a Passion for Watches » aBlogtoRead.com

Permalink for 'IWC, The Plastiki, And A Limited Edition Adventure Ecology Ingenieur Watch'

1:10

IWC, The Plastiki, And A Limited Edition Adventure Ecology Ingenieur Watch

The wind speed was brutal. It was almost unfair. I was out in what felt like a gale for literally seconds before my expensive European umbrella was trashed and I was soaked. The wind warped it like aluminum foil in front of my eyes like it was a sick marionette puppet performance. In the past I had trusted its apparent durability to the elements with much confidence. In one fell swoop the elements decided to test its limits with a result that would satisfy a giggling teenager.

The pathetic thing was that I wasn’t doing anything exotic. I merely exited my car in Sausalito near a marina across from San Francisco. The wind was viciously quick that day. I had driven over on invitation from IWC to witness the Plastiki. A boat that they are a major sponsor of, and have released a limited edition set of their popular Ingenieur watches for. While I was being bullied by the elements, my view (through the rain), was the completed 60 foot catamaran style boat made mostly out of reused, or recycled plastic bottles - the same type millions of people each day drink soda out of. It looked more impressive in person than in the small cartoonish images I had seen it before as. 12,500 bottles and about four years after the journey to build it started, it was ready for its maiden voyage. The point of the thing? To be a sound vessel both ecologically and functionally.

For most of our history we have been building boats. The eons of experience have allowed us to realize that the sea is an incredibly unforgiving place. Just making a boat worthy of an ocean voyage far away from shore is tough. It is tempting to use the best and most capable materials that are available. So what do you do if you want a cross-continent traveling green ship? Four years of R&D apparently. IWC is a patient sponsor. The Plastiki was pretty far behind schedule. It needed reevaluation a few times, but the finished result was promising. Like all good experiments, the project resulted in a new use for used plastic bottles. Through some basic processing, they can be turned into a fiberglass like material that is very hard (at least as strong as fiberglass as I understand), workable, and a bit flexible as well. Most of the Plastiki is built out of the stuff. The hand-done job makes the ship feel like a polished craftsman project. A lot like concept watches make totally by hand.

I am no boat expert, but I was certainly impressed by what I was exploring. The boat isn’t big, but is still meant to carry a six member crew from San Francisco to Sydney. The trip won’t be a race, but the journey is due to take about 4 months. The entire time the Plastiki will be generating its own power, and use almost all recycled and earth friendly elements. Not in any BS corporate marketing manner, but as done by serious Earth lovers who intend the project to make a serious point about ecological preservation and the changes our planet is actively going through, despite what political pundits suggest spewing rhetoric from the frame of reference of their manicured gated communities.

While in journey, the Plastiki will upload data to the internet of the surrounding environment. The crew itself is due to blog and even provide some video updates. Getting enough power for this will involve hand positioning solar panels and time spent on an electricity-generating bicycle-style device on the deck. Actually, power savings have never been quite as cool. The ship has instruments that give you real time data on exactly how much power you are using versus generating. It really helps you appreciate how efficient or inefficient you are being. Image how much “better” we would be if we had real-time stats on our global footprint on a second-by-second basis in our daily lives.

The many dedicated people behind the project involve a company called Adventure Ecology and some highly dedicated sponsors. I don’t know if it is their sincere desire to work with positive projects that emphasize the values of the brand, or the charisma of project leader and Adventure Ecology founder David de Rothschild – but we are fortunate that projects like this get funded. Mr. de Rothschild has some laurels on his sleeve and past projects with the famous Swiss watch brand. He has climbed high and traveled to the coldest places on the Earth, and now his green message is taking to the seas. As you might expect, David is a character. Tall and slightly Jesus-like in appearance, he is well articulated in the details behind his projects. We spoke a bit about the details of the boat that floats via specially inflated 2 liter cola bottles, and he humored my more practical questions. What will you eat? Who will save you if the boat’s organic cashew nut glue decides it tastes good to sharks? Will anyone be following you? It is true that the vessel is experimental, but the people behind the project are well-seasoned and have thought in great detail about the journey. If sharks eat the boat (highly unlikely), they will not be followed by any ships, but will need to rely on their satellite phone for help who hopefully is only a day or two away. Oh, and the head on the ship makes an airplane lavatory feel luxurious.

While the boat has already proven a manufacturing success, the journey is really a symbolic denouement to the Plastiki’s birth. Proof that the concept works, and a way for David to enjoy the type of lifestyle he gravitates towards for at least another several months. The cheeky name of the Plastiki is in honor of the Kon-Tiki and its voyage from 1947 – Google that or David (as well as Adventure Ecology) for more information on them.

I mentioned my now deceased umbrella for a reason – rather than to merely lament its inglorious demise. It allowed me to appreciate the benefit of a tool meant to last. Sure the umbrella performed amicably most of the time, but it just took one unexpected instance for it to fail me, and leave me less than dry. What will happen to David out in the sea if his tools fail him? Even if they are suitable for 98% of all occurrences, that still leaves open dangerous contingencies. I am starting to understand why IWC likes to test themselves by partnering with such “perfect examples.” The special, limited edition of 1000 pieces IWC Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition Adventure Ecology watches will be worn by the crew and will stand up to anything that the Plastiki crew faces. IWC has yet another chance to prove the rugged reliability (and in my opinion dashing good looks) of its Ingenieur watches. Facts and figures on paper, as well as clean looking marketing photo’s don’t communicate this point. Only action can do that. Aside from some cosmetic changes and a specially made and engraved caseback, the blue and orange watch is the Ingenieur that anyone can get. David was proudly wearing his the entire time. A watch guy like me, I appreciated his ability to point out some of the finer details of the watch and how it would help him on the voyage. He also adeptly summed up the piece by emphatically pointing out, “and it is just really cool.” The colorful design looked appropriate with his unique wardrobe that included colorful socks that he tucked his pant legs into. I appreciated that both he and I in our own unique ways are unapologetic eccentrics.

Buying one of the Mission Earth Edition Adventure Ecology watches gets you a special watch case as well. It is made from the same recycled srPET plastic bottle material that the Plaskiti is mostly made from. The high grade rubber strap is ultra comfortable, and the bright colors feel light-hearted and fun – another Ingenieur personality in a range of pieces. The steel cased watch is water resistant to 1,200 meters, is antimagnetic, highly shock absorbent, and contains the IWC in-house made automatic caliber 80110 movement. There are scant other high performance and cool looking high-end watches out there dedicated to the active environmentalist movement. Plus, after spending some time playing with the very easy to use and read design, I am sold on the Ingenieur watch line in general.

Intentionally or not, IWC keeps allowing me time with their collection, confident that the inherent merits of their watches will attract me. The biggest thing holding most people back from not being watch lovers is simply lack of an opportunity to develop into watch lovers through experience and education.

At the same time I understand the need for the right tool for the job. The crew of the Plastiki doesn’t wear watches to satisfy their sponsor. They have need for high quality, reliable watches on a daily basis. IWC provides them with nice-looking, well-working pieces which are more than suitable for the job. Intentional overkill is what I want in my watches and tools. The ability to survive much more than I could imagine throwing at them – with a grace you want from something you regularly use.

Near the time you will be reading this the Plastiki will set sail. Literally, without the wind the crew is stuck on board playing cards, and generating enough juice to surf the Internet a bit via their satellite connection. You can log-on yourself to the Plastiki website (theplastiki.com) for journey updates, more information about the crew, and to learn more about Adventure Ecology. For more details on the limited edition Adventure Ecology watch or getting one, contact IWC, or your nearest IWC dealer.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'HourTime Show Watch Podcast Episode 18'

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HourTime Show Watch Podcast Episode 18

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Permalink for 'Celsius X VI II LeDIX Tourbillon Mobile Phone Hands-On'

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Celsius X VI II LeDIX Tourbillon Mobile Phone Hands-On

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Things I need to do in life before I can purchase an over $300,000 luxury mobile phone: have a man servant, enjoy caviar on the moon, have human flesh offered to me (and politely refuse it), take my pet panda to the panda groomer, have eyeglasses made out of platinum for the hell of it, refuse beautiful woman for the night because night is already occupied with too many beautiful women, and have private helicopter pick me up from supermarket outing. Yup, that pretty much sums up the list of things required before a phone like this makes sense to me, but it does exist, and people do intend on buying them. Boy, I really haven't lived have I?

Here is some hands on treatment with what is probably the most expensive luxury phone on the market. In fact, the Celsius X VI II LeDIX is not quite get for sale yet, but will be soon. I originally thought the name of the phone was "Papillon." As that "butterfly" name is actually on the phone and all over their website. Press materials actually have the name of the mobile phone as "LeDIX." That is right, "LeDIX." Pretty much going to suggest that they stick with "Celsius phone" for the name, for all intents and purposes. In a nutshell, it is a clam-shell style mobile phone that has a flying tourbillon based mechanical watch movement in the lid portion where the screen is. The tourbillon is located at the tip near where the ear speaker is (I bet you hear it moving while you are on the phone). The movement has the time, and a power reserve indicator. The crown for operating the movement is located near the folding point of the phone. The LeDIX has a clever way of winding the movement. Each time you open and close the phone, the watch movement gets three hours worth of power wound in to the mainspring. The movement has a total power reserve of 120 hours.

The manner in which the movement was designed and implemented is pretty cool. Celsius wanted to make sure that using the phone in some manner worked with the mechanical movement - so the opening and closing part goes to that desire. The tourbillon and the watch movement is supposed to have some manner of shock absorption to protect it from the inevitable roughing around that it will experience. At the same time though, this is a phone you need to be much more careful with. Drop it and the watch movement part of it will likely be kaput. This is the same with all delicate mechanical watches.The movement has sapphire crystal over it and is in a water resistant enclosure.

The LeDIX phone itself is quite heavy at 245 grams. It feels solid and is made from mostly grade 5 titanium (with lots of nice polishing). It also has ebony inserts. There is also going to be a limited edition (of 28 phones) model that is in black PVD titanium with carbon fiber inserts. The phone has about 600 mechanical parts - 330 of which are part of the watch movement. The rest of them are for cool little flaps and hinges. The battery compartment has a type of ejection system for the battery, and most of the ports are covered and opened via little buttons or levers. Celsius didn't want there to be exposed plastic or alike on the phone. It is pretty cool to play with the little hatches and alike on the phone - none of them are ultra necessary, but neither is the phone itself. It goes with the uber-luxury gadget theme of this mobile phone.

How is one supposed to carry such a heavy and delicate phone? In a holster of course. I snapped an image of a Celsius representative showing off his holster, one of a few accessories that come with the phone. Try going through airport security and explaining that. The LeDIX will also come with a charging/docking station, and a hands-free talking device. The charger uses a proprietary design - I would have liked for them to just use USB. Oh well.

So the phone is heavy and high quality with an expensive watch movement. What about using it as a phone? It should suffice for that task. The unlocked device is a tri-band GSM phone developed with Sagem Wireless. The OS is pretty basic. Celsius sees the LeDIX as a companion or weekend phone. It is not supposed to replace your Blackberry. As such, they intend for the LeDIX to be used for calling, basic messaging, contacts, and the 3.2 megapixel auto-zoom with flash camera. Though the phone does have basic multi-media features such as a media player, and a web browser. The screen is a nice to look at 2.2 inch OLED. The phone is not a 3G device, and it really doesn't' need to be given what Celsius expects its owners to use it for. Battery life is about 3.5 hours of talk time.

Pretty much all the accessories are going to be specially made for the LeDIX phone. Lots of high grade metal, leather, and a feeling that you are better than others. Serious, in a world of such fast changing technology, why is more opulent and decadent that a several hundred thousand dollar mobile phone? And not a diamond to be found (though I am sure that is coming). The phone sits in an odd place in the ecosystem of mechanical devices. It isn't particularly high tech, nor does it have the most modern of styles. It is really a unique hybrid device that attempts to merge the worlds of luxury mechanical watches with mobile phones such a bit closer than they have ever been before.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'My IWC Da Vinci Ceramic Chronograph Watch Article On AskMen.com'

13:06

My IWC Da Vinci Ceramic Chronograph Watch Article On AskMen.com

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Permalink for 'Marvin M014 Watch Review'

1:32

Marvin M014 Watch Review

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Those of you who are entirely mechanically minded might miss the point of most watches out there - that being, to look good. "Looking good" and machinery don't always mix, but when they do the result is most satisfying. For that reason most functional things try to emulate machinery as close as possible to strive for the beautiful sweet spot of an item that is in perfect equilibrium between form and function.

I mention this as a prelude to the Marvin M014 watch as a means of explaining it. Gear heads out there might miss the point. In summation, the watch is a mechanically inspired watch that wishes to thematically mention its more expensive and possibly less sexy brethren. The M014 is housed in a polished and brushed steel candybar-like case with an perlage polished face and a few dials to tell the time. Almost like a regulator watch in appearance, the dials are there for the minutes, hours (on a disc), and the seconds below.

Few can deny the layout and style is attractive. It displays a welcome symmetry, and the colors of steel and black are enhanced with a dash of red that suits most any timepiece when applied. Together these elements suggest the dashboard of a classic car or perhaps of a plane. The exact origins aren't the point, but rather that it leads you to consider other romantic mechanical items. In this regard the Mo14 succeed. It certainly has an air of mechanica to it and a manly inspired demeanor. Aside from this pictured Mo14-14 version of the watch with the perlage face, there are actually two other versions of the timepiece with other styles that are also interesting.

The case is large and quite nicely finished at 50mm tall by 38mm wide. Though as you can tell, the soft curves and tapered edges don't make the size stick out much. Notice the organic way it adapts to life on one's wrist. The custom leather strap (with the iconic red colored underbelly Marvin watches are known for) is very wide at 28mm between the lugs and tapers down to 22mm wide at the Marvin signed steel buckle.

Under the sapphire crystal you have two dials and disc seen under the upper dial. This is how the time is told, and Marvin goes so far as to neatly label each area for you. Reading the time takes some getting used to, but is worth the novelty of the design. Perhaps not primed for a daily wear, the M014 is nevertheless a cool addition to a collection. In side the watch are actually what I understand to be two watch movements that are synced together. The secondary movement powers the seconds scale. Early versions of the watch housed Technotime movements, but more recent versions have Ronda 751 and 753 quartz movements in them. And interesting vestige of the double movements is the presence of two crowns. Only the top crown is operational. I considered the wisdom of placing a second crown on a watch merely for cosmetic purposes and didn't quite think I was sold on the idea. We are efficient creatures and often look down upon things for show. I then considered the visual effect of the second crown. I must admit I like the look of them both. As a component that is merely decorative, it certainly does help - as a single top mounted crown would have looked awkward. I then realized that many things part of the items we love are for "show." It helps forgive the notion, but still adds a quirky character to the watch. On the opposite side of the watch you are greeted with the traditional Marvin Watch Co. logo.

You do grow increasingly accustomed to reading the time under the screwed on metal frame over the white dials with the perfect mixture of style and operational succinctness. The black hour disc with its Marvin style font is a touch that I appreciate. Other little features such as the comfy strap and gently curved case make M014 watch a lot easier to tote around than its novel nature might suggest. Price is about $1,000.

