EDOX – Super Limited Edition 1884
You might be familiar with Edox‘s sportier diver watches and mistake them for a ‘modern’ brand. But the Swiss brand actually comes from a rather impressive lineage and wants the world to know that as it celebrates its 125th anniversary this year.
The birthday flag bearer of choice is the Super Limited Edition 1884, which houses one of the brand’s most famous technical triumphs, an ultra-slim automatic calendar movement, the Venus 203 (visible through an open case back), that was the world’s slimmest at the time it was created in the early 1950s.
Likewise, the watch’s sombre and classical style befits its stature, anchored by a 41mm Grand Ocean case with 18K gold bezel and silver-plated dial, and a vintage style dial indicating the calendar and moon phase functions with sublime geometry. Available in limited edition of 125 pieces with a crocodile leather strap, the deal is sealed with the edition number engraved on the left side of the case.
TAG HEUER – Monaco 40th Anniversary Re-edition
Steve McQuee
Forty years after its birth as the world’s first square-cased water resistant sports watch, and deified a year later, thanks to Steve McQueen who famously strapped it on during the set of his 1970 movie smash, Le Mans, TAG Heuer‘s Monaco remains an icon for fans of sport watches, with the ability to turn perfectly coherent gentlemen into squealing school boys with each new roll-out.
This year, the brand has gone the whole nine yards to celebrate its 40th birthday. There is an ultra-robust concept watch, the Monaco Twenty Four (read about it in Lab Dance), an all-white beauty for the lasses (see Dame Game), and two limited editions – the Calibre 12 Chronograph and the Automatic Calibre 11 Chronograph which are the subjects of our affection in this review.
RADO – R5.5
What started out as a ‘refurbishment’ exercise for the Ceramica Chronograph in 2007 has now spawned into an entirely new casual collection by design maverick Jasper Morrison for Rado. Known for his ascetically elegant style and pared-down aesthete in his product designs, Morrison’s slicked up limited edition Ceramica with hands, counters and crown in gold had both the watch and design purists swooned.
Evidently, his ‘less is more’ ethos melds with Rado‘s watch-making philosophy like pesto and pasta, and the partnership that has blossomed into a fully-fledged collection just seems inevitable.
Essentialist abounds on the new R5.5 chronograph, an emphatic display of Morrison’s deft touches. Helmed by fluid and harmonious edges and lines, its modest 38mm square case in matte black ceramic with integrated ceramic bracelet is subtle and sensual.
Exemplifying minimalist chic is the sleek dial with lithe markers and hands as well as two utilitarian chronograph sub- dials that complete this sports timekeeper. Powered by a quartz movement, the R5.5 is also available in an elementary two-hand version.
FRANC VILA – FV EVOS 8Ch “Cobra” Chronographe Grand Dateur Automatique
This Cobra bites hard. But unlike its reptilian counterpart, its hold on you is more invigorating than fatal. Beginning with the marque’s signature elliptical “Espirit Unique” case which, apart from being fortified in diehard extreme steel, red gold or titanium, is now galvanised with carbon fibre inserts on its bezel.
This new sports-inspired Chronographe Grand Dateur Automatique is also endowed with 300m water resistance. Complete with an integrated rubber strap, this cool dive-friendly Cobra is made to withstand even the most intense of water sports, heralding Franc Vila’s foray into the sports timekeeping realm.
Elsewhere, the marque’s iconic dial that recalls an inverted figure of ’8′ continues to hog the limelight. Made of carbon fibre, it even sports a guilloche centre that keeps the traditional and avant-garde camps elated without over tipping each side of the scale.
Fitted with the automatic FV8Ch chronograph movement with date indication and 42- hour power reserve, the Cobra’s limited run of 88 pieces should put you at ease as chances of running into a mate with similar wrist candy are slim to none.
