A real Bel Canto: we go to the opera with Christopher Ward
Russell SheldrakeI know what you’re thinking. Time+Tide has lost its touch. Who would have thought that the man-of-the-people publication from a bike shop in Melbourne would be attending an opera in the middle of West London? Well, when you get a personal invitation from Mike France, CEO of Christopher Ward, to watch open-air opera in Holland Park, it is tough to turn such an invitation down.
I should qualify all of this by saying that this was the first time I have ever been to an opera, too. I’ve been sceptical before, as I don’t speak Italian, nor do I have any inclination to do so. (That’s why we’ve got Pietro on the books!) But Mr. France is a persuasive person, so I strapped on my best Bel Canto and headed out for an experience where I had no idea what to expect.
As you may know, the Bel Canto was first released, and its name is derived from an operatic term that translates to “beautiful singing,” a popular style of opera for decades. The opera we were going to see, Lucia di Lammermoore, was written in the bel canto style, so it felt right that I was wearing my Bel Canto Viola.
The opera we went to see can only be described as a mix between Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth, as two lovers from rival families end in a tragic tale of madness, murder and suicide. According to an operatic expert and singing teacher who was in our group, the leading role in this performance, Lucia, is one of the most demanding roles you can take on in the world of opera. And who happened to be tackling this mammoth role? None other than Mike France’s daughter, Jennifer France, and I can tell you now, she absolutely nailed the performance.
In this temporary stage that is erected in Holland Park, covered by a canopy, but open on all sides, her voice felt like it was filling the entire park, not just the rows of banked seating where we were sitting. And she managed this without any microphone to speak of and while competing with a full live orchestra. More impressive than the incredibly affordable chiming watch that I was wearing on my wrist? I’ll let you decide that one.
Look, we get to do a lot of incredible experiences as part of this job, and I never thought getting into this industry that I would get to ski with Olympians, swim with dolphins, or visit the opera, but here I was ticking off another first. As far as I understand, Christopher Ward and Mike have no financial connection with this production, but because Mike’s daughter was the principal, and the relationship between the France family and the CEO and Director of Opera James Clutton go back so far, we were lucky enough to experience this incredible performance. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Russell and the Time+Tide Team
Watch meme of the week: laws to live by
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Less of a meme this week and more of a sadly relatable set of laws from King Flum. Don’t come here expecting a laugh a minute; this will make you sit back and look at your collecting life.
Wristshot of the week: a different perspective
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I do love a themed watch shot, and having this many side-read watches all on one wrist/arm/hand and placing them on their ideal reading angle for the wristshot made it impossible for me to scroll post.
Time+Tide Shop pick of the week: Fears Arnos ‘Pewter Blue’
Launched at Time to Watches in Geneva earlier this year, the Arnos represents the first core-collection rectangular watch in the modern Fears range, and it’s a stunner. Cutting a slim, elegant profile, with dimensions of 33.5mm by x 22.6mm with a thickness of 8.40mm, it looks very angular from the top down, but its curved front and back are designed to hug the wrist for a more comfortable fit. A CNC-machined hobnail outer dial frames a circular time-telling inner dial for a classy, elevated look, while a slim Sellita SW1000 automatic movement powers this two-hander. Each Arnos comes with two straps, made by Delugs for Fears: a sporty dark blue FKM rubber band with a butterfly clasp and micro-adjustment, plus a taupe-coloured hand-sewn-and-stitched Berenia leather strap with a pin buckle.
The Fears Arnos ‘Pewter Blue’ is available for pre-order in the Time+Tide Shop, and is additionally available for viewing in our London Discovery Studio. Price: A$8,165, £4,350
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week
Is the new Citizen Zenshin Fantastic 4 your wrist?
Citizen has brought us a fantastic collaboration with the superhero film of the summer, with this robust, wearable, and hassle-free piece that seems ready to take on any villain that could come its way. Zach takes on the Citizen Zenshin Fantastic 4 limited edition and the standard production version in this full breakdown.
The 5 up-and-coming artisans to look out for in Louis Vuitton’s Independent Creatives Prize 2025
The interest in independent watchmaking is undoubtedly on the rise, and if you needed any more proof of this being true, look no further than the powerhouse that is Louis Vuitton creating a special award for the year’s best independents. Raúl Pagès won the inaugural edition of the Watch Prize for Independent Creatives with his detent escapement-equipped RP1, and just last week, we found out the 20 semi-finalists, one of whom will follow in his footsteps. Borna’s rounded up 5 watches from makers you might not have read about on Time+Tide just yet, but are certainly worth paying attention to. Peruse his considered selection here.
A Matter of Time Episode 02: The best affordable watches that get respect
The gang are back for episode two, and this time they’re talking about affordable watches that will still get respect from the community – a tricky topic to cover, as there are so many different avenues to go down and buckets of competition. But the three of them dive into everything that comes with shopping for a watch on a budget. You can see the full episode on YouTube now or wherever you listen to your podcasts.