A tribute to Michael Schumacher

On 28th September 2008, Singapore held her 1st Formula 1 Grand Prix. Conceptualized since early 2007, it was the first ever Formula 1 race at night. After much track and lighting design considerations, the circuit was approved in May. Construction of the 5.065km race track with 23 turns began in August that year at Marina Bay Street, in the Marina Bay area.

Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore

Just two Sundays ago, on 20th September 2015,  Singapore held the 8th Formula 1 night race. However, the most memorable one to me must be the 2012 Singapore Grand Prix, where Michael Schumacher raced with Mercedes before his 2nd retirement in the same year.

Michael Schumacher during his qualifying lap
2012 Singapore Grand Prix

Began with go-karting, the young Schumacher won German drivers championships in Formula Konig and Formula 3 before joining Mercedes in the World Sportscar Championship. He was signed as a driver for the Benetton F1 team in 1991, and very quickly established himself as a top driver; finishing 3rd in 1992 and 4th in 1993. He became the first German to win the F1 World Drivers' Champion in 1994 by 1-point over Damon Hill. He repeated the feat in 1995 with a greater margin! Schumacher moved to Ferrari in 1996, where he came close to winning the 1997 and 1998 titles, before breaking his leg in an accident at the British Grand Prix in 1999. Schumacher's best runs were from 2000 to 2004, where he won another five consecutive driver's titles. He almost clinched an eighth title in 2006, but fell short to Fernando Alonso, due to technical problems in the final two races. He retired from Formula 1 driving after the 2006 season, but continued to stay with Ferrari as an advisor. Schumacher agreed to return for Ferrari mid-way through the 2009 season, as a cover for the badly injured Felipe Massa, but was hindered by a neck injury. Schumacher returned to Formula 1 on a permanent basis from 2010 with the Mercedes team, paying homage to where he started early in his career, before retiring for a second time at the conclusion of the 2012 season.

What impresses me most is not Schumacher's lustrous career of winning a record 7 driver's championship in F1, but his smooth and elegant driving style. It is also because of his finesse that he excels in the wet; slicing technical corners over drenched circuits like a hot knife through butter.

See how young Michael Schumacher control his go-kart
at 0:25min of this video

There are many great drivers, but what Schumacher has achieved in and out of F1 circuits is truly phenomenal. Extremely humble by nature, he revealed during an interview with Top Gear host, Jeremy Clarkson, that his regular cars are Fiat 500 and Fiat Croma (his family car). He is also active in numerous humanitarian efforts throughout his life; donated tens of millions of dollars to charity, surpassing any other sports person, most sports leagues, many worldwide corporations and even some countries.

To commemorate this remarkable gentleman and his achievements, Audemars Piguet and Omega came out with Michael Schumacher editions of their renowned Royal Oak Offshore and Speedmaster models respectively. Though there are many versions of them, but all Schumi editions have two things in common; chronograph movement and checkered-flag / grid inspired dial designs.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
Michael Schumacher limited edition chronograph in titanium

Omega Speedmaster Racing

Michael Schumacher World Champion 2000 edition

On 29 December 2013, when Schumacher was skiing with his 14-year old son Mick in the French Alps, a tragic accident happened. While crossing an unsecured area between Piste Chamois and Piste Mauduit, he fell and hit his head on a rock, sustaining head injury despite wearing a ski helmet. Schumacher was put into a medically induced coma for the traumatic brain injury. On 4th April 2014, Schumacher's agent reported that he was showing "moments of consciousness" as he was gradually withdrawn from the medically induced coma. In mid-June, he was moved from intensive care into rehabilitation ward, and by 6th June the same year, Schumacher had regained consciousness and left for further rehabilitation. On 9th September 2014, he was brought back to his home. In a video interview released in May 2015, Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm said that his condition is slowly improving " considering the severeness of the injury".

Due to family privacy that Schumacher's wife tirelessly maintained, as he faces a long road to recovery, mystery still surrounds the condition of the racing legend till today. I can only wish and hope that Schumi will emerge triumphant over his current circumstance one day, like how he always do on the race track.

Apple watch anyone?

I am a big fan of Apple products; iMac, iPad, iPod, iPhone and Macbook, I have and love them all. Naturally as you may think, being a watch lover, I would jump at the 1st opportunity to own an Apple watch. No I didn't, and a 'column' by John Mayer that I read over the weekend resonants perfectly with me...

Robb Report (Singapore Issue 33, August 2015, Page 94)

There are many reviews and articles written on the Apple watch long before it was officially launched. From design, materials, functions and innovation perspectives, there are more media coverage than all of haute horlogerie products combined in recent years. So, is it really a watch? Which is how many of the reviews started off with. If the definition of a watch is to tell time, hell yeah, and it does so much more!

When connected to your iPhone, it can show text messages, allow you to pick up a call, monitor your daily physical activities, listen to your favorite music, etc. You can even have a chat with Siri whenever you're feeling bored! It is no surprise that the Apple watch is seen on so many wrists soon after its launch, but it didn't stay there for long. I've seen people, lots of them whom I know personally or don't, ditch it after a few weeks. Why?

Let me begin my analysis from the definition of a watch. While it's primary function is to tell time, it's never something that is acquired solely for that purpose. Since its invention in the 16th century, popularized as pocket watches in the 17th century, it is regarded as a social status to own one. For a good 400 years of evolution, invention in design and materials to mechanical movement, particularly the balance wheel/spring and escapement, brings accuracy to where it is today; deviation of seconds a day. Through the industrial revolution and quartz crisis, a (mechanical) watch has become more an 'art' than a piece of equipment that tells time. Owning a mechanical time piece connects the wearer to a rich history of human evolution and artifact perfection. This I believe, is the 'emotional' lure of a fine mechanical watch that many of us pursue, till today.

From a usage perspective, advancement has made watch cases impermeable by the harshest of environments. Deep waters, dust and magnetic fields are no longer reliability concerns of a watch, while synthetic rubies, advanced materials and lubricants alleviate issues on longevity. In fact, with proper care and maintenance routine every 3 to 5 years, most mechanical watches can survive for generations.

As far as 'power reserve' is concerned, it is almost de facto to have a minimum of 40-hrs in current context; which means, wearer could let a self winding watch rest for more than 1.5 days without it stopping, or would require to make a few turns on the crown every 1.5 days to keep the manual winder working. That said, power reserve in excess of 3 to 7 days is not uncommon; and in the case of self winding watches, it should tick forever as long as it is worn on the wrist, at least theoretically.

Smart watches, even if we consider the 1st quartz watch to be one, made its debut in 1972. The lack of historic literature and significance in comparison, would definitely not evoke the same emotion a fine mechanical watch do. I hate to say this, but the fact that electronic watches meant for the masses, didn't set out to convey any social standing to began with. They just serve as trustworthy, minimum fuss time keeping equipments, that are accessible to all.

The latest incarnation of electronic watch, though bring connectivity and functionality to the level of your smart phone, is actually in reverse evolution in many aspects; A sports watch that is not waterproof? A battery life that can barely last your flight from Singapore to Cupertino, requires a charger and 2.5hrs to charge?! Would I ever buy an Apple watch? Maybe if it's called a wrist phone; associating everything of it to the smart phone usage model that we're so used-to right from the start, but not when it is meant to replace a watch. It can't, and it might never will.