Tudor Black Bay 58 Navy Blue: Tudor's Newest

One of the characteristics of a watch enthusiast is that s/he will rarely wear a watch for longer than a few days before switching to something different. I used to collect vintage watches and, until last December, I would, every four or five days, swap the timepiece on my wrist for something else in my now tiny collection. That was until I bought a Tudor Black Bay 58 just before Christmas. 

My Black Bay 58 alongside Tudor's new 'Navy Blue'

That watch has been firmly on my wrist for both work and play. What attracted me to it was that it was new, and wearing vintage watches in the rough and tumble of an active life isn't advisable, but it also that it's good value, robust, has a chronometer movement and was from a brand I used to collect during my watch collector days.

And now Tudor has launched a new Black Bay 58: the Navy Blue. It differs from the original BB58 (sometimes called the 'gilt') only in that it has a blue dial and bezel, but these changes make it a different watch. While the gilt BB58 has a vintage air, reminiscent of its 1950s ancestor, with gold highlights and cream numerals, the Navy Blue has a very contemporary feel - simpler in design - with a smoky blue bezel and ice white numerals. This variation gives the buyer the opportunity to select according to his/her style preferences.

The two Tudor Black Bays (centre) continue a tradition going back decades. Here they are pictured with
 a Tudor chronograph and diver's watch both dating from the seventies

I was able to borrow a Navy Blue and wear it alongside my own watch. I wear mine on the excellent Tudor bracelet, but the new watch arrived on a matching blue nylon strap which is comfortable and gives an alternative and utilitarian look. Whether you prefer the vintage look of the original BB58 or the cleaner look of the Navy Blue is up to you. I would find it hard to select between the two if I had that choice - maybe the solution would be to buy both!

Tudor took a shrewd step introducing 39mm versions of its standard 41mm Black Bay diver's watches. Two millimetres may not sound much, but in watch terms it gives a slimmer, more compact and lighter timepiece. The move to smaller watches results partly from the growth in the vintage watch market. From the early days of wristwatches until the nineties most watches rarely exceeded 40mm in diameter. 

The Tudor Black Bay 58 Navy Blue in action

Until recently Tudor were seen, not entirely fairly, as a sort of poor man's Rolex. They used off-the-peg rather than the in-house movements made by Rolex, but their design was as good and even occasionally ahead of Rolex (they produced an automatic chronograph before Rolex and the 'snowflake' shaped hands used then and now on their diver's watches were both legible and contemporary in design). Even today some watch dealers describe vintage Tudor watches as 'Rolex Tudor' to give the Tudor name a totally unnecessary gloss - they were and are excellent watches in their own right.  The latest Tudor watches have in-house chronometer movements, removing any last doubts that this is a quality watch brand. 

Comfortable to wear, my BB58 had remained accurate despite many months' constant wear in often rugged conditions, from being subject to the vibrations of off-road cycling on my gravel bike to being knocked around swimming in cold mountain streams. 

Is there anything I would change? I'd like a date to make this an even more useful, utilitarian timepiece. One could be included at 6 o'clock to preserve the symmetry of the dial, but that omission isn't a deal breaker for me. For anyone wanting a high quality, durable watch with a chronometer movement at a fair price, I recommend the Black Bay 58. Many agree, as the waiting lists for the first BB58 demonstrated.

For more information on these watches, see Tudor's informative website. 

This is an unsponsored post. I was lent the Black Bay 58 by Tudor to assess and review. All views expressed here are mine alone.

Tudor Ranger: A Classic Tool Watch

Watches come in broadly two types; the tool watch, robust and practical, with looks a secondary consideration to practicality, and dress watches, where robustness is secondary to appearance and decoration. The new Tudor Ranger comes into the first category and its credentials are supported by its heritage and origins as an adventurer's timepiece.

The new Tudor Ranger

Seventy years ago, in July 1952, The British North Greenland Expedition (BNGE) left the Thames to explore Greenland and carry out important scientific experiments, some of which are still providing scientists with data today. Tudor, the more affordable arm of Rolex, had recently released the Tudor Oyster-Prince and they arranged for thirty of these watches to accompany the expedition with members using them daily and keeping detailed records of their performance.

