Horological Meandering

Over the past year or so, we’ve seen the rise in the popularity of the all black watch.  My first memory of being stunned by a slick black watch was the PVD Panerai.  This was then followed by the even slicker AP End of Days.  However, the concept of the All Black is not new.  This post is a tribute to the All Black concept outside of horology.

Music

In music, AC/DC’s Back in Black featured an All Black album cover.  Released on 25 July 1980, this was the Australian hard rock band’s seventh studio album and featured some of AC/DC’s biggest hits, including the title track "Back In Black", "Hells Bells," and "You Shook Me All Night Long”.  This is one of my favourite albums.

Heavy metal band, Metallica, released a self-titled album Metallica on 12 August 1991.  This album is known by fans as The Black Album because of its predominantly black cover.  This was Metallica’s fifth studio album.  Unfortunately, this was the album that turned me off Metallica.  Gone were the complex compositions and fast riffs, which were replaced in favour of shorter more radio friendly style, including a ballad.

Aviation

The Lockheed SR-71 holds the records of the world’s fastest and highest-flying operational manned aircraft.  On 28 July 1976, it achieved an absolute speed of 3,529.56 km/h (or 2,193.17 mph) and an absolute altitude record of 25,929 m (or 85,069 feet).   Unofficially called the Blackbird, this was an All Black aircraft that capture my imagination the most as a child.  I remember collecting every newspaper or magazine article I could find of this aircraft.

Popular culture

In popular culture, All Black makes references to either being cool beyond cool or evil beyond evil. 

Who could forget Glen A. Larson’s Knight Rider, where besides David Hasselhoff, the star of the show was a sleek All Black 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am.

But my favourite movie character who is draped in All Black is Darth Vader, the Dark Lord of the Sith.  For me, the All Black Darth Vader is the quintessential villain in cinematic history.  Darth Vader's image and, indeed, his very name have both become synonyms for evil in the public consciousness.  BTW, Darth Vader in Dutch means Dark Father.

Sport

Of course, no All Black tribute is complete without the All Blacks.  The All Blacks is New Zealand's national team in rugby union.  They are considered a formidable force in international rugby with a winning record against every other international rugby team.  Besides their impressive record, the All Blacks perform a haka, or Maori war dance, before each international match.  First performed in 1884 during New Zealand’s tour of New South Wales, the haka is firmly established as part of New Zealand rugby.  While there are several different hakas performed by the All Blacks, the most famous (and in my opinion most catchy) haka is Ka Mate, a haka composed by Te Rauparaha, the war leader of the Ngati Toa tribe of the North Island of New Zealand.  The translated main body of Ka Mate is as follows:

’Tis death! ‘tis death! (or: I may die) ’Tis life! ‘tis life! (or: I may live)
’Tis death! ‘tis death! ’Tis life! ‘tis life!
This the hairy man that stands here...
…who brought the sun and caused it to shine
A step upward, another step upward!
A step upward, another... the Sun shines!

Here’s a youtube video of Ka Mate by the All Blacks. It is powerful and spine tingling stuff.  I’d like to see the NY Giants square off against these blokes without all the padding that American Football provides for. J

 

And here are my All Black (or close enough) watches...

Would love to see other horological interpretation of the All Black concept.  Please share yours...

Gaz

 

This message has been edited by MTF on 2008-02-07 21:13:18

This is the Ka Mate version.

Gaz

 

i've got the V12-44 in steel with white dial, red hands and a cracking aftermarket red strap. i was considering the all black WL 51/49, but after buying the V12 i wouldnt spend £6k on the WL.

Graham

I'm a relatively recent lurker on thi site. Many years ago I saw an ad in  Time magazine for a watch which really caught my eye. I checked out the details & learned that it was a Movado "museum" watch.  A few years back someone presented me with one, & I really loved it. It's quite an art to make something so simple & stark & yet so eye catching. And it's obviously a classic in that they have conitnued the same dial design for decades. Wore it last night, & not for the first time, people commented about it.   The sapphire crystal unfortunately reflects quite a bit & I find it really difficult to get a good pic with my point & shoot Sony Cyber-shot. 

IMHO, a true classic in black.

 

farhad

Metallica's Black album wasn't that bad (Sad but True is one of my all time favorite Metallica songs) but equeling Master of Puppets is pretty tough!

Here's my contribution:

  

I think that the Phantom would have benefited from one.

Cheers

Gaz

e

I am surprised Alex!  I would have thought a red rose or a white shirt would have been far more chilling!

Hope all is well.  Hope to see Paris soon

Andrew H

hope to see you next time you're in town.

