I was going to write an obligatory “wow how crazy is it right now” opener, but you this, I know this. So I don’t feel the need to belabour the point.
What I will say though is, if there are any brands or retailers out there who want to shine a light on how they’ve shifted retail around in these challenging times let me know! Are you taking video calls? Offering some great deals? Launched e-comm? Anything else? Because I reckon if you’ve been on the fence about buying a watch and can manage it. Doing it now would really help local businesses. Plus, I reckon you could get some decent deals. At least give the local guys a chance to match your default anonymous international grey dealer.
So, I know a lot of brand and retailer folk are signed up to this. If you want me to share anything in the next edition, hit reply and LMK. If I get a few, I’ll make it a little break-out.
So, now that’s out of the way. Let’s talk watch releases, Georges Kern’s Spotify and … my upcoming podcast!
The release schedule
Well, even though 2020 looks set to go down as a terrible year to be releasing watches, we’re starting to see the trickle of new releases speed up. Here are a few standouts
Autodromo Safari
Autodromo is one of these niche indie brands that are killing it. The group B is such a strong, distinctive watch that it’s hard to go wrong. And they haven’t yet. The latest is the all-green-everything Safari, which looks as rad as the Porsche’s that inspired it.
Breitling Top Time
FINALLY, Breitling has gotten around to listening to the wants and whines of fans, and re-issued that period funk pleaser, the Top Time. This one looks good and captures the spirit and lower price point, thanks to the non-B01 movement, of the original.
Audemars Piguet [Re]master01
Audemars Piguet is, all things considered, a bit of a weird brand. Low(ish) production, massive visibility and huge profits. Most all of that centred around the RO and its ilk. Last year they tried something new, and it all got a bit nuts (bad behaviour all around and a future lesson in luxury marketing I’m sure). So, kudos to them for not retreating to the RO (‘cos that can’t last forever), and offering one of the slickest heritage reissues in a while. Plus, when the nerds have given you a mauling, it's a good idea to show them just
Rado Captain Cook Bronze
Rado has found a new lease on vintage-sports watch life, something crucial for them in markets like Australia and the US: the Captain Cook. Now, for the first time, the Cap comes in bronze. A first not just for Rado, but the entire Swatch group. Fancy that.
TAG Heuer Connected
The third-gen of TAG Heuer’s smartwatch is their best yet. And it’s got nothing to do with the tech inside (which is industry standard as far as these things go). The real winner is the much more sophisticated, ‘real-watchy’ case.
Keeping calm with Kern.
If there’s one person I look to in a quarantine crisis, it’s Georges Kern, part-time drummer and full-time Breitling CEO. Mr Kern is working through self-isolation in his own way, and part of that involves a series of “BREITLING: BY GK” playlists on Spotify. I spent the other day Listening to the ‘Feel Good’ list, and on the whole (and with the occasional judicious skip) it nailed the brief. And, at 13 hours 11 minutes, there’s plenty of good times to be had. On top of that there’s R&B, Lounge, ‘Top Songs Ever’, Soul & Funk, Best Rock and even ‘Cool and Sexy’ (5 hrs 49). I try not to mix business and pleasure, so I’ve held off on the last one. Interesting to note it has the most followers at 46.
OT!
So, my local watch buddy and partner in crime Andy Green and I have finally gotten around to discovering 2020’s hottest media platform, the podcast. We’ve been pfaffing for a while about it, but finally got some thoughts and gear together and have recorded a few episodes. It’s called OT: The Podcast, and it’s not live yet, but it will be very soon! There’s a holding page (sign up for updates), and an Instagram. You can even listen to a sneaky teaser.
And as to what the pod is about? Well, the official party line is “wristwatches, time and how we spend it”, but really we’re hoping to be a solid local voice about watches, as well as offering up some air time to lesser-known watches and figures in the world. And some matchmaking. But who knows, we’re making it up as we go along. We want to have fun making it and hope people have fun listening.
Finally, I haven’t checked with Andy yet, but I reckon I might give Right On Time readers early access by a few days. So, if you know anyone with time on their hands RN, get them to subscribe using this handy button, and I’ll send something out as soon as the first batch of eps are live.
Reading list
Very proud to have written some words in the latest issue of GQ Australia. It’s out on shelves now, so if you’re looking for some isolation-light-reading, get on it. Patexpert John Reardon talks on Blamo! Ikepod’s latest Kickstarter lives up to its name. The Megapod is HUGE. Jaquet Droz’s latest features some Aussie tree. And Hodinkee is making us all feel better about WFH and Zoom (thanks guys). I wrote about the Top Time on Revo. Watch auctions in the time of Corona Virus.