Learn more about Marvin watches here.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Porsche Design Indicator Watch Available On James List'

1:09

Porsche Design Indicator Watch Available On James List

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One of the coolest watches of the last few years didn't see its proper level of greatness because it was too expensive. At over $100,000 (retailed at about 78,000 euros) the Porsche Design Indicator remained a beautiful and fundamentally superior design that you could only appreciate from a distance. Eterna, who makes all the watches for Porsche Design, still makes 2-4 of the Indicator watches per a year, but on request only. The watch is limited to 50 pieces, so eventually they will be all out. Let's take a quick peak at this watch. You can also get them online, with a few available costing in the $100,000 range. Original retail was at least $20,000 more than that.

What made the watch so great was the (mostly) in-house movement, sexy functional design, and ultra easy to read dial. The name "Indicator" referred to the digital readout of the chronograph. While the chronograph seconds used the main dial in an standard analog format, the right side of the dial had a digital jumping set of indicators for the chronograph. It could measure about 10 hours. The watch also features a subsidiary seconds dial and a power reserve indicator - both which are special.

The subsidiary seconds dial has a large arrow hand, but also three small cutaways in the dial. These have a disc underneath the colored red and white. As the seconds move these move from white to red and back again rather quickly. It looks awesome! The power reserve indicator is of the fanciest out there. Basically it is a series of disks. It goes from green to red at the power runs out. When you wind it, the power reserve indicator fill up with green again. The execution of this system is joyous to operate.

Telling the time is a darn delight. Look at those massive hands. The contrast is perfect and they aren't drowned out by anything. I don't say this lightly when I say that this is one of the best designed modern watch designs ever. The face of the watch has a honeycomb pattern that is repeated again on the movement.

The Indicator watch is 48mm wide and done in titanium. You can get it in a light or dark case tone. The watch is exceptionally well built. Pure Porsche Design looks, with a great timeless, yet modern appeal. Inside the watch is a movement that actually uses an ETA base, but is heavily modified with over 400 new parts. The movement actually have about 800 parts. More than most movements with these functions. The movement is an automatic, and you can see the nicely made (looks like part of an auto wheel) titanium automatic rotor through the sapphire caseback window of the watch. There is also gold on the rotor to add necessary weight. The chronograph pushers on the case are large, and the crown is easy to use. Originally, the watch crown was meant to look like a wheel with tire on it. Though that was held back.

The Porsche Design Indicator watch was released a few years ago around the time when the Porsche Carrera GT supercar was released. It was meant to be a companion piece. The rubber strap on the watch has a tire tread design on the inside that was meant to match the tire tread of the Carrera GT wheels. A super chronograph, to accompany a super car. The idea was that it would be ultra easy to read while driving a very fast car.

Eterna really outdid themselves with this piece. Easily among their list of masterpieces. I felt really lucky to be checking out this watch, and I thank Eterna for that. Will there be more watches like this? Probably, but not likely in the foreseeable future. With the downturn in the economy, the demand for watches like this is much lower. Until then, the Porsche Design Indicator will remain a wonderful and exotic novelty for those fortunate enough to afford one. If you can, I highly recommend it.

See a Porsche Design Indicator watch available on James List here.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'My Baselworld Top 5 Watches Article On AskMen.com'

17:44

My Baselworld Top 5 Watches Article On AskMen.com

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Permalink for 'Tempvs Compvtare Sea Shepherd Watch'

1:26

Tempvs Compvtare Sea Shepherd Watch

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Some people speak for the trees, and others speak for the whales, and dolphins (and porpoises, sharks, turtles, and umm.... others animals). Enter the Sea Shepherd Conservation society, its boats, and its vagabond band of activists. Some people call them eco-terrorists, some call them the only people out there actively trying to do something about the problems of illegal whaling and other vicious anti-Earth activities. Personally, I am glad that someone is doing more than just whining on a sidewalk in Berkeley. You can talk all the crap you want to about people like those who volunteer at Sea Shepherd, but dammit they mean what they say, and are proactive. They kind of realized that protesting alone was the worst way of getting anything done. Oh, and they actually sink ships I hear, which is pretty cool.

Here is a special edition watch dedicated to Sea Shepherd and the activist writer Farley Mowat. The watch is based on the standard Tempvs Compvtare watch that I wrote about here. You can tell right away that the watch is all Tempvs Compvtare (Tempus Computare), but now with a yellow instead of blue trim, and one of the strangest set of hands I have ever seen on a dive watch (or any watch for that matter). Using the iconic Sea Shepherd flag, the dial of the Sea Shepherd watch uses the Poseidon's trident and shepherd's cane as the hour and minute hands (trident is the hour hand). You can see the skull shape (with the whale and dolphin on it) placed on the dial as well. The skull and crossbones symbol is meant to be pirate like of course, communicating the aggressive tactics of the team. Though I like how Tempvs Compvtare make the skull meaner looking. I got to handle the standard Tempvs Compvtare watches and they are pretty cool (though the Sea Shepherd was there as it was not released yet).

The Tempvs Compvtare Sea Shepard is 47mm wide in black DLC coated steel. It has a very competent design that is masculine and modern. The colored segments (here in yellow) all over the watch are done in luminant - so the watch actually grows like that in the dark. Crystal is naturally AR coated sapphire and the case is water resistant to 200 meters. Inside the watch Tempvs Compvtare uses a Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic movement. Aside from the odd to read hour and minute hands, the chronograph complication and the date functions are easy to read. In addition to the Swiss movement, according to Tempvs Compvtare the rest of the watch is entirely Swiss made as well. This is not too common actually - and is part of the reason the watch has a high price.

All Tempvs Compvtare watches are all animal friendly. Meaning there don't use animal skin in any of their watches. Another important part of the Tempvs Compvtare is they they donate a chunk of each sale to a marine eco-friendly cause. This is a fundamental part of the brand, and something that I think they will expand upon. Not totally sure about the price, but that of the standard Tempvs Compvtare watch was in the over $7,000 range I recall.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'New Anonomio Watches For 2010'

2:02

New Anonomio Watches For 2010

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I recently learned that Italian Anonimo watches have returned to the US. Sources indicated that until just recently they had abandoned the United States market! Now Anonimo USA is pledging a full scale eruption of "Anonomic" proportions. Well I just made that one word up, but it seems to fit. With a history linked to Panerai and a style that is similar, the brand has a rich and dedicated following with some good looking products. I'd love to get my hands on some soon. Click here for an example of a very long and through homage to their popular Polluce line of watches.

Anonimo has a few new interesting watch for us to enjoy. Here are three of them that are interesting and display for you what is common for the brand. Starting from the top here are the Anonimo Cronoscopio Mark II, D-Date II and the Pulluce Magnum. You can see while each of them is similar in style, there are enough differences in each for Anonimo to say that they don't just change around dials to make new watches. Plus the styles of each is just a mere military style analog. Each has its one special sort of uniqueness that gives the brand arguably more character than greats such as Panerai.

The Cronoscopio Mark II watch is large at 48.5mm wide and in black steel (case is 200 meters water resistant and the crystal is of course sapphire). Like each of these watches, Anonimo uses a special Drass blackening process for the black toned steel. Note the non black pushers and large crown. I like the easy to read bubble style font that is anything but typical for an "instrument watch," yet does not feel out of place. Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic movement that has the subsidiary seconds dial removed for a bi-compax look. I would normally argue that Anonimo should have given the watch a black disc for the date and date, but the white tone fits here. Otherwise a pretty standard, yet nice watch. The watch also is available in a non-black polished steel version. Price is about $6,000.

Next is my favorite of the bunch, the Anonimo D-Date II (new style of the original D-Date watch). The watch is a bit smaller at 43mm wide and in black toned sand-blasted steel. The blackening process is not PVD, but uses something called Ox-Pro, as well as Drass. I honestly don't know enough about these exotic processes, but Ox-Pro is for making the steel black and Drass is supposed a process to make the sand-blasted steel highly anti-reflective and anti-corrosive. Then you have the polished and brushed 4N tone 18k gold (which it uses again on the crown a bit). Style here is a bit more classic Anonimo with the arrow style hour markers and the signature hands. Not to mention the four placed Arabic numeral hour markers. The watch is attached to a high quality Kodiak coated leather strap (for extreme salt water resistance). The watch is water resistant to 500 meters and I believe has a helium escape valve on the left side of the case. Inside the watch is a modified Swiss ETA 2834-2 automatic movement, that has the day and date moved to the top and bottom of the dial. A really nice clean military look with some added luxury and an attractive masculine look. Price is $6,800.

Last is the new Anonimo Polluce Magnum. Based on the popular Anonimo Polluce watches, this large 45.5mm wide watch has Anonimo's version of a skeletonized dial. Plus, the case is done in the rare for watch case bronze metal. It is a special alloy of bronze (UNI5272) that has been sand blasted as well with a satin and brushed finish. The bronze alloy is apparently used in certain types of water borne nautical instruments and weapons. The case is water resistant to 120 meters and have an automatic helium escape valve. I am not sure if I am in love with their style of skeletonized dial, but it is not too bad. Probably doesn't detract from legibility in the watch. Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA 2824-2 or SW200 automatic movement (both are the same movement made by different companies. Price is $5,500.

See Anonimo watches on eBay here.

See Anonimo watches on Amazon here.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Max Bill By Junghans Watches For 2010 The "Max Bill watch" as it is known is...

Permalink for 'Max Bill By Junghans Watches For 2010'

1:03

Max Bill By Junghans Watches For 2010

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The "Max Bill watch" as it is known is one of the 20th Century's most famous watch designs. Clearly conceived by designer and architect Max Bills in Switzerland, the watch was a staple of goodness back when it was originally made in the 1960s. Since then you could buy versions of the watch in its pure form as made by German Junghans (who I believe is owned by Seiko). For 2010 Junghans offers up a more modern, but still retro version of this retro classic. There are three versions of the watches and most exciting is their more modern dimensions (save for the still small manually wound version).

The Max Bill watch is what you can call "concrete Bauhaus." I think this term neatly applies to the combo of Bauhaus design with a modern touch that evokes the beginnings of modern architecture from the 1950s and 1960s. Many of these architectural designs that I refer to may look a bit dated by today's standards, but the best pieces from this era both structures and items (like this watch) have a great contemporary relevance. The Max Bill watch was so good because of how functional it was, but still stylish. Undeniably easy to read, attractive, and soothing to the eye. The design did miraculous things with space and felt like something you wanted to wear.

For 2010 Junghans is going to release three new models of the classic Max Bill watch. A manually wound version, an automatic, and a chronograph (called the Chronoscope). One thing that I am not sure about is the movements actually used. Each mechanical of course, but not sure who makes them - possibly ETA. The cases are in steel and the watch is attached to a mesh metal bracelet with a folding clasp. There is SuperLumiNova on the hands and some of the major hour markers as well.

Uniquely used for the watches, and in retro fashion is the crystal. It is a very special type of Plexi-Glass. The idea is to look like the acrylic crystals of the past. It is domed, and specially treated to be quite hard and more scratch resistant that similar crystals. It also has a highly increased resistant to UV rays and chemicals, plus in to increase the "depth of shine" (not totally sure what that means).

Headlining the collection is the new automatic model (with date). Not huge, but larger than classic standards are 38mmm wide. A very satisfying look with a nice modern feel and of course totally Max Bill. Then you have a slightly larger "Chronoscope" model at 40mm wide. This 12 hour chronograph (likely using a Valjoux 7750 movement or similar) dispenses with the seconds hand for a bi-compax look. The Chronoscope is also the most "instrument like" of the trio with full Arabic hour and minute numerals. This is really a beautiful model.

The smallest version will be just 34mm wide and will contain the manually wound movement. It is a shrunken version of the Automatic mostly, with the date function removed.

Prices for the watches aren't too bad. Made in German, the Max Bill by Junghans watches for 2010 will retail for 1,320 euros for the Chronoscope, 705 euros for the Automatic, and 515 euros for the Manually Wound version. Look for them soon.

See Junghans watches on eBay here.

See Junghans watches on Amazon here.

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Junghans winding stem watch part cal 38 ligne 18 1/2
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US $9.99

Junghans Mens Mega Steel 030/4693.00 European
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NEW OLD STOCK JUNGHANS,SS,EARLY QUARTZ,DATE,KEEPS TIME
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Vintage 1950s Junghans wind up 16 jewel wristwatch
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Junghans German Millitary Young H.J. Union WWII 1944
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VINTAGE JUNGHANS TRILASTIC 93/1 GERMAN WATCH GOLD CASE
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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Bulgari Octo Bi-Retro Steel Ceramic Watch'

1:39

Bulgari Octo Bi-Retro Steel Ceramic Watch

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I discussed a little while ago about how Bulgari (Bvlgari) incorporated Gerald Genta, and Daniel Roth (brands it already owned) into the Bulgari brand. You can read all about that and see a video interview with Bulgari talking about it here. The first product of this digestive affair is this watch. Basically a re-branded Gerald Genta Octo Bi-Retro, that has a bit more Bulgari-ness to it. The overall shape and dimensions of the watch are the same, but styling has been "face-lifted" and injected with some of the Bulgari DNA. It feels like the outcome of a mad scientist combing the DNA of multiple animals, err, I mean watch brands. Why must these men play god!? This horological Chimera is without true soul. Soon we will have an army of "Bvulgenta" and "Daniel Gari" watches all over the place.

Clearly the Gerald Genta style fits better with Bulgari, than does Daniel Roth. I am curious to see what the later mixture with Bulgari will result in. Maybe I will find out shortly when I am at Basel. Back to the new Octo Bi-Retro Steel Ceramic watch. I have two images here of previous Gerald Genta watches. One is a previous Octo Bi-Retro, and other is a Gefica model that shares the same movement. The Gefica line was killer, and I hope that Bulgari retains it for the most part.

If you look closely that the new Bulgari watch in comparison to the older model you can tell that the design differences are minor. Most notable is the ceramic bezel with its "bolts," dial changes, and the new strap. The new strap is my favorite part actually. It is a textured rubber done in a segmented style, with a steel folding clasp. The dial design has taken a less art deco theme, and is more Bulgari in tone, but still feels very much the same. Even the hands are the same. I expect future models to stray a bit more from the Gerald Genta classic.

It is a good thing that Bulgari kept the Gerald Genta name of the dial (and even indicated the in-house made automatic GG7722, aka 7722, movement). I don't think this dual branding on the dial approach is going to last forever, but at least in the short term both names will be there. Why? Because consumers are going to get very confused, and because the Gerald Genta name still is worth something to people - often more than the Bulgari name. In fact, I suspect the name is there to help add value to the watch - more so than it would have in consumers' mind than just the Bulgari label.

The watch is in steel and 43mm wide and water resistant to 100 meters. Like I said, the movement is an automatic, and visible through the sapphire caseback window. The studded crown retains the nifty onyx stone cabochon in it. The Bi-Retro name comes from GG7722 movement having two retrograde counters. The watch has a jumping hour complication using in conjunction with a retrograde minute hand. Thus, the window located closer to 12 o'clock is for the hour, while it is surrounded by the retrograde minute scale. The lower retrograde scale is for the date. Overall I think the design is satisfying. It won't get current Gerald Genta Octo owners to trade their models in, but it won't disappoint future buyers either.

