Turning tables: top chefs anoint the hottest new culinary stars

Who will be the stars of the future? Our Culinary Masters series reveals the ones to watch, as chosen by the chefs in the know.

By Joanna Savill 13/09/2017

They’re the rock stars of today’s food-mad world, with a string of greatest hits to their names. Mention ‘Neil’, ‘Pete’ or ‘Christine’ and most serious gourmands will know exactly which kitchen gods you’re talking about.

But who will be the first-name-only stars of the future? In an Australian-first iteration of Robb Report US’s annual Culinary Masters celebration, we reveal the ones to watch, as chosen by those who would know – Neil Perry, Peter Gilmore, Christine Manfield, Andrew McConnell, Philip Johnson and Duncan Welgemoed.

- Want to join the stars of the present and the stars of the future for dinner as part of our exclusive Culinary Masters series during October? Seats are strictly limited for seatings in Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney. Click here to book and for more information.

Neil Perry

Chef, restaurateur and now chief brand and culinary officer with Rockpool Dining Group

Neil Perry has been in the business since the ’80s. He can pick great talent when he sees it, with alumni including Kylie Kwong, Mike McEnearney (Kitchen by Mike, No. 1 Bent Street), Mat Lindsay at Sydney fave Ester, and more.

“We have a responsibility to turn people into great cooks,” says Perry. “We need to help grow them in their career and as people.”

So who does Perry pick as one to watch? He nominates 32-year-old Analiese Gregory, co-owner of a slip of a Darlinghurst wine bar in Sydney called Bar Brose (where her chicken in vin jaunewith foie gras butter is the stuff of dreams), but now also head chef at Hobart’s most acclaimed restaurant, Franklin.

“Her food is delicious, unique and quirky,” says Perry. “She has also worked with a lot of people with their heads screwed on. And she has great opportunities and a great career ahead of her. There’s no substitute for putting focus and energy into something if you want to succeed. And Analiese is doing just that.”

Analiese Gregory

Co-owner, Bar Brose, SydneyHead chef, Franklin, Hobart

“I went to an all-girls school [in New Zealand] and the only way I was allowed to leave, at 16, was to do a two-year diploma in professional cookery. I was in my delinquent teenage phase. Restaurant kitchens were like a family and you were allowed to smoke and drink and stay up late. I just loved it.”

And so began Analiese Gregory’s cooking career. (Her father, it must be said, is also a chef.) That was a whole 16 years ago. Since then she has worked with and for some of the world’s best – from the stellar Logan Brown in Wellington to the (now defunct) two-Michelin-starred The Capital in London, Quay in Sydney, then a stint in France with the much-revered Michel Bras (an icon for most contemporary chefs) and the equally acclaimed Mugaritz in Spain’s Basque Country.

Lessons along the way were many: “Logan Brown really cared about produce. But going to London really caned me every day and taught me how to cook. It was the first place I was told, ‘No, this isn’t okay. And you are doing it again, right now.’

“Quay with Pete [Gilmore] was definitely one of the first places that I worked where there was an emphasis on gardens, growing and vegetables. Always searching for new and different things. It was also where I learned to run a kitchen, basically.”

Gilmore has been a great mentor. But Gregory’s time in France added a whole new dimension and perspective. Chef Michel Bras is known for his almost Zen-like approach to ingredients. But the Zen extends to every aspect of working life. “He taught me about the way to live and work. To create a little mental space to go to. He would send us once a week into the woods to go foraging. Or to make wine. Or go hiking. I learned a lot about life there.”

Now on the brink of a new chapter, Gregory is still pondering her direction for Franklin, a wide-open, modern space with a huge wood-fired oven and wonderful use of sometimes unusual produce. “I will drive around, go to suppliers, and kind of base it off that. I’m also super-excited about the oven. And going out to collect wild produce. That makes me feel like a human.”

