Andrew McCutchen
On the flight back from GPHG 2024 in Geneva, I had some fresh air to write a speech for the launch of the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph x Time+Tide Sundowner. It will be on general sale soon. This is your chance to buy early. Sign up here before 7pm Japan time. I was grateful for 90 uninterrupted minutes to collect my thoughts when I didn’t want to ride this fast-flowing river of time. The problem with businesses that currently operate at the speed of time and trends is that important moments fly by and are replaced by more and more important moments.
This brief respite in the blurred timeline of the past 18 months has given us a clear understanding of why this collaboration is so meaningful. And why it stands out above almost every other achievement or milestone.
If you’ve seen “About Efficient Time,” this won’t surprise you. In an early episode of the show, we talked about our first experiences with luxury watches. Even though I was cramped, I admitted that my first experience with a luxury watch wasn’t actually a luxury watch. What I thought was a valuable TAG Heuer Aquaracer turned out to be a cheap copy from Bali. But while I thought nothing of the Year 9 Caulfield Grammar boy who wore that watch on his wrist, I decided in that moment that my desire for watches was to own a fake Tag Heuer as well. . That dream didn’t come true until a few years later, on my 21st birthday, I went to a local jewelry store with my parents and, within my budget, chose a gray titanium Citizen EcoDrive with rose gold details. That’s why. after that.
This week, both of those experiences have come full circle with the release of my dream Time+Tide collaboration, the Solargraph with its authentic 18 karat rose gold detailing. Not only was this the launch of a watch at the new London Watch Discovery Studio, but it was also the first event to be held in the stunning location of Oxford Circus in central London. To my utter shock and surprise, the general manager of TAG Heuer Australia flew out to commemorate the moment with me. Van Mulayan strode through the arduous journey, walked onto the floor with microphone in hand, and presented the watch with me without missing a beat.
Not only is the Sundowner the first collaboration between Time+Tide and TAG Heuer, it’s actually TAG Heuer’s first Australian-only model in so long that no one remembers, so Van was present at the launch. It was a very fitting thing to do. The last one. Therefore, the role of host was divided and the story of how this watch came to be told. I won’t go into details here, but in short, it’s Van, and I convene each Watch and Wonders to come up with a new plan for the edition and present it to the powers that be. After coming very close for several years, we finally cracked the code with this “luxury tool watch”: the Sundowner.
You can also find out how our two logos came to share a dial, and how Power Brands follows our guidelines to create pieces that truly stand out from our Standard Collection and are a lasting reflection. I also shared details about the design process that eased so much. The Australian spirit of adventure lives on your wrist. We would like to thank all of our guests for making the London Watch Discovery Studio such a warm home. They have left us with a strong community feel that we will continue to enjoy in this wonderful space for many years to come. If you listen carefully to the full reveal video for “Sundowner,” you’ll hear me say, “When the sun sets in one place, it rises in another.” This sums up the fact that the two Discovery Studios, located in Melbourne and now London, operate equally on opposite sides of the world. We imagined a world where people constantly talk about watches and timepieces. It’s getting closer and closer.
I also have to thank Van once again for taking the grueling flight from Australia and showing no signs of jet lag, which leaves me speechless for days after such a trip. Van, you are a superstar. Thanks also to my team in London. They are newly formed and we hope to continue to be active in the future. I couldn’t ask for a better opening event or event that foreshadows what’s to come. Sundowner will be released tonight at 7pm GMT for early access holders and globally at 8pm GMT. Sign up for early access now (or before 7pm GMT on Monday, November 18th) for your chance. We wish all those considering purchasing the best of luck.
