Esquire's Big Black Book And Watches

It is almost a right of spring (and summer, Fall + Winter) that Esquire will put out their twice yearly "Big Black Book" which for everything EXCEPT watches is a real treat.  New and different fashion, an interesting story on Charvet, and the cover story on Jon Hamm offers an interesting peak into what we all will likely face at one time or another in our lives - moving on and rediscovering who we are either professionally or personally.  

When it comes to watches, we get Richemont with Panerai, Cartier, Montblanc and IWC.  Rolex and Tudor.  TAG Heuer and Richard Mille. I know that this is probably getting boring for you to read - my semi-annual plea that a magazine that has SO MUCH money and so MANY potential resources might actually spend some time and some effort to dig a little deeper into the subject and offer its readers something a bit more well developed and delved into rather than what the pr offices sent over for the photo shoot.  But I also suspect that it is somewhat boring for the readers who by now would have no idea that there are, in fact, other watch brands out there besides the big four and one or two independents that advertise.  Now in fairness, I realize that if you have advertisers, you have to placate them.  Really, I do get it.  But there is still room to actually offer some actual coverage and present something new that might inform the readership.

So as I got to the last page of the section on watches as I played Richemont Bingo (which Richemont brand would not get mentioned was easier than guessing which one would), I was VERY pleasantly surprised to see the SAVING TIME piece on vintage watches which I believe was put together by James Lamdin.  It was interesting if brief, well presented, and I thought (for a moment) wow!  This is great - highly informational at least for the non-watch geek.  And then I took a closer look.  Analog Shift is, in fact, a vintage watch seller.  Prices and descriptions were provided, with a handy link to the site.  And again, in fairness, this is fully disclosed in the article.  But it was also disappointing, because it was an opportunity to offer something really informative for the sake of information, but became melded (in my perspective) with commerce.

I get, realize and understand that this is a business, but I also think that the lines have now become so blurred between "journalism" and "sales & marketing" that it is getting more and more difficult to determine what is what.  But then again, as I get closer to the half-century mark I have to constantly remind myself that the world is constantly changing.  And it might be that the need to make money will drive content for a lot of outlets out there.  Fair enough.  It seems more and more to be the world that we are living in.





 

And One that Esquire Got Right

It's a pretty bad wind that doesn't blow someone some good - I think that's the way the saying goes.  And while there is a lot left "wanting" in the Esquire Big Black Book in terms of actual research and imagination - there is one that I think they got very right -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

This is from the Bell & Ross Vintage collection.  The Bell & Ross 123 GMT 24H.

When I worked at Tourneau I was always torn between the Rolex Explorer and Explorer II.  I loved the big numbers and clean look of the Explorer, but I also appreciated the GMT functionality of the Explorer II.  As IWC aficionado Adam Craniotes said about a particular IWC design he liked (and I am quoting from memory something that was said over a few libations) "It's as if they reached into my head and pulled out my dream watch." - apologies in advance for any misquotes Adam ; )

Well Bell & Ross, it's as if you reached into my head and pulled out my dream watch!

Now the argument could be made that Bell & Ross advertises in the Big Black Book - but in fairness so did at least one other brand that (thankfully) did not make the cut.  My old sparing partner from the Motor City, Shinola.  Shinola spends money on marketing and advertising like a drunken sailor on shore leave spends it on (use your imagination).  And this is an important distinction.  I have a LOT of respect for Monocle magazine, but they pander to Shinola with a near sycophantic urgency that is about as subtle as Shinola's earlier advertising campaigns.

But back to the 123 GMT 24H -

Clean, easy to read dial.  Large, visible GMT hand.  Clean and subtle 24 hour bezel.

Hours, minutes, seconds, date (between 4 o'clock and 5 o'clock), GMT.  I also really like the strap which is described by Bell & Ross as "weave rubber".

Here's the rundown, straight from the source -

Mechanical automatic movement. 
Functions: 
hours, minutes, seconds, date. 
Second time zone 24h (GMT).


Satin-polished steel case. 
42 mm diameter. 
Graduated bezel. 


Black dial. Appliqué metal index and numerals. 
Skeletonised metallic hours and minutes hands filled with Superluminova®.
Antireflective sapphire glass.


Water-resistance: 
100 m.


Weave rubber strap.
Satin-polished steel pin buckle.

