When Martin and Felix of Urwerk wanted to create something new - they had to sit down for a while and think about what they had done before, and what they could follow up with that was unique in the watch world. Doing that is really tough. Even the satellite time telling system that Urwerk is known for isn't unique to them, originating a long time ago elsewhere. Urwerk just sort of adopted the satellite system of telling the time and made it their own. The Torpedo - as the UR-110 is also called - does two things differently. It modifies the satellite system a bit offering a fun new visual spectacle, and put it in a case that is novel, as well as weird.On the wrist the UR-110 takes some getting used to. It doesn't look like any watch case I've ever put on before. I jokingly described the design as a"mutated ninja star" (which apparently only makes sense in my head). Think of a modified Urwerk UR-103 watch case with wings. I guess that makes sense... torpedoes fly under water right? If you have a giant wrist the Torpedo will probably sit well, though for me the wings stick out like the watch is trying to gain altitude. The "coined edge" around the side of the organic looking case is nice, and the detailing is of course on par with a high-end timepiece.Dimensions for the case are an awkward 47mm wide by 51mm tall, and 16mm thick - but that all ranges given that the case curves around a lot. While it looks like it is sitting on your wrist as opposed to around it, the watch doesn't feel like it is going to slide all over the place as the bottom is mostly flat. As I said a few times, the titanium case looks a bit bare and "unfinished." Some people might like that look, but I am waiting for the black colored case that is coming out soon. I anticipate that model to frame the design of the watch much better. Naked titanium is not always easy to pull off. I also think that if the wings were angled down to sort of wrap around a wrist, it would make the design of the watch much more manageable.Urwerk calls the movement their UR 9.01, and it is easily the high point of the watch. The movement is an automatic, and has those cool little "turbines" visible through the rear of the watch that spin when the rotor is spinning. Urwerk also points out that the turbines helps prevent shock damage to the rotor. Back on the dial you have the three satellites that have four hours on each of them. When moving around, they always point "forward" while moving. That is pretty cool, and when they move close to the minute scale, the correct hour on the cube spins around. Telling the time is easy, and the idea behind the placement of the minute scale is so that it is the first part of the watch you see when your arm peeks out from under a sleeve.The dial also has a subsidiary seconds dial, a "oil change" indicator, and a day/night indicator. The oil change indicator is a sort of service guide that advises you when to send your watch back to Urwerk for a (pricey) service. It is an homage to such indicators on cars. Future variations on the UR-110 are likely to have alternative complications. I feel as though the dial is a bit incomplete. While it is clean, the sandblasted surface under the satellite system for the hours feels a bit bare. Like I keep saying, the Torpedo is pretty nice all around, but it looks like Urwerk could put just a bit more time into polishing the design - which they likely will.Detailing on the dial is however really nice. Urwerk always impresses me with how crisp their parts look - and the Torpedo dial and mechanics is no exception. Operating the movement is cool as well. The crown has a sort of lid over it that you just gently pull up a bit to allow it to adjust the time. The crown is placed at the top of the watch. You can see it better from the bottom of the 110. In fact - and this the case with a few Urwerk watches - I might like the caseback of the watch more than the dial! That element of the watch is pretty handsome.On the plus side the UR-110 Torpedo is unique, well-made, and easy to read. At the same time, it could use a bit more design refinement and can take some time to get used to on the wrist. Urwerk fans will likely welcome its addition to the collection, and it does feel different enough, while keep in line with the look and feel that Urwerk is going for.
One of the best mechanical watches for 2011 shown at the GTE (Geneva Time Exhibition) was clearly Frederic Jouvenot's masterfully creative and well-executed Helios watch. The talented Mr. Jouvenot - a young and ambitious watch maker - was nice enough to show off the watch to me himself. I was dazzled by just how different, yet easy to read it was - and for about 50,000 Swiss Francs you too can have one.An element of the watch that isn't totally new is the case. Frederic Jouvenot (FJ) debuted this case on his previous watch, the Frederic Jouvenot Automatic Chronograph Evolution. It has a great feel to it being 44mm wide in titanium. It is available in brushed and polished titanium, or in DLC black coated titanium. My choice (and the one on my wrist) is the DLC model - looks awesome with the gold-toned "sunbeams" which are made out of aluminum for strength and weight savings).What impresses me most about the Helios is that in addition to it being an innovative way of telling the time, the design itself has a very good looking presence to it. This is one of the most interesting looking unorthodox timepieces when just seeing it on the wrist. This is thanks to the deep, highly detailed dial that has a beautiful radial symmetry to it. People like to go off on how symmetry isn't as important as "balance." There is some truth to that, but a watch like this shows just how powerful good symmetry is.The Helios starts with a manually wound mechanical movement that uses a rotating disc for the minutes and spinning conical cylinders for the time. The movement has a power reserve of 45 hours. The little video I took and posted should help explain exactly how it works. When the cones are flipped over to their gold side, they represent an hour to be counted. The watch on my wrist for example would be about 11:34. That is because 11 of the cones are gold and the centrally mounted minutes disc is pointed at "34." See how simple that is. The cones are made of aluminum, and gold colored on one side, while black on the "off" side.As you can see, you can adjust the watch in both directions, and the result is flawless. While not the same concept really, the theme is in the same class as the previously discussed Ludovic Ballouard Upside Down watch. If you are a sun-worshiper I can think of no better watch if want a high-end piece from an independent watch maker. Even then, at a price of 49,860 Swiss Francs, limited to just 144 pieces - the watch isn't cheap, but in my opinion represents a pretty solid value for what you are getting.
Martin Braun has had a tough last couple of years. The brand with his name "Martin Braun" was owned by the Franck Muller Group before financial hardship forced them to shut it down, and they didn't have any desire to give the name back to Martin. So he took some time off, probably played some video games, and is now back with a new brand called Antoine Martin. Their first watch called the Perpetual Calendar (really guys, that is the best you could come up with after developing this cool design?) contains a brand new movement that Braun created called the Calibre AM 39.001, and has hands that look like big swords.Hands like swords so big that they remind me of typical blades seen in the modern Final Fantasy games. Even the design of the watch and case fits that art style. So I'd like to dedicate this article to my boyhood love of Final Fantasy and truly gargantuan swords. That isn't to say the hands look weird. There is a sort of space-age neo-Roman architecture going on in the case and dial design that is cool. It isn't utterly original, but feels well composed none-the-less.Antoine Martin isn't just about Martin Braun, there is Antoine! No, actually I don't know who Antoine is. The brand's CEO is Bruno Jufer who is a industry veteran who should be able to sell the brand. Martin is a swell guy, but not the salesy type. I think he is most happy when making nice watches. The Perpetual Calendar case will likely undergo some refinement before being finally released. The case is to be 46mm wide, and offered in 18k rose gold, white gold, or DLC black coated steel (that will look killer). The movement is a work of art in both design and function. This is where Braun really excels.The Calibre AM 39.001 is all in-house made and designed. It has 324 parts and a silicium pallet lever, escapement wheel, and impulse pin. This is for friction reduction and increased movement accuracy - and according to Antoine Martin, the watch is supposed to be very well performing. I love the super large balance wheel that you can see in the back of the watch. It runs at 2.5 Hertz, so it won't revolve super fast, and it is a massive 17.5mm wide (being mostly titanium). The movement has a long power reserve of 144 hours (six days), and a power reserve indicator that uses a new type of system that the brand calls their Aerodynamic Amplitude Stabilization (ADAS) system. That sounds like a really fancy name that is trying to overcompensate for something, but I like all the effort Martin put into the movement.Functionally the movement has the time (no seconds) and a perpetual calendar with the day, date, month, leap year, and day/night indicator. I love the red discs on the white gold model and the layout over all. However, I feel that the dial would have benefited from being totally symmetrical - with the leap year indicator next to 3 o'clock versus 12 o'clock. I bet you could have put a small subsidiary seconds dial at 12 o'clock - I've never seen that done before.This is a pretty good start to Antoine Martin. The design of the Perpetual Calendar watch is cool, and the movement is really impressive - not that Martin Braun is new to this, but it is interesting to see how the look of this watch is so different than the looks of the watches under the Martin Braun brand. Look for Antoine Martin watches to be unveiled soon, at prices that will make your party in Final Fantasy hunting for gold for long, long hours.
This "One Hertz Dune" is an 18k red gold version of Gronefeld's One Hertz 1912 Dead-Beat Seconds watch. "Dune" is added to the name and I think the new color tones on the watch really give it a new personality. This isn't just a gold version of the One Hertz, but a different piece with a more sultry personality. Interestingly enough, this red gold version will be limited to 20 pieces, while the steel version was limited to just 12 pieces - usually the more precious the metal, the less pieces in the limited edition.Read more about the watch and movement here when I first discussed the Gronefeld One Hertz 1912 timepiece.
Cool right? Here are the various flavors of the Ladoire Black Window watch. This is a hands-on follow up to my debut article that talked about the Ladoire Black Widow Mr. Green watch here. Read more about the Ladoire Black Widow Mr. Race watch here via my article at Haute Living. Lots more images and a gallery below.
Is this going to be your next Teutonic-otastic dive watch? It just might be. New from flies-under-the-radar Laco comes the Squad 1,000 Meter dive watch collection. Looks like a few other German "pro" watches? Well that is because Laco is German. The Squad 1000 Meter joins the ranks of pieces from brands such as Sinn and Tutima, with elements from scores of other brands. While the Squad 1000 certainly doesn't score high on the originality scale, it is a great composition of known styles and features that people want and love.There are two versions of the Squad 1000. The standard Squad 1000 Meter Automatic in sandblasted matte steel, and the Squad 1000 Meter Black Automatic... done in PVD black. The case is 45mm wide with off-centered lefty crown located at 10 o'clock. The design of the case along with the dial reminds me a lot of the Fortis B-42 MarineMaster. Whether or not Laco used that Fortis as inspiration is unclear, but the similarities are uncanny. The dial is good looking and very easy to read with its combo of large indicators and Arabic numerals. Laco opts for a white hour hand mixed to a orange minute hand. The design decision does tend to add some welcome color to the otherwise highly functional look. While perhaps not as "showy" as the Fortis, the Laco Squad 1000's dial feels better proportioned.Water resistant to 1000 meters, the case also has an automatic helium release valve. Feel like going down real deep anytime soon? The case is also anti-magnetic. I like this and it adds to that German tendency to make things really durable. Crystal is double AR coated sapphire. Inside the watch you'll find the reliable workhorse Swiss ETA 2824-2 automatic movement. Of course as a dive watch it has a rotating diver's bezel.Laco mentions that the watch was made in collaboration with the German army. Not sure what that means, but it might mean that it has "ensured" functionality built in. That might also make "das Laco" a bit more desirable to military watch buffs. Attached to the watch is a dive style rubber strap. Like Bathys, Laco places the Squad 1000 in a water and dust resistant case.Price isn't too bad, and you can order them online. The sandblasted steel Squad 1000 Meter retails for 1,748 euros, while that price jumps up a bit to 1,798 euros for the PVD black version. All around a nice watch from a brand that you don't see on wrists too often.See Laco watches on eBay here.
At the 2011 Oscars, best actor Colin Firth was wearing a Chopard L.U.C XPS watch - could you ask for a classier tuxedo watch? The L.U.C XPS of this type first came out in 2009, and if it were not for the "Chopard" name, I would think it was a Dell computer. This is also one of Chopard's answers to the thin elegant watch question. The L.U.C XPS has a Chopard L.U.C 12.96 automatic movement and is still just 7.13mm thick.While Chopard offers the watch in 18k rose or white gold, it is really the white gold version with the black dial that you want. The thin bezel makes the 39.50mm wide case feel larger than it is, and the alligator strap adds a bit of glossy luxury on the wrist. Chopard designed the dial to be minimalistic but highly functional. It is like a dressy version of what Panerai design is going for. One version of the dial has the time with subsidiary seconds dial using dauphine hands, matched to a mixture of baton hour markers with stylized Roman numeral hour markers. Dauphine hands always look stellar on minimalist dials.Step it up a bit for the diamond version of the watch -?? one of the most tasteful diamond watches for people who don't like diamond watches. For the L.U.C XPS Diamonds Chopard uses baguette-cut stones for the hour markers and around the bezel. It is a watch with the good taste of a minimalist design with the higher-status look of diamonds without all the gaudiness.Seen through the sapphire crystal caseback, the Chopard L.U.C 12.96 automatic movement has twin barrels with 65 hours of power reserve and of course is nicely decorated. The rotor is in solid 22k gold and is a micro-rotor. It is also COSC Chronometer certified which isn't too common in watches of this type. Chopard really did a good job mixing classical elegance with a timeless looks in this watch. I think it is one of the best in it genre. Prices for these pieces ranges a bit - retailing at about $13,500 of the standard gold version and up to around $35,000 for the diamond version. See one of these Chopard L.U.C XPS Diamond watches available on James List here.
We've know Mr. Sheen for years now but since we did not use celebrities in our messaging campaigns we couldn't really make anything of it. A few weeks ago when Charlie began to receive a lot of media attention, and kept talking about how would not reveal the brands of things he was eating or drinking because they would not pay him, I began to think. Even though he hides the brand of many things he uses, he proudly displays his Patek watches because of his sincere admiration for the brand. He even has a rare watch that apparently displays warlock time - I didn't even know we made a watch like that. After that we gave him a call to discuss some ideas and this was the outcome.AA: Are you concerned about the fact that Charlie Sheen will be on your ad but recently lost his job?TS: We did give that point strong consideration. At first I agreed with you that it did not look good. Eventually I came around to the idea that it was a good thing. Patek Philippe owners are successful winners who excel at winning, a fact that Charles is constantly reminding the world. We don't want a man on our ad who just lost his job, but we do want a man that just became his own boss. With so many people in the world currently transitioning into these new roles, I think his situation will resonate well the people who see these advertisements.AA: What Martin Sheen as keen on the idea?TS: Marty is really a good sport and father. He does so much to support his son even though he disagrees with a lot of what he does. He saw how excited his son was to work on this project that he agreed to accompany Charlie here to Switzerland if we agreed to do all business at the substance abuse rehabilitation clinic of his choose - he chose a beautiful place near Lake Geneva, the food there is excellent.AA: Tell us about your relationship with the Sheens and what they are like. When did you first encounter them?TS: You don't need me to tell you that the entire Sheen family is made up of very special people. I would say that I know Charles the most as I have known him the longest. He approached Patek Philippe several years ago in need of service for a rare 1950's model. He sent in the watch with a broken crown and made it a point to call the service department to explain what happened. Our clients never cease to amaze me with their stories. Charles shared with us that during a particularly vigorous instance of copulatory delight the foot of his partner thrust against the side of his Patek by pure accident. This normally would not have been an issue, but in addition to enjoying a Patek Philippe watch on his wrist during coital activity, Mr. Sheen enjoys it when his partners do not remove their 6 inch stilettos. A remarkable mishap to have a high heel damage an item of high horology.AA: Has Charlie ever visited the Patek Philippe manufacture here in Switzerland?TS: Yes, in fact he visited us on a few occasions. I meet with him myself when possible and I am always impressed by his love of watch making as well as Switzerland. He often speaks of sport and skiing, frequently asking me where he can score the best white powder. Charles get so excited when talking about doing lines with snow. Truly an honorary member of the Swiss people. We have only one rule for Mr. Sheen when he comes to visit, and it merely involves his choice of female company. Charles has excellent taste in women no doubt, but on my request he is not to bring women to the manufacture who are too easy to find without clothes on when searching on the internet - it is very distracting to our hard working staff.AA: Are you at all worried that the message in the ad seems to promote illegal activities?TS: There are always concerns with how people are going to interpret ads. If you are the type of person to imbibe with narcotics this ad isn't going to reinforce or prevent that. If anything, the focus here is on Charlie's particular lifestyle. He actually said to me, that even if you don't get high with drugs, strippers who are themselves high on drugs are certainly more fun. That is my personal interpretation of the message. I don't really want people to get carried away with these little details anymore than Charlie does. It is like having a talk with him about the difference between a stripper and an escort, you simply don't get a straight answer out of the man.AA: Are there plans to involve the Sheens in other campaigns for the brand?TS: Not at this time. We tested a visual component in the form of a video with Martin and Charlie. Martin walked out of the room, and Charlie spend a lot of time talking about trolls and the people he is winning more than. It didn't go very well with focus groups.AA: Mr. Stern, this sounds like a really exciting campaign to be a part of. I just have one more question. Where is the first place people can see this new ad?TS: Ah yes, excellent question. We have arranged for a very special placement for the debut of this ad - it will actually be in America. We have arranged for a large billboard style banner that will be prominently displayed outside the entrance of the next Adult Video News Awards in Las Vegas.
Seems as though a few times a week I am informed about a new pilot watch. Brands like to talk about how this feature helps pilots with this, and how aviators love that. Apparently someone uses a slide-rule bezel, and being able to see 12 timezones at once is useful. Without knowing what people who fly actually use and need, it is hard for me to discuss these pieces on a level above being a watch nerd. It is for that reason that I am happy to have finally got a taste for flight, and what aviator watches are trying to do, and trying to emulate.I am far from a pilot, but I did get a chance to finally do something in the sky. Tutima graciously invited me to check out their airfield near Salinas California. I call it the "secret Tutima air base" because until now I'd never heard of it - and neither would anyone else who didn't happen to be in King City or was in the business of flying.The place isn't just a small airport, but home of a very special school called the Tutima Academy of Aviation Safety with Sean D. Tucker. The school is a sort of race car safety driving course for seasoned pilots. Sean Tucker and his team are stunt pilots, flying in major airshows around the country. What they offer pilots is how to take skills learned when doing stunt flying and apply them to how to deal with problematic situations in the air. The academy serves a range of pilot types, including those who fly some very important types of aircraft.Looking through the course catalog, you can take things called, Pilot Confidence Training, Aerobatic Proficiency Training, and Formation Flight Training. These guys make it look easy, but it isn't. Tutima's link to all this (as opposed to being headquartered a world away in Glashutte Germany) is that they have been continuously making pilot instruments since (I believe) the 1920s. Tutima wanted to bring myself and a few other watch writers into their world, so they strapped a parachute on me, put me in a Pitts bi-plane, flew me to 4000 feet and then just gave me control of the stick. Wait, what happened to the training course?For those of you who fly or have flown I don't need to tell you what you already know. For me this was a really exhilarating first experience, and I have to say that I was too overcome with glee and g-forces to ever glance at the Tutima on my wrist. Though for less adrenaline filled flying I can see where a watch come in useful in a few ways. First, flying is risky and on-board instruments can fail. Any backs up you have are helpful. Sometimes pilots uses chronographs just to time how much fuel they have. If you are flying to different timezones, having a GMT or multi-timezone watch is a must. Legibility is also crucial as you don't want to be looking away for too long.What I thought was cool, is that Tutima has some neat limited edition watches with the Academy's logo on them that are only available there. They are available to students of the academy to buy. The whole team wears Tutima, and I mean they really wear them. These aren't just watches they put on for show.One thing that really interested me was being in a cockpit and finally really realizing where legions of brand designers are getting their inspiration. You can see watches in just about ever dial and gauge. I am going to start crediting instrument makers a lot more now when seeing nice "tool watches."The Tutima Academy men and women are really fantastic people. If you ever are interested in these types of course you'll be treated very well. Generous and genuine, these true professionals go back and forth from teaching people who to fly better, to going about and participating in airshows. When it comes down to it they are entertainers, wowing audiences with tight rolls and and close formations. The start of the show is Sean D. Tucker. A veteran pilot who is one of the most impressive (and energetic) people I've ever met. There is a true feeling of validation when the people who do extraordinary things are themselves extraordinary. And I am not just saying that because he let me fly a place without having to go through that whole... pilot's license thing.A few years ago I saw Sean for the first time - though I didn't know it. He was over San Francisco during an airshow in Fleet Week. He flies for Team Oracle in his bright red custom bi-plane doing pretty amazing stuff. What I didn't realize is how much training it takes just to keep your body used to the amazingly rough forces of wild aerobatic flight. Not just anyone can do this, but this guy makes it look easy. You know what else really impressed me? How well the academy keeps their planes. They all look like they came out of the factory two days ago.Born to please the public, Sean D. Tucker is a legend and gentleman. You are in good hands with this guy. Tutima and Tucker have been working together since 1996, and the relationship seems to have really blossomed. It is also good to know that Tutima participates in these types of activities in the US - thanks to the Tutima USA team. While fashion watches are a-plenty, it is good to know that purist brands like Tutima are out there offering solid instruments for professional pilots, divers, drivers, or just those who like to dream.
