WA T CH SPE CI AL
94
BEST FOR TRAVELLING: ROLEX GMT-MASTER II Watches that could display the time around the world have existed since the late 1800s, when time zones were formalised. But it wasn’t until the advent of the jet age that the idea of simultaneously tracking time in more than one place became a practical concern, and while it wasn’t the first, Rolex’s GMT-Master (a response to a direct commission from Pan Am pilots) was the watch that epitomised the new trend. Some 65 years later, the GMT-Master II is more likely to be on the wrists of first class passengers than those in the cockpit, but it has lost none of its steadfast usability (with the arrow-head hand and the 24-hour bezel, you can actually keep an eye on three locations at once), even as it has gained a fancier “jubilee” bracelet. New for 2019 is the return of the black and blue bezel, nicknamed the “Batman” by Rolex devotees. £7,150;
rolex.com
OVERALL WATCH OF THE YEAR: BULGARI OCTO FINISSIMO CHRONOGRAPH Te matt, muted, monochrome colour palette adopted by Bulgari isn’t for everyone; neither is the multifaceted case shape. I think the Octo Finissimo is one of very few designs of the past 20 years to have really added anything to the watch world, however, and the way that Bulgari keeps developing record-breaking versions deserves applause. Tis watch is the thinnest mechanical chronograph ever made. If you need context for that achievement, the next time you see an Omega Speedmaster, Rolex Daytona or pretty much any regular chronograph from a mainstream brand, imagine squashing it down to approximately half of its thickness (but around the same diameter) and it still working – with the capacity to tell the time in a second time zone for good measure. It’s a watch you can wear every day that looks like nothing else out there, and also happens to be a work of borderline genius, and that’s why it’s my watch of the year. £15,200;
bulgari.com
BEST FIRST WATCH: HAMILTON KHAKI PILOT PIONEER MECHANICAL What better way to mark your arrival among us hopeless watch addicts than with a 36mm hand-wound tribute to a 1970s model made for the RAF? Forget any ideas you might have had about playing it safe; it’s never too soon to start showing a bit of personality on your wrist. £720;
hamiltonwatch.com
MOST INGENIOUS: VACHERON CONSTANTIN TWIN BEAT PERPETUAL CALENDAR
Delivering improvements you never knew you needed is what the top brands live for. In creating a perpetual calendar that can run for a huge 65 days (not hours) thanks to a switchable dual-frequency of devilish complexity, Vacheron Constantin scored the cleverest watch of the year. £195,000;
vacheron-constantin.com
NOV EMB E R 20 19
MOST SURPRISING: HUBLOT FERRARI GT Car-branded watches aren’t usually of interest to anyone other than die-hard fans, and Hublot’s prolific volume of special editions means single watches struggle to stand out. But in allowing Ferrari’s design team to have a genuine input, it has produced a striking new shape that turns heads even among automotive agnostics. £18,200;
hublot.com
bus ine s s tr a v el ler .c om
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160
