A Flat White, Espresso, Or Frappuccino On Monday Morning? — Choose Between TAG Heuer, Panerai, And IWC Watch Blends

Have a taste of a racing-team-inspired Carrera, a Radiomir with a vintage Angelus movement, or a Big Pilot "turbine" tourbillon

Lex Stolk

October 02, 2023

comments 11

You can start your Monday morning with all kinds of coffee — and all kinds of watches, for that matter. Do you prefer a powerful espresso, a strong but creamy flat white, or a chilled Frappuccino? Luckily, there’s a watch out there to match each drink. First is a unique Panerai Radiomir Guido Panerai & Figlio PAM01346 that comes up for auction soon. Then there’s the bright white TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph × Team Ikuzawa by Bamford. The most exotic one of the lot, though, is the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillion Markus Bühler with its spinning “turbine” on the dial.

Why are the best things (watches) in life so very often out of reach? Take this Panerai Radiomir Guido Panerai & Figlio PAM01346 as an example. This is a watch inspired by a Panerai ref. Modified 3646 model from the 1960s that used an Angelus movement. And dare I say that a Panerai with an Angelus movement is the Panerai to have? Well, this one is a unique piece, and it can be yours if you place the winning bid during Phillips’ The Geneva Watch Auction: XVIII on November 3rd, 2023. Not only will the lucky buyer be able to strap on something exceptional, but that person will also do good for the planet. All proceeds of the sale, including the whole Phillips Buyer’s Premium, will benefit the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO).

Espresso: Panerai Radiomir Guido Panerai & Figlio PAM01346

The Radiomir Guido Panerai & Figlio uses a hand-wound vintage Angelus SF240 movement. This 2.5Hz eight-day caliber measures 36.66mm (16 1/4 lignes) in diameter and 7mm thick. It was made in 1961, and the manufacturing date is even engraved on the main plate. The movement sits in a 47mm case made of Platinumtech, an alloy harder and significantly more scratch resistant than traditional platinum. Paneristi will be happy to see the sandwich dial and Italian-made calf straps, one of which was crafted by Cuoierie Meccaniche Brelli, the original maker of leather straps for the historical Officine Panerai.

Interestingly, the watch comes with a platinum/sapphire case back, but as a nod to historical authenticity, a second one in Plexiglass is available upon request. How do you think this new Radiomir will do at the auction? If you want to learn more or even register your interest, you can do so here.

Flat White: TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph × Team Ikuzawa by Bamford

TAG Heuer already has a lot of automotive collaborations under its belt, but this is the first time the brand has linked up with Japanese Team Ikuzawa. “The Choice of Racing Enthusiasts” might ring a bell among petrolheads. It was Tetsu Ikuzawa, a racing driver with an illustrious career, who founded the successful racing team. Tetsu’s daughter Mai is an artist and designer, and she carries on the proud Ikuzawa legacy. Also in the mix is George Bamford, watch tuner extraordinaire (among other things) and a close friend of Mai’s. The result is a watch that honors Tetsu’s racing legacy but is infused with Mai’s unique style and cultural influences and topped off with George’s expertise.

Representing the Team Ikuzawa colors, the dial has a white opaline finish with a fierce red 60-second/minute scale complemented by two white and red contrasting chronograph counters. The “Team Ikuzawa Choice of Racing Enthusiasts” logo and “Swiss Made” designation give you something to read and look at. The base for this collaboration, of course, is the Carrera Chronograph. This time, it’s in a brushed and polished 42 × 14.3mm steel case with a Heuer 02 automatic chronograph caliber inside. This bright watch is limited to 100 pieces. No, actually, it’s limited to 98 pieces because numbers 1 and 100 are for Tetsu and Mai Ikuzawa, respectively. The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph × Team Ikuzawa by Bamford has a price of €6,100 and comes with a miniature model of a Porsche 906, the car Tetsu drove to win the 1967 Japanese Grand Prix.

IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillion Markus Bühler (IW329901)

Frappuccino: IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillion Markus Bühler

The 2008 Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Markus Bühler started life as an entry for a watchmaking apprentices’ competition in 2003. It was the brainchild of Markus Bühler, who was then in the final year of his apprenticeship at IWC. With its turbine-inspired small seconds, the watch won the competition, and IWC decided to release a 12-piece run in 2008. Collectors ended up going crazy for it, and it turned out to be a cult classic.

IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Markus Bühler (IW5003) from 2008

Fifteen years later, the former apprentice is now Associate Director of Watch and Movement Assembly at IWC Schaffhausen. And there’s also a second Bühler watch. The Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillion Markus Bühler (ref. IW329901) is a platinum watch limited to 51 pieces. The key feature of the 2008 original, a miniature aircraft turbine, is now integrated into a flying one-minute tourbillon at 6 o’clock.

Like a jet engine

Inside the 43 × 14.6mm platinum case beats the 82905 caliber with blackened components. The visual spectacle that is this aircraft-like movement is visible through the sapphire window on the back.

But the glossy black dial side is probably the most fascinating element thanks to the constantly spinning flying tourbillon that seems to power the watch like a jet engine. Unfortunately, we have no word on the price. But if you have to ask, you’re not going to “fly” with this Big Pilot anyway, right?

Markus Bühler

I don’t know about you, but when reading the name of this particular IWC, it’s impossible for me not to think of the classic 1986 movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off — and about what could happen to the watch. In the movie, Ferris decides to skip school for the day. He also persuades his friend Cameron to take his dad’s 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder for a spin around Chicago. I’m not going to tell the story of the movie here — I suggest you (re)watch this classic feelgood flick — but I have no trouble envisioning Ferris Bueller Jr.’s Day Off, in which a priceless car and watch are taken for a wild day out on the town.

So, would you like the flat white, espresso, or Frappuccino this morning? Let me know in the comments.

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A Flat White, Espresso, Or Frappuccino On Monday Morning? — Choose Between TAG Heuer, Panerai, And IWC Watch Blends

I drink Americano rather than any of the above blends. Likewise, none of these watches appeals to me.

Ginseng tea for me, and a GS.

Lex says:

Oct 02, 2023 at 12:59

Good choice!

Pelandrone says:

Oct 02, 2023 at 14:42

Moka-made coffee for me, and a few GS. 🙂

LC
Chow says:

Oct 02, 2023 at 19:39

You sound like you could be my cousin

Love the Panerai and the Tag – the IWC isn’t quite my cup of coffee!

Models with re-finished and upgraded historic movements is something that I find quite fascinating and for a brand like Panerai I can certainly see the attraction given how many movements suppliers they have had in the past.

Their modern in house motors leave me a bit cold and they could benefit hugely from exploring that concept further.

The colours on that Tag are lovely – it really pops ?

Love that big pilot.

I remember many years ago reading a very convincing theory that Ferris Bueller was in fact a psychopath, who would score above 30 on a PCL-R test. It made the rewatch a lot of fun.

Make mine an iced medium roast with peppermint mocha creamer. And the Ikuzawa all day long and twice on Sunday. I would be willing to stop hunting for the next dressy watch if I could get hold of one of these. Loved the soundtrack to Ferris Bueller (the movie was a go-to in my high school Blockbuster years). I have a secret weapon that my parents didn’t in the 80s: my phone tells me where my car is at all times.

I’ll take a Cortado made with a strong espresso base to try to wash away the disappointment that I was never cool or wild enough to persuade my school friend to take his dad’s Ferrari 25o GT for a spin…in fact he was cooler than me and I often didn’t see him in class as he was cutting school without me!

As for my watch I’ll concede that deep down I’m a bit ‘ordinary’ sometimes, or maybe I can just call it ‘having conservative roots’? So I’ll choose a Breitling Navitimer B01. But I’ll still try to throw in my flavour of a slight bit of uniqueness by taking a flight to Singapore so I can buy the Swiss limited edition version which is only available to buy on long-haul flights! I’ll need that Cortado as I pre-prepare myself for the time difference to reduce jet-lag.

None of these please.
Although yesterday my friend and I were in Vacheron Constantin looking at the rose gold and caramel alligator strap watches. I could almost smell the sugar!