England’s supposed rebuild is yet to establish rock solid foundations October 8, 2023 England came just metres away from an historic defeat at the hands of Samoa last night at the Rugby World Cup, and it would have been a loss they deserved. Steve Borthwick’s men were all over the place, struggling in the midfield and unable to take the chances they were given. The 18-17 victory in [...]
Wear your art on your sleeve: New watches with graphic dials October 8, 2023 Perhaps Instagram is to blame but whatever the reason, even the more dyed-in-the-wool watch nerds aren’t above an exuberant graphic dial these days. Here are three of our favourites. ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL CELEBRATION Just when you thought Rolex’s 2020 spectrum of five Perpetual models in five respective ‘pops!’ was jazzy enough for the premiere practitioner [...]
England v Samoa: 10 Rugby World Cup facts ahead of kick-off October 7, 2023 England take on Samoa knowing they are through to the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup. Here are 10 facts about the two sides ahead of their clash on Saturday. 10 Rugby World Facts
Frans Hals at the National Gallery: A jolly man in a grim time October 7, 2023 Frans Hals was a relatively unfashionable 17th century Dutch master who specialised in portraiture – not a summary that necessarily leaps out to audiences. And yet it is a testament to Hals that an exhibition that almost exclusively contains men and women decked out in black can be so jolly. Religious conflict convulsed Europe during [...]
Cartier’s Tank is the watch that keeps on giving October 7, 2023 Luxury watchmaking’s newly, seasonally uncoupled ‘drop’ culture means, like buses, you wait months after the industry’s formal fixture in spring, then two showstoppers arrive within a week. To wit: a Cartier celebrating a full 170 years of the Parisian grande dame making watches in all their wild and whimsical shapes. Joining fellow Richemont watchmaker, Jaeger-LeCoultre [...]
The Great Escaper review: Michael Caine prepares to bow out October 7, 2023 Sir Michael Caine recently hinted that his new film may well be his last. Having turned 90, and suffering ill health, he revealed in an interview that he is more or less retired, making The Great Escaper the last hurrah of a nearly 70 year career. The comedy-drama is based on the true story of [...]
Can Max Verstappen win the F1 title this weekend? October 7, 2023 Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is closing in on a third consecutive Formula 1 world championship, and he can seal it this weekend in Qatar. Despite there being five races after this weekend, the Dutchman can wrap up the title before lights out on Sunday. Here’s how. Saturday sees the return of the sprint race, a [...]
Derren Brown interview: ‘Magic is childish, you’re just trying to impress people’ October 6, 2023 “There are people who can naturally command a room. I’m not one of them…” These are surprising words from the magician who once shot himself in the head live on TV in a game of Russian roulette. Backstage at the Criterion Theatre ahead of his new show, Unbelievable, the magician Derren Brown is telling me [...]
Blackberry the movie: A gripping real-life corporate tragedy October 6, 2023 Another week, another product biopic. Films about Air Jordan shoes, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos crisps, Beanie Babies, and Tetris have all been released this year to varying success. While the merit of some of those stories may be questionable, BlackBerry has arguably the most intriguing subject. Before everyone stared at their own black mirrors, BlackBerry phones [...]
Picture A Day Like This at ROH review: Beautiful ad memorable October 6, 2023 What does it mean to look for a miracle? Hope, as a uniquely human impulse, is the focus of composer George Benjamin and writer Martin Crimp’s latest operatic endeavour, Picture a day like this. This eagerly anticipated fourth collaboration between Benjamin and Crimp marks a departure from their grander operatic triumphs. Picture a day like [...]