In the future there are going to be many more models like this. Expect a chronograph version of the Bulgari Octo Bi-Retro, as well as versions in different materials. Price for this steel and ceramic model is going to be very close to the price of the previous Gerald Genta model at between about $15,000 - $20,000. I can't wait to see what crazy DNA mixing experiments Bulgari comes up with next.

See Bulgari, Gerald Genta, and Daniel Roth watches on eBay here.

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Bvlgari Bulgari Miami Special Limited Edition Automatic
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NIB Steel Bulgari Diagono Chronograph Auto w/ papers
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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Girard Perregaux ww.tc Watches Hands-On'

3:00

Girard Perregaux ww.tc Watches Hands-On

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I've checked out a number of models, angles, and versions both new and existing of one of Girard-Perregaux's most diverse collection of watches - and I have some nice images of a few of the best. The ww.tc is a collection with a name I don't understand, but a usefulness that is more than apparent. I never really "got" the watch until I was able to personally check the collection out. I can say one thing for sure, if you ever get a Girard-Perregaux ww.tc watch, you will find it very hard to go back to a timepiece that just tells you the time.

Actually, I do know what "ww.tc" stands for (even though it is a silly set of characters for such a cool watch. It stands for "World Wide Time Control." This sounds like a device that a vintage era James Bond villain would have come up with, but the idea is sound. The idea is to be able and tell the time of any of the major world time zones right on the dial. This is done with a special type of rotating 24 hour disc and the labeling of the major reference cities around the periphery of the dial. System can also be used to tell which direction the sun is moving, and whether it is day or night time in cities. I say "major timezones" because we have something like 40 or more of them on Earth, but knowing 24 of them is what most people need.

There are probably over a dozen models of the ww.tc available right now. There are chronograph versions, small seconds version, perpetual calendars, power reserve models, and ones with fanciful timezone reference cities such as the ww.tc 24 Hour Shopping version for the ladies. I focused on the chronograph versions as they have a particularly chic look. Plus the newest version in ceramic is really awesome. That is the Girard Perregaux ww.tc Shadow. It is basically the same as the standard Financial version but in an all ceramic case and it has a Flyback style chronograph. All the men's ww.tc watches are 43mm wide. The ceramic case of the ww.tc Shadow is incredible. Usually ceramic cases are made in modern or different looking styles, but Girard Perregaux took the standard shape of the watch in did it in ceramic. They could have done PVD steel, or a DLC coating, but they opted for the more complex ceramic. It is done in a brushed finish (not shiny), so it doesn't look like something from Chanel. The ceramic is light, hard, and very tough to scratch.

You can also see that Girard Perregaux can get a significantly different look from the watch by changing the case material, hands, and the hour markers. Not to mention of course the dial colors and the trim. The same look can go from really classy in all he ww.tc Financial watches to sporty in the ww.tc Chronograph, and the Shadow. Then there are the ww.tc Small Second versions and other similar non chrono models. These have a more chic and simple look, but retain the clever world time functions. Case materials can be found in steel, titanium, ceramic, white gold, pink gold, and maybe more.

I have to admit that when I first learned about the ww.tc watches a while back, I had no idea how to read them. They just sort of looked cool, but confusing. Once you figure out how they work, they become really obvious how to use. As a hint, the crown on the left of the case rotates the outer ring that has all the city names on it. Now that I understand what the watch does, I would probably choose it as my travel watch of choice.

Movement wise you are getting some nice in-house manufacture action by Girard Perregaux. The movement model will vary given that there a few complication varieties in the watch. Each is an automatic and has about 46 hours of power reserve. The case are water resistant to 65 feet, which is OK given their purposes. The dials have lots of lume (more or less though depending on the models), and of course the dial has a sapphire crystal. I also like the unique positioning of the date window between 1 and 2 o'clock. It just makes it that much different. Here is another under-appreciate watch in the world of haute horology - at least in the US. Girard Perregaux makes some fantastic stuff. Much of it doesn't have a "wow' factor that some other new models have, but what I can say is that Girard Perregaux makes a lot of fine watches that can grow on you like a good, trust friend. Prices for the ww.tc watches usually ranges from about $13,000 - $25,000, depending on the model.

See Girard Perregaux watches on eBay here.

See Girard Perregaux watches on Amazon here.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Techne Sparrow Hawk Watch Review'

1:16

Techne Sparrow Hawk Watch Review

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Aside from this timepiece, a Sparrowhawk (also Sparrow Hawk) is two things (well probably more actually). What I am thinking of is the actual bird family, and the plane (which appropriately borrowed the name from the bird). As the name implies, the Sparrowhawk tends to be a smaller fellow. Though full of gumption, and still a predator being a hawk. One of the most interesting predatory birds out there, the Sparrowhawk is the powerful and agile underdog of the sharp clawed and taloned avian world. The plane is a curious item from the 1930s I believe. A biplane fighter - it was supposed to be very agile and light. The Sparrowhawk was used aboard carriers given how quickly it could get off the ground. Even though the fighter was small, it packed a powerful punch in numbers.

So how does the watch with the Sparrow Hawk name measure up? It too is an admirable little fighter with a punchy spirit. The watch is 40mm wide but sits a bit petitely on the wrist (at least in comparison to my mostly 44mm wide watches). Still, 40mm is nothing that most people would consider small. Rather it is a classy size for what is inherently a classic watch. It even has a modern form of a classic movement.

The watch has a good thickness to it and I like the finishing on the case. It feels tool-like and purposeful. Few other vintage style watches I am familiar with actually look like they could be pulled out of the past like this model. The case design is utilitarian with mostly brushed surfaces . You have to love the grain on the crown that makes it really easy to wind the manually wound movement. Certainly a plus there.

Techne took its time when thinking about the watch. It is in fact the first piece for the newer brand, who wanted to make an "honest homage" as I see it. I can see the designer sitting in the cockpit of a prop bi-plane and thinking about the gauges and what the pilot would have been used to reading. Then taking that look and putting into the design of the watch face. A matte black dial with lume coated numerals is the obvious result, but the little details make it easy to read and easy on the eyes. Further, the dial has a really good balance and layout. Techne really took a classic look that has barely been touched for decades and successfully played around with it.

Finishing on the case is acceptable for the price range. It is in steel with 50 meters of water resistance and a sapphire coated mineral crystal. Another crystal is affixed to the caseback for you to see the movement. The case is comfy on the wrist and I like all the strap options. I got a few of the straps to play with. I opted for the NATO strap because I like how it felt and fit with the case. Techne offers a range of colors for the NATO straps and also has a riveted brow leather strap (Pilot style), and a mesh metal bracelet which is pretty cool. The strap width is 20mm for the Sparrowhawk. You should know that Techne has large wrists in mind as the straps are typically very long.

One of the most interesting features of the watch is that is sort of metaphorically transforms. The dial and case are spartan and functional, and when you turn it over you are greeted with polished metal, blue screws, and an interesting decorated movement. You just don't expect to see it there like that. The movement inside the watch is the Chinese made Sea-Gull 1901 manually wound 30 minute column wheel chronograph movement. It was a good choice for a mixture of function, price, and aesthetics. The 1901 movement might be Chinese made, but it isn't of Chinese origin. Sea-Gull borrowed the design from an older Swiss movement called the Venus 175 - which was used in a lot of early mid 20th century chronograph watches. Like most manually wound chronograph movements, it looks very neat given all the small parts. Sort of like a choreographed soup of watch parts. It is also always fun to watch them in operation, especially when you operate the chronograph and see the column wheel.

The 1901 movement has some decoration on it, including forms of Geneva stripes, the blued screws and polished bridges. Very nice for the price, and I think most people who like the watch will be OK with the choice of movement. Back to the dial, I like that Techne placed different hands for the subsidiary seconds dial and the chronograph minutes dial.

Each Sparrow Hawk watch is individually numbered as well - adding to their collectibility. Wearing the watch for a while I found is very easy to live with and read. It could be a fun mechanical watch that you like to wear on special occasions or even as a daily wear. Especially good for fans of the aviator look, but don't want a larger watch. From zero straight to the Sparrowhawk as their first model, Techne looks poised for some interesting pieces in the future as well. For now, the delightful little fighting Sparrowhawk watch goes for about $405 - $515 depending on the strap. A competitive price given the market and availability of watches like this.

Learn more or get one at Techne here.

Thanks to Techne for the review unit. Opinions are 100% independent.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Hublot Classic Fusion Watches'

1:49

Hublot Classic Fusion Watches

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How do you create a classic? The statement in and of itself shouldn't make sense as classic things develop over long periods of time. Such "instant classics" are merely good designs that appeal to many people. What I am talking about is literally making a bona fide classic in the time it takes most people to simply develop a product. I can't say I fully understand how, but Jean-Claude Biver at Hublot has turned the Big Bang watch line into a classic over the period of just a few years - but he did.

In 2004 almost nobody had heard of Hublot. Suddenly a short time later we see the birth of a phenomenon. Literally the 'big bang' of the Big Bang. Now, about 5 years later after the product launched, you couldn't count how many Big Bang models there have on the fingers of all the people at a crowded party. What each new watch had in common was a certain pure sense of connection to each other. They each had the same distinct DNA, and the brand forced the core design in the realm of being a classic.

At the 2010 Baselworld show, Hublot unveils the Hublot Classic Fusion. A classic looking watch based upon the Big Bang design that itself is a modern looking watch. The only way that was possible, was by making the Hublot Big Bang itself a classic. Again, the irony is that the Big Bang watch itself is modern and aggressive. Anything but a classic. So Hublot was able to make a classic from a non-classic.

Classic Fusion works. Hublot takes the core Big Bang look and simplifies it. Think of it as a stripped down Big Bang King - the non-chronograph diver version of the Big Bang. The Classic Fusion has a much thinner profile and simplified dial. What you have is the classic porthole design of the case, and the strong hands and hour markers that made the Big Bang so famous. The cases come in either steel or red gold, and the bezel is in ceramic with a brushed tip and polished sides on the carbon fiber dial version, while the matte dial versions have matching gold or steel bezels. Rubber straps with thin vertical lines remind us of the first Big Bang watches that came out just a few years ago - but seems ages old given the plethora of Big Bang models to precede it.

The Classic Fusion comes in two sizes. I believe the cases are 44mm and 42mm. In the images above, the matte dials versions are larger in the steel case, and a bit smaller in the gold case. In addition to the plainer matte dials, Hublot also offers a sportier carbon fiber dial option. I anticipate many more versions to come in the future. Perhaps even with classic complications for such thinner pieces such as calendars and moon phase indicators - all with the Hublot twist.

Being quite thin, the watches are very comfortable - and easy to adjust. High-end watches with rubber straps these days have a system where the excess rubber strap tuck in where your wrist is, rather than flops around on the outside. I didn't get pricing information or specific availability, but expect the Classic Fusion watches out soon. Oh, and if you are wondering about the "Fusion" part of the name - well Mr. Biver considers the original Big Bang watches to be a "fusion" of materials. That for him is the point of the collection. So here, the idea is to return to the classic feeling of this "Fusion" feeling.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Montblanc TimeWriter 1 Metamorphosis Watch Transforms'

1:45

Montblanc TimeWriter 1 Metamorphosis Watch Transforms

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There was a lot of excitement at Montblanc in Geneva for this watch. They only had one of them at SIHH and it was in a case. Still a prototype but I got to check it out a bit. In a nutshell, you press down on a lever on the left side of the case and the watch dial magically transforms into something else. Not only does the look change, but more importantly the functions do as well. One face shows the time (regulator style with retrograde minutes) and the date, while the second style is a chronograph.

In the included video you can wait through most of it or skip ahead near the end when they discuss and show some rather funtastic special effects of the TimeWriter 1 Metamorphosis watch. You not only get a good idea of how it works, but of how complex it is. They put all this effort into the video and it isn't even in English - the bastards. The TimeWriter watches will be a growing collection from Montblanc magical workshop in Villeret. The plan is to give the young and eager watch makers the ability to make crazy things. As such, the names of the two gentlemen who made this watch are on the dial. They are Johnny Girardin and Franck Orny. They needed to make their creation in Montblanc form, so you see the reverse teardrop style case that other Montblanc Villeret branded watches arrived in.

At 47mm wide and 15mm thick the watch is pretty small given its complexities. The specially made MBM16.29 manually wound movement has 567 parts and a power reserve of 55 hours. The case is done in 18k white gold and has a real nice finishing to it. Montblanc has come a long way and really asserted themselves as a serious powerhouse of complex mechanical expertise. So on that end the watch is pretty exciting. Style of the case and dial(s) doesn't really do it for me. I mean it is cool, but I don't exactly have any lust for it. A neat item I would gladly tote around, but it would be for the mechanics, not the design. The spirit of "be different" in the watch world when it comes to case and dial design isn't always a good thing. I would have preferred to see a modified version of one of Montblancs more attractive mainstream designs. To be honest the Timewriter 1 Metamorphosis gives me a bit of a headache after prolonged viewing. I've nick named it the Montblanc Seasickness.

So let's chat about what the watch does. The default view of the dial (see above) has a centrally mounted seconds hand and retrograde minute hands. The hours are told via the upper subsidiary dial. This is a variation on the regulator style dial, but with a retrograde hand. The lower part of the dial is a date indicator. Good luck reading that one. Over the date dial is a transparent bridge made out of synthetic sapphire. When you get bored of this, you can transform the watch into chronograph mode.

Montblanc was wise to use the metamorphosis name for the watch. While in a sense it does transform, much of the detail is internal. So while the timepiece change is anything but Kafkaesque it is more of a change of face and function than a serious transformation making you feel like you have something totally new on your wrist. The process of changing the watch is longer than you would expect. First you need to press the monopusher chronograph button in the crown, then slide the lever on the left side of the case. The process actually takes about 15 seconds. So much of what you get is watching the process take action. There are two hidden plates in the watch that act like a double scissors. These "close" and the upper and lower dials are covered over with grayish plates. At the same time the lower dial actually moves down like a little elevator. Internally the watch is going mad with gears and changes to make sure everything works properly. This is not a sport watch my friends, something that you are wise to be delicate with.

After the change is complete the Arabic numeral dial for the hours is now replaced with Roman numerals. This dial and the minute hand still tell the time. The seconds hand is now a seconds hand for the chronograph, and the date display is now used for the chronograph minutes - which is quirkily labeled 1-31 for obvious reasons. I must admit that the chronograph minutes dial gives me the biggest problem visually as it feels like an Escher painting to my eyes. The chronograph is operated of course by the monopusher button in the crown.

Don't forget that while the watch is not showing the date, the movement recalls it, as well as the seconds for the time. This is all part of the mechanical wonder. As a novelty the Montblanc TimeWriter 1 Metamorphosis is cool. The watch however is a gimmick, a fun and complex gimmick, but a gimmick nonetheless. There is almost no utility in the complication, and I have a feeling it is quite fragile. Like the image I posted of MASK (from the 80's cartoon about vehicles that transform in to arguably less useful vehicles), the watch has a lot of initial amusement but remains a toy. Only the Transformers where able to hold our imagination's attention for decades. Plus, you can have all the same functionality that the TimeWriter 1 Metamorphosis has in a Valjoux 7750 movement (and them some). The 28 people who invest in this limited edition watch are doing so for the sheer addictiveness some uber-wealthy people have for a "no one else can do this" pieces of machinery. Buying that feeling knowing that no one else is going to make just such a watch. I really don't think anyone else will have a desire to do so. The mechanical complexity of the Metamorphosis can't be denied, but the lasting appeal of its exclusiveness might.