The results were everything Tudor had hoped for, the watches proving robust and accurate in hostile conditions, useful information in their marketing of the watch (see below). Certainly my 1955 Oyster-Prince (pictured below) keeps remarkable time and performs well as a daily wear, despite no recent service history.

A few years ago Tudor discovered that one of the expedition watches had survived, owned by Major Desmond Homard who had dug it out of the back of a kitchen drawer. There's a belief that this is the only remaining expedition watch, but in researching this feature I spoke to a collector who, for a while, owned a watch used by another expedition member, Herbert 'Dixie' Dean. This watch had a sound provenance and came from a family member (both watches are pictured below).

Major Desmond Homard's watch, worn on the BNGE

Advertising the Tudor Oyster-Prince

Another BNGE watch owned by Herbert 'Dixie' Dean (left: image Martyn West @mwvintagewatches) and my own Tudor Oyster-Prince from the mid-fifties (right)

In releasing the new Tudor Ranger Tudor has chosen not to market a watch based on the original expedition Oyster-Prince, but to revive the Tudor Ranger, a similarly robust watch with an Explorer dial first seen in the sixties. At 34mm in diameter, it was smaller than its 39mm replacement, but the new watch captures the original proportions well, making a handsome and very wearable watch (images below).

The new Tudor Ranger, priced very reasonably from £2170 to £2420 for a manufacturer made, chronometer-rated movement. See Tudor Watch.

Original Tudor Ranger (left) and the new model (39mm, right)

Vintage Tudor: a watch brand now emerging from the shadows

Many readers will know that I used to collect vintage watches. Some of my favourites were those made by Tudor. Until recently, Tudor were seen by some as a sort of poor man's Rolex, but this was an unfair and inaccurate description. Below I show three watches that were once part of my collection but have, very sadly, since been sold.

L-R: 'Snowflake' Submariner, 'Big Block' chronograph and French Navy issued MN Submariner - Image (c) Grey Fox

At the time these were made (the seventies), Tudor watches such as these were cased in Rolex cases and the crowns (winders) and case backs were embossed with the Rolex name and logo. Rolex was proud of its sister brand. The main difference in quality (and therefore price) was the movement. While Rolex manufactured their own movements for their watches, Tudor used off-the-peg Swiss movements from ETA, adapting them for their products. 

This difference didn't adversely affect their durability and accuracy, as I found when wearing these vintage pieces. The watches above were made to the highest quality and, while they were sold at lower prices than Rolex equivalents, the Tudors were well-made watches in their own right.

Much-missed: a Tudor Submariner 9411 with snowflake hands from 1977

Towards the of the last century, Tudor went off track and made some frankly unattractive watches. However, in the last few years they've re-found their roots. The use of its traditional 'snowflake' hands (with a squared end to the hour hand; see the vintage watch top left and the modern ones below), a design never used by Rolex, shows that the modern Tudor has rediscovered the design values of earlier watches. On the whole, modern Tudor watches are good-looking and well-proportioned.

Tudor have now created their own in-house movement, sealing, for me, their position as an independent watchmaker with a proven heritage. Below I show some of my favourites from their present collection from which you will see the heritage influences. They are also accepting the trend towards the slightly smaller watch. The 36mm Tudor Heritage Black Bay 36 (bottom row centre below) is an attractive watch, although I'd like to have seen the snowflake hour hand scaled down a bit to fit the smaller dial.

For more information on these watches, see Tudor's informative website. Prices are very competitive with other luxury watch brands.

Modern Tudor watches

This post is unsponsored and was written independently of Tudor with whom I have had no contact about this piece. All views are my own. The content and images (except in the final image immediately above) are copyright David Evans/Grey Fox. I welcome commissions and paid collaborations to help me run this blog.

Watches: Tudor Black Bay Black

Tudor watches have always been favourites of mine, albeit that I've only ever owned vintage examples. But in some ways this qualifies me to talk about Tudor latest addition to its collection of stylish diver's watches because its third Black Bay model adds an archive flavour to the range.

Based on a 1954 Tudor diving watch, but with the gorgeous and so different 'snowflake' hands of later seventies watches, the new Black Bay Black (launched this week and pictured above with its bracelet and straps) harks back to a vintage forerunner, but is very modern in its manufacture and movement.

