Enthusiast Extras

Watches & Wonders 2022 – Winners & Losers
Enthusiast Extras

Watches & Wonders 2022 – Winners & Losers

The best time of the year for the watch enthusiast, from the ashes of Baselworld rises Watches & Wonders! The premier horological fair of the year has come and gone, so why not take the time to recap the novelties of 2022 to see where each of our favourite brands have landed. Omega Omega was the first brand to really jump out of the gates this year and while they are not officially committed to Watches & Wonders, the yearly novelties are made public in the week before the fair hits full swing. This year saw a slew of "derivative" releases, from a yellow gold green dial Speedmaster, a blue to black gradient Planet Ocean Deep and of course the green Seamaster. These pieces while very well executed seemed a little too familiar to a brand with a crown logo. While the memes were ro...
Should You Meet Your Heroes? The Holy Grail
Enthusiast Extras

Should You Meet Your Heroes? The Holy Grail

Before I begin, as some of you may know Dane (@the_watch_vault & www.watchvault.com.au) had a serious motorcycle incident recently. We often take our next day for granted and it stunned me that one of our best pals was seriously hurt. Thankfully, Dane is one tough bastard and came out the other side with only a few metal upgrades (#terminator) and some scars to show for it. Yes, we love our watches here but nothing is more important than our friends.  They say never meet your heroes. That the expectation you build upon them will far surpass the reality of seeing them in the flesh, so what do you do? Let your dreams be dreams? The journey is far better than the summit? For the week, I have dared to go where not many have gone before thanks to Dane who has not passed one, not two, but...
Enthusiast Extras: A Quick Guide to Vacheron Constantin Movements
Enthusiast Extras

Enthusiast Extras: A Quick Guide to Vacheron Constantin Movements

Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting the Vacheron Constantin boutique in Melbourne, Australia. On show, was a brief case full of their manufacture movements cased in clear perspex ranging from delicate manual wind calibres to crazy skeletonised mechanisms. It was truly incredible to have an unobstructed view of the inner workings of these wonderful timepieces and the boutique to myself for some quality, uninterrupted watch nerdery. It's not often that you see a travelling display like this and it shows that VC are more happy to share exactly what it is you're paying for when you invest in one of their watches. There is absolutely nowhere to hide with every mechanism, every finish, available for critique not only to the naked eye but also under a loupe. I've been very lucky to see so...
Breaking News – April Fool’s Post Poned to August 2020
Enthusiast Extras

Breaking News – April Fool’s Post Poned to August 2020

2020 has been a tumultuous year, from a health, political, social, financial perspective and the watch industry has had its fair share of obstacles and challenges. While there are serious issues going on in the world right now, August 2020 saw some products and content that can be placed in the category of 'head scratchers'. Enthusiasts were out to kill and while I am all for a bit of debauchery, I think there is worth in analysing what we've seen beyond the absolutely incredible memes that have surfaced over the last month. The Hodinkee Travel Clock: Boy did the big H get a rinsing for this one. Hodinkee began their campaign with a standard watch this space post on instagram where everyone began prodding around trying to conjure up which watch manufacture would be the latest to enjoy a ...
If Bashing Rolex Was A Sport, Would You Be An Elite Athlete?
Enthusiast Extras

If Bashing Rolex Was A Sport, Would You Be An Elite Athlete?

I struggle to provide superlatives to describe what Rolex is to the watch industry. No other brand dominates their market like Rolex does with wristwatches. Car manufacturers, fashion labels or any other commercial entity can only dream to have such provenance in their field and widespread culture. No matter where you are in the world, when the word Rolex is mentioned it is associated with a certain air of quality, status or passion. So, on one hand it makes sense that the brand has been on the tip of enthusiast tongues for some time now and will continue to be for as long as the current situation continues. Wait lists, flippers, boutique relationships, influencers, grey market premiums are only some of the buzz words that have been thrown around in the past few years to describe the lands...
FOR THE ENTHUSIAST – IFL WATCHES MOVEMENT CUFFLINKS
Enthusiast Extras

FOR THE ENTHUSIAST – IFL WATCHES MOVEMENT CUFFLINKS

IFL watches is a small operation from Sweden specialising in watch related accessories. Known for their cuff links and orbital watch winders (please do check those out, they're mesmerising), they were kind enough to send two of their products for me to get hands on with. If you are a corporate warrior or need something extra for that black tie event, a french cuff and cuff links can give you a hint of extra pizzazz for your attire and set yourself apart from the herds of drab suits and plain shirts. While you can opt for simple or comical links, why not stay true to the horological enthusiast you are with these incredibly detailed accessories. Alternatively, if you're looking to buy a gift for the enthusiast in your life, cuff links are a great option, especially if IFL offers one of th...