Richard Mille joins the thin watch craze in 2011 with their 6.30mm thick "Extra Flat Automatic" RM 033 watch. For the complexity of a Richard Mille watch case 6.30mm thick is pretty darn good. The brand makes sure to maintain as much of the signature look as possible in the design of the case - and they also made it round. The hour numeral style is not new, but taken from the Richard Mille RM 017 Tourbillon (that actually was finally released this year).For the RM 033 (RM033), Richard Mille makes the hour numerals bolder, but kept the interesting ellipses shape in the center of the dial. This is about as formal and "elegant" as Richard Mille watch comes these days. I do quite like the dial, but wish the hands were a bit bigger or easier to see. To me, the shape of the hands seems to just go a bit oddly with almost art deco style Roman numerals. The rest of the dial is basically the top part of the movement. Around the numerals are lume dots, and there is more lume on the hands.I love the size (and width) of the case at 45.70mm. Like I keep saying, the best thin watches are wide watches. The case is light and done in titanium with typical Richard Mille "spline" screws. Like I said, it was an impressive task to retain the iconic Richard Mille case architecture while trying to flatten it. Even the sides of the case have that nice inset look I have come to appreciate the the finely cut titanium on Richard Mille timepieces. In addition to the shown titanium version, the RM 033 will also be available in 18k red gold or 18k white gold.The movement in the watch is all new. It is the RM033 automatic with a solid platinum micro-rotor. Having a micro-rotor is pretty much a necessity for all thin watches, and platinum is used for the weight, not just for weird bragging rights. While the watch doesn't have a dedicated power reserve indicator, the movement is skeletonized, which includes the mainspring barrel.?? If you take off the watch, you can see the spring in the barrel and get a gauge on how tightly wound it is. Richard Mille says the movement has a power reserve of 42 hours. The movement itself is just 2.60mm thick - which is quite impressive given all the styling that went into it. The movement is made primarily of titanium with some steel.While Richard Mille considers the watch to be a "formal piece," it still has a lot of the sportiness we have come to love from the uber-luxury brand. On the wrist the watch feels light and solid - like most of their pieces. While it comes on a rubber strap, people are regularly know to switch out the straps with custom jobs. Richard Mille himself is especially known for this. I wonder what other straps options would look good on this watch? Price for it is rather high... but that is to be expect from Mr. Mille. In titanium the RM 033 is $70,000, $85,000 in red gold, and $90,000 in white gold. So get one right away!TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF THE RICHARD MILLE EXTRA FLAT AUTOMATIC RM 033CALIBER RMXP1: Skeletonized automatic winding movement with hours, minutes and monoblock platinum rotorDiameter: 45.70 mm x 6.30 mm.MAIN FEATURES (MANY OF WHICH ARE MAJOR TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS)FREE SPRUNG BALANCE WITH VARIABLE INERTIAThis type of balance wheel represents the ultimate in innovation. It guarantees greater reliability when subjected to shock and also during movement assembly and disassembly. Hence better chronometric results over time.The regulator index is eliminated and a more accurate and repeatable adjustment is possible thanks to 4 adjustable small weights located directly on the balance.MONOBLOCK MICRO ROTORAfter the rotor with variable geometry that contributed to the success of Richard Mille¡¯s automatic calibres, a new winding device is introduced in the RM033. By using a platinum, decentrally positioned micro rotor, the barrel can be efficiently wound and an extra flat skeletonzied movement can be achieved.POWER RESERVE: 42 hoursBOTTOM PLATE, BRIDGES AND BALANCE COCK MADE OF TITANIUMThe baseplate and the skeletonized bridges were first subjected to separate and extensive validation tests to insure optimal strength requirements before manufacturing. The creation of these components in grade 5 titanium with Titalyt?? coating for the baseplate and PVD coating for the bridges, allows the whole assembly to be given great rigidity, as well as precise surface flatness that is essential for the perfect functioning of the gear train.SPLINE SCREWS IN GRADE 5 TITANIUM FOR THE BRIDGESThis permits better control of the torque applied to the screws during assembly. These screws are therefore unaffected by physical manipulation during assembly or disassembly and age well.OTHER FEATURES- Diameter of the movement: 33.00 mm- Thickness: 2.60 mm- Number of jewels: 29- Barrel arbor ¡ª in AP 20 steel- Balance: Glucydur, 4 arms, inertia moment 5.75 mg.cm2, angle of lift 53?o- Frequency: 21,600 vph (3Hz)- Balance spring: Nivaflex- Shock protection: Incabloc 908.22.211.100 (transparent)CASEIt retains the same characteristics and attention to detail of case design with a vast number of stamping and machining operations required for this round case with a total height comprising a mere 6.30 mm.The design and execution of this watchcase typifies the complete conceptual approach to all parts of the movement, case and dial. As a result, everything has been constructed according to an extremely rigorous specification. For example, a casing ring is no longer used and the movement is mounted on chassis mounting rubbers (ISO SW) fixed by 4 titanium screwsThe tripartite case is assembled with 16 spline screws in grade 5 titanium and abrasion resistant washers in steel and complemented by the additional integration of the lugs into the case¡¯s torque screw systemSPLINE SCREWS IN GRADE 5 TITANIUM FOR THE CASEThis permits better control of the torque applied to the screws during assembly. These screws are therefore unaffected by physical manipulation during assembly or disassembly and age well.CROWNIn ceramic, with double seal O-ring and detailing in titanium, 18-carat red or white goldINTERIOR FLANGE (upper and lower)In carbon fiber, with index points filled with approved luminous material.DIALIn sapphire (thickness: 0.30 mm) with anti-glare treatment (2 sides),CRYSTAL- Bezel side: in sapphire (1800 Vickers) with anti-glare treatment (2 sides).- Thickness: 1.00 mm- Case back: in sapphire with anti-glare treatment (2 sides)- Thickness: at the center 1.00 mm and at outer edges 1.53 mmFINISHINGMOVEMENT- Bottom plate in hand-ground titanium, wet sandblasted, Titalyt??treated- Bridges wet sandblasted, top surface polished by hand, PVD treated- Locking sections hand polished- Burnished pivots- Diamond polished sinks on the bridge side- Pinions with undercuts- Sandblasted and rhodium-plated, beveled wheelsGEAR WHEELS- Concave chamfering with a diamond tool- Circular-smoothed faces- Gilding (before cutting the teeth)Minimum manual correction to the wheels undertaken in order to preserve geometry and performanceSTEEL PARTS- microblasted and hand-drawn surfaces- sapphire blasted surfaces- anglage and polishing by handPROFILE-TURNING- lapped and polished ends- burnished pivots
I think Corum hit on a great idea with these limited edition Admiral's Cup Challenger 44 watches. The basic idea is simple, to create bold, friendly looking versions of the Admiral's Cup watch, just do it in as much brightly colored rubber as you can. These watches are each two toned and very enjoyable to wear. The steel cases are rubber coated, the strap is rubber, and the bezel is in rubber. Another key element in the design is that they are just two tones with really good contrast. It is like a toy-version of a high-end watch... but certainly not a toy.The watches are available as limited edition pieces. If all goes well, Corum plans on making new colors available each year. For 2011 the available limited edition pieces are in red, blue, and white. Little nod to the US flag? Maybe! Each of the watches will be limited to just 100 pieces.The watch case is mostly rubber (obviously metal underneath) and 44mm wide. The crown and crown guard are coated in vulcanized rubber. The most non-slip watch ever! The style of the watch really fits the twelve-sided Admiral's Cup case well. The dials are typical Admiral's Cup, and as legible and eye-pleasing as ever. I like that Corum resisted the urge to include an additional color on the dial.Inside the watch is a corum COSC Chronometer certified CO753 automatic chronograph movement. You can see it through the display caseback with a matching colored automatic rotor - that was a nice touch. My favorite piece is the red one. Obviously this is Corum playing around with the Admiral's Cup line which is their now iconic sport watch. You can see these as fashion pieces, but I see them more as just playful watches. When you don't want to be super serious about luxury. The fact that they are limited editions means that Corum doesn't want to go overboard with the concept, but wants to give buyers who find these appealing a chance to skew their typical perception of the Admiral's Cup timepiece. Price for each is $8,150.
One of the most useful mechanical complications I saw at Baselworld 2011 was the time switching mechanism on the new Breguet Classique 5717 Hora Mundi watch. Aside from having a very clever feature for travelers, the Hora Mundi mixes contemporary looks with Breguet classicism. That sounds like a bit of a irony, but they seemed to pull it off.The watch is large for Breguet Classique pieces at 44mm wide and over 13mm thick. The Classique style case looks nice in the size, but I think the design may have benefited from curved lugs in these dimensions. Of course the coined edge is always nice. The case is available in either 18k red gold or 950 platinum. There are also two dial versions. See the map on this dial? It is of Asia and the surrounding area. The two other dials have either North America or Europe. The ocean is done with a sweetly textured lapis lazuli, and the polished land region is cut with very high precision. Around the dial is a typical Breguet Roman numeral hour indicator ring, with two large pomme blued-steel style plications on the watch include the time, date, moon phase indicator, and the dual time mechanism. The date uses one of those expanded date windows that are good for dial balance, but bad for legibility. So Breguet did something to improve on the date window (that is located under 12 o'clock). There is circle-shaped hand in the open window that goes over the correct date. This should help things a lot, see what I mean?The moon phase complication is self-explanatory, but the dual time function requires a bit of explanation. When it is set up properly, it is very hands. What you do is press the pusher at 8 o'clock and the time switches instantly between two time zones. The reference city for that time zone is displayed in the open area over 6 o'clock. The watch doesn't just change the time, but also keeps track of AM/PM and changes the date when appropriate - pretty nifty right?Essentially what the watch is doing is keeping track of two times as one. There is a switch in the movement that changes which one is being displayed. Adjusting the times isn't too hard, and the ability to juxtapose a local and reference time on the fly is really handy. It cleans up the dial and makes the Hora Muni a travel watch when you want it to be, and a daily wearer when you don't. I don't know too many watches that can claim that.Inside the ref. 5717 Hora Mundi is the brand new Breguet caliber 77F0 automatic movement. It has a silicon hairspring and escapement, and is based on the Breguet caliber 777. The 77F0 has about 55 hours of power reserve. I like how the automatic movement has guilloche machine engraving on it for decoration. The piece is overall very pretty, and comes in a total of six versions. With the useful features, attractive design, and Breuget pedigree the ref 5717 Hora Mundi is one of best new Breguet watches for 2011 - and will be a desired piece by collectors and newbies to the brand for a few years to come.
Newer watch brand ELYSEE offers a range of styles and values with most of their products being under $1,000. My primary interest is in their Swiss mechanical watches which includes this ref. 71003N (71003) Classic Aviator Automatic. It isn't a complicated design, but rather, is intent on featuring a classic look in an easy to read and wear package.The watch itself is 42mm wide in polished steel with a "coined edge" style bezel. This bezel was popular on historic aviator watches and can be found on "retro" models from today. Things get a bit more formal into the dial where ELYSEE used an engraved silvered dial with Roman numerals giving it an almost Breguet-esque look and feel. Sport returns as you see the minute scale on the periphery of the dial. The idea is simple as ELYSEE goes for a hybrid look between formal and aviator watches. I believe the look is quite successful as the dial design feels natural.ELYSEE uses aviator style hands that are coated with lume. Trust me when say how happy I am that the hands are the right size! A date window is placed neatly neat 3 o'clock and over the dial is a sapphire crystal. Quality is impressive for this model as the case feels solid and the polish is nicely applied. In addition, the case is water resistant to 50 meters and has an aviator style "onion" crown that is easy to grip and operate.Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA 2824 automatic movement. You can see the movement through the sapphire display back on the rear of the watch. Nothing super fancy, but there is a custom rotor plate. The watch wears comfortably with the padded black leather strap accented with contrasting white stitching. And there is a small ELYSEE logo engraved in the ardillon style buckle. It does, however, feel that maybe ELYSEE used a buckle that is about 1mm too wide. This doesn't really affect much, though, as I am just being??nit-picky??at this point.On the wrist, this piece looks pleasant; the lugs stick out a little but that should only cause an issue on very small wrists. The dial is very legible and I think it does a good job at taking cues and aesthetics from the two different style genres the design of the 71003 borrows from. I wouldn't call it a sport watch but rather a formal/business casual watch that is unique but conservative at the same time. Price again is in the $1,000 range - and is closer to the high-end of what the brand currently offers.
Baselworld 2011 had a large selection of watch you can wear from brands that normally make watches most people cannot afford. While the ultra-high end certainly had its place, many of the watches on my Baselworld Top 11 watches list were in the "I could feasibly save up for this" range. One of them was this surprise pieces from Corum called the Admiral's Cup Legend 42. It comes in Legend 42 and 38 styles - which refers to the size of the case. Of course the 42 is for me.The case design is based on the iconic Admirals' Cup collection that Corum has been pushing lately. They have transformed the sport watch into a formal watch - and the metamorphosis feels natural. The case has that 12 sided shape and comes in steel or 18k rose gold. The bezel is polished while much of the rest of the case is brushed. There is just enough sport to the design to make it feel not boring, while much of it is taken from the other Admiral's Cup pieces. The 42mm wide size is smaller than the 44mm wide case that most of the AC watches come in. But the relatively thin bezel and clear face give the piece a good stature.I love the dial and applaud Corum's ability to make it both decorative and legible. As a nod to the AC collection, the boat pennant flat images are in thin outlines around the side of the watch on the flange ring. The baton hour indicators are polished but don't blend in with the dial. The hands are lume covered and stick out for very good legibility. I think you'll really appreciate the engraved vertical texturing on the dial as well. Not that a few other dial styles are available, and more will come soon I am guessing.Insertion of the date window is done nicely as it does not require the removal of an hour indicator. It also looks classy with a little polished metal fame. The watch has a subsidiary seconds dial that reminds us of those on many other AC watches. This one is placed a bit close to the center of the watch, but that doesn't bother me at all. I like the design of it as Corum is here able to inject a bit of subtle sportiness. The dial is available in a few tones, seen here silvered or in anthracite. The use of "60" as the 12 o'clock indicator looking all nice in polished metal is a great example of how the Legend is a smooth transition from sport to slick.Corum uses their caliber CO395 which is a base Swiss ETA 2895 automatic. Corum decorates it and uses a custom rotor. On the steel models the rotor is in steel, while in the gold cased version the rotor is done in 18k gold. The back of the watch reminds of a the Corum Admiral's Cup Deep Hull (and progeny). Corum clearly used that aesthetic in the AC Legend - which is alright with me.I am really not sure when the last time Corum offered the Admiral's Cup on a bracelet. It has been a while. The Legend 42 comes on a steel or gold bracelet or an alligator strap. my choice is the Corum Admiral's Cup Legend 42 with the silvered face on the steel bracelet. A really great formal or casually nice watch that embodies the spirit of the Admiral's Cup theme with a look you can wear daily. Prices for the Legend 42 start at $3,600.
Continuing their relationship with deep going free diver Carlos Coste, Oris produces another limited edition dive watch for the world record holder. This new watch is the Oris Carlos Coste Limited Edition Cenote Series timepiece - and will be offered as a set of 2000 pieces.Coste just completed a new dive record by diving to 150 meters into the Don Ojos cenote (cave network) under Yucatan in Mexico. Coste, a Venezuelan native, dove down using minimal equipment. I have placed some videos here of his other dives - and you can see him wearing an Oris watch in them.The Oris Carlos Coste Limited Edition Diver is in high-grade titanium and 46mm wide. Oris makes some of the best diving watches around - and this piece exhibits all those features, plus a few extras. Additional features revolve around the chronograph markings on the dial which are said to assist with special dive times under water. Looking at the chronograph minute dial, you can see a special "1-10" scale done in luminant. The triangles are 2.5 minutes and 7.5 minutes refer to breath-holding records Carlos has set. While not functional - they aren't distracting and help remind of the diver's achievements.Aside from this special dial, there is a unique blue and white caseback image to differentiate this limited edition watch. Oris watches typically have such special casebacks for these limited edition divers. The one here has Carlos Coste's logo - one that looks like a strung out wet rag... or worse. I actually think that it is supposed to be a profile look at him diving down wearing flippers - I think.Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph movement with Oris' signature red rotor. The case is thick, but comfortable. It is water resistant to 500 meters and has an AR coated sapphire crystal. Diving features include an automatic helium escape valve on the side of the case and large pushers. Of course the case has a sizable diver's bezel that is in steel and ceramic. The black ceramic has cut numerals and markers that are are then filled with SuperLumiNova. The effect in the dark is quite cool. The dial is legible and all Oris DNA.Like other Oris divers, the bracelet is very thick, but also comfortable. Here in titanium, Oris provides two rubber straps with the Carlos Coste Cenote Limited Edition watch as well. One strap has a traditional buckle, while the other has a deployment clasp. The kit also comes with strap changing tools. While not dramatically unique in comparison to many of Oris' other dive watches, The Carlos Coste is a great piece for his fans as well as those who are keen to own limited edition models. Price for each of the 2000 pieces is about $4,300.
