Podcast: ReWork - Jason Fried Founder at Basecamp

Jason Fried is the man. It's that simple. He is a guy who is radically open about his opinions and cuts to the point - no fluffy stuff. He is deeply creative and always keen to challenge assumptions. In this episode of the REWORK podcast Jason talks about ideas with Paul McAvinchey, co-founder of Product Collective, at INDUSTRY: The Product Conference in September 2017.

This is a cracking listen as food for thought on you own personal goal setting as well as how you might set goals at your company. I enjoyed this response Jason gave when asked what he would tell himself looking back to the early days of Basecamp:

"Most of that stuff you are going to worry about isn't even going to happen" 

Listen to the full episode here. 

Video: The Game Of Our Lives

The game I love: 

The 1000 Day Challenge

Something to consider when your day to day gets tough.

Watches: A. Lange & Sohne present the 1815 Boutique Edition

Come on guys - you know me by now! I'm a Lange obsessive! I mean you only need to handle their product to know you are in the presence of greatness. 

Just a short one for today - Lange just released an 1815 Boutique Edition, a special model commemorating the tenth birthday of the first Lange boutique. The first A. Lange & Söhne Boutique was inaugurated in Dresden ten years ago. A limited edition of the 1815 – ten watches each in pink and white gold – commemorates the occasion. Lange opened its first point of sale in September 2007, directly adjacent to the Dresden Frauenkirche, a landmark of the baroque city which was restored between 1994 and 2005. 

That hunter casebook is pure magic! And the classically restrained 1815, like a fine bottle of red, is only going to get better with age!! 

Watches: IWC Launches New Portugieser Blue Dials

Iv said it once and il say it again, I'm a sucker for the classics! Think Submariner, Royal Oak and Lange One. For me, the IWC Schaffhausen Portugie­ser is right at the top of the list when it comes to historically interesting and beautifully designed watches. So this is pretty darn cool - the Portugieser family of watches will now be available in stainless-steel case with blue blue dials.

IWC produced its first watches with blue dials 50 years ago, setting a design trend that has now spread throughout the entire watch industry. Here they are: 

The Portugieser Automatic (Ref. IW500710) is driven by the IWC-manufactured 52010 calibre. The Pellaton automatic winding system is adorned with ceramic components and generates a 7-day power reserve in two barrels. A display at “3 o’clock” indicates the energy remaining at any given time. The small seconds subdial is positioned at “9 o’clock”. The stainless-steel case and the rho¬dium-plated hands provide a winning contrast to the deep blue of the dial.

The Portugieser Chronograph (Ref. IW371491) is one of the most famous IWC watches ever and is now available with a blue dial for the first time. With a look based on the timeless design of the Portugieser watches from the 1930s, this timepiece with a diameter of just 40.9 milli­metres will flatter any wrist. The stainless-steel case and the rhodium-plated hands also harmonize perfectly with the blue dial on this watch.

The new models will be available in IWC boutiques and from authorised IWC retailers from September.

Watches: Panerai Go Green

I have long been a 'Panny' fan. In actual fact, a PAM111 (for you watch geeks out there) was my first 'proper' Swiss watch. And so it was great to see the launch of a green dial across the three historic Panerai
cases – Radiomir, Radiomir 1940 and Luminor 1950. The references are the Radiomir 8 Days Titanio – 45mm, the Radiomir 1940 3 Days Acciaio – 47mm and the Luminor 1950 Chrono Monopulsante 8 Days GMT Titanio – 44mm. 

For me, having spent a couple years in the watch industry, its all about having fun. Just having as much fun as possible, both in my reporting and 'collecting'. This is Panerai having fun.  Its always those watches with something slightly different that catch the eye - that initiate a conversation or create a perception of someone. So I welcome these new dial from Panerai - I particularly like the Radiomir 8 Days Titanio at 45mm because of the traditional wire lugs, and light but durable case. Really excited about getting these watches infornt of the camera!

The three models are available exclusively at Panerai boutiques throughout the world - so good luck! 

Further info here. 