Andrew McConnell

Cumulus Inc., Cutler & Co., Supernormal, Ricky & Pinky (Builders Arms), Melbourne

With a portfolio that includes some of Melbourne’s best restaurants and with 330 employees across the group, Andrew McConnell has a strong sense of the importance of mentoring and training his staff and seeing those qualities come out in those who work for him. Like his senior sous and soon to be head chef, Tim Goegan.

“Tim is a ripper young guy,” says McConnell. “He’s a country boy with a great nature and a great work ethic. He’s also a natural leader, which is really important. And he’s a good cook, which goes without saying.

“I was always self-motivated,” McConnell continues. “Looking for that next thing. But I’ve stayed in this business for the pleasure of cooking and working with good people. And Tim shares that. He doesn’t want to be a head chef rock star, just a good cook. He knows what he knows and that he has a lot more to learn.”

Such is McConnell’s confidence in Goegan that he has just named him as head chef for a second opening of his super-popular Supernormal modern Asian diner.

Tim Goegan

Head chef, Supernormal, St Kilda, Melbourne

It was 150 reheated casseroles that sent Tim Goegan into the kitchen at an early age. His mother, a nurse on night shift, had little time for cooking and, after one casserole dinner too many, Goegan decided to take on family-feeding duties. “The family loved it, so it went from there,” he relates. “I finished high school and pondered university but then settled on a life in the kitchen. Best decision yet!”

Working with chef-owner and “larger-than-life character” Steve Snow at the seafood-focused Fins, north of Byron, set Goegan on his professional path. “Steve would use predominantly local fruit and vegetables and had a personal relationship with the local fishermen in the area – guaranteeing us first rights to fresh line-caught, sustainably sourced fish, some of which would arrive just an hour before service! It was a humbling experience.”

He also has huge respect for his current employer. “Andrew always has time to ask how someone is, from kitchen hands to managers. The way he can create an extraordinary dish in the most simplistic way, then pass on his knowledge and share information with staff is amazing. Andrew is definitely someone I want to mould myself on.”

Excited by the new venture ahead – running a second Supernormal on the old Luxembourg restaurant site in St Kilda – Goegan often ponders where he will end up. So we’ll put him on the spot: what is the dream?

“I probably answer this question differently every time, depending on my mood,” he muses, “but I would love to have a self-contained, fully sustainable farm one day, where I can have my own livestock, bees, make my own cured meats and cheese, as well as growing my own fruit and vegetables. Between now and then, however, I’m just excited to be on this food journey and to see where it takes me, hopefully continuing to learn, grow and be respected among my peers.”

Christine Manfield

Chef, traveller, author, consultant and industry godmother

Christine Manfield has a clear view on what it takes to achieve success in the restaurant business. “Staying true to your own vision and not being compromised. That’s the advice I used to share with my team. And they have all gone on to do great things.”

Among the team at Universal, Manfield’s former two-hat restaurant in Sydney’s Darlinghurst, was a young Vietnamese-Australian trainee called Thi Le who came to Manfield’s kitchen through an industry mentoring program for young female chefs.

Le is now a rising star with her tiny Anchovy restaurant in Melbourne’s Richmond. “She’s definitely a talent,” says Manfield. “A fantastic cook and very inventive. She’s doing interesting, experimental, modern Asian stuff and it works.”

For Manfield, ultimate success comes with resilience and a clever business head. “Of all the people that I have employed over the years, only a small percentage stands apart from the pack. Good cooks and born leaders. You need to be both.”

Thi Le

Chef and co-owner, Anchovy, Richmond, Melbourne

Despite being a keen cook, Thi Le’s mum never wanted her daughter to be a chef. And when the-then interior design student suddenly set her sights on a culinary career, her mother was worried. “Why would you want to be a chef? There’s no career, no life prospects for a girl.”

Luckily, Thi’s training put her in touch with Christine Manfield. “And suddenly Mum thought, ‘Wow, here’s a lady who’s done well on her own and made a success’. And she backed off a lot.”