Here is something new. I just learned about Revelation watch and am rather impressed with some of the elements in this watch. When it will be ready I have no idea, but there are a few things neat about this piece. Most notable is the dial that goes from solid to clear. Meaning you can have a more traditional flat black dial with hour indicators, or one that is totally open with a view into the movement. Well, that is the basic idea at least.The Revelation R0-1 timepiece has a complex movement called the TM01 (which is reportedly in-house made). It is manually wound with 48 hours of power reserve and a tourbillon done a bit like the Cartier Astrotourbillon. Rather than rotating on its own axis, the large escapement moves around like a center fugue under the dial with a counterweight. Revelation calls it their "Tourbillon Menage." The tourbillon structure is so heavy that it takes four linked mainspring barrels to give it 48 hours of power reserve. In most other watches, four mainspring barrels would offer much more power. I believe that the Tourbillon Menage rotates fully each minute. Functions for the watch are just the time.Alone, this new tourbillon complication is interesting, but for me the more interesting element of the Revelation R-01 watch is their use of specially polarized glass. Let me see if I can get this straight. If you take two pieces of glass that have been polarized in the right way, they will look transparent alone, but totally opaque when put together. I believe I have witnessed this in other applications so I understand how it works. The Revelation watch has a bezel connected to a special gear that when pulled up - rotates the two polarized sections together allowing the bottom one to be clear. This new clarity allows you to view the movement right under the dial. With the "lid" closed, you just see the hands and markers. This is done via an "Archimedes gear," and I think Revelation is trying to patent the novelty.According to Revelation they created some fancy hinge that works with the bezel assembly. Even reading about it a few times I don't entirely get it or know exactly what it does - sifting through hyperbole can be a chore. Seriously, instead of dedicated paragraphs of text to explain something, why can't they just release a simple video? What Revelation wants, is for watch lovers to have the best of both worlds - a clear and legible dial, along with the ability to view and appreciate a movement without having to take their watch off. This is a fascinating and potentially over-complicated approach (but that is the watch industry for you).Based on the fact that Revelation hasn't released a lot of info on the watch case itself, I have a feeling the Revelation R-01 timepieces aren't quite ready for prime-time yet (does the dial really need to say "Revelation" on it twice?). They indicate a few versions that will be available though, being offering in black colored titanium, 18k gray gold, 18k pink gold with black gold elements, and in 18k yellow gold. Little clarification here for the model pricing, and each will be limited to just 15 pieces:-for the black titanium R01.TM01.T2 ??CHF 172'800.--for the yellow gold R01.Tm01.3N CHF 192'000.--for the pink gold / pink gold PVD CHF 197 760.--for the white gold CHF 211'200.-Expect the first pieces to ship October 2011.
In addition to the piece unique watch that Bell & Ross has created for the Only Watch 2011 watch auction, it looks like they will have a few of these "Bell & Ross BR01 Casino" watches for sale. The Only Watch 2011 version has a black and gold dial and is done in all 18k pink gold (some is PVD coated black) . The standard version will be more traditionally toned like a roulette wheel.These watches are based on the Bell & Ross Radar watch from last year. A concept that Bell & Ross keeps playing with. There has been the Radar II, as well as other models based on the BR01 case and dial that uses three moving discs to tell the hours, minutes, and seconds. The movement is based on a modified Swiss ETA 2892 automatic.Are these 46m wide slowly moving roulette wheels cool in a Casino setting? Of course. Who wants to know the time at the tables anyways (the casino certainly doesn't want you to know). Reading the time isn't super easy, but it is doable. The green "0" is the hour indicator and the moving ball is the minute indicator. The center disc shows the seconds.While there will only be one of the BR01 Casino Only Watch 2011, I am not sure how many PVD steel BR01 Casino pieces Bell & Ross will make. It is likely not a limited edition piece, but something unique that you won't find all over the place. Actually, according to Bell & Ross, the BR01 Casino will be available excursively in casinos that are either in Las Vegas, Monaco, and Macau. Look for them in October 2011 (the month after the only watch auction ends).
There is a word that is thrown around a lot in the watch world that means the public takes a watch (or anything else for that matter) seriously. That word is legitimacy and I love to hear the French pronounce it. Cartier is what they call a legitimate brand. They have heaps of reputation, a solid history and plenty of important people who wear their products. Classic Cartier designs are also a great influence to their direct competitors. They really are the model of a solid luxury watch brand.A few years ago, Cartier decided that this was not enough. They wanted even more legitimacy, especially with the growing population of seasoned watch lovers. This meant adding a lot more high-end watches to their range, as well as offering in-house made movements. Well, sometimes "in-house" just meant no one else was using those movements but that's another matter altogether. I also suspect this push to make movements was partly due to ETA's (Swatch Group owned while Cartier is Richemont) continual threats to stop supplying movements to outside brands. ETA hasn't done this yet but Cartier was smart to invest in movement manufacturing in the event that it does happen.The first watches to contain in-house Cartier movements were very high-end. Cartier offered a brand new look and feel to the type of watch that could bear the Cartier name. All these watches had exotic movements and prices were on par with that of some very nice real estate. In 2010 Cartier announced the release of the simply named Calibre, a story that I covered here. The new masculine watch offered a sporty look (more so than Cartier's other sport watches such as the Pasha, Santos, and Roadster) as well as, for the first time, an "entry-level" Cartier with an in-house movement.That movement was the 1904 MC. A thin caliber automatic that had 48 hours of power reserve with a rotor set of ceramic ball bearings. It was rather nicely decorated, too. Functionally, it has the time with a subsidiary seconds dial and the date. Cartier made sure that it had enough differences in comparison to most of the base movements offered by ETA. You can see the movement via the sapphire caseback window on the back of the watch.I predicted in 2010 that the Calibre would soon have a bracelet option and in 2011 Cartier offered one. For me, the watch was now complete. Cartier is known for rather nice bracelets so it was a shame to see a new sport watch on just a strap. That is the one I wanted to review and so I did.The Calibre is deceptively large. Seeing it in a store window I would bet money it was larger than its 42mm wide size might suggest. Thanks to a hefty crown guard and large, widely spaced lugs this watch is one of the best optical illusions around. Thanks to the lugs allowing the bottom to wrap around your wrist, this watch is quite comfortable to wear and in addition to that, the piece does not have a tall profile.For the price, the detailing and finishing on the case and bracelet are very good. Thin strips of polished metal are placed around the brushed surfaces with the contrast between the two finishes being very good. Let me explain, on most cheaper watches when you have a brushed area and a polished area, the transition between these finishes is more of a blur/blend. It comes across as lacking refinement. On a watch like this (and many other higher-end pieces) there is a very distinct transition between the finishes. I hope that made sense.Detailing on the case is impressive with a great deal to look at - including recessed areas and, my favorite part, the bezel and flange ring. Look at the inner sides of the dial and it looks like you are viewing gear teeth. This design feature adds visual interest and complexity to a rather simple dial. Cartier really wanted to make sure the case and dial has the right mix of complexity and simplicity.The dial is pretty cool and I like seeing it and reading it. However, I feel that Cartier could have extended the minute hand a bit more and given it a bit more lume. In fact, I wonder what it would look like with larger hands overall. The sub second dial is tastefully done and the classic Cartier DNA is preserved with the Roman numerals. The biggest point of contention for most people is the "expanded' date window - Cartier is just being trendy with that. Personally, I don't like it and feel that it off-balances the dial. The large date window and crowd guard are meant to be harmonious shapes, but instead they help the watch look a bit "right heavy." Little quips, but Cartier sets a tall bar so I figured it was worth noting. Here, the dial is in black but they are also offered in white and brown.The bracelet is very nice and looks like that of an evolved Roadster bracelet. Aside from looking nice, the best part is the locking butterfly clasp. Some Cartier clasps are mere tension clasps which are prone to opening if your arm experiences shock. They can also degrade over time. The detailing on the clasp is very good and it operates smoothly.Features like the bracelet, bezel, perfectly domed AR coated sapphire crystal and in-house movement make the Cartier Calibre family of timepieces easy to lust for. Trust me that in the coming years Cartier will offer chronographs and other complications based on the 1904 MC architecture. For now, this model is affordable and attractive ... As well as legitimate. Priced at $7,500 for the all steel model and $10,950 for the steel with 18k rose gold model.
In my short years as an 'aspiring' watch photographer, few timepieces have truly evaded a good picture as the Chanel J12 Chromatic. The rich universe of hues that emit from Chanel's new "chromatic" material are more or less impossible to capture in stills - as the colors mix and meld with the light so amazingly. It is a sin to evaluate this watch for yourself seeing it in still images alone.I first wrote about and debuted Chanel's C12 Chromatic watch here. There is discussed the important of the new material and the history a bit. Over 10 years ago Chanel swept the industry with the J12 - and there has been no looking back. In white and black, Chanel has been experimenting in-house with the new tone and style to feature. What they ended up with is a metallic monolithic gray that has an amazing sheen to it. The gray is dark, but lively as it plays with the light. I expect it to turn into the T1000 enemy machine from Terminator 2.Again, the new ceramic material is a skillful mix of traditional ceramic material with titanium. Together they are highly polished and tasteful. Chanel did however do something weird (for my tastes) with the collection. The larger version is 41mm wide versus 42mm wide as is the case with the standard J12 collection. Why? According to Chanel they wanted this version to have something a bit different. I get that, but I still don't agree with the logic. Anyone who has a Chanel J12 is into fashion and will supplement their wrist's "look" often. Meaning that the material on the J12 Chromatic is enough for people to want to get it.?? If they don't have a J12, it isn't because they desperately wanted a 41mm wide size - because 42 was too big, and 38 was too small. Plus, the smaller size might actually prevent some people from getting an otherwise great watch as they feel it is too small. I love the feel of the Chromatic on my wrist, but would love for a 43-45mm wide size.Gray is a curious color for luxury and fashion, but it works. Gray is the color of rainy skies and concrete prisons. However, gray does have an interesting quality, that when it reflects light can look orange on the edges - which is very cool. In a high-gloss finish it looks pretty stupendous. Chanel even added other gray elements to the dial as well as a new brushed metal central dial.Of the most interesting things about the J12 Chromatic is the weight. Still hard and durable, it is very light in weight - a property not common to ceramic items. The rich character of the color and the J12's enduring personality make this one of the nicest fashion watches around. Many people would be amiss by not having one of these in their collections.See Chanel watches on eBay here.See Chanel watches on Amazon here.
It takes a lot for a timepiece to be truly controversial. I am not just talking about people arguing whether a design is pretty or not. I mean a real discussion on whether the concept and construction of the watch is in good taste. Few people have been able to pull this off, and in the watch industry one man has been able to do it a few times - Yvan Arpa. For me, this watch sums him up, as well as the legacy he left behind during his time at Swiss watch brand Romain Jerome.During the height of the most modern economic boom, Romain Jerome was little more than a quirky brand that sold golf-themed timepieces. The problem was that most golfers didn't want to wear a watch (or a bulky one) while playing the game. The owners brought in Yvan Arpa who decided to create a watch that combined a few things: luxury, rarity, and unattainability. It also had to involve something that people all over the world would know about. An idea he settled on was the most famous sunken ship ever, the Titanic.He imagined a collection called the Titanic-DNA. A steampunkish watch that was said to contain parts from the Titanic. Some people were shocked by the idea, and others thought that it was "pretty cool." On more than one occasion I had to hear people speak of how horrified they were than someone would disgrace the memories of the people who lost their lives in the tragedy by making a watch with parts from the ship. Other people felt it was a pretty darn nice tribute to those lost souls. How you are personally going feel is subjective. For me, not being easily offended, I thought it was an interesting concept. My biggest question was always "exactly how much of the Titanic is in it?"The watch also allowed Arpa to play with his fascination with decay. He loves organic decay in design and plays with it in the use of oxidized metal - here used for the bezel of the watch. While this is not the very first Titanic DNA (Titanic-DNA) watch, it does have the purist, original dial. I feel that this watch is one of Arpa's enduring masterpieces.Arpa is no longer at Romain Jerome, which is now headed by the talented Manuel Emch, the brand continues the Titanic DNA collection with a series of interesting models and renditions. This model which is under the T-Oxy III range is offered in the brands current limited edition collection as of now. You can get it in black steel, polished and black steel mixed, or in 18k red gold (as seen here). The bezel is made out of what Romain Jerome calls their "stabilized Titanic Extreme rusted steel." This is where the "Titanic" part of the watch really comes in.There is a reason the watch is called Titanic "DNA." There are in fact small amounts of actual metal dragged up from the Titanic in the bezel. There is also metal recovered from the ship yard that the Titanic was produced at in Ireland, as well as other steel. Romain Jerome personally oxidizes the metal in a water treatment for several days before the bezels appear as they do. The idea is further to remind you of the oxidized nature of the ship metal deep below the ocean. One of the little ironies of the watch is the fact that the original metal used for the Titanic's hull is now generally agreed to have been used in error. That a better metal would have been stronger - likely tough enough to not tear when hitting an iceberg.The Titanic DNA case is 46mm wide and 15mm thick. You'll find that over the years Romain Jerome has offered it in a variety of styles and materials including steel, gold, and ceramic. While the case is simple in concept, there are a number of small details that make it interesting. These include the brushed and polished sections, and of course the bezel "claws." My favorite part is the dial. The hands are meant to look a bit like anchors, with lume at their tips, and the applied Arabic numerals are period perfect and brushed on the surface for ideal legibility. The hint of red on the subsidiary seconds - that looks like some type of engine room gauge - is a delicate and refined touch. There are Titanic DNA models with other dials identical to this one, but with date windows in the sub-seconds dial. However, I think this dial sans the date is more elegant. Look closely and you'll notice that the face has a texture a bit similar to the bezel. According to Romain Jerome the dial is made with a bit of "Titanic coal."On the back of the watch is an engraving of the Titanic (as it would have looks on the ocean, not in the ocean). Look closely on the hull and you'll see the number of the watch in the limited edition. Most Titanic DNA pieces are limited to 2,012 pieces. In fact, all Romain Jerome watches are part of limited edition sets. This particular model in 18k red gold has the reference T.OXY3.2222.00.BB. Attached to the watch is a rubber strap with an RJ initial on it and a locking butterfly clasp in titanium and 18k red gold. It is one of those types that is made to look like a standard ardillon buckle, but is more complex that than when opened using pushers on the side of the buckle. I like the RJ logo cut into the titanium part of the clasp. I also think that the watch would look really nice on a black alligator or crocodile strap.Inside of the watch is a Swiss Concepto made caliber C22RJ51 automatic movement. Overall I like this watch for a number of reasons - the Titanic part of the story is just something to help explain it to people. For me it is art by Yvan Arpa, a piece of history combined with the avant garde personality of Romain Jerome, and a 'watch icon' due to its completely polarizing nature. It is also well-made and feels good on the wrist, not to mention easy to ready. Price for this model in 18k red gold is 23,900 Swiss Francs, while the T-OXY III collection starts at 11,900 Swiss Francs.
Fashion designer JC/DC (Jean-Charles de Castelbajac) once again works with Hong Kong based watch maker O.D.M (ODM) in this interesting and whimsical watch called the "Gummy Me." Done in silicone, the watch in its entirety looks like a sort of rabbit-like creature. The eyes are two small LCD screens that tell the time (hours for one eye, minutes in the other). Coming in four colors it is strange, it is fun, and it is probably not destined to find a home on most people's wrists - but some will love it.JC/DC refers to the design as an alien rabbit - something that should be experimented on. The package itself is shaped a bit like a specimen sample. They are playing on the whimsy of the character. To me the Gummy Me rabbit looks like a cross between Bugs Bunny and that Life in Hell rabbit that Matt Groening created.The last JC/DC watch I wrote about was a Lego model that I wrote about here. This man loves toys. So why doesn't he design kids clothes? While the Gummy Me watch is totally strange I am oddly drawn to it. Not just because of the funny face that will stare at me each time I check the time, but more because of the attention I know it will get from other people. This odd colorful animal-like thing strapped to my wrist. Oh yea, it tells the time too, I remind them. The Gummy Me watch comes in black, white, blue, and red. In addition to telling the time, the little screens also show the date and have a blacklight which is activated by touching the side of the rabbit's head. They aren't too expensive at $85 each. You can get your own JC/DC online from ODM here.
The word "Grand Seiko" either means a lot to you or nothing at all. Seiko's high-end brand built entirely in Japan by their most skilled watch makers is a meme unto itself. More so, to the Japanese it means one thing, while it means something totally different to the rest of the world.Grand Seiko as a line started in the mid 20th century (specifically in 1960), available only in Japan. For decades Grand Seiko was available exclusively in its homeland, as well as some select zones outside of Japan. If you heard about Grand Seiko and wanted one you had to contact a dealer in Japan that was willing to ship it overseas to you. As of last year, Seiko has started to ship Grand Seiko watches (not all of them) to the world. Watch lovers couldn't be happier. In Japan Grand Seiko is source of national pride. Watch making is a valued art form, and Japan's ability to make good watches is a reflection on national engineering and artistic ability. A Japanese person who wears a Grand Seiko watch is a person who takes pride in what Japan produces. Outside of Japan the Grand Seiko collection is popular for a different reason - and it has to do with the reputation Japan has for quality and reliability. I recall growing up wanting everything I bought to be made in Japan. For the most part this included electronics and toys, but they made the best electronics and toys I could find. If it was made in Japan, I felt as though a better mind than mine own imagined it, designed it, and manufactured it. Japan was synonymous with quality. For my parent's this was a strange thing as just a generation earlier Japan was synonymous with crap - just as much of what comes out of China is known for today. Therefore, if Grand Seiko sat as one of the most meticulously designed and made high-end items in Japan, I wanted it. I didn't even need to understand or see the product... I just trusted what I knew about Japanese products such as this, and wanted it. Then years later I finally started to get my hands on them.Switzerland for the most part hates or merely tolerates Seiko. Why? Because in many ways Seiko plays the game much better than they do. Don't get me wrong, the Swiss and Germans do a lot of things Seiko doesn't do, but that doesn't mean Seiko couldn't do it if they really wanted to (which seems to be the predominant agreement in the industry - not everyone wants to be good at all the games). Seiko exists as a foreign invader... opting to copy, optimize, or innovate Swiss things where they see fit. Seiko also has released an incredible number of innovations compared to European watch making that has remained more or less the same for generations (aside from some materials and manufacturing changes). In addition, Seiko is mostly responsible for the quartz crisis (revolution) that wounded the Swiss ego and economy in a big way in the 1980s. Last, Seiko offers a large amount of products that meet the "in-house made" criteria for prices at fractions of what the Swiss charge. This damages the value proposition of luxury watches across the board. Seiko is a true innovator, disruptor, and force to be reckoned with. They are also super traditionalists and engineers at heart. Something the Grand Seiko collection is all about.In the late 1960s, Seiko started to experiment with so called "high beat" (also referred to as "Hi-Beat") movement. The first Hi-Beat movement was released in 1968 with the caliber 61GS. These ran at 36,000 beats per hour (bph) just like the Zenith El Primero. The key element here was accuracy. A fast operating movement could be more precise and accurate at the same time. If you know anything about Seiko history you know that they are obsessed with accurate watches (hi-beat, quartz, atomic clock control, Spring Drive).What made hi beat movements difficult to master was reliability. The fast moving escapements and anchors needed to be specially engineered to prevent excessive wear. This is one of the main reasons that you don't see more high frequency mechanical movements on the market. We will see how Tag Heuer industrializes some of their ultra high frequency mechanical movements.
