As we close 2024, we reflect on the year. And you told us that you absolutely loved these posts for 2024. Here is the Top 10.
Top 10 most popular posts of 2024
And here they are. Most popular posts for 2024. In order of popularity, from most viewed.
1. Reaction: news leak of the new Patek Philippe Cubitus
Top of the list! The news event of the year. And definitely not a surprise. Fortune magazine’s Oct/Nov 24 issue carried an advertisement with a new Patek collection called “The Cubitus”. The magazine was already sent to subscribers in the US almost a week before the launch event in Munich scheduled for October 17.
We first got wind of the new collection on the evening of October 12, when we was alerted to the spreading buzz in social media circles about a new Patek collection. Up till then, we have no knowledge of this new collection. We did not even know that Patek was going to launch a new watch collection, much less that an event was being planned for the launch on Oct 17. We had not receive any communication or literature or press release from Patek and had not signed any NDA. We published the Reaction article, it was all gathered from social media. Of course, we verified the authenticity of the existence of the new collection, and confirmed its authenticity. We confirmed that an actual issue of Fortune magazine actually did carry the advertisement. Even when the news was gaining heat, there was no comment from Patek nor any official source. We published our reaction to the facts, according to we found. This was on Sunday Oct 13.
Subsequently, on the morning of Friday October 18, at 2:32am Singapore time (8:32pm Munich time on Oct 17), we received the email Press Release from Patek Philippe Geneva. It carried with it, the instructions “For Immediate Release. Thursday, October 17th 2024”. The Release contained the full information of the collection. We then went for a touch and feel with photography session on Monday October 21. Our detailed findings of the Cubitus Ref. 5821/1A was published on December 3, 2024. And the Ref. 5822 will be published next week.
2. Review: Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s Special Edition SPB455
Seiko remains a strong brand in our community. And you reaffirmed our belief when this review of the Prospex 1965 Diver SPB455 sits on position no 2. Truly a testament that Seiko remains very popular.
And truly a deserving watch. A very handsome diver watch with a 40mm “Goldilocks sized” case. The colour scheme is brilliantly chosen, with the gold accents bringing a bit of glitz on this otherwise tool watch. The watch feels very sturdy. Reassuring us that it is ready for the rigours of daily use and abuse, as well as for serious diving. And to top this all up, the pricing of about EUR 1.6k is excellent value.
3. New and Reviewed: Citizen Promaster Land U822 Eco-Drive Ref. JV1005-02W
Next, another…or the other Japanese brand makes its entry. We must say this particular Citizen sitting this high in the charts is a small, though pleasant surprise. After all, this is a quartz watch, in a community of mechanical enthusiasts. But we are happy that it is so well received. It also tells us that you too think quartz watches can be nice interesting timepieces.
But we should not be surprised. The Citizen Promaster Land is an exceptional watch. Priced at only USD 750, it represents superb value for the money. For this, you get a top notch tool watch. The aesthetic is distinctive, with the machined knurled crowns looking like it means business. And it does! It took in everything we threw at it. From cycling and hiking to daily activities and working on our photography, the Promaster Land performance was excellent at all times.
4. Six of the most impressive dress watches for 2024
And in position no. 4, we get our first listicle. Listicles have traditionally done very well every year. But it seems that for 2024, the two Japanese watch reviews have overtaken your choice of a good listicle. But it still features prominently. No. 4 is nothing to be sneezed at. And at this position, we gave you our list of impressive dress watches.
This list comprised of exemplars from Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Parmigiani Fleurier, IWC, Hermès and Czapek. Six of the best. We still think so today.
5. Effortlessly seamless: Six watches with excellent value propositions that will fit into any watch collection
Next up, another listicle. Now for six watches with fabulous value propositions. With this list mid-point in the Top 10, it tells us that you are still enthusiastic with affordable watches.
The list runs the gamut of modestly priced watches to mid-priced models. From Citizen, Hanhart, Grand Seiko, Nomos, Kudoke and Frederique Constant. This list was quite a diverse range. Both in terms of pricing, but also in the complications offered.
6. New: Seiko Presage Studio Ghilbli Nausicaä
And at no.6 is another Seiko. This time a Presage in collaboration., inspired by the Japanese animated film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. This watch encapsulates the theme with the classical Presage lines and the rather beautiful blue enamel dial with the DNA of the anime.
The way Seiko blends the themes of both the movie and their Presage collection is masterful. Elements of the film are depicted as the blue enamel, with a the tasteful use of the collaboration’s iconography. The watch is also rather inexpensive at EUR 1.7k, and is a nice value for a collector, especially one who is also keen on Japanese pop culture.
7. Review: the new Citizen Promaster NB6046-59E SKY Series Mechanical GMT
And yet again, a Japanese watch. This time the new Promaster SKY mechanical GMT. This is yet another exceptional watch released this year. Citizen Japan had sent us a sample to try out, and the article expressed our thoughts after about 2 weeks on our wrists.
This is another example of a watch consistent with the Citizen philosophy. Sturdy, well designed watches which meet a specific function (in this case, for aviation or travel), and built to meet a modest pricing point. And priced at below SGD 1k, the Promaster NB6046 SKY Mechanical GMT is certainly a good buy.
8. Musings: Six best Japanese watches to buy now
Even more Japanese spotlight. This was the third time we talked about Japanese watches. The first was in 2018. And again in 2019 and 2021. And once again, the list appears on the Top 10. It tells us that Japanese watches are perhaps on the top of your minds. We speculate that this might be because of the fatigue from the constant drone of the Swiss watch industry. Or that the Japanese have started to come to their own. We don’t quite know.
What we do know is that collectively, we all love Japanese watches. Japanese watches are like Japanese cars. Well engineered, sometimes over engineered. Excellently made. Reliable. Precise. Though at times may be lacking of character. As we are still in the metaphor of cars, character is sometimes used to romanticise flaws. And so it is also with watches.
9. Five of the best independent English watchmakers
But you also showed us that you like gumption. And love rooting for the underdog, the English being the quintessential example. Always the underdog, even though they had held the seat of watchmaking with the French well before the craft settled in Switzerland. But this list being on the Top 10 is also testament that you too love an underdog. Or at least are intrigued by English watchmaking.
In the list, we had maisons like Charles Frodsham, Garrick, McGonigle, Underd0g and Roger Smith. But we also listed other honourable mentions of the likes of anOrdian, Derek Pratt, Rebecca Struthers, Peter Speake, Bremont, Christopher Ward, Mr Jones Watches and Sinclair Harding.
10. The perfect 6 watch collection – picked by Meta AI
And the inevitable had to happen. Artificial Intelligence. This was the third article where we made a commentary based on a list picked by AI. The first was with ChatGPT on a perfect six watch collection, and then also on ChatGPT on six independents. Both articles ran in 2023. And for 2024, we ran one more, this time with Meta AI making the picks. We were curious. And it seemed that you were too. And hence, this AI pick and commentary made it as the final article in the Top 10 list for 2024.
We thought Meta AI did a decent attempt at the six watches which featured Omega, Rolex, Breitling, Patek Philippe, Tudor and Casio.
Concluding thoughts
And there we have it. What you told us you wanted to see more of. And we will strive to deliver. More modestly priced watch reviews. More Japanese watch features. And more long form comprehensive reviews together. And more lists. We hear you! Thank you for your readership, and for now, we sign off for 2024. See you next year!
Thank you for making 2024 a wonderful year. And hope for an even better 2025!
