The coming together of Mr Porter, Phillips and The Rake through a shared love of watches was undoubtedly a seminal moment in the ever-changing menswear landscape. On the surface, it might appear to be an unlikely pairing. But, with the shared mission of uniting the sartorial and horological worlds, the result of two major players in online retail joining forces with Phillips and the inimitable Aurel Bacs, was only going to be special.
So here we are, the outcome: 12 expertly styled looks have been put together by The Rake's Grace Gilfeather with a specific situation in mind. Each sartorial moment has its own criteria: from being positioned at the end of the bar surrounded by snow, to being at the end of the aisle surrounded by loved ones, the unifying modus operandi concerns exceptional feats of horology demonstrated through one of 121 vintage timepieces. On the 5th of December, each one will be going under the hammer at the ‘Styled: Timeless Watches and How to Wear Them’ auction, held at Phillips in New York. If you're keen to take a look at what's on offer, have a look at all 121 lots here via Phillips' website. Alternatively, a digital version of the catalog is also an option.
The idea that one should dress appropriately and stand out for the right reasons is a shared tenet between Mr Porter and The Rake. As Mr Porter's Toby Bateman said at the panel discussion at Phillips’ London HQ last month, he wants people to “just dress better.” With that in mind, whether you’re attending Wimbledon in the summer or a black tie event this upcoming festive season, sticking to the simple codes of dress that have been slowly but surely carved into our common consciousness is to be expected.
With that mind, though, it doesn’t stop at garments, as the aforementioned codes of dress are also applicable to one’s timepiece. For example, you shouldn't wear a vintage Tag Heuer Autavia Ref. 2446 'Jochen Rindt’, with its curvaceous crown and sporty pushers, at the dinner table when evening dress is de rigueur. However, it would be better suited clasped to one’s wrist on the periphery of the racetrack at Goodwood. On the other hand, a unique diamond-set dial and platinum Patek Philippe is far too precious for anything verging on the adventurous and will be more accustomed to genteel settings slightly hidden beneath the double-cuff of one's dress shirt.
