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申明，本文为转贴，文章来源：
http://www.horomundi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3571
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LIVING EACH DAY
REVOLUTION CHECKS IN WITH WATCH AFICIONADO AND POP STAR RONAN KEATING AS HE DROPS SCIENCE ON THINGS HOROLOGICAL
By Wei Koh
Ronan Keating
Okay, it’s not all that hard to dislike Ronan Keating. First, the guy won the genetic crapshoot that coughed up his preternaturally good looks. And while there’s a limit to where looks can take you, damned if the guy can’t sing too. So the guy’s good-looking and he can sing; he’s also affable, polite and down-to-earth. And sure, he’s got longevity, having outlasted many others in a non-stop 15-year run that would have seen most other ingénues implode into nihilistic excess. And yeah, he’s a UN Goodwill ambassador and holds the world record for the longest complete run of top ten singles (a total of 30) — knocking even Madonna and Elvis several rungs down the ladder. But just what the hell does he know about watches you say? What gives him the cohones to tread the hallowed pages of REVOLUTION — the stomping ground that, technically speaking, separates the men from the boys? Well, as it happens, a whole lot. And listening to him drop watch science, we really have to hate him — ’cos the guy’s got mad knowledge. But the problem is, the more we talk to him, the more we realize that not only do we like him but that, horologically speaking, we respect him. After all, any man who simultaneously describes Van Morrison’s ‘Astral Weeks’ as the “most perfect piece of music ever recorded by a human”, while cherishing IWC’s Kurt Klaus as his watchmaking hero, is more than alright by us. He is, in fact, downright cool. How cool, you ask? We’ll show you…
When did you get interested in watches? When I was very young, my brothers worked in America, and they always come home wearing really nice watches. I just loved them because from an early age, I associated them with having made something of yourself in life. So it’s about a celebration for having achieved something. At the same time, a watch says a lot about the person wearing it. When I was 17 years old and on tour with Boyzone (the now-defunct Irish boy band) in Geneva, I thought, “This is where the best watches are made; I’m going to buy a watch.”
What was the watch? It was a Rolex Submariner with date, and, for me, it was an incredible deal. At the time, it was so important for me because it was my entrance into the world of mechanical watches. After that, I started buying magazines and really learning as much as I possibly could about watches. I think for men, part of the pleasure of any hobby is gaining new knowledge and discovering things about the inner mechanisms.
When did you get interested in IWC? It was about six years ago. What intrigued me was the variety of watches they made. They made dress watches like the Portuguese and diving watches like the Aquatimer; and each of their characters was so distinct.
Which was your first IWC? In 2003, I bought the very first Big Pilot — the original one with the brown strap and vintage-style dial. This watch really brought back the craze for oversized pilot’s watches, and the number of people who copied this look afterwards is incredible.
IWC Pilot Watches
How did you get in touch with the company? Apparently, someone from the brand saw me wearing the Big Pilot on stage, and they invited me to meet them. Shortly after that, I became a “Friend of the Brand”.
What’s special about the Big Pilot? What I like about the Big Pilot is that it combines vintage elements with modern ones — similar to what Harley-Davidson does with its motorcycles.
Do you sense A reinvention of luxury for our generation? It’s true, I think the perception of luxury is changing. I’m not into diamonds or bling. When I buy a watch, I’m not looking for a Jacob or something ostentatious. What I like about IWC is the sophistication and the purity of the machines. Also, when people see you wearing an IWC, they understand that you’re serious about watches.
Do you like ceramic as a material for watches? Yes. IWC makes a fantastic black ceramic split seconds chrono, which has got this stealth black appearance. I love it because when people look at it, they go: “What is that?” It’s understated, stealth, yet really beautiful. And it’s also almost indestructable. I love the fact also that IWC was the pioneer with this material — they brought out their first ceramic watch in 1986, the Da Vinci.
So what exactly do the Friends of IWC get up to at their meetings? There is a group of us that includes Boris Becker, Tim Jefferies, Cate Blanchett and Orlando Bloom, who are “Friends of the Brand”. What this really means is that we turn up at this incredible party that IWC has every year in Geneva; then afterwards, we all go back to the hotel, and we eat, we talk about watches, we have a laugh and people get so swept up in the conversation that it can go on for hours.