The feel of quality robustness makes this a very modern watch and a perfect addition to the Tudor stable. An ideal watch for stylish daily wear, you can change the strap from bracelet to either NATO-style or battered leather match your outfit/activity/mood. 

On sale from today, the price is a very reasonable £2120 to £2330 depending on bracelet/strap choice. More details and (for the watch expert) technical information from Tudor Watches.

The Tudor Black Bay range, completed by the new Black (top)

Wristwatch Update: Tudor, Breitling, Zenith, Tag Heuer

Anyone with a foot in the wristwatch world will know that it was recently Baselworld, at which watch companies show their new products. I'm not bringing you a full report (thank heavens), but here are four watches that caught my eye from some of my favourites. All have in-house or proprietary (rather than bought-in) mechanical movements and owe their designs to strong brand DNA. (Web links below).

Tudor released a few models at Baselworld. Their Heritage Black Bay Steel (below) looks attractive, sticking to the historic Tudor diving watch style.

Tudor Black Bay Heritage

While I've yet to see the watch in the flesh (keep an eye on my Instagram account for updates), it works aesthetically with its steel bezel (a newly introduced alternative to existing black or coloured bezels), date function, 'snowflake' hands and fabric strap (pictured). This Tudor is competitively priced, particularly as it has an in-house movement, at £2370 with leather strap and £2580 with bracelet. The fabric strap (my favourite) comes with all watches.

This is the watch I'd take on holiday as it can be worn securely all the time, on the beach, in the water (it's a dive watch) and afterwards at dinner in a local restaurant. For more on my coverage of Tudor Watches click here.

Breitling is a brand I've long admired. When I collected vintage watches I never quite got round to owning one, but the model I would have sought was the Navitimer, a watch designed for pilots which has been going since the early fifties. As with all successful watch brands, Breitling preserves its heritage and this shows in the Navitimer Rattrapante (below) - a split seconds timer with an in-house movement that is also chronometer certified.

Breitling Navitimer Rattrapante

The split seconds timer allows more than one object to be timed (or lap times) on two chronograph hands which normally sit one on top of the other, but are shown apart in the image above. The seconds hand is the left-hand of the sub-dials, the others being elapsed time for the chronograph (stopwatch) function. Split seconds watches are not common and are complicated to make, so this is a pretty cool timepiece, although on the large size (for me) at 45mm. Priced at £9910 in steel with croc folding clasp strap.

Zenith - one of my favourite chronographs from my watch collecting days was a Zenith. Sold on long ago, sadly, it represented the brand which was the first to market an automatic chronograph, the El Primero. Like all the watch brands mentioned in this feature, Zenith have stuck to their design heritage with this lovely piece, the Zenith Defy El Primero 21. With a chronometer accuracy rating, titanium case and the high-beating mechanical movement characteristic of the Zenith, this is an updated 21st century version of the original.

It comes with a titanium case (44mm) with a white traditional dial or an open work dial, or with a black ceramic aluminium case with an open work dial (as above). Prices £8,300, £9,100, £9,900 respectively.

Tag Heuer

The original Heuer Autavia was another vintage watch I admired but never got round to owning. The name is a contraction of AUTomobile and AVIAtion, a name taken from the first dash counter for racing cars and aircraft created by Heuer in 1933. 

Worn by the best-known racing drivers of the 1960s and 1970s: Jochen Rindt, Mario Andretti, Jo Siffert, Clay Regazzoni - names that resonate with me from the romantic era of motor sport - it has been reborn as the Tag Heuer Autavia. This is a handsome watch indeed, with a useful 12 hour bezel for the international traveller (rotate it to show local time). A well-proportioned watch, I love the white on black sub-dials and brown leather strap (also available with a steel bracelet). Prices £3,900 to £4,000 (with strap or with bracelet).

Links:

Tudor Watches.
Breitling.
Zenith.
Tag Heuer

This is an unsponsored post. The watches I've selected are a personal choice of watches I spotted from Baselworld coverage or from information sent to me by the brands themselves.

Michlmayr: Wristwatch Repair and Servicing

I recently had one of my watches serviced (at no charge to me, see note below*) by Norwich-based watchmakers, Michlmayr. My wristwatch collection is smaller than it used to be, but I like to ensure that they are kept well maintained. 

