Military precision — the best luxury field watches
Field watches may signify rugged sophistication today, but their first wearers had rather more pressing concerns. Developed for use in the First World War, field watches helped troops and gun batteries synchronise their operations, lessening the risk of friendly fire during attacks. And it was far quicker for a soldier to check his wrist than to dig out a pocket watch — the timepiece of choice for men at that time. Although form is as important as functionality in modern field watches, the essential properties remain the same — they are durable, easy to read and easy to use.
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Referencing early-20th-century military pocket watches, the Terra Nova is a homage to vintage design. There's the tonneau case, which was first seen in 1906; the numerals, which have a retro look about them and, in a nod to today's improved technology, are actually Super-LumiNova blocks; and the railroad track around the outer edge of the dial that recalls field watches past. £2,850; bremont.com
This is a minimalist take on the field watch brief. There isn't even a date on it. It's classic Tudor in that respect — extraneous detail isn't the brand's style. The only concession to colour is the strap, and this woven version is a brand signature made by a traditional passementerie company that still practises the art of jacquard weaving. Sturdy as well as smart. £2,670; tudorwatch.com
The Paris-based maker Serica has become synonymous with robust timepieces that also cut a dash sartorially. The Field Chronometer has all the details associated with field watches — luminescent hands and hour and minute markers, legibility, white indices — but adds panache by opting for California numbering (half Roman, half Arabic) in a case that will slip under a cuff. £848; serica-watches.com
Vertex was the only British brand among the 'Dirty Dozen' — the 12 companies tasked in 1943 to make watches for military use according to defence ministry specifications. It is from those details, including a black dial, white Arabic lume-filled numerals and luminescent hour and minute markers, railroad-style minutes and a small seconds, that our idea of how a field watch should look was formed. This model is a worthy successor. £2,500; vertex-watches.com
Purists might question the inclusion of this watch but let's think of it as 'fashion field'. It still has easy-to-read luminescent numerals, a railtrack minute indication and there's the addition of a GMT function. It's named after the 19th-century British explorer Richard Lander and the Nigerian city he visited — although it's debatable whether he would have considered wearing this pink dial in the field. £1,265; farer.com
This watch is named after the driest non-polar desert in the world, which is a stand-in for Mars in expedition simulations, and has been designed to withstand its conditions. It has an illumination system that guarantees 24/7 readability for up to 25 years, a stainless-steel case and water resistance to 200m. Though why you'd need that last attribute in the desert is anyone's guess. £1,339; uk.luminox.com
The Seiko 5 line, launched in 1963, has become a byword for reliable automatics at affordable prices. It's not all function, however: this trench watch-inspired timepiece does have some flair. The contrast of the blue dial with the golden numerals makes a change from monochrome and the texture on the calfskin strap adds a little luxury, while the cursive on 'Automatic' contributes to the vintage vibe. £280; seikoboutique.co.uk
Hamilton gets extra kudos for having been worn by the US military after it supplied railroad watches to soldiers during the First World War. This latest update to its well-loved Khaki Field Auto features contrast dial finishing, a 24-hour track and anti-reflective coating on the sapphire crystal. It does come with a bracelet, but this luscious brown leather strap feels more on theme. £640; hamiltonwatch.com
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Times
2 hours ago
- Times
How to make perfect pesto and why you're probably doing it wrong
Isn't it funny how it's always the simplest recipes that cause the biggest disagreements? Take pesto, for example. Typically it's made from five ingredients: basil, pine nuts, oil, garlic and cheese. Yet ask people in Liguria, the Italian region where the sauce originated, and you will be given a hundred different methods. Some add parmesan, others pecorino; some grind it by hand, others blitz it in a processor. In fact, the only things they agree on is that pre-made pesto in jars is an abomination (and don't even mention vegan pesto made with nutritional yeast) — and that the only basil worth using is Genoese, grown in fields cooled by sea breezes. 'If you haven't got good basil, make something else,' says Stevie Parle, the chef behind the popular Italian pasta restaurant Pastaio in central London. He waves a large bunch of Genoese basil under my nose and it's true, it does have a more robust, spicier, less sweet scent than the basil we are used to buying in the supermarkets, which has a more metallic, minty flavour. 'Basil really is the most important thing, and this has its own PDO [protected denomination of origin quality label], meaning it's come from the right region and has been grown in the right way, facing the coast so it doesn't get too hot or too cool.' When you grow Genoese basil, you can pick a crop from it three times, but it's only the tender first crop that achieves PDO status. Parle buys his from Natoora, the vegetable wholesaler, and it comes with its roots intact to ensure freshness. 