See Montblanc and Minerva watches on eBay here.

See Montblanc items on Amazon here.

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NEW Black Genuine Leather Band/Strap for Montblanc,19mm
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17mm White/Pink Leather Band/Strap Montblanc Replac't
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Genuine Brown/Red Leather Band/Strap Montblanc Replac't
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19mm/17mm BLK Genuine Leather Band/Strap for Montblanc
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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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1:17

IWC Watches @ SIHH 2010

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3:37

Chanel J12 Marine Watch

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Say hello to my new little friend. Not that Chanel let me walk away with one, but I wanted to. Call me a brand whore but I love what Chanel has done with their watches. Sure I might think twice about sporting a white one around town, but these new J12 Marine watches are pretty impressive. If you recall, the standard J12 watch looks like a dive watch. It is merely a dive "style" piece, based on the core Rolex Submariner design (with a different face of course). Now Chanel released a truer diver with 300 meters of water resistant, a more dive worthy legible dial, some interesting design features.

The case is 38 or 42mm wide and in black of white. Still ceramic, the black case is bead-blasted for a matte, rather than shiny finish. Though the white version is still done with a glossy finish. Going after Blancpain's 50 Fathoms or IWC's Aquatimer, the J12 Marine has a sapphire crystal over the rotating diver's bezel. I love that look, but it is not for everyone. The case quality is very good, with the watch being solid and comfortable. Perhaps a bit small for people who prefer 44mm plus watches, the 42mm wide version is still not too bad. The black with black bezel version is only available in 42mm. How doe you feel about the black with blue bezel? Marine-ish yes, not for everyone, but I like it.

The dial is all Rolex Submariner homage in bubbly way, but with an Arabic numeral 12, at 12 o'clock. Chanel uses a fat arrow for the hour hand, and a blue baton hand for the minutes - that is matched to the seconds hand. The hour markers are all applied and raised up making for a great look against the simple looking dial. There is tons of lume all over the face as well. You can see the cross hair style lines in the middle of the watch face, just like on the standard J12 model.

Chanel is being tight lipped about the movement. Likely and ETA 2892, or equivalent. These days they likely have someone else supplying movements. It is a standard high-quality Swiss three-hand with date automatic. There is an interesting engraving on the rear of the case, that is perhaps too simple than it should be (some wavy lines). Matches to the watch is a cool rubber bracelet. Chanel opted for the highest quality rubber, but it is still flexible. It has vented holes in it to let water in and out. Good for wearing on very humid days actually. Price is going to be in the $5,000 range if memory serves me correctly. These watches are important because it shows that dive watches are still the hottest pieces around, and that demand for fashion brands such as Chanel is very high. In fact, these tough economic times seem to indicate that it is fashion brands like Chanel that still have relatively high demand in watches due to the lasting popularity of the brand name.

See Technical details from Chanel below:

Case
Black high-tech* sand-blasted ceramic and steel case with --black rubber bracelet and blue bezel (38 and 42mm) or black bezel (42mm).
White high-tech* polished ceramic steel case with white rubber --strap and white bezel (38mm).
Engraved steel back.

Bezel
Unidirectional rotating steel bezel, engraved and equipped with a high-tech ceramic or sapphire dial (in blue or black) for easy reading of time under water.
Luminescent dot at 12 o’clock acts as guide marker.

Watch-glass
Sapphire watch-crystal with a blue anti-reflective coating on the inside and outside (on the black version) or clear coating on the white model.

Crown
Screw down steel crown with high-tech* ceramic cabochon equipped with a crown protector.

Dial
Black or white lacquer dial.
Hands, numerals and the numeral ‘12’ is luminescent for perfect legibility in the darkness.

Water-resistance
Resistant to a pressure depth of 300 meters (30 atm).

Movement
Mechanical Swiss automatic movement (28,800 vibrations/hour).
Power reserve: 42 hours.
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date and time under water on the bezel.

Bracelet
Matte rubber bracelet with openings allow water to be released --from the bracelet.
Highly water resistant, shock resistant, light resistant, UV resistant composite material.

Clasp
Polished and satin-finish ardillon buckle, engraved with CHANEL

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'New Steel Rolex Submariner Watch For 2010'

3:26

New Steel Rolex Submariner Watch For 2010

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The long awaited new steel version of the new generation of Rolex Submariner watches is here. The official name is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date. This is not a surprise release from the brand for 2010. However, the introduction of a standard green dial is something I didn't expect. Like clockwork, over the last few years Rolex has been updating their GMT Master II collection and then a white gold new Submariner. Last year the released a new two-tone (steel and gold) Submariner watch with a blue or a black dial. It was only logical that this year would see the release of a new all steel Submariner, ref. 116610. This is most important because the steel versions are the most popular - given their position as having the lowest cost version of one of the most popular timepieces on the planet (if not the most popular luxury watch on the planet).

The new watches have the same 40mm width, but a slightly different shape of case and a new "maxi dial." Like the other new Submariners and GMT Master II, the dial has larger hands and hour indicators. Plus the lume should glow blue. Another wonderful addition to the steel Submariners is the ceramic bezel. Rolex calls it "Cerachrom," and they do it probably better than anyone else. The ceramic has a beautiful tone and is very crisp looking. Compared to the ceramic bezel on the GMT Master II, the Submariner bezels are a more matte finished.

A broader case looks elegant as ever and still thin. Even though the Submariner is smaller at 40mm in size that most modern men's watches, it still holds it own quite well. A bold wrist look that you just can't beat. Don't forget that the case is water resistant to 300 meters in this "original" mainstream true diver's watch. The larger hands and indexes make the face easier to read and dare I say, more Rolexy. The case is not made of grade 316L steel, but rather the higher grade grade 904L steel that has all sorts of special chemical resistance abilities.

Green is a color that Rolex is known for using in special models. The release of a new mainstream Submariner model is a special occasion. It is a substantial tone that isn't too bright or dark. The dial is metallic, while Rolex calls "Green Gold." There is another reason for the green face - to help get existing Submariner buyers to get one. If you have a previous generation Submariner there isn't huge incentive to upgrade unless you are "that type of person." But with a new dial color, and potentially new personality, existing fans will see reason to add to their collection.

Thankfully we now have a Submariner with the famous Rolex Glide-Lock clasp. This gives the bracelet clasp a special micro-adjust ability that gives it a very precise fit. Plus, you can change the size as often as you like for tighter or looser days. Rolex isn't the first to have a special bracelet clasp like this, but they do it oh so well. Inside the watch is the same invincible 3135 automatic COSC Chronometer certified movement. Not much to say there, there are few better three-hand date movements out there. It is of course 100% made and designed by Rolex. Price for the new Submariner watches hasn't been released yet, but I suspect they will be almost identical to the outgoing models. Look for them in stores soon watch lovers. The new piece might not be a monumental upgrade, but that isn't watch Rolex does. They just keep making their good stuff better.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
REFERENCE (CASE / BRACELET): 116610 LN/V / 97200

Case
Diameter: 40 mm
Material: 904L steel
Bezel: unidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated
with black or green Cerachrom insert, platinum graduations
Winding crown: Triplock
shoulders to protect the crown
Crystal: sapphire, Cyclops lens with anti-reflective coating
Waterproofness: 300 m (1,000 ft)

Movement
Calibre: 3135
Self-winding: Perpetual rotor
Date: instantaneous change and rapid setting
Oscillator: frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 beats/hour)
Parachrom hairspring with Breguet overcoil
Precision: COSC-certified chronometer
Power reserve: ~48 hours

Dial
Green version has green gold dial
Hour markers: luminescent Chromalight
Hands: luminescent Chromalight

Bracelet
Material: 904L steel
Type: Oyster
Clasp: Rolex Glidelock

See Rolex Submariner watches on eBay here.

See Rolex watches on Amazon here.

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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Prometheus Recon 5 Watch Review'

17:38

Prometheus Recon 5 Watch Review

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Here is another watch review contributed by Santtu M. I reviewed a previous model by this brand, the Ocean Diver watch here. See his review below:

Recon 5 is the new product from Prometheus, a rather new boutique brand with plenty of determination. This is their take on popular aviator theme. At the first glance I knew that Prometheus were not doing an other aviator, they were doing their adaptation of it. Watch has definite military vibe to it which comes from clean minimalistic dial, very easy to read markings and hands. It's clear that Prometheus had a ambition when making design choices here. As they say them selves on their blog, this watch is a tribute to reconnaissance squadrons of the world and 5th squadron of US Airforce in special.

Hands on this watch bring images of military instruments to my mind and dial has made a bold move towards readability, nice amount of empty space. On dial you can clearly see "room" below 12 o'clock marker, which to me yells utilitarian design. Keeping the dial uncluttered helps reading the time, which is super easy to do at glance with this piece. Dial markings as well as hands are covered in super luminova which illuminate the dial nicely and gives this watch superb night readability.

What really sets this watch apart from most aviator watches is the unique way of incorporating contemporary military styling into classic aviator dial. And it's not a simple cosmetic chance since it improves the readability of the watch quit nicely. For me this is one of the easiest reading watches out there, simple, clean and most of all utilitarian. Just what aviator watches should be about.

It's clear that at Prometheus they have a mission of providing high bang for the buck ratio. Recon 5 has a Swiss Unitas 6497-1 with Côtes de Genève finish inside and it does look good as you can see throe the display back. The movement choice also makes perfect sense in military oriented watch since the manually wound 6497-1 is known for robustness. Robustness is a feature that carries throughout the watch - evident in sapphire crystals (both of them) as well as usage of surgical steel as case material. This watch was build for durability and performance under stress in the cockpit. And priced aggressively at 269 euros. Still, it is a basic timepiece with a rough finishing that will probably give the watch a vintage feel. Regardless, Prometheus isn't targeting IWC or Glashutte Original pilot watches, which is apparently by the price.

Watch case is brushed and surface finish is even and of good quality. This gives a nice contrast to oversize crown which is highly polished to mirror like finish. Overall the brushed finish is a one more touch to utilitarian feel that comes out of this watch from all angles. Case is water-resistant to 50 meters which is perfectly adequate for a watch meant for the skies.

Recon 5 is strapped with nice brown padded leather strap that's super comfy on wrist. Lugs are 22mm which is a nice substantial size for a watch of this size (44mm with out the crown). All in all this watch is proportioned nicely, it has substantial size with out being huge or uncomfortable.

I must say that they have succeeded rather well bringing new fresh ideas to traditional design while still honoring it's roots. Giving traditional aviator watch a modern new look with out being out of place. For many, this will be a way of getting a boutique brand Aviator style watch with a Swiss movement for a price lower than you'd expect.

Visit Prometheus watches here.

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Permalink for 'Popular Watchmakers Sign New Book At Basel'

1:49

Popular Watchmakers Sign New Book At Basel

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Permalink for 'Casio PAG110C-3 ‘Go Green’ Pathfinder Watch'

16:45

Casio PAG110C-3 ‘Go Green’ Pathfinder Watch

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2:29

Cabestan Nostromo Watch

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For 2010 Cabestan brings us something totally new. A fantastic new design dreamed up by talented watch designer Jean-François Ruchonnet. Yes of course the watch is similar to Cabestan's previous model, the Winch Tourbillon Vertical watch - but is actually more affordable (relatively speaking of course). Gone is the tourbillon, complex winch mechanism and double sapphire crystal over the movement on the face of the watch. Also, instead of the fusee chain transmission is a new gear-shaft style transmission. Cabestan watches are incredibly well finished and made. Much of this is thanks to their in-house master technician Eric Coudray. A classic watch maker by all accords who takes incredible pride in his work.

The idea of the Nostromo is be more accessible, mechanically fascinating, and user-friendly. Plus, Cabestan loves the idea of basing the name and design on the spaceship from the classic Alien movie. Time is remarkably easy to read. There are several drums on the dial that are engraved with numerals. These serve to indicate the hours, minutes, and seconds. There is a fourth drum used to indicate the 50 hour power reserve. Cabestan has included a jumping hour complication to make reading the hours even easier. This is all thanks to the new in-house made and designed Calibre CAB PG 160 manually wound movement. The movement bridges are done in black with much of the mechanics in polished steel. This is to highlight those features. Check out the awesome looking drive-shaft on the right of the dial (it is also viewable through the side right sapphire crystal window). This moves power from the mainspring barrel to the rest of the movement.

Winding the watch is much more simple that the previous Cabestan watch. The top right capstan is unscrewed and pops out - turning it into a standard crown for winding and adjusting the watch. The Winch Tourbillon Vertical actually (later models) actually came with a separate winch winding unit. The entire watch case (not sure of the dimensions right now, but I would guess no winder than 40mm) is in black PVD coated titanium. Note that presence of the sapphire crystal over the dial and again on the both sides of the watch as well as the rear - for the best view of the movement possible.

One of the coolest parts of the Nostromo watch is what happens to it in the dark. Unlike most watches that just have luminant over the hands and numerals, the Nostromo has SuperLumiNova applied in many places on the movement and on the strap itself. The idea is to have luminant inside of bridges, and in various little areas to create a sensational sense of depth in the dark. Like something right our of a sci-fi universe, the Cabestan Nostromo is meant to wildly glow at night. Cabestan's owner and Ruchonnet feel that this will look really cool in the clubs. The internal luminant seem to be done in black as not to look pale green during the day.

What you are left with is a very cool design and a classically made movement, though its execution is unorthodox. Unlike many brands that offer interesting movements but leave you worried about afters-sales service, Cabestan is a true watch maker, who is there to service their pieces themselves. The Nostromo is due for release very soon with an estimated price of about 150,000 Swiss Francs.

Technical details straight from Cabestan:

FUNCTIONS
• HOURS, MINUTES, SECONDS READ FROM THREE ENGRAVED ROTARY DRUMS
• POWER RESERVE INDICATOR ON AN ENGRAVED ROTARY DRUM (50 HOURS)
MOVEMENT
• FULLY MECHANICAL MOVEMENT CALIBRE CAB PG 160 WITH SWISS ANCHOR ESCAPEMENT
• FREQUENCY: 21 600 ALT/H OR 3 HZ
• 37 RUBIES
• BREGUET BALANCE-SPRING; MOBILE GENEVA STUD
• WINDING UP AND TIME SETTING USING AN EXTRACTING CROWN
• VERTICAL GEAR SYSTEM, HOLLOW BRIDGES, DRIVE SHAFT WITH CONICAL GEARS, SPECIALLY MACHINED BARREL
• SUPERLUMINOVA COATING INSIDE THE BRIDGES & WINDOWS, ALSO ON OTHER SURFACES
• FULLY HAND FINISHED: BEVELLING, POLISHING, DRAWING, GRAINING AND HOOPING
CASE
• BLACK PVD TITANIUM CASE
• ONE FUNCTIONAL CAPSTAN WITH EXTRACTING CROWN & THREE ORNAMENTAL CAPSTANS
• TWO SIDE WINDOWS WITH SAPPHIRE CRYSTALS
• CASE BACK IN SAPPHIRE
STRAP & BUCKLE
• FOLDING BUCKLE WITH DUAL CAPSTANS
• HIGH QUALITY TWO-LAYER RUBBER STRAP WITH BLACK SUPERLUMINOVA COATING

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Louis Moinet Jules Verne Instrument Watch Review'

1:41

Louis Moinet Jules Verne Instrument Watch Review

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Getting a chance to check out and review this watch for a while was really a dream come true. I recall when I wrote about it a while ago here when it was first announced. I knew then that I really wanted to wear one. The full limited edition of the Louis Moinet Jules Verne Instrument watches is finally out, and Louis Moinet even has created the artistic steampunk Vernoscope set that comes with four special pieces. My opinion is that Jules Verne style watches are going to be a big part of Louis Moinet's future, and it all starts here.

