Pull Yourself Together:
Matters of Time December 22nd, 2011 By

We are fast approaching the countdown to the New Year, so I was inspired to write about watches. Soon we’ll all be celebrating 2012 and, if you’re like me, another, all-too-familiar twelve months of procrastination. Now, I’ve been meaning to get a watch for a while. I’m always late to things, and my excuse has often been that I lost track of time. Yes, I’m 100% aware that cell phones come equipped with a clock, but apparently the people I’m late to meet aren’t smart enough to pick up on that, so let’s move on. I’m gonna go ahead and tell people I got a watch as a sign of courtesy and “the new me” (laughable). The reason I haven’t gotten one until now is that I find them either too expensive, or too chintzy—which brings me to these afforadable, sturdy, men’s styles in basic black. They’re sleek and simple, sort of like myself…notice how I didn’t add punctual to that list of qualities.

clockwise l-r: SWISS LEGEND TRIMIX DIVER CHRONOGRAPH, $239.00, World of Watches; MARC BY MARC JACOBS ROCK LARGE CHRONOGRAPH WATCH, $250.00, Nordstrom; BRAUN MEN’S DIGITAL WATCH, $215.00, YLiving; SWATCH IRONY CHRONOGRAPH, $168.75, World of Watches.

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Countdown to New Year’s Eve! December 31st, 2009 By

Have you noticed a new trend in watches?  If your monitor is bigger than 12 inches, you already know what I’m talking about…hint, hint to the gorgeous thumbnails below.  If you haven’t scrolled down by now, I’m talking about all those winter white watches that are gleaming back at you whether you’re looking online or going into a department store.

All that’s white is a breath of fresh air from the stainless steel you typically see around.  Below are some of my favorites from top designers such as Juicy Couture, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, and more.  They come in all sorts of styles from leather, to crystal faces, to standard links.

If you’re looking for a resolution, add a new timepiece to your list – out with the old, and in with a new (watch).  I myself have already made my purchase so all I have to do when the countdown begins is yell – five, four, three, two, one… Happy New Year!!

(listed right to left)
1) Michael Kors Ladies’ Chronograph Resin Band Watch
$225

2)  MARC BY MARC JACOBS ‘Henry’ Stainless Steel Watch
$200

3) Juicy Couture ‘Rich Girl’ Watch
$195

4) Fossil Crystal Watch
$105

5)  DKNY ‘Color Bar’ Patent Leather Watch
$85

6) Michele ‘Tahitian’ Large Ceramic Diamond Watch
$1,995


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Accessory Style File: Men’s Watches & The Sands of Time October 15th, 2009 By

Clearly, men don’t accessorize with the frequency or passion as women. Sure, we have our options, but accessories are considered mandatory rather than optional. However, men’s watches have long been a staple of the wardrobe, ever since the 1500s when the pocket watch was invented. This remained the fashion for rich men until 1915, when Rolex introduced the first wristwatch. They remained a key staple of the male wardrobe for the rest of the century, but then this happened:

Wristwatch search volume

Wristwatch search volume

Searches for wristwatches have plummeted since 2004.  Think a little graph on the Internets is meaningless? The New York Times confirms this trend, as high end watchmakers like Rolex, TAG and Patek Philippe have been slaughtered by the recent recession. Apparently with all the extra time, the Swiss have shifted their focus from making fine watches to arresting French directors. But look at the shift from 2004. That’s not just representative of the global recession. Rather, there’s a much clearer reason for the decline in men’s watch-wearing — and watch buying:

The iPhone

The iPhone

Who needs a watch when you have a computer in your pocket? You can get the time in L.A., Switzerland, or Zimbabwe, if you’d like. And it demonstrates your status as a taste maker at best, or a techie geek at worst. Now, I’ve worn a watch ever since growing up as a child in the ’80s. But now? I’ll generally whip out my phone to check the time, and rarely wear one my favorite Bulova or Nixon watches.

So are men’s wristwatches destined to be forgotten like Michael Vick’s criminal record? I sure hope not.  Because while I wasn’t blessed to look like Paul Newman (who was?), sometimes wearing a classy wristwatch can make you believe you were, if just for a minute.

Paul Newman's Rolex

Paul Newman in Rolex

Do you wear a wristwatch any longer, if you ever did?

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Patek Philippe Watches – They’re Worthy of Royalty October 4th, 2009 By

Earlier this week, I caught up with an old friend. This friend of mine is an aficionado of master-crafted timepieces and chronographs. It wasn’t long into our conversation that I realized the phone call might cost me $20,000 or least cause me to become obsessed with something that costs $20,000. My friend, Derick, ran me through his line-up of most revered watch manufacturers. And, what we might consider to be “fine watches,” like Rolex and Cartier, are ones that he might characterize as more pedestrian. He noted “if your looking for history and tradition Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin are the only old school independents out there.  If your looking for a good watch with a little ‘something something’ then consider Blancpain, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Breguet.”

While we were on the phone, I immediately started searching for these brands. When I came across the Patek Philippe Calatrava line, I knew my obsession had begun. Patek claims, “The Calatrava has been the quintessential round watch since 1932.” There is something classic and timeless about this watch. Apart from its precision movements and beside the fact that its the watch of royalty, for me, its elegance resides in its simplicity. My personal favorite is the Calatrava 6000G, whose graphic dial is “inspired by the dashboard instruments of a racecar.”

Patek Philippe Calattrava 6000G

Patek Philippe Calattrava 6000G

Patek Philippe Calattrava 6000G Face

Patek Philippe Calattrava 6000G Face

Patek Philippe Calattrava 6000G Movement

Patek Philippe Calattrava 6000G Movement

So, while there’s no question we still like the super-chunky watches from brands like Breitling and Panerai, if you’re seeking the most in refined timepieces, look to Patek Philippe. Meanwhile, though, I’ll be looking to my Seiko Chronograph for the time, whose movements, Derick claims, are superior to a $5,000 Panerai.

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