The movement is visible through a sapphire caseback and is decorated in a Japanese style by Seiko. On the dial the movement displays the time with central seconds and the date. As the movement beats quickly, the seconds hand sweeps very smoothly, almost like the glide hand on a Seiko Spring Drive watch.The design of this Grand Seiko Hi-Beat Automatic Ref SBGH005 watch overall is classy and tasteful. It is the archetype nice steel watch on metal bracelet. The design of the case is somewhat classic Rolex inspired if you know what you are looking at. It is 40mm wide and 13mm thick (water resistant to 100 meters). Detailing and polish are immaculate - part of what you pay for with Grand Seiko. You'll appreciate the skilled polishing and the crisp attention to detail all around.At 40mm wide this traditional design and size is a bit small for me, but I still wear it happily. Many people prefer this size, so I would say it is just right for what Seiko is going for. The larger lugs and middle section allow for the piece to feel a bit larger than you'd think on the wrist. The watch is effortlessly comfortable and demure on your arm. Little details like the inset crown (when it is screwed in), and the integration of the bracelet are very welcome.The dial is a testament to Seiko's heritage. This is a design that Seiko has been using and perfecting for maybe 50-60 years. The applied hands and hour indicators are diamond polished, and proportions are perfect. The sword-like dauphine hands are gorgeous. I like the large-seeming date window with the black disc (amazingly clear but it does not stick out like a sore thumb on the dial), and dual "GS" (Grand Seiko) and Seiko branding on the dial. For the face Seiko uses a black plate that when seen in the right light reveals a stunning sunray texture (the watch also comes in a white dialed version with the Ref. SBGH001). The only drawback of the dial is the lack of lume for darkness viewing. Again, this dial is "classic" 20th century formal quasi-minimalist watch dial... incarnate.You don't wear a watch like this in the US to get noticed. Only a select assortment of watch nerds get it. As I mentioned, those that do love these pieces. Grand Seiko has a very loyal following from some of the most discriminating watch nerds around. These watches don't embody the showy sexiness of many European designers, but are rather an exercise is purpose and poise. Function mingling with reserved form with timelessness in mind.Aside from Spring Drive movements, these Hi-Beats are at the apex of Seiko's mechanical watch making from a mass produced perspective. There are more complex movements reserved for some high-end Seiko Credor pieces, but those watches have different personalities (and prices). Retailing for $7,200 this ref. SBGH005 is not a cheap watch. In contrast, a similar Grand Seiko watch with a more traditional automatic movement (not Hi Beat) retails for just $4,400. That model (I was referencing the ref. SBGR051 with the caliber 9S65) is smaller at 37mm wide... but you get the idea. Is the Hi-Beat worth the premium? I think it is.For me, there are two reasons to get a Grand Seiko watch, the Hi-Beat movement which is a specialty of Seiko, as well as the Spring Drive movement. The special movement, case, and heritage complete the Japanese package for me. Emotionally it just wouldn't be the same with the more typical (though still in-house made) automatic movement or the quartz model. Yes, you get a lot of movement options in Grand Seiko range, but those are my choice picks. Grand Seiko will always have special meaning to me, one that I keep realizing each time I get more excited about a watch like this than I do a new $200,000 Swiss tourbillon based timepiece. Look for these where Grand Seiko watches are sold.
As a special one-off piece Richard Mille is making this RM 055 JC watch for charity. It will be auctioned off on September 14th in Beijing as part of the brand's continual push to capture more of the Chinese market. Who better than to do it with Jackie Chan? The watch will officially be called The RM 055?? JC Jackie Chan's Dragons' Heart Foundation. I wanna little dragon's heart in my life, I hear it is really tasty with BBQ sauce.Chan has worked with watch brands before. I believe there was something with Piaget, and here I discussed a limited edition IWC watch that he worked on as well. This one-off piece has the logo of the Dragon's Heart Foundation on the dial, which has been sorta of integrated with the design of the hands. The colors are nice, and you can still see much of the watch underneath. The RM 055 has a tourbillon based manually-wound movement with the time, power reserve indicator, and torque indicator. A cool piece, and it is up to you to decide whether or not the colorful graphics on the dial are for you or not. Well, Richard Mille really only needs to convince one person.The 48.18mm tall by 39.70mm wide watch will be done in 18k white gold with a white rubber strap matched to the tonneau style case. Again, the watch will be auctioned off in Beijing on September 14th, but I am not sure where. UPDATE: The Richard Mille RM 055 JC watch went for $860,000 at auction.
New watch brand John Isaac Geneve is serving up some more than decent timepieces that play Frankenstein with some of your favorite brands. They seem to particularly like playing house with Patek Philippe and Franck Muller, though JeanRichard makes an entrance pretty often. The brand's debut collection features a range of pieces for both men and women. Their diver is called the Rough Sea and comes in three dial colors.Each of the brand's watch cases are elliptical in shape. They bring to mind the iconic Patek Philippe Ellipse watch. Though the Rough Sea case is more Patek Philippe Aquanaut in design with some JeanRichard Diverscope in the mix. You can see more of the Diverscope in John Isaac's Grand Prix chronograph watches.The mixture of design elements and famous watch styles is rather satisfying actually. Seeing those Franck Muller numerals (that actually originated before Franck Muller was around. I recall seeing them on early 20th century Patek Philippe watches) mixed with Patek elements and sport themes is neat and something I wouldn't have considered myself. While those numerals are more present on John Isaac's other pieces, you do get it for the 12 o'clock indicator on this watch.In a steel case that is water resistant to 50 meters the Rough Sea is 35.5mm wide but taller than it is wide so it does not feel so small. Though this is a medium-sized watch. As you can see in the "lifestyle" shot that John Isaac provides, the watch is certainly not in the family of massive dive watches. Some of you will love this, others wont. With 50 meters of water resistance this is strictly a desk (or dinner) diver watch. You shouldn't really be doing more than washing your hands or dishes with this on (more like Tame Sea). Actually, that is a bit of a shame as it would be nice to have this nice looking dive-style watch be more activity suited. Then again, most logical people would retort with the fact that something like 1-2% of people wearing dive watches even take them underwater.Crystal is sapphire and there is another sapphire crystal on the caseback of the watch showing off the movement. In this case that is a Swiss ETA 2824-2 automatic that is said to have some decoration. The term they use is "deluxe" which could mean anything. The textured dial is appealing and I like the integration of the internal rotating diver's bezel. Sporty orange is used for the hour hand, while all the hands and hour numerals are applied with LumiNova lume (no SuperLumiNova?). Dial styles are black, blue and gray. While I like the black dial version best, it might be wise to get a blue or gray version as the black minute hand might blend in too much with the black dial causing legibility issues.The lugless case design is attractive and I overall like the style of the watch. It works well and is polished in its look. John Isaac matches the Rough Sea with a buffalo leather strap with folding clasp. They also provide an additional rubber strap, which should go well with this look. Price for the John Isaac Rough Sea watch 1,990 Swiss Francs and you can get them online via their website.
Someone recently asked me whether they thought pocket watches might come back in fashion. John and I spent time discussing this during episode of the HourTime Show watch podcast and after giving it much thought the answer was a resounding "not likely." So why am I mentioning this before I discuss what is arguably one of the coolest pocket watches around? Because this pocket watch you see before you won't find a place in jacket pockets and be used to tell the time on a regular basis. It will be stored sweetly and safely and played with from time to time. The privileged few owners of these watches will still use a wrist watch as their primary (or at least secondary) means of telling the time. This and other pocket watches will merely be a collector's item. Possibly really cool collector's items, but still just that.Pocket watches are increasingly attractive for high-end brands to make as limited edition models because of collective nostalgia and size. In 1989 Patek Philippe released its famous "Calibre 89" pocket watch. At the time it was the most complicated timepiece in the world. Patek isn't really in the market to make pocket watches but the size of a pocket watch allows sophisticated brands to show off their stuff. You can simply fit a lot more in to something the size of a pocket watch versus a wrist watch. For mechanical junkies like me, the allure of shoving in "the whole kitchen sink" is just to appealing from an aspirational standpoint. That still doesn't mean I can see myself lugging it aroundA few years ago the first really modern super high-end pocket watch came out released by Richard Mille. Called the RM 020, its rectangular shaped case defied the round shape rule that we associate with most pocket watches. It cost over $400,000 and contained a tourbillon among other complications. It also had a funky titanium chain that reminded me of robotic dreadlocks. Now Urwerk releases their version of the pocket watch which follows the "it no longer needs to be round" rule.Urwerk doesn't even call their model UR-1001 a pocket watch. There prefer the term "Zeit Device ¨¹ber Complication." That does seem to apply better to something that looks like a watch gear assembled mobile phone. Too bad Celsius sort of beat them to the punch with a high-end watch that actually is in a phone. With the fold out section on the back of the UR-1001 that reminds me of those old Motorola StarTac phones, it is hard to not see the mobile phone connection. Go ahead, try to make a call with it.Uber device it is. The UR-1001 is basically an accumulation of all of the complications that Urwerk has developed over the years. It then adds a new calendar system. That doesn't mean the UR-1001 contains every function they've put in timepieces, but all the unique elements that make an Urwerk an Urwerk are represented in this pocket watch... I mean this super device awesome complication time munching mega stick.The UR-1001 will initially be made in AlTiN - which is an alloy that uses titanium and aluminum. It is 106mm high and 62mm wide, and only 23mm wide. Of course it comes with a chain to fit the watch made in blackened steel with a carabiner clasp. The initial UR-1001 watch will be made as a limited edition of just 8 pieces. I anticipate that Urwerk will follow up with additional UR-1001 or derivative pocket watches in other materials/colors.The design of the UR-1001 case is very much inline with the design of Urwerk's watches. It looks ergonomic from a holding standing point and the large crown is located at the top. If you are familiar with Urwerk timepieces you'll instantly recognize this as a member of the brand. I overall like how the case acts as a frame for the internal components, but I think that the integration of the screws on the case (especially the back) could have been a bit more refined. On the rear of the UR-1001 is a flap that opens and closes to reveal some of the additional complication.Inside the watch is an Urwerk made caliber UR-10.01 manually wound movement. While there are additional details below, the movement more or less has the time with day/night indicator, power reserve indicator, running time indicator, and an annual calendar. The real innovation is the application of a calender to Urwerk's satellite system for telling the time. The same method for telling the hours and minutes is now used to indicate the month (or the revolving hands) and the date on the linear scale. For whatever reason the seconds indicator for the time is located in this area.It would have been really cool to see this calendar be a perpetual calendar - maybe next time. As for super technical innovation, that isn't really what the UR-1001 is about it seems. It is a pocket watch that wows Urwerk watch lovers by having double satellite systems in a single device - rather than being a showcase for shoving in as many complications as possible. Seeing everything in action is beautiful. The openness of the dial and design are very attractive. One area I wish could have been improved upon is power reserve for the movement, which is only 39 hours. However, Urwerk does supply a display case that includes an automatic winder - more details on that plimenting the time and calendar functions is Urwerk's "oil change indicator" and running time indicator. The oil change indicator basically tells you when to send your UR-1001 back to Urwerk for (an expensive) service each 5 years. The running indicator basically measures how long the UR-1001 movement has been operating. Urwerk designed it to go up to 1000 years. Yup. I really admire how much they stand behind their build quality!Overall I am impressed by the Urwerk UR-1001 Zeit Device Uber Complication. It isn't exactly that uber complicated, but it is uber cool. For me it is more about concept and design, as well as being mechanical art. For the few hundred grand it will cost, eight people will be pretty happy. See more details and tech specs below.UR-1001 - Complications in Detail Direct From Urwerk:Dial sideHour Satellite Complication. The Hour Satellite Complication of the Zeit Device is a ¡®flying¡¯ design in that there is no top bridge supporting the carrousel.
"Spherodrive" is a term that sounds really cool. I sort of want to shake the hand of the guy who penned it. Funny how the Swiss watch industry still has clever engineering-minded people who come up with this technology and these names. The industry is full of terms such as this like "co-axial escapement, silinvar, constant-force, and magic lever (that last one goes to the Japanese)." Often times these terms are much better than actual watch model names.A few years ago Swiss Eterna debuted its new Spherodrive technology in a Madison watch. I discussed the Spherodrive Madison with the calibre 3505 movement here. In that article you can also learn a lot more about Spherodrive mechanism itself and what it is all about in comparison to more traditional mainspring barrel assemblies. In short, Spherodrive is a new way for mainspring barrels to connect to movements. It creates a more stable connection and one that is more reliable. It also uses ceramic ball bearings that require no lubrication. This all means that the watch requires less maintenance, is going to be more accurate, and less prone to being damaged over the long run. According to Eterna, before Spherodrive mainspring barrels haven't been given a lot of attention and should be considered one of a watch movement's weaker points.To showcase the debut of the Spherodrive technology in the manually-wound Calibre 3505 movement, Eterna put the movement in a Madison watch. Simple and elegant, people argued that the conservative looking timepiece was perhaps not the most exciting way of debuting the novel mechanism. So Eterna followed up with a new movement called the Calibre 3510. Also manually wound, this movement added a big date mechanism and an 8 power reserve (via two barrels) with a power reserve indicator. Still a Madison, the watch was updated to look more modern and technical. While still a conservative looking timepiece, this Madison Eight Days is easily a better frame to show off the Spherodrive system.The Calibre 3510 is easily the best part of the watch, and again is entirely made and designed by Eterna (a true in-house movement). The rectangular shaped movement is a visual spectacle with its two large mainspring barrels and attractive finishing. People don't expect it when you hand the watch to them and they turn it around to see the movement through the sapphire caseback window. The movement really makes the watch what it is. With 192 hours of power reserve it is necessary to have the power reserve indicator there to show you when to wind the movement. Winding the movement is simple enough but you need to wind for a long time. Yes, it is going to be more than just a few turns to wind enough power over a week, but I find that the Calibre 3510 seems to require even more than the expected amount of winding.Also when winding the movement the barrels sometimes "jump." This means that while turning they sometimes turn a bit more rapidly for a second - which is sometimes called "slipping." This isn't so much an issue as a question I have as to what causes this. I think it might have to do with the fact that the barrels are series coupled. Operation of the movement is otherwise pretty simple. The crown could be a little bit grippier, but winding the Madison Eight Days is a breeze. I like Eterna crowns because the five point logo is integrated into them. Ironically that five point logo is supposed to be five ball bearings. While adjusting the time is easy, the date requires pressing an inset pusher located at about 10 o'clock on the case. While it works just fine, you will need a pen or stylus to adjust the date.Eterna offers the Madison Eight Days with either a black, gray, or silvered dial (matched to a black or brown Louisiana alligator strap - which is really nice). On the dial you can begin to see the attention to detail Eterna places on the watch case as well as the movement. While tonneau in shape, the case and dial are attractive. The dial is easy to read with large properly sized hands and applied hour markers. Both the hands and hour markers feature very crisp mirror polishing and have luminant applied to them. The "cobble" textured center dial is also a nice touch.While I am not a huge fan of asymmetric dials, the Madison Eight Days does it well. The large big date window is easy to see and the power reserve indicator helps visually balance it on the dial. While the face of the Madison is not exactly modern in its approach, it is done well and offers a satisfying visual experience that won't wear on the eyes over time. Interesting design elements do however appear on the case. The almost "architected" sides of the steel case help reduce visual mass (as this is not the thinnest of cases at 13.25mm thick).Big in stature the Madison Eight Days case is offered in steel and is 38.5mm wide by 53.3mm tall. The slightly rounded lugs keep it looking good on medium to large sized wrists. Comfort is overall very good and - once again - the quality and finishing of the case impressed me. Over the dial is an AR coated sapphire crystal and the case is water resistant to 30 meters.Understanding the Spherodrive technology and its benefits made me suggest back in 2009 that (and I am paraphrasing) "all mechanical movements should use this technology someday." Unless there are mechanical drawbacks that I am not aware of, the Spherodrive system for connecting mainspring barrels to movements is a no-brainer improvement over the the standard technique. There is however the matter of price. Eterna's Madison Eight Days watch retails for 11,950 Swiss Francs. True, quality is high and you get an in-house made movement, but it is still an expensive endeavor. Mechanical technophiles and serious enthusiasts will be attracted by the technology, though I am afraid many casual watch lovers simply won't understand the technology enough at this point. Eterna is moving in the right direction as a technical innovator, and I want to see Spherodrive technology implemented into more contemporary watches, in new movements with automatic winding, and at prices that are in the $5,000 - $8,000 range.
I couldn't help but write about this. You might already know about these, which means you think they are as cool as I do. Nike has decided to build a limited edition set of the Nike MAG shoes from Back to the Future Part II as part of their "It's About Time" collection. These shoes have until now only existed as movie props. People have been begging Nike to actually make them for years - and here they are. There will be 1,500 pairs made - every single one will be auctioned off on eBay from now until September 18th, 2011.Every kid who has ever seen the Back to the Future movies has wanted at least part of what they saw in the films to be real. 26 years later and we don't really have much. No time machines, no hover boards, no flying cars. Not even flux capacitors. And we certainly don't have self lacing, self drying shoes that make cool wooshing noises. Though we have had shoes with lights in them for a while... And look at the state of our civilization now. The 2011 Nike MAG doesn't fully live up to its 1989 promise, but is here and is a reality as a perfect replica. All the tech toys we wanted it to have aren't here, but it does light up and has a battery charger that comes with it.While this is not a watch, and it does not tell the time, it is tangentially related to time travel. Good enough right? It is however a very cool collectible that many people will eagerly try to buy. Why did Nike make them? Well last year they released the Dunk 6.0 DeLorean shoes as a limited edition of 1000 pairs that were a silent nod to the 25th anniversary of the original Back to the Future. I think the easy success and publicity those shoes had helped fuel the decision to make these MAGs.According to Nike the full proceeds from auction sales for all 1,500 pairs will go to the Michael J. Fox Foundation that is dedicated to finding a cure and treatments for Parkinson's disease. This means that the entire project is essentially for charity. Nike claims the shoes are a direct aesthetic replica of the movie prop shoes from the film. In Back to the Future Part II Marty McFly actually travels to 2015 - so perhaps in a few years we will get the real deal. I do not believe that the Nike MAG 2011 shoes will be commercially available outside of the eBay auctions.The auctions started last night and I believe go for 24 hours each.
