3-Watch Thursday #27
Many, many watch things
Hello team,
Wow, what a week in the watch space!
One minute I think I have all the content I’m planning to share in the newsletter this week, then more content comes along and more comes along to the point at which this isn’t 3-Watch Thursday anymore. It’s more like 10-Watch Thursday.
So without further ado, let’s get straight into it!
Teddy Baldassarre : Visiting Jaeger-LeCoultre's Manufacture In Switzerland (Behind The Scenes Private Tour)
Everybody’s watch journey starts somewhere. I’d say mine started on YouTube 5 or so years ago with creators such as Bark & Jack and Watchfinder. Teddy Baldassarre also features in that list.
Over time I drifted away from this kind of content, only really engaging with written format and Instagram for watches. One of the biggest things I noticed in revisiting these channels recently is the increase in production quality and access that brands are willing to give creators.
This video from Teddy was exceptional. Particularly the early stages around JLC manufacturing their own parts and seeing how this is done.
I urge you to give it a watch. The longer form makes it as if you’re visiting JLC from the comfort of your home.
How I'd Spend $100K First, I’d Buy A Black Bay 58. Then I’d Overdose On Cartier
When Hodinkee debuted this format a week or so ago, I didn’t know it was going to go around the office.
Sarah Miller did an excellent job last time in this piece and I loved the freshness of a new format. It offers a fresh insight into the preferences of the writers at Hodinkee who I feel I know little about past Tony.
Enter Mr ‘Trendsetter’ Traina himself in this week’s edition of being offered a hypothetical $100k and having to spend it.
Some things weren’t an entire surprise *cough* Cartier *cough*, but others that were like a Rolex Datejust 6035.
I wish I had more time to dissect and discuss, but my lasting opinion is of the format.
I’d love to know how other favourite editors and writers of mine would spend a hypothetical $100k on watches, as it offers some perspective to what we read. I.e. if Tony were to write a negative piece about Cartier, you best believe it’s something bad.
I fear others might worry about repeating this task for the sake of being told they’re just repeating what’s popular.
I can’t wait to see who’s in the hot seat next though!
Collector’s Guide: Asymmetrical Watches
It feels like a while since I’ve linked an ACM article, but this one feels special.
As soon as it landed on my feed, I just knew I had to include it before I saw how it broke the watch internet (at least my corner of the watch internet).
Hot take:
The editorial team are doing God’s work when it comes to written work on rare and interesting vintage watches.
This isn’t meant as a negative in any way to others who write in this field, more there’s a consistent reliability that when an ACM article like this drops, people will stop and read.
Hats off to the team.
It’s a piece that links to other articles in the journal and I found myself following them to minimalist design and Cartier CPCP. That’s what I loved. This feeling as I followed along that it’s a culmination of knowledge.
TL;DR: Go read this article on this link here.
GQ Box + Papers
I don’t know how, but somehow this week I discovered Cam Wolf, Senior Style Writer at GQ, now publishes a newsletter called Box + Papers.
I haven’t read much of it yet, because GQ has a paywall (RIP), but I feel comfortable recommending that you go and subscribe here, based on Cam’s previous work.
Brynn Wallner aka Dimepiece - Putting All Things Women & Watches On The Map
Cameron is killing it at the moment with the guests on Collector’s Gene Radio. Last time it was Goldberger, now Dimepiece and I’ve just seen his episode with Roni Madhvani has been released.
Serious stuff!
I found myself stuck on a train platform in Didcot earlier this week (insert joke about Didcot here), and listened to Collectors Gene Radio as I waited patiently.
It was a truly interesting listen, as to me and I’m sure many others the account @dimepiece.co just appeared on my feed.
I really loved the account so dropped it a follow and have since watched it go from strength to strength carving out a niche for style driven watch selection and curation.
That’s why this episode was so interesting. Listening to the journey behind possibly one of the most influential watch accounts of the last year (having an article written about you buying your first Cartier in Vogue is no small feat I’m sure).
Thank you Cameron and Brynn for such a brillian episode.
Rolex Did It
An interesting watch this week from Watchfinder on the Omega Spirate and a Rolex system where the silicon balance is also twin mounted.
This Rolex system is only found in its smaller watches and is an alternative to the Parachrom blue balance spring we’re used to seeing it their larger watches.
Some points of note.
Whilst it is twin mounted, it doesn’t immediately appear as adjustable as the Omega Spirate. That said I haven’t seen how this spring mounts on it’s bridge so it may well be as adjustable.
Omega’s Spirate is patent pending. I haven’t yet read the application (I haven’t checked to see whether it’s in the public domain yet), but it’s interesting to speculate the value of patent pending and whether Omega would chase this patent if they knew of the Rolex system and it was particularly similar.
I recommend giving the video a watch as Andrew and Tom speculate over some other points as well.
10 CRAZY Clocks You Won't Believe EXIST!
A bit of an odd recommendation here, similar to the 3D printed videos a few weeks ago.
While this video on 10 interesting clocks is nothing to ride home about it’s definitely interesting to see the variety in ways that humans have decided to measure time.
Hands On: IWC Portofino Complete Calendar
IWC seem to have done it again and slipped us a new watch under the radar.
I don’t normally report on new watch releases, but I saw this article on SJX about it and thought it was a really nice watch and a clever move from IWC.
Following the introduction of the perpetual calendar to the Portofino range they’ve now gone and added a triple calendar at about half the price (when comparing steel models).
And that’s where the subtitle of this article comes from “A triple calendar made more affordable”
Affordable in the luxury sense but it’s certainly a pretty piece that’s now on my radar.
In fairness, that sentiment is something that is echoed of the updates to the Portofino range recently with an improved chronograph, perpetual calendar and triple calendar, it’s fast becoming one of my favourite modern lines for classically styled dress watches.
Just a shame I can’t afford any of them.
Much longer edition of 3-Watch Thursday this week and I really hope you enjoyed it and check out the cool work above.
All that said, see you all next week.
Owen