Pocket Squares: Celebrating 50 Years of Mr. Benn at Turnbull & Asser

I'm into women. Always have been and always will be. But even as a deeply heterosexual fella, there comes a time when you glance over at a gentleman crossing your path on the walk to work who is supremely confident in their own skin (in a respectful way), and presented in an understated manner with touches of greatness - shoes, watch, lapel pin. And these finer details are often over looked, but deeply appreciated by those who know. And a pocket square with intrigue is one of these things.

Turnbull & Asser is celebrating 50 Years of Mr. Benn (secret agent and international man of mystery, MI6’s very own James Bond). And with it have just announced a new range of exclusive Mr. Benn pocket squares, launching this September. The #00Benn collection launches as part of the David McKee exhibition from 16 th August until 16 th September 2017 at the Illustration Cupboard, situated between our stores on Jermyn Street and Bury Street.  An entertaining addition to the wardrobe and something that will no doubt catch the eye. 

Squares are £75 each and limited edition run of 100 pieces per design available online and in-store at T+A Jermyn Street and Davies Street.

Watches: 5 Things You Need To Know About The BENU Tourbillon

I must confess, I can be picky when it comes to tourbillons (first world problem if there ever was one!!). They are seen by many to be the crowing achievement of watchmaking. And this can be true if, like Moritz Grossmann you develop your own from scratch! However, they all too often are bought in from third parties and look incredibly brash and tasteless. This is, however not the case here. I had the opportunity to get hands on with the mighty impressive BENU Tourbillon from Moritz Grossmann this week - and my god, what a piece of kit!

1. Its beautiful! It's refined, and designed for an educated palette, with a white gold 44.5 mm case. 

2. The movement is 38.4 mm (which fills the case, which isn't always the case from top manufactures). It is the manufacture calibre 103.0, consisting of 245, manually wound, adjusted in five positions and made out of German silver. 

3. The dial is solid silver, three-part construction with Arabic numerals. And there is a patent pending on the sweep minutes, which crosses the scale segment from 25 to 35 minutes with a separate scale swept by the extension of the minute hand on the opposite side. 

4. Power reserve72 hours when fully wound

5. Limited to 50 watches worldwide

For further info head over to Moritz Grossmann here. 

Life: How One Dog Refused To Give Up (And What We Can All Learn From Him)

You know when you get sent a message by a friend and you stupidly ignore it because you have 'more important' things to do. Well that happened to me this week. Big style. I had ignored a video a good friend had sent me many months back. And it was only after I embarked on a mass Facebook messenger cull did I notice it. So I took the 13.54 seconds out of my morning to watch it. Boy did I not regret it. 

Let me briefly give you the background - In 2014, heading into the Adventure Racing World Championships, Team Peak Performance for Sweden -- Mikael and Helena Lindnord, Simon Niemi, Karen Lundgren and Staffan Björklund -- was one of the best squads. The course that year was particularly difficult: 435 miles, reaching about 15,000 feet in elevation and spanning 13 different climate zones across Ecuador.

 A marginal sport in America but popular globally, its contests are cultlike in their following. Races, covering hundreds of miles across uncharted courses, feature some of the most extreme conditions in the world.

The races and rules are simple. 

A team climbs, treks, cycles and kayaks across the arena of Earth. Races can last up to 10 days, with competitors sleeping an hour a night, or less -- all while sticking together, orienteering through climate zones, rationing food and water, and pushing their collective wills to the limit.

The team must cross the finish line together in order to win.

Watch the full film here or by clicking on the image above. 

Podcast Review: Basecamp Launch Killer New Podcast

It was one of the best books iv ever read (right up there with 'Start With Why' and 'Sapiens'). I couldn't put the damn thing down (and I can barely read, just ask my old English teacher Mr Worrell). If you haven't read REWORK by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson - do it!. Both have an outlook on business and life that is deeply refreshing. Unafraid to challenge the status quo, they try things at their company Basecamp others are afraid to, on an endless mission to explore. They have broken all the rules and won. Again and again they've demonstrated that the regular way isn't necessarily the right way. 