This is likely to be unlike any other Seiko Ananta watch you've ever seen before (or will ever see). For 2011 Seiko worked with a Japanese "conceptor" to create this limited edition watch called the Ananta NS_Concept (ref. SPB023J). The watch uses an existing Seiko in-house made movement but offers a new modern design that I think works.If you had to describe this timepiece on paper I don't think I would like it, but in person I do. Really it is all about the interesting dial. Basically it is a re-imagined use of the in-house made Seiko caliber 6R21A automatic movement in a case that is much larger than the caliber. The design leaves the movement sort of floating in the back with the dial connect to the case via a few spokes. Sandwiched between two sapphire crystals, you can see right through the watch. Like I said, cool in execution but you really need to show the final product to people for them to get it.The "NS" part of the name has do to with Naoki Sakai, the well-know designer that worked with Seiko on this watch. Sakai as worked with Seiko (in 1989-1990 in the Seiko Asterisk) before as well as a series of other major brands. What fascinates me about the dial is the mixture of modern and classic elements, as well as symmetry and asymmetry. For example., look at the font used for the minutes - very classic. The design of the case, very modern. The hour indicators and hands are almost Omega Speedmaster Professional era classic, while the different looking sections of the dial is a modern though. You have complete symmetrical scales, but you have asymmetrical dials and design. See what I mean? Sakai makes it work, and I am not sure how he did it. The gunmetal color mixed with white and that bluish gray is also interesting. The only thing I would change about the dial is the hands - they are too short.For a Seiko the case is large at 46mm wide and it is in steel. The steel is gray colored and according to Seiko uses a type of PVD process for the coating. Such a gray color is often the look of DLC coatings, but I don't think that is the case here.The caliber 6R21A has the time with central seconds, power reserve indicator, date dial, and day of the week dial. It is essentially a complex looking day/date watch with a power reserve indicator. It is currently used in other Ananta collection pieces. You can really see the movement well in the NS_Concept watch. The neat looking Ananta katana rotor is still used in this piece. Through the back of the watch you can see some red from the retention ring that looks pretty sweet.Seiko will make 1000 pieces of this limited edition watch - and I believe it is confirmed that some of them will make it into the US. Price will be 262,500 Yen. Over the last year or so Seiko has been getting much better about releasing some of their more unique timepieces here in the US, that traditionally would have never made it (officially) out of Japan and perhaps Hong Kong. Though I am still waiting for the Seiko Izul to come to the US.A few of these pieces will come to the US and will be exclusively available at Arizona Fine Time.
Christopher Ward really does release a lot of new timepieces each year. A few of them are real winners in my opinion. One of those which is interesting is this new C9 Harrison Jumping Hour watch, which is actually the most expensive watch Christopher Ward has every offered at $1,585. Not for everyone, this is a great piece for those who have been fascinated by jumping hour complications - one of the first types of watches to experiment with digital displays.A jumping hour watch basically has a disc with numerals on it for the hour. This disc "jumps" each hour to show the correct hour digitally. The minutes are still indicated via a traditional analog hand. The idea of this watch is to improve legibility by reducing the confusion that can occur from having two hands to read. The primary feature here is the "jumping" disc which does not slowly move from one hour to another (but rather jumps a whole disc position).For their jumping hour watch Christopher Ward uses a specially modified Swiss ETA 2824-2 automatic with a module they call the JJ001. This means it should work well being based on a reliable work-horse movement. Under the guilloche machine engraved dial sits a large disc that displays the hour indicators using Roman numerals - you usually don't see that as they are often done with Arabic numerals.Christopher Ward uses a 43mm wide steel case for the C6 Harrison. The case is brushed with a rounded and polished bezel. The dial design is good, with little to distract you, but enough decorative elements to keep it visually appealing. The interesting mixture of modern and classic design elements on the dial is also a welcome refresh given that most watches of this nature are stuck in the past when it comes to looks. Initially the C9 will be available with the silvered dial matched to a Louisiana alligator strap. The watch will also be a limited edition. Christopher Ward will only produce 200 pieces of the C9 Harrison Jumping Hour initially and again, price will be $1,585. Look for availability in October of 2011.
As I discussed on the HourTime Show watch podcast, the term "Sea God" for a dive watch brand sits somewhere between clever and obnoxious. The new Italian brand is an enthusiastic yet unabashed jab are Rolex. From the sharp visual resemblance with Rolex's dive watches to the almost satirical text on the dial of "Superlative Design" - this fashion function line of diver still seems to satisfy.The name Sea-God evokes an almost deistic quality in the watch (well literally speaking it does). To proclaim a watch as god of the sea is a bold yet empty statement. Even the name of this brand is perhaps an unintended comment on how high-end hyperbole has run amok. The name is so silly we end up taking it seriously. As though it is a very well executed joke. While not the first to do so, the trident as the counterweight on the seconds hand is always a plus on these Sea-God watches with names like BlackStorm, BlackShadow, Black & White, and GMT III.First of all, "GMT III?" Really. Rolex has the GMT Master II, so "the Sea-God" needs to bump it up to GMT III? At least it isn't BLACK GMT III. Black seems to be predominant theme in the names, but not in all of the watches. Some of the very high-end colorful precious stone set versions are their nicest. Pricey, but attractive in how they mix sport with baguette-cut stones. Yes, there is a version with black diamonds.The watch cases are 46mm wide and in steel. The bezels actually are rotatable (even though they looked screwed-in). Water resistance is 300 meters. With all the Deep Sea, Sea Dweller design cues in this design, I wonder why it isn't able to go deeper? Crystal is sapphire and the bezel has a ceramic insert. I do enjoy how Sea-God alternates colors on the bezel to give it unique looks.The dials are all attractive. Sea-God did this well, but the proof will be in the final versions. I have yet to see the pieces in the flesh and hope all the materials and finishes on the dial are correct. With a flange ring design from Rolex, Sea-God will need to ensure really high quality to pull this design feature off. If the succeed, we will be rewarded with the availability of some nice stuff.Inside the three-hand model is a Swiss ETA 2824 automatic. A work horse movement, but nothing special feeling. Probably an ETA 2893 automatic in the GMT model. Though with some nice finishing and adjusting the 2824 makes a solid movement. Now you can have more appreciation of the term "self-winding timekeeper." Unnecessarily cheesy - but still a fun one-liner on the dial. The cases come with rubber straps. I hope a metal bracelet is in store for the future.With a lot of options and design choices the Sea-God might be my Rolex homage of choice from what I've seen lately. Even assuming a really high level of fit and finish, they are pricey with starting prices of 2,775 - 3,420 Euros. Precious stone set versions are much more. Around there they are close to price overlap with Rolex and other established dive watch brands. That means Sea-God wants to be taken serious - which makes total sense given their accumulated image.
In fact I didn't know it was an automatic until I read the small print. There isn't a rotor to be seen. No, instead De GRISOGONO hides the automatic rotor (somewhere). How's that for stealth winding for ya?I figure most people will keep the window over the subsidiary seconds dial when wearing the watch casually. The dial itself is textured and features nicely proportioned (but stubby) dauphine style hands that are in gold to match the case. As you can tell, the dial is available in a few colors as well including silver, ruthenium, black, and brown. Each of these colors is available with the rose of white gold case.Wearing this watch with the massive pushers and crown must be interesting. For some it will be fine, for others it will likely dig into their wrist. Though interestingly enough the watch is symmetrical and not lop-sided given the positioning of the strap. I do overall really like this piece and find the over-engineered mechanism amusingly delightful as well as sardonically out of my price range, which is again between about $85,000 - $87,000 (69,100 - 71,100 Swiss Francs). Enjoy it for what it does my friends. Fellow watch lover out of France Francois-Xavier has some fun hands-on images of the De GRISOGONO Otturatore here.Tech Specs from De GRISOGONO:Silver, ruthenium, black or brown rotating dial featuring moon phases, date, seconds & power reserve indicator, self-winding Caliber DR 19-89Movement thickness 9.80 mmMovement dimensions 31.4 x 32.7 mmNumber of components 574Jewelling 28 for the movementVibrations 28,800 A/H, 4 HzPower reserve 42 hoursIndicationshours, minutes, seconds, date,moon phases and power reserveCase18K rose or white gold,sapphire crystal and case backCase dimensions Opening : 31.20 mm x 28.80 mmHeight : 50.16 mmWidth : 44.85 mmThickness : 15.86 mmDistance between lugs : 11.00 mmWater resistance 50 meters (~100 feet)Dialin three parts, clou de paris cobbled pattern,applied figuresHands ¡°dauphine¡± style in 18K rose or white goldStrap genuine alligatorClasp de Grisogono folding clasp in 18K rose or white goldOTTURATORE N01 - SATIN POLISHED ROSE GOLD - SILVER DIALOTTURATORE N02 - SATIN POLISHED WHITE GOLD - BLACK DIALOTTURATORE N03 - SATIN POLISHED ROSE GOLD - BLACK DIALBOUTIQUE EXCLUSIVITY, LIMITED EDITION & numbered (55 timepieces)OTTURATORE N04 - SATIN POLISHED ROSE GOLD - BROWN DIALOTTURATORE N05 - SATIN POLISHED WHITE GOLD - RUTHENIUM DIAL
This is the newest watch from Victorinox Swiss Army, but I am not sure I recognize it as a Swiss Army watch. Over the last few years Swiss Army watches have been changing a lot. Not only in style, but also in terms of the types of watches they are offering. I mostly think of them as offering really nice quartz watches that are a great value for $300 -$500 bucks. But this Alpnach Black Ice Chronograph is a mechanical watch for close to 2,000 Euros. Does it make sense?The trend at the brand has been "mechanical mechanical!" for a good set of years now. I don't mind more mechanical offerings from Swiss Army, but I sure hope that doesn't mean they are fully abandoning their quartz watch base. Good news comes from pieces like the "new" Swiss Army Original watch that offer a strong look and Swiss quartz movement for an entry level price of around $300. Swiss Army is really popular in the US and I just don't want them to price themselves out of their own market by going full mechanical with watches from $1,000 - $2,000. The same people who are brand loyalists and want to go from a cheap digital watch to a nicely design steel Swiss watch aren't gonna stomach a $1,500 piece like they are one at a quarter of that price.It isn't just the price which makes it difficult for me to recognize this timepiece as a Swiss Army watch. It feels as though it is more concerned with image and looking macho than it does being legible and "active classy." That just isn't the Swiss Army watch that I know - that likes to mix sober legibility with a slick European design aesthetic. This watch even has one of those ridiculous names that we like to make fun of. "Black Ice Chronograph?" At least I know the Alpnach is related with rescue helicopters. With that little connection Swiss Army seems to borrow one of Hamilton's less effective tactics seen in watches like the "X-copter" or whatever they call it. None of this design is really functional, but seems to suggest some abstract macho lifestyle. The 44mm wide steel PVD coated black watch is just a miss-mash of testosterone. It looks like a toy watch for 12 year-old boys playing army. Swiss Army is just plainly a more mature and refined brand than that. I don't know what they are going for here.Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph any Swiss Army enjoys using. Note the less than original (at this point) use of a propeller style subsidiary seconds hand. The seconds hand for the chronograph feels too large, and while I like the mix of black, white, and red colors, there doesn't seems to be a purpose to the design. Oddly enough the dial feels both bare and cluttered at the same time. Legibility is fine - but nothing close to what I have come to expect from Swiss Army timepieces.Reports indicate to me that Swiss Army has a new designer - who has been pushing stuff like this. If that is true then I get it. Someone new comes in and tries to mix it up a bit for better or worse. I just hope that they learn their lesson soon because watches like this simply aren't going to attract the right customers and might just harm Swiss Army's solid customer base that will not only feel luke-warm to this design, but will be alienated by the high price for such an underwhelming design that in my opinion lacks the brand's true purpose and spirit. I want to see more nice affordable watches like the "Original" as well as more purpose built in to higher-end watches that genuinely feel like special upgrades from the brand's bread and butter.
This is the newest watch from Victorinox Swiss Army, but I am not sure I recognize it as a Swiss Army watch. Over the last few years Swiss Army watches have been changing a lot. Not only in style, but also in terms of the types of watches they are offering. I mostly think of them as offering really nice quartz watches that are a great value for $300 -$500 bucks. But this Alpnach Black Ice Chronograph is a mechanical watch for close to 2,000 Euros. Does it make sense?The trend at the brand has been "mechanical mechanical!" for a good set of years now. I don't mind more mechanical offerings from Swiss Army, but I sure hope that doesn't mean they are fully abandoning their quartz watch base. Good news comes from pieces like the "new" Swiss Army Original watch that offer a strong look and Swiss quartz movement for an entry level price of around $300. Swiss Army is really popular in the US and I just don't want them to price themselves out of their own market by going full mechanical with watches from $1,000 - $2,000. The same people who are brand loyalists and want to go from a cheap digital watch to a nicely design steel Swiss watch aren't gonna stomach a $1,500 piece like they are one at a quarter of that price.It isn't just the price which makes it difficult for me to recognize this timepiece as a Swiss Army watch. It feels as though it is more concerned with image and looking macho than it does being legible and "active classy." That just isn't the Swiss Army watch that I know - that likes to mix sober legibility with a slick European design aesthetic. This watch even has one of those ridiculous names that we like to make fun of. "Black Ice Chronograph?" At least I know the Alpnach is related with rescue helicopters. With that little connection Swiss Army seems to borrow one of Hamilton's less effective tactics seen in watches like the "X-copter" or whatever they call it. None of this design is really functional, but seems to suggest some abstract macho lifestyle. The 44mm wide steel PVD coated black watch is just a miss-mash of testosterone. It looks like a toy watch for 12 year-old boys playing army. Swiss Army is just plainly a more mature and refined brand than that. I don't know what they are going for here.Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph any Swiss Army enjoys using. Note the less than original (at this point) use of a propeller style subsidiary seconds hand. The seconds hand for the chronograph feels too large, and while I like the mix of black, white, and red colors, there doesn't seems to be a purpose to the design. Oddly enough the dial feels both bare and cluttered at the same time. Legibility is fine - but nothing close to what I have come to expect from Swiss Army timepieces.Reports indicate to me that Swiss Army has a new designer - who has been pushing stuff like this. If that is true then I get it. Someone new comes in and tries to mix it up a bit for better or worse. I just hope that they learn their lesson soon because watches like this simply aren't going to attract the right customers and might just harm Swiss Army's solid customer base that will not only feel luke-warm to this design, but will be alienated by the high price for such an underwhelming design that in my opinion lacks the brand's true purpose and spirit. I want to see more nice affordable watches like the "Original" as well as more purpose built in to higher-end watches that genuinely feel like special upgrades from the brand's bread and butter.
Fresh movements come in these plastic containersOn an uncommonly warm day in early October I visited a place few watch writers go - the manufacture (well one of them) of Dubois-Depraz. High-up in the mountainous region of Switzerland's famous Vallee de Joux the factory sits among many famous watch brands. Dubois-Depraz is a key cog in the watch industry you know and love, but they don't make watches.Individual gears are meticulously tested for precision and utilityUnlike the many curated tours of watch factories I am subject to, my guide at Dubois-Depraz wasn't a PR guide. He probably just spoke English a bit better than the other people there. The manufacture is operated by two of the three Dubois brothers, and it has been in the family since its inception in 1901. The component maker currently is comprised of three locations, and I got to visit the most important facility - the assembly plant.The air of the facility is very industrial. There is a bit more hustle and bustle here than in many other watch manufactures - but the white lab coat attire is familiar. Noisily machines operate as ambient sound fills the room with the repetitive operations of pins being connected to plates and gears being tested. Parts aren't actually produced at this location - that is still mostly done by Dubois-Depraz, but elsewhere. Here parts are tested and put together into their final forms. I notice that the type of person here is different than in-house as most brands. The workers are older, more mature looking. It is very common for the average age of people working at even the highest-end watch manufactures to be about 25. Dubois-Deprez has a more lived in feel that is comforting.Audemars Piguet & Girard-Perregaux are just some of Dubois-Depraz's ongoing clientsIn addition to chronographs, Dubois-Depraz specializes in calendar modulesWithout trying to be fancy the workers plow through the tedious effort of assembling watch movement modules. Their construction is very similar to complete watch movements, and they each still take months to complete given the bevy of steps involved from start to finish. What people really don't quite understand is that even your basic mechanical watch movement takes a lot time to put together. It is a matter of weeks if not months, and the movements pass through the hands of many people who each construct, inspect, decorate, assemble, and test. And sometimes the steps are repeated more than once. Seeing just parts of the process makes one understand not only what makes a Swiss watch "Swiss," but why they aren't cheap. There is real effort and time in these little items of passion that the Swiss won't stop making until time itself is a concept we have forgotten.Even many Richard Mille chronograph watches have a lot of Dubois-Depraz in themChronograph gears are ultra-fine and involve delicate assemblyAs mentioned, Dubois-Depraz is not a watch movement maker. A watch movement is the basic mechanism for storing and releasing power in order to indicate the time. It is comprised of a mainspring barrel, an escapement assembly, and some gears that move hands. What Dubois-Depraz makes are modules that can sit on base movements (such as the ETA 2892 which is a very popular choice for a base movement) and adds additional functionality. There certainly are "wholly integrated" movements that include time-telling as well as other functions, but it is very expensive to develop these. It makes a lot more sense in most instances to use a tried and true base movements with a module placed on top of it to add a chronograph, calendar, etc...Dubois-Depraz has a long list of talents and clients, but their unofficial specialty are chronograhs and calendar mechanism. They also like making movements that feature both. Making a reliable chronograph is a pain, and many important brands work with Dubois-Depraz for a host of needs ranging from entire movement modules to specific hard to manufacture parts. You'd honestly be surprised at who uses their services on a regular basis.Average worker here is a bit more mature than those working in-house at many brandsSome of Dubois-Depraz's largest clients are major brands in the Swatch and Richemont Group - as well as Rolex. Yes, even Rolex relies on Dubois-Depraz for at least a few important parts in some of their movements. Brands I know they work with include Breitling, Omega, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Rolex, Patek-Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, and a lot others. For example the chronograph part of the movements in many Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshores are produced here at Dubois-Depraz. It might be surprising, even thought-provoking to learn that proud and important brands such of these rely on external suppliers for parts and expertise. That is one way of looking at it, especially given how much brands like to talk themselves up in terms of their technical achievements. Another way of looking at it is to simply understand the nature of "Swiss Made."Switzerland is a homogenous collectivist society. They believe that Swiss is best, but that the Swiss must also work together for the common good. That is especially true in the watch making world where things get pretty incestuous. As long as you are mingling with Swiss (and to a large extent Germans and the French), things are a gonna be OK in their eyes. For me, Dubois-Depraz offers an expert service, and they do it well. If Patek Philippe or Jaeger-LeCoultre comes to them for parts, it is because they probably do a pretty good job.Efficent practices has Dubois-Depraz producing over 100,000 movement modules each yearPalette jewels set by hand into tray for automated placement into modulesYears of developing special modules for dozens of brands has given Dubois-Depraz a very large catalog of watch modules they can produce. They mostly work with base ETA movements, but also often with Girard-Perregaux and Jaeger-LeCoultre base movements as well. There is some extremely high-end work that goes on here, and most of their client projects are totally confidential until completion.Spending time at their manufacture helped me appreciate just how complex a chronograph mechanism is to make. Not necessarily in terms of sheer engineering, but rather at how each cam, pinion, and gear must be painstakingly tested for precision and durability. I saw patient workers place individual gears into microscope machines used to ensure the gears spun perfectly with out wiggling. Another machine was used to test the precise torque of springs used to reset chronograph hands to their starting position. Even the insertion of a pinion into a gear is done carefully, and by hand - each time. According to Dubois-Depraz they produce on the low end about 120,000 watch modules per year.The production of modules is very similar to that of base movementsBanners for the company around townI gained a lot of respect for the chronograph after visiting with Dubois-Depraz. I also learned a lot more about how the watch industry works. Suffice it to say that educating yourself about the watch industry is like understanding? watch movement. From the surface if can appear decorated and impressive, but you really need to get inside of it to start understanding the nuances and see how things work together (for the better or the worse). Thanks to the Dubois brothers and thanks to the people at Dubois-Depraz for their open doors.