After completing her apprenticeship, Le moved south to work under McConnell, before opening Anchovy, which she describes as “modern Asian, modern Australian and a little bit in-between”. She laughs. “I grew up in [Sydney’s] Blacktown, which was just a mishmash of different cultures. My partner was working in the corporate world and wanted a cafe. But I didn’t want to do bacon and eggs!”

With Anchovy co-owner Jia-yen Lee running the floor, accolades for their original yet easily appealing style are pouring in. “I think when I was doing my apprenticeship, I knew I wanted to open something eventually. I think it’s just the mindset of having Asian parents, to do something for yourself.”

Manfield’s words also rang in her head. “I asked [Christine] once what made her just jump into something of her own? And she said there was a point when she realised she could cook and make food that’s more delicious than the other restaurants out there and she took the dive.”

Le’s dream was her own place by the time she hit 35. She’s 32 this year. “I beat my goal by five years! And it’s going great. I feel really blessed.”

Philip Johnson

e’cco bistro and Madame Rouge, Brisbane

A true veteran and well-respected chef across Australia, Phil Johnson has been a leading light on the Brisbane fine-dining scene for the best part of 30 years. Firstly with his fine-diner, e’cco, and now also with the classic French bistro, Madame Rouge.

When asked to choose someone he believes has a bright future ahead, Johnson immediately thought of his current head chef, Simon Palmer. “He’s gifted way beyond his years. At 26, he’s doing way more than I was at that age. In just a couple of years with us, he’s grown and grown and he is clever at what he does. And always looking to improve.”

Johnson has seen a lot of good chefs come through his doors. And he is philosophical about their need to move on in their careers. “It’s nice that they have had a start with you but that they are able to go on.” But with this one, you get the feeling he’d rather like him to stay. “For most young chefs, the big drama is doing their own thing. So you have to give them enough rope. And that’s what I do with Simon. He pretty much leads the menu.” Time to pass on the baton, perhaps?

Simon Palmer

Head chef, e’cco bistro, Brisbane

Ask Simon Palmer to describe one of his dishes and you’ll get every detail. “We wanted a simple pork and apple dish,” he begins. “So we bone out a suckling pig from a great local producer, Schultz Family Farms in Ipswich. And cook it really slowly. Then we compress some apples in advieh – it’s a Persian spice mix with things like rose, black lime, cinnamon and nutmeg – and fry them. We make a potato foam with lots of butter. Nice and aerated. And a black lime ash with the apple skins – nice apple flavour, but with floral notes. More like a perfume. And then we do an apple gastrique …”

Work at some big name Brisbane restaurants – contemporary fine-dining restaurant Urbane and the hugely popular, modern Middle-Eastern influenced Gerards – has given Palmer a firm philosophy. “Keep the key flavours,” he says. “Don’t over-complicate everything. But look for layers, don’t be one-dimensional. And get the customer thinking a bit.”

A Newcastle, NSW boy originally, Palmer’s early years were at an inventive, modern restaurant called Bacchus, set in an old theatre, where the food was as dramatic as the setting. Alongside him in the kitchen were two other gifted young beginners, Aaron Ward and Rhys Connell. Both are now head chefs at two of Sydney’s top restaurants, Sixpenny and Sepia, respectively. An impressive trio.

Palmer says his focus now is “to do the right thing by Phil and [his partner] Mary and really build and make e’cco successful. They’ve given me the reins, which has been great. It’s about making something your own. And I’m hoping to do that here.”

Duncan Welgemoed

Africola, Adelaide

He’s the life and soul of Adelaide’s colourful, lively and downright delicious Africa-inspired Africola. That’s when he’s not running festivals and travelling for dinners and charity events. So Duncan Welgemoed needs a reliable hand in the kitchen. “It frees me up to gallivant,” he grins.

Enter Imogen Czulowski. The young South Australian with an impressive pedigree – Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London, Seppeltsfield in the Barossa – joined Welgemoed’s team at a crucial time, right on the brink of Australia’s hosting of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards in April. Within minutes she was on the road with Welgemoed for a series of star chef collaborations around the country.

