I'm always sniffy and dismissive of people who attend geek fests such as Comic-Con, not because I don't like comic books (they're called "graphic novels", Mum, for the last time) but because I can never understand how you could like them enough to fly to San Diego to be surrounded by invariably socially challenged man-boys with poor personal hygiene and a strong grasp of Klingon. Alas, the realisation has dawned upon me as I gear up to attend Baselworld that the world's biggest watch fair these days is as much of a geek fest filled with sullen, awkward men as Comic-Con; they just tend to wear suits instead of Spider-Man costumes.
Yes, Baselworld is just around the corner and the hype this year is reaching a crescendo. What used to be a trade-only show is now open to watch lovers the world over, about 122,000 of them, so the attendees come from all walks of life. And boy is it busy!
Sorting through the deluge of pre-Baselworld e-mails from watch brands, three accessibly priced watches have caught my eye, starting with the Tissot PRS 516 Extreme (right), a modern spin on the famous PR 516 timepiece of the 1960s. The case design is meant to echo the bodywork of modern cars and the dial is a wristwatch-sized interpretation of a racing dashboard. The primary features are chronograph, with the dial featuring 30-minute, six-hour and small seconds counters as well as a central 60-seconds chronograph hand. Inside is a reliable and robust ETA movement that keeps the price down. The stainless-steel case is coated with sporty-looking black PVD. The Tissot PRS 516 Extreme hasn't been priced yet but don't expect it to be much over HK$15,000.
Another moderately priced star is the Frederique Constant Classics Manufacture Worldtimer (right). Aside from looking the business, with a map of the world dominating the dial and firmly telling everyone that this is a world-time watch, the timepiece also features a clever time- and function-adjusting mechanism that can be controlled by just one crown. The Classics Manufacture Worldtimer was first released in 2012 but for this year Frederique Constant has added a welcome highly polished stainless-steel-case version. Inside this new iteration is an in-house FC-718 movement providing 42 hours of power reserve. The most technically advanced movement made by Frederique Constant, the FC-718 is another example of its fast-developing prowess in movement manufacture. Aside from world time, features on this watch include an extra-large date counter at the six o'clock position and a 24-hour disc with day-night indicator. Prices for the new steel-on-steel version of the Classics Manufacture Worldtimer have, again, not been confirmed but don't expect to pay anything north of HK$30,000.
Lastly, we have the Ball Watch Fireman Storm Chaser Pro (right), which should have you opening your wallets for the name alone. This chronograph timepiece has been designed in collaboration with meteorologists, so there is some method behind the name. The watch has an imposing black dial complemented by a black leather strap, with the 42mm case made of steel. There is a chronograph with two subdials, as well as a telemeter. However, the key features of this watch are its strength and usefulness in challenging and, one would presume, stormy conditions. The watch has shock resistance to 5,000Gs, water resistance to 100 metres and, of course, the patented Ball Watch H3 gas tube system, which is 100 times more brilliant than normal luminescence. Prices for the Ball Watch Fireman Storm Chaser Pro have not yet been released.
