It is the festive season again, and it is time when everyone is out partying to celebrate the end of yet another wonderful year. The time for us to finally let loose after slogging it out for the past eleven months.
When it comes to parties, most of us would let ourselves out and dress a little more stylishly. The same applies for our wrist candies, especially for watch collectors. As the saying goes: There is a time and place for everything. This is certainly the time for us to bring out our big, bold, and conversational pieces out.
So, for this week’s article, we are looking at watches that will look great at parties. The timepieces that we are selecting will tend to be larger, and aesthetics will certainly play a big role this time. On top of that, the watches must also exude a certain “wow” factor as well. So, what are the watches that we reckon will meet these requirements? Let’s find out!
Bell & Ross BR03-92 Bape Green Camo
The Bell & Ross BR03-92 Bape Green Camo.
We begin the article with one of the highly anticipated pieces from Bell & Ross: BR03-92 Bape Green Camo.
The timepiece is a collaboration between Bell & Ross and Bape. Bape is one of the most well-known street wear fashion brand today, and the partnership between this two had certainly yield interesting results.
There are two pieces that were specially created, although we have a slight preference for the BR03-92 Bape Green Camo edition. We particularly like its conspicuous and bold camo dial, which gives the watch a very interesting aesthetic. We think that the 42mm square watch will look good at any parties – especially if it is paired with any camo-inspired street wear apparels.
The watch is priced at US$3,900 (approximately S$5,343), and it is limited to a production run of 100 pieces.
Hamilton Jazzmaster Face to Face II
The Hamilton Jazzmaster Face-to-Face II, with an intriguing flipping case.
Hamilton is a brand that is constantly under the radar, but it is surely a mistake to neglect the brand and its offerings. The Biel-based watch manufacturer is no stranger to quirky-designed watches, which includes the Ventura, Pulsar/Pulsomatic, and the Takeoff Automatic Chronograph. However, the Jazzmaster Face to Face II is something that is indeed pretty different altogether.
The Face to Face II was first launched in Baselworld 2013, in which it features a rotating case with a dial on each side. While the concept was interesting, but it didn’t excite us mechanically – the watch utilises one movement for each dial. That prompted Hamilton to go back to the drawing room, which culminated in the Face to Face II. The watch still features the interesting rotating case, but it is now powered by a single movement: the Hamilton H-41 (a modified version of the Valjoux 7750).
Aesthetically-speaking, the Face to Face II is a visually stunning timepiece. Its oval case is unusual, and there is a contemporary touch in the design of the watch dial as well. Despite its size at 53mm, the oval case allows the watch to sit comfortably on the wrist. The Jazzmaster Face to Face II is priced at S$5,730, and it is limited to 1,999 pieces.
TAG Heuer Monaco Gulf Special Edition
The TAG Heuer Monaco, now with the iconic Gulf livery.
The Monaco is one of the models that propelled TAG Heuer (then known simply as “Heuer”) into the brand that it is today. The watch, with its signature square case and squarish sub-dials, drew its inspiration from the motorsports world. It was an endearing collection, and it was a watch that can be seen on the wrists of many larger-than-life individuals.
The latest variant of the Monaco is an interesting piece. The watch combines two motorsports icons together, with the inclusion of the Gulf Oil livery. The orange and blue colour scheme is something that is familiar with many, in which it was adorned on many historically significant race cars. The incorporation of the livery on the dial serves as a nice touch to the watch, and it further reiterates the racing pedigree that the Monaco possesses.
Powered by the Calibre 11 movement, the self-winding Monaco boasts a chronograph and date function, as well as a power reserve of around 40 hours. The watch retails at US$5,900 (approximately S$8,083), and its bold colours and design will certainly be an interesting and conversational piece amongst car enthusiast and non-car people alike.
Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu
The Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu. It is a very unusual but cool timepiece.
Next up, we have yet another interesting timepiece that was produced in collaboration with an incredible figure out of the horological industry. Cue the mesmerising Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu.
Sang Bleu, for the uninitiated, is a high-profile tattoo studio based in London. The idea of the collaboration is to bring together the commonality between the two entities – in their manner of building bridges between materials, techniques, and cultures. The end result is an amazing timepiece that revolves around the themes of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man and the play of geometric shapes. Proportion, notably, is another recurring theme on the watch as well.
The 45mm watch leverages on the octagonal rhodium discs to tell time. The two main discs are each fitted with a tip that is coated in white SuperLumiNova, enhancing its legibility in telling time. In addition, the watch is fitted with Hublot’s in-house Unico HUB1213. The self-winding movement is built with 255 components, and it has a decent power reserve of around 72 hours. The movement was also further redesigned to feature the triangular codes of the Sang Bleu logo and re-engineered to incorporate the discs to tell time.
The Sang Bleu is a tasteful piece, no doubts about that. We like how it is bold and unique, and yet it is still aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Finally, the Sang Bleu comes in a limited release of 200 pieces and it retails at US$18,800 (approximately S$25,756).
Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision
The Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision – reinventing watchmaking.
The Freak from Ulysse Nardin has always been something that had always captured our attention. First launched in 2001, Ulysse Nardin Freak was an experimental piece that brought us many different technological breakthroughs within the industry. The use of silicium, for instance, is one innovation that can trace its roots back to the Freak.
The new Freak Vision certainly embodies the ethos behind one of Ulysse Nardin’s finest creations. It still retains its iconic looks, as well as its “quirks” – such as the absence of a dial and watch crown. In addition, the latest variant is now fitted with a balance wheel that is welded with solid nickel mass elements – a patented first – and has silicium micro-blades to stabilise amplitudes and increase accuracy. It doesn’t get any nerdier than this.
Priced at CHF95,000 (approximately S$131,399), the Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision is not exactly an affordable piece. However, this timepiece is certainly an icon in the eyes of any collectors, and its outrageous looks is something that will remain contemporary and cool in time to come.
MB&F HM9 “Flow”
The MB&F HM9.
Any conversations on a conversational timepiece will not be complete without MB&F’s Horological Machine collection. The series, which has been a staple in the independent watchmaking scene, is certainly something that is extraordinary and mind-blowing. The new HM9 “Flow” is no exception to that.
Launched earlier this year, the HM9 “Flow” is the latest addition to the legendary line-up. The watch drew its inspiration from a few cars and aircrafts – most notably the Mercedes-Benz W196, Buick Streamliner, and the De Havilland Venom. This resulted in a sleek and curvaceous case, made from a complex combination of milled sapphire crystal and grade 5 titanium. MB&F had also utilised the sapphire crystals to display components from the movement, which gives the watch a rather avantgarde appearance as well. The two balance wheel, for instance, is a visual treat and an interesting play to the automotive/aerospace theme of the watch itself.
The MB&F HM9 “Flow” is available in two versions: Road and Air. The difference lies in the dial and finishing of the movement, which gives two watches a subtle but interesting contrast against each other. The watches are priced at CHF168,000 (approximately S$232,369) each, and we think that this MB&F is something that will make you the talk of the party. Period.
Concluding Thoughts
This week’s article focuses more on aesthetics, rather than the movements or finishing for that matter. But do not get us wrong. The watches that we have featured today are generally excellent pieces. Of course, there are a couple of outstanding ones within the pool as well. The Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision and MB&F HM9 “Flow” are two of such pieces that combines form and technical prowess – which we felt were a wee bit more special than the rest.
What are your thoughts on our selection? Are the watches that we have selected this week a little too bold and loud? Or are they appropriate for crazy parties? Let us know in the comments section below.
