From Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona to astronaut Wally Shirra’s Omega Speedmaster, the first watch to travel to the moon, this book traces the history of 76 of the most iconic and emblematic watches. Each chapter is devoted to a watch and its history, by its current owner in an exclusive interview, conducted by the author himself.
For many men, watches are not just for telling the time. They have a more important meaning. They come to mark special occasions. They reveal to the world a little of the person that we are, sometimes they connect us to those who are dear to us. This book highlights fascinating stories, historical anecdotes from the archives of major brands or more personal testimonies gleaned from friends, the author, colleagues and collectors. A powerful bond unites these stories and these men, whether they are alive or dead, rich and famous or humble ordinary people. Watches are one of those objects that provoke dialogue. The author talks about how these watches have emotional value with a deep connection to their owners. They were given to them by a loved one where they related to a major event in their life.
To begin this work, the author talks about Paul Newman’s Rolex. This model is for many the watch par excellence, a collector’s item at an insane price that some have sought for years. It’s the Holy Grail for many watch lovers. The Rolex was given to the actor by his wife Joanne Woodward to replace the first Daytona which she had given him a reference – 6239 – which Newman had given to the companion of their daughter, eldest Nell in 1984. As the saying goes author himself: “When I first held this watch in my hand, it had an electrifying effect on me, but what struck me more was the inscription on the back: “ Drive carefully. Joanne.” These words gave me chills. And I feel the same emotion every time I think about it. Paul Newman was a legend, handsome, talented, generous, elegant, he was both a Hollywood star and a distinguished racing driver, having had his hour of glory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But he was also a man like everyone else, a husband and a father who needed to know the time. His youngest daughter Léa, who was kind enough to let this watch be photographed, still wears it every day. This cult object which broke records at auction is on her wrist when she rides a horse or when she gardens. Ultimately a watch is just a watch, it is the story it conveys that is exceptional.
The author therefore spent months gathering stories from all over the world. Among these exceptional watches we discover the watch of Éric Ripper, chef and co-owner of Bernardin, who owns a Vacheron Constantin watch from 1921. As Eric Ripert points out: “For me, watches are associated with special occasions, I can Give one for the holidays for example, or even before if I don’t have the patience to wait.” From page to page we are under the spell of real little gems like Alain Delon’s reversible Cartier watch, the Golder Carrera pilot, reference 11, 58 HP from 1967 by Mario Andretti, legendary car racer, the Omega Speedmaster, Mark 40 from Benjamin, Clymer, astronaut Wally Schirra’s Omega Speedmaster, which became the first watch to travel to the moon, Sylvester’s Submariner Stallone offered himself when he realized he had succeeded. the gold Patek Philippe of the rapper Nas, an expression of his singular style, The Rolex Oyster Perpetual that Sir Edmund Hillary wore when he reached the summit of Everest. Amazing watches like photographer Stephen Lewis’ calculator watch, Hewlett Packard, President John Kennedy’s Omega inauguration watch, an ultra-thin yellow watch outside from his friend John Grant or even the Longines watch by Charles Lindberg, which allowed pilots to eliminate one of the essential calculations of air navigation by reading the hour angle of a celestial object using Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). This extraordinary artifact reminds us that for the first explorers, tool watches were among the most important measuring instruments.
-A total of 20 interviews were conducted, including Eric Rippert, chef of the three Michelin star Le Bernardin, in New York, York, Nas the rapper and entrepreneur, Mario Andretti, legendary car driver, and Kikuo Ibe, Paul Boutros… Each interview is accompanied by splendid photographs, original and unpublished. Additional chapters take us deep into the archives of the greatest watchmaking houses, offering us rare privileged access to their marvelous creations. A real must!
Jean-Christophe Mary
One Man, One Watch by Matt Hranek. E/P/A Editions. 216 pages.
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