Time+Tide
Editor's note: A few months back, we announced that former Editor of GQ Australia, Mike Christensen, was?to be our first European Editor. In this series, 11 Days of Londoners', Mike will be sharing the stories of a few notable local collectors, starting on?Day 1 with King Nerd, and with a stellar lineup still to come. Lastly, you might ask, why 11 days? That, friends, will become clearer over time?Over the past few years, man about town, Mr James Yates, has made a name for himself in the health space, specifically as a mental health advocate working closely with the likes of Mr Porter. He also happens to know a thing or two about horology, so we caught up to chat all things watches in his life right now.?The watch I'm wearing today is a …Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight, based on a vintage Tudor from 1958. I like the vintage look of it, where they have used a softer colour on the dials. I also prefer the 39mm case as it's a little smaller than most modern watches and sits better on my wrist. It was recommended to me by my close friend Max Newlan, who deals watches, so it was nice for me that it has an added personal touch.My favourite thing about watches is …They are so individualised. Each person can express themselves through a watch, wear it for many years, pass it down, have its own story and that's why good watches stand the test of time. For a man, especially, I think it is the best piece of jewellery that allows you to express yourself and show your character.Tell us an entertaining watch-related storyI don't know if it's entertaining as such, but I bought my dad a Longines watch for Christmas a few years ago and he's not taken it off since that is pretty special to me.My favourite watch from 2020 …… would probably be the Audemars Piguet Flyback Chronograph, but I may be waiting a while for that. The new Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41, with its choice of dial colour, was also a winner.My personal style is …Fairly classic and timeless. I tend to wear a lot of plain colours with a good pair of shoes and a nice jacket, normally some Church's and my favourite Burberry overcoat.Someone I know who has a great watch collectionAs I mentioned before, Max (@maxnewlan) is a close friend of mine and is the man that my friends and I trust with our watches. He has been dealing watches for years now and knows everything there is to know. His collection is very impressive, ranging from Rolex, Cartier, APs to Tudors.
06.12.20