https://www.scmp.com/rss/27699/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Rolex, Breguet, Patek Philippe—they’re some of the biggest names in luxury watches. But there are also many independent makers whose designs rival those of the big brands, both in quality and price. Independent watchmakers stand in contrast to the big companies that make up a majority of the market. They more or less make the watches themselves, injecting their own personalities into designs. Most spend months working on just one piece, a culmination of skill, passion, and patience. Lin Yonghua... https://www.scmp.com/culture/shenzhen-chinese-watchmaker-lin-yong-hua/article/3119096?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/shenzhen-chinese-watchmaker-lin-yong-hua/article/3119096?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Jan 2021 09:53:30 +0000 The Shanghai watch company has the distinction of being China’s very first watch factory, and over 60 years ago, produced the country’s first mechanical watch. Compared with Swiss counterparts, the first Shanghai watch was inexpensive, at just 120 yuan, or $295 in today’s dollars. But against the country’s average monthly income of 36 yuan, the watch was largely an aspirational luxury item for the masses. And from the 1950s up until the ’70s, everyone in China wanted one, because the late... https://www.scmp.com/culture/chinas-first-mechanical-watch-still-total-steal/article/2153716?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/chinas-first-mechanical-watch-still-total-steal/article/2153716?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jul 2018 06:15:00 +0000 Wild boys! Wild boys! Wild boys! The wild boys are calling. No really, they are. OK, that was an oblique opening, and perhaps betrays my unfathomable fondness for British pop group Duran Duran, but in the past few weeks, I’ve been deluged with info on new watches from the “wild boys” of the industry: the upstart independents. Last week we looked at three show-stoppers from the Salon International de la Haute Horlo­gerie, the first big watch fair of the year, but they were all from estab­lished... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2131393/three-wildly-wonderful-watches-check-out-bad-boys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2131393/three-wildly-wonderful-watches-check-out-bad-boys?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Feb 2018 10:33:16 +0000 It’s all rather unbecoming but I’m feeling giddy this week. No, it’s not because Nintendo has unveiled a new series of toys, made of, uh, cardboard. Or because of hilarious reports that the president of the US of A paid hush money to a porn star to cover up an affair (although I’m still laughing at that). Rather the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), in Geneva, Switzerland, the first big watch fair of the year, has closed its doors and there’s been a rush of new releases. Yay!... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2130213/nintendo-donald-trump-whats-making-our-watch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2130213/nintendo-donald-trump-whats-making-our-watch?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jan 2018 10:31:01 +0000 Sophisticated timepieces made with this precious metal are all the rage https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2127784/sophisticated-watches-rose-gold-are-all-rage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2127784/sophisticated-watches-rose-gold-are-all-rage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jan 2018 11:00:45 +0000 Ah Christmas! I know it’s only the middle of November, but the big brands have already started the “Christmas creep” propaganda. It used to be that the Christmas shopping season started after Thanksgiving but, nowadays, the store decorations and the offers start in October. OCTOBER! I should protest about this barely hidden corporate push to get us shopping earlier but, to be honest, I’m also a ditherer, so the longer I have to think about gift buying the better, I figure. Or something. Anyway... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2118873/three-watches-will-make-great-christmas-gifts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2118873/three-watches-will-make-great-christmas-gifts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Nov 2017 09:45:30 +0000 Remember, remember, the fifth of November. If you are expecting fireworks, well, you’re going to be disappointed, but this week we have three watches that nail the current trend for colourful timepieces. Yes, white dials are just too boring, colour is king and even the more rarefied brands are outdoing them­selves in this regard. FP Journe is the critics’ darling and beloved by collectors, and with the Chronomètre Holland & Holland, the Swiss brand is entering new territory. The timepiece is the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2118111/go-watches-anything-boring-white?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2118111/go-watches-anything-boring-white?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Nov 2017 09:47:52 +0000 So I bought Nintendo’s Super NES Classic. Overpaid for it, of course. The video-game consoles are scarce because Nintendo, being Nintendo, misjudged how many people would want one. If you want to escape from the hell that is modern life and retreat into childish happiness and innocence, I recommend getting your own. OK, there’s no real link between my buying the SNES Classic and watches. But it’s what I’ve been mostly doing with my week so I thought I would share. Seriously, get one. Review:... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2116823/three-underdog-watch-brands-worth-investing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2116823/three-underdog-watch-brands-worth-investing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Oct 2017 09:31:55 +0000 Revvin’ up your engine Listen to her howlin’ roar Metal under tension Beggin’ you to touch and go Highway to the danger zone Ride into the danger zone. I’ve been flying a lot recently and as a weird, it’s-only-funny-in-my-head ritual I’ve taken to listening to American singer Kenny Loggins’ powerful words every time I board a plane. Danger Zone doesn’t get me quite as pumped as it does Maverick but it does make flying a lot easier. It takes my mind off the bad food, the deep-vein-thrombosis... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2115959/three-pilot-watches-high-fliers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2115959/three-pilot-watches-high-fliers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Oct 2017 04:30:44 +0000 Bulgari The ultrathin Octo Finissimo Skeleton Tourbillon in titanium, featuring a circular decorative motif, displays masculine aesthetic and understated elegance, HK$163,500 Piaget Fuchsia bougainvillea flower prints and a glass micro-mosaic adorn the dial of the ultra-thin watch. Price on request Tiffany & Co. The Metro timepiece in stainless steel with round-cut and baguette-cut diamonds is light and elegant, HK$51,000 Cartier With only 100 pieces available, the Tank Cintrée in pink gold... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2114506/six-light-watches-prove-thin-still?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2114506/six-light-watches-prove-thin-still?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Oct 2017 00:00:15 +0000 Budgeting sucks. For realsies. There’s nothing more boring than being sensible with money. I am a risk-taker. If I don’t leave the house and spend all my money on magic beans sold to me by a silk-tongued mountebank with fingerless gloves and a cheeky-chappy cockney accent then I’m doing life all wrong. Alas, that attitude has left me on the fringes of bourgeois society, living in a rented flat filled with magic beans. To make matters worse, watch companies, realising we live in austere times,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2114684/watches-under-hk100000-stainless-steel-versions-dont?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2114684/watches-under-hk100000-stainless-steel-versions-dont?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Oct 2017 09:46:41 +0000 Opera is a delicate art and deserves all the attention. Harry Winston has created a pair of ultraluxurious glasses for a close-up appreciation of the highbrow activity. The hefty HK$7 million price helps you focus on the performance. The Broadway Glasses by Harry Winston are the epitome of one the luxury jeweller’s favourite haunts – New York City during the 1930s filled with art-deco pieces, Broadway musicals and majestic skyscrapers. Inspired by the city’s lively cultural scene, the opera... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2114117/are-harry-winstons-broadway-glasses-worth-hk7?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2114117/are-harry-winstons-broadway-glasses-worth-hk7?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Oct 2017 08:30:15 +0000 As the celebrated writer behind the Post Magazine watch column (stop sniggering), there’s always one question people ask when they meet me in person. Well, actually, that’s a lie; there are three questions people ask me: first, “If money were no object, what watch would you buy?”; second, “You’re not very tall, are you?”; and third, “What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be here.” Strangely, I get more annoyed at the first question than the second, or third, as it is such a hard question to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2113911/three-watches-every-man-should-dream-owning-and-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2113911/three-watches-every-man-should-dream-owning-and-why?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Oct 2017 11:00:34 +0000 It’s been a strange week of reliving my youth, and not in a good way. Pennywise the Clown from the movie It is back to haunt my dreams (seriously, why would they reboot something so terrifying and ruin clowns for a whole new generation?), Star Trek is back on television (and I’m still left wondering why I would care when I didn’t in the 1990s) and a string of 90s bands are touring again (the world is in enough pain right now, we don’t need Matchbox Twenty adding to it). Anyway, if we are going... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2113002/three-classic-watches-get-reboot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2113002/three-classic-watches-get-reboot?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Sep 2017 10:32:32 +0000 Bleu is the colour for Hong Kong-based French photographer Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze, who first became fascinated by the city’s twilight “blue hour” after moving here in 2009. His latest pictures showing Hong Kong at dusk were featured in the “An Invitation to Travel: Blue Hour, Hong Kong Overseas” exhibition, at Kong Art Space in SoHo, last week, hosted by Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin, to coincide with the launch of its six new Overseas collection timepieces. Vacheron Constantin... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2112433/romain-jacquet-lagreze-captures-hong-kongs-blue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2112433/romain-jacquet-lagreze-captures-hong-kongs-blue?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Sep 2017 09:30:00 +0000 Fashion! Turn to the left. Fashion! Turn to the right. Oooh, fashion! We are the goon squad and we’re coming to town. Beep-beep. Beep-beep. In describing the world of high fashion, the late great David Bowie #NailedIt. Particularly the beep beeps. Take that, fashion! What’s that? The song is probably about fascism? Wait, what? Really? Oh. Anyway, fashion has an odd relationship with the watch industry. There’s a certain amount of snootiness on both sides: the watch crowd feel like the fast and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2111833/three-attractive-designer-watches-fashion-brands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2111833/three-attractive-designer-watches-fashion-brands?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Sep 2017 10:31:56 +0000 There’s no film cameo quite like a watch cameo. Over the years the hit film series featuring British secret agent James Bond have always seen him find the time to glance at fine wristwatches – often packed with useful get-out-of-trouble gadgets. Yet, the Bond films are not alone in featuring characters that wear stylish timepieces. Here we take a look at our top five favourite watches that have played integral roles in films. 1. Carl F. Bucherer in Atomic Blonde (2017) Charlize Theron stars in... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2105491/top-five-watches-hollywood-films-james-bond?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2105491/top-five-watches-hollywood-films-james-bond?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Aug 2017 02:00:30 +0000 Milk and honey. Pen and paper. Hall and Oates. There are some things that naturally fit together, collaborations that become more than the sum of their parts and, in some cases, these alliances can reach heavenly perfection (Maneater, people!). On the other hand, corporate partnerships, solely predicated on making money, can seem a bit forced, cheap and leave you feeling dirty (think Eddie Murphy and Michael Jackson’s 1993 collaboration, Whatzupwitu. What was up with both of them?). In a bid to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2102194/three-watches-made-collaboration-carmakers-score?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2102194/three-watches-made-collaboration-carmakers-score?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jul 2017 10:30:23 +0000 Among the 500 million monthly active users shopping Alibaba’s online platforms Taobao and Tmall, a very small group at the top of the spending pyramid have been quietly classified with a unique status. The group, made up of roughly one out of every 5,000 users, are rendered “Alibaba Passport” holders, with the label “APASS” appearing on their user profile. A day in the life of a big spender on Alibaba’s online shopping sites The membership programme has maintained a low profile since its launch... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/2101767/hey-big-spender-alibaba-confers-elite-status-100000-super?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/2101767/hey-big-spender-alibaba-confers-elite-status-100000-super?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jul 2017 02:30:15 +0000 We’re heading into the long July 4 holiday weekend, and the easy thing to write about would have been watches from the good ol’ US of A. Alas, I’m not American and we are not in America, and if I’m honest, American watches are downright awful. Sorry, Uncle Sam, but it’s true. You are, however, great at other things and I abso­lutely loved the 1996 movie Independence Day. Still do. “Welcome to Earth!” Ah, memories. Hang on. Two decades ago? What have I done with my life? Swiss smartwatches... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2100231/three-best-smartwatches-help-you-stay-connected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2100231/three-best-smartwatches-help-you-stay-connected?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jun 2017 10:31:38 +0000 This column’s recent deep dive into the sonic output of the late Scatman John elicited a furious response from my loyal readers. All of five of them. It seems the Scatman is a divisive figure, with many questioning his oeuvre, his legacy and, in one case, his scat skills. I won’t reopen this can of phonic worms (or open the one marked “Phil Collins”), so this week I’ll try and stick to the watches.* Despite the sun shining outside, against all odds, I’ve been taking a look at some new pieces... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2099185/three-rocking-new-watches-2017-divers-die?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2099185/three-rocking-new-watches-2017-divers-die?