Servicing and repairing a mechanical watch (or a clock) is a cost that needs to be factored into watch ownership, but is an expense only required perhaps every 5-10 years and, if done regularly, maintains the value of the timepiece while keeping it running as accurately as when new.

My early 90s Tudor 'Big Block' chronograph beautifully serviced by Michlmayr

Michlmayer was established in 1986 and now has a team of qualified and experienced watch and clockmakers providing services to private clients, to the public sector and cathedrals and churches repairing, servicing and restoring wristwatches and clocks. They kindly offered to service one of my watches and I selected a Tudor 'Big Block' 79170 chronograph dating from the early 90s which, while it was running well, was due a clean and a lube.

I suspect that many owners have little idea of the wonders that lie inside their mechanical watches. The Tudor has a workhorse Valjoux 7750 movement with little decoration but a truly utilitarian beauty. I'm grateful to Michlmayr for taking the following images for me. It's when you see the complexity of these movements that you begin to understand the skills, expertise and the cost of servicing. What the images don't show is just how small some of the parts are - yet an experienced watchmaker handles the tiny components with remarkable confidence and dexterity.

Michlmayr have done a superb job. I asked them not to polish the case (which they will do if required) as I prefer it to be kept as original as possible. The watch was returned to me running well within 5 seconds a day (and this isn't a chronometer movement). A bent secondhand was replaced with a Tudor replacement and the watch looks superb, now acting as my daily wearer.

Finding a reliable watchmaker can be hard, but I'm pleased to recommend Michlmayr highly on the basis of this experience. To find out about their watch and clock services or to book a service go to Michlmayr

*Note: At my request Michlmayr serviced my watch without charge and I agreed to objectively review their services here on my blog.

My Tudor 'Big Block' chronograph 79170 before the service

Vintage watches 2 - military diving watches for men of style

There's something very satisfying wearing a watch with a history. Vintage military watches have been designed to be worn in demanding situations, where robustness and accuracy can be vital. Diving watches, in particular, need to be totally reliable in military use, as the accurate timing of a dive is a life-preserving necessity.

One of the most desirable military diving watches is the Rolex Submariner which was issued by the Royal Navy - but you're looking at a price of at least £30,000 and possibly twice that if you want an original example whose provenance has been established by Rolex UK.

Photo courtesy of The Old Watch Shop

A considerably cheaper alternative is the Tudor Submariner used by the French Navy, an example of which I was able to examine and photograph recently.  It came in different guises (pictured below) and is best bought with the decommissioning papers, as shown here.  The main difference between the Rolex and Tudor Submariners (both were made by the same company) was that the Tudor did not use an in-house Rolex movement.

French Navy Tudor Sub with "snowflake" hands. Forum a Montres.

Summer essentials for gentlemen; favourites selected by readers and me

At this time of year, our thoughts turn to classic menswear and accessories essential for fun in the sun. Clothes must be stylish and look good in the heat, whether used for work, play, holiday, beach or restaurant. As a mature man, I prefer a classic edge with no gimmicky details or outdated skinny cuts.

Image Paramount Pictures

Quality accessories and luggage last better, are easier to use and more pleasurable to own than budget options. A watch needs to be wearable on the beach and in the pool, a hat is needed to keep off the sun.

Here are some items selected both my me and by blog followers for use this summer. The shops are, perversely, about to fill with autumn/winter goods, so now is the time to find many of the products in the shops and online at sale prices.

From left clockwise:

Bodileys Italian Collection Cocoa moccasins. A modern take on the classic deck shoe in soft suede
Marks & Spencer panama hat, blocked and finished in England
Jigsaw linen garment dye shirt

Private White VC Eco-cotton double breasted blazer and matching chinos in stone

John Lewis Gandys for John Lewis swimwear

Tudor  Black Bay Bronze, a classic Tudor design (and a favourite of mine) made from aluminium/bronze alloy.

From left clockwise:

Jigsaw double indigo cotton blazer

Persol Suprema sunglasses from a selection at David Clulow

Timothy Everest: Ivory Cashmere/Cotton Knitted Polo Shirt

Realm & Empire Jungle shorts

Chapman Bags Traveller, khaki

Oliver Sweeney Morgan white brogue

Here are some essentials suggested by readers and followers of the blog:

From top left, clockwise:

Folding panama Made in England, Tom, Dick & Harry

Kindle

John Simons Madras shirt - mod style. Try also Gitman Vintage.

