Split Personality
Who says a diving watch can’t also be a dress watch?
These days, many of the people who wear tool watches meant to withstand cockpit pressure changes, body-crushing ocean depths and a trip to the moon don’t usually experience anything more than office air-conditioning and a dive in a pool. It’s not a criticism of their function, but an appreciation of the versatility.
Panerai’s Submersible line is one of the toughest and most recognisable around. While many in the collection are suitably brawny, there are red gold models that look better with suits that aren’t wet.
Then, last year, Panerai released a model that manages to be both masculine and glamorous. The Submersible Goldtech Orocarbo 44mm PAM01070 is unique in the family for being the only one so far to use both Goldtech and Carbotech. Goldtech is Panerai’s recipe for a more warmly hued gold, with a small infusion of platinum to keep the material from oxidising. Carbotech is a composite material based on carbon fibre that gives this lightweight material a wavy, wood grain-like appearance. Anchored by a satiny black dial, the PAM01070 is an unusual, but appealing, oddball.
01
ABOUT TIME
After years of gaining recognition for its ultra-precise quartz watches and lightpowered Eco-Drive movements, Citizen is finally starting to flex its mechanical muscle. The Swiss movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret acquired by the Citizen Watch Group in 2012, helped develop an automatic movement, the Cal. 0200. It’s to be used in a brand new watch collection, dubbed simply. The Citizen. It is impressively precise with a chronometer-surpassing average daily accuracy of -3/+5 seconds and uses a free-sprung balance wheel for improved
shock- and wear-resistance.
The meticulously decorated movement is housed in a 40mm steel case with an integrated bracelet and features a grainy black dial.
02
CHIC CHOICES
While it’s heartening to see the watchmaking world catch up to women’s increasing demands for mechanical movements, it’s also important to cater to those who still prefer quartz ones. This is why Patek Philippe was smart to leave its original rectangular, quartz-powered Twenty~4 models alongside the newer, automatic round
models introduced in 2018. The brand is still committing to this strategy as it introduces three new models to the collection, with one quartz reference in rose gold with a chocolate brown dial and two automatics in steel with an olive-green dial and rose gold with a matching face respectively. This brings the total number of models in the Twenty~4 family to 12.
03
BACK TO BLACK
Watchmakers shouldn’t feel bad if a new product doesn't do well because, given enough time, that watch’s limited run might eventually make it a
sought-after collector’s item. IWC’s 1994 “Black Flieger”, a Pilot's Watch with a case
made of black zirconium oxide ceramic, is one such example of a delayed success story. Since there were only 1,000 pieces of the original ever made, you might have better chance at the newly released remake,
the Pilot's Watch Chronograph Edition "Tribute to 3705" Modern updates, which include a Ceratanium case, crown and pushers, and the in-house Caliber 69380, might also make it more desirable. Once again, it is a limited run of 1,000 pieces and available online on iwc.com Wechart, YNAP and Tmall.