THE JOURNAL
The experience of collecting watches is protracted, thoughtful and permanent. However, the platforms we use to share and appreciate the hobby are transient. It’s this dilemma that Mr Justin Hast decided to address in creating The Watch Annual. Now in its third year, the book aims to provide a snapshot of the year in watches, through photographic submissions of more than 100 collectors. It’s not just new releases, although those are well represented. Vintage watches, as you’d expect, make up a significant percentage. Whether as a festive gift for the watch lover in your life, or an addition to your own library of coffee-table tomes, The Watch Annual is a must-have.
For the second year running, MR PORTER is pleased to collaborate with Hast on the publication of a special, limited-run edition of The Watch Annual. This hardback, collectible volume features the same content as the standard edition with a couple of special additions that won’t be available anywhere else.
Like last year, our collaboration did not end with the annual itself: following on the success of our beautiful hand-drawn sketch of the Hermès Timepieces H08 (our watch of 2021), we have again enlisted an artistic talent to bring one watch to life. This year, there could only be one choice – despite a wealth of new timepieces arriving, as they do each year, only one achieved unanimous acclaim: the Vacheron Constantin Historiques reference 222 in yellow gold.
Artist Mr Tim McDonagh has created a one-off print that shows the 222 as the glamorous, wild, daring icon of late 1970s design that it is. The original work is available to buy now at MR PORTER, and each copy of The Watch Annual MR PORTER Edition comes with a smaller print based on the same artwork. It’s a high-quality piece of horological art perfect for any connoisseur of Vacheron Constantin or the period in general.
As well as featuring individual watches, submitted from around the world, the book gives space to seven watch brand CEOs to hear their thought on the past 12 months. This time around, the heads of A. Lange & Söhne, Bulgari, Laurent Ferrier, Greubel Forsey, Naoya Hida & Co., anOrdain and Furlan Marri are all represented.
Last, but by no means least, the 2022 edition of The Watch Annual continues its established tradition of supporting charitable causes. A percentage of every sale of the MR PORTER Edition will be donated to the Health In Mind fund, our ongoing philanthropic arm dedicated to raising money to support men’s mental and physical health initiatives.