'I have tried repotting it and growing it in the past, but you will never get the same flavour because it's about the soil and climate where it comes from.' That's the basil variety agreed on, but Parle warns me that you can go down a rabbit hole chasing an illusory concept of authenticity for almost every other detail. 'Even within Liguria there's a lot of variations, some of it regional, some of it between families. Some people will blanch their basil for 10 seconds before refreshing it in iced water, especially towards the end of the basil season when the leaves are bigger and tougher. Others will add a splash of milk or cream at the end.' Parle's own quirk is to freeze the basil for 15 minutes before using it. 'It's something I overheard at my favourite restaurant to have pesto in — Da Laura, just up the coast from Portofino — and it makes absolute sense to me. It breaks the cell walls so you get a brighter, greener, more basily pesto.' The other constituents are again a question of finding the best possible varieties. To this end, Parle prefers Italian or Middle Eastern pine nuts, which are longer than the more stubby and ubiquitous Chinese ones. Their flavour is much nuttier, something he enhances by toasting them briefly in a dry pan. Then there is the choice of oil. 'This is getting quite niche now,' Parle admits, 'but you don't want a peppery oil from Tuscany as it will overpower the pesto. Ligurian oil is perfect, but it's quite hard to find in this country, so I'd recommend an oil from the south of France made from ripe black olives, which is more delicate, almost buttery.' Your ingredients assembled, you have to decide whether to use a pestle and mortar, as is traditional, or a food processor. 'It's probably better if you do it with a pestle and mortar, and ten years ago when I used to write a recipe column, I'd have said you must,' Parle says. 'But it's just ridiculous. I've got three kids and two busy restaurants [recently he launched Town on Drury Lane] — I'm using a machine.' Certainly not a knife, though. 'I actually watched a video this morning of a chef whom I really admire making his pesto with a knife, and I just thought, 'Mate, we need to have a conversation about this. I mean, why would you?' People would say you want a bit of texture, but I think that's rubbish. You want it to be completely smooth, as if you have spent hours grinding it by hand with your pestle and mortar.' The final texture he controls by adding a little optional ricotta ('I like mine on the creamy side') or a splash of pasta cooking water to make it slightly looser and glossier. You'd hope that would be all the controversies dealt with, but then we come to accompaniments. Pasta, obviously, but which one? 'I like lasagnetti,' Parle says, 'which are very fine, wide sheets, because I like the way the pesto sits on them. In Liguria you'll often get trofie, which are little twists, and they work well too. Spaghetti not so much, and I don't like conchiglie either because you don't want a shell full of pesto, you just want a slick covering.' Parle also likes to add potatoes and green beans. 'I love a double carb,' he says. 'I cut my potato very, very thin on a mandolin, so it's as thin as the pasta, and then it takes the same amount of time to cook. It just adds another interesting texture and maybe also you're getting slightly starchier water, which I think is really important. And then a few green beans because they're delicious.' That's pretty much where he draws the line. I suggest a smear of pesto on grilled fish, but he sticks his tongue out in disgust. 'No, it's not for fish, it's not for chicken — and please, it's not for sandwiches,' he says definitively. Surely there must be something else, I ask. 'Oh OK, yes, soup. You can add a spoonful to a summer bowl of minestrone if you like. I'll concede that.' Stevie Parle's ultimate pesto recipe Parle freezes the basil for 15 minutes before using it CHRIS MCANDREW FOR THE TIMES Makes about 400ml Ingredients • 100g basil leaves • 30g pine nuts • 1 small garlic clove • ½ tsp fine salt • 90g ricotta (ideally fresh sheep's ricotta) • 40g parmesan, finely grated • 100ml extra virgin olive oil Method 1. Wash and pick the basil, then lay the leaves flat on a tray and put in the freezer for 15 min — this locks in their colour. 2. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over a medium heat for 2-3 min, until golden and fragrant, then leave to cool. 3. Crush the garlic with the salt until smooth, using a pestle and mortar or the flat side of a knife. 4. In a high-powered blender, mix the basil, pine nuts, garlic paste, ricotta, parmesan and olive oil until it becomes silky and bright green. 5. Taste and adjust with seasoning. Loosen with a splash of cold water or more oil if needed. Six alternative pesto combinations Pesto alla Trapanese GETTY • Pesto alla Trapanese — a Sicilian version with almonds instead of pine nuts combined with fresh chopped cherry tomatoes, basil and pecorino. • Pistachio — use pistachios instead of pine nuts, and leave out the ricotta for a richer, silkier texture. • Rocket and walnut — use peppery rocket and toasted walnuts instead of basil and pine nuts to make a punchier, more wintery version. • Courgette and mint — either add mint alongside the basil or replace it, depending on your taste. Blend raw courgette, mint, garlic and lemon zest with a little parmesan for a light, summery twist. • Wild garlic — swap basil for wild garlic leaves in spring for a much stronger and earthy flavour profile. Keep everything else the same. • Parsley and hazelnut — swap out the basil for flat leaf parsley and the pine nuts for toasted hazelnuts. The toasted nuts give an almost woody, rich taste.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Lime bikes dumped in canals and rivers 'posing pollution risk'
