Timeless Endeavours: Some of Our Favourite Watches Through the Years
Watches have been a part of SHARP’s DNA since the magazine was just an idea. As a publication founded by watch lovers and created for men who appreciate the finer things in life, we’ve spent the past 15 years delving deep into the world of horology. From humble steel sports watches to exceptional grand complications with six- and seven-figure prices: our pages have showcased the most audacious and iconic timepieces on the planet. We’ve also gone to great lengths to bring these exceptional watches into our studio for award-winning creative photoshoots that highlight their unusual architecture and exquisite materials. (We’ve even striven to not just display these pieces across Sharp but offer readers the rare opportunity to experience them “in the metal” at Book For Men launch parties.)
To celebrate 15 years, we’ve compiled a few of our favourites from the archive.
Concord C1 Quantum Gravity Tourbillon (The Book For Men Fall/Winter 2010)
The Book For Men has always been dedicated to assembling the best of the best, be it clothes, cars, or watches. The first issue set a high bar with the Concord C1 Quantum Gravity Tourbillon, a spectacular achievement rendered in aircraft-grade aluminum and titanium, and priced at $480,000. At the first-ever Book For Men party, guests even had the opportunity to try on the watch — which was guarded by two armed police officers.
TAG Heuer Monaco Mikrograph 1/100 Second Chronograph (Sharp December 2011)
In case its elaborate racing-inspired dial didn’t tip you off: this is no ordinary Monaco. Launched at the 2011 Monaco Grand Prix, this one-off was the world’s first mechanical wristwatch chronograph capable of precise timing to 1/100th of a second — a major achievement for the Swiss watchmaker. The secret to this feat is a movement that features two balance wheels oscillating at 360,000 beats per hour, as compared to the standard 28,000.
Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30° Technique Sapphire (The Book For Men Fall/Winter 2016)
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Our 2016 interview with Stephen Forsey — half of the watchmaking duo behind Swiss avant-garde watchmaker Greubel Forsey — showcased the technical skill required to create this incredible tourbillon. Creating its case from a single block of sapphire, Forsey explained, required up to 1,000 hours of polishing and machining. For the five lucky collectors who paid $1.1 million USD for this remarkable watch, it was time well spent.
Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Flying Tourbillon Reversed Dial (Sharp Winter 2018)
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This spectacular timepiece combines Cartier’s unmistakable guilloche dial and Roman numerals with a highly complex tourbillon movement, and Sharp’s photoshoot helped make its inner workings pop on the page. Featuring an individually numbered movement containing 167 hand-finished parts, including a “flying” tourbillon that appears to float within the case, this rare watch is among Cartier’s most complex creations. Priced at $177,000 at the time, it’s also among the most valuable.
Patek Philippe 5204R-001 (The Book For Men Spring/Summer 2021)
Few watches get collectors’ pulses racing like Patek Philippe’s grand complications — which are as impressive to look at as they are difficult to acquire. This example, provided by Humbertown Jewellers and priced at $381,300, featured a split-seconds chronograph and a perpetual calendar housed inside a polished rose gold case (which shines all the more vividly against a background of rough-textured brick). It’s no wonder this watch is the stuff of dreams.