Talking on a very personal level, Jason has had a huge impact on me and my operation. REWORK and his blog www.signalvnoise.com has shaped my outlook on working life and inspired my decision to leave the security of my job 'within the system' and go create. After multiple jobs, I couldn't shake this voice in my head that said 'there must be another way, is this all there is'?. Deeply unfulfilled - suffocatingly micro managed and told to sit in the corner with ideas - I felt I needed to take massive action. In short, Jason is THE man. He is massively humble, passionate about design and deeply curious. The good news is that he and his team at Basecamp, have just launched the REWORK podcast. Continuing on from the ideas he developed writing REWORK - the podcast is new out this week, focused firmly on exploring better ways to work and run businesses. 

Having just listened to the first episode called 'Sell Your by-Products'. It explores the very foundations of the book prior to its release in 2010, and how it very much started as a blog (before the word existed). This then developed into a community and then insight into opprtunities for Basecamp (or 37signalsas it was then). 

Get after it and give the first episode a listen here. 

Follow Jason here. 

Follow Basecamp here. 

Spectacles: Inside The Cubitts Atelier

Words + Images: Justin Hast (Leica M)

You know when you walk into a reastaurant or hotel, and you slowly but surely start to hate the designer, because each and every detail is far, far more considered and beautiful than you could ever have conceived yourself.  Well thats how I felt when I walked into the Cubitts Atelier at 68 Jermyn Street today. Wow - what a spot.  Think traditional curved glass frontage, hardwood joinery, and blue glazed tiles, a nod to the area’s heritage as the home of gentlemen’s style. 

Here are the facts, Cubitts have just opened their fifth store and first Atelier at 68.
Cubitts produce seriously well made (in Hackney Wick) and thoughtfully designed eyewear at hugely reasonable prices. 68 Jermyn St will offer full eye testing facilities to the customers of St James’s, including a working optician area for dispensing, adjustments and repairs.

As well as the core collection (from £125), Cubitts have also developed the St James’s Collection,
sixteen silhouettes representing modern interpretations of classic shapes from the past century, which can be made to order in one of 175 custom colour-ways (from £425).

If your looking for something slightly more special, the good news is that you will be to order the new Cubitts gold service at 68: made-to-measure 18 carat rolled gold spectacles, known as Algha. You will be able to choose from 89,000 possible combinations, with the frames made to order at the UK’s oldest spectacles factory, the Algha Works, in Hackney Wick (from £425).

“Our aim has to been to revive London’s rich optical heritage. And we’re tremendously excited to launch our St James’s practice with a range of firsts; our first spectacles Atelier, Algha for Cubitts and later this year our cutting edge facial scanning technology, all supported with thorough eye health examinations for the St James’s community”

Tom Broughton, Founder of Cubitts

For further info head over to Cubitts here. 

Watches: 6 Reasons To Love The Tribute To Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC

When you think of dive watches, it is impossible not to think Blancpain! And this year, the manufacture have launched, what I think is one of the sexiest watches produced in years - from anyone, yup - anyone. So this is a tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC (military issue basically - 1957-58) watch. Designed for function, not aesthetic, It was in 1953, when Blancpain was able to deliver a watch to the French combat swimmers corps that fully met their criteria. The watch would go on to become one of the essential pieces of kit for any frogman worth his salt.

Here are the 7 reasons why you should consider it to be your next watch:  

1. Look at it - just look at it!! It has all the features I love from the original Fifty Fathoms, but with the robust manufacturing of a modern watch. The unidirectional rotating bezel covered in scratch-resistant sapphire, a Blancpain innovation which first appeared in 2003 with the 50th Anniversary Fifty Fathoms, protects the luminescent indications underneath.

2. The unusual circular water-tightness indicator on the dial is seriously cool. If, by chance, liquid were to leak into the watch case, a disk at 6 o’clock would signal the problem by changing its colour from white to red. This water-tightness indicator was present on the dial of the Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC 1, which was introduced in 1957-58 to meet the strict requirements of the military. 

