that the final retail product was a fraction of a price of the headline Perpetual.

This isn’t investment advice or even a personal love letter, this simply comes from asking the question “what watch truly deserve to be celebrated more, and why?”. Forgetting for a moment the astronomical prices that can be paid for a watch, the emotional connection to the greats that wore a similar model before you, or just the jaw-dropping good looks, watch-making surely should be innovative and useful?

Carrying the torch of this 90s game-changing Annual Calendar is the (in my mind equally underappreciated) ref. 5135 tonneau shape with a cool aperture display and the much more commercial ref.

5726 Nautilus.

The Patek 5035 was a gamechanger and introduced an entirely new product tier with its Annual Calendar that mechanically tracks whether a month has 30 or 31 days

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BACK — in focus

IN FOCUS AN INSIGHT INTO THREE FASCINATING BRANDS Edited By

SAM KESSLER

Makina, Oak & Oscar and Bangalore Watch Company

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MAKINA Watch archetypes are useful, from a design standpoint. They’re guidelines you can follow to create something that, on paper, ticks all the right boxes, whether that a diver’s watch with rotating bezel and plenty of lume or a racing chronograph with a tachymeter.

On the flipside, those same timepiece definitions are constraining. It’s like painting by numbers. Sure, you can create something recognisable and pleasant, but originality? That’s another matter entirely. It’s for that reason that, from the offset, Manila-based watch brand Makina opted out of archetypes.

Founded by Danilo Villanueva, Makina was born from his need for a creative outlet other than his day job in advertising. He wanted something less demanding of his time that he could channel his passion into – the same entrepreneurial spirit that drives all three of our In Focus brands this issue.

Not wanting to be held back by what ‘should’ be included in a specific type of watch, their philosophy is that design in a holistic sense is more important than categorisation, through which they naturally drifted into their own waters: sporty dress watches.

That kind of oxymoronic label is a bit hard to pin down at first. That is, until you see some of Makina’s designs, specifically the Uriel line. On the one hand you have a chunky, lozenge-shaped steel case with an oversized crown, rugged enough to shrug off everyday wear and tear. On the other you have some incredible dials.

In the Uriel I, that dial is a cream-coloured number you’d more likely expect to see cased in gold. A distinctive fan of guilloche at the centre, grained finish and large, applied indexes all add up to a dial that leans far closer to dressy than sporty.

It’s a theme that Makina has continued through their collection and is perhaps exemplified most thoroughly by the Uriel III. It’s the only time the brand has caved in and opted for a specific type of watch – but given how few doctor’s timepieces there actually are out there, it’s still a novel one.

Housed in the same chunky, signature Uriel case, the deep teal dial is a stunner, and not just in colour – though that is the eye-catcher. Around the edge of the dial is the pulsometer that defines a doctor’s watch in contrasting bright red.

To leave more room for that vital complication (many a similar watch gives it just a couple of millimetres) the oversized numerals have been pulled into the centre, with the 3 and 9 on their side to keep the width of that inner segment constant.

It’s quirky, handsome and functional, three things

Defying conventional categorisation, Makina’s blend of styles is truly distinctive

It’s quirky, handsome and functional, three things that don’t often go hand-in-hand that don’t often go hand-in-hand. There are other colours of course – the Uriel III also comes in black and white – but that teal is simply magnificent. If there’s a watch that should be putting Makina on the map, it’s that.

Find out more at makinawatches.com

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© C.KIRKEMO

BACK — in focus

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OAK & OSCAR I actually first met Chase Fancher, founder of Oak & Oscar at Salon QP 2013, back in the good old days of that good old exhibition. On my way to grab a glass of champagne – the first of many – he showed me the initial designs for Oak & Oscar which, at the time, I didn’t read much into. It’s hard to get excited about any new watch brand before handling the pieces. It turns out I maybe should have been.

At the time the idea was just a germ but has since transformed into a passion project that’s quickly becoming one of the definitive stateside watch brands. Their non-nonsense, well-built watches are certainly some of the finest I’ve seen from anywhere not on the West Coast.

The name Oak & Oscar, incidentally, comes from Chase’s greatest loves (other than his family, obviously). Oak from the barrels used to age bourbon – and following that, Scotch, so I can identify – and Oscar from his best pal, a Portuguese water dog.

In more ways than one, Oak & Oscar is the unofficial watch of Chicago. When their first timepiece, the Burnham was brought out, named after the architect behind many a famous building (including our own Selfridges), it got plenty of attention from collectors. It also got the attention – and endorsement – of the Burnham family, who are now very much part of the Oak & Oscar fan club. As is the US curling team, so keep an eye out next Winter Games.