Mephisto Niels sandals from Pediwear.

Cotton/silk tie from Thomas Pink

Uniqlo dry pique polo shirt

And finally, some more from me:

From top left, clockwise:

My favourite camera, Fuji X100

Cashmere summer jumper from Johnstons of Elgin

Cotton tie from Dancys

Made to measure Sea Island cotton shirt from Thomas Pink

Sea Island cotton socks from Thomas Pink

From top left clockwise:
Invade tan trainers Norman Walsh
Knitted merino wool tie, Penelope Cream
Linen shirt, Dundas
Pocket square, Rampley & Co
Silk tie, Geoff Stocker x Harry x Grey Fox

For a useful and stylish tech case for the traveller from Stow, see my blog post here.

This post is unsponsored. It is a selection of menswear and accessories that has caught the eye and I have not been compensated for its preparation. If you have any particular summer favourites, please let me know.

A Summer for Stripes

Summer and stripes seem to go together perfectly. Is it stripy deckchairs on the beach, Breton sailor's jumpers, seaside rock (candy), rowing and cricket blazers, or maybe the striped awnings of summer marquees that form the association? Certainly there is a strong link to the sea, making stripes perfect for holiday and casual wear. [Links to suppliers at end of this feature]

Summer stripes

Shirt from Grey Flannel (also in yellow). 'Harry' pocket square Geoff Stocker

I love blue stripes in particular - they go well with whites and creams of course, but best with summery yellows, reds and oranges. A red striped shirt I own is also a favourite - for summer any bright candy colour suits the clear brightness of the light. 

The broader the stripes the more impact they have - they are less serious, more playful: the formality of the city stripe combining with the sunny cheerfulness of a yacht's spinnaker. Finer stripes are more restrained but still add a slightly flamboyant feel to a look.

Shirt (right) Community Clothing Co. Cravat Cravat Club

Fine stripes - L: Seersucker suit Grey Flannel. C: Shirt Connolly. R: Workwear Jaeger

The summer is a time to celebrate the sun and warmth with colours that reflect the fun of holiday pastimes: beach swimming, barbecues, surfing and reading in the shade. 

Shirt CEO's Legacy Shirts. Watch Tudor Heritage chronograph on striped nylon strap

Multicoloured striped lightweight scarves from Wallace Sewell

Shirts CEO's Legacy, seersucker suit Grey Flannel

Merino polo shirt Connolly, hat Tom Smarte, shorts Grey Flannel, slippers William Norman London, denim jacket vintage Lee Riders

Suppliers

[Note some of these products were loaned, some bought and some gifted for review]

Grey Flannel

Geoff Stocker 

Cravat Club

Connolly

Wallace Sewell

CEO's Legacy Shirts

Jaeger (at Marks & Spencer)

Tudor Watches

Tom Smarte

William Norman London

Equus Leather Watch Straps: Russian Reindeer Hide From 1786

Wearing a watch strap made from 230 year old leather is something of a talking point. In 1786 a ship, the Metta Catharina, sought shelter from a storm in Plymouth Sound but her anchor dragged and she was wrecked on the shore of Drake's Island. 

Nearly 200 years later part of the ship's cargo of leather (thought to be reindeer hides from Russia) was recovered and restored. Tanned with willow bark and treated with birch bark oil, it was renowned for its water resistance and insect-proof qualities. Despite its long stay under water, the restored leather has been used to make everything from shoes to wallets and watch straps.

Equus Leather strap made from 1786 Metta Catharina restored Russian leather

Leather from the 1786 wreck of the Metta Catharina

I've talked before about Equus Leather who made me a watch strap from Cuir de Russie, a modern leather made using techniques similar to those used to make the leather recovered from the Metta Catharina. On this occasion they have made me another strap from the old leather and you can see it below on the Tudor Submariner and, below that, alongside the modern Cuir de Russie.

