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For those who’ve had it as much as right here with conventional watch-guy fare—Daytonas and Nautilii and the like—then examine this out: A identified Rolex collector, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce swapped out his Day-Date for a decidedly extra under-the-radar possibility whereas celebrating his Tremendous Bowl win this previous week.
On the XS Nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas, Kelce was noticed rocking a Breitling Bentley Flying B, a collaborative mannequin from the early 2000s that noticed Swiss manufacture Breitling step properly out of its pilot’s watch consolation zone: Housed in an oblong, 38.5mm 18K white gold case set with 74 diamonds, it includes a white mother-of-pearl dial, diamond indices, and a soar hour complication in addition to a sub-seconds show.
For the uninitiated, a soar hour complication is a sort of “digital” show wherein the hours are contained on a disc behind a window—on the high of the hour, the hour “jumps” instantly to the following. Patented in pocket watch kind by Joseph Pallweber in 1883 and utilized by IWC on a number of lovely timepieces, the complication’s heyday got here within the Nineteen Twenties and Thirties as a part of the Artwork Deco motion, the place it migrated to wristwatch kind.
Immediately, the complication isn’t notably well-liked and is basically relegated to high-end watches—partially as a result of it requires cautious regulation of energy to be able to preserve wholesome amplitude within the motion whereas powering the “soar” mechanism. The Breitling Bentley Flying B, which debuted in 2006, was meant to have fun Bentley’s mascot from the Thirties—a time coinciding with peak recognition for the soar hour show. Powered by an computerized, chronometer-certified motion, the mannequin was discontinued in 2010.
The Flying B is a far cry from Kelce’s different watches, a lot of which appear to be Rollies comparable to a Submariner ref. 126610 and the aforementioned Day-Date ref. 228238. (It’s additionally fairly a departure from the remainder of early-2000s Breitling, which was then largely targeted on outsized pilot’s watches relatively than diamond-studded, Artwork Deco-inspired gown watches.) However this will likely very properly bode properly for us, watch individuals: Possibly the three-time Tremendous Bowl winner will show to be among the many extra compelling and unpredictable watch collectors to grace these pages? Time will inform.
Anya Taylor-Pleasure’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 101 Reine
Many are unaware that Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 101, which debuted in 1929, continues to be the world’s smallest mechanical motion. For near 100 years, this exceptional calibre has been fitted to women’ cocktail watches—together with one worn by Queen Elizabeth II throughout her coronation in 1953. (And by my considerably much less well-known grandmother, who obtained one upon her wedding ceremony day in 1951.) Anya-Taylor Pleasure, who attended the Dune: Half II premiere in London this previous week, wore a lovely “Reine” model fitted to a diamond-studded bracelet.
George Kittle’s Casio Calculator Watch
Whereas his teammates sprang for Rolex and Patek, San Francisco 49ers tight finish George Kittle gained our hearts by rocking a Casio “calculator watch”—the reasonably priced, digital gadget that captivated the thoughts of each little one who grew up within the Eighties and Nineteen Nineties. Nonetheless obtainable for $60 or so on Amazon, the Information Financial institution includes a full numerical keyboard beneath its LCD display screen that can be utilized to enter telephone numbers and carry out fundamental calculations. Within the days earlier than the smartphone (and, after all, smartwatch), this factor was the absolute bee’s knees. Contemplating the person can afford no matter darn watch he so pleases, we should respectfully award Kittle further fashion factors, right here.
Ryan Gosling’s TAG Heuer Carrera
Stealing the present on the Oscar Nominees Luncheon in lilac-purple Gucci, Ryan Gosling wore a watch that bought horological nerds’ hearts racing. A particular model (of a particular model) of a beloved mannequin, the story goes like this: Within the Seventies, Heuer created solid-gold iterations of its Carrera chronograph for a number of Ferrari drivers. Gosling then wore a kind of ref. 1158 CHN watches—on its matching, gold Milanese bracelet—as Ken in Barbie final 12 months. TAG Heuer then reissued this watch inside the new Carrera “Glassbox” case in October, however on a leather-based strap. Lastly, for the Luncheon, the maison created a particular model of the outdated, gold Milanese bracelet for Gosling’s personal Carrera. (Cue Mel Brooks: “It’s good to be the king!”)
Timothée Chalamet’s Cartier Tank Cintrée
From inside the parade of fantastic Cartiers that Timothée Chalamet has worn to purple carpet occasions over the previous few years, one stands out for its rarity, its magnificence, its value, and its design: the platinum Tank Cintrée that he strapped on for the Dune: Half II premiere this week. Restricted to 150 items, this attractive watch from 2023 is a sequel of types to the solid-gold model from 2021, which celebrated the a hundredth anniversary of the unique Contrée from 1921. Powered by a hand-wound motion from Jaeger-LeCoultre and sporting a ruby-studded cabochon crown, a Roman-numeral dial, and a Breguet handset, it’s the kind of timepiece that units watch nerds’ hearts a-flutter.
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