Page 14 - Indulge February/March 2015
P. 14
his man cave TIME I don’t know about you,
but I never feel like I have enough
AFTER TIME
time to get things done.
By Patrick O’Donnell
Maybe that explains my lifelong obsession with models available, but a classic timepiece has a certain
timepieces. As a child, I used to watch (no pun soul that modern, battery-operated quartz-movements
intended), mesmerized, as my parents’ big Seth Thomas are lacking. There are new, hand-wound mechanical
No. 2 Regulator wall clock ticked away. The swinging of clocks, too — but where’s the romance in that? I much
the pendulum, precise beat of the second hand and the prefer the idea that my clock was hand-assembled by a
barely perceptible movements of the minute and hour craftsman bent over his candle-lit workbench, peering at
hands fascinated me. Talk about whiling away the hours. the inner workings of my timepiece through an eyeglass
My folks had several antique clocks in the house, loupe, a tiny gear gripped in a pair of tweezers.
all with their own distinct chimes, ticks and degrees of Speaking of gears, let’s switch them for a moment, and
accuracy. In the dining room, for instance, was an antique consider another type of horological handiwork: the watch.
tambour mantle clock with a Westminster chime that ran A classic, wrist-borne timepiece is not only functional,
about five minutes faster than the others. So you’d hear it lends style and makes a statement. Just look at the
that one ring like Big Ben and know there was about five watches of fictional characters James Bond, Jason
minutes of homework left before dinner. If you heard the Bourne and Don Draper — or classic entertainers such
one in the living room chime the hour, though, it meant as Frank Sinatra, Steve McQueen and Sammy Davis Jr.
you were running late. It also meant you were going to One of my personal favorites is the Omega Seamaster
miss some crucial dialogue in whatever 1980s TV show Professional 300M Chronograph Diver Titanium. It’s a
was on, because it had an uncanny knack for chiming just larger watch, but not obnoxiously so. It’s stylish, but
when a key plot point was revealed: “And that’s how Daisy versatile enough to wear with a suit, jeans or scuba gear —
and Bo figured out that” DING DONG, DING DONG “was because at its heart, it’s purpose-built for underwater work.
trying to swindle Uncle Jesse out of the farm.” In a similar vein is the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
“A CLASSIC, WRIST-BORNE — a chronograph watch favored by actor and racing
enthusiast Paul Newman.
TIMEPIECE IS NOT ONLY The TAG Heuer Carrera Mikrograph is a more dressy
FUNCTIONAL, IT LENDS STYLE model, as is the vintage Rolex Explorer Precision 5506.
AND MAKES A STATEMENT.” It’s perfect for black-tie events, high-level meetings or
just when you want to look your best.
These watches, of course, cost a small fortune, so
Despite those leftover childhood tics, I they’re only on my wish list. Something a little more
love the sound of an authentic, mechanical obtainable is the Swiss-mechanical Swatch Sistem51.
clock. It’s more of a casual watch, but wouldn’t
A great man cave addition would be an antique look out of place with a business suit if you
grandfather clock. There’s something that’s just, well, choose it in all black.
manly about those old tall-case timepieces. They were Personally, I’d choose blue — and since
made in an age when a man’s reputation rested solidly on it’s a Swatch, I could wear it while I relive
his craftsmanship. The cases, the internal workings — all the ’80s. I can envision it now: I’ll
were designed to, quite literally, stand the test of time. find that Dukes of Hazzard episode
14 | INDULGE • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 Local antiques shops sometimes have models made on CMT and find out the culprit
by John Heilig, a craftsman from the Philadelphia area. was really …. BIM-BAM, BIM-
One of his creations, built in 1789, honored George BAM, BIM-BAM.
Washington’s inauguration and is often considered one of Damn. I forgot about my
America’s most important clocks. mantle clock. Some things
If a grandfather clock is too big, opt for something never change.
smaller — like a tambour made by Seth Thomas, or
a mantle clock from Inghram. For an antique in good
running order, expect to spend at least “A GREAT MAN CAVE
$250 or more. There are certainly new
ADDITION WOULD BE AN
ANTIQUE GRANDFATHER CLOCK.”
but I never feel like I have enough
AFTER TIME
time to get things done.
