‘Paul Newman’ Lip Genève 830 Chronograph

You know that meme that goes ‘Mom, can we get X?’ ‘We have X at home’. This might be the only meme-appropriate watch instance where X is both less expensive and just as cool, but fits the format. This is a Lip 830, but it’s know affectionately as the ‘Paul Newman’ Lip, for its likeness to a certain exotic Daytona. But like most Lip products, it’s quirky and has nothing to do with Newman, but is decidedly the most French take on a Valjoux 7733 out there, kind of modern take on the sector dial.

In a previous life, I once had the chance to ask a relatively new designer at Givenchy a question I had long pondered: why do no high fashion Women’s bottoms ever have real pockets? I was actually that ignorant. Her answer, in better english than my French, was ‘It doesn’t matter what you do so long as you look good while you’re doing it.’ I don’t know if this is an attitude of high fashion or the French, but it tracks. This might also explain the French fondness for both chain smoking and arson. Even better, why blue and fluorescent orange were chosen for a strangely attractive sector dial. It just looks good; that’s reason enough. The layout is legible enough, everything else is just here to make you look good.

Like Rolex, Lip had these dials made by Singer, which is why we have the exotic subdials to enjoy here. The rest, though, is a unique take, vibrant and brave. Lip famously made Valjoux base chronos in many flavors, intended to be just a little more easily attainable than a Rolex or Breitling of the era, and sold them through their many retailer stores. Quality still, but for the people. But this PN is surprisingly rare to stumble across today and somehow still surprisingly inexpensive. It’s so perfectly cheese-eating and surrenderingly French that Macron wouldn’t even have to clumsily take it off during an interview; leagues more interesting than that Bell & Ross anyway.

And while I’ve seen maybe six or seven of these in recent years, this example iss a standout. The case is sharp, engravings still deep. Its dial is very lovely, no visible damage. It even had the correct subdial handset, which was often switched out at service and there’s some controversy about just what is and isn’t correct, though these definitely are. It comes from a well-regarded Spanish retailer.