About time

By now, you will have heard that Apple has created a smartwatch it has rather smartly called Apple Watch. This new fangled contrabulous fabtraption, which is due out early next year, will bring millions of people who never wear a watch into the horology fold. But let's be honest, it's not really a watch is it? I've read reports that the Apple Watch threatens mid-price mechanical watches - those priced around HK$10,000 or slightly over - but, realistically, it's not competing in the same space. The Apple Watch, or any smart watch, lacks the soul of a beautifully machined and handmade mechanical piece. Moreover, it's not techy enough to be halfway useful (think Knight Rider and the watch Michael could speak to Kitt on). In short, it's a glorified Casio calculator watch but without the ironic hipster cache. Bah!

That said, I'll probably end up buying one, just like I did with the smartphone and the man-bag. But until I do sell out like the spineless turncoat I am, I will bang the drum for the mechanical watch as long and as loudly as I can, continuing this week with a look at three particularly tasty timepieces.

We'll start with Breguet, a brand that couldn't be more removed from the mass-produced-in-Chinese-factories thing that Apple charges a premium for. The Breguet Classique Complications looks as elegant as James Bond in a Henry Poole tuxedo sipping Balvenie Doublewood 12 Year Old. The latest model has a 42mm platinum case well suited to all the pattern techniques used on the face - hobnail, straight chevron, barleycorn and cross-hatching. The hours and minutes are arranged in the traditional way but the power-reserve indicator cuts in dramatically on the left side of the dial and, on the bottom right, is a rather splendid tourbillon. Inside is a gorgeous Cal 581DR movement with an impressive 80 hours of power reserve and all the hidden technology Breguet doesn't need to boast about. The Breguet Classique Complications platinum is priced at HK$972,800.

Next is the A Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Timezone Luminous. Oh what a peach! I defy any man to call this timepiece ugly, and if you do, well, I would have to demand satisfaction. Lange is the apex of German watchmaking but what really makes it a joy is its obsessive attention to detail. The 41.9mm case on this beaut comes in platinum, pink gold or white gold. As the name suggests, this is a world-time watch with city names on the outer ring of dial and a second, smaller time zone indicator, both of which have day/night indicators. Other features include the iconic oversized date window and the up/down power-reserve indicator. Inside is an in-house L031.1 movement driving 72 hours of power. The Lange 1 Timezone Luminous is priced HK$399,000.

Finally, we have the Chopard Classic Manufacture - a simple watch, but therein lies its power; you don't need the bells and whistles to make a statement. The case is 18-carat white gold and the only features on the dial are the small seconds and date indicator. Inside is an in-house 01.04-C movement. If ever there was a watch that said a lot by saying little, this is it. The Chopard Classic Manufacture is priced at HK$114,000.