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jun 2017 10:30:26 +0000 There’s no theme this week, as I’m feeling all Scatman John and living in a Scatman’s world, if you will. For all the wags out there, it’s not because I’m follicly challenged or look great with a moustache, and it’s not even because my ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop ranks with the best of them. No. I just wanted to freestyle it like the late American musician John Paul Larkin and talk about the watches that came across my desk this week that were good enough to elicit a Roger Mooresque raised eyebrow of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2097141/three-watches-will-make-you-go-ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2097141/three-watches-will-make-you-go-ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jun 2017 10:01:36 +0000 The emphasis at Rolex is on expanding and updating iconic models with a renewed focus on quality and creativity. The brand’s Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller was updated for its 50th anniversary with a larger 43mm case and is powered by the new calibre 3235. The movement boasts 14 patents, including the black Cerachrom bezel insert. The dial features luminescent Chromalight hour markers and hands. In a departure from tradition, a Cyclops lens is at 3 o’clock. The timepiece is water resistant to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095691/rolex-renews-focus-quality-and-creativity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095691/rolex-renews-focus-quality-and-creativity?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jun 2017 02:00:00 +0000 For a heritage watch brand such as Patek Philippe, there was a wealth of inspiration to be had by inspecting a legacy stretching back 178 years. This year, among a host of new models, the brand highlighted the 20th anniversary of the Aquanaut collection, and the 40th anniversary of the Calibre 240, an ultrathin self-winding movement. The Aquanaut, popular for its sporty yet chic style, debuted new versions, including the Travel Time Ref. 5650G Advanced Research in white gold and limited to 500... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095687/patek-philippe-178-year-heritage-has-plenty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095687/patek-philippe-178-year-heritage-has-plenty?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jun 2017 02:00:15 +0000 There’s no better excuse for a celebration than an anniversary – and at Omega, it has three. This year, the brand celebrates the 60th anniversary of its launch in 1957 of three sports watches that would go on to become classics: the Seamaster 300, the Railmaster and the Speedmaster. To celebrate this milestone anniversary, Omega rolled out three special anniversary edition timepieces that can be bought either as individual pieces, or as a collector’s limited edition Trilogy set. Each individual... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095685/omegas-1957-classics-released-special-anniversary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095685/omegas-1957-classics-released-special-anniversary?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jun 2017 02:00:30 +0000 Guy Ritchie must really hate being Guy Ritchie right about now. Following on from the box-office bomb that was The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015), the mockney director has served up another stinker with King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. I’m probably one of the few people in the world who has seen the film. I didn’t hate it – it was a mix of Game of Thrones and Snatch, Game of Snatch, if you will – but it wasn’t very good, either. So unsurprisingly, it’s bombing hard, which is particularly galling... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2096232/bargain-three-watches-wont-break-bank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2096232/bargain-three-watches-wont-break-bank?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 May 2017 09:30:30 +0000 Longines celebrated its 185th anniversary at Baselworld by taking watch lovers on a trip down memory lane while offering a glimpse of the future. The watchmaker showed its new Record collection, a line-up of automatic models in classic style. The movement includes a single-crystal silicon balance spring, a first for the brand and certified as a “chronometer” by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). Available in 26mm, 30mm, 38.5mm and 40mm, the new collection is designed for... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095673/longines-juggles-future-and-past-bringing-out-its?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095673/longines-juggles-future-and-past-bringing-out-its?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 May 2017 02:48:39 +0000 Blancpain reinterprets one of its vintage pieces from the 1950s, the Fifty Fathoms. The “Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC” is fitted with the brand’s in-house automatic winding calibre 1151, comprising 210 components including two series-coupled mainspring barrels and offering a four-day power reserve. The watch has a stainless steel 40mm case. The movement as well as its solid gold winding rotor with a NAC coating (a platinum alloy) and Blancpain logo are visible through the clear sapphire... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095604/blancpain-reinterprets-one-its-vintage-pieces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095604/blancpain-reinterprets-one-its-vintage-pieces?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 May 2017 04:01:28 +0000 It’s been less than a decade since British jeweller Graff opened its watchmaking division and the name has already come to be identified with some of the most complicated and technologically advanced timepieces. Continuing to build on collections that wowed the world at last year’s Baselworld, Graff has showcased some striking new models this time round, such as the unique hand-chiselled MasterGraff GyroGraff World pieces. One of the focal points is the new World Night Asia Dial, crafted in a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095663/graffs-bejewelled-watches-are-art-wrist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095663/graffs-bejewelled-watches-are-art-wrist?