Fake Alligator’s Top 10 of 2018
As 2018 comes to a close it’s time to look back at the Top 10 of the year. Top 10 what? Watches? Movies? Books? Limited edition Vacheron Constantin Chronographs? Whatever. Anything and everything.
So without further ado….
#10 Elon Musk
Elon Musk saying there’s a 70% chance he’ll move to Mars.
Am I happy about Man’s ability to live on another planet? Am I happy Space Travel is still a thing? Am I happy that Elon Musk will be leaving this planet? I don’t know the answers here, but him saying that in an interview in late November has my interest piqued. I’ll start saving for a simple trip to space.
#9 Black Panther
A film called Black Panther came our earlier this year. Maybe you heard of it. It’s one of the best superhero films, yet. I don’t want to give too much away but it surrounds a fictional high-tech country in sub-Saharan Africa called Wakanda, and Golem trying to steal some of their technology. The soundtrack is amazing, with this Weeknd/Kendrick Lamar song Pray For Me.
#8 Paul McCartney’s appearance on Carpool Karaoke.
One of the best episodes of the The Late Late Show with James Corden’s best recurring skits. James drives Paul around while the sing Beatles/Wings/Paul’s hits. They end up with a small concert for super-fans in a local pub. You can see Sir Paul wearing his ubiquitous Patek Philippe Aquanaut. What’s not to like? Luckily they don’t sing Wonderful Christmas Time.
#7 The Rolex Rainbow Daytona
Introduced at Basel world earlier this year, Rolex knocked it out of the park with this new Daytona. The 18 ct Everose gold Daytona, is adorned with gemstones, including 36 baguette-cut sapphires in rainbow hues on the bezel. This is one of those watches I’d gladly trade my whole collection for. It’s so limited, you’ll probably never see one.
#6 Pusha T’s album Daytona.
This is another Daytona, just not a watch. Any fan of the site knows I love hip-hop. I’m love good music, lyrics and production. Daytona has it all. Part of Kanye West’s Jackson Hole, Wyoming sessions, in which he recorded an album with King Push, Nas, Himself, a one-off with Kid Kudi, and Teyana Taylor’s ‘KTSE, Daytona is the jewel of the bunch. The one that is A-Good and B-Listenable. It’s my favorite album of the year, genre excluded. Give it a listen.
#5 The sale of David Hockney’s 1972 painting, “Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures),” for $90 Million
Selling for $90.3 million on 15 November, Portrait of an Artist realized the highest price paid for a living artist. (The previous high of $58.4 million, was held by Jeff Koons for one of his “Balloon Dog” sculptures.) One of the Hockney pool paintings from the 60s and 70s, this one features a man in a pink coat standing over the swimming figure. This Christies microsite features the preparatory photographs Hockney took and gives a lot of background on the painting itself, such as who is in it, etc.
Per this NYTimes article, this could trigger collectors and the market in general to swing to lesser known and certainly lesser priced artists and work. I think that’s great because there is no limit to the amount of great work out there.
#4 Bad Blood by John Carreyrou
I’ve purchased 4 copies of this book as gifts. It’s that good. It’s the tale of Theranos, troubled blood-testing-device Silicon Valley Unicorn startup led by Elizabeth Holmes. You probably know the story, it was a big deal when the WSJ published a whistleblower story in 2015. (I’d link here, but the article is behind a paywall.) Lies, spying, General Mattis, Henry Kissinger, Steve Jobs, blood, car crashes….the sad tale of Theranos runs far and wide.
#3 Cardi B
Chances are likely you didn’t know who she was at the beginning of 2018 but you do now. She released her biggest song back in June 2017, Bodak Yellow, which would then go on to win an American Music Award this year.
I’ll just put a few of the big thing she did this year here:
- Released one of the most successful albums of the year, Invasion of Privacy.
- Had a baby girl, Kulture, whom I share a birthday with.
- Got in a fight at the Met Gala with Nicki Minaj. (Who I infinitely love)
- Received a Lamborghini Urus from her Husband, Offset. (A car I infinitely love)
- Made it on President Obama’s top songs of 2018 list.
- Discussed working at Amish Market in lower Manhattan in multiple interviews. She’s one of us!
- Appeared on Carpool Karaoke with James Corden. HERE.
#2 The return of the steel Rolex Pepsi GMT Master II.
The Pepsi Steel Cerachrom GMT Master II. SIHH 2018. Here’s a pic, no real reason to cover it here, this happened almost year ago. But it’s still a nice thought. Rolex in their infinite wisdom, however, put it on a Jubilee bracelet. No, thank you. But it looks amazing with the Red and Blue Bezel!
#1 The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down Lumen
This novelty Lange watch was announced in October to great fanfare. Everyone in Instagram posted picture of it, both well lit and in the dark. The lume on this platinum watch is incredible.
The edition is limited to 200 pieces, which are likely spoken for. The price on annouce day was €95,000
- Family SAXONIA
- Timepiece DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN “Lumen”
- Reference 405.034Calibre L951.7
- Edition Limited to 200 timepieces
- Case Platinum
- Dial sapphire glass, -, the dial is made of polished German silver and incorporates segments in semi-transparent sapphire crystal
- Hands rhodiumed, blued steel
- Case Measurements Diameter: 41 mm; height: 13.4 mm
That it folks, another one down. I look forward to see what Rolex put out next month as well as what new pieces Nomos will announce. See you in a month!
