Many of the fashion winners are not the ones who go out and purchase high-priced Gucci or dresses. That is very generic, even if they purchase a one-off designer dress by a well-known or up and coming designer, I am more impressed by people who create their own style. The winners generally go to a secondhand shop, search for an old dress in decent condition, take it home and jump on their sewing machine to make alterations and add detail. The 2010 winner purchased the dress online for $18 and modified the dress with some help from her designer friend.

The Perth Cup makes for a pretty good day out along with the Spring Carnival, it gives people the chance to dress up and have some fun. Clearly, they know what they are looking for, they possess a certain style, they show ingenuity and they achieve their goals on a tight budget – great work. I like to see people living out their dreams, they know fashion and they go out and modify some retro clothes and turn these clothing into a contemporary style.

Forming part of the T-Classic collection, the reference T127.407.11.041.00 has a blue sunburst dial fitted in a 40 mm 316L stainless steel case. The single applied index markers make for an elegant dial, a date window at the 3 o’clock position with a highlighted outline that works well. A domed sapphire crystal provides plenty of scratch resistance, a display caseback showcases the movement although I am unsure if this is a mineral or sapphire crystal. The reference T127.407.16.031.00 with the silver dial and leather strap works too.

The Powermatic 80 is built on a base ETA 2824-2 movement and fitted with a silicon hairspring providing anti-magnetic capability. The 80 hour power reserve allows you to take the watch off on Friday night and come Monday morning, no need to reset the time and date. There are no crown guards, a smooth bezel and 100 metres water resistance. The three link bracelet has polished centre link and brushed outer links. A push-button butterfly clasp ensures a symmetrical bracelet does feel a little lightweight.

The dial printing is not cluttered, the Tissot name and 1853 date appears at the top of the dial with Powermatic 80 and Silicum appearing below the hand pivot. I sometimes feel there is too much text on the dial and this is not the case here. So how does it wear? I started to write this post after three days on the wrist. I didn’t much like the bracelet as I am used to slightly better quality bracelets. I tried on the leather strap, I didn’t dislike the leather strap but it just didn’t work so I went with the stainless steel bracelet.

A fantastic smooth shiraz from Penfolds McGill Estate in the Barossa Valley, Bin 28 is a softer style shiraz that many prefer. I can’t claim to be a wine connoisseur, I do know the style I prefer and the complexity of the wine. In my family we have long argued over Bin 128 and Bin 28 and what is the superior drop. I suggest Bin 28 is smoother and more complex whilst Bin 128 is big and bold. To be honest, it depends on the day, but I am happy with either.

My current preference is Bin 28; however, this is also associated with being easier to obtain so I have more opportunity to drink than Bin 128. Both are shiraz so it is a fair comparison, albeit in completely different styles. Bin 28 sources fruit from Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Padthaway, Wrattonbully, Fleurieu, Robe, Mt Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills, Langhorne Creek. This is very much a blended wine, although there is seasonal variability due to the cool and wet winter flowing into spring. Bin 28 is matured for 12 months in seasoned American oak hogsheads, this gives fine oak flavours without being overpowering. According to the winemaker notes, this shiraz is drinking well now right up to 2030 and probably beyond.

The Rolex crown is the 12 o’clock marker on the Daytona, a whole bunch of other information such as oyster perpetual and superlative chronometer, officially certified as well as the Cosmograph name fills five lines – that’s way too much. There is also the Daytona name curved around the 6 o’clock sub-dial in red that detracts from the dial in my opinion. The ceramic tachymeter on the Daytona is wide, maybe too wide whilst the Carrera bezel is more conventional and suits the sunburst dial.

Both have in-house movements, the Calibre 4130 in the Daytona has 44 jewels and a 72 hour power reserve, the Carrera Heuer 02 has a column wheel and vertical clutch and 80 hour power reserve – pretty decent. For me, the Carrera is the more elegant of the two, Heuer has a serious reputation although that reputation and marketing was pretty much wiped out when Heuer was purchased by the TAG Group and rebranded. Still, prices aside, the Carrera 160 Years Limited Edition would be my choice for a very elegant timepiece.

I started drinking my tequila sunrise with El Toro tequila, pretty much the most basic and arguably the worst tequila on the market. For me, El Toro is akin to methylated spirits, I reckon this could have been used as a propellant on the space shuttle to assist the solid fuel boosters. The orange juice for me is the critical ingredient, clearly 100% orange juice is required, no scrimping on the major component of the cocktail. 100% orange juice is the key to offsetting and enhancing the tequila – these days I prefer brown tequila.

• Orange juice.
• 1 shot of Tequila.
• A dash of grenadine.

From the written application comes a formal presentation to the panel in the form of not just an interview but a case study or project. The candidate is given a short time to prepare of about 10 to 15 minutes before being brought before the selection panel to present their case – it is far from easy. Nerves and stress can be debilitating; needless to say, you don’t choose your project so prior preparation is not possible. Someone has to be successful, a certain degree of rehearsing and practice is possible if you plan for any scenario.

I expect the criteria is for the successful candidate to be able to apply conceptual thinking and application. I am happy to undertake such an assessment and my presentation skills are more than adequate. When you drop people into positions without any type of competitive selection process, there is generally something untoward going on. Referring back to my initial question of corrupt or incompetent? I would expect them to plead incompetence because incompetence isn’t illegal, corruption is.

It says more about them than it says about you. They tend to be pathetic losers who are miserable in their own lives, they take out their frustrations on you as they are so angry with their career. Sure, you document the abuse immediately, I don’t make a complaint unless it occurs three times, it isn’t bullying until a pattern is established. Then you have to decide, do you take them out the back and sort them out yourself.

Based on my personal experiences, they prefer to verbally abuse you in front of everybody, this strokes their ego. I, on the other hand prefer to operate with no witnesses, I certainly do not make threats in front of others and I also quietly offer to sort this matter out on-on-one with nobody else around. But one has to ask, why do they hate you so much? They are angry at your success, they dislike you and they think you need bringing down. Naturally they engage in malicious office gossip bad mouthing you at every opportunity.

I take another approach, a) I never bad mouth them, b) I never mention them to anyone, c) if the conversation is discussing them, I don’t get involved and d) I never think of them. I do not let their miserable attitude upset me and if I am around them at work I am happy and courteous – that makes them angrier.

Yes, sure, we can step out the back and sort them out but that creates more issues. They are miserable at your success, so you never let them drag you down and this jealousy is driving them. If you crack them on the jaw, you may then have to defend yourself when they report you, there may be police involved. All their efforts are for nothing, you are outwardly happy and unaffected. They are pathetic and want to make you like them, make sure that doesn’t happen. They are sad miserable losers and the happier and more successful you are, the more miserable they are – I win again.

When the smooth bezel and oyster bracelet combination is selected, this is the oystersteel option [904 stainless steel] I find the watch to be cleaner. Surprisingly, this is the cheaper option and can be configured on the Rolex webpage. The 3235 perpetual movement is COSC certified to -2/ +2 seconds per day accuracy with a parachrom hairspring and power reserve of approximately 70 hours. The engine is solid, there are no problems there and a lack of a display case ensures there is no real finishing of the movement.

Whilst not really a tool watch, the Datejust is available in a variety of materials ranging from white gold, yellow gold and everose gold, you certainly wouldn’t consider banging those combinations around. Make no mistake, even in the configuration I selected, this is still a dress watch. I could never see myself wearing a fluted bezel on a jubilee bracelet, but the smooth bezel and three link oyster bracelet actually isn’t too bad, still, it isn’t for me.