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 May 2017 01:31:46 +0000 So unless you’re over the age of 30 or live under a rock or don’t have Snapchat (or all three in my case), Harry Styles has a new album out and, you know what? ... it ain’t half bad (is what I told myself in the first week at least). Young Harry, once of boy band One Direction, has gone all “legit” and is writing his own songs and playing his own instruments, if we are to believe the lame stream media (and who does these days? That doesn’t mean you should stop reading). And, yes, his David Bowie... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2095418/david-bowies-watchmaking-world-brands-still-rock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2095418/david-bowies-watchmaking-world-brands-still-rock?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 May 2017 23:33:31 +0000 With the launch of Ref. 7922 in 1954, Swiss watch-maker Tudor laid down the aesthetic and technical foundations of a long line of ergonomic, legible, accurate and robust dive watches. The fact that Tudor was asked by the US and French navies in the1960s to produce tool watches for its sailors serves as testament to the company’s technical prowess and know-how. Since its launch in 2012, the Heritage Black Bay line has been leading the brand’s deep-sea exploration into a new phase. For the second... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095658/tudor-ventures-deeper-launch-more-black-bay-watch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095658/tudor-ventures-deeper-launch-more-black-bay-watch?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 May 2017 10:03:04 +0000 B aselworld 2017 revealed two things in March. The world’s biggest watch and jewellery fair showed how maisons are shifting from the spectacle and splash of the past decade - and that the industry faces challenging times. There were fewer high complications and more simple designs at the show. The ultra-thin Classique 7147 by Breguet is a wonderful example, with a clean face of grand feu enamel and three simple and elegant hands. The seconds sub-dial at 5 o’clock is slightly recessed, adding... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095636/move-towards-realistic-watch-sizes-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2095636/move-towards-realistic-watch-sizes-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 May 2017 02:32:26 +0000 This season offers an impressive range of elegant novelties for women Dior A one-of-a-kind piece in the world, the Dior Grand Bal Pièce Unique Galaxie Cygnusok presents a graceful dial embellished with a 360° functional oscillating weight and a range of glittering diamonds and sapphires. Price on request Dior timepieces show exquisite craftsmanship and details at Baselworld 2017 Chopard The responsibly sourced emeralds from Gemfields’ mines and diamonds from a Responsible Jewellery Council... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2093802/six-womens-watches-impressive-gems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2093802/six-womens-watches-impressive-gems?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 May 2017 03:00:21 +0000 Fashion. It’s all just silly fun, isn’t it? No? You don’t like it? It’s stupid you say? Come on, rainy face, let the sunshine out. OK, the outright silliness of the Met Gala parade in New York this month probably won’t win over people to fashion’s cause, but remember, those bouts of absurdities trickle down into what we will all be wearing in a few years’ time. Probably. Anyway, there’s enough room in the world for the flights of fancy and bursts of creativity found in high fashion, well, apart... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2093751/when-high-fashion-meets-fine-watchmaking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2093751/when-high-fashion-meets-fine-watchmaking?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 May 2017 09:01:03 +0000 There’s something inherently troubling about men over the age of 30 wearing white trainers. Call it the Jerry Seinfeld effect, but it just looks wrong, especially as men over 30 suddenly grow a fondness for high-waisted blue jeans and billowy shirts. Just no. I’m over 30, so I’m not just saying this as a bratty millennial. Indeed, I don’t think I’ve worn expressly white trainers since the financial crash of 2008 – my own silent tribute to the time the world got credit-crunched. Where am I going... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2092397/three-watches-embrace-colour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2092397/three-watches-embrace-colour?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 May 2017 23:02:12 +0000 Reach out and touch faith. So goes the chorus of Depeche Mode’s biggest hit, Personal Jesus. It’s a song, like Blue Monday by New Order and Toxic by Britney Spears, that everyone likes and you don’t have to be all goth about it. Sadly, I never had a goth phase, my sunny disposition and lack of hair on top probably didn’t help. And no, a fondness for the musical whining of Robert Smith does not a goth make. There must, however, be some committed goths working in the watch industry at the moment... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2090423/three-black-black-watches-will-appeal-goth-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2090423/three-black-black-watches-will-appeal-goth-you?