By Patrick O’Donnell
Maybe that explains my lifelong obsession with models available, but a classic timepiece has a certain
timepieces. As a child, I used to watch (no pun soul that modern, battery-operated quartz-movements
intended), mesmerized, as my parents’ big Seth Thomas are lacking. There are new, hand-wound mechanical
No. 2 Regulator wall clock ticked away. The swinging of clocks, too — but where’s the romance in that? I much
the pendulum, precise beat of the second hand and the prefer the idea that my clock was hand-assembled by a
barely perceptible movements of the minute and hour craftsman bent over his candle-lit workbench, peering at
hands fascinated me. Talk about whiling away the hours. the inner workings of my timepiece through an eyeglass
My folks had several antique clocks in the house, loupe, a tiny gear gripped in a pair of tweezers.
all with their own distinct chimes, ticks and degrees of Speaking of gears, let’s switch them for a moment, and
accuracy. In the dining room, for instance, was an antique consider another type of horological handiwork: the watch.
tambour mantle clock with a Westminster chime that ran A classic, wrist-borne timepiece is not only functional,
about five minutes faster than the others. So you’d hear it lends style and makes a statement. Just look at the
that one ring like Big Ben and know there was about five watches of fictional characters James Bond, Jason
minutes of homework left before dinner. If you heard the Bourne and Don Draper — or classic entertainers such
one in the living room chime the hour, though, it meant as Frank Sinatra, Steve McQueen and Sammy Davis Jr.
you were running late. It also meant you were going to One of my personal favorites is the Omega Seamaster
miss some crucial dialogue in whatever 1980s TV show Professional 300M Chronograph Diver Titanium. It’s a
was on, because it had an uncanny knack for chiming just larger watch, but not obnoxiously so. It’s stylish, but
when a key plot point was revealed: “And that’s how Daisy versatile enough to wear with a suit, jeans or scuba gear —
and Bo figured out that” DING DONG, DING DONG “was because at its heart, it’s purpose-built for underwater work.
trying to swindle Uncle Jesse out of the farm.” In a similar vein is the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
“A CLASSIC, WRIST-BORNE — a chronograph watch favored by actor and racing
enthusiast Paul Newman.
TIMEPIECE IS NOT ONLY The TAG Heuer Carrera Mikrograph is a more dressy
FUNCTIONAL, IT LENDS STYLE model, as is the vintage Rolex Explorer Precision 5506.
AND MAKES A STATEMENT.” It’s perfect for black-tie events, high-level meetings or
just when you want to look your best.
These watches, of course, cost a small fortune, so
Despite those leftover childhood tics, I they’re only on my wish list. Something a little more
love the sound of an authentic, mechanical obtainable is the Swiss-mechanical Swatch Sistem51.
clock. It’s more of a casual watch, but wouldn’t
A great man cave addition would be an antique look out of place with a business suit if you
grandfather clock. There’s something that’s just, well, choose it in all black.
manly about those old tall-case timepieces. They were Personally, I’d choose blue — and since
made in an age when a man’s reputation rested solidly on it’s a Swatch, I could wear it while I relive
his craftsmanship. The cases, the internal workings — all the ’80s. I can envision it now: I’ll
were designed to, quite literally, stand the test of time. find that Dukes of Hazzard episode
14 | INDULGE • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 Local antiques shops sometimes have models made on CMT and find out the culprit
by John Heilig, a craftsman from the Philadelphia area. was really …. BIM-BAM, BIM-
One of his creations, built in 1789, honored George BAM, BIM-BAM.
Washington’s inauguration and is often considered one of Damn. I forgot about my
America’s most important clocks. mantle clock. Some things
If a grandfather clock is too big, opt for something never change.
smaller — like a tambour made by Seth Thomas, or
a mantle clock from Inghram. For an antique in good
running order, expect to spend at least “A GREAT MAN CAVE
$250 or more. There are certainly new
ADDITION WOULD BE AN
ANTIQUE GRANDFATHER CLOCK.”