Equus 1786 leather strap to the left of the modern Cuir de Russie

Both leathers smell gorgeously of birch oil, a leathery, slightly tarry scent. This fades with use of course. The older leather is slightly dryer and prone to very faint cracking if bent too sharply, but this is hardly surprising given that it spent nearly 200 years underwater, and it adds to the patina of the material. The rich brown, antique finish is perfect for almost any watch, but I think it complements an older watch with buttery luminous numerals to perfection - a treat for watch and owner. The leather was artificially grained when manufactured in the 1780s. This varies in appearance which adds to the character of this remarkable leather.

Equus owner, Charlie, started out as a saddler, having ridden event horses for a living. He worked in finance for a while before focusing on saddlery and leatherwork. He started Equus 13 years ago and is a fount of knowledge of leatherworking techniques. Needless to say, the strap is beautifully made and won't let you down. You won't find quality anything like this on a shop-bought leather watch strap.

Watch straps come in a wide variety of leathers, but one made from the extremely rare and limited leather from the Metta Catharina will cost you from £450. Charlie has only enough leather for a few more straps. Given that many brands of watch will charge at least that for a metal watch bracelet, I'd say that was well worth it for something so rare and with such a story attached to it.

See Equus Leather for more information.

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See also my earlier feature on Equus Leather.

Samples of the straps were provided for these features.

Men's Coats for Spring: a GreyFox/SartoriaLab photo-shoot

As winter retreats and the Sun warms the Earth, we find our winter coats a little heavy and uncomfortable. I decided, with help from Sarah Gilfillan of Sartoria Lab, to look for lighter coats that can be layered according to temperature.

We wanted to try a variety of styles and approached a few brands offering an interesting selection in their SS15 collections. I was pleased at least half of them are British-made, even though we hadn't selected them on that basis.

This is the first of a series of photo-shoots in which Sarah and I show menswear being worn by older men (initially me, volunteers welcome). Most brands use very young models, discouraging the older man from trying out the products on offer.

I've tried coats I wouldn't normally wear and have been surprised by most of them. I hope that our approach will encourage you to experiment and try some of the clothes we show. If our efforts both encourage brands to use older models in their campaigns and also influence you to try new styles, I'll be very happy.

Sarah and I comment on each jacket below, giving a link to the supplier's website (or to the item itself) so that you can browse and buy. We've only had cursory glances at the suppliers' descriptions so that we can give you our own views on the coats.

I'm very grateful to photographer Nick Maroudias for the superb images and for his support for an inexperienced model. Without his involvement, this project would have been impossible. Thanks also to Jean-Pierre Agius whose help and innovative styling suggestions were invaluable.

REALM & EMPIRE:

REALM AND EMPIRE COTTON PEACOAT £225.00 ^

Sarah: I wasn't sure about this jacket when I first saw images of it, but it really grew on me when I could see and handle it. I love pea-coats and the tan cotton looks fresh for spring. It goes very well with navy and white so, if you're like a lot of men with a large percentage of blue in your wardrobe, it'll make a good choice. We decided to give it a smarter feel with a chambray shirt and floral tie. 

David: I liked the colour and fit of this coat from an interesting and growing brand. Like most coats tried here, it follows the modern trend for short-fit. With well-designed and made details (like the closure to the collar) this is comfortable and well-made. It will suit most ages and body-types, making it an ideal spring/summer jacket.

Click here 

BARBOUR:

BARBOUR INTERNATIONAL - SIMONSIDE WAX JACKET £249 ^ 

Sarah: I often shop for classic, functional jackets with clients and Barbour offer a great selection. The biker style of this one gives it a "cool" Steve McQueen edge. Wear it done up and belted or open with the belt tied at the back.

David: My initial thought was that this may be too motor bike for daily wear, but I was wrong. I liked the fit, practicality and classic style of this jacket. Versatile enough for town and country wear and can be layered as the weather cools. A cool classic, but I'd like to see fewer logos; Barbour is a brand that shouldn't need to shout that loudly.

Click here

JOHN LEWIS:

JOHN LEWIS BOMBER KIN JACKET £89.00 ^

Sarah: Generally I consider bomber jackets to be a bit of a younger style, but when David tried this on I thought it looked good. Initially we tried to style it with a polo shirt for a summery feel, but it gave it too much of a mod / skinhead style, so we went back to a simple roll neck. A fine knit crew neck sweater layered over a t-shirt would also look good. 