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Apr 2017 10:23:37 +0000 The opening scene in gangster movie Sexy Beast (2000) has been plaguing my thoughts recently. In it, you see a corpulent Ray Winstone sunning himself in the baking heat of the “Costa del Crime”, in southern Spain, in an attempt to bronze his doggedly pink skin. For some reason, that got me thinking about tanning, or rather fake tans, and then from there my mind wandered to the decidedly orange-hued president in the White House and his inability to evenly cover the areas around his eyes. And from... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2088502/three-outstanding-watches-bronze-trend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2088502/three-outstanding-watches-bronze-trend?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Apr 2017 23:01:32 +0000 The world’s premier watch and jewellery trade exhibition traces its roots back to 1917 and this year’s Baselworld expo didn’t miss a beat in playing up its 100-year history. The past week’s show opened to garlanded grandeur, but it belied the uncertainty the Swiss watch world is facing. According to data from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, Swiss watch sales fell globally in February, down 10 per cent year on year. That included a 12.5 per cent fall in Hong Kong, and a worrying 26... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/watches/article/2083779/why-baselworld-no-longer-reliable-swiss-watch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/watches/article/2083779/why-baselworld-no-longer-reliable-swiss-watch?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Apr 2017 12:00:14 +0000 Instagram. Is it the most pernicious tech­nological medium ever invented? That’s a yes, by the way. More so than Facebook and Snapchat, Instagram really grinds my gears. Not only has it led to the rise of the Kardashians, it has pushed seemingly sensible people into taking selfies, curating fake narratives about their lives and using hashtags such as #namaste without a sense of irony. Watch-focused Instagram accounts are the worst, with timepieces being used as props to exhibit 1 per cent-er... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2082831/three-baselworld-watches-had-social-media-buzzing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2082831/three-baselworld-watches-had-social-media-buzzing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Mar 2017 10:33:27 +0000 Patek Philippe revisted some of its most iconic bestsellers at this year’s Baselworld. One of the most talked about new launches includes the Aquanaut Travel Time Ref 5650 G, created in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Aquanaut collection. The piece, available in a limited series of 500 pieces, features two of Patek’s new innovations – the Spiromax balance sprint made of Silinvar and a compliant mechanism that’s used to set the second time zone in time-zone watches. The flexible... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2083123/patek-philippe-revamps-iconic-models-celebrate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2083123/patek-philippe-revamps-iconic-models-celebrate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Mar 2017 07:30:00 +0000 There are six timepieces at Baselworld that you don’t want to miss: Jaquet Droz: Loving Butterfly Automaton Known for its exquisite automaton works, Jaquet Droz surprised watch connoisseurs with a new launch this year. The Loving Butterfly Automaton features on the Petite Heure Minute dial a fluttering butterfly pulling a cherub in an animated chariot with its wheels, turning it into an optical illusion. The watch took three years to develop. Only 28 pieces available for either white or red... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2082418/6-over-top-watches-dazzled-baselworld-2017?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2082418/6-over-top-watches-dazzled-baselworld-2017?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Mar 2017 07:00:15 +0000 Roger Dubuis is steering its creativity in a new direction with a partnership that promises to move its innovative streak up a gear. This year’s SIHH debuted the brand’s alliance with Formula One tyre maker Pirelli, launched on the back of a “dare to be rare” campaign for the first of the novelties. They are the Excalibur Spider Pirelli Double Flying Tourbillon and the Excalibur Spider Pirelli Automatic Skeleton, featuring straps made from a Pirelli tyre, but not just any old tyre. The... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/topics/sihh-2017/article/2082391/roger-dubuis-launches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/topics/sihh-2017/article/2082391/roger-dubuis-launches?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Mar 2017 04:45:00 +0000 A handful of A. Lange & Söhne watches bear the “Pour le Mérite” title. The order of merit at the Saxon manufacture refers to five exclusive timepieces, each equipped with the sought-after fusée-and-chain transmission. In 1994, A. Lange & Söhne debuted the “Pour le Mérite” collection with the world’s first wristwatch with a tourbillon and fusée-and-chain transmission – a complication that makes up for the torque loss of the mainspring barrel and is one of the most effective complications to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/topics/sihh-2017/article/2082388/lange-sohne-debuts-its?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/topics/sihh-2017/article/2082388/lange-sohne-debuts-its?