So what is the Jules Vernes Instrument watch? A vintage sci-fi relic? A luxury steampunk creation? Or just a cool watch influenced by the father of sci-fi? All of the above really. I want to say early that there are two versions of the watch from a complication standpoint. These are the Jules Verne Instrument # 1 and the Jules Verne Instrument # 2. If you don't know what you are looking for in the watch, it can honestly be a bit of a pain to tell the difference between the two. Each of them have modified Valjoux 7750 automatic movements with a special module on them. The Instrument # 1 has a module that has a GMT hand at the subdial at 9 o'clock, while the Instrument # 2 has a rattrapante (split second chronograph) built onto the 12 hour chronograph that is already part of the Valjoux 7750. Both versions have upgraded date functions. What is the upgrade? Well basically you can adjust the date either forward or backwards. Plus, operating the small date hand on the dial located at 3 o'clock is buttery smooth. Really, it is a joy to adjust the date. I never thought I would say that with that particular function, but it is true. The company that makes the special modules does so for a few brands, but movements like this are hard to find.

Louis Moinet chose the Valjoux 7750 movement for its durability, reliability, and to be honest , value. While the Louis Moinet Jules Verne Instrument watches aren't cheap, they could have been much more expensive. What I love about the choice of using a work-horse movement with a module, is that you get the best of a few worlds. The functions added by the modules in the movements are well integrated, perform nicely, and feel durable. These are important factors to me. As you can see, this is the Instrument # 2, which means that it has a split second chronograph. Here is how it works. You start the chronograph as normal. At any point, you press the pusher located at 10 o'clock and a little hand underneath the chronograph seconds hand stops. You can then start or stop it whenever you like and be able to measure a separate 60 seconds total, while the standard 12 hour chronograph is still running. It basically gives you the ability to time a shorter measurement without having to stop the main chronograph. It is pretty useful in certain situations. Likewise, with the Instrument # 1, having an adjustable GMT hour hand is useful for having a second timezone, or as an AM/PM indicator. Going back to the movement for a moment, you can see it through the sapphire caseback window on the back of the watch. It uses some blued screws, perlage polish, and a specially engraved rotor for decoration. Overall, with a movement such as this at this price level, I am satisfied.

The functions of the watch are laid out nicely, and I like the design of the applied gold ring or semi rings in the dial. The dial itself comes in silver or black, and I hear is a pain in the ass to engrave. Louis Moinet had to located the right supplier that could do the signature "Louis Moinet sunburst" design on the dial (and automatic rotor). It looks really good, and I am glad that Louis Moinet went to the effort of finding someone who could do it. The hands are all really thin and mean to look like Jules Verne era industrial gauges. The thin arrow hour and minute hands appear clear as day in some lighting situations, and blend in with the face in other situations. This is a quirk with the dial that makes it less that legible in certain lighting situations, but it still always look so good. From an artistic standpoint the dial is beautiful. Though like the issue with the hands, there are some other readability problems. The dial has no lume, and the small gold dots on the minute scale look like that are supposed to be hour indicators, but actually aren't. They are placed between the hours. The minute indicators double as hour indicators. This can be a bit confusing to the eye sometimes. What really does help legibility is the properly sized hands in terms of length, and the dial is still very useful given all that is going on. Even with these quirks, the dial provides so much visual pleasure (not to mention compliments) that it is hard to resist wearing it often.

I am really in love with the watch case. It is big at about 46.5mm wide with a case that has several different materials in it. Most of the case is brushed grade 5 titanium. Then it has 18k rose gold, as well as some polished steel. One of the first things you notice about the case is the fold out chronograph pushers. There really isn't much to say about them, they fold out, work just as described, and fold back in securely. I love the intricately designed large crown. It has steel and gold in it, and an engraved fleur de lys Louis Moinet logo in it. The bezel is also very nicely done in steel with that 18k rose gold ring and trim. Finish on the case is very nice, and it overall is a great look that fits well thanks to its gentle curvature.

You can further appreciate the lugless approach that the design takes. The alligator strap is connected underneath, making for a seamless look. Opposite the crown is a curious element of the design. There is a little porthole made with more detail that you might expect. Underneath that sapphire crystal window is a flat cut piece of gray stone. I admit that this element of the watch could have been designed a bit better (so that the rock in there looks more like a piece of rock rather than part of the case), but you can't deny that what it is makes you want one of these watches. The stone in there is a piece of the moon. Real moon rock, and not even harvested from the moon. We actually have more moon rock that we got from the moon than this type of stone. This is a piece of the moon that feel from the moon to the earth. How did it do that you ask? Well it wasn't easy. Basically, what had to happen at some point was a meteorite needed to slam into the moon, hitting it so hard that a piece breaks off and goes into space. That moon rock projectile needs to fly toward the earth, and hit the earth after surviving the fall into the atmosphere the breaks up most meteorites. After all that, this rocks needs to survive the elements and be found by someone. Of course, it goes without saying that such a stone isn't cheap, and not exactly easy to come by. Ultra rare, and you can have a little piece of one right on your wrist in this watch. It is all very fitting as the watch is a direct homage to Jules Verne's "From the Earth to the Moon." Gimmicky? A bit. But darn it the gimmick works on me like honey to a bear. I love the idea, and it makes me feel awesome to show it off to people. Needless to say it usually result in an impressed person asking "who makes that? It is really cool."

All the titanium in the watch makes it lighter than it would be if it was all steel or gold. So it isn't that heavy, and it is pretty comfy to wear. The alligator strap is done in an interesting way. It is actually coated with vulcanized rubber. That way it is more durable, but has the signature reptile look to it. Also, it has a neat technical flavor that goes with the watch itself. It is connected below with a largish folding butterfly clasp. The deployment clasp has a good looking design, and secures perfectly, but seems to look a bit like it is going to open up. It doesn't at all, but something about the design could be refined a bit to give it a more compact look. Just another quirk the watch has, but honestly these quirks help give it character, and I don't think they will bar people otherwise interesting in the pieces from getting one.

It feels as though I should provide some literary summation points for this watch. Especially given how much of a cool fantasy piece it is. Jules Verne was called crazy in his day, and then years later it turns out he was mostly correct in his methods about how we actually did most of the things he dreamed up. Sure, there aren't "Mysterious Islands" with giant crabs living on them, but we did travel to the moon in a rocket similar to what he imagined, and we did travel to the depth of the oceans in a submersible vessel similar to his drawings. So what does that say about the watch? Perhaps it is a testament to big dreamers. One who imagines how things might be, and predicts how we might accomplish them. The steampunk look of the watch signals the beginning of modern science and engineering as we know it. In that sense it is almost a historical throw-back. However you see the watch, it is a looker and a real emotionally charged work of art. I love the thing.

Each of the Louis Moinet Jules Verne Instrument watches is available with either a black or silver dial and limited to 60 pieces. That means there are 240 of the limited edition watches available. I also hear that there are a few blue and Havana (tobacco brown) dials available in even more limited editions. Prices for the watch at about $18,900 each - and pretty darn worth it if you have the means and the dreams.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'DeWitt Academia Quantieme Perpetuel Nebula GMT Watch Available On James List'

3:31

DeWitt Academia Quantieme Perpetuel Nebula GMT Watch Available On James List

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Back a few years ago when the money flowed like wine - the luxury watch world was known to take generous, deep sips from the pool. It was a gold age of new ideas, brands and designs. A promising brand that might not reach the next decade is DeWitt. I've always liked the majority of their designs, and found their philosophy intriguing. This is one of their coolest models in my opinion. A neat looking perpetual calendar watch with a GMT hand. Sure, it is an expensive watch, but it is a relic from an era - communicating the exuberance of an era, which hearkening back to the roaring 20s with its art deco look.

The 43mm case came in two variants (matched to a black or white textured dial). The cases either had white or rose gold, mixed with black ceramic and polished titanium. I've checked out these pieces before, and they are nicely made with really bold designs. I love the quasi-checkered bezels iconic to the brand.

The five symmetrical subdials are beautifully arranged with straight forward functions all for the perpetual calendar. These include dials for the date, month, day of the week, leap year indicator, and synchronized 24 hour hand (acts like an AM/PM indicator). You then have the unique looking moon phase indicator. The plate over the moon phase disc is made out of silicium and has a copy of an actual galaxy applied to it. This lush blue always looked so nice using mother of pearl (that has been cut in half) as the moon pieces. The moon phase indicator is set against a segment of the dial that has a "starry" backdrop. This is done with goldfluss - and looks quite cool.

Inside the watch is actually and automatic movement. Aside from the perpetual calendar functions and the time, the watch has an easy to read GMT hand in red. You don't see too many watches with these features that really highlight the GMT complication. The movement is the DeWitt DW7021. Few will argue that the watch is pretty. Can you see yourself wearing a piece like this? Hard to say. I could probably pull it out off, but people might think me the ambassador from the planet luxicon. Price for the DeWitt Academia Quantieme Perpetual Nebula GMT watch was close to $100,000 when it was introduced a few years ago. One is available here on James List, and if you are interested I highly recommend working to negotiate a good price of 30-40% off.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Corum Ti-Bridge Tourbillon Watch'

3:55

Corum Ti-Bridge Tourbillon Watch

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Corum just sent me shout-out on this new Tourbillon watch that will be released a few days at Basel 2010. Thus, there will be at least two new tourbillon watches from Corum this year - this Ti-Bridge Tourbillon, and the Admiral's Cup Minute Repeater Tourbillon. While I have really only noticed that "Corum key" logo on the Admiral's Cup models, now it shows up on this new Ti-Bridge, as the top of the cage over what appears to be a flying tourbillon. I must admit that it looks pretty cool. The in-house made movement is very thin in the standard horizontal fashion of the timepiece line. The movement should be made of mostly titanium, and looks to have double barrels (for at least 50-60 hours of power reserve), and of course is manually wound.

Like all Ti-Bridge watches the case is going to be beautifully finished. It is really a piece of art and feels so smooth in the hands. You can see all the different forms of titanium in various polishes. The dial looks like it is a screen being framed by the case. A nice "Corum" logo is engraved into bridge on the movement - I like the slightly restyled logo. Looks pretty sharp next to the key emblem.

It is hard to convey just how cool a design the Corum Ti-Bridge watches are. They are fashioney watches, but nice ones at that. What I mean is that they aren't function first designs. You have the hands on the dial but no scales for them. This is a watch that is all about how it looks on the wrist and the beauty of the very small movement.

Corum is being intentionally scant about the details. Not sure about the dimensions or price, or other special features. But here is the sneak peek and the goodness that is coming up. I look forward to checking it out in a few days.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Seiko Premier Kinetic Perpetual Watch For 2010'

1:28

Seiko Premier Kinetic Perpetual Watch For 2010

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For the last few years Seiko has not only been impressing me with their sport watches, but also their more formal offerings. The recently (over the last few years) revamped Premier collection has a number of attractive looking pieces for both men and women. The watches have a smooth gracefulness to the case design, along with a very modern size. I fear that most "classy" watches out there are still too small for my tastes, but this timepiece is an exception.

At 43mm wide, the size feels very proper given the style of the watch. Last year the big release in the Premier watch collection was the Moon Phase Direct Drive that I discussed here. I loved the amount of complications that it injected into the design as well as the inclusion of the Kinetic Direct Drive movement. This model before you is in rose gold-toned steel, offering a less complex dial, and a more affordable price.

The movement is a Seiko Kinetic Perpetual Auto Relay. The quartz movement has an "accumulator" like a battery, and a battery that is charged via a rotor in the back of the watch and also has a special system that lets the watch "sleep" for up to four years. It is an interesting hybrid between mechanical and electronic. You don't need to change the battery in the movement like normal quartz watches (though the watch might need servicing eventually, like most any watch). The Auto Relay system will activate once the watch is inactive for 24 hours. I presume this means that the rotor in the watch does not turn. While in sleep mode the watch hands will cease to move, but the watch will still keep track of the time and date. It can do this for up to four years on a full charge. The moment the watch is picked up and moved again, the Auto Relay system will automatically move all the hands in the right position again. How cool is that? Talk about power efficiency. It is a very logical complication to place into such a movement.

Inside the watch is the Seiko Caliber 7D56 movement (which is available in some other nicer Seiko watches as well). You already know it is a Kinetic and has Auto Relay, but it is also has a perpetual calendar complication. This provides that the watch always displays the accurate date, and will not need to be adjusted until the year 2100. Information on the dial includes the time (with central seconds hand), big-date (large sized date window that uses two discs and is located close to 12 o'clock), the month, a leap year indicator, and 24 hour hand (useful, among other things, for AM/PM indication).

The visible applied hour indicators are similar to the large polished ones used on the high-end Seiko Ananta watches, and look very nice next to the white on black Roman numerals. One of the more interesting design elements of the dial is thematically borrowed from the Audemars Piguet Millenary line of the watches. The Roman hour numerals on the bottom of the dial are large than those on the top. While in the opposite position, the applied gold-tone hour indicators are larger on the top and smaller on the bottom. This creates an oblong look to these rings within rings. Despite appearing a bit asymmetric, the dial is perfectly centered. Plus, you get a mixture of baton hour markers and Roman numeral hour markers.

The men's Seiko Premier case style has always appealed to me, and I like the rose gold mixed with black. It has always been a very substantial and proud look. I particularly like the design of the lugs. Fit and finish of the Seiko Premier watches is also very good, always feeling like a watch more expensive than they actually are. Naturally the crystal is sapphire, and the case has 100 meters of water resistance. The Seiko Premier Kinetic Perpetual watch is matched to a black crocodile skin textured embossed leather strap with a matching steel deployment clasp. The watch reference number is SNP036P1 and will retail for 980 euros in Europe (available in Japan, and some other parts of the world as well. Look these this new Seiko model soon.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'HourTime Show Watch Podcast Episode 17'

13:50

HourTime Show Watch Podcast Episode 17

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Permalink for 'Ulysse Nardin Moonstruck Watch'

4:19

Ulysse Nardin Moonstruck Watch

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This is the newest celestial watch from Ulysse Nardin. Announced about a year ago, I wanted to wait until closer to when you might be able to get one before discussing it. I believe that it is the most polished and refined of their celestial watches yet - even though it is not the most ambitious in terms of the information it displays. You can read about at least two other Ulysse Nardin celestial information watches I discussed here, and here. A celestial watch in short is a timepiece that provides information about something happening off of Earth. This usually involves something about the placement of the sun, moon, or planets in the solar system. Once in a while you get other information that is related such as equinoxes and other such periods.