Swatch's new resident weirdo designer Jeremy Scott follows up his first collection for the watch brand with another less than a year later. I first discussed the Jeremy Scott collection of watches for Swatch here - focusing on the Lighting Flash Watch that I thought was pretty cool. There are five new ones now, arguably more strange than the first collection.For me the weirdest piece is one done in a sort of naked color tone with a burnt/melted dial. Mr. Scott - wearing strange hair? as always- calls it the Melted Minutes watch. I envision it as art for art's sake and would see no reason or purpose to wear it. At best it looks a Swatch assembly line production accident. Even with Scott's ostentatiously unorthodox fashion sense, I don't see many outfits where this melted dial watch fits the bill at all. Passionate Swatch collector's might see things differently though.Probably the most interesting piece is not a wrist watch at all but the Swatch Jeremy Scott Hypnotic Heart pocket watch. This is not only an extremely rare Swatch pocket watch but also a more cohesive design that arguably has a more mainstream appeal. Swatch is pretty hush on technical specs as these are being touted for the fashion market, so I don't know what movement is powering this uber pocket watch.As you can see from the image of Scott wearing the pocket watch around his neck like an alternative universe Flava Flav (who is also arguably from an alternative universe) the piece is rather large. Still, Scott seems to suggest that you can wear it in your [giant] pocket, around your neck (with a red matador jacket), or hanging off your purse. Jeremy, what purse do YOU usually tote around? Then again, the Hypnotic Heart pocket watch might not be that large at all. Rather, Jeremy Scott might just a little guy! You should also know that the Swatch Hypnotic Heart pocket watch will be available as a limited edition of only 777 pieces.All this Jeremy Scott business got me thinking about what this man is all about. I had a feeling that you really couldn't tell his personality (well all of it) just by seeing him in posed pictures. Though he does like shooting off the "magnum" look from Zoolander. I've included two videos here that are interviews of Mr. Scott. Why two? Well the man speaks French, so for the readers in France and Switzerland, you can learn about Jeremy Scott in your native tongue. I also envy him for being able to always dance while speaking.Honestly, Scott seems like a nice chap. Though he does seem to have an insatiable desire to combine two unlike things for the sake of fashion/confusion. Aside from the Melted Minutes and Hypnotic Heart watches there are three other pieces that don't stimulate me as much. Those are the Double Vision watch (with more hypnotic spirals and two dials), the Swatch Punk (with a very long strap and leopard print), and Swatch Portrait (more like Jeremy Scott Portrait) which is a revision on a piece from the first collection. Look for these watches available in October 2011.
Pierre Nobs started Ventura watches some years back. The brand disappeared for a while but is now back. The high-end futuristic concepts make for slick watches. The brand's return is not a mirror of the old Ventura. Once featuring both mechanical and quartz watches, the new Ventura will focus on digital watches and those with interesting quartz movements (if I understand correctly).Ventura was started by Pierre Nobs - who is again running the show. I met with Pierre to check out some of their new stuff. Nobs is more engineer than businessman. He speaks straight and has a very matter-of-fact view on the watch industry with a twinge of impatience. This guy has seen a lot and seems to have the same type of relationship with the watch industry as some people do with their spouses of 20 plus years (can't leave em, can't kill em). Wearing glasses than only a dignified European can get away with, Nobs showed me some of his new toys. I am impressed with him, and knowing what I know about his legacy of work, I am impressed with what I see.One of his new(ish) watches is this Ventura Sparc MGS that is an evolution on Ventura's previous designs (Ventura V-Tec Sigma MGS, but to me it looks more like the V-Tec Alpha). It features a quartz movement with an automatic rotor that generates electricity similar to Seiko Kinetic watch movements. Though Ventura uses their own special movement that I believe has some more advanced features. MGS stands for "micro generation system" and apparently is quite nice. It has a power reserve of 45 days when fully charged and a 5 year standby time when the watch is "turned off."The LCD screen is one of those special negative ones with an extremely crisp display and rounded numerals. This is about as good as monochromatic LCD screens get. Features in the watch are plentiful and operated but a scroll wheel that you can also press like a button. You get the time, alarms, chronograph, count-down timer, calendar, and all the stuff that is pretty much the standard that Casio set like a decade ago. All in a much sexier package that makes me want to jump into 2001: A Space Odyssey and hang with HAL. My favorite feature "automatic backlight control to prevent over-use." "Sparc, please activate backlight." "I can't do that Ariel." The feature that makes all of that sounds more plausible, "motion-sensor to monitor watch movements" (and your movements!).In addition to the digital version there is also an analog dial with a chronograph. Meh, why opt for that in a watch like this when the digital version is cool and so much more... "Ventura?" Not trying to dis it, but it just doesn't come close to the digital version in terms of coolness. Just get the digital one if you are gonna get one. The case is 38mm wide and about 56mm tall. It is also bent and shaped like a boomerang... a lot like a boomerang.Made out of Durinox steel (some type of hardened steel), you can get a sandblasted version and PVD black version. I quite like the finishing. The open rotor is done in tungsten (but not mirror polished). On the wrist the case is... well, something to get used to. Not that it isn't comfy, but you need to "re-learn" to get used to. It sort of wants to sit on one side or another. The idea is for the face to be more directed to you versus straight up on your wrist. You can get the watch with a neat looking single-link metal bracelet, or a minimalist rubber strap.The Sparc MGS is unique and fun. It also looks like a decent daily wear for those who are techies with good taste. I overall am happy to see Ventura's return and look forward to all that will come next. Price for the Ventura Sparc MGS is said to be about $4,500 when it is available soon.Tech specs from Ventura:SPARC MGSSize: H (6 ~ 9h) 56.30 mm x W (9 ~ 3h) 38.00 mm x T 8.90 / 12.20Weight: ca. 130 gr. (rubber strap), 200 gr. (steel bracelet)Worldwide Warranty: 2 Years (Cases individually numbered and recorded)Materials:Case: Durinox?? hardened stainless steelBracelets: - Durinox?? hardened stainless steel- RubberFolding deployment bucklesCrystals: SapphireOscillating Mass: TungstenBlack Versions: Additional PVD coating on Durinox??Water resistance: 3 bar, tested at 0.5 bar and at 5 bar, normal swimmingTechnical specifications: 2nd gen Micro-Generating-System (MGS)VEN_10 Digital Module with EasyScroll?? OS V2.0LC Display backlight by LEDFunctions: Time1+ Date1, Time2 + Date2, Alarm, Chronograph, Count-down100 Years Perpetual Calendar with Day (5 languages),Date, Month, Year12/24H format, 3 Date-formats, LED-BacklightMGS?? Power Management:Manual power offAutomatic sleep mode (LC Display off, Functions on)Motion-sensor to monitor watch movementsAutomatic Backlight control to prevent over-use
This month you can enter to win a really interesting watch from MARCH LA.B. Proprietors of modern watches with a 1960's aesthetic, these watches can be summed up by explaining that they are designed by a hip Frenchman who has a penchant for classic American muscle cars. Up for grabs is an undeniably interesting watch in their AM1 collection.This particular model is 40mm wide in steel with a black dial and matching black lizard strap. The seconds hands is a cool racing green and the crystal on the back of the case showing them movement is also colored green. There is just a little bit more green on the uniquely designed crown. This model features a Swiss ETA 2892 automatic movement, but you can check out a previous review I did of a smaller version of the AM1 with a quartz movement here. Price for the MARCH LA.B AM1 40 Black Automatic watch is $2,295 and you can enter for a chance to win one below.To Enter You Must: 1. Comment on this post below (on, not Facebook or elsewhere you might see this article) before the giveaway is over with your valid e-mail address where required. In the body of your comment mention your favorite watch from the 1960s (and if you don't have one then your favorite piece in MARCH LA.B's current collection).2. Be a pal. If possible, Facebook friend/fan all or any of the following:Fan on Facebook Like on FacebookLike MARCH LA.B Watches on FacebookWant articles automatically sent to you via e-mail? Sign up here:3. Wait until the giveaway is over on November 30th, 2011 for the winner to be chosen at random.A couple of basic rules. You can only enter once. You must comment with a valid e-mail address where you can be reached. Your comment must be confirmed and approved. You must complete the objectives to be considered. You are responsible for providing your contact shipping information if you are chosen. Shipping restrictions to non US entrants may apply based on sponsor's policies. Giveaway watch selection based on sponsor's inventory and watch availability. All comments made after the end of the giveaway period will not be considered. For the full terms and conditions, please click here.Good luck, and thanks to MARCH LA.B the sponsor of this AM1 40 Automatic watch giveaway here!
In honor of Monty Python's Meaning of Life, let's play "find the fish." Can't find it in the watch? That is odd. Cuervo y Sobrinos named this new watch after the Manjuari - an ancient fish which goes by a lot of names and is better known as the Cuban Gar or Alligator Gar around these parts. If CyS would have called it the "Gar" (Gaaarrr!!) it would have sounded too much like a pirate watch. Wait a minute, isn't this the brand that already has pirate themed watches? Ahem, click here. Manjuari has a much more Indian than Cuban sound to it right?Anyhow, despite the excessively odd name (and scary looking pre-Cambrian fish), this watch is worth noticing as being a pretty excellent two time zone dive watch. Not a GMT exactly, but it has two time zones in 12 hour formats. This is good for people who like having two times at a glance, but aren't comfy reading time in a 24 hour format. The watch also has a big date function which I like. The only thing missing is a day/night indicator for the second time zone which is generally used to indicate whether it is AM or PM in the other zone. Not sure why that got left out.As a dive watch you'll notice that the rotating bezel is actually a count-down bezel. Less common that the more traditional 60 minute timing bezels, they are used to count-down as opposed to counting up time. The dial of the watch has applied hour indicators a a nice fat applied Cuervo y Sobrinos logo as the 12 o'clock indicator. I rather like that element (robusto indeed). While not what I would call pretty, the dial is attractively functional and fits the them of the piece well, and comes in black or white. A nice touch is the blue ring around the second time zone which is matched by blue discs used for the big date indicators.According to Cuervo y Sobrinos the case is a mixture of steel and titanium parts. They have done stuff like that before and the result is generally nice as the two metals have different finishes and colors. You'll notice how the inner ring of the case (that extends in to the lugs) is titanium, while the top and bottom are polished steel. The case is 43mm wide and water resistant to 600 meters. On the back of the watch is said to be an engraving of the Manjuari fish - a good reason not to take your watch off.Inside the watch is a Soprod caliber TT 651 automatic movement. I am sure that Cuervo y Sobrinos uses their own custom rotor. One thing I enjoy a great deal is the strap. CyS tends to impress me with their cool straps and this one is no exception. The strap comes in black or white, and is rubber. There are two strips of material as a red padding is used on the underside, and there is red stitching helping to hold it all together. Pretty cool. You could make an argument that Cuervo y Sobrinos didn't need to give the Manjuari Diver the big date or second time zone complication, and that it would have been enough as a diver. That however would not be true to the brand as they like to add useful functions when it works, and I appreciate that. Price is in the 6,000 - 7,000 Swiss Franc region I am guessing.See Cuervo Y Sobrinos on eBay here.See Cuervo Y Sobrinos watches on Amazon here.
De Bethune has released what I think is probably the most high-end and beautiful iPhone 4s case I have ever seen. They started last year I think with phone cases when they released the classy looking De Bethune DBM. That case was in alligator and has a traditionally styled clock style watch in the back of it. This new case is totally futuristic and looks like your iPhone 4S is now a spaceship. Called the Dream Watch IV, the watch dial itself build off of the one-of-a-kind watch De Bethune made for the Only Watch 2011 auction.Limited to just 12 pieces the Dream Watch IV iPhone 4S case is made out of beadblasted titanium. The finish should look amazing if I know anything about De Bethune timepieces. The watch dial itself is done in a specially colored blue titanium with diamonds and 18k white gold to look like stars. Purely mechanical, the time is told via discs that read the hours and minutes. These dials are simply put, gorgeous. Still not sure how the watch is wound or where the crown is. Now you can protect your iPhone 4S with a case you are actually more concerned about damaging. Like I said, only 12 pieces will be made.
In honor of Monty Python's Meaning of Life, let's play "find the fish." Can't find it in the watch? That is odd. Cuervo y Sobrinos named this new watch after the Manjuari - an ancient fish which goes by a lot of names and is better known as the Cuban Gar or Alligator Gar around these parts. If CyS would have called it the "Gar" (Gaaarrr!!) it would have sounded too much like a pirate watch. Wait a minute, isn't this the brand that already has pirate themed watches? Ahem, click here. Manjuari has a much more Indian than Cuban sound to it right?Anyhow, despite the excessively odd name (and scary looking pre-Cambrian fish), this watch is worth noticing as being a pretty excellent two time zone dive watch. Not a GMT exactly, but it has two time zones in 12 hour formats. This is good for people who like having two times at a glance, but aren't comfy reading time in a 24 hour format. The watch also has a big date function which I like. The only thing missing is a day/night indicator for the second time zone which is generally used to indicate whether it is AM or PM in the other zone. Not sure why that got left out.As a dive watch you'll notice that the rotating bezel is actually a count-down bezel. Less common that the more traditional 60 minute timing bezels, they are used to count-down as opposed to counting up time. The dial of the watch has applied hour indicators a a nice fat applied Cuervo y Sobrinos logo as the 12 o'clock indicator. I rather like that element (robusto indeed). While not what I would call pretty, the dial is attractively functional and fits the them of the piece well, and comes in black or white. A nice touch is the blue ring around the second time zone which is matched by blue discs used for the big date indicators.According to Cuervo y Sobrinos the case is a mixture of steel and titanium parts. They have done stuff like that before and the result is generally nice as the two metals have different finishes and colors. You'll notice how the inner ring of the case (that extends in to the lugs) is titanium, while the top and bottom are polished steel. The case is 43mm wide and water resistant to 600 meters. On the back of the watch is said to be an engraving of the Manjuari fish - a good reason not to take your watch off.Inside the watch is a Soprod caliber TT 651 automatic movement. I am sure that Cuervo y Sobrinos uses their own custom rotor. One thing I enjoy a great deal is the strap. CyS tends to impress me with their cool straps and this one is no exception. The strap comes in black or white, and is rubber. There are two strips of material as a red padding is used on the underside, and there is red stitching helping to hold it all together. Pretty cool. You could make an argument that Cuervo y Sobrinos didn't need to give the Manjuari Diver the big date or second time zone complication, and that it would have been enough as a diver. That however would not be true to the brand as they like to add useful functions when it works, and I appreciate that. Price is in the 6,000 - 7,000 Swiss Franc region I am guessing.See Cuervo Y Sobrinos on eBay here.See Cuervo Y Sobrinos watches on Amazon here.
While it is rather pricey this new version of Vulcain's Cricket Anniversary Heart Automatic calendar watch is a lovey timepiece. Over the last few years their Anniversary Heart models have been stealing my attention. I like the design that is classic but still bold, as well as the emphasis on mechanics. I still feel that Vulcain makes the best mechanical alarm watches around.One interesting benefit to a mechanical alarm such as this over an electronic one is the sound. While there are some notable exceptions, most electronic alarm watches have an anemic "beep, beep" to them. Vulcain's Cricket movements make loud buzzing noises and vibrate a bit. I really want to see electronic alarm watches do that as you'll certainly be aware that your reminder if going off. The Cricket movement's alarm also goes off for like 15-20 seconds. It all depends on how fully wound the alarm barrel is. That is sort of the down side - each time the alarm goes off, you need to wind it up again.This new version of the Anniversary Heart watch comes in an 18k rose gold case that is 42mm wide and paired with an anthracite dial. There are sections of the dial that are partially translucent, allowing for a review of the date ring and the movement. The little bits of exposed mechanics in the center of the dial as well as the hints of skeletonization are interesting. The skeletonized dauphine hands are bold and partially lume filled. The watch looks both good for formal occasions and impressing watch nerds alike.Inside the watch is the Vulcain manufactured Cricket V-22 movement. Cricket movements have been refined by Vulcain for something like 60 years now. Each Cricket movement has the time, and an alarm. This model also has the date, and features automatic winding. The rotor is anthracite gray coated and is mounted to the movement using ceramic ball bearings for winding efficiency. The case is water resistant to 50 meters. I wish it was more, but having any water resistance and being able to be loud is a difficult feat for any watch that is made to produce noises.Overall a very nice watch, it is also very expensive. That isn't the case for all Vulcain watches, but this Ref. 220536.269L Anniversary Heart Automatic Calendar watch retails for a hefty $41,650.
The funkiest straightforward tourbillon watch for 2011 might just be this limited edition Sixties Square Tourbillon from Glashutte Original. The 41mm by 41mm wide square cushion style watch case is great looking and the execution of the flying tourbillon just seems like a nice icing on the cake afterthought. It is as though the entire watch was done but it had a subsidiary seconds dial so someone said, "hey, I bet a flying tourbillon would look good in there!" (of course in a German accent), and it was settled.This is the first cushion style watch in the Sixties collection and I think it looks pretty nice. The addition of the tourbillon makes it a much higher-end piece that it normally would be. The case itself is in 18k rose gold (I am certain a white gold version will come soon) and the detailing and polishing is amazing, giving it the feel of a smooth luxury pebble in your hands. On the back of the watch is a large domed sapphire exhibition window that makes the movement look as though it is just floating in the case - very cool. The slick case and its attention to detail really helps this timepiece shine.The dial is also domed and done in galvanized silver. This is the Glashutte Original Sixties style dial we are now used to, with tiki style Arabic numerals and applied gold baton hour markers. There are thin lume strips on the matching baton hands and small lume dots on the outside of the hour markers. The Sixties motif lends itself well to this new case style, helping to reinvigorate the collection. The design holds its own with or without the tourbillon. In a sense, it feels as though the watch design could take or leave the tourbillon as it is just an extra in this tasty plate of German watch parts.For the movement, Glashutte Original uses their in-house made caliber 94-12 automatic tourbillon with Panorama (big) date. As is common with high-end German brands, the automatic rotor is a 3/4 rotor (between micro and full-size rotor) and has a 21k gold weight in it. Overall decoration and presentation of the movement is impressive. I like the attractive flying tourbillon as it is present on the watch dial as the seconds indicator. I do question, however, if a plate with the term "tourbillon" engraved on it is a necessary feature in the movement.Attached to the watch is a black crocodile strap. These days we like to mix rose gold with a brown strap but black also works - as it did in the 1960s. Glashutte Original will produce on 50 of these Sixties Square Tourbillon watches in this limited edition. Price will be 92,000 euros each.