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Mar 2017 04:30:45 +0000 An independent brand that has been making waves at both SIHH and Baselworld is Christophe Claret. The young brand has a history of producing delightfully whimsical timepieces like the Margot and, most recently at this year’s SIHH, the Maestro. For Baselworld this year it releases the X-TREM-1 StingHD, an update of its dynamic X-TREM-1 timepiece that debuted in 2012. The new piece is made in collaboration with StingHD, a high-end American jewellery brand that specialises in making leather... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2081568/christophe-clarets-x-trem-1-stinghd-baselworld-serves-memento-mori?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2081568/christophe-clarets-x-trem-1-stinghd-baselworld-serves-memento-mori?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Mar 2017 03:30:30 +0000 The hi-tech looking Colt Racer from Breitling makes its debut at Baselworld. Fulfilling all the functions of a tool watch, comfortable, durable, legible, and reliable, this high-performance timepiece with a military background – it’s reminiscent of the MXS-R “Skyracer”, the high-performance plane on the Breitling Racing Team flown by aerobatics rising star Mika Brageot in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship – retains all the qualities of an authentic instrument for professionals and hopes... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2080495/breitling-unveils-its-hi-tech-looking-wonder-colt-racer-baselworld?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2080495/breitling-unveils-its-hi-tech-looking-wonder-colt-racer-baselworld?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Mar 2017 00:30:45 +0000 As an haute couture house developing a strong identity in timepieces, Dior holds quite a unique position with a profile shared by only a handful of other companies. The brand’s star is the Dior VIII Grand Bal, which was introduced in 2011 with a striking feature – a decorative and functional rotor placed on the front of the dial. In movement, it reflects the whirling full skirts of the ball gowns that helped make couturier Christian Dior’s reputation in the 1950s – hence the name. Since then,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2080475/dior-timepieces-show-exquisite-craftsmanship-and-details-baselworld?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2080475/dior-timepieces-show-exquisite-craftsmanship-and-details-baselworld?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Mar 2017 02:30:30 +0000 Zenith is one of the premium Swiss watch brands which has been in operation since 1865 and today is a subsidiary of the luxury group LVMH (Bulgari, TAG Heuer and Hublot). Zenith produces all watch movements in-house and is famous for the 1969 El Primero calibre, one of the first automatic chronograph calibres. The El Primero is not only the world’s first automatic chronograph but also the first to beat at the highly precise frequency of 36,000 vph. After more than 150 years boasting more than... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2080492/zenith-launches-heritage-146-baselworld-2017?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2080492/zenith-launches-heritage-146-baselworld-2017?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Mar 2017 02:30:30 +0000 Hublot’s Big Bang collection is always fun to view and its newest offerings are no exception. The latest collection, dubbed “Spirit of Big Bang Moonphase”, helped inject Baselworld with a bit of gaiety with four models in bright colours: blue, purple, orange and pink. The vibrant-coloured quartz dials instantly catch your attention – they are too fun to look away. To attain that eye-catching colour, the quartzes were made using a colouring technique that involved ingredients that Hublot will... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2081567/hublot-delights-collectors-its-colourful-spirit-big-bang-moonphase?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2081567/hublot-delights-collectors-its-colourful-spirit-big-bang-moonphase?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Mar 2017 03:30:15 +0000 Chopard is one of those rare heritage brands that do watches and jewellery well. The crowning glory of the brand’s watch collection is the L.U.C, named after the company’s founder, Louis-Ulysse Chopard, who was also a well-known watchmaker. This year, Chopard presents a new version of its popular L.U.C Lunar One, which first launched in 2005 and has since then evolved into the maison’s signature timepiece. The watch has now been re-imagined as a platinum version, with a 43mm case made out of 950... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2081487/chopards-platinum-luc-lunar-one-worthy-signature-and-its-perpetual?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2081487/chopards-platinum-luc-lunar-one-worthy-signature-and-its-perpetual?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Mar 2017 02:00:30 +0000 The Speedmastermarks its 60th anniversary this year. It has been one of Omega’s most recognisable models. While it is best known as the first watch to be worn on the moon (strapped onto astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s spacesuit), its roots actually started as a watch for motor racing. This year, Omega revisits the Speedmaster’s heritage with the launch of the Speedmaster Racing Master Chronometer collection. The collection features a stainless steel version with a matt black dial and an 18 ct Sedna gold... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2081511/omega-celebrates-60-years-seamaster-300-railmaster-and-speedmaster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2081511/omega-celebrates-60-years-seamaster-300-railmaster-and-speedmaster?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Mar 2017 01:00:30 +0000