Many of my friends say that their favourite destination to travel is Singapore. Ultimately this is because the city offers a very safe and clean family environment. Certainly when I travelled there about two years ago I found this to be the case. I also found the people to be very sincere and accommodating. In particular, the co owner of Avant Grade watch brand Azimuth, Alvin Lye.
Singapore is a city of massive contrasts. For example, I visited the famous Hour Glass Malmaison watch boutique and tried on a timepiece worth nearly a $1,000,000’s, then went for a $3 meal at the food hall. Whilst I was in the city I met up with Alvin Lye to discuss Azimuth’s future plans. At this stage Alvin showed me preliminary designs for some of the company’s new watches. It was clear that Azimuth wanted to proceed in a new direction and this was illustrated in the visuals he showed me. One of the timepieces was the innovative Crazy Rider (originally named the Chain Saw Massacre).
Presently there are two versions of the Crazy Rider. One in steel and my personal favourite with a forged carbon bezel. On paper the dimensions (55 mm x 38 mm x 16 mm) appear massive but the watch is very comfortable and lightweight to wear. Certainly my wife has worn the timepiece and so it could potentially appeal to the unisex market. I also feel the timepiece could be used for most casual and formal occasions (with the exception of extreme water sports).
Visually the Crazy Rider (forged carbon) has a very distinctive appearance that will suit fans of MB & F and Urwerk. However, it is pertinent to mention that this amazing watch delivers on the looks front for a fraction of the price. One of the more interesting characteristics of the design are the hour/minute hands. These operate independently of each other to great effect. Other striking features include the miniature rotating chain and sleek forged carbon bezel. Powering the watch is a modified self-winding mechanical movement.