The appeal of the watches is pretty obvious. All of their pieces, from the original, stripped-back Burnham to the dual time zone Sandford to the incredibly cool, Explorer-esque Humboldt, use sandwich dials. They combine that depth of field with solid cases and the kind of touches most collectors can appreciate for solid, everyday timepieces that skew sportier than elegant, but without venturing into field watch territory.

What hits home most about Oak & Oscar though is that, despite the success, it’s still a journey very personal to Chase, who describes himself as ‘a little guy in Chicago making a few hundred watches a year.’ The fact that his pieces are being bought not just as fun, solid timepieces, but as heirlooms, isn’t lost on him.

Just don’t expect things to stay this low-key. Oak & Oscar has recently welcomed their first in-house watchmaker, Nathan Bobinchak, a huge step for any horologically-inclined brand. And with that has come the first timepiece fully assembled in-house, the Olmsted Matte Series.

The idea was just a germ but has transformed into a passion project that’s quickly becoming a definitive stateside watch brand

Oak & Oscar’s fortunes have been transformed in the past decade thanks to its solid, everyday timepieces that are appreciated by collectors and Chicago’s elite alike

Falling in line with what we’d consider more traditional military stylings, the matte black version of the Olmsted compliments the everyday ruggedness typical of Oak & Oscar with more serious hardwearing touches like a ceramic coating.

The date’s been removed to strip things down even more (and yes, that includes the crown position) and each is built in small batches.

On the one hand that means there’s limited production; on the other, it means that each batch will see subtle improvements and changes over time. It’s a bold new way of working and should, by rights, give even more collectors a reason to take note of this “little guy in Chicago”.

Find out more at oakandoscar.com

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BACK — in focus

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BANGALORE WATCH COMPANY Every country has their own watchmaking traditions.

For us, it’s tapping into the UK’s nautical heritage, British history and the early days of watchmaking.

For Germany it’s the traditions of Glashutte and military Fliegers and for Switzerland… well, most haute horology to be fair. Even Russia has its own take on watchmaking with its cool, oversized ex-Soviet pieces.

For India, it was always HMT watches. Like Russian watchmaking, HMT was a hangover from more socialist economic policies, and every Indian guy throughout the 60s and 70s was wearing one. The amount of pieces they produced from their home town of Bangalore was staggering… until they were put out of business.

Never fear though; the end of an era the disappearance of HMT may have been, Bangalore has a new watch company to call their own, one whose collection is a good deal more respectable – yet no less culturally Indian.

We don’t mean Ganesh statues and crowded markets, not stereotypically Indian. Instead over the last two-and-a-bit years, the aptly-named Bangalore Watch Company has created a range of timepieces reflecting the modern soul in India.

Founded by husband and wife team, Nirupesh and Mercy Joshi, both come from a tech background. In fact, they came into watches late in life, when their globe-trotting work took them to Hong Kong, where it’s impossible to escape the gravitational pull of watch collecting – and with it, the idea of an Indian watch brand. From there, it was two years of soul searching before finally, settling back in their home town of Bangalore that the locally-eponymous brand was born.

In a way, the Bangalore Watch Company is a successor to HMT, at least when it comes to collection. But the watches they produce are a world away from the cheap, mass-produced pieces Bangalore was previously home to. Instead, they combine solid components and reliable movements with an impressive eye for design and, perhaps more importantly: a story.

Their first collection, the Renaissance dress watch, was a direct nod to HMT and the kind of accessible pieces they used to make. The story of those watches is the story of Indian watchmaking.

For the second watch however, the story is obvious even to those of us not well-versed in the region’s horological history. The Mach 1 is, very clearly, a pilot’s watch, with its clear, legible layout and high-contrast white numerals on black complete with the Indian flag front and centre. The eyecatching blue version goes a step further, referencing the exact colour of an Indian Air Force officer’s shirt.

The Bangalore Watch Company has created a range of timepieces reflecting the modern soul in India The final and most recent collection – bringing the total up to one full collection a year – is the Cover Drive, which is quite possibly the ultimate Cricket watch. Sporting details aside (the wicket 12 o’clock indicator, cricket bat second hand counterweight, the 4 and 6 referencing boundary shots), it’s a practical watch for cricket lovers with its over-tracking bezel.

The Cover Drive isn’t just a great-looking sports watch – particularly in that green. Wow. It’s a solidly-made timepiece and one that reflects what is arguably the main religion in modern India. Forget gold-rendered Hindu gods; if you want to know what a real Indian watch looks like, the Bangalore Watch Company is it.

Find out more at bangalorewatchco.in

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oracle insights

O r a c le

INSIGHTS THE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT AND WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THEM.

