We flew in late to Dheli International Airport. The sights, sounds and smells of the city hit me like a ton of bricks as we disembarked into the steamy Indian city.
Walking through the carriageway to our car we were swarmed by kids grasping at our arms and following us in hopes of a handout. “What have I done”. I thought to myself. It was an incredibly challenging moment for my 14-year-old self and one that I have never forgotten. I was there to teach Karate, something I had done back at home in Australia for years but now I was well and truly out of my comfort zone.
Once the culture shock had subsided I went on to have the time of my life. I met the most incredible people and saw the most amazing things. I experienced the real India, not just the usual tourist spots. We travelled to rural towns to meet and interact with people who hadn’t even seen a foreigner before, let alone shared a day with one. I was even featured in a local newspaper, riding an elephant with my shirt off no less (true story).That trip was followed by many after and was one of the most formative times of my life.
Along with a healthy dose of perspective, India gave me an appreciation for travel in the truest sense of the word. Pushing out of your comfort zone and drenching yourself in experience, even when it scares the shit out of you.
This story is a reality check for me and serves as a starting point for exploring what a travel watch should and shouldn’t be. It’s the context for my thoughts on watches in the broader world, one where timing is important, but so is connection and exploration.
Ok, before you forget what website you're on (no, you haven't stumbled upon the home brand Condé Nast Traveller) we better talk about watches.
The big question is, how do you achieve full cultural immersion while expressing yourself horologically? What is the best travel watch?
The Ulysse Nardin Blast Dual Time
There’s always one watch in every brand’s collection that is the unsung hero of the range. The Robin to it’s respective batman if you will. It flies under the radar, yet forms the foundation on which other, more extravagant watches are built on. Like your dad putting fuel in your car without telling you, they get the job done without bragging about it. It’s in this space I often find the most interesting stories. Not because the watches are exotic or expensive, but because they are the easiest to relate to, have the best philosophy and the strongest purpose.
The Ulyesse Nardin Blast Dual Time is a watch that, in complete opposition to its collection tagline ‘Just Audacity’, gets on with the job in the least audacious way possible. Nothing flashy or superfluous, just a dual time that gets on with it. This watch is the answer to my question above.
It’s a solid travel tool with the usual Ulysse Nardin flair baked in.
What Makes A Good Travel Watch And Why The Blast Dual Time Is The Best.
But first, let’s talk about everyone’s favourite travel watch, the Rolex GMT Master ii. The 'Pepsi' has transcended popularity and firmly cemented itself as horological royalty since its release in 1953. At the time it was made for intercontinental pilots who needed to keep track of things at home, but the thing is, it’s just not very good.
Ok ok, it’s an amazing watch and I would sell my kidneys for one but the point is that as a travel watch, it sucks. It’s too flashy, it’s annoying to adjust the time and it has polished centre links - You breathe on those bad boys and they’re going to scratch. These issues render it all but useless when travelling past the bar at the all-inclusive resort. Rolex doesn’t make watches for the real world anymore, and they haven’t for a long time. Dont @ me.
A good travel watch needs to be many things.
- It needs to be discreet
This rules the Rolex out… No matter where you’re traveling to, you don’t want to be seen as the dick head wearing a flashy and expensive looking watch. When I was in India I was acutely aware of everything that was attached to my body and it wasn't fun. Backpack, passport, phone, wallet. All were liabilities in the communities I was exploring. Your watch needs to disappear when you’re travelling and the Blast Dual time does just that. Its design lends itself to keeping wandering hands at bay. - It needs to be reliable
In my past life I used to deal with tourists who were having issues with their extravagant watches on their holidays. My advice was always to enjoy the watch for the rest of their trip and get it repaired when they get home. The lesson here is don’t take your delicate Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar on your Australian beach holiday. The Blast Dual Time’s movement, the UN - 24, is based on an ETA 2892 caliber with UN’s own dual time and big date module bolted on top of it. This is one of those times where a tried and true movement wins out over something more exotic and ‘in house’. You want it to work, and this one does. - It needs to easily track multiple time zones
This may seem obvious, but I want to emphasise the ‘easy’ in this point. When you’re fumbling with your bags do you really think you’re going to be able to unscrew your crown or get your little pusher tool out? No, you’re not. You’re going to rush to get off the plane first, tripping over an old lady's wheely bag as you struggle to find a toilet. It’s a chaotic and unnecessarily stressful situation to find yourself in, and if you could just push a button to change the time zone it would make it that much easier. The Blast Dual Time has two pushers on the left of the case, one to advance the hour hand and one to move it back. No unscrewing the crown necessary. There’s a home time indicator on the dial and a big date to round out the time zone tracking. Home, Local and date. That’s all you need.
The Ulysse Nardin Blast Dual Time Is A Watch To Be Ignored.
I know this is a weird way to end an article but I whole heartedly believe that if a tool is designed right, it won’t get in the way of your life. It will blend into it’s surroundings like it’s been there forever. No longer taking up space in your mind but becoming a part of your journey. This is how I see the Ulysse Nardin Blast Dual Time. It’s a great design that disappears.
“Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.” - Joe Sparano
When I was in India for the first time I felt so anxious about my belongings that I found myself not paying attention to the beautiful chaos that was unfolding around me. It was bad, to the point where I missed the first half of my trip because I was too busy thinking about what could be lost or damaged. An excellent travel watch shouldn’t be one you’re worried about.
The Ulysse Nardin Blast Dual Time isn’t the cheapest watch in the world, but it does fly under the radar enough that 99% of the people you interact with won’t have a clue what it is, your G-Shock has more of a chance of being noticed and that's the whole point. It's freedom from worry.
The Blast Dual Time from Ulysse Nardin is a watch that gives away nothing but gives you everything.
अगले में मिलते हैं. (See you in the next one x)