“She’s had that baptism by fire,” he says admiringly. “Meeting all the global and national chefs. She had to learn not to be overwhelmed by all that and just get straight in and do the job.”

Welgemoed has firm views about what it takes to make it. “Generosity and hospitality is first and foremost. You need to be humble. I think it’s always having in your mind’s eye that this is about something bigger. In the end it’s all about building and maintaining community.”

Imogen Czulowski

Head chef, Africola, Adelaide

Described by Duncan Welgemoed as “very ambitious, very driven and very methodical but with an exceptional lightness of touch”, Czulowski knew she wanted to be a chef the moment she realised her education wouldn’t qualify her to be a brain surgeon. “So I did the next best thing,” she says, only half joking.

From an apprenticeship in her native McLaren Vale, she learned a humble approach to food. “From there,” she continues, “I did what every young, hungry chef does: I travelled, and in that travel I staged at [former world number one restaurant] Noma [in Copenhagen]. It was an ethos I was familiar with, but a style that gave me another perspective to the way we approach produce.”

London came next. “It was fast, it was fun and it was gritty. I learned how to move quickly and drink tequila to the wee hours. Then I worked at Dinner by Heston, where I gained a completely new set of skills.”

Her working life is guided by some firm mottos. “Always take orders with a smile. There is a reason for tradition. Leave your tears at the door, no one has time to mop that up. Never compromise – either your food, yourself or your values.”

And challenges? “The biggest is the constant struggle to stay on top of your game. There is always someone younger, faster, better, stronger, but this breeds innovation and drive into the industry and chefs feed off this. In fact, I think Daft Punk wrote a song about it!”

Peter Gilmore

Quay, Sydney

His spectacular restaurant overlooking Sydney Opera House is the epitome of destination dining. His delicate, textured, postcard-pretty dishes have won him the country’s top accolades. But as Gilmore himself will tell you, “Success as a chef is more than food. It’s how you deal with people.”

As his former sous chef Analiese Gregory will attest, Gilmore is a modest and generous leader. And supportive of talents like Sarah Knights – formerly of Quay, but now head chef at cult favourite, Automata, part of the Old Clare Hotel complex in Sydney’s Chippendale.

Quay is a busy and complex working environment where precision and calm are crucial. As head sous chef, Knights was responsible for up to 20 chefs at a time, says Gilmore.

“Sarah led by example,” he says. “She’s a hard worker. Very calm and confident. And she’s just a really good natural teacher, passing information to younger chefs in such a supportive way. It’s hard when you lose someone like this, but you can’t hold people back. She has a great future.”

Sarah Knights

Head chef, Automata, Chippendale, Sydney

“I started my apprenticeship at the age of 15 and the minute I turned 18, I packed my things and made the journey to Sydney,” says Jervis Bay (NSW) girl Sarah Knights. “So that makes it 17, nearly 18 years of hanging out in kitchens.”

It was working under Peter Doyle at Est. that Sarah realised this would be her career. “I decided to throw myself hard and fast into one of Sydney’s best restaurants, and it wasn’t easy. But it gave me a purpose and a place to express my passion for perfection.”

From private chef on superyachts to overseeing all those chefs at Quay, Sarah has had several career highlights under some inspiring mentors – Gilmore, Doyle and Bennelong head chef Rob Kabboord among them.

“But worth more than any award or accolade,” she says, “is the respect that you earn in a kitchen from working hard.”

The head chef at Automata will change things up yet again. “I really like the style of the food, the style of the kitchen and how it is run. I feel that I’ve been really honoured to have this incredible opportunity.”

There are hurdles ahead, of course. “One of the biggest I believe I will personally face is finding the perfect work-life balance when and if I decide to have a family,” she says candidly. “But I do believe I can find it.” Knights also worries about the industry’s future. “It is very hard to find dedicated, hard-working, professional chefs,” she says. “It’s up to people like me to be nurturing the chefs we have and helping them sustain careers.”