Dashing Tweeds, Verdant Gloves for Men Tweed has needed a 21st century update and Dashing Tweeds has delivered. They offer a range of high quality fabrics that you can buy by the metre, in lots of bright and exciting styles. But don’t forget to check their tailored options too; just look at their product of the month, the Verdant Gloves for men. The vibrant green tweed is made from Merino wool and they have a soft leather grip. Modern tweed for the modern sportsperson. £111, dashingtweeds.co.uk

SIMON FISH SMOKING JACKET Having spent more than 15 years learning his craft and working on Saville Row, Simon Fish is a tailor with a dynamic vision who now produces his very own range of clothing. His non-traditional approach to patterns is evident in his men’s luxury smoking jackets, available in two variations for white tie and black tie events. Its single button and peaked lapel combination is simple yet refined, perfectly off-setting the more daring and bold design. £2200, simonlloydfish.com

WATERFORD ORGANIC WHISKY GAIA 01 Not only is the Gaia 01 the first entry in Waterford’s new Arcadian Series, it’s also the first Irish whisky to be certified organic according to the strict regulations of the Organic Trust.

It marks a move back towards the land and ingredients that Waterford feel have been forgotten by their competitors. The whisky really lets the flavour of the barley in its single malt shine through, worthy of the name of an ancient Earth goddess. £77, waterfordwhisky.com

NICCOLÒ P. POLO SHIRTS The polo shirt is a design that will always be popular, it’s simple, versatile and looks great in almost any situation.

Niccolò P. has taken this garment and given it the attention it deserves, crafting each piece in Italy with the finest luxury materials from around the world, such as Egyptian Mako cotton and West Indian Sea Island cotton. The brand produces a large range of colours and limited-edition variants with embellishments and added details.

Starting from £90, niccolo-p.com

Molequin, Saffiano Collection A watch is a personal investment and you want it to reflect yourself, which sometimes means personalising it with a new strap. Molequin produce a wide range of leather straps from ethical sources to suit every type of watch.

Just check out their Saffiano collection, a varied, colourful array of straps in sumptuous Italian leather – and none is more sumptuous than this beautiful cream number. €105 (approx. £95), molequin.com

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oracle insights

CRANFIELD SIMULATION RACING SIMULATOR At the highest end of motor sport, simulators are used to train drivers to hone their reactions and familiarise them with tracks and cars. Now, it’s an experience you can have at home. Cranfield Simulation has developed F1 spec simulators, based on military grade jet fighter training modules, allowing you to drive any car on any track in the world, without leaving the garage. Each system is built to order with a variety of interior and exterior decoration available. Prices range from £36,000 to £129,000 depending on specification. cranfieldsimulation.com

TRIBAL EYES KA Recent events have shown just how important Personal Protective Equipment is, it can save lives.

Which is why a proportion of every sale of Tribal Eyes’ eyewear goes towards procuring protective eye goggles for African hospitals. That alone is enough reason to buy them. Throw in the fact that they come in the stylish traditional patterns and colours of Africa, such as the KA’s earthy palette and classic motifs, and you have some seriously cool, and potentially lifesaving, products. $250 (approx. £180), tribaleyesshop.com

Ruark Audio R1 Mk4 Radio Sure, you’re probably racking your brain to dredge up the last time you actually listened to the radio, but there’s a charm to the format, especially when it looks as good as Ruark’s thirdgeneration R1. A wooden grille, charmingly retro silhouette and Bluetooth connectivity – so that no, you’re not restricted to Smooth FM – makes this a great bedside music device, even in this decade. £229, ruarkaudio.com

NEW & LINGWOOD DRESSING GOWNS

Beau-Rivage Watchmaking Tours Geneva and watchmaking go hand-in-hand and the Beau Rivage is at the heart of both. If you want to explore the centre of horological history, there’s no better way than with the Hotel Beau-Rivage’s watchmaking experience. Try your hand at haute horology with a masterclass at the Initium workshop in Geneva Old Town, before a tour of the Patek Philippe Museum and one night’s stay at the superlative hotel. Watchmaking at its most luxurious.