IWC Portuguese Regulator
Do you like the Portuguese? The Portuguese is so distinct — it’s basically the most iconic men’s dress watch I can think of. Nothing finishes off a suit like a Portuguese. Mine is the manual wind, regulator version, and it has a vintage pocket watch movement in it. What’s nice about it is that it’s really big in diameter but it’s still really thin, which makes it very wearable under a shirt cuff and just so elegant, so beautiful. You wouldn’t believe the number of people who ask me about it. It’s magnificent.
What do you think of the new Da Vinci? I’ve been waiting for it for a long time. At the watch fair, I got to meet Kurt Klaus, who’s a watchmaking hero. The new Da Vinci perpetual calendar is a watch I hope to pass down to my son someday.
Do you find it to be a marked improvement over the slightly baroque older model? I always wanted to have the old Da Vinci, but I like big watches like the Portuguese and the Big Pilot. So when this watch came out, I knew I had to have it. I wanted the Kurt Klaus edition because it unites the new model with Kurt Klaus’s original watch from 1985. The shape and details of this new design is so contemporary; and with the bigger dial, the layout of the calendar information is so clearly displayed.
What’s the best thing about IWC’s perpetual calendar? I love the fact that all the calendar information is synchronized and adjusted with this one crown.
What’s on your wrist now? I’ve been wearing a Portuguese tourbillon, but it’s a special piece where the tourbillon is at nine o’clock.
Ronan Keating wearing IWC's Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Kurt Klaus limited edition watch in platinum
Ever start a conversation simply because of a watch? It’s so funny, because I end up having all kinds of conversations with people because of watches. My friendship with Orlando Bloom started because of watches. We were at the same event — I think it was a GQ event — and I saw his watch or he noticed mine, and we struck up a conversation. We were both wearing IWCs, and a nice story is that Orlando’s grandfather had an IWC and he passed it on to him.
Orlando Bloom
Why have mechanical watches staged a comeback? Our generation is one that is making a return to the type of elegance we saw in the past, and accessories are a major way to express ourselves. That’s part of it. But we’ve also rediscovered the soul in mechanical watchmaking. These two elements combined with the practicality of functions like the GMT for modern life make them indispensable.
What watch don’t you have that you’d like to own? The new Zenith Defy Stealth looks interesting. And there’s the Graham Chronofighter Oversize. I don’t know if I could wear a watch with a trigger every day, but it is really interesting-looking. It’s kind of a showpiece, maybe more for stage or photoshoots, because it’s a little theatrical.
What’s in your collection at home? I have to tell you I went really crazy on watches at one point, and I have a very large collection. I’ve quite a few Audemars Piguet watches. My favorite of these is the Royal Oak Offshore T3, which is very special. I’ve got some very nice TAG Heuers, a lot of Rolex Daytonas and Submariners. I have a GMT Panerai as well as a Panerai chronograph. And of course, I have a few IWCs. One of my favorites is the Cousteau edition Aquatimer, which comes with a piece of wood from Cousteau’s boat, the Calypso. I wear it all the time.
What about the more modern-looking pieces in the market? do they appeal to you? I was looking at the Big Bang, and I just want to make sure that what I buy continues to have appeal over time. That is my concern also in relation to the Panerai Ferrari watches, which to me are a bit of this moment, but I’m not sure how they will date.
You aren’t a Panerai fan then? Don’t get me wrong — I am. Panerai makes one of the most beautiful watches of all time, which is the simple Luminor Marina on a brown leather strap. But Panerai is a minimalist brand, and the strongest-looking watches are always the simplest.
How do you decide which of your watches to leave in your will to each of your three children? My son will get the Da Vinci perpetual calendar. My eldest daughter will get my Portuguese, because there is something so stunning about a Portuguese on a lady. I’ve seen the Portuguese with the colored straps and I really like it; I’m going to get my wife one of these.
What’s inspiring to you outside of watches? Outside of my family, music has remained the most important thing in my life. I have a studio out behind my house, and I love nothing more than going there every day and working on music. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to do so, and I’ve been blessed to continue to be working after 15 years.