Meeting this next generation of kitchen leaders, however, it’s probably safe to say the future is in very good hands.

ADVERTISE WITH US

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Stay Connected

You may also like.

How Off-the-Rack Suits Got Sophisticated Enough to Win Over Bespoke Guys

Ready-to-wear tailoring has never been better, and it offers even the most particular dressers a fast, easy platform for experimenting with their look.

By Aleks Cvetkovic 18/02/2025

The world moves fast—and for once, tailoring is moving a little bit faster.

Guys around the globe are rediscovering their love of suits, but many have determined that they can’t stomach the monthslong wait for bespoke. The good news? Ready-to-wear tailoring has never been better.

That’s in part because bespoke makers are beefing up their off-the-rack offerings. Anderson & Sheppard’s shop-in-store at N.Y.C.’s Bergdorf Goodman—the first outpost beyond its London flagship— opened in December with, among other things, a sharp wool-and-cashmere jacket in a delightful shade of teal. Huntsman’s recent fall-winter collection, billed as its most comprehensive assortment yet, offered everything from tuxedos to shooting breeches. Even Leonard Logsdail, Hollywood’s highly esteemed bespoke purveyor, is experimenting with hem-and-go models.

But non-custom tailors are upping the ante, too. Some of the best ready-to-wear suits on the market come from such brands, whose wholly distinctive points of view provide a welcome departure from the rigidity of many bespoke tailors’ house styles. The preponderance and diversity of such high-quality, easy-to-access threads has recast off-the-rack suits as the ultimate way to experiment with your look, not just a way for some to get dressed on the cheap. What’s more, it reflects the new reality that even people who suit up regularly might want to show up looking different on Thursday night than they did on Tuesday morning.

“Life nowadays is much more fluid,” says Chris Modoo, a London-based stylist who once worked as a tailor on Savile Row. “Things happen, invitations appear. You might get an invite for a black-tie party in the South of France for next Saturday.” Ready-to-wear is the obvious solution when you’re in a last-minute menswear quandary, but “it also means you can try new things.”

One maker worth a test-drive is Husbands Paris, founded by Nicolas Gabard, who sees his role as an “archivist of the past.” His look, inspired by stylish men such as Yves Saint Laurent, David Hemmings, and Gary Cooper, is unabashedly striking—think long, fully canvased jackets, broad lapels, structured shoulders, and wide-leg, high-waisted trousers. These wares are made in small workshops in Italy and Portugal, where craftspeople infuse them with high-end details such as hand-sewn buttonholes and silk bar tacks, a form of stitching that reinforces seams and pockets.

Thom Sweeney L.A. store Brett Wood

They’re the kind of touches any menswear enthusiast can appreciate—even if they’re the trees to Gabard’s style forest. Clothes like this are designed as a form of wearable self-assurance, enhancing what Gabard calls a “classically masculine” silhouette: broad shoulders, slim waist, narrow hips.

“Of course, tailoring has to fit well, but it also has to bring something else,” he says. “More and more [Husbands] customers want to be confident, powerful, and sexy in their outfit.”

When you want to look more suave than soigné, turn to the indie Milanese brand Massimo Alba, which is known for its chic casualwear but made its name with easygoing tailoring. “A great suit is not just about the way it fits but about the way it makes you feel,” says the eponymous label’s founder of his relaxed approach. “For me, the essence lies in balance, between structure and softness, elegance and ease. In my opinion, a suit should adapt to the wearer, not the other way around.”

Alba’s creations are cut from plush materials such as corduroy and flannel, featuring natural shoulders and only the lightest of canvasing in the chest, which results in a less-formal look. Which is not to say they aren’t workhorses: Daniel Craig wore one of Alba’s Sloop suits to dodge bullets in 2021’s James Bond film No Time to Die. “I always focus on fabrics that move with the body, details that whisper rather than shout, and cuts that allow for freedom,” Alba adds.