3. The watch is fitted with Blancpain’s in-house automatic winding caliber 1151, comprising 210 components including two series-coupled mainspring barrels and offering a four-day power reserve (visible through the clear sapphire case back). 

4. This watch is a comfy 40mm in diameter. Its black dial features indexes in Super-LuminNova® and a water-tightness indicator recalling the designs of the 1950s MIL-SPEC 1. 

5. The watch is water resistant to 30 bar, which is equivalent to 300 meters - as you would expect.

6. It is limited to 500 examples - so your not gonna see one down the public pools anytime soon!

For further info head over to Blancpain here. 

Watches: How One Man Disrupted THE Watch Servicing Industry

Words + Photography: Justin Hast (Leica M)

I left the meeting I had last week with Oliver Pollock absolutely buzzing. Il tell you why. Here is a guy, having started out in the watch industry as a dealer, and then, still in his twenties has the passion and conviction to move into the servicing business (as a non watchmaker). And two years down the line has two workshops in Hatton Garden (soon to be one mega facility). He has built such trust (in a notoriously distrustful industry) that his business, luxury Watch Repairs now services circa 40 watches a day, from the worlds largest and most reputable manufacturers such as Rolex and Omega. And he happens to be a real gentleman. 

As a customer, you even have the opportunity to view a timeless video of watch your watch being serviced, taken by a camera set into the light on the watchmakers desk (seriously damn cool).  Every watch that comes in is either worked on by someone who has worked at the manufacturer or is certified by the manufacturer. 

So what exactly gets done to the watch? Well, the movement will de-magnetised, regulated, polished and should crowns or pushers need to e, they will be replaced. What I found to be particularly handy, is that Oliver's team will polish and replace scratched damaged glass without insisting on a full service (typically not what the manufactures themselves do). 

Every customer receives a pre-paid watch pack  (insured to £25,000, fully tracked,
labelled). All you need to do  is put the watch into the pack, seal it and take to the post office - easy. 

Oliver has plans to expand the business to the North of England and the US in the coming months. 

For further information and to have your watch serviced, click here. 

Oliver Pollock

Watches: Oris Pop Up In London

Words + Photography: Justin Hast (Leica M)

Last week I had the pleasure of dropping into Watches of Switzerland on Regents St. I have long been a fan of Oris, and the way in which they go about making great watches at reasonable price points. Two of my favourites it has produced in recent times have been the Carl Brashear (a bronze dive watch with stunning blue dial) and the Divers Sixty-Five. This year at Baselworld Oris added to their dress watch range with a new, fully in-house developed movement called the "business calendar" or Calibre 113.

The Calibre 113 the fourth in-house developed movement Oris have created. The calibre 113 is based on the calibre 110, but features a new "business calendar" function that includes the day, date, week, and month of the year. It's basically a complete calendar, but with the week indicator instead of the more often seen moonphase. 

The movement is housed in a 43mm stainless steel case with sapphire crystal and caseback that displays a robust movement with large barrel to provide the 10-day power reserve. I will call it now - this will be a winner for Oris. Its a beautiful watch, with technical know how at a reasonable price (circa 5,900 CHF). And if you find yourself in London, be sure to pop in, there is an interactive pop up where you can get play around with the whole range. 

For further info head over to Oris here. 

Watches: 5 Reasons You Gotta Love The Junghans Max Bill Edition 2017

You know that feeling when you clear your closet - clean your kitchen, get rid of the old presents from Christmas past. There is something deeply satisfying in the process of refining ones existence - removing what isn't necessary. I try to do it at least once a week - just a quick assessment of my environment and what needs to go. If there is one man who gets a kick out of this process its Max Bill - the legendary Swiss designer. Bill is widely considered the single most decisive influence on Swiss graphic design. A fascinating man who was an architect, artist, painter, typeface designer, industrial designer and graphic designer from 1908 to his death in 1994.

