Boss Hunting’s Favourite Things: September 2022

Each and every month in the Boss Hunting office we’re lucky enough to sample, find, taste, explore, and curate some of the coolest stuff the world has to offer. From watches and chilli sauce to the sunnies and bikes, these are Boss Hunting’s favourite things for September 2022.

Curated by Nick Kenyon, Randy Lai, Nick Mayor, John McMahon, and James Want

Baltic x ACM MR01 ‘Blue Roulette’

Low-key one of the most anticipated watch releases of 2022, the Baltic ‘Blue Roulette’ takes everything great about the eponymous indie label’s popular MR01 model and enriches that with the thoughtful curatorial instincts of A Collected Man – nominally, an online platform for transacting wristwatches, but increasingly, a fulcrum in the horological media space.

Famed for specialising in rare and historic creations – from the likes of Dufour and Rexhep Rexhepi – the company worked closely with Baltic’s creative team to envision a design “inspired by vintage classics, retold in a contemporary narrative”. Thus, the ‘Blue Roulette’ is a timepiece possessing strong mid-century credentials (on paper), that nevertheless feels effortless and contemporary on the wrist.

At £500 (AU$871) the attention to detail here is nothing short of sterling: the blue dial’s central and peripheral segments are brilliantly contrasted; and there’s no shortage of small details – the custom serif-accented numerals, for example – that will reward repeated inspections under a loupe. In short, an exercise in creative collaboration done right, and one that watch brands in the mainstream stand to learn a thing or two from. – Randy

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JBL Live Pro 2 TWS Noise Cancelling In-Ear Headphones

As a guest of audio giant JBL last week I travelled to Las Vegas for their annual takeover to see what they do best on a global scale – parties, performances and products. They gifted me a pair of JBL Live Pro 2 True Wireless for the plane ride over, and after using the regular Apple Airpods for the past two years, I was genuinely in awe of both the depth of the bass and the ease of connectivity with the iPhone. The noise cancelling is also very commendable for the price tag. At $199 you’re absolutely laughing, especially at half the price of their mammoth competitor out of Cupertino. – John

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Koga Kimera Premium

A few years back, I was a fairly avid bike rider, competing in the odd local race and doing my best impression of Cadel Evans if he was 30kgs heavier. It’s been a while since I swung my leg over a road bike, but when my good friend Alee Denham (the man behind the popular bike touring channel Cycling About) offered me to borrow his roadie while he set off on a bike touring adventure, I couldn’t turn it down and have been enjoying his Koga Kimera Premium ever since.

Its carbon frame is stiff and responsive, the Dura-Ace Di2 gearset is buttery smooth to shift with and the DT Swiss PRC 1400 Spline 35 carbon wheels that arrive as stock are fast and lightweight. While I’ve exclusively owned and ridden Giant bikes for the last decade, my experience with the Koga has left me wondering how I might be able to fit a Kimera Premium into my life. – Nick Kenyon

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Fauré Le Page Carry On 36

Sensual, irreverent and bristling with bombast, Fauré Le Page is a Parisian maker of leather goods for those who relish every opportunity for a muscular daily flex. The company – which traces its heritage to the reign of Bourbon monarch, Louis XV – began life as a maker of arquebuses and ceremonial weaponry; gradually adding artisanal leather goods to its arsenal in the modern era. The ‘armament’ theme is one that weaves its way through most of the brand’s handbags and smaller accessories, though it’s noticeably absent in the ‘Carry On 36’ – a new addition to the collection that has me fiending over the prospect of travel come Christmas.

Named for its 36mm high profile, this article is equally adept at pulling duty as a weekender or the ultimate slice of carry-on luggage. The overall design – that of a voluminous, top-handling tote – isn’t especially revolutionary: but everything has been tweaked for everyday practicality.

Handles are pitched at a comfortable length; the bag’s strap switches easily between cross-body or over-the-shoulder wear, while multiple internal compartments make it a cinch to organise all of your redeye essentials. The house’s iconic écaille pattern is rendered here in cotton canvas – an excellent option for bags that sustain knocks and shocks in the course of commercial air travel. The green and grey are both classic options, though it’s the ‘Paris’ blue – a hue somewhere between petrol and navy – that I find the most wearable. – Randy

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Easy Tiger! Fermented Chilli Sauce

This month, my affinity for all things spicy was reinforced by this unassuming jar of crushed, fermented chilli. While searching for a bottle of wine at my local, Le Pont, I stumbled across the eye-catching label slapped on the Sydney local, Hot Luck’s, Fermented Chilli Sauce. Not an hour later, my stir-fry was drowning in this mouth/eye-watering sauce. Great for pasta, pizza and sandwiches, Hot Luck’s Easy Tiger gives you an elevated way to add spice and dimension to your dish. As I start to scrape towards the bottom of the jar, it’s safe to say that I’ve found a new pantry staple. – Nick Mayor

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Jacques Marie Mage Ascari Sunglasses

LA based Jacques Marie Mage claims that over 100 hands touch each piece of their Japanese made eyewear, and from the moment you open the box, it shows. I’ve recently acquired a pair of JMM Ascari – one of just 250 made worldwide – a 50’s (Alberto Ascari) inspired frame fashioned from 10mm acetate with sterling silver hardware, and a handcrafted Italian leather hard case. They’re as bold as they are bodacious. – James

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Tudor Pelagos 39

It’s safe to say that I’ve spent more than my fair share of time thinking about, looking at and writing about watches, and over those thousands of hours I’ve probably considered many hundreds of different watches. Take my word for it when I say that the new Tudor Pelagos 39 is, quite simply, built different. I don’t quite know why it’s particular recipe of specifications isn’t seen more widely across the watch industry, but for my money it’s about as good as it gets.

With a 39mm titanium case and bracelet (as well as an additional rubber strap with titanium hardware), it sits perfectly in what I beleive to be the Goldilocks Zone of case sizing, as if offers a quiet nod to the smaller watches of the past while also being more wearable for more people. As is the case with all Tudor and Rolex watches, the tactile points of the timepiece are a joy to interact with, including the ceramic bezel and the screw down crown (guaranteeing 200m of water resistance). The Tudor Pelagos 39 also contains a great movement in the Manufacture Calibre MT5400, which was also found in the most recent generation of Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight models and serves up 70 hours of power reserve as well as COSC certification.

While I’d hesitate to slap the adjective “perfect” on any watch, I’m left scratching my head when I try and think of another watch that so immediately and resoundingly impressed me. While it isn’t exactly affordable, at $6,010 I’m tempted to argue that it’s some of the very best value in watchmaking on the market today. It really is that good. – Nick Kenyon