And freedom is precisely what this newfound inventory of great ready-to-wear tailoring provides. Modoo advises some clients to look to bespoke tailors for investment-level garments, such as morning suits, tuxedos, or the dark, serious stuff you might need for a funeral or odd courtroom appearance. “You know you’re going to wear these for 10 or 15 years,” he says. Let the new class of distinctive ready-to-wear step in when you want to try something that just wouldn’t make sense as a bespoke order. “Your pink-velvet blazer for the Christmas party? How well does that need to fit?”

London bespoke tailor Caroline Andrew is one of many who admits ready-to-wear has its place. Courtesy of Caroline Andrew

Fortunately, with so many options available, the fit is easier to dial in. You can expect most high-end operations to make a long list of changes, from ensuring that the seat of the trousers drapes appropriately to cutting working buttonholes on the jacket. For a peerless experience, you can always reach for garments from one of the many talented bespoke tailors offering ready-to-wear. At Thom Sweeney, such clothes are “all influenced by our bespoke cut,” says Thom Whiddett, who cofounded the brand with Luke Sweeney in 2007. “You try on [our ready-to-wear] jacket, and you immediately get a sense of the proportions and shapes that we put into a bespoke garment.”

That alluring sense of near-instant gratification is the point. For some, nothing will ever replace the distinguished feeling of slipping into a bench-made suit—and plenty are willing to wait for it.

“You have to mentally buy into the process and enjoy it,” says Caroline Andrew, a London bespoke specialist. “The journey is just as important as the finished product.” But ready-to-wear sets the time-strapped tailoring enthusiast down a different path: discovering new facets of your personal style at a record pace.

Buy the Magazine

Subscribe today

Stay Connected

Tom Brady Wears a Jacob & Co. Watch Decked in Yellow Sapphires to the Super Bowl

The $740,000 Caviar Tourbillon was an opulent choice for the former NFL star.

By 17/02/2025

Tom Brady was on the field tonight at the 59th annual Super Bowl game, and while the retired NFL hero—a seven-time Super Bowl winner (the most of any footballer in history)—wasn’t playing, he came dressed to impress with a $116,400 Jacob & Co. watch on his wrist.

Brady, who is a notable watch collector, recently sold off several of his timepieces at a Sotheby’s auction called “The GOAT Collection: Watches and Treasures from Tom Brady” this past December. Those timepieces ran the gamut from a Rolex Daytona Ref. 6241 to a unique Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with his name spelled out in diamonds across the salmon-colored tapisserie dial. His Rolex Daytona sold for over $1.5 million, and, in total, his auction raked in around $7 million. So, he’s well-equipped for a new watch purchase.

Whether or not he owns the six-figure sapphire stunner or it was a paid spot, the watch certainly stood out against his conservative but immaculately fit gray suit. “Tom Brady is the epitome of excellence, both on and off the field,” said Benjamin Arabov, CEO of Jacob & Co, in a press release sent out by the company shortly after Brady’s appearance. “We’re thrilled to see him wearing two of our most prestigious timepieces on the biggest stage in sports. The Billionaire Mini Ashoka and Caviar Tourbillon embody the precision, luxury, and innovation that define Jacob & Co. We’re honored to have him represent the artistry and craftsmanship behind every piece we create.”

Like much of Brady’s wrist candy, his 44 by 15.8 mm Caviar Tourbillon is not easy to come by. It is limited to just 18 pieces. It features hours, minutes, and a one-minute flying tourbillon in the JCAA43 movement with 216 components and 72 hours of power reserve. The movement itself is set with 338 brilliant-cut diamonds, while a total of 337 yellow sapphires adorn the case and dial. The clasp is decorated with another 18 baguette-cut yellow sapphires, and the crown comes with 14 baguette-cut yellow sapphires and one rose-cut yellow sapphire. As far as gem setting goes, this is one extraordinary piece, but it certainly seemed like a surprising choice for Brady, who was otherwise dressed like he just stepped out of a boardroom or a Ralph Lauren catalog.