Hundreds of Lime e-bikes have been dumped in rivers and canals since hire schemes were introduced across England - raising concerns about pollution and Canal and River Trust said it was a national problem and was having to spend thousands of pounds retrieving the bikes from waterways. The charity said Nottingham was a particular hotspot, with eight or nine Lime bikes pulled from the canal each the US company that runs the hire scheme in Nottingham and other cities, told the BBC it is working with various authorities to tackle the problem. According to the Environment Agency, electric bikes pose a pollution risk because the batteries contain substances that can enter a watercourse if they remain submerged in Canal and River Trust said the number of Lime bikes being dumped nationally "could be into the thousands"."Whilst the quantities are a concern, and this is a drain on our resources, it's worth remembering one bike alone can easily cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to a boat, tens of thousands of pounds of damage to canal infrastructure, and an incalculable value of damage to wildlife," said Dick Vincent, the charity's national towpath charity has asked Lime to cover the cost of retrieving the bikes, but an agreement has not been reached."If I'm being honest, I would like them to answer their emails and get back to us," said Mr Vincent."They seem to be ignoring this as a problem, and that's a real shame." Toni Robinson, founder of the Little Litter Pickers of Nottingham, said her group had retrieved 23 Lime bikes from just a short stretch of the River Leen, in the Bulwell area of the said she had written to Lime but the company had not responded to her."I would like them to stop them ending up in the river," said Ms Robinson."We're trying to keep the river clean from pollution and then we've got these bikes that are polluting the river more than probably any rubbish we've ever found was."Ms Robinson is particularly concerned because e-bikes are powered by lithium-ion batteries, and she is worried about substances entering the believes Lime should have docking bays to keep the bikes locked up unless people pay to ride them."I think young people get bored and think 'I'll throw it in the river'," said Ms Robinson."It's just been ongoing. We pick one out and there's another one in there." Ethan Radford, deputy leader of Nottingham City Council, is so concerned he has been putting on waders and entering the River Leen himself to retrieve the Lime said it started happening after the Lime scheme was introduced two years ago, in spring 2023."On one particular occasion I think we pulled out about five bikes in one day," said Radford, who has been helping Ms Robinson's group."There's obviously the environmental concerns. These things don't belong in the river. It's a natural habitat." The Environment Agency said it was in the process of setting up a meeting with Lime following "repeated attempts" to do so."The disposal of electric bikes or other waste into rivers can cause environmental damage, affect water quality, and harm aquatic life," a spokesperson said."Whilst we have pollution concerns, we primarily remove the Lime bikes from the River Leen in Nottinghamshire and other watercourses in the area such as Nethergate Brook and Ouse Dyke, to prevent blockages and reduce flood risk to local communities." Who is dumping the bikes? The consensus is Lime bikes are being dumped in water by people who steal them, rather than paying bikes do not need to be physically locked in place at parking locations, which makes it easier to steal bikes do have a pedal-locking mechanism, but this can be "hacked" so that people can ride them without Robinson said she had witnessed this herself."I know people can ride round with them with the alarm going off, so they can still use the bike without inputting any details," she said."There are often kids going past me on the street and it's going 'beep beep', and they're riding past as normal."In a statement, the city council's transport team said: "Evidence shows that it is exclusively non-customers who are causing issues, including abandoning bikes or dumping bikes in rivers and canals."Radford agreed. "It's not the people who are using the scheme that are causing the problem," he said."It's people who come along after that, see a row of bikes, take advantage and do something stupid." Can anything be done to prevent thefts? Radford believes the problem could be resolved if Lime required customers to lock the bikes in bays, as some hire bike operators do."There's nothing stopping you from pushing it around, putting it on the floor, putting it in the road, taking it over to the river, for example, if it's not locked into place," he Robinson added: "It would stop them being stolen and polluting our rivers."The BBC put this suggestion to