Their firsrt album with Bon Scott! Wowowowow.
The First album on which my daughter danced as she was 11 months! LOL
As for Horology, here'sz my take:





Best.
Nicolas This message has been edited by MTF on 2008-02-07 21:15:00

Nicolas you can post that one any time. Cool thread idea.

My contribution.

Bill

Take it with you...
I'd love to see it in the flesh...
Best, my friend...
BTW, where were you these last days???LOL
Nicolas

We did as little NY trip for three days including a little NY GTG.  I will try and post som pics tomorrow.

Missed you guys even though it was only a few days.

Bill

PS  I will be back in full force Friday..

Thanks for sharing, Gaz. I love Knight Rider too but not so much into Blackbird, wasnt born yet in 1976=p

Regards

Hi Gaz,

Nice theme to call for....by the way love your panerai power reserve.

Share with you my IWC ceramic in black.

BHK9

This message has been edited by MTF on 2008-02-07 21:16:12

No message body

Wow, my friend, you have all!
What about your new PC?
You made your mind?
Let us know!
Best.
Nicolas

Do you remember Street Hawk (with the bike)? I can think of a few other "Man and Machine Crime Fighting" genre like Blue Thunder (which spun off from the movie) or Airwolf (another favourite).  And who can forget the A-Team's black van!

Yeah Black is cool

Gaz

. . . my heart of darkness belongs to the silver and black Oakland Raiders . . .

. . . cordially, Art

full contact sports!!!

 

Gaz

. . . the most feared safety of his era . . . they didn't call Jack Tatum "The Assassin" for nothing. Cordially, Art

Forgetting Ozzy Osbourne and the Black Sabbath?

cen@jkt

. . . . 'Battle of Evermore' by Led Zeppelin . . .

Queen of light took her bow
And then she turned to go,
The prince of peace embraced the gloom
And walked the night alone.
Oh, dance in the dark of night,
Sing to the morn - ing light.
The dark lord rides in force tonight
And time will tell us all.
Oh, throw down your plow and hoe,
Rest not to lock your homes.
Side by side we wait the might
Of the darkest of them all.
I hear the horses thunder
Down in the valley blow,
Im waiting for the angels of avalon,
Waiting for the eastern glow.
The apples of the valley hold,
The seas of happiness,
The ground is rich from tender care,
Repay, do not forget, no, no.
Oh,-------dance in the dark of night,
Sing to the morning light.
The apples turn to brown and black, the tyrants face is red.
Oh the war is common cry, pick up you swords and fly.
The sky is filled with good and bad
That mortals never know.
Oh, well, the night is long, the beads of time pass slow,
Tired eyes on the sunrise, waiting for the eastern glow.
The pain of war cannot exceed
The woe of aftermath,
The drums will shake the castle wall,
The ring wraiths ride in black, ride on.
Sing as you raise your bow,
Shoot straighter than before.
No comfort has the fire at night
That lights the face so cold.
Oh dance in the dark of night,
Sing to the mornin light.
The magic runes are writ in gold
To bring the balance back, bring it back.
At last the sun is shining, the clouds of blue roll by,
With flames from the dragon of darkness
The sunlight blinds his eyes.

. . . and I, for one, can't wait for the reunion tour . . . yours in darkness, Art

Black Sabbath the grand daddy of black metal!!!! \m/ \m/

Wondering if you have any shots of the JD.  That has to be my absolutel fav Jaquet Droz!!!

METAL

Gaz 

I'm in the perpetual state of drunkeness. I have been drinking since 1pm to 11pm. And listening to The Who, The Police, Wu Bai, and Bon Jovi.

Well, Dr No, I have to say that The Who is slightly better than Led Zepplin.

Gaz, your wish is my command

cen@jkt

. . . I've seen the Who twice - once without Keith Moon, and once without Moon and Entwhistle, so perhaps those shows don't really count . . . Led Zep has been a phantasm for a generation, but I did manage to see the Page/Plant tour in '95, and caught Jimi once before at the Ronnie Lane benefit show in '82 or thereabouts - on that night he shared the stage with Clapton and Beck . . . truly, a meeting of the Gods. After spending most of my ill-begotten youth wallowing in the vinyl sound of both bands, I find myself still turning to Zep, but not the Who . . . they have my respect as muscicians, but I don't find them compelling anymore. Regretfully, Art

from memory it was 1978, but might have been '79. my sister who was 20 took me for the whole weekend. i've seen all sort of bands since but nothing comes close.

we all seem to love watches cars and heavy rock. did we all come from the same gene pool?

Sadly , I never went to a Led Zep concert...Niether the Who.
I also missed the Clash, but I assisted to the Bauhaus concert.
All great bands!
Yep, it seems that we are from the same generation, maybe this explains that???
Freakie tastes! LOL
Best.
Nicolas