It’s no secret that we here at TSL, and more so our sister site, Wrist Watch Review (of course), are into fine time pieces. This site is set up to focus on the fashion side of things, as well. Ordinarily, unless you’re talking about the Titanic watch, I think a fine timepiece is its own fashion statement. Pick the right one, and it speaks for itself (time for a shameless Panerai plug? Nah).

But Desanti is going to force me to choose. This clothier is the maker of the Watchcuff shirt. Apparently made for watch geeks like me, these things are so out there that I think I’d have to pass. You may disagree.

Is it fashionable to so prominently feature your watch? Is the ultimate sign of Wisconsin cheddar? Of course, the argument can be made that many watches leave behind “fashionable” and dive head-first into garish, ridiculous, even obscene. But something about these strikes me as, well, wrong.

Cruise on over to Desanti’s website and make up your own mind. Even if you hate the shirts, you may dig the watch porn.

I must admit, I was pretty skeptical about this one. I read that Mazda had released a watch before I saw what it looked like or who produced it. Or, to be more precise, I saw the headline on Autoblog and passed right by the story because I had absolutely zero interest in a Mazda watch.

But then I got a look at it. It’s pretty cool, and well worth a look just for the design features. (You can see those photos HERE) And then I read the article, and the watch is made by Sinn.

If you’re a watch geek like me, then that bit of news is pretty impressive. Sinn makes wonderful watches — the brand is known for its workhorse chronographs. Bottom line, this baby ain’t gonna be just a wallflower.

Available only in Europe and for a price of $2000, it may be worth trying to find one.

Via Autoblog

Fans of Breitling watches (of which I count myself a part) rejoice! There’s a new source and community on the net. Those of you in the know already know about the Paneristi and their extensive community of fans. Well, Breitling Source is new, but it may get to that level in some time.

Take a minute to check it out.

Against my better judgment, I am updating my prior post regarding Titanic DNA watches.

The press release cometh:

Ronaldo received the first Titanic-DNA watch, fresh out of the Geneva-based Romain Jerome factory. Mister Yvan Arpa , CEO of the company and big admirer of Ronaldo - all time best top scorer of World Cup finals (15 goals) - met him in Milan this week-end.

The Titanic-DNA watch mixes past and present as it is, amongst others, made with rusted steel
and coal from the famous ocean liner. For the first time in the watch industry, you can wear a piece of history on your wrist.

Following the success at Baselworld, the collection will be available worldwide starting October 2007.

Romain Jerome is proud to have Ronaldo wear its watch.

I still hate these watches. I think they’re absurd, morbid, stupid, overpriced, etc. etc. Maybe marketing IS King. Maybe every idea has at least some takers. But rusted steel and coal? I’m truly at a loss for words.

I’m most surprised by the part of the quote above “following the success at Baselword.” What? Let me tell you, I need to get rich, and quick, because whatever gazillionaires are smoking has got to be some amazing stuff.

Fibre2Fashion via TimeZone.com

Style.com has just posted a story detailing thirteen new timepieces introduced at this year’s Basel show. Though this list of thirteen includes the utterly ridiculous Titanic Watch, there are at least a few models of note.

The Glashutte Original pictured above, for example — a stunning combination of timeless details and cutting edge technology. My other favorites include the Panerai Radiomir chronograph and the Richard Mill 012 Tourbillon (at $450,000, how could you pass it up).

If you’re in the market, there are many, many wonderful options all inhabiting the world beyond Rolex. Have fun exploring.

Read More

Among other things, I’m a watch guy, so I appreciate rare and expensive timepieces — even if I can’t afford anything that costs more than a buck-o-five. But even I have my limits. $1.1 million for a Vacheron Constantin? Uh, ok. It’s nice and all, but damn. Well, to the list of head-scratchers I would like to introduce a new line of “luxury” watches from Romain Jerome, a Geneva-based watchmaker. Mr. Jerome has created wristwatches made from bits of the Titanic.

“It is very luxurious and very inaccessible,” said Yvan Arpa, chief executive of the three-year-old company that hopes the limited edition watches will attract both collectors and garrulous luxury goods buyers.

Wait, what? Apparently he bought a 3 pound section of the hull from some seller that he couldn’t (or wouldn’t) identify for the sole purpose of making something rich people would buy without compunction. But hang on, what about all those dead people? No worries, mate. Mr. Arpa’s response that “The combination of new and old materials infused the watches with a sense of renewal, instead of representing a reminder of the 1,500 passengers who drowned when the oceanliner met her tragic end off the coast of Newfoundland” makes perfect sense to me.

After all, ’twas capitalism that sailed the ship. You have to give it to them, though. I never would have thought of that.

Read more…

Traditionally, we’ve been obsessed by the style choices of James Bond, but there’s something about the understated, utilitarian accessorizing of 24’s Jack Bauer.

After all, while Bond has the regular luxury of fopping around a hotel room while having his tuxedo pressed and his chrono recalibrated with gadget after gadget, Bauer never stops until some ‘crisis’ is averted (although who knows what he does for the other 364 days of the year), and his gear needs the same kind of tenacity.

A few weapons, flak jackets, monoculars, cuffs, shades and more, all slung in a nondescript canvas messenger over his special ops watch-clad arm – there’s some great, gritty gear there.

Whether it all wears out after more than a day of use is anyone’s guess, however.

Jack Bauer Gear [Uncrate]

It’s often the case that the simplest answers are often the most likely. It’s bright outside because of the sun. It’s dark at night because there’s no sun. Porsches are so damn expensive because the profit margins are outrageous.

So says a report from Germany’s Welt an Sonntag newspaper, which claims the average Porsche profit is $28,000.

$28,000! Audi and BMW both manage with less than $5000 per unit while Volkswagen and Chrysler net less than a grand for each car sold!

Report: Porsche profits $28,000 per car [Left lane news via New Launches]

Some addictions are harder to shake than others. An addiction to records by the Foo Fighters, for example, can fade within hours. A heroin habit, on the other hand, can take a little longer to kick.

Somewhere in between is Tomvox1’s addiction to Rolex GMTs.

I was sure that this 6542 was the only GMT I would “need.” After all, when you have the rarest variety, who wants any other kind? Well, clearly I had not come to grips with the fact that I was rapidly becoming a vintage watch addict and “needed” to get examples of the other types of gilt/gloss GMT’s out there.

An enchanting read and a lesson for us all – too many Rolexes are never enough.

The Evolution of the GMT [Double Red Sea Dweller via Fratello Watches via Wrist Watch Review]

The newest entrant into the mysterious world of luxury mobile phones may well be legendary watchmaker Tag Heuer, if buzz is anything to go by.

French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, owners of the Tag Heuer brand, seem set to use the Swiss watchmaker’s Carrera model as a base for the phone, which is to be built by French fancy phonesters ModeLabs.

Occasionally we’re reduced to using our phones to tell the time, in periods of temporary watchness, so Tag Heuer’s mobile may confuse the hell out of us. And what would Steve say?

Tag Heuer To Release Cell Phone [Sybarites via Wrist Watch Review]