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You know how they say that it’s hard to put a good book down? Well, the same goes for a good watch magazine. But in the case of QP issue Fifty Four, it’s nearly impossible to put down. The magazine is crammed with great stuff – so much so that I don’t know where to begin. So, I’ll just focus on a few topics that really intrigued me.
I was literally blown away by an article titled “The X Factor.” To quote GP, “For over two decades, Christophe Claret has pushed the boundaries of watch making. His latest creation, the X-Trem-1, forays into magnetic fields to create a watch that suspends both time and belief. This is the world’s first watch with no physical/mechanical connection between the movement and time indicators.” All I can say is just look at this awesome watch, and read all about it.
What’s next? An article titled “A Palace Revolution.” When they literally ran out of floor space at the Baselworld watch show, they opened a section called the Palace, where 40+ “edgier” brands were on display, including Heritage, Cecil Purnell, Speake-Marin and others. Most notably, there was an outrageous watch: the De Motu DMG-11. With its hybrid electro-mechanical movement, it’s the world’s first device to unite a g-force meter with a traditional watch! What a practical complication!
Now here’s something to really sink your teeth into. Remember Giuliano Mazzuoli, the Italian designer who gave us his Manometro watch back in 2005? Well, he’s got a fantastic new watch: the Trasmissione Meccanica. As you might have gathered from the name, the case is deeply grooved to resemble the inner workings of a gearbox, and the dial incorporates parts of a clutch. Sounds rather contrived, let alone ridiculous, but it’s an interesting looking watch.
Oh…I almost forgot to mention the cover. There’s an in-your-face photo of one of the world’s most in-your-face watches: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. The watch is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and you’ll get the whole story here.
What else is in this issue? A detailed tribute to Omega’s 80 years of timing sporting events; everything you ever wanted to know about Rado; a discussion with Shinji Hattori, Seiko’s Prez; a look at three classic British watches; a noteworthy new Bulova with a truly unique feature; and more. Lots more!
I hate to say it, but you’ve got plenty of reading to do because there’s also a new International Watch (IW) on the newsstand, the June 2012 issue. First of all, it’s their motorsports issue, featuring (you guessed it) a breakdown of tie-ins and sponsorships…etc., etc. Of course, there’s an extensive eye candy section: a guide to racing chronographs. Thirty-two watches are highlighted, from truly affordables to a “price on request” Richard Mille.
IW’s Market Section is always fun to read. There was the usual cast of characters: new entries from Breguet, Ball, Perrelet, Seiko and others. But the lead watch was a real classic beauty: a new automatic from Citizen. They got it right on their first try.
If you’re an annual calendar lover, don’t miss an article that includes Rolex, Zenith, Ikepod, De Bethune and a 7750-powered Luminox.
When you read another entry titled “Vintage Inspired,” your eyes will proceed directly to one outstanding watch: the Tudor Heritage Black Bay. It’s an instant grail!
On the subject of grails, there’s a rather unaffordable one in IW’s Tech section: the Breguet Classic Chronometer with a spectacular, high-speed escapement. To quote IW, “The balance wheel’s pivots are held in place not by the customary ruby bearings but by magnets, which greatly reduces the amount of friction where metal touches metal. The result is an escapement whose rate remains constant whatever the position of the timepiece.” My question is, how many tourbillons will be jealous?
Nearly forgot the cover again. This time it’s a rather uninspiring photo of a Frederique Constant Moon Timer watch. (Get with it IW!) But I must say that the extensive article within is rather well done. F. Constant is a brand well worth knowing about.
Another brand worth knowing about is the namesake of Swedish race driver, Stefan Johansson. No, some company didn’t just slap his name on your typical “racing” watch. This dude, also an avid watch enthusiast, did all the work himself. For the full story, including some enticing photos of his chronographs, read the magazine. You can also visit www.sjwatch.net.
Well, I’ve only scratched the surface of this fine magazine. Pick up the issue, and see what I’ve kept secret.
by John Weiss
