Matthew Hranek - A Man and His Watch: Iconic Watches and Stories from the Men Who Wore Them

A

MAN

&

HIS

WATCH

Iconic Watches & Stories from the Men Who Wore Them

Matt Hranek

Photographs by Stephen Lewis

Artisan | New York

For my father

CONTENTS

Matt Hraneks Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust & Paul Newmans Model 6263 Big Red Rolex Daytona

Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921

1967 gold Heuer Carrera Pilot reference 1158ch, Orfina Porsche Design, Fischer Ancre 15 Rubis & Heuer Autavia

Omega Speedmaster Mark 40

Timex Indiglo

Casio G-Shock

1967 Doxa Sub 300 Professional black lung

Rolex Kew A Observatory Chronometer

Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 5712R

1914 Waltham trench watch

Elgin

Timex Ironman

Sears Winnie the Pooh watch

New York City Swatches

IWC Mark XV

Panerai reference 3646

BWD x DRxArmy vs NavyPopeye Yacht-Master

Grand Seiko 61GS Very Fine Adjusted

Breitling Chrono-Matic GMT

Jaeger-LeCoultre Deep Sea Alarm

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatches

1958 Rolex Submariner reference 5508

Universal Genve Compax

indigo-dyed Casio G-Shock

Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer

Movado Moon Phase

Rolex Eagle Beak Tropical Submariner reference 5512

1938 Audemars Piguet

New Bedford (customized Casio G-Shock DW-5600)

Bulova Accutron Spaceview & Origami Watch

paper cutout of a Hewlett-Packard calculator watch

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso

Autodromo Monoposto

1980 Casio F-7 & 2012 IWC Big Pilots Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun reference 5029

Rolex Submariner reference 5513, Rolex military Submariner reference 5517 & Omega Seamaster 300

Rolex Cosmograph reference 6241 & Rolex Oyster Bubbleback

Tiffany & Co. gold Rolex Submariner reference 1680/8

Cartier Tank Cintre

Breitling Chronomat

Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 3800/A

PREFACE

I have my fathers watch. Its a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust, stainless steel with a black dial. I remember the day my father came home with it on his wrist. He was so proud, and I was so happy for him, because I knew the watch was more than just a new timepiece; that Rolex marked his first successful year in business for himself.

When I was a kid, my father was always pointing out to me well-designed and well-crafted things: cars, motorcycles, architecture, and, of course, watches. When he died suddenlyI was only eighteenI was given his watch. Or maybe I just took it.

All I knew was that I needed to have that watch. I needed him with meand that watch kept me connected to him. It still does every time I wear it, every time I look down at it. I now own other, more valuable watches, ones that are more impressive to collectors, but nothing can replace that Datejust. It remains such a powerful representation of my father. I couldnt bear not having it in my life.

For many men, watches seem to have a deeper meaning than just keeping time. Watches mark special occasions, they tell the world a bit about who you are, and they can, if youre lucky, connect you to the people in your life who matter most.

I was always a watch guy, but it wasnt until my recent role covering the watch market as a magazine editor that I started unearthing these amazing storieshistorical anecdotes from the major watch brands, or more personal ones from friends, colleagues, and collectors with whom I began to cross paths in the watch world. Theres a powerful thread uniting these stories and these menwhether theyre alive or dead, wealthy and famous or clock-punching everyday guys. Watches are objects that start conversations among men who notice them. I began to realize that the watches worn on the wrists of the men I knew often had great emotional significance, or represented some deep connectionthe watch had been given to them by a relative, it marked a major life event, or maybe it allowed them to be the version of themselves they most wanted to be. This book tells some of those stories.

The book had to start with photographing one of the most iconic timepieces ever, the Rolex Daytona that Paul Newman owned. This model, for many, is the watchan absurdly expensive collectors item that grown men literally spend years hunting for. It is the grail watch for many watch lovers.

The Rolex was a gift from Joanne Woodward, Newmans wife. It was a replacement for the first Daytona that Woodward gave him, a reference 6239, which Newman had given away to their oldest daughter Nells boyfriend in 1984.

When I finally held this watch in my handsPaul Newmans actual watchthe feeling was (and I know this sounds crazy) electrifying. But what struck me most was the inscription on the back: Drive slowlyJoanne. Reading that gave me chills. Thinking about it still does.

Paul Newman was a legendhandsome, talented, stylish, generous; a Le Manswinning race car driver and a Hollywood icon. But he was also just a guy, a husband and a father, who wore a watch to keep the time. Just like the rest of us. His youngest daughter Clea, who was kind enough to allow us to photograph it, wears it daily; that most famous timepiece, which could fetch millions at auction, is on her wrist while she rides horses and gardens. At the end of the day, a watch is just a watchits the story behind it that can make it exceptional.

With that in mind, I started this journey. The more I talked about the book, and my approach to describing the emotional connections that we, as men, have with watches, the more incredible stories I found. Ive spent countless months compiling those stories, from all around the globe, and the one thing Ive learned is that Ive barely scratched the surface.

Watches tell the world a bit about who you are, and they can, if youre lucky, connect you to the people in your life who matter most.

Matt Hranek

Paul Newmans Model 6263 Big Red Rolex Daytona

ERIC RIPERT

Chef & co-owner, Le Bernardin

Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921

When you look down at the time on this Vacheron, you realize that it isnt your average watch. It was originally designed as a drivers watch; in 1921, when cars had those big steering wheels, it was hard to see the time straight-on when you were driving, so the numbers were offset to the right. I like that anomaly.

For me, watches signify special occasions. Ill buy one for myself as a gift, maybe for the holidaysor maybe before, if I cant wait! This watch, though, I didnt buy.

One day, Maguy Le Coze, my business partner at Le Bernardin, says, I need to meet with you tonightlets have dinner outside the restaurant. Im anticipating something serious, but at dinner shes very jovial, very happy. And at the end of the dinner she says, Now were going to talk. I think: Ah, finally! She puts a box on the table, and in the box was the same Vacheron Constantin American 21 that I had been planning to buy for myself! That was in 2011, which was my twentieth anniversary at Le Bernardin.