The Beau-Rivage full-day experience starts at CHF3,294 (approx. £2,728) based on two adults sharing a Deluxe Room on a B&B basis. beau-rivage.ch

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A woolly jumper for Christmas isn’t exactly the most inventive gift in the world. But a tie, five pocket squares and a tweed face mask? Now we’re talking. This gift set from Oliver Brown is inspired by the Great British outdoors with its fun animal-themed accessories and countryside colours. It’ll have you feeling like the lord of the manor, even if calling your central London patch of grass an ‘estate’ is a bit of a stretch. £695-£3,500, newandlingwood.com

Teufelsberg #4

www.finewatches.berlin

BACK — microbrand corner

MICROBRAND

CORNER From avant-garde accessibility to niche haute horology, this is the latest and greatest from the creative world of microbrands

THE SPECS

• 41mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance • Japanese automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve • €650 (approx. £575), stewartdawson.com

Stewart Dawson Voyager

Taking many of its style cues from classic GMT models, the latest from British microbrand Stewart Dawson brings a pop of bright colour to the archetypal traveller’s complication. Available in standard-but-safe black or blue, bold red or a downright lovely green – all with matching, lume-laced bezels – the voyager is a smart, pared-back dose of value-driven class. stewartdawson.com

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THE SPECS • 40mm stainless steel case with 200m water resistance • Miyota 9015 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve • $499 (approx. £365), axioswatches.com

Axios Flagship

It may, apparently, be inspired by the nautical heritage of Horatio Nelson, but the Axios Flagship is a seriously fun watch that sails far closer to retro than classical. That goes double for the Temeraire, with its light teal bezel with an orange 15-minute section. It’s big, bold and makes for a retro diver that surfaces above the wave of similar-minded models out there. axioswatches.com

Simpl

Reverse Misty

THE SPECS

• 40mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance • Japanese Miyota manual-wind movement • $189 (Approx. £140), simplwatch.com

Simpl by name, simple by nature, the Reverse takes stripped-back, Bauhaus style to the extreme, to the point of eliminating the faff and fuss of hands. Instead, the dial rotates to tell the time, marked off with a line on the case at where 10 o’clock would normally be. It’s an inventive, visually intriguing watch, especially in the latest Misty colourway with its white dial. Minimalism has nothing on Simpl. simplwatch.com

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THE SPECS • 43mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance • Seiko NE88a automatic movement with 45-hour power reserve • £975, marloewatchcompany.com

Marloe

Atlantic Chronoscope Spirit Living up to its name, the latest from accessible British watch brand Marloe is all about the golden age of transatlantic air travel, the glory days of Pan Am and the like. The Atlantic Spirit takes its design cues from the silvery Spirit of St. Louis, which completed the first solo Atlantic crossing in 1927. That means a raw aluminium take on classic flieger style, and it works. marloewatchcompany.com

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THE SPECS • 34mm rose gold PVD-coated stainless steel case with 30m water resistance • Seiko TMI VH61 Quartz movement • $199 (approx. £149), undone.com

Undone Urban34 Navi

We don’t often cover women’s watches here; not because we have anything against them, but diamonds and pearls wear thin. The same can’t be said of the Undone34 Navi. As the name suggests, this is a downsized take on their flagship Urban line and shares the same vintage look, with an ever-elegant black and gold colourway. Complete with a quick change strap system with five strap colours available, it’s a cool, accessible women’s watch – and without a diamond in sight. undone.com

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END — moviewatch

M OVIE WATC H

Outside the Wire In an era where movie theatres are ghost towns, Netflix has upped their feature-length game with not just an impressive and ever-expanding selection of movies from other studios, but an equally-impressive slate of their own. Apparently they have all the money.

A good part of that money has been spent on their latest high-octane, sci-fi action spectacle, Outside the Wire. Following Anthony Mackie’s android specs ops soldier and a drone pilot on their way to stop a nuclear attack, it’s not exactly high concept. It is, however, a damn good time. If you liked Mackie as The Falcon, you’re thinking along the right lines.

So what does a technologically-enhanced super-marine wear to keep

G-SHOCK AND AWE

What else would a special ops soldier wear but a G-SHOCK Mudmaster GWG-1000? (left)

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track of the time? Some cranial implant, we’d assume. The film however has him wearing quite possibly the perfect bit military-spec wrist gear: the G-SHOCK Mudmaster GWG-1000.

The shock-resistant, mud-resistant chunk of digital-analogue timekeeping technology is a serious watch and designed specifically with military forces in mind. Not only does its chunky look suit the assault-rifle toting Mackie, but it looks like a natural part of his gear. It’ll also survive just about anything, meaning that if he doesn’t manage to get to the bomb in time (no spoilers here) at least you know his watch’ll survive.

Funnily enough, this isn’t the first time director Mikael Hafstrom has opted for G-Shock timepieces, but then it’s also not the first time he’s done a silly-but-fun action romp. His other credits include Escape Plan and Derailed, both solid evenings in with a few beers.

Outside the Wire’s probably not going to be the last time you see a G-Shock on Netflix if Hafstrom has anything to do with it, and it certainly won’t be the last time we see Mackie, even if that does mean hopping over to Disney+.