Benjamin Arabov, son of Jacob & Co. founder Jacob Arabov, is now the CEO of the company. The 32-year-old recently took to Instagram to post that he was looking for a rebranding agency with experience in visual identity and packaging. As far as marketing goes, however, with Tom Brady, he’s golden.

Buy the Magazine

Subscribe today

Stay Connected

This Vintage Rolex Day-Date Has an Ultra-Rare and Coveted ‘Bark’ Design

The ultra-cool piece from Wind Vintage also comes in pristine condition with a desirable patina.

By Paige Reddinger 17/02/2025

Over the last four years there has been a resurgence in interest for 18-karat yellow gold watches. Much of that is due to fatigue over the long-running craze for steel tool watches, but it is also in part due to the rising value of gold (which shows no sign of slowing), rendering these once undesirable pieces increasingly worth collecting. Add to that the fact that, in some niche and stylish circles, unusual bracelet treatments, gem-setting, and interesting dials are becoming increasingly appealing and you have a new wave of watch collecting emerging. Steel sports watches are still the bread and butter for most dealers, but as pockets of interest in more unusual timekeepers, often from younger and fashion-forward collectors, continue to rise we’re seeing some really fun pieces pop up on the market. Case in point: This 1980s Rolex Day-Date in 18-karat yellow gold with a sapphire and diamond dial from Wind Vintage currently available exclusively on The Vault.

It wasn’t that long ago that dealers had a hard time unloading an all-gold gem-set piece. Eric Wind, the notable dealer and founder of Wind Vintage, says five years ago he would have sold this piece for around $23,000 to $28,000. The asking price today? $45,000. “It is very rare,” he tells Robb Report. “I think that was all clearly hand-done. Funnily enough, bark watches were not very desirable in the past. You know, even five to 10 years ago, they were very, very hard to sell. But, over the last three to five years, there’s been such an emergence and interest in jewellery and watches and work like that engraving and other kind of artistic forms that the watches took.” The style of engraving he is referring to on this watch can be seen on the bezel and middle links of the bracelet that is referred to as “bark” for its rough tree-like appearance.

“Bark” engraving on the bezel and bracelet of the Wind Vintage 1980s Rolex Day-Date
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

And while the bracelet is certainly a notable feature that will stand out in a sea of Submariners and Daytonas, the dial is also worth bragging about. Its diamond minutes track and sapphire hour markers are executed in what is known as a “string dial” because it looks like a string of pearls. “They’ve become very popular,” says Wind. “They were very expensive back in the 80s, just because of the cost of the stones, and there are just not many that exist on the planet.” Likewise, Wind says the canary yellow matte dial is not something he comes across often, having only seen a couple of others.

An up-close look at the patina and “bark” engraving on this 1980s Day-Date from Wind Vintage.
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

Part of what makes this watch so hard to find on the market is that pieces like this often didn’t survive past their ’80s heyday. “A lot of times these watches were so undesirable that dealers would replace the bezel inserts and put on fluted inserts, or smooth bezels or fluted bezels and melt down the bracelets or polish the center link so they looked like a standard Day-Date. Those dealers should have learned that what goes around, always comes around. Now with these interesting Rolex watches on the rise, they’ll become even harder to find.

A Wind Vintage 1980s Day-Date with “bark” engraving and a gem-set “string dial”
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

If you’re interested in the piece and want to speak to Wind about it IRL, he will be at Robb Report’s House of Robb event in San Francsico today during the NBA All-Star weekend.

Buy the Magazine

Subscribe today

Stay Connected

Soccer Star Kylian Mbappé Is Now an Investor in Watch Marketplace Wristcheck

Just like Jay-Z.
Published on February 7, 2025

By Abby Montanez 11/02/2025

Kylian Mbappé just went from brand ambassador to investor.