The famous PO bracelet is a beautiful thing to look at and wears nicely. It does however lack the ability to micro-adjust the size. This means that it could offer the perfect fit, but also possibly be just a bit too large or small as you can only add and remove whole links. There might be a half-link option, but I am not sure. The design of the case and bracelet means that it should be comfortable if it is a bit looser than you might like, but purists like me want a precision fit. Omega sees the Planet Ocean as a Rolex Submariner competitor (and they are similar in price for the high-end POs). The Submariner does have a more sophisticated bracelet - so I would be surprised if Omega wasn't working on a new bracelet clasp for use in the future. The deployment clasp is push-button and operated very smoothly.So wearing the watch is overall really good, but what about reading it? Omega has long since been perfecting the dial of the Planet Ocean, but surprisingly it has remained very true to Omega watch dials from many decades ago. It is a retro dial that you'd never know is retro. The double broad arrow hands are well defined and properly sized. Arabic numerals mixed with large applied hour markers made for a handsome and very easy to read look. Those Arabic numerals come in orange on some other versions of the same watch. The dial has pretty much everything you need, and very little you to not. It is a very good balance of information markers and empty space - a virtue Omega has held for a long time.The black dialed version is actually textured - though you need to see it in the right light. The blue dialed version is more flat and glossy. I have to say that as good as the AR on the slightly domed sapphire crystal was - these dials proved to be a pain to photograph. Which is odd as they are really clear to the eye. This likely has to do with the mixture of matte and shiny elements on the dial (Omega does like to hint at bling a bit). Speaking of the sapphire crystal - it is very evenly cut and offers no discernible distortion when viewed at from extreme angles. The date windows are further done nicely. They have matching colors to the black dial and raised silver numerals - a great detail point.Lume is beyond excellent for the watches. Much of the lume is richly applied blue SuperLumiNova, but the minute hand and bezel pip are green. This color difference assists with darkness viewing. Overall Omega has does a lot of things to make the watch easy to read. Ceramic bezels are very nice because they offer a high level of durability. Both of these watches are ceramic bezels, but the blue one on the titanium watch is more sophisticated due to it being liquid metal. These is a link to what that is above. The black ceramic bezel is actually dark gray if you look closely, and it has the indicators somehow printed on the ceramic. Not sure exactly how it works. As Omega is able to industrialize the Liquidmetal process more in the future, I anticipate it being as hot a word on Omega watches as "Co-Axial" is.For the rare diver who actually does submerge with a mechanical watch (as opposed to a dive computer) then feel free to bring PO along. For a long time Omega has retained the external helium release value on the side of the case. That with 600 meters (about 1000 feet) of water resistance and the Seamaster PO can go just about anywhere. The helium release valve is a bit funny because it is mostly here to add a bit of "cred" to the watch as well as offer an addition crown that makes the watch look cool. Call it extra-functionality or vestigial - it doesn't matter. It is a feature you'll never use but somehow feel better about having it in your watch.As a daily wear or occasional sport piece the Seamaster Planet Ocean just always seems to fit the bill. I really enjoyed my time with this piece and can easily say that it among the best mass-produced high-end dive watches out there. There is little lacking and a lot of good stuff here. From a comfy fit, to a great movement, Omega in the end seals the deal with a very pretty face. It isn't inexpensive however. The price for the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-Axial Chronometer watch ranges from $5,800 on the low-end up to $8,600 for the blue dialed titanium version on the titanium bracelet. The steel model with the steel bracelet is $6,200. There are even higher-end models in gold and with diamonds on the bezel that are $20,000 and over. Omega really offers a number of Seamaster Planet Ocean models to suit all tastes - mine included.
Nivarox is probably the most important company in the entire world of Swiss watch making. Now owned by the Swatch Group, Nivarox makes the vast majority of the parts that make mechanical watch movements function. Today the company's official name is "Nivarox FAR" and I finally now what that means. The term allows you to understand the industrial nature of the group's goal. Comprised of about four plant locations around Switzerland, "Nivarox" is a contraction of "ni variable, ni oxydable." In other words "neither variable nor oxidable." I'll explain what that all means in a moment. "FAR" roughly translates into an acronym for "Affiliated Assortments Manufacturers."So what is not supposed to be variable or oxidize? Balance springs of course (also called hair springs). These little necessary parts are at the heart of what Nivarox has historically produced, and the primary component they are known for today. Though in reality the Nivarox FAR of today produces so much more.For those who aren't that familiar with the operation of a mechanical watch, the heart of the watch is the escapement and balance wheel components - in other words, the regulation system of the watch movement that makes it predictably tell time. For this reason it is often called the heart of the movement, and why its principle producer - Nivarox - can be considered the heart of the Swiss watch industry.The balance spring it part of this set of parts and is produced using a secret metal alloy. An alloy that as of recently Nivarox themselves actually produces. The story behind that is quite telling of how the watch industry works. Let's step back a bit. In the 1970s Nivarox was part of a group of Swiss watch movement suppliers collectively known owned by the ASUAG. In 1980 the quartz crisis (as the Swiss refer to it as), almost completely destroyed the Swiss watch industry as cheaply made and more accurate quartz movement based watches produced outside of Switzerland threatened to make mechanical watches almost obsolete.Listening to watch industry insiders who lived through this era in the 1980s is interesting. The tale they share is akin to retelling the story of apocalypse. For them a foreign terror and technology came in to wipe out an industry they held so dear, that held so many people together in the watch manufacturing hubs of Switzerland. Nivarox was about to be the heart of a dying creature. In 1983 the various arms of Nivarox consolidated and later in 1985 it became part of the Swatch Group that was at first a merger of the ASUAG and the SSIH. Many people of course know that the Swatch Group was started by Nicolas Hayek (who recently passed away). Many people credit him for saving the Swiss watch industry.If you've noticed I keep referring to the fact that the Swiss watch industry is kept together by a series of suppliers who produce the necessary parts that go into watch movement. There are zero totally vertically integrated watch makers in Switzerland even today. The whole system of manufacturing could be halted if just one supplier stopped supplying materials or parts. This is why Mr. Hayek instructed Nivarox to produce its own metal for the balance springs. Originally sourced from a metal producer in Germany, there was just too much fear that if the supplier didn't want Nivarox as a client anymore (which of course could happen on a whim), the entire industry would supper as watches could not be produced. Hayek's ongoing mantra to Nivarox was "product, product, product, product."While Nivarox is part of the Swatch Group there is a feeling of independence. Most brands which are part of the group are more under the Swatch Group umbrella than they are just different wings of the same building. In fact the Swatch Group as a whole is comprised of scores of companies spread out all over the world. Hayek senior and now his son are the less-than-metaphorical parents of the group's many adopted children.The Swatch Group also owns a company called ETA - which produces most of the movements in timepieces which bear the "Swiss Made" mark on their dial. For a few years now ETA threatened to no longer produce movements for companies outside of the Swatch Group. This spurred a lot of debate and controversy, and is an issue that cannot be easily explained in this article. What I do understand is that the result of their desire, tempered by the Swiss authorities, is that ETA will now be more selective in who they sell watch movements to outside of the group. In their own words "they no longer wish to be the shopping market of the Swiss watch industry." ETA in combination with Nivarox produces the wide range of movements which power most Swiss watches out there.In addition to the tiny and complex to manufacture balance springs, Nivarox also produces balance wheels, anchors, palettes, escapements, main springs, and other tiny parts such as screws and small gears. They also produce the gear trains for Swatch Group's high-end brands such as Breguet and Blancpain, and even dial markers such as hour indicators and other indexes. I had no idea that Nivarox made this range of components. They are more or less specialists in producing tiny parts.I was invited by Omega on behalf of the Swatch Group to visit Nivarox in what was an extremely rare tour. The idea was to see where some of Omega's most sophisticated watch movement components were produced. Unlike many watch brands that encourage watch writers to visit their manufacturers, Nivarox is a place whose doors are closed to the majority of the public. Due to the secrecy of their production techniques, I was not allowed to take pictures. While this fact sort of sucked from a reporting standpoint, I understand.Technology leaders in much of the US and Europe have experienced the theft of their techniques and processes from foreign manufacturers (typically in Asia). The Swatch Group itself still has a bitter taste in its mouth from situations such as this (especially in the 1980s) where trade secrets developed over several lifetimes were usurped almost overnight. Since then they have justifiably become much more protective of their property.
In case you've ever wondered what an Hublot watch would look like on a 104 year old man, this is it. This chap is famous Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer and he has been fortunate to not only live a very long time, but also have a very accomplished career behind him. For us Americans, he most notably architected the United Nations building in New York City.Hublot now honors him with a watch. See a video that Hublot made presenting the watch to him here. Actually, Hublot has a dual reason for making this watch. The piece is also in honor of Brazil - a country Hublot has been keen to keep popularity high with. And why Brazil now? Well the FIFA World Cup for 2014 is coming to Brasilia, Brazil and Hublot also happens to have a relationship the kings of soccer.My interest is more with Niemeyer however. I still think it is very interesting to see him wearing a futuristic Big Bang Aero Bang watch in tantalum with a dial in black accented with the yellow and green colors of the Brazilian flag. Jean-Claude Biver of Hublot is very open with the type of advertising and marketing that he is willing to experiment with. Most brands would probably not do this, but I applaud Hublot for doing so. I have a feeling Oscar never saw this coming. 30 years ago I am sure he would have been thrilled to get a limited edition watch in his honor. Today I am happy he is still alive. I think all very senior citizens should get cool looking futuristic watches. Timex, get some special modern versions of the Easy Reader out there OK?On the back of the limited edition Aero Bang 44mm Oscar Niemeyer is an engraving of the Brazilian National Congress - a building that Niemeyer designed. Looking at his designs I think I know who designed Mos Eisely on Tatooine for Star Wars. Seriously right? That and the Space Mountain ride building at Disneyland. Niemeyer's interesting sense of shapes, light colors and mid 20th century futurism are easy to appreciate today. Looks like the majority of his buildings are in Brazil and Spain.Limited to 104 pieces the Hublot Niemeyer watch is in tantalum (don't ask why the caseback says "tantalum" as well as "titanium"). In the Aero Bang collection, it has a skeletonized dial and overall black/gray style. I do really like the "lemon and lime" colors of the hands and hour markers. Good for Brazil, or 7-Up.Tech specs from Hublot:BIG BANG 44 MM "AERO BANG NIEMEYER"Reference 311.AI.1149.HR.NIE11Series Limited to 104 pieces numbered from 01/104 to 104/104Case 44.5 mm Big Bang, in micro-blasted tantalumBezel Micro-blasted tantalum6 H-shaped black PVD titanium screws, countersunk, polished & lockedCrystal Sapphire with interior/exterior anti-reflective treatmentBezel Lugs Black compositeLateral inserts Black compositeCrown Black PVD titanium with black rubber insertPush-pieces Black PVD titanium, rectangular, with black rubber insertsCase-back Open tantalum, with circular satin finishCase-back crystal Transfer of the Square of Three Powers, one of Oscar Niemeyer's legendary works in BrasiliaWater resistance 10 Atm, i.e. approx 100 metresDial Matt black openworked skeleton.Green varnished indexes, with yellow SuperLuminova?Hands Polished black nickel, with yellow SuperLuminova?Chronograph hand with H counterweightMovement HUB4214 - Mechanical chronograph with automatic windingComponents 252Jewels 27Bridges Satin-finished, bevelled & polishedScrews Black PVD titaniumCalendar Trapezoid window at 4.30Oscillating weight Openworked and coated in black PVD, tungsten segmentMain plate Micro-blasted black chromiumBarrel Reinforced springEscapement Glucydur hairspringPower reserve Approximately 42 hoursStrap Adjustable black rubber and black Crocodile Porosus Hornback strap, with grey stitchingClasp Big Bang black PVD deployant buckle, titanium screws and satin-finished tantalum plate
The GMT version of the updated Oris BC3 comes as a limited edition done for the Oris Big Crown Sky Racing team. Why does "Big Crown" need to be in that term? I know that Big Crown is a line if watches from Oris, but does that mean there are other Oris Sky Racing teams? Anyhow - that BC3 Air Racing Limited Edition watch comes in the same 42mm wide case as the BC3, but here in titanium. It also has a special red ring about the crown to go with the GMT hand.In the Oris promo video you can see these guys flying around at the Reno Air Show. I like all the air racing teams that various brands sponsor. I can name at least half a dozen brands that have them - most all are very talented, skilled, and impressive. The BC3 collection is just one collection of aviator Oris watches. They also have some vintage inspired ones, but the BC3 is a functionalist, minimalist's dream. The design is one that isn't immediately exciting, but it really does grow on you - especially because it is so comfortable and legible.The addition of the GMT complication is thanks to use of a Swiss ETA 2893-2 automatic movement (don't forget that Oris uses their custom red rotors). This is one of the more discreet implementations of a GMT hand as it does not extend to the end of the dial. Though the hand is in red and does have a dedicated 24 hour scale. The face really is supremely readable.On the back of the watch is an engraving of a Oris Sky Racing Team plane. The collection is limited to 1,000 pieces (not sure of price right now). Oris offers the BC3 Air Racing watch on a titanium bracelet or a rubber strap. I really like this limited edition GMT model, and think that it makes a pleasing addition to the standard BC3 watch collection.
The big daddy watch from Reactor is this Poseidon model - and has been available since last Fall or so. It is available in a standard and limited edition version. Each has style differences, and the Limited Edition Poseidon model contains a?? Seiko made Kinetic (automatic rotor spins to charge the battery) quartz movement. There is even an exhibition caseback so that you can see the rotor. Exhibition casebacks on quartz watches are very rare. You can see the limited edition here with orange hues and different hands. I do like the limited edition better.The standard Poseidon model has a standard Japanese quartz movement with a 10 year battery. The two watches share a number of characteristics, including the chunky 48mm wide steel case with brushed steel, and black applications. The metal bracelet is two tone as well. At standard model is available on either strap, but the limited edition comes with both the metal bracelet and rubber strap.Reactor gives the Poseidon Limited Edition their Never Dark (ND) treatment, which is use of SuperLumiNova as well as tritium gas tubes. The standard model has only applied lume (no gas tubes). In my review of the Reactor Gamma Ti, I explained a bit more about the benefit of having two types of luminant.These are heavy watches at about 255 grams (without the bracelet I think). The case is also 17mm thick and water resistant to 1000 meters. I am not sure of the crystal the Reactor uses for the Poseidon. I think it is gonna be a mineral crystal, but it could be sapphire. I am not sure. Sometimes they like using the mineral crystals more because it can pass certain military standards (as they chip, and don't really shatter like sapphire crystals can?? - with lots of force).A really cool feature are the double bezels. There is a standard external rotating diver's bezel, as well as an internal rotating bezel (operated with one of the two crowns). I have never seen this type of treatment before. Though I would have liked each of the bezels to have more than one point of lume. Style is very much on point with Reactor these days, but follows the popular looks of the Gamma. The Poseidon watches are masculine, a bit showy, and functional. As diving watches they will work very well (and pass pro ISO dive watch specifications). These are tool watches at heart with a penchant for bright colors. While the limited edition only comes with the orange trim, the standard model has a black and red dial, or a mostly yellow dial.Reactor is offering the limited edition for about $900, and will have 500 pieces available total. The standard Poseidon price is retails for $575. Is it worth paying extra for the style of the limited edition along with the ND tech and the Seiko Kinetic movement? I think so.
I put this question before you now: Can a man wear a pink watch and retain his masculinity? I made fun of the first guy I saw wearing a "salmon" colored shirt. But, today, it isn't that uncommon. Worn properly, and in the right style, pink isn't always out-of-place. So I wonder, has the time come when a man can get away with wearing a pink watch?When I write about men's watches in white people always fight about whether they would wear them. While one guy can easily pull off a white watch, it definitely isn't for everyone. I expect that even fewer men would be wiling to try it with something pink. Here is what I think: If you take the right type of fairly masculine watch and make it pink, at least a few guys will be able to pull it off. Which brings me to this new-for-2011 limited edition piece from Chopard.Apparently the wife of Chopard's CEO wanted this to happen. It is a limited edition of 1000 piece pink version of the Chopard Mille Miglia Gran Turismo XL watch. Named "Racing in Pink," it is otherwise identical to the standard black-dialed version of this 44mm wide steel watch. Design is anything but feminine and I was brave enough to strap it to my wrist.Even the tire tread leather strap is in pink. Actually, I am not gonna call it pink anymore. How about bubble gum? See, that sounds childish, but not nearly as girly. Actually, the strap sort of looks to be made of bubble gum (even though it is scented like vanilla). Women wear men's watches all the time. They steal our names and our t-shirts. So the least we can do is?? wear a pink watch? Or maybe not. I still haven't decided yet but I have a feeling a few of you already have.It would be interesting as a test. To wear the watch - in its otherwise masculine glory - out and about to see what people would say. I think most of you would agree that this is, by all other accounts, a watch make for dudes. However, I am not so sure that is completely the case with regards to the version with diamonds on the bezel. Let's leave that one for the ladies, please.
Among many other things I like about this Breguet watch are the applied hour indicators. These are most certainly ranked among the best hour markers I have ever seen. They are done in a brushed metal (likely titanium to match the case) and are applied to the dial. The finish on them is very smooth and they appear luxurious as well as being very clear to the eye. What exactly makes them look so good? The trick is that the surface isn't flat. Each numeral is rounded, just a bit. Trust me, they look better in person than in pictures. It also helps that they are designed in that typical, beautiful, Breguet Transatlantique style. I love this font.The hour numerals aren't the only new thing here, either. For 2011 Breguet releases a titanium version of their Type XXI 3810 aviator watch (also a better designed and working version of the XXII!). Breguet has a wonderful eye for detail and when they make a mistake with something, they quickly fix it. The grade 5 titanium used for the case is well machined, offering the style of the steel model with the lightness and grayer color of titanium. The titanium Type XXI comes on either a leather strap or a titanium bracelet. Both look quite stunning. Leave it to Breguet to make a masculine watch that you can freely call "pretty."The original Type XXI watch came with a brown dial. Nice, but I wanted a black one. I loved the Type XX in gold with a black dial. That was the first watch I had seen in black and gold and said, "Now that is a good color combo." With my taste today the Type XX is too small, and at 42.5mm wide, the Type XXI feels much better. Maybe there will be a gold and black Type XXI in the future. I don't think Breguet has done that yet.In addition to being offered in titanium, the watch also has a new dial design and bezel. The thin rotating bezel is engraved with applied black for a much more retro look than the others. I feel that it fits the "timeless aviator" theme rather well. Around the periphery of the dial is a thick, white minute ring which is complimented with a similar design around the sub seconds dial. These little touches really add to the attractive quality of the dial - which remains highly legible.Inside the watch is the same automatic movement which has the time, date, 12 hour chronograph, and a 24 hour hand (AM/PM indicator. The chronograph is one of those neat ones that uses the central dial for the chronograph seconds and minutes, vastly improving your ability to read the chronograph counters. Not too sure about other details in the watch. This really is one of the most elegant military style pilot watches out there. You just can't go wrong with it. Price is from 12,500 - 15,000 Swiss Francs (strap or bracelet price).