I've had trouble reading more celestial watches because A) I am not used to reading information like that, and B) because I am not an astronomer. The pictured Ulysse Nardin Moonstruck is different actually. It uses a friendly visual system to indicate to you what you are looking at. Right there in the middle of the watch is an image of Earth. Right away you get a good idea of what you are looking at, and that the indicators around it relate to the perspective you would have while being on Earth. As such, you have two main celestial indicators on the dial - the moon and the sun. As to the moon, it is a bit more complicated. It not only shows the relative position of the moon around the Earth, but the phase of the moon as well. Therefore, there is a small orb on the dial of the Moonstruck watch. It spins on its own axis revealing the phase of the moon, and it also spins on a disc around the large Earth disc in the middle of the dial. To combat the fact that a true moon phase cycle is actually 29.53124 days long (not the 29.5 days you typically see), Ulysse Nardin has instituted a gear system in to the watch so that you really only need to adjust the moonphase indicator on the Moonstruck watch each 120 years or so.

UN_Moonstruck2

Now it gets really cool. Notice the disc that has the little sun image on it. This also revolves around the Earth on the watch. The position of the sun is actually placed properly so that you can imagine light shining from it to the moon. Thus the "lit" side of the moon orb will always face the sun disc. See what I mean? Thus, the moon orb on its disc is made to turn so that the lit section always faces the Earth and the sun is placed properly as it would be in relation to the Earth to show you how its light is lighting up the moon from our terrestrial perspective. Sorry if any of this is getting complicated. Study the images a bit and it will all be clear!

So the sun moves around the Earth each 24 hours, showing you the relative position of the sun around the Earth. Remember that the view of the globe is from its "top." Other functions on the watch include a GMT indicator disc (and hand) as well as a date hand (the date indicators are placed in gold on the blued bezel). Least we forget the hands for the actual time. For the hour and minute hands, they are bold and lume covered. The sapphire crystal has gold lines applied to it for each of the 12 hours so that telling the time is not that hard.

UN_Moonstruck3

UN_Moonstruck4

The GMT disc gets a little complex, because it moves as well. It does this to show the time around the globe, and can also be used in conjunction with the sun placement indicator disc. Part of Ulysse Nardin's in-house made and designed UN 106 automatic movement (inside the watch) is their special GMT + / - system that allows the GMT hand to move in either "direction" so that you don't need to go around in a full instance to get the desired second time zone indication that you want. This is done via pushers on the side of the case. For a bit more about the creation of the movement and the people behind it, you can ready my colleague Elizabeth Doerr's discussion on World Tempus here. By the way, follow in Ulysse Nardin's tradition of upping the technical ante of its movements, the caliber UN 106 movement uses plenty of silicium (such as for the escapement and hairspring). This means such parts don't require lubricant.

There are other aspects to the Moonstruck watch's indications that I haven't quite gotten into. These include being able to determine things like the tides or seasonal data that understanding the position of the sun and moon in relation to the Earth can indicate. These aren't explicit functions of the watch, but the layout allows for you to determine this information with a little skill. If you want to invest in one of these limited edition watches, no doubt you'll study up on these things. By the way, the watch itself is 46mm wide and comes in a limited edition of 500 pieces in 18k red gold, and 500 pieces in platinum. The watch is fitted to a custom alligator strap with matching gold or platinum clasp. The Ulysse Nardin is undeniably a cool watch. It is also a very pretty watch. Wearing it will not lead you to looking like a rich nerd like some of the other luxury celestial watches. Price? Around 50,000 euros for the gold version.

See Ulysse Nardin watches on eBay here.

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Ulysse Nardin Maxi Marine Diver Chronograph Watch Black
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Genuine Ulysse Nardin Platinum 14mm Tang/Pin Buckle
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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Ulysse Nardin El Toro Watch'

13:46

Ulysse Nardin El Toro Watch

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Permalink for 'MB&F Horological Machine Watches Hands-On'

3:17

MB&F Horological Machine Watches Hands-On

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Back in January, while in Geneva, I got to happily molest the entire collection of MB&F watches. Those lovely Horological Machines were willing participants, and I fondled them with care and admiration. I think the biggest question I got to answer for myself was "are these watches wearable?" Well, in short, the answer is yes - mostly. I should begin with explaining what the point of MB&F watches are as I understand it.

MB&F expresses that their mission is neither to make traditional practical watches or men's jewelry. Looking at their designs and listening to MB&F founder Max Busser (and his colleagues) and it is clear that these are luxury mechanical toys based on a lifetime's appreciate of sci-fi and men's fantasy pop culture. Spaceships, battles axes, robots, gadgets, and everything else in this mix are part of the timepieces' inspiration. The "HM" part of the model names that stands for "horological machine," that pretty much sums it up. These are machines that tell the time. They are worn as watches, and the real allure to them is the machine part of it. MB&F watches do some cool things, but are less about complex innovation in function, as they are about design innovations.

Take the newest HM2 model for example. The "SV" version that is. SV stands for sapphire vision. You can see a nice image of it in the flesh here. The entire front plate of the watch is made from an incredibly hard to make single piece of synthetic sapphire crystal. What is the point of it other than to show that MB&F suppliers are willing to engage in highly time consuming acts to please the brand (actually it was a pain for them to find a supplier for this)? It is all about being able to see the mechanical innards of the automatic mechanical watch. Being able to appreciate what goes into the design and execution of the machine. MB&F isn't super concerned about traditional horological considerations such as rate results or things of that nature. Sure they want their pieces to tell the time reasonably well, but even good legibility isn't what they are thinking about. It just occurred to me that MB&F watch designers are in some ways the exact opposite of the Seiko watch engineers. Both talented, but with really different goals.

MB&F wants to take all type of pop culture fixtures that men have good associations with (well, not just men), and make watches that embody that spirit in way not previously attainable. Grew up watching Star Wars and always wanted a droid all your own? MB&F takes that designer robotic look and is somehow able to get it on your wrist in a totally non-geeky way. When I wrote about the HM3 a while ago here for example, I showed you how the face of the watch resembles a mechanical face. Others see it as a spaceship. However you see it, the same genre applies.

Each of the MB&F watches have eyes on the dial - I have a feeling most ever new MB&F watch will have a "face" of the the face. Even with the original HM1, you can see a pair of googly eyes. The HM1 is still the most expensive MB&F watch. It is the only tourbillon of the trio, and it has some very expensive sapphire bridges. That design looked crazy when it was revealed a few years ago. Today it almost looks tame by comparison to the HM2 and HM3.

Of course the exception is the very tasteful HM2.2 Alain Silberstein watch. That highly limited edition piece (also seen here) is meant to look a bit like an old fashioned camera box gone "watch." Alain Silberstein really was able to just do whatever he wanted with the piece, and I love the result. I understand that another special collaboration between MB&F and another design is on its way soon. This will involve the HM3 and will have some frog-like looks I am told.

In a short time I will get to check out the newest MB&F watch, the HM4. Rumors abound about its look, and MB&F is being predictably tight lipped about it. What I do know is that it will be quite spaceship inspired, again. It will be a well-hyped and much deserved high-profile piece. In fact the people behind MB&F are part of the horological "machine." Max Busser himself basically travels all the time. Meeting with collectors and retailers, he is the face and steam behind the brand - along with those that travel with him. What impresses me is the passion he inserts into the designs and the personal communication of the brand. He preaches his work better and with more energy in one year than most do over an entire career. I really admire that. So while yes, there is a lot of "image" behind MB&F watches, it is an image that they deserved.

Going back to my initial question of whether the watches are wearable. Physically they are. Not really as giant on the wrist as you think they are. I tired to give you good illustrations of that fact by wearing the watches myself. And to be seen in them? Well the good news is if you had to wear a crazy avant garde luxury timepiece, and MB&F would probably cut it so well it should be at or near the top of your list. MB&F is really a modern phenomenon, and I am happy to keep sharing their progress with you. Now which of their watches could you (most) see yourself wearing?

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'HourTime Show Watch Podcast Help Desk 1'

13:28

HourTime Show Watch Podcast Help Desk 1

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1:06

4N MVT01/D01/42 Watch

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Poor us who would love to wear this watch but cannot afford it (now or ever). A truly cool design that I think will appeal to a legion of watch lovers and traditionally non-watch lover's alike. The time is sold in a simple digital manner on four discs. Because there are four numerals (assume it said like 11:25 for the full four numbers). And this is why the brand is called 4N. I think it is sort of funny how brands come about with a plan of just selling one watch. Basically all future 4N watches can only have 4 numerals right? You see this type of one watch brand pretty often in the watch world. Once in a while the brand does well enough to make more models.

The model name of the watch is something a bit weird like 4N-MVT01/D01/42 - at least I think. I am just going to call it the 4N, just like I call the Cabestan Vertical Tourbillon Winch watch, the Cabestan watch. Inside the 4N watch is the MVT01 movement. Which is not a particularly clever way of indicating that it is their first movement. It is supposed to be in-house made to boot. The movement is manually wound and the hours and minutes are supposed to be jumping hours and minutes. I am actually surprised by this because the only such watch that I know to do this is the A. Lange & Sohne Lange Zeitwerk watch - which was really hard to make and took a really long time to properly engineer. It seems a bit hard to believe that 4N would get it right so quickly when Lange clearly isn't giving away and secrets.

To accomplish the jumping hours and minutes, the watch would need a sophisticated constant force escapement - which apparently it has. This allows for a steady surge of power from the movement to move the discs without effecting the rate of the movement. The term literally means "constant force" (uninterrupted) from the mainspring to the movement. More than likely 4N is still working out the kinks in the watch as I don't think it is commercially available yet. The digital numerals are supposed to be very large. Something like 5.5mm wide each. Though I have a feeling that this has been scaled down a bit. A neat looking frame (applied to the back of the sapphire crystal) tells you exactly where to read the time. Functionally, the watch is supposed to be quite easy to use. There is a crown on the right side of the case and two pushers on the left side of the case. Those pushers are used to adjust the minutes or hours (each one advances either the minutes or hours by one increment with each push).

In almost a widescreen TV style case, the 4N watch will be available in 18k white gold, platinum, and likely two other materials. The movement is made up mostly of titanium, aluminum alloys, and carbon fiber. There is really no denying how cool it looks. The relatively simple shape of the case is augmented by the complex lug structures. A genius design move making the watch really feel special. It almost goes without saying that the watch is quite special.

François Quentin is the man behind the design and the brand. He is also well known for being one of the main guys behind Hautlence, as well as the designer of one of my favorite high-end fashion watches. That being the Louis Vuitton Tambour (especially the Diver). The 4N watch be available (at some point) in a limited edition of just 16 pieces of each model (not sure how many models). How much will this cool mechanical digital watch cost? Hard to predict. Though I would be surprised if it was a penny under $80,000, and could easily be several times that. I am waiting for a working version to get my hands on.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Longio Telamon Tourbillon 1000m Diver Watch Review'

1:08

Longio Telamon Tourbillon 1000m Diver Watch Review

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My first tourbillon. The package was delivered to me and I quickly opened the box to find the Longio case inside. It was a larger presentation box, but that made sense given some of the included accessories. I hastily lifted the leather lid and a wide smile appeared on my face to see the almost mythical complication operating under the plastic film cover on the watch dial. Being an automatic movement, the transit had kept the watch wound enough for it to be moving when I first saw it. That little rotating balance wheel, spinning while it oscillates had a profound effect on me - given that I have been writing about $100,000 plus tourbillons for a while. Now I had one in my home. The difference here is where the tourbillon was made (that of course implies a host of differences). While most of tourbillon movements I have written about have European origin, this guy was from China.

And the watch totally is a "guy." Very masculine proportions and an aggressive stance. Maybe I am wrong for saying this, but I am surprised that a design from China has such a cool look. The design isn't necessarily a complex feat of refinement and careful study - but more a raw, architectural style with a guttural sense of strength. It is like the unpredictable marriage of Japanese armor design and the architectural style of proud looking propaganda-run state government buildings. I need to caution that last point, because if you've never seen government buildings made out of the direction of propaganda driven countries (communists, dictatorship, etc...), you'd have no idea what I am talking about. Unlike the cheap residences of communist era countries for example, the government buildings were very strong looking and meant to illicit a strong sense of pride and respect for the "establishment." I see a lot of this almost neo-Roman mixed with art-deco on steroids style in this watch. I feel as though this exaggerated explanation is necessary, because I want to show you that this is a unique design, but also why I think it stands out. It is possible that given China's government, there is a bit of this design element in their government buildings, which might have influenced the watch design. Not having been to China, I can't really say. Though a hint about their design philosophy comes from the brand's sub-slogan "The P.R.C. (People's Republic of China) Manufacture of Exceptional Mechanical Timepieces."

Regardless of the actual inspiration for the design, it is a lasting one that most men with a taste for the bold will enjoy. Traditionalists will probably not be too keen on this watch, as it is quite the opposite of the demure Swiss timepiece that we have an image in our minds of when thinking about standard dressy timepieces. I personally get a big kick out of wearing it. I wrote about this Longio watch a while ago before it even had a formal name here. Since then it has been given the name "Telamon" Now I can call it something proper. So this is the Longio Telamon 1000m diver watch, Ref. SG3829SB (SG3829). It is one of several tourbillon watches that brand currently offers, but the grandest one in my opinion. Nevertheless, most of their designs share this modern-esque style of outspokenness and poise that is not necessarily what you would expect from Chinese design. Perhaps this is due to Longio's proximity to the more free-spoken area of Hong Kong. Plus, Hong Kong is one of the most important places in the world for the watch industry, so no doubt Longio benefits from being able to experience the offerings from numerous brands.

If you haven't heard of Longio, that is OK. I hadn't either until a while ago, but as with all new brands our education must start somewhere. Longio has apparently long been working as an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and ODM (original design manufacturer) for other watch brands for a while now. This schooled them in how to make watches, even if they didn't put their name on it. This should at least bestow confidence that they know what they are doing, and that they do it all themselves.

Let's chat about the movement, as this is going to be an important component of people actually buying the watch. Longio uses an automatic tourbillon movement that they make. It has 19 jewels, beats at 21,600bph, and has a power reserve of 65 hours when fully wound. Functions include the time with the one minute tourbillon acting as the subsidiary seconds dial. Along with the automatic winding, you can hand wind the movement. I can't speak to much of the movement's decoration and finish aside from what I see in the open tourbillon window. A large segment of the lower part of the dial has been wisely used to display the tourbillon. You see the complication moving around just as you would expect. It is no less satisfying to watch in operation that other similar tourbillons. There is a thin bridge over the tourbillon carriage and blued screws to enhance the look.

I would say that there is one major difference between the Longio tourbillon and its European counterparts - hand finishing. The Europeans have long prided themselves in taking long periods of time to delicately hand decorate and finish watch movement parts. This involves taking the pieces straight from the expensive machines that make them and polishing and finishing them - more often than not under a microscope. This is why Swiss movements for example, appear as beautiful as they do. Such finishing also assists with quality and finding defective parts. Longio doesn't have that same type of look in the movement. Though you need to be a real connoisseur (like myself I guess) to notice it. In fact, for most people, looking at the Telamon's tourbillon with the naked eye reveals "just a cool looking tourbillon." Most of the differences aren't apparent until you get really close or check things out under magnification. And while you ponder how nice it is that someone lovingly filed each gear and bridge in a watch, you must be mindful of the price. It of course goes without saying that Swiss tourbillon watches cost many more times that of one from Longio.