The celebrated French footballer, who currently plays for Real Madrid, has taken a stake in luxury watch trading platform Wristcheck, Hypebeast reported lat week.

Off the filed, the 26-year-old soccer star is a known timepiece collector and has served as an ambassador for Swiss marque Hublot since 2018. With this new partnership, the forward joins a growing group of influential backers, including Jay-Z. The rapper and business mogul took an equity stake in the Hong Kong-based company last summer as part of a recent funding round of $7.9 million.

“I’m thrilled to join Wristcheck as an investor through Coalition Capital,” Mbappé said in a press statement. “As a Hublot ambassador and someone passionate about watches and innovation, I see Wristcheck as a platform that truly understands the next generation of collectors. They’re reshaping the watch industry with a forward-thinking approach that blends technology, transparency, and creativity.” Mbappé did not immediately respond to Robb Report‘s request for comment on his new business endeavor.

Kylian Mbappé is an investor in online watch shop Wristcheck.
Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Launched in 2020 by renowned horophile and Instagram personality Austen Chu, Wristcheck offers a platform for collectors to buy and sell pre-owned watches that have been authenticated by Swiss-trained watchmakers. Since it was founded, the company has raised more than $21.6 million in funding from investors including the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Gobi Partners GBA, and K3 Ventures.

Mbappé, meanwhile, has achieved remarkable success in his soccer career. He won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, becoming the youngest player to score in a final since Pelé. At PSG, he has secured multiple Ligue 1 titles and domestic cups. Individually, Mbappé has earned the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award and regularly features in top European scoring charts. And in 2020, he was ranked the world’s highest-paid player, surpassing rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Buy the Magazine

Subscribe today

Stay Connected

Sotheby’s Will Put on the Largest Auction of Breguet Watches in Decades This Fall

To celebrate the revered watchmaking house’s 250th anniversary, the sale includes rare collectibles belonging to living Breguet family members.

By Paige Reddinger 11/02/2025

Interest in Breguet has experienced a quiet resurgence among savvy collectors who appreciate the brand’s deep-rooted watchmaking heritage. This growing enthusiasm will soon take center stage with an upcoming auction that shines a significant spotlight on the storied Maison.

Founded in Paris 250 years ago, Abraham-Louis Breguet was one of the most influential watchmakers in history, best known for inventing the tourbillon and the automatic winding system—along with many other groundbreaking innovations. His legacy continues to inspire modern masters such as F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour. You can see Breguet’s influence pointedly in pieces like F.P. Journe’s famous Chronomètre à Résonance timepiece, voted one of Robb Report‘s 50 Greatest Watches of All Time.

Now, Sotheby’s has announced “the largest sale of Breguet timepieces in three decades.” Though the auction won’t take place until November, the auction house is already working to build anticipation. In the meantime, it might be wise to brush up on the most coveted Breguet references.

Breguet 1827 Perpétuelle à Tact watch made for King George IV Breguet

What may pique collectors’ interest is the sale is being curated in conjunction with Breguet and Emmanuel Breguet, the vice president and head of patrimony, who happens to be a descendant of the original Monsieur Breguet. So far, the only timekeeper publicly associated (at least visually) with the auction is the 1827 Perpétuelle à Tact watch made for King George IV. Still, it hints at the historic level of pocket watches, wristwatches, and clocks that will be on offer. Abraham-Louis Breguet was a frequent supplier of high-end and state-of-the-art timepieces for royalty, including Marie Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, and King George III.

Other highlights include an open-faced montre à tact (a watch that replicates the internal hour hand on the cover of the pocket watch via an arrow so that time could be read via touch) with a calendar and moonphase indications that was the inspiration for the Ref. 3330. A pendulette with alarm, perpetual calendar and repeater, and a two-color gold open-faced tourbillon watch is said to be a part of the sale, although no images were provided as of press time. More info on what will be in the sale will come this spring.

Buy the Magazine

Subscribe today

Stay Connected