The Bits, The Bobs: Watch News This Week

Cartier Baignoire Bangle at Watches and Wonders

Earlier this week, Hodinkee put out their Editor’s favorite watches from 2023 so far. It's an ambitious undertaking given that it's not quite at the halfway mark for the year. But it speaks more to the quality of what we’ve seen so far, I suppose. And of course, their own preferences made that list what it was. I don’t have the Hodinkee pedigree or the high palate of a watch connoisseur; I’m more of the habitual McDonalds eater by horological knowledge tastes. And that's not a knock on the Hodinkee staff, I’ll just never really know how a tourbillon works and I’m okay with that.

So it came as a small surprise that I immediately gravitated to this Cartier Baignoire Bangle that Malaika Crawford also picked. And I mean.

Wow.

It's just a gorgeous combination of watch and jewelry, a Cartier special, made with the women of horology in mind. It looks like a sister series to their Panther band timepieces but a little more understated which is right up my horological alley. And if my wrist wasn’t the width of a great redwood tree, I’d wear the thing myself. I did a double take so hard that anybody above the age of 32 would’ve rushed over and asked if I was okay (everyday movements suddenly become dramatic instances where the Shakespearean villain stabs you in the back, rendering you incapacitated. Except your back is the villain.)

The watch could easily go anywhere, no contest; the islands off of Greece? Easy. Savile row? Forget about it. The quick grocery run after work where you pick up a to-go salad but then notice there's a burger place next door? Classy as you cross the street, then. Maybe it's because i’ve been on a Cartier kick recently, quite literally out of nowhere, but its a watch that makes me want to argue with my wristwatchless wife on its behalf. I guess I have a new criteria for watches: classy for the sake of classy.

Go read that article, go see the pictures. Catch some of the secondhand magic I did.

Omega’s Worldtimers

Omega is getting ready to launch a batch (three, technically) of new worldtimers out into the world. In shades of green and gray with laser engravings, these watches look like heavyweights in both senses of the term. These are big watches with a bigger purpose. And, I mean, it helps that they’re 43mm; really leans into the size thing.

The ethos or spirit behind their design is to inspire people to start traveling again. You know, after that society crippling, global halter of fun? As someone who enjoys hopping around the globe, I could find no disagreement on my side about this tool watch’s extra purpose. In fact, I love the thought behind it, when a watch is given a purpose rather than being one. So, Omega did a really great job from that angle as far as I can tell.

Milgauss War

I personally found this piece of news interesting, something I would like to call The Milgauss War. According to a few publications, there is an ongoing bidding war by a watch enthusiast in the States vs the entirety of the Rolex brand. Now I’ve heard of Rolex asking for unique watches back to their HQ for smaller reasons.

But a mint condition, 1958 Milgauss apparently warrants 2.5 million dollars. Which. Okay.

The story behind the Rolex Milgauss is cool enough to warrant any fanatic to go scrambling for one (if, you know, you have Scrooge McDuck levels of funds). Back in the late 50’s, scientists working on big, bad electromagnets needed watches that could function during all of their rigorous testing. Enter Rolex: Milgauss. And for what it's worth, the watches made with a singular purpose in mind based on a request in that era made some of the most defining pieces in the industry for years to come. Love that, appreciate that.

I don’t personally know this enthusiast so I wouldn’t really have anything to say about them, good or bad. However. I can say that whoever they are, they hopscotched a few squares down from enthusiast to fanatic. I mean, you don’t go into a cage match with a whole brand without being a little crazy.

I guess it's for the love of the game.

For now, I will just sit on the sidelines with my student loans and bag of popcorn I got with a coupon.