Longio was not the first Chinese watch brand to offer a tourbillon movement. I don't know who was, or how much lower or high in price they are. I do know that there are many out there with much lower quality tourbillon movements than what Longio offers. I am not an expert of Chinese tourbillon movements, so I can only comment on what I know compared to the Europeans. Even though Longio doesn't give its tourbillon and movement the same type of hand decoration, you still have actual people putting these watches together. This is just the type of thing that requires skill and hands-on treatment. A tourbillon is not easy to make or put together. Thus I know that like the Europeans, there must be someone that is actually hand-assembling these movements. Accuracy is actually on par or a little bit off most European tourbillon movements with deviation of about 10-25 seconds a day. This might seem like a lot, but actually isn't that off from what you find else where. While Tourbillon movements seem to suggest they make watches more accurate, this isn't true. There are fun toys to watch, but functionally don't really do anything. Their main allure is their complexity, the novelty of watching them in action, and the emotion that is built around them. For a watch to be a COSC Chronometer, it can still be off by about 6 seconds a day, and there are very few COSC certified tourbillon watches out there. So I can freely say that this Chinese tourbillon movement isn't that far off from your "run of the mill" Swiss tourbillon movement.

Another fun fact - Longio gives its tourbillon movements a lifetime warranty. You'll need to contact Longio for more details on that, but that does reassure me about having concerns with the longevity of quality of the watch movement. If it breaks, looks like Longio has your back.

You should understand that all tourbillon movements are more delicate than standard mechanical movements. This applies to any such style movement watch. So the aggressive sport like nature of the Telamon diver is a bit of an irony. "Gentle diving (no matter how deep up to 1000 meters) should be OK, but don't take the watch out on vigorous hikes, bike rides, or other "shock" prone activities. Look, if you are the type of person that can't seem to keep their watch from being their personal shield, then a tourbillon watch (of any maker) isn't gonna be right for you. There are lots of other more shock resistant watches to meet your clumsy needs. If you can take care of your watch a bit, treating it like a precious mechanical object that it is, then you should consider the strong allure of the most expensive and emotionally charged style of complication out there - the tourbillon. Oh, yea, you need to be able and afford it too. But that comes much closer to reality with the Telamon.

Now for the rest of the watch. You know... what really matters more of the time. The Longio Telamon is a bigger watch at 47mm wide in steel and tall at 18mm high. It isn't light either. Though placing it on the included rubber strap will lighten the load. The fragile types that need a light watch however, should go get themselves a plastic Swatch, I've got a nice one for you right here. As a diver style watch, the Telamon works nicely. The tall case has a nicely rotating diver's bezel (with a lume tip) that moves satisfyingly and has good style. The case is 1000 meters water resistant, has a helium escape valve, and the caseback has a fun little engraving of a diver (silly and cute looking). I like the lightheartedness of the image combined with the aggressive stance of the watch. Watch crystal is sapphire, and AR coated I believe. Legibility is good, and the dial has a nice color contrast to it. The hour markers are large enough, and while they are disrupted by the tourbillon, the chapter ring hour and minute indicators continue. I enjoy the look of the dial, and it is easy to live with. The tourbillon is apparent, and made more so by the skeletonzied hands. Plus, I like that the hour markers are applied. The hand tips and hour markers are coated with a SuperLumiNova that glows blue, but for some reason seems to require a lot of light to charge. Also, the hands are a bit short, and I would have liked for them to be a bit more conspicuous on the dial. Problem is that the hour markers and the tips of the hands are similar sizes, so they get mixed together mentally a bit. These items aren't a big deal, but are certainly areas for Longio to improve upon.

Wearing the watch is more comfortable than the jagged edges of the case would have you believe. Although heavy, the case stays on your wrist well, and the large lugs are curved to help keep it there. I am genuinely fond of the style. I think the Telamon looks damn cool, and I always feel good wearing it. It is as though the case style is the main allure, and the tourbillon is the icing on the cake. The bracelet is interesting. Seeing early images of it, I wasn't sure whether I would dig it, but I do. It moves very smoothly and is comfortable. Although the watch has some sharper edges around it, none are a bother. Though if you manually wind the watch a lot you need to hold the crown a bit on the outside as you can otherwise rub up against some angled surfaces.

The 24mm wide bracelet is chunky and have lots of brushed surfaces like the case. Even though no parts of the case are mirror polished, having so many angles gives the watch a shiny look when it moves around in the light. The neat looking Longio logo is engraved on the crowns and on the deployment clasp. The claps is push button operated, and works much more nicely than a lot of other Chinese watch bracelets I have experienced. It also has a cool ratcheted divers extension that is similar to the one on this Orient 1000m Diver watch. Meaning you can extend it at different lengths, all while you are still wearing the watch. That feature, I quite like.

This review needs to come to a close because there is only so much you will read. In short, the Longio Telamon Tourbillon watch is a cool looking diver's watch with a unique spirit and an automatic tourbillon movement. While it does not have the level of refinement that a European tourbillon watch has, it is no where near as expensive. At $7,999, the Longio Telamon Tourbillon is an expensive dive watch and an inexpensive tourbillon. They hope that finding a place somewhere in the middle they will get a good audience. I don't think anyone will be disappointed with the watch at all, but it isn't the same as a European style watch. If you are looking for a unique dive watch that isn't like the majority of them out there, it is a good option. It is also a good choice for those who want a tourbillon and either can't afford the $50,000 plus prices it costs to get Swiss one, or simply want a starter tourbillon piece. Of course there is the style of the watch as well that should appeal to more than a few people. Perhaps Longio will make a non tourbillon version of the Telamon as well, that should sell quite nicely I imagine.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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3:28

Hamilton Pulsomatic Watch For 2010

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I think that this will be a pretty well-received watch for 2010, and that a lot of people are going to dig this. Another of the many many "historical rereleases" we have been seeing lately. So, a long time ago Hamilton released the Pulsar. It was the first digital watch. This was in 1970, just a year after Seiko introduced the first quartz watch (that was analog). The Hamilton Pulsar was not an LCD (liquid crystal display) watch, but rather had a red colored LED (light emitting diode). With an LED, power consumption is a bit issue although it is bright when viewable. As such, you needed to manually press a button on the case to display the time on the Pulsar - as it would have drained the battery too quickly otherwise. Despite this, it was an accurate movement and really popular at the time. Pulsar then sort of branched out into a subbrand (which is actually part of Seiko now I think), and you could get similar watches up until almost now. By the way, the first 6 digit LCD watch was released shortly thereafter, again by Seiko.

For 2010 there is a brand new watch in the style and memory of the 1970 Pulsar, this is the Pusomatic (oohh! Sounds fancy) and has a very new tricks up its sleeves. You can tell by the "evolution diagram" how the original watch turned into the new one design side. Larger case with a similar shape, but now a different screen. Oh, and I totally like the look of the original bracelet better. The fat outer links with thin inner link before the bracelet tapers looks sorta of odd, but maybe I need to wear the thing.

The Pulsomatic throws out the LED display. Why? Cause of the power issue. So the cool red numerals are not going to grace your vision. Instead you have a nice high quality reverse LCD screen (black background, lighter numbers), that always looks better than standard LCD screens. I must admit I wanted to see the cool red numbers. Maybe there is a backlight feature in red that I don't know about.

Hamilton put the Pulsomatic in a 39mm wide steel case with the TV screen style dial. In addition to the steel tone, look like you can get the watch in black PVD as well as rose gold PVD. Yes, nothing says "rich geek" like a gold tone one of these. "Wanna touch my Pulsomatic baby?" Sure there is lots of wasted space on the dial, but it looks cool. Lots of the display design was taken from brands such as Ventura. You can also get a rubber strap in addition to the steel bracelet. Also, the case is water resistant to 50 meters and thankfully comes with a sapphire crystal.

Now for the interesting part - well sort of. The movement "borrows" from the concept of the Seiko Kinetic by having an automatic rotor generate power for the battery. Actually the Ventura watch (Q Spark I think it was) also did this. Inside the Hamilton Pulsomatic is the Calibre H1970 automatically generated quartz movement (gee, I wonder why "1970" is in there). It has a power reserve of about 82 days when fully charged, and is made by Swiss ETA. It might have the rotor viewable through the watch caseback, but I am not sure.

I think that the watch has enough retro appeal for those who recall the original watch and never had one. I think the red LED light will be missed. Maybe Hamilton will come out with some version in the future that has a tinted red crystal. That would be cool. Otherwise it is pretty nifty and will be available for purchase near the end of the year. Price is going to be $1,495.

See digital Hamilton watches on eBay here.

See Hamilton watches on Amazon here.

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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Oris BC3 Sportsman 42mm Watch'

2:17

Oris BC3 Sportsman 42mm Watch

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More relatively affordable Swiss watch action from Oris. New for 2010 is this updated BC3 Sportsman model in a 42mm case. This is about as no nonsense as you'd want to get with a watch, and Oris keeps all the functionality you've come to expect in this collection. For years that have been centrally aligning the day and date windows for a nice clean look. As you can see, at 6 o'clock you have two stacked windows with the calendar information. Done well with white text on black discs to match the dial. Hands are long and easy to read, almost as though the watch were a dive watch. The hands and some of the numeral markers are coated in SuperLumiNova for ease of reading. That combined with the well placed markers make this one highly legible watch. The Arabic numerals on the dial are polished steel, and applied to the dial.

Oris watches never forgo at least some decoration. The 42mm wide steel case has a thin polished ring around bezel that matches the polished crown. The case design is functional, but not sexy - though you don't always want sexy for sports activities. Oris isn't trying to make a watch fit for the club and the cabin. The red inlay in the screw-down crown is a hint at the Oris signature red automatic rotor, that is visible through the sapphire caseback window. The crystal over the face is also sapphire (AR coated).

Attached to the watch here is a classic three-link steel bracelet, that Oris makes relatively well. The BC3 Sportsman will also be available with a rubber or leather strap. It will look more sporty on the rubber strap, but I happen to like the sober look of it on the metal bracelet. Its makes a hell of a reliable no-frills timepieces.

Inside the watch is a Swiss automatic mechanical movements. Likely here an ETA 2834-2, or similar. For the guy who does not like things that are too flashy, but will do the job right (and want a good Swiss name), this is a good choice from Oris. Plus, it will be pretty reasonably priced for what you get. Look for this new Oris BC3 Sportsman watch soon.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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1:27

Cartier Calibre Watches

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The big news from Cartier for 2010 is the Calibre collection of watches. While they did release a few impressive highly complex watches (not to mention a tourbillon version of the Calibre watch), those aren't going to be volume models. The Calibre will be a much more affordable timepiece with a fresh and modern look along with the Cartier name. As a thick layer of icing on the cake, the Calibre is named as such for having a Cartier in-house made movement. That's right. The jewelry brand can finally satisfy the connoisseur's need for exclusive in-house movements and the brand's famous style. The movement is the 1904 MC, named for the year that Cartier made a watch for Alberto Santos Dumont, being Cartier's first wrist watch. The movement is an automatic with two mainspring barrels, 48 hours of power reserve, and a hack seconds complication. It further features ceramic ball bearings for the automatic rotor which winds the watch when spinning in both directions Also, it looks like the movement will be able to be a base for more complex movements in the future that will be in the "affordable" range.

The Calibre watch name is a bit silly to most hardcore watch lovers, but is playfully simple meaning only "watch movement reference" really. Most of Cartier's client's however would not refer to a watch movement as a "calibre," so that is OK. At least Cartier stuck with the simple and classy names that most of its watches have. The style of the Calibre watch takes some getting used to. It is not one of those instant "must haves," but then again, none of its watches are. They are more handsome watches that take time to appreciate until putting one in your collection seems to make sense. I have a feeling if they released the Santos watch tomorrow many people would find it boring. Yet after it being around for so long we all consider it a classic. My prediction is that it will be a few years of Cartier Calibre promotion before the love sets in. Having said that I actually quite like the look a lot. I think that Cartier made a few ephemeral design choices but overall they did a nice job.

The watch is a decent size at 42mm wide and available in steel, 18k rose gold, or two-tone with a gold bezel and steel case. The case feels large for its size which is good. A very distinguishing features is the chunky crown guard. It has Cartier exposed screws on it (which you see in many of their masculine products). Most surfaces are brushed with some nice edges being polished. That adds a nice high-end touch to it. Although the components of the case look simple, it is very refined in style. The lugs are broad and curved, making for a very comfortable fit. You see a very iconic Cartier hexagon crown with a more geometric cut sapphire crystal cabochon applied to it. Often Cartier cabochons are perfectly rounded. You can see the handsome proportions in the images of the Calibre watch on my wrist.

Always a point of interest for me in Cartier watches is the dial. I find the Calibre to be a curious, but satisfying creation. It comes in three colors, black, silver, and brown (that looks really nice with the gold). Let me start with what I don't like. The date window. It is way to "right now." This is part of what I was referring to when I said the watch had an ephemeral style to it. Or maybe I just don't like these unnecessarily large date windows. Cartier makes it work however as the crescent shape of the date window is visually continued with the large crown guard. On the other side it seems to come to a point at the center of the dial. This is one of the first Cartier watches that I know of that does not have blued steel hands. Instead they have lume and watch the colors of the dial. I sort of miss the blued steel now.

The chapter ring of the watch inside the dial is toothed a bit, just like some classic Panerai watches, and interesting design touch. All part of the masculination of the watch. The top half of the dial has Roman numerals with a big "12." Then, in order to make it not look so cluttered, Cartier replaces the lower half of the dial with hour markers in order to visually accommodate the large subsidiary seconds dial. In addition to the hour and minute hands having lume, there are four points of lume around the dial. The outer ring on the face has some concentric circle texturing with a few levels of elevation that are viewable preventing the dial from looking flat. The minute index scale around the dial adds to the legibility. The look of the dial as a whole is sufficiently Cartier, while being more aggressive than their "dandy" reputation would suggest, and of course a unique addition to their men's collection.

People who are tired of the same old Cartier styles will appreciate the new look that is easy to see yourself wearing, and the Calibre watch collection really promotes Cartier as a serious watch maker having a new and exclusive in-house made movement. Expect more of this in the future in mainstream Cartier watches such as this as opposed to only in their $100,000 plus spectacular and complex creations. As such, the Calibre collection with its 1904 MC automatic movement will start at $6,500 in steel and go up from there.

See Cartier watches on eBay here.

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| NEW CARTIER Tank Francaise Mid-Size Steel/18kt YG |
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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'HourTime Show Watch Podcast Episode 16'

22:05

HourTime Show Watch Podcast Episode 16

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Listener Call-In Show Tommorow March 5th, For HourTime Podcast

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2:06

Temption CM05 Watch

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I have a really strong affinity to the small, independent German watch maker Temption. I have two of their watches, the CGK203 and the Cameo (click on those links for my reviews). Each year they try to release a new model, and I eager await what they have to share. Last year it was the beautiful Cameo, and this year is the CM05. While the Cameo was a totally new design for the brand, the CMO5 is more of an evolution on their classic look. Emphasis here is on build quality, and the simple design aesthetic that made the Cameo as popular as it was.

