It has been a long time since I have taken a trip to my favourite store in Melrose Arch. Since the South African lockdown Level 5 to now, I havent left my apartment to go to a luxury shopping destination like Melrose Arch, until now.
Th reason for my trip? Pretty simple, I live with my watch on my arm, and needed to replace the strap, and battery for my wifes watch. This kind of thing is pretty easy to do at home, but depending on the watch, can very quickly get complicated, as I found out friday night.
Saturday morning was a quick trip to Elegance Jewellers and seeing the world famous John, the in-house watch specialist, for the work. While I was there, as usual my eyes started to survey the entire store, looking at things that shine and are pretty. My heart is probably encased in a watchbox, and on this particular weekend, was found in the IWC Yacht Club Chronograph 3905-07. I am a typically more sport watch guy. I started off very focussed on class and style when choosing a watch, but found when going on holiday especially, most of the watches I had, were not “fit-for-purpose”, to borrow a word from the world of finance.
Enter the IWC. This is the first time, apart from the Big Pilot, which most watch aficianado`s will know, played a big role in shaping the role of a chronograph watch, in the lives of Pilots over the past few decades. But before that, the Marine Clocks, produced by IWC specifically for shipping and leisure marine time keeping. You cant do anything in sailing wihtout knowing your heading, and also, working out how long it takes to get there, whilst also avoiding bad weather, that could ruin the trip.
Every single chance I get overseas, my wife and I will always book a short day trip on a catamaran. Wherever we are. We love the ocean, and I love to swim. The blue in this particular Yacht Club, together with the matching red hour and minute hands, and the extremely practical strap (moving all my watches to rubber straps now), makes a very handsome package. The sporty appearance of this particullar watch, is something that very much appealed to me as a younger watch guy.
There is always time for heritage, and IWC certainly has not shifted their focus entirely in terms of maintaining the IWC appearance, but in short. This is a phenomenal watch, in steel, with a chronograph function, and dials placed that 12 and 6, that was first seen in an IWC watch, in the mid 70`s. Reading the historical importance of IWC to maritime life in the past, I can only help feel very nostalgic, about just how much work it has truly taken, to get the Portuguesier range of watches to this level of infamy.
As will all things on the net nowadays, there are plenty of reviews of this watch. IWC is clearly aiming this watch straight to the gentleman and women, who are focussed on maritime adventure, even if that only includes a trip twice a year, from inland offices filled with meetings, to the open and free ocean. The watch has a feel of class. The team sharing it with me, match it 100%.
Elegance jewellers had our watch battery and strap done in under an hour, and within this very short period, I decided to ensure I write this post, and learn as much as I could about the Portuguese ranges from 1929 to now.
As with any business, this specific range took some time to fly with the public, and it has since then, become one of the most iconic of their ranges, even with a nemesis of a big brother the Big Pilot, which we will share with you, in a future blog. The range fulfils all the requirements for me a really smart modern day watch.
- Practical. At 6 ATM, this ensures a light splash on holiday and a dip in a pool ( not diving), will not damage the watch at all.
- Chronograph – for those men, like me, who are on lockdown, with wives that have encouraged cooking with an instant pot. The sheer adventure of this kind of endevour, requires a stopwatch – to help time food to perfection. (under 8 minutes).
- Rubber Strap. We work and live in the real world. For nights, when we go out to a meeting, or fancy dinner, this watch would be right at home in any location. The rubber strap, will also help with Sanitisation stations at every door of any shop, as my poor leather strap had previously been sprayed by mistake too often.
4. Unique – This specific watch is pretty unique. In 2020, this is the first time, I have held and handled a Yacht Club watch. And in about 3 years of looking at watches, knives, pens and cars, this is something very special to have as “different thing”. In a world filled with sameness, overcome the urge to fit in, and look at IWC for a real deep dive into legendary quality, but also focus on clients needs and adaptive changes to design over time to meet them.
Prices and enquiries available in store at Elegance Jewellers. Amazing team at all their stores. This particular timepiece is based at the Melrose Arch store.
Thanks for reading my blog. Hope to do a video or two soon on this, so keep an eye on instagram, and if possible – YouTube too!
In the time of COVID – I will make sure you have something else to read about. Sometimes expensive, but always special!
-PW
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