David: My thoughts are the same as Sarah's. Care needs to be taken when wearing a bomber, but I was surprised how much I liked it. Reasonably-priced and stylishly simple, it has a mesh lining and the quality belies its price. One for you to try for yourself.

Click here

GLOVERALL:



GLOVERALL DUFFLE COAT £199.00 ^

Sarah: This was the surprise of the day which ended up being my favourite. Duffle coats aren't everyone's style, but it really suited David. It's a great spring-like take on the classic wool duffle, in a lightweight showerproof fabric. It's not the first thing I'd think of buying with a client but, having seen this on, I'll definitely be more open to it in future. 

David: Again, my thoughts are the same. This was a very last-minute addition to the shoot. I requested it urgently as it offered something quite different to the other coats. I wasn't hopeful that I'd like it, but it ended up as a surprise favourite of the day, and it's British-made. Made from an Italian coated cotton, it's shower-proof and light. An interesting, practical and stylish version of the classic duffle coat. I've seen some interesting products coming from Gloverall and look forward to covering them again.

Click here

OLIVER SWEENEY:

OLIVER SWEENEY BOXSTEAD CHARCOAL COTTON JACKET £395 ^

Sarah: I love the elegant shape of this mac-style jacket/coat, which would work equally well on larger guys because of the simple unfussy style. It looks great with jeans, but would also be perfect over a suit. Although the fabric is cotton it looks a bit more tweedy. I'd be more inclined to buy this with clients in autumn rather than spring. 

David: Oliver Sweeney offer an interesting range of menswear. This coat comes in many guises (including as a mac) and colours. At first glance it's wool, but it's made of a cotton tweedy fabric, ideal for milder spring and summer weather. With a clean design, nice details and (this was a pleasant surprise) a Made in England label, this was another favourite - probably for town rather than country wear. 

Click here 

BARBOUR X WHITE MOUNTAINEERING:

BARBOUR x WHITE MOUNTANEERING WAX LAPEL JACKET £399.00 ^

Sarah: An interesting and detailed jacket which fills the gap between a blazer and a casual jacket. Its the sort of thing I might buy with a client if they didn't have the need for a smart navy blazer, and wanted something a bit different.

David: I liked its cut and practicality, but was less sure about the details, in particular the numerous pockets and the perforations on large parts of the jacket. This is a collaboration with the Japanese White Mountaineering, so it's aimed at the younger man. One for you to try and make up your own mind about.

Click here 

PRIVATE WHITE V.C.:

PRIVATE WHITE V.C. ALCANTARA SHAWL BOMBER £850.00 ^ 

Sarah: I like the shape, collar and detailing of this jacket. It's got quite a retro seventies style to it, so I think on an older guy it needs to be styled with modern pieces to keep it looking contemporary. 

David: A British-made jacket (in Manchester) from the successful Private White V.C. Although I've been to their factory and supported them on the blog for some time, this was the first time I had had the opportunity to try on one of their products. The faux-suede looks and feels like the real thing, lacking only the supreme flexibility of the best suede. I liked the quality and superb detailing, including the characteristic copper P.W.V.C. zip and well-shaped shawl collar. Different and stylish.

Click here 

JOHN LEWIS:

JOHN LEWIS COTTON FIELD JACKET £89.00 ^

Sarah: An easy to wear versatile cotton field jacket, which you can layer up with chunky knitwear whilst it's still cold, but will work equally well with lightweight trousers and t-shirts for cool summer evenings. It's a flattering shape for very slim guys as the epaulettes and pockets all have a broadening effect. 

David: Another good value jacket from John Lewis, this reminded me very much of a US Army surplus combat jacket I wore while a student in the seventies. I liked the back detail and well-made nature of this jacket. Being who they are, John Lewis don't feel the need to undermine the simple design with logos and other geegaws; hooray.

Click here

Here are links to some of the other clothes that I'm wearing:

Brogues - Loake

English-made jeans - Quantock

Shirts - Tripl Stitched

Tie - Dancys

Socks - Marwood mohair

Watch - vintage Tudor Submariner

NOTE: Our next shoot, in March/April, will explore men's summer blazers, suits and jackets. Please e-mail me or Sarah if you would like your products to be considered for inclusion.

If you, as a blog reader, have any suggestions for items you would like to see featured in these shoots, please get in touch.