Temption is proud that the CM05 is totally screwed together. There are no rivets, studs, or pressed points (though the sapphire crystal might be an exception). As such, you can see the screws in the caseback and all over the bracelet. The case itself is in high-grade steel and 42mm wide and 11mm tall (very wearable). The case is 100 meters water resistant as well. The sapphire crystal is 2.6mm thick and domed for strength (also AR coated on the inside). It is a satisfying look and makes for a good every day wear.

The dial reminds me of UTS watches, and is very Germanic. Simple and highly functional with a Bauhaus theme. The dial is a matte black with a black on black Temption logo and a small frame around the centrally mounted date window (that is also a black disc). Temption places a black disc over the central axis of the hands to hide the connection point. It is a new style for them, even though others have done it. It keeps the look of the face cleaner. The hour markers and hands have luminant applied to them. It is a modern looking watch dial in a very pure form, with a distinct emphasis on understated artistry - exactly what many men are looking for. It is actually easy not to appreciate the dial at first, but look at it, think about it, and then look at it again in a little while and then see how you feel.

The rotating bezel is an odd element on the case. I really like Temption's older style rotating bezel. Not sure how I feel about this new one. It is certainly more style oriented, and I would have to live with it for a bit before coming to a conclusion on it. Plus, it is sort of a GMT pilot's bezel and the watch has no GMT hand. So it is just another place for hour markers maybe. Don't forget that the crown has Temption's signature onyx stone cabochon in it. Even if the watch dial is almost bare, the movement is nicely decorated. Temption puts another sapphire crystal on the rear of the watch with a view into the finished and perlage polished Swiss ETA 2892A2 automatic movement. Looks like a slightly new type of decor for Temption watch movements.

One of the best parts of the watch is the bracelet. In fact, Temption most always does a good job with their bracelets, and this one it totally new. From the outside it is all horizontal links in brushed steel to match the case. Though looking on the inside you can see how it is constructed (again, lots of screws holding it together and an inner connection link). Temption has comfort in mind as well. In addition to the full size links, Temption provides two 3/4 size links for a more precision fit when sizing the bracelet. It closes via a butterfly deployment clasp that has the Temption logo engraved in ti, and blends in with the rest of the bracelet pretty well. The bracelet is also thick at 24mm wide, and nicely integrated into the watch case (that is sort of lugless).

You can tell that the Temption CM05 certainly has a "small workshop" feel to it, but is also a very cohesive watch that is put together with the refinement of a fine piece of Jewelry. I look forward to checking it out soon. Price is not too bad at about $2,325 (1710 euros). Plus it is a good type of look for those who miss the early to middle 80s IWC/Porsche Design watches. While the watch is not part of a limited edition, Temption makes under 1000 watches a year, so these aren't gonna be a ton of these around. They should start being available in April 2010.

See Temption watches on eBay here.

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BRAND NEW TEMPTION CURIE AUTOMATIC UNISEX SS BRACELET
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1

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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Permalink for 'Alain Silberstein iKrono Watch'

1:15

Alain Silberstein iKrono Watch

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This isn't a brand new release (still pretty fresh though) from French watch maker Alain Silberstein - and it is one of my favorites. Sort of like his take on the Bell & Ross BR01 instrument watch look and style. Best of is that I got to check some iKrono watches out last month in person. A square case in titanium with an elevated round dial. The case is available in a micro-grain finish (sort of like sandblasted) and also with black PVD coating. Alain Silberstein further uses a special silicium anti-stain treatment. This is a really good addition when dealing with things like finger oils and such. The cases don't really smudge when you touch them. I love the machine-like presentation, though it is softened by smooth bolts on the case and the overall smooth edges all over the case and surfaces. This gives it a more cartoon line, friendly look. The watch isn't small either being 47mm wide (BR01 is 46mm wide) and 20mm tall. A really great look on your wrist if you ask me - very charming and inviting looking (which can pretty much be said for all his watches). By the way, the strap is actually one long piece of material that is secured into the case. To remove it, you just need to unscrew the caseback.

There are a few color versions of the watch I believe, pictured are just some examples. The watch also look really nice with a white leather (or rubber strap I believe) Each version is in a limited edition (500 pieces each edition at most). In fact, you can see a few more images of a few more versions of the iKrono watch here on this quality French watch blog. I love the different color chapter rings on the iKrono watch (that have tachymetre scale on them).

Look on the back of the watch and you learn that it is proudly made in France - an up-and-coming spot in the mainstream world of luxury watches. The character is very French as well, but embodies Alain Silberstein's unmistakable charms. Ever present are his use of red, yellow, and blue. Plus the three icon shapes seen in two places here. First on each of the pushers and the crown to much up the triad (admittedly the blue square is made into a circle here for symmetry purposes on the pushers) , and then they are all together to form the seconds hand on the dial. The three colors are again used on his standard playful hour, minute and chronograph seconds hand (of the most expressive "squiggly" hands on the market). You'll notice something different about the chronograph seconds hand - it has a peculiar extension. This is apparently called a Vernier scale hand, and it is used to tell the chronograph time to 1/8 of a second accuracy. This is about as much as the 7750 movement can take, though a Zenith El Primero movement that beats fast can do 1/10 of a second accuracy. Basically when you stop the chronograph you look to see which of the little indicators on the Vernier scale are lined up the best with one of the indicators near it, and that gives you the 1/8 of a second reading.

Plenty of SuperLumiNova is used on the hands and dial for darkness visibility. Despite the wild looks of the dial, it is still easy to read - Alain Silberstein is very intent of having each of his watches be utilitarian first and foremost. There is a lot of fun in the design though still - such as the day of the week indicator. Instead of having a disc with the days of the week, it has been replaced by different emoticons ("Smiledays"), there are a few different ones. It is mostly a way of judging if you should be happy (weekends) or sad (weekdays). Monday has a little sad face as seen in one of the images. The uplifting red smile is a Saturday. The effect is further enhanced by the oval window for the images that creates a facial look more than a square opening would.

While the iKrono watch might look like an expensive toy, it isn't make like a toy. This is a top quality high-end watch through and through. The movement is a Swiss Valjoux 7750 automatic that has a custom black rotor, blued screws, and is decorated. The movement is visible through the sapphire caseback window, and the sapphire crystal on the front of the watch is coated with anti-reflective material on both sides. Overall the watch is just plain cool. Not for everyone, but looking at it you know if you are the type of person to enjoy this style of sports watch. Price is $12,400. Check with an Alain Silberstein dealer if you want to get one.

See Alain Silberstein watches on eBay here.

See Alain Silberstein watches on Amazon here.

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Alain Silberstein Le vrai bonheur catalogue
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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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16:39

Ultra Rare Seiko Spring Drive Spacewalk Watch Available On eBay

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A. Lange Sohne 1815 Chronograph Watch

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Permalink for 'Edouard Lauzières Narmad Watch Review'

1:41

Edouard Lauzières Narmad Watch Review

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I remember when I first started getting into interesting watches. I was always a watch person since understanding the need to tell the time, but it was sometime in late high school or early college that I started to at least notice that there were some cool watches out there. For me, it was the weird and out-of-the-ordinary that initially caught my eye. For other people it is just the opposite, they like clean classic looks that are simple, but tasteful. Then perhaps they start expanding their scope. For me it is sort of the opposite. After being around so many watches I have come to have a real appreciation for simple classic pieces. Some might call them conservative or traditional in style. "Conservative" is an interesting way of looking at certain watches. The term might conjure up the idea of boring or lifeless. This isn't true. Conservative instead is adherence to the traditional manner of design and style. Conservative is always in, and conservative will never let you down. Not all occasions call for something conservative, and you don't always feel like the conservative choice, but conservative will never look out of place.

Which brings me to a fascinating watch called the Narmad from Edouard Lauzières. The brand isn't very big or well known in the US, but they impressed me with this watch. And even though the name of the watch might sound a bit funny to American ears or the name of the brand is hard to pronounce (yes, you can hear me struggling in the video review), it has a mainstream appeal that I want to share with you.

Let's get the style out of the way first. This watch isn't going to make everyone's heart beat quickly, but it won't offend anyone either. It has a very conservative style, but the passion is all in the details. In fact, this is of the most affordable passionately made watches I've ever seen. I will explain this throughout the review. If there is any one thing I can say about the Narmad, it is that it is an extremely focused watch that is made very well in its specific design. As though the watch maker had a very clear plan for the watch, and executed it perfectly.

If you look closely at the pictures you will notice that the steel looks really good. The finishing on the case is quite fantastic. Best I have ever seen at this price level I think. The bracelet and case have a combo of brushed and polished finishing that is so good you want to cherish it. It feels more like jewelry than a time telling tool on your wrist. The classic three link bracelet is 20mm wide and uses screw bars to attach the links. The deployment uses a triple lock clasp and has a nice "EL" signed flap. The bracelet is excellent for what it is. Comfortable, easy to operate, and fitted flush with the case. I think it would have looked cool for Edouard Lauzières to apply a perlage polish to the folding plates that opens with, and connects the bracelet. That would have been interesting. The clasp also has a micro adjust which I like to get that perfect fit. Overall a really satisfying bracelet and again, nicely finished.

Each case is individually numbered. This adds a degree of exclusivity to them as well as acts as an indicator of when the watch was made and where it was sold. This helps with the 24 month limited warranty that Edouard Lauzières provides with the watch (by the way, speaking of warranty, Edouard Lauzières works with a service center in upstate New York who services watches if needed for US customers). The case size epitomizes conservative being 40mm wide and individually made in Switzerland being milled from a solid piece of steel. It feels extremely solid and has an attractive mixture of polishes on it. The bezel is mirror polished and has 12 genuine Top Wesselton diamonds from Botswana that are hand-set into the case. Total of 0.46 carats of stones. I would not call myself the type of guy to wear diamonds, but I like the look here. The stones have a high gleam and can double as alternate hour markers given their placement. They take the style of the watch into a new direction. Instead of just being a conservative Swiss watch with a familiar looking case and blue dial, the watch is instantly made more formal and perhaps more important feeling. Giving the stones a "functional placement" prevents the watch from looking blingy or like jewelry. Instead they are a tasteful touch that indicate the value the watch maker places on the piece, rather than just a way to make it more expensive.

Ergonomically the watch does not suffer. The case has a crown guard, but the crown itself is still easy to operate and is engraved with the "EL" logo once again. The watch case is water resistant to 50 meters and has a sapphire crystal that has been coated with anti-reflective coating, and is perfectly flat making it easy to see through and refracts minimal light. As is often the case, conservative here also means really easy to use and live with. The Narmad pretty much wants to make you happy and not cause a fuss. It does its job quietly and competently - not likely to ever give you cause to be upset with it.

The back of the watch has a image that you may not recognize. It has nothing to do with watches, and isn't even Swiss. It is a mandala of life chakra (chakhra). It is a Buddhist symbol meant to imbue luck, vitality, and happiness. Such symbols are common in Tibetan and some Indian art. It has a peaceful symmetrical look to it, sort of what a good watch dial should look like. It is interesting to find it on the back of the watch. At the very least it adds character to the timepiece and is a soothing piece of imagery.

At first I wasn't sure what to make of the dial on the Narmad, but I've come to appreciate it. It is very understated, but requires lots of effort to make. The dial itself is in a metallic blue that has been guilloche machine engraved by hand. Each dial is done individually and takes about 20 minutes to make. The texturing is unique and there is a sort of sunburst pattern as well that has 12 lines that line up with the hour markers. If blue is a color you like, you will more than likely enjoy the dial tone. On top of it are applied hour markers with luminant on them. The hands are close to dauphine in shape and also applied with lume. The Edouard Lauzières logo is placed under Arabic numeral indicator for 12 o'clock. As such the dial has orientation, a degree of darkness visibility and an interesting look. Around the dial is a steeply sloped chapter ring that has minute indicators on it. It is a nice touch also in blue, and makes the dial feel deeply set into the case. Don't forget the date function as well (with its nice little polished metal window).

As a quartz watch, the Narmad doesn't suffer from some of the pet peeves I have with quartz movements. Inside the watch is a Swiss made Ronda 715 quartz movement. The Narmad watch I have has a second hand that perfectly lines up with the 60 indicators on the chapter ring - very important! The movement is also very accurate, even for a quartz, and high quality in the scheme of quartz movements. When the battery is low the seconds hand moves less times (though still keeping the time) to act as an "end of life" indicator for the battery meaning you need to replace it (average battery last for about 5 years). This is done by unscrewing the four screws that hold on the back of the case. Plus, if you aren't wearing the watch, you can pull out the crown to conserve up to 70% of the energy drain from the battery.

I was amazed to learn all of this about the Narmad. A seemingly simple timepiece with so many interesting details and attractive qualities. Totally absent from your mind unless you are educated about the watch. It goes to show how much the story behind the construction and design of the watch can add to the value. I would place the Edouard Lauzières Narmad in the category of high-end quartz watches. Many people love this category, and it is a good idea to have some quartz watches to supplement your mechanical watch collection. Also, for those people wanting a nice everyday watch with a conservative demeanor but a good story and nice construction, it is hard to go wrong with the Narmad if the style speaks to you. The price direct from Edouard Lauzières for the watch is $1,200. Not too bad given the high-quality materials, diamonds, and lots of individual hands-on treatment each Narmad watch receives.

Thanks to Edouard Lauzières for providing the review unit. Opinions are 100% independent.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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1:11

Giveaway: Orient Mako Diver Automatic Watch

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Here is your chance to get a well-made and affordable automatic mechanical dive watch from Orient Japan - for free. One lucky aBlogtoRead.com reader will win this watch from Orient. The brand makes their own movements and are often very well regarded by their fans. I reviewed with Orient Mako Dive watch here myself previously. Orient takes a lot of pride in their dependable automatic watches and here is your chance to own one. Up for grabs is the special yellow dial version of the Mako Dive watch line. It is the Orient CEM65001Y timepiece. As I understand it, this piece was specially made to celebrate Orient's relationship offering watches on Amazon.com, and is an exclusive color available only there or direct via Orient. There are a number a nice Orient automatic watches I've currently had my eye on such as Orient's CFM00004W, or the CEZ05003B.

Yellow is a nice alternative to orange when looking for a bold looking watch - but this model watch is also available in orange, as well as black or blue dials. The watch is 41mm wide and 13mm thick. The automatic movement has a power reserve of about 40 hours, and the watch case is water resistant to 200 meters. The movement features a day-date complication. The day is adjusted via the pusher above the watch crown. The style is simple and sharp, with a lot of visual durability to be a default watch, or a go-to activity timepiece. The three-link steel bracelet is impressively made given the price range. The Orient CEM65001Y retails for $275. Enter below for your chance to win one this month from aBlogtoRead.com.

To Enter You Must:

1. Comment on this post below with your valid e-mail address where required. In the body of your comment mention your favorite watch dial color (or colors), and perhaps why that is.

2. By entering you are opting in to potentially receive occasional watch related news letters or announcements. You may opt out at any time.

3. Wait until the giveaway is over on April 1st, 2010 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 Orient Watches, the sponsor of the Mako Diver watch giveaway here at aBlogtoRead.com!

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com

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a Passion for Watches » aBlogtoRead.com » March 2010

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