Lime, and asked why it does not require customers to lock bikes up.A spokesperson said: "Lime has operated a mandatory parking scheme in Nottingham since the launch of our e-bike service here two years ago."This is enforced by accurate on-vehicle GPS technology and our new mandatory end trip photo process. Users that leave bikes outside of designated parking locations are warned and fined, with repeat offenders banned." How widespread are these problems? The Canal and River Trust, which manages waterways in England and Wales, said it was a problem wherever Lime had hire of the Lime bikes are concentrated around London, but there are also schemes in Greater Manchester, Nottingham and Milton previously ran a hire bike scheme in Derby, but pulled out due to what it described as "persistent issues with vandalism and antisocial behaviour".This included bikes being thrown into the River Environment Agency, which is responsible for managing large rivers in England, said it "regularly" pulled bikes out and took them to designated drop-off points. What has Lime said in response? Lime says it is "the largest provider of shared electric vehicles in the world", and it claims to provide a "sustainable" mode of transport by replacing car working with the agency and Canal and River Trust, Lime said: "We have engaged in ongoing conversations with the Environment Agency and Canal and River Trust and are eager to finalise a collaborative plan to address these issues."Lime says anyone who sees a submerged bike can report the location, and it will "recover it as soon as possible". "We always aim to promptly collect obstructive or misparked bikes reported to us via the 'report bad parking' function in our app within a matter of hours," a Lime spokesperson said."To improve our response time, we have significantly increased our on-street team by more than double in Nottingham."On pollution and environmental concerns, Lime said the deliberate dumping of bikes was "totally unacceptable"."It harms the environment and undermines our mission to create sustainable urban transport," the spokesperson added."We are committed to working with the local community, Environment Agency, and the Canal and River Trust to stop this behaviour."
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Rolling pins for hammers and grouting with a credit card: How under-40s who don't have a toolbox tackle DIY jobs in their homes
If you want something done right, do it yourself, as the saying goes. But when it comes to maintenance around the home a significant number of us are botching DIY jobs by using the wrong tools – including swapping hammers for rolling pins. A survey found four in ten people under the age of 40 do not own a toolbox, while three quarters (74 per cent) admit that they regularly attempt projects without the proper equipment – often costing them thousands of pounds in the process. A further 65 per cent have used an object from around the home to try to get the job done. Some 72 per cent of respondents have had at least five DIY disasters in the last year, with the average cost per disaster coming in at £1,555 – totalling a whopping £7,775 a year. And half (51 per cent) admitted to having to call out a professional tradesman to fix the problem as a result of their DIY bungles. The research found 71 per cent have used a kitchen knife as a screwdriver, while 63 per cent frequently use scissors to trim plants and hedges. Credit cards to spread grout (40 per cent), kitchen bowls to mix wallpaper paste (37 per cent) and Sellotape to fix leaking pipes (36 per cent) also emerged among the most commonly used wrong tools for jobs. Other appropriated household items include broomsticks to clear gutters (33 per cent), Tupperware dishes to mix filler (32 per cent), rolling pins as hammers (31 per cent) and spoons to dig out weeds (31 per cent). And two thirds (66 per cent) have even tried to guess if a shelf or picture is level using just their eye, rather than a proper spirit level, with 72 per cent adamant that it was straight despite missing the right tools. One in four (23 per cent) say they are 'rubbish' and 'terrible' at DIY, with 13 per cent admitting they end up watching internet tutorials when they want to learn how to do something. It is no surprise that as a result, three quarters (74 per cent) were put off from DIY altogether. Rebecca Leversidge from insurance company Premierline, which commissioned the research, said: 'While innovation and initiative in the home is admirable, DIY is often a risky substitute for calling in a professional who will have the right skills and tools for the job – especially when it comes at an average cost of £1,555 per fix.' According to the 500 tradesmen interviewed as part of the survey, 43 per cent have noticed a decline in DIY skills in recent years and 30 per cent felt there has been a significant drop. One in ten say they are being called out at least once a week to fix botched jobs, with poorly fitted shelves and cabinets (40 per cent), electrical wiring issues (37 per cent), burst pipes (35 per cent), damaged walls (31 per cent) and poor paintwork and wallpapering (26 per cent) being the main problems. But that does not stop us, despite 10 per cent worrying about doing a bad job and 7 per cent panicking about damaging their property. The professionals have come up with a list of must-haves for the home toolbox, including a tape measure, spirit level and power drill.
