VIRTUAL INTEGRATION
World of Watches|Spring 2020
The wristwatch is only able to sit on the wrist by virtue of its humble band. Some watchmakers have dared to imagine this band as part of a cohesive whole. We set the scene for an overdue discussion on the many virtues of the metal bracelet
ASHOK SOMAN
VIRTUAL INTEGRATION

When you are used to wearing a watch, you notice its absence. It can be quite alarming to need a quick check on the time, look to your wrist for a bit of unobtrusive advice from old faithful and discover that – for some reason – it is not there. Most often this is because you have taken it off and forgotten to return it to its rightful place. If you have multiple watches, this is not unusual at all. If you have one watch that you really do call ‘old faithful’ then you will indeed be shocked to find it missing; perhaps you are on holiday at an onsen and have forgotten that you took off your watch along with the rest of your clothes.

A reasonable protest at this example is of course that you would never check your wrist for the time in such a situation, just as you would not do in the shower at home. One simply does not subject leather and fabric straps to such indignities. A perfectly reasonable objection, unless the watch happens to be on a metal bracelet. This is because such an accessory lends a timepiece a certain sense of invulnerability, however unjustified it might be. Onsens and spas (any kind of hot shower with a lot of humidity basically) are notoriously rough on the gaskets that keep moisture out of the case, and bracelets do nothing for that – a pity really because checking the time in a spa would be quite useful but that is a subject for another occasion. Also, non-reactive materials such as titanium and ceramic tend to tempt one into taking chances.

This story is from the Spring 2020 edition of World of Watches.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Spring 2020 edition of World of Watches.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM WORLD OF WATCHESView All
BRAND ELEVATION
World of Watches

BRAND ELEVATION

On the sidelines of Geneva Watch Days, Bulgari CEO JeanChristophe Babin talks about the challenges of having one brand identity across all categories, and tells us what he really thinks of watch fairs.

time-read
7 mins  |
Spring 2024
EVEN MORE HANDS
World of Watches

EVEN MORE HANDS

For the third year in a row, the collective WOW team shares the watches we ponied up for. As always, we include a couple of fantasy pieces and more than a few fails.

time-read
2 mins  |
Spring 2024
CONCEPTS AND CONSEQUENCES
World of Watches

CONCEPTS AND CONSEQUENCES

What is the legacy of concept watches? What happens when the show is over and it is time to actually manufacture them? How do these ticking research labs translate into actual, wearable timepieces...if they ever do?

time-read
8 mins  |
Spring 2024
THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSION
World of Watches

THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSION

In the watchmaking industry, a company’s longevity is oftentimes measured not in decades but in centuries. What then happens to a brand beyond its founders? We speak to three CEOs to answer this question.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Spring 2024
LEAPS AND BOUNDS
World of Watches

LEAPS AND BOUNDS

The quest to add one day to a month every four years may seem like a mundane task in the digital age, but achieving this mechanically is anything but.

time-read
7 mins  |
Spring 2024
FLIP SIDE
World of Watches

FLIP SIDE

Omega celebrates the first human flight orbit the moon with a new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon.

time-read
2 mins  |
Spring 2024
SNAPPING BACK
World of Watches

SNAPPING BACK

A powerful showcase for a one-of-a-kind constant force mechanism, the Girard Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement is now available for everyone.

time-read
2 mins  |
Spring 2024
GO FOR GOLD
World of Watches

GO FOR GOLD

Forty-five years after Piaget released its allgold Polo 79 luxury sports watch to critical acclaim, the maison revisits this iconic collection with a new ultra-thin movement.

time-read
2 mins  |
Spring 2024
CLEAR WINNER
World of Watches

CLEAR WINNER

Hublot's fourth collaboration with Takashi Murakami puts the artist's joyful flower motif at the centre of a bold new case design.

time-read
2 mins  |
Spring 2024
HISTORICAL TRIBUTE
World of Watches

HISTORICAL TRIBUTE

Parmigiani Fleurier launches a new version of their Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar with a vivid green dial.

time-read
2 mins  |
Spring 2024