What's Wrong with Esquire's Big Black Book - 2015

So I gave it a bit more thought, and I thought about some of the watches that made Esquire's list and thought about a watch that was "not on steroids", had some real horological "bona fides", and because this is Tempus Fugit, and because I own 3thirty3 - there had to be an angle for giving!

So this is from the very, very good people at NOMOS Glashütte -

This is the Tangente 38 for Doctors Without Borders -

Courtesy of NOMOS Glashütte

So the watch stuff first -

Casestainless steel, bipartite; diameter 37.5 mm; sapphire crystal glass back, height 6.75 mm 

Dialgalvanized, white silver-plated 

Handssteel, black oxidized 

StrapHorween Genuine Shell Cordovan black, lug width 19 mm 

Reference number
164.S2

Courtesy of NOMOS Glashütte

Movement 

α (Alpha)—NOMOS caliber with manual winding

Diameter10 ½ lines (23.3 mm) 

Movement height2.6 mm 

Power reserveca. 43 hours

CharacteristicsDecentralized seconds, stop-seconds mechanism, Glashütte three-quarter plate, 17 ruby bearings, Glashütte stopwork, Incabloc shock protection, balance spring from Nivarox 1A, adjusted in six positions, tempered blue screws, rhodium-plated movement surfaces with Glashütte ribbing and NOMOS perlage, ratchet and crown wheel with Glashütte sunburst

And now the "WARM FUZZY" -

A limited editon Tangente 38 in support of Doctors Without Borders is also available in the United States: This timepiece alludes to the aid organization with its red twelve, the inscription “Doctors Without Borders” under the six, and a special engraving on the back. 100 dollars for each watch sold will go towards emergency aid—and so helping the helpers.

Pretty cool, huh?

So Esquire, when you're done scratching the backs of your advertisers, do some reporting on some really cool watches that your readers might actually be interested in - like this one!

An Open Letter to David Granger

Dear Mr. Granger,

Long time reader and fan.  Sadly, I write you today with a complaint.  Perhaps it might be illustrative to start at the beginning.  I have followed the Esquire Big Black Book for several years now.  And while I do follow the fashion, I am by understandable inclination, drawn to the commentary on watches.  But it seems more and more that the Big Black Book is in fact a not so subtle kissing of the rings of the usual suspects.  At first I thought it was hopefully something that would evolve.  But year after year, issue after issue it is the same brands.  Now I'm a reasonable guy, but sooner or later you'd think that maybe we might get, I don't know, some actual F*&$@#G content that has been researched?

Now I realize that as a business, a magazine must make money, and the way to do that is through advertising.  But I would also like to think that with the incredible amount of resources and money available to you, you might want to spend some actual time actually researching actual watches to find out what is actually available beyond Richmont, LVMH, Rolex and Patek and AP.  Or maybe I am missing the point?

To be clear, these are all fine watches - but for realsies?  Is your crack team of journalists so apathetic, so lazy, so indifferent that they simply wait for the press kits from the advertisers and phone it in?

To be even clearer, I hope that is not the case.  But what your team is offering as "need to know, cutting edge" watch intel is pathetically thin, poorly researched and lacking in any imagination.  There, I've said it.

As it is perhaps all too easy simply saying what is wrong, allow me to offer some "counter-points" to how you could offer a better researched survey while still maintaining positive relationships with your advertisers.

So for the next few posts allow me to acquaint you with some watches that would interest your readers - and you never know, possibly read to new advertisers!


Today - Tutima

A chronograph, and it is perfect.

Courtesy of Tutima

Your readers would appreciate knowing about this!

What's Wrong with Esquire's Black Book - part 5

Well, as of yet I have not received a steaming box of dog poop from the offices of Esquire, so hopefully we are still friends ; )

I actually wanted to say that all things being equal, Esquire does a fine job - but I only wish that they and GQ and others would go a little deeper.  I certainly understand that you have to keep your advertisers happy - and I respect that relationship.  And maybe, just maybe... this is why people like me do what we do - to try and help fill in the picture.

So in that spirit - I give you Eberhard

With 125 years under their belts, this is one of the truly legitimate watch making firms in the world.

And one of the watches that just SCREAMS Eberhard to me is the Tazio Nuvolari!



Courtesy of Eberhard

To be clear, Eberhard is at the forefront of a lot of wonderfully exciting developments - and some fantastic new products.  But when you are a watch company that is so steeped in history and tradition, it is hard not to look back on your iconic models. 

So Esquire, GQ, Details - get to know Eberhard!

www.eberhard-co-watches.ch