Author Archives: Timmy Tan

SevenFriday M1: Different Disc Time

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SevenFriday M1 on the wrist of Sugi Kusumadi. Legibility is high with the use of rotating discs. Note the left-hand crown. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. February 2014.

SevenFriday M1 on the wrist of Sugi Kusumadi. Legibility is high with the use of rotating discs. Note the left-hand crown. The signature “squircle”-shape steel case (the word “squircle” comes from the words “square” and “circle”) which is 47mm by 47.6mm houses the Miyota 8215 automatic movement. Priced at around SGD1,988 (Singapore dollars) / MYR5,110 (Malaysian Ringgit) / US$1,580 / CHF1,400 (Swiss francs). Also spotted on his wrist: Muse lava stone bracelet. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. February 2014

The M1 is one model from SevenFriday’s second generation collection officially launched by the brand in Basel, Switzerland in March 2014.

Like the first generation SevenFriday watches, discs are used to display time. However, it is somewhat different with the discs this time (pun most definitely intended).

Rather than use extended arms on two discs for indicating the hours and minutes analog style, the discs itself are used but in digital style.

The hours and minutes are read off the digital display with the reference point corresponding to a straight line (in blue) at the three o’clock position.

Time-reading legibility with such a system is high and this is a major plus point especially with our minor concerns over the first generation SevenFriday collection, as pointed out in two previous articles: SevenFriday on Friday the Seventh and SevenFriday: Seven dazed, not one weak.

[Note: for those who have read: SevenFriday on Friday the Seventh, SevenFriday founder Daniel Niederer was wearing the very cool SevenFriday M2.]

Having the digital reading of the hour and minute (off the discs) on the right of the watch (and the crown on the left) makes sense as this is the section that will peek out of the cuffs if one is wearing a long-sleeve shirt and if the watch is worn on the left wrist.

If the disc displays were reversed, the crown will be on the right and time reading is from the left. If worn on the left wrist, the time display will most likely be hidden by the cuff.

The one teeny issue we have is the time reading of the hours, minutes and seconds which is from right-to-left, rather than from the more conventional left-to-right. This is a small matter as it just takes a short time to get used to this disc system (sorry, could not resist the pun).

Overall, this piece does have the “killer-design” looks. We do like the design execution and style of the new generation SevenFriday, its pricing (sub US$1,600) and we give it three thumbs up! What is important for us is that the DNA of this brand is retained.

Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life 1990 to 2005: Up-close-and-personal

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Annie Liebovitz explaining her works at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands Singapore on 16 April 2014. The strap slung around Leibovitz is for her Canon G16. Around 200 of Liebovitz’s photographs are on display for: “Annie Liebovitz: A Photographer’s Life 1990 to 2005” exhibition which began on 18 April 2014 and will end on 19 October 2014. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

Annie Leibovitz explaining her works at the ArtScience Museum in Marina Bay Sands Singapore on 16 April 2014. The strap slung around Leibovitz is for her Canon G16. Around 200 photographs are on display for: “Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life 1990 to 2005” exhibition which began on 18 April 2014 and will end on 19 October 2014. Photo: © TANG Portfoli0

You may have at least seen and / or remember that famous 1991 image of the very nude and pregnant Demi Moore on the cover of Vanity Fair (which inspired many others to follow that pose), but have you seen the 1988 photo of her pregnant with her first child Rumer together with her then husband Bruce Willis?

That highly artistic black-and-white nude photo of Moore with her first child was taken by Annie Leibovitz at the request of the actress. (Rumer was born in August 1988). It may perhaps also be considered a “bonus” as it was taken in 1988 and not between 1990 and 2005.

“I worked with Demi Moore quite a lot, and I did her wedding pictures when she married Bruce Willis [in 1987]. I said to her that I was interested in photographing a pregnant woman which I had never done before, and she called me [in 1988] when she was going to have her first child,” says Leibovitz.

The colour photo of the pregnant Moore with her second child (Scout, born in 1991) that became iconic was taken while on assignment for Vanity Fair.

Have you also seen Leibovitz’s powerful imagery of war, notably those taken by her in 1993 during the Siege of Sarajevo for Vanity Fair?

Such photos taken by Leibovitz are just more reasons to visit the “Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life 1990 – 2005” exhibition held at the ArtScience Musuem in Marina Bay Sands Singapore which began on 18 April 2014 and will run till 19 October 2014, especially if you happen to be in this Southeast Asian city during this period.

The exhibition first opened in 2006 at the Brooklyn Museum in New York and has since toured the United States, Europe, Australia (Sydney), Moscow and St. Petersburg and South Korea (Seoul).

Singapore is one of the two cities in Asia (the other being Seoul) that will have the “Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life 1990 – 2005” exhibition.

A young lady enjoying the photo of Mikhail Baryshnikov and Bob Besserer taken by Annie Liebovitz on Cumberland Island, Georgia in 1990. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

A young lady enjoying the photo of Mikhail Baryshnikov and Bob Besserer taken by Annie Leibovitz on Cumberland Island, Georgia in 1990. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

“The striking power of Annie’s photographs capture the essence of the subject in a unique and visceral fashion,” notes Honor Harger, executive director, ArtScience Museum.

The exhibition “provides a unified narrative of Annie Leibovitz’s private life against the backdrop of her public image,” as it highlights her personal memoirs which includes the birth and childhood of her three daughters, her family, close friends and even death.

Indeed, while most will know Leibovitz for her incredible portraits of celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, Jamie Foxx, Nicole Kidman, Brad Pitt and Leonardo di Caprio, few would have had the opportunity to view the images of her private life, family and friends.

For photography enthusiasts, Leibovitz, who was at the exhibition in Singapore for a brief visit, recommends looking back at one’s photos and editing them.

She also likes having smaller photos framed on a wall because these are typically “personal and you must get up close to them” for viewing. “Larger pictures are for assignments,” says Leibovitz.

“Stay home and take as many pictures of family, friends and loved ones,” she recommends.