Secret Mens Business

These type of events are a rarity in Australia which makes them even more welcome. We have a very loyal and strong Panerai following and it was a plesant surprise to get an invite from my AD to attend a ‘boys’ only presentation of Panerai’s Manifattura Collection.

The venue was none other than Sydney’s famous ARIA restaurant. ARIA provides a dining experience that encapsulates Sydney lifestyle, offering panoramic views of Sydney Harbour, the freshest Australian produce in an innovative and contemporary menu.

The evening started with splendid canapés accompanied by wine or Prosecco for those that wanted to get into the true spirit of the night.
The main course was the new collection which included my favourite, the Pam 312. I also love the 311. A few Paneristi also wore some cult pieces like the Pam 127 ‘Fiddy’ and the notorious Pam 203.

Jean-Sebastien the Officine Panerai MD (Asia Pac) provided a wealth of knowledge about the new in-house movements to fellow collectors.

A fabulous night was had by all, with the only regret being that we didn’t take more photos. Events such as these highlight the growing passion for watches in the land downunder.

RG Big Bang - The Pinnacle of Sport Elegance

It didn’t take long to find the most appropriate way to unveil my latest and also the most fundamental Big Bang in my collection.
Taking a step back. I saw the RG Big Bang about two years ago at Sydney’s first Hublot AD. They were having a watch function for their best clients. I was instantly drawn to the RG BB, the powerful contrasts presented in this piece are spectacular. To this day, it remains relevant, a symbol of progress, passion and soul. The latter seems to be absent from a lot of new mass produced luxury watches.
Just before our trip to Hong Kong I finally took the plunge.
Three weeks later we decided to have a wonderful winter weekend at Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa. This five star Orient-Express hotel is housed in a historic country house set amidst two acres of manicured gardens and the most breath taking views of the mountain range.
Some pics of the resort.



Not quite the Alps, however the Blue Mountains are astonishing in their own uniqueness, a majestic landscape of waterfalls and awe-inspiring sandstone escarpments. Most fail to appreciate that these are some of the oldest mountains on the planet.

This is the blue sheen that makes these mountains remarkable.

The famous Three Sisters are a fascinating rock formation associated with Aboriginal Legend.


On this glorious occasion, a customary bottle of Champagne just had to be consumed.

One cannot forget the wonderful food shots. The famous afternoon tea.

Dinner

And to finish off we had some wonderful wine and cocktails beside the fireplace.

The creative fire and soul are most evident in the Rose Gold Big Bang. May this burning vision and passion continue at Hublot for years to come.

Hong Kong Watch Boutique Indulgence

Hong Kong is a watch connoisseur’s ultimate destination presenting a spectacle of vintage and new pieces from all the major brands. Not only is there an array of ADs that are more than willing to please, the ‘Watch Boutique’ concept is now firmly engrained since our last visit in 2007.

We were most impressed by the 1881 Heritage. Located in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, the Former Marine Police Headquarters have been rejuvenated and re-integrated into the urban fabric of the area. The 120 year old historical development has been revitalised and transformed into a new cultural and shopping landmark. It boasts boutiques from IWC, Rolex, Tudor, Vacheron Constantin (TBC), Piaget and Breguet.

The IWC boutique was an absolute standout. Specifically each section of the boutique was dedicated to each of their respective collections from the Da Vinci line to the even having a flight simulator in the pilot section. The lavish layout was only surpassed by the divine service offered by the store manager Rebecca Tam and Jackal Yee.


The Breguet boutique’s regal layout and classic lines express the heritage of this brand. Here I was fortunate enough to try the Double Tourbillon and the La Tradition Tourbillon, a true horological jewel.

Across in Hong Kong Island we spent time at Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, and FP Journe.

The Panerai boutique remains as popular as ever and our second visit here was equally exciting. We were faced with the usual challenge of a lack of stock. However after some gentle persuasion Ricky showed us some special pieces.



Hong Kong presents an exhilarating way to indulge in one’s watch passion and I look forward to travelling there again soon.