Something I still haven’t come to terms with over here is how people define seasonal endpoints. When does summer begin, for example? Following an ad-hoc poll of limited sample size (I went around the office asking people), I received the overall impression that summer is generally perceived to begin on the summer solstice, which is usually either the 20th or 21st of June. Does that mean the 19th of June still counts as spring? Listen, temperatures hit a high of 30°C (86°F) in Geneva on the 19th of June last year. If I had come up to you that day and said, “We’re having some awesome spring weather today,” you would have looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. I would have felt profoundly embarrassed even saying those words.
Conceptually, I understand that there are meteorological and astronomical factors that come into play when determining the seasons. The angle of the Earth’s axis in relation to the sun, the planet’s position along its elliptical orbit, average daily temperature, all that stuff. There are good scientific reasons to explain why we might still consider ourselves to be in spring even though we’re clad in light t-shirts and shorts, sweating copiously into our office chairs and communally creating a powerfully odiferous environment on public transport during peak hour. I totally get why these technicalities are important. Nevertheless, I’d like to propose an alternative and more practical definition of the seasons, one that creates zero confusion and is immediately comprehensible and relatable. It is a wardrobe-based definition, and I’ll give you an example. Summer begins when you can leave the house without a jacket and stay out all night without missing that extra layer.
In anticipation of this glorious time, when the clothes you’re wearing make up less than 1 percent of your body weight, when you can’t bear the thought of eating anything heavier than a double-scoop waffle cone of gelato for lunch, I have assembled a little selection of watches that epitomise the radiant exuberance of summer. Golden mornings, shimmering sun-drenched afternoons, velvety soft evenings. The smell of dew on grass, the feel of sand between your toes, the distant roar of a music festival. There’s a watch for every one of those things.
FERDINAND BERTHOUD CHRONOMÈTRE FB RES
Admit it, you thought there would only be sports watches on this list, but here we are, kicking things off with a fine watchmaking creation that has some serious history behind it. Yes, its cylindrical hairspring is inspired by antique seafaring chronometers, but the maritime connection isn’t why this watch is one of our summer selections. The Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB RES is not just one model; it is a customisable piece that theoretically comes in over 200 variations, given the range of options (case shape, case material, dial colour, finishes etc) available in the configuration process. It’s a pity the collection is limited to 38 pieces only, but that’s what makes it so perfect in terms of representing the ephemeral nature of summer. A wonderful, precious thing of intoxicating variety that runs out before you’re ready — sounds like summer to me.
IWC PORTUGIESER AUTOMATIC 40
I challenge anyone to look at this watch and not immediately be mentally transported to an island paradise. It’s because of the dial, in that shade of pale opalescent blue that filters through your dream-heavy eyelids when you wake up to the sound of waves caressing the shore under a languid cloudless sky. There’s another self-winding Portugieser with the same blue dial that comes in a 42mm case diameter, but that one has a date indication on it, and we don’t want to know the date when we’re drowsing on the beach with a novel we started reading on the plane, whose bookmark (20 pages in) will remain unmoved until the end of time.
JAQUET DROZ THE ROLLING STONES AUTOMATON ONLY WATCH
Hear me out. I know this is a unique piece, and that it’s already been sold. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s colour coded for summer, with its bright yellow strap and rainbow-striped lower dial that literally dances and twirls when you hit the crown pusher. Summer is the season of live music festivals, and the hand-sculpted, hand-painted band instruments on the central dial directly reference some of the most iconic performances of this legendary band. Not to mention that summer is the season, more than any other, when you feel you might live forever. Kind of like The Rolling Stones.
LEICA ZM 1 GOLD LIMITED EDITION
I love how long the days are in summer. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real phenomenon, and no one should underestimate the positive effects of increased exposure to sunlight — contingent, of course, on one’s conscientious use of sunscreen. At first, I thought about how the ZM 11 dial design evokes rays of afternoon sun filtering through window blinds, but then I realised there is an even worthier candidate for the title of essential summer watch from the famed camera brand. Just think about the warm hues of the ZM 1 in gold, combined with the sunburst dial in rich brown hues (and alluring aureate highlights). Leave it to Leica to create a watch that has captured the favourite time of photographers everywhere — that elusive, heightened sliver of the day known as Golden Hour.
ZENITH DEFY REVIVAL A3648
My WorldTempus family, you knew this was coming. Finally, we have a dive watch on our list. This is the first time that Zenith have brought back a dive watch, the latest of their Revival timepieces that resurrect archival favourites and give them a fresh lease of life. The A3648 occupies the zone of prime nostalgia for many in the watch appreciation community (it was launched in 1969), and it plunges straight into the sporty, feel-good depths of a liberated summer spirit. And, speaking of summer spirits, here’s a bonus: it’s the colour of an Apérol Spritz. Let that bold orange arrow-tipped minute hand point your way to a good time.