I love how a design like that of the RSW (Rama Swiss Watch) Nazca is bound to be so polarizing. I think that RSW themselves gets a kick out of that. I mean, from a purely business-oriented motive you'd want to make timepieces that appealed to more people, not less people right? Yet despite this RSW continues to tread forth in the design of timepieces that appeal to just some people, but certainly not all people. So what about you? What are you feelings on the Nazca collection?The courage (or "audacity" as Europeans in their infinite defiance of how Americans use words call it) that RSW has actually does impress me. They are among a minority of watch brands that actually do take design risks (even though all claim to). And does this risky behavior pay off for RSW? I am not sure. Unfortunately not many of their timepieces make it to the US. But that goes for a lot of really good watches out there.For me the design gambling at RSW pays off because I always give their new watches very close attention. The RSW Nazca being no exception. Past pieces of theirs that I have enjoyed include the Outland, Outland 3H, and Diving Tool. I mean, what they are going is real watch maker art. What do I mean by this? Well making a crazy looking watch doesn't take a lot of skill. Hell, a 4 year old can do it. What does take skill is designing something really unique - that still takes into account agreed upon rules of aesthetic balance and timing instrument legibility. For the most part, I think you'll agree that no matter how weird RSW watches get, these still take these matters in to serious concern. Which is certainly not something that can be said for all watch makers. As I noted in the past, word from RSW directly to me was that they employ their own designers that do all their work. This is in contrast to some other brands that for the most part outsource (to design firms) the creation of new timepiece designs. But I digress...OK, so this here is the RSW Nazca Sport. Specifically, two limited edition versions. The steel cases are (I believe) 49mm wide and have a totally unique design to them - very angular and geometric, but interesting. The dial itself is still round, but the chronograph subdials thematically match the design of the case and bezel. Inside the watches are what I believe to be Swiss Valjoux 7750 automatic movement that have been modified to have the subsidiary seconds dial removed for a more balanced look on the dial.One version of the limited edition Nazca sport is a bit more "formal." This model in all steel has a metal bracelet and textured silver tone dial. Lume on the applied hour markers and hands should help with legibility. Plus, the many facets of the case design should contrast interestingly with the more or less uniform coloration of the entire watch.Another version is available in a PVD black case. This more colorful model has red and silver tone on the dial, along with a contrast stitched black leather strap. Clearly the more sporty of these "Sport" watches, the red and black model is more visually avant garde. Though I would argue that the all steel tone model is more "brave" because at first glance it is a conservative steel watch, until you look closely and the design. Each of these two watches will be limited to 99 pieces. RSW tends to be rather fair with price, so I can't see these Nazca Sport timepieces with asking prices above $3,000 - $4,000. Whether or not I am a potential Nazca Sport watch wearer is yet to be seen. But at the same time I hunger for designs like this as more and more mainstream brands are getting highly conservative with their designs - and you shouldn't have to spend $100,000 plus on a really unique, but well conceived watch.See RSW watches on eBay here.See RSW watches on Amazon
A new video just released by Christophe Claret finally shows the entire upcoming 21 Blackjack watch - and it is in full action.?? So I should probably take this opportunity to debut the watch to you. You are gonna love this one. This latest wild wonder watch by master watch maker Christophe Claret is imbued with three different casino games, and you can play blackjack with it, as the watch as the dealer. It also lets you play roulette and dice.I first wrote about the Christophe Claret 21 Blackjack watch here with more information on just how excited you should be (and why you can't likely afford it). Now for the full scoop. Once I get my hands on it I will get your minds dirty with Christophe Claret watch porn. The 21 Blackjack is the third watch to bear the Christophe Claret name - as his past involved being the "inside guy," making movement for other brands. First was the Dual Tow from 2010, then the Adagio from 2011, and now the 21 Blackjack also for 2011. The spectacular "gamer's" watch will be part of a limited edition of 21 per version set, and have a six figure price (that specifically is below).When Claret does something, he does it his way. You can also hear Casino voice favorite Frank Sinatra singing in the background as you watch this timepiece operate and image Claret at the watch makers desk. This watch is a toy, a game for big boys, and a masterpiece among Claret's micro mechanical and manufacturing achievements. How cool are those hands edged in synthetic ruby?First the case and housing. The watch is 45mm wide and available in a few material combinations. All models have titanium that is mixed with either more titanium, 18k white or pink gold, or platinum. I believe there are five total combinations, which means that Claret will build a maximum of 105 of these timepieces (to be made over the years). By the way, on the PVD black titanium and 18k rose gold mode, the hands on the dial are not ruby edged, but black ceramic edged (with gold in the center). The case is fascinating, but not Claret's most unique. It is however a very proper design to go with the theme. There are four sapphire crystals on the case. One over the dial, another over the caseback, and two on the side for the dice and the hammer and gongs window. 30 meters of water resistance too!The most basic of the three casino games is dice. The lower right side window has two 1.5mm wide die that have been perfectly miniaturized. Just shake the watch and see whether they land. Perfect for craps or some seedy back alley dice toss game (just don't bet your watch). For me, I am gonna use em to roll a saving throw for my 10th level Fighter Mage. I am interested to know exactly how these tiny dice were made.On the back of the watch is a roulette wheel. It is actually part of the automatic winding mechanism in the in-house made and designed Christophe Claret Calibre BLJ08 (which co-host John Biggs and I made famous in episode 58 of the HourTime Show podcast). The automatic movement has a frequency of 28,800 bph and a power reserve of 72 hours. It is made of 501 components and the discs for the blackjack game are done in solid gold on ceramic ball bearings (for low friction). Don't forget, it tells the time too.The roulette wheel spins as it is the automatic rotor, but here is a little different. The rotor has a minor stop mechanism to stop to a halt in one of the fixed positions when it loses momentum. This causes the little arrow (versus a ball) to stop at a specific spot on the roulette wheel scale. Don't miss the set green emerald on the rear of the case above 17 between the engraved "Lucky Number" statement. I guess 17 is someone's lucky number. I think the roulette wheel detailing is gorgeous, and Claret's integration of it with the automatic winding system is not only efficient, but also clever.It is however the game of blackjack that will really get people excited about the 21 Blackjack watch. The system offers a total of 884,736 game play combinations. Or as Christophe Claret puts it, "884,736 ways to win or lose." The basic rules of the house are displayed in the dial of the watch. The dealer must hit on 16 and stay on 17. All of the "cards" are located on a series of printed solid gold discs under the smoked sapphire dial.Playing blackjack is done via a few simple pushers on the left of the case. There are pushers to deal, and hit for either the player or the dealer (the watch). Each time you "hit," a chiming mechanism (similar to that on a minute repeater) using a hammer and gong sounds like you are starting a boxing match. As I said before, the hammer (that is labeled with "Hit") is visible through a window on the side of the case. All Christophe Claret watches involve some manner of chiming element to them as hammer and gongs are one of his signature complications. The watch is really incredible and I can't wait to play with it. No matter how many times you play blackjack on the 21 Blackjack watch - you are only out the 178,000 to 210,000 Swiss Francs the watch cost to own in the first place.21 Blackjack tech specs from Christophe Claret:MovementMechanical self-winding movement, Calibre BLJ08, twin barrel, 501 components, 40??jewels and 7 double sets of ceramic ball bearings, frequency 28,800 v/h (4 Hz), power reserve of about 72??hoursFunctionsHour, minute, three??games: blackjack with bell, roulette and diceCaseWhite gold and grade 5 black PVD titanium; pink gold and grade 5 black PVD titanium; platinum and grade 5 black PVD titanium; grade 5 black PVD titanium, or grade 5 grey titanium. Diameter: 45??mmTwo side windows, one revealing the striking mechanism hammer and bell, the other a pair of diceTitanium or titanium/gold crownsWatertight to??3 atmDialTitanium and grey sapphire with a plaque decorated with casino-related motifs
It does not surprise me that this year we get a new Seastar watch from Tissot, but this particular neat design wasn't expected. There is something retro about it - likely the thinner rotating diver's bezel - but it has a nice modern looking dial. Detail is pleasant and the functionality seems sound for this circa $1000 timepiece collection.The dial will come in a few colors. Seen here are just two of them being black dial with white and blue accents, as well as the black and orange dial. Having two different tones of blue is a benefit to the black and blue one (call it bruised, I dare you). Features such as a small but present and sloped flange ring as well as slightly depressed subsidiary dials give the dial a higher end look. The dial is also pretty easy to read thanks for the slick layout. The hands and hour markers are coated with SuperLumiNova.One this I don't get is the Seastar "1000" name. The case is water resistant to 300 meters not 1000. At least when you have a numerical value attached to the same of a dive watch you assume it related to the depth rating. In this instance that isn't the case and it is confusing. It would just be the Seastar Chronograph or something like that.Tissot gave this new Seastar a hell of a case making it 48mm wide in steel with some black in the bezel. I am also told that a blue PVD coated steel case will also be available. I look forward to checking that piece out. The case design is pretty intricate and there is an automatic helium release valve on the side of the case which is a nice feature to have. The case also has a sapphire crystal.Inside the watch is the newer Swiss ETA calibre C01.211 automatic chronograph movement. This is the same movement used in the popular Swatch Automatic Chrono watch that I reviewed here. The movement is designed to be a lower cost version of the ETA Valjoux 7750 - though it is actually based on the older Lemania 5100. Swatch needed to give the 7750 some visual marketability, so they intentionally left some things out of the C01.211. For instance that hour counter for the chrono goes up to 6 hours versus 12. Is there a technical reason for that? Not at all. But the 7750 loses steam if a movement much less expensive than it does the same thing. The C01.211 isn't as pretty at the 7750 of course, but does have a neat industrial look to it. Unlike the Swatch Automatic Chrono, Tissot decided to open up the back more for a full exhibition view of the caseback. They use an automatic rotor with a rich pattern on it to spruce up the movement.The watch comes with your choice of metal bracelet or rubber strap. I am not sure of all the options, but there should be a fair number of varieties of this watch. Tissot likes big releases with lots of options, so I expect the Seastar 1000 Automatic Chronograph to be no different.
Among Cartier's many new releases for 2011 was this ultra-thin version of the popular Ballon Bleu. I am not totally sure why the Ballon Bleu is so popular. As a women's watch I totally get it. It has a elegant, bubbly beauty to it and some nice rounded curves. I mean the word "balloon" is in the name - at least I think that is what "ballon" means. I could be wrong, I don't know. Regardless of the true translation, the watch collection will always be the "blue balloon" to me - and now it is a bit deflated.Thin profile watches are hot in 2011. There are a lot of reasons for that, but cost is one of them. Brands can charge the same amount for a watch with less precious metal - and they can claim you are paying for the complexity of miniaturization. That argument might make sense, but thin watches have been around for generations. I actually don't mind thin profile watches unless they are wide enough. Anything under 40mm wide in a think profile won't see time on my wrist, and I prefer at least 42mm and wider if I can help it. Thankfully, Cartier made this thin version of the Ballon Bleu 46mm wide - great.Cartier calls the watch the "Extra-Flat" Ballon Bleu. There are at least a dozen ways that you find brands naming thin watches. Some just use names like "flat" or "thin," and sometimes terms like "slim." The brands sometimes get a bit over excited about the svelte nature of these timepieces and feel the need to add on adjectives to help you get in their same frame of mind. This is why you see labels like "ultra-thin" and "extra-flat." Can somebody in Switzerland come up with a set of "thinness" guidelines to help these brands out? What is considered thin? What is considered extra-thin? You don't see the term "extra-thick." Instead they use the term "oversized" (which I've mentioned about 6000 times is a dumb term I hate). The labels make no sense, but they are fun to say. As you can see, the Extra Flat Ballon Bleu is pretty darn thin on the wrist. Cartier doesn't even publish the thickness of the case. I didn't think to measure it when checking it out, but now I can't tell you the measurement. So how flat is the watch? Extra flat.To be fair, the actual thickness of a thin watch doesn't really matter unless you want to claim you have the thinnest one in the world, as is the case with some Piaget watches. What does matter is how they look and feel on the wrist. Cartier isn't in the game to beat any records, but it does want to offer a thin profile version of the popular seller - and it does look pretty classy. Thin just seems to be the popular thing to do these days, and brands are experimenting where they might not without this trend being around. The thin case of the Ballon Bleu Extra-Flat is broad and flat - which is good. I prefer them flatter versus curved when they are this size. The lugs curve a bit to make the watch fit better on your wrist.With just two hands and Cartier Roman numerals, the guilloche machine engraved dial looks slick and still easy to read. Whether or not you like the style of it is a matter of taste, but it is a pretty attractive face in the scheme of things. There is also that blue dialed version of the Ballon Bleu - that is special for the platinum cased model. Aside from that are 18k white and rose gold models with more traditional looking Cartier dials. The covered crown has a sapphire cabochon set in it.Cartier doesn't mention watch movement is in the Ballon Bleu Extra-Flat. But a quick look on the caseback reveals the term "mecanique." That says to me that the watch has a mechanical movement in it, which in this case is manually wound.?? Really odd that they don't publish more on that point. Most versions of this flat watch come on a brown alligator strap, but those people get the blue dialed platinum version will get a blue alligator strap. Price? The Cartier Ballon Bleu Extra-Flat will run you $20,300 - $21,800 in gold, and $32,550 in platinum.
At the 2011 Oscars, best actor Colin Firth was wearing a Chopard L.U.C XPS watch - could you ask for a classier tuxedo watch? The L.U.C XPS of this type first came out in 2009, and if it were not for the "Chopard" name, I would think it was a Dell computer. This is also one of Chopard's answers to the thin elegant watch question. The L.U.C XPS has a Chopard L.U.C 12.96 automatic movement and is still just 7.13mm thick.While Chopard offers the watch in 18k rose or white gold, it is really the white gold version with the black dial that you want. The thin bezel makes the 39.50mm wide case feel larger than it is, and the alligator strap adds a bit of glossy luxury on the wrist. Chopard designed the dial to be minimalistic but highly functional. It is like a dressy version of what Panerai design is going for. One version of the dial has the time with subsidiary seconds dial using dauphine hands, matched to a mixture of baton hour markers with stylized Roman numeral hour markers. Dauphine hands always look stellar on minimalist dials.Step it up a bit for the diamond version of the watch -?? one of the most tasteful diamond watches for people who don't like diamond watches. For the L.U.C XPS Diamonds Chopard uses baguette-cut stones for the hour markers and around the bezel. It is a watch with the good taste of a minimalist design with the higher-status look of diamonds without all the gaudiness.Seen through the sapphire crystal caseback, the Chopard L.U.C 12.96 automatic movement has twin barrels with 65 hours of power reserve and of course is nicely decorated. The rotor is in solid 22k gold and is a micro-rotor. It is also COSC Chronometer certified which isn't too common in watches of this type. Chopard really did a good job mixing classical elegance with a timeless looks in this watch. I think it is one of the best in it genre. Prices for these pieces ranges a bit - retailing at about $13,500 of the standard gold version and up to around $35,000 for the diamond version. See one of these Chopard L.U.C XPS Diamond watches available on James List here.
As Hermes fends off attacks from LVMH to retain its independence they also continue to push forward with their prowess as watch makers. For 2011 their horological focal point is the Arceau Le Temps Suspend" watch. That literally means "time suspended," and that is exactly what it does.The watch has been in development for a few years now. Mainly because they couldn't get it to work until they enlisted Mr. Fix-It Jean-Marc Wiederrecht. For me Jean-Marc will always primarily be one of the MB&F "Friends." The time suspended complication isn't that complicated to understand. The watch normally has the time with a retrograde date display. Press the pusher on the left side of the case and the hands jump to a rigid rabbit eared position.... and just stop moving. Inside the watch the movement still keeps track of the time, but you can't see it on the dial. Press the pusher again and the time returns to normal. Child's play.Wiederrecht assured me that the system was reliable and durable. Meaning you can using it again and again without it breaking. Such an assurance from him has a lot of weight in my book. But still, why? After seeing the watch I complimented Hermes on a job well-done and said it was "cute." Cute is great, but who will use it? I just wasn't convinced of the marketability of this novelty, but I wanted to give Hermes the benefit of the doubt. So I needed to discuss the watch and its time suspending complication a bit with other people who could rationalize it to me. Hermes seemed pretty convinced that this watch was the next big thing, so why did I assume it was just a toy?Hermes didn't like my dismissal of their new toy at all. Especially since it was the watch they needed people to focus on this year. The watch itself comes in a 43mm wide case in steel and as a limited edition of 174 pieces in 18k rose gold. The Arceau style case has a more pronounced lug structure on the top and suavely curved numerals that seem to run around the dial. You can get it with a silvered or black dial - each decorated with pleasant textures. The asymmetrical dial?? is interesting, and still feels balanced. The retrograde date dial is surprisingly easy to read and I like how the hands seems to come out of nowhere. Inside the watch is an automatic mechanical movement with the special time suspended module that was specially developed for the watch. It is actually a good looking timepiece, even without the complication.I ran into Jean-Marc and he was wearing the Le Temps Suspendu watch. He was just strolling around looking at watches. I wonder how much publicity the relationship with Hermes will give him. Or rather, I wonder what effect it will have on his career. Guys like this are the backbone of the modern high-horology watch industry. The brains behind the watches that we all love to love.It didn't take long before I started talking about Hermes, and the watch. His take on it was very simple - it is a toy. Just as I suspected. Oh, but not just any toy, a fun one. He claims to be addicted to mechanically pushing the time suspending button and playing with the watch. A little novelty seems to go a long way. When people all wore manually-wound mechanical watches you could satisfy nervous fidgeting just by winding your watch. I am waiting for a complication to come that allows you to artificially drain a mainspring barrel just so that you can wind it again. As we mostly wear automatic or quartz watches these days, we need other things to fidget with. Checking your text messages is fine, but few things can replace the simple pleasure of a shiny little button that clicks. Le Temps Suspendu has one of those and if you wear one you'll find your finger on it a lot. So for Jean-Marc, the watch offers a satisfying way of getting to press a button and have something meaningful happen - again and again.Another wise man offered a perhaps more romantic explanation for the "poetic complication." I'll honor him by maintaining his anonymity, but he knows who he is. In his typical confident lectatorial tone, he promptly responded to the question of "who will use the watch" with a simple "it will get you laid." Will it now? He seemed sure enough of this fact that I wondered how recently the watch in fact did get him laid. I had to consider this opinion of the watch's utility. Was the Hermes Le Temps Suspendu watch the ultimate pick-up tool?The idea is that a woman will respond positively to the emotion in the concept of the watch. It is also a good conversation starter. "My dear, please allow me to adjust my watch. In this moment I desire for time to stand still. There can be no schedule distracting me from our time together." At this point you lift up your sleeve to reveal your Hermes watch that ideally matches an orange cream tie with walruses on it, and large "H" belt buckle. You get extra points if she activates the watch for you. Maybe this wise man is right - in an hour you can have her in bed, and you'll be thankful all along you wore the right watch that evening.