REVOLUTION_International_Vol 54

intentionally allowing the majority of the population to be
infected. The problem with the latter is that as cases mount,
the healthcare system will quickly be overwhelmed, which
eventually means that hospitals will have to enact triage
procedures where they can only treat those most likely to
survive, meaning older people would be left to perish. Which
is extremely f**ked up. And if I’ve had anything to do with
spreading this idea of irresponsible invincibility, I need to
now apologize for it and say that I was wrong. What everyone
needs to do now is observe social distancing, the easiest form
of which is to simply stay at home and see as few people as
possible, so that we can cut down the rapidity with which the
disease spreads.
That, however, does not mean you should sit around
moping and thinking that an Old Testament-like apocalypse
is around the corner. Because it isn’t. We will get through
this just like we’ve gotten through everything else. And
in the meantime, we should try to spread some positivity
in the way my friend, film director Paul Feig, has with
his live-streaming of his black-tie cocktail sessions at
home that involve martini and Negroni making as well
as impromptu dance lessons (I’m still waiting for him to
bust out the mambo). It also doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy
yourself, and those evangelists who are urging everyone
to give up booze at a time like this can simply blow it out of
their highfalutin’ asses. If people are enjoying drinking and
posting their Negronis on Instagram, so be it. If they feel
like making experiments into the varying forms of bitters
and vermouths — I never realized there were so many — to
create the holy motherf**king grail of Negronis, so be it. If
motherf**kers want to sit around smoking Cohiba Behikes
and vintage Cuban Davidoffs from every orifice in their
bodies, so be it. Because it is important to keep joy going
in the world. I’m personally taking a little hiatus from my
normal Charles Bukowski-level of boozing simply because I
am not able to run, which helps me offset both my hangovers
and my proclivity toward depression. In the meantime, I’ve
derived all manner of pleasures from taking out my various
timepieces and marvelling at their alchemic intersection
between science and magic. I mean just to consider that time
comes down to a spring, an escapement and a tiny oscillating
wheel — it’s incredible these things work at all. The fact that
they do so with unfailing accuracy just blows my mind and
provides an amazing sense of (forgive the pun) escapement.
I’m pleased to say that watches are just as mesmerizing even
when I’m not heavily on the sauce.
At the same time, I’ve received my newest Cifonelli
bespoke suit, which features an all-new, ultra-soft drapey
construction inspired by ’80s Armani, that has also provided
a great deal of entertainment as I saunter around the house
in it. And I’ve even begun to reread books that helped shape
my life, such as Steven Pressfield’s Gates of Fire about the
300 Spartans at Thermopylae. In order to still fit into the
aforementioned bespoke suit after my mandatory 14-day
quarantine for Singaporeans returning from the UK (yes,
Dolores, they track you using a chip implanted in your head),
I’ve taken to learning all manner of Cape Fear bodyweight
prison-cell exercises, which I have to say are remarkably
effective. Simply doing burpees until you feel like passing
out or vomiting or both is one technique. In the meantime,
my magazines and websites — The Rake, dedicated to classic
elegance, and Revolution, dedicated to watches — will
continue to support our beloved brand partners in style and
in watches. And to them I would like to just say we love you,
we are here to stand by and support you! We love you, Italy,
we love you, Switzerland. And, for that matter, we love you,
Hubei, and we love you, New York City. And we will get
through this like the bad muthaf**kas we are. Stay strong and
stay safe.
Wei Koh, Founder
wei_koh_revolution