Watchmaking offers us the rare opportunity to celebrate transparency that we can see and feel. We are only referring in passing to the amazing J-12 on the WOW Autumn 2020 cover, which is a watch in such high demand that we have not seen it in person. That’s not unusual in this trade, and might have happened even in normal times. Not that the word normal could ever apply to polar opposites such as the J-12 and this benighted year.

We are glad to have had the chance to feature such a watch on our cover. It vindicates our decisions over the last few issues, although we don’t pretend to know anything much about what the future holds. Having said that, transparency is a big deal for us – and is a major issue in watchmaking. That is why transparency bookends issue #58 – yes, the last word in this issue is also on the subject, albeit in a different form to the cover story.

In our opinion even the all-too-solid dive watch is transparent in its appeal. Everyone wants one, which is why there are so many options. Exactly why this type of watch is so popular is not hard to understand because the appeal is so evident. We spend more than 30 pages on this subject. Yet again, we are extraordinarily lucky to have the new Rolex Submariner enrich the section.

Elsewhere in the issue, we revisit themes from our own recent past as the editors of WOW Singapore and WOW Thailand discuss the merits of advanced ceramic versus bronze. This light-hearted dialogue is proving to be a hit, and we hope you enjoy this latest instalment. Speaking of the lighter side of watchmaking, issue #58 presents fun visual takes on masculinity and small(er) watches and a meeting between the culinary arts and fine watchmaking.

As always, there are plenty of good reads on the latest watches of 2020. These include the aforementioned Rolex Submariner, a surprising new Tudor, and an important Patek Philippe grand complication. Get your copy now, digitally via the Magzter newsstand or in bookstores.

“As 2020 winds down, we find ourselves suddenly immersed in a sea of novelties,” said WOW Editor-in-Chief Ashok Soman. “New watches are in stores now, and there appears to be boundless enthusiasm for some models. Nevertheless, any purchase this year needs to be considered relative to our current moment in history. Get the watch you want, not the one everyone says you need.”