It was back in 1956 when he designed the wall clock for Junghans and in 1961 borrowed design elements to create his first wristwatches for Junghans. Following that he moved into table clocks, dial designs, and artwork. As a result, I was hugely excited to spend a few days with Junghans Max Bill Edition 2017 this week. Here are 5 reasons you should consider owning one: 

1.  "Form follows function". The Edition 2017 is just so, so damn clean - it's beautiful - it really is! 

2. The detailing is sublime - the subtle lume dots at 12,3,6 and 9, the matt silver-plated dial and the hands are all seamlessly elegenat. 

3. The domed convex plexiglass is not only scratch resistant - but adds a real vintage feel on the wrist. 

4. The watch is 38mm - the perfect size for a watch in my opinion. 

5. The price. The watch comes in a quartz (£490) and automatic (£915) version which is a whole lotta watch for under £1k. 

For further info click here. 

Fragrance: Acqua di Parma Launch Colonia Pura

I can tell you one thing, I don't often receive compliments, far less regarding my scent. As a basic meathead, who spends the majority of his time in a gym or rolling in mud with strangers dogs in random parks, the only comments I get tend to be of the negative variety. However everything changed last week. I had the pleasure of attending the launch of the new Acqua di Parma Pura Colonia. Iv long admired the brand for its simplicity and elegance. While its classic shape remains the same, the new silvery, matt grey elements underscores its clean and pure approach. So what the hell does it smell like? Well, its not a straight forward task explaining - so here are the facts:

Pura combines juicy orange notes, narcissus, jasmine, coriander and grain to produce a light, classic citrus Colonia. The warm and sophisticated accents of patchouli and cedar wood at the base give you musky notes to finish. A hell of a piece of kit and well worth a spray if you get the chance. 

Click here for further details. 

Life: When Is The Right Time To Quit?

Whichever idiot said 'winners never quit' was totally and utterly wrong (and I say that as one of the most stubbornly driven guys out there. The thing is, 'Winners' often pivot and change approach based on evolving conditions and needs.  Its just a fine balance between giving your project or relationship a real crack and giving up because you haven't got the nuts to be rejected. Either wy, its a potent question that needs to be considered by us all.  

In this podcast episode from Tim Ferriss he hosts his first round table conversation with some get thinkers including: Seth Godin / Chase Jarvis and Rhonda Patrick. This is one not to be missed! Check it out here. 

Listen to more from Tim here. 

Life: 6 Principles From The Greatest Coach Of All Time

You know when you're buzzing with excitement - and you tend to annoy everyone around. Well that happens to me a lot - often after watching a basic pre-workout motivational YouTube video or reading a book. Im a simple man. So I'v just just finished reading John Wooden's book (a hero of mine and world class coach): 'A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court'. Its a must read for any sports fans but also for those looking to build a strong moral code for life. Over the next few weeks I will put a few of my favourite quotes up from the book - all of which were drilled into his players under this charge. Here are 6 easy principles, which may seem obvious, but need consideration on a regular basis.  

1. Never Lie
2. Never Cheat
3. Never Steal
4. Don't whine
5. Don't Complain
6. Don't make excuses 

Shoes: Crockett & Jones Awarded Royal Warrant

As a young fella - I have a number of defining memories that really stick in the memory. One or two involve an American exchange student called Megan from California - a delightful young women with long chestnut blond/brown hair, about 5 10" that ran the 400m meters for UC Berkley. Another is of a crisp Saturday morning when my uncle took me into the Burlington Arcade to buy my first pair of 'proper shoes'. He was and still is my mentor. A dresser of note - I look up to for a multitude of reasons.  He was keen to see me invest my hard earned monies on products that would last - and I'm proud to say, that pair of double Monks I bought that day are still with me 8 years later (and looking better than ever!). You can imagine my excitement when I hear that Crocket & Jones the Northampton shoemaker founded in 1879 had been awarded the Royal warrant last week. The pinnacle of any craftsman's career and well deserved.  Each pair takes up to eight weeks to manufacture in a labour-intensive process involving